Northisle Copper and Gold Inc. (TSX-V: NCX) (“Northisle” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has commenced its 2025 exploration program at the North Island Project. The 2025 exploration program will consist of at least 7,000 metres of drilling focused on the West Goodspeed and Northwest Expo targets, plus an extensive field program which will leverage the Company’s exploration data to identify additional targets along its 100% controlled North Island copper-gold porphyry belt.
Highlights:
- Northisle 2025 drill program on its North Island Project commenced on April 17 from road-based pads
- 789 metres completed as of April 27, 2025
- Drilling will focus on the Northwest Corridor which includes the resources informing the higher margin Phase 1 of the Company’s 2025 PEA
- Drilling commenced at the West Goodspeed target area and is intended to further expand the footprint of mineralization which is not currently included in a resource estimate
- Field work and drilling in the Northwest Expo area will focus on identifying the intrusive associated with high-grade gold mineralization in this segment of the belt
- Surface mapping, soil and stream sediment sampling, and geophysical analysis are also being conducted in the Northwest Corridor in addition to drilling
- Integration and modelling of over 60 years of property-wide exploration data is underway to apply the successful Northwest Corridor targeting approach across similar anomalies throughout the property
Sam Lee, President & CEO stated “Since 2021, Northisle has advanced the highly prospective Northwest Corridor with three successful phases of drilling, moving from a discovery hole at Northwest Expo in Phase I, to the discovery of West Goodspeed in Phase II, to defining a high margin resource at Northwest Expo and advancing West Goodspeed drilling in Phase III. We are pleased to have commenced our Phase IV drilling program with a focus on advancing a maiden resource at West Goodspeed and finding the intrusive at Northwest Expo. Northisle is in the envious position of having highly compelling exploration potential and an economically attractive development project, all within the same project footprint.”
Dr. Pablo Mejia Herrera, Vice President Exploration of Northisle added, “In 2025, our exploration team will continue advancing our understanding of this district-scale project. Integration and modelling of more than 60 years of property-wide exploration data is underway to apply the successful Northwest Corridor targeting approach across our 35-kilometre district.”
Key Exploration Milestones
In 2025, following the completion of the Company’s successful 2025 Preliminary Economic Assessment on the North Island Project which demonstrated a 29% IRR, $2 billion NPV and 1.9 year payback for a C$1.1 billion capex1, the Company’s exploration focus will be on Phase IV Northern Corridor drilling program with the objective of increasing higher margin resources, finding the causative intrusion associated with the high-grade gold mineralization at Northwest Expo, and expanding targeting efforts across the 35-kilometre porphyry district.
Additional details on development milestones will be shared later in 2025.
Key exploration milestones include the following:
- COMPLETED - Updated Preliminary Economic Assessment on North Island Project
- COMPLETED - 2025 Exploration Program Commenced
- Q2 2025 - Results of belt-wide geophysical data integration for the North Island Project
- Q3 2025 - Initial results from drilling program at West Goodspeed
- Q3 2025 - Initial results from Northwest Expo Area drilling aimed at discovering extensions of the high-grade gold mineralization at the Northwest Expo deposit
- Q3 2025 - Results from regional stream sediment survey to identify additional porphyry centres in the belt
- Q3 2025 - Results from the Northwest Corridor soil geochemistry program to refine target definition in this segment of the belt
- Q3 2025 - Commencement of Phase V exploration program
- Ongoing - Continued positive engagement with indigenous rightsholders and local stakeholders
Upcoming Investor Events
During 2025, the Company will continue to be active in investor outreach. Northisle will be attending several external investor events including the following events:
- June 3 – 5, 2025: Mining Investment of the North, Quebec City, QC
- Summer 2025: Broker and Institutional Site Visits
- September 9 - 12, 2025: Precious Metals Summit, Beaver Creek, CO
- September 14 – 17, 2025: Mining Forum Americas, Colorado Springs, CO
- November 19 – 21, 2025: Swiss Mining Institute, Zurich, Switzerland
Figure 1 shows a map of the overall North Island Project including existing deposits and key prospects.
West Goodspeed Drilling Program
Drilling in 2025 will begin with in-fill and step-out holes at the West Goodspeed target, aiming to confirm the distribution of copper and gold mineralization previously outlined over more than one kilometre of strike length, oriented NNW–SSE. The in-fill and step-out drilling will complement the twelve holes previously drilled in the area, from which the most significant are GS24-072, which intersected 154.8 metres grading 0.23% Cu and 0.31 g/t Au (0.53% Cu Eq.) from 13.2 metres, and GS24-103, which returned 210.0 metres grading 0.23% Cu and 0.29 g/t Au (0.50% Cu Eq.) from 46.0 metres, including a higher-grade interval of 68.0 metres at 0.37% Cu and 0.58 g/t Au (0.86% Cu Eq.) from 110.0 metres.
Figure 2 shows drill holes completed by Northisle and previous operators at the Red Dog Deposit, West Goodspeed and Goodspeed areas overlaid on magnetic anomalies and local topography.
The 2025 program at West Goodspeed will include approximately 5,600 metres of drilling, comprising at least seven infill holes aimed at confirming higher-grade intercepts in the central portion of the West Goodspeed copper-gold mineralization, and a minimum of three step-out holes to test the extension of the mineralized trend along strike.
Figure 3 shows a section through the Red Dog PEA pit shell and West Goodspeed target area.
Northwest Expo Area Exploration and Drilling Program
Ongoing soil geochemistry program and geophysical inversions are focused on refining targets potentially associated with the intrusive linked to Northwest Expo. Integration of mapping, soil geochemistry, and geophysical data is expected to refine the drill targets, with drilling anticipated before the end of the third quarter of this year.
Figure 4 shows drill holes completed by Northisle and previous operators at the Northwest Expo deposit and surrounding areas, overlaid on magnetic anomalies and local topography.
Advancing Target Definition in the Northwest Corridor
As part of a systematic data integration strategy, surface mapping, soil and silt geochemistry, and detailed geophysical inversions, are being conducted across the Northwest Corridor, encompassing West Goodspeed, Northwest Expo, Red Dog, and Goodspeed. This integrated approach is designed to leverage multiple lines of evidence that collectively outline the potential extensions of porphyry mineralization currently identified within this segment of the belt.
Leveraging 60 Years of Exploration to Define the Next Generation of Porphyry Targets
An integrated interpretation of over 60 years of exploration and geophysical data is currently underway to extend the successful targeting approach used in the Northwest Corridor to other prospective areas of the property.
For example, Figure 5 is a map of the North Island Project showing regional scale magnetic anomalies relative to Northisle’s existing deposits and advanced drill targets.
Additional Technical Details
Qualified Persons and Data Verification
Dr. Pablo Mejia Herrera, P.Geo., Vice President Exploration of Northisle, and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this news release.
About Northisle
Northisle Copper and Gold Inc. is a Vancouver-based company whose mission is to become Canada’s leading sustainable mineral resource company for the future. Northisle, through its 100% owned subsidiary North Island Mining Corp., owns the North Island Project, which is one of the most promising copper and gold porphyry projects in Canada. The North Island Project is located near Port Hardy, British Columbia on a more than 34,000-hectare block of mineral titles 100% owned by Northisle on a belt stretching 50 kilometres northwest from the now closed Island Copper Mine operated by BHP Billiton. Since 2021, the Company has discovered two significant deposits, expanded resources, demonstrated the economic potential of the project, and is now focused on accelerating the advancement of this compelling project while exploring within this highly prospective land package.
For more information on Northisle please visit the Company’s website at www.northisle.ca.
Cautionary Note Regarding Adjacent and Historical Property Disclosure
This news release contains information regarding adjacent and historical properties and deposits. Investors are cautioned that adjacent mineral deposits or systems, or past performance of historical mines, do not necessarily indicate and certainly do not prove the existence, nature or extent of mineral deposits on the North Island Project.
Cautionary Statements regarding Forward-Looking Information
Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements under applicable securities law. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as “may”, “should”, “anticipate”, “expect”, “intend” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to: plans and expectations regarding the 2025 exploration program; plans and expectations regarding future project development; timing of key catalysts; planned activities, including further drilling, at the North Island Project; the Company’s anticipated exploration activities; and the Company’s plans for advancement of the North Island Project. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks, including, without limitation, the Company’s ability to implement its business strategies; risks associated with mineral exploration and production; risks associated with general economic conditions; adverse industry events; stakeholder engagement; marketing and transportation costs; loss of markets; volatility of commodity prices; inability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favourable terms; industry and government regulation; changes in legislation, income tax and regulatory matters; competition; currency and interest rate fluctuations; and other risks. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive.
Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions, or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.
The forward-looking statements contained in this news release represent the expectations of management of Northisle as of the date of this news release, and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. Northisle does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities law.
Neither the 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 news release.
1 Please see technical report “NI43-101 Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment on North Island Project” for details and disclosures.
2 Please see press release “Northisle Announces Additional Assays at West Goodspeed Confirm Near-Surface Copper-Gold Porphyry-style Mineralization Within Open Volume” dated August 19, 2024 for additional details about this drill hole.
3 As per the above.
Contacts
On behalf of Northisle Copper and Gold Inc.
Nicholas Van Dyk, CFA
Chief Financial Officer
Tel: (604) 335-3590
Email: info@northisle.ca
www.northisle.ca
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