Midland Begins Major Airborne Electromagnetic Survey in Nunavik, Quebec, for Copper-Nickel as Part of its Strategic Alliance with BHP
globenewswire.com June 03, 2025 07:30 ET | Source: Midland Exploration Inc.
MONTREAL, June 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Midland Exploration Inc. (“Midland”) (TSX-V: MD) is pleased to announce the start of an important copper-nickel exploration program in Nunavik, following exploration work from 2020 to 2024, during which new Cu-Ni-Co mineralized showings were discovered.
This new program will be carried out within the framework of the strategic alliance (the “Alliance”), signed in August 2020 between Midland’s wholly owned subsidiary, Midland Base Metals Inc., and Rio Algom Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of BHP Group Limited (“BHP”).
The 2025 exploration program will focus on a new major crustal-scale structure and its subsidiary faults, which were identified during the regional magnetotelluric ("MT") survey and the Z-Tipper axis airborne electromagnetic ("ZTEM") survey, conducted in 2022-2023. These structures, previously poorly recognized, are considered favorable for copper-nickel mineralization. The 2025 program will consist of an airborne HeliTEM® time-domain electromagnetic ("TDEM") survey.
Highlights:
- The regional MT survey completed in 2022 identified a new major crustal-scale structure in a poorly explored area, which is considered favorable for copper-nickel mineralization.
- Several lake-bottom copper-nickel anomalies detected following a 1,383-sample survey conducted in July 2023.
- A helicopter-borne Z-Tipper electromagnetic (ZTEM) survey totaling approximately 8,900 linear kilometers conducted in July 2023 identified several new conductive features.
- New Cu-Ni-Co mineralized intrusions discovered through prospecting in 2024.
- Regional airborne time-domain electromagnetic (TDEM) survey (HeliTEM®) totaling approximately 6,600 linear kilometers, to be completed in June 2025.
New Cu-Ni-Co showings and occurrences identified from 2022 to 2024
The Copper-Nickel Exploration Alliance with BHP is primarily targeting mafic troctolite/olivine gabbro intrusive rocks similar to those at Voisey's Bay and the Nain, but which have been the subject of much less historical exploration in Quebec. Nevertheless, several Cu-Ni-Co prospects and showings have been recently discovered there. The 2024 exploration program focused on a major crustal-scale structure and its subsidiaries, which were identified during a regional MT survey in 2022 and refined during the regional Z-Tipper axis airborne electromagnetic (“ZTEM”) survey conducted in 2023. These previously poorly recognized structures would be potentially favorable for copper-nickel mineralization and were therefore followed up with a lake-bottom sediment survey totaling 1,383 samples in 2023. Prospecting programs in 2022-2023 targeting these structures led to the identification of the Target 22 showing, where selected grab samples returned grades of 0.81% Ni, 0.22% Cu and 0.19% Co. The Soisson Intrusive Suite was also recognized over a distance of 15 kilometers long with some local mineralized outcrops (see Midland press release dated July 3, 2024). The 2024 prospecting campaign identified four (4) unmapped Soisson intrusions as well as mineralization in one of them. Selected grab samples returned grades of 0.3% Cu and 0.4% Ni, suggesting Ni/Cu ratios of approximately 1.5, similar to and/or higher than the ratio obtained in other Soisson intrusions in the area.
Regional MT Surveys Completed in 2022
Regional MT surveys consisting of approximately 230 stations in three blocks were completed in 2022 in the Alliance prospect area. Using a mineralizing systems approach, the objective of the surveys was to identify structures that may have channeled copper-nickel-bearing mafic magmas from the mantle to the upper crust. A major crustal-scale structure (the Abloviak Shear Zone) is evident at the Voisey’s Bay Cu-Ni-Co Mine in Labrador and is interpreted to have been critical to the genesis of the deposit. The 2022 MT surveys identified a new major crustal-scale structure, which is interpreted to cross the entire prospect area. This structure is a high-priority target for copper-nickel exploration.
Lake sediment survey in July 2023
A high-density lake sediment survey comprising approximately 1,383 samples was conducted in July 2023 to cover the crustal-scale structure identified during the 2022 MT survey. Several copper-nickel anomalies were detected. One of these led to the discovery of a new copper-nickel mineralized intrusion during the 2024 prospecting campaign.
ZTEM electromagnetic survey in July 2023 and TDEM survey in June 2025
A Z-Tipper axis electromagnetic (ZTEM) survey was also conducted on the crustal-scale structure. The survey clarified the location and orientation of the structure near the surface and potentially identified conductive anomalies caused by copper-nickel mineralization. Due to adverse weather conditions, the regional helicopter-borne time-domain electromagnetic (HeliTEM®) survey planned for 2024 has been postponed to 2025. A budget has been approved to conduct this approximately 6,600 line-kilometer HeliTEM® airborne survey, which will begin in June 2025.
Cautionary Statements:
Note that grades obtained in grab samples may not be representative of mineralized zones.
The true widths of the reported channel intervals are not known at this time with the available information.
The mineralization encountered in the Voisey's Bay area of ??Labrador is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization that could be found in the Company's project discussed in this press release.
Quality control
During the last prospecting program, assay samples (grab) were taken and sent to a certified commercial laboratory (Actlab). A strict QA/QC program was applied to all samples which includes insertion of mineralized standards and blank samples for each batch of 20 samples. The gold analyses were completed by fire-assayed with an atomic absorption finish on 50 grams of materials. The samples were also analyzed using a geochemical group of 60 multi-elements by 4-acid digestion followed by ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission spectroscopy) finishing.
About Midland
Midland targets the excellent mineral potential of Quebec to make the discovery of new world-class deposits of gold and critical metals. Midland is proud to count on reputable partners such as BHP , Rio Tinto Exploration Canada Inc., Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, Wallbridge Mining Company Ltd, Probe Gold Inc., Electric Elements Mining Corp., SOQUEM Inc., Nunavik Mineral Exploration Fund, and Abcourt Mines Inc. Midland prefers to work in partnership and intends to quickly conclude additional agreements in regard to newly acquired properties. Management is currently reviewing other opportunities and projects to build up the Corporation portfolio and generate shareholder value.
Qualified Person and Exploration Director Richard D St-Cyr prepared this press release and verified the scientific and technical information disclosed herein the Alliance Ni project data as Midland’s qualified person (QP) within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101.
For further information, please consult Midland’s website or contact:
Gino Roger, President and Chief Executive Officer
Tel.: 450 420-5977
Fax: 450 420-5978
Email: info@midlandexploration.comWebsite: www.midlandexploration.com
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-looking Information
This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements include the funding under the Generative Phase, the advancement of a project to the Testing Phase, the expenditure amount under the Testing Phase, the payment of success fees to Midland, the advancement of a project to the Joint Venture Phase and other estimates and statements that describe Midland’s future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that Midland or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include, without limitation, certain rights of BHP to cease funding under the Alliance, the results of exploration in the AOI, the ability of Midland to contribute funding to maintain its interests in Designated Projects, the ability of Midland to fund its contributions under a joint venture, if formed, or have any participating interest diluted, changes in general economic conditions and conditions in the financial markets, changes in demand and prices for minerals, failure to obtain the requisite permits and approvals from government bodies and third parties, regulatory and governmental policy changes (laws and policies) and those risks set out in Midland’s public documents, including in each management discussion and analysis, filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although Midland believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed times frames or at all. Except where required by applicable law, Midland disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at globenewswire.com
 Figure 1 MD-BHP Nunavik Alliance Ni-Cu-Co
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