Aims for 10,000-meter program to explore new targets; possibly expand ABM footprint.

BMC Minerals Ltd. July 16 announced the start of a 10,000-meter exploration drilling program at its Kudz Ze Kayah project in Yukon, Canada, aiming to test targets identified from prior geophysics, geochemistry, and scout drilling programs for high-grade copper-rich mineralization and potential extensions of the ABM deposit.

Located approximately 250 kilometers (155 miles) east-northeast of Whitehorse, Kudz Ze Kayah spans roughly 35,700 hectares (88,228 acres) and comprises several properties, including Pelly, Wolf, Tsa Da Gliza, and Kona, within a 50-kilometer (31 miles) radius of ABM.

Since acquiring the Kudz Ze Kayah project in 2015, BMC's focus has been ABM, a polymetallic volcanogenic massive sulfide (VHMS) deposit rich in copper, zinc, lead, silver, and gold.

ABM comprises two major zones, ABM and Krakatoa, which feature significant massive sulfide mineralization. Drilling in recent years has only continued to highlight the substantial potential of this prospective target.

According to the latest resource calculation, ABM hosts 18.3 million metric tons of indicated resource averaging 6.3% (2.54 billion pounds) zinc, 1.9% (762 million lb) lead, 0.9% (362 million lb) copper, 148 grams per metric ton (87.3 million ounces) silver, and 1.4 g/t (827,200 oz) gold; plus 800,000 tons of inferred resource averaging 7.2% (127 million lb) zinc, 1.7% (29.3 million lb) lead, 1% (17.6 million lb) copper, 143 g/t (3.7 million oz) silver, and 1.2 g/t gold (29,600 oz).

Last year, BMC completed a detailed 3D induced polarization (IP) and unmanned aerial vehicle aeromagnetic (UAV-MAG) geophysical survey at Kudz Ze Kayah, focusing on identifying potential extensions of ABM.

The survey revealed multiple elevated chargeability and conductivity responses coincident with anomalous geochemical responses and previous drilling results, suggesting the presence of copper-rich sulfide mineralization.

The Feeder Zone, a key target identified through these surveys, has shown significant promise.

Comprising vein and disseminated mineralization (mineral deposits spread throughout the rock in veins or as scattered particles) associated with syngenetic structures (geological formations formed at the same time as the surrounding rock), these essentially acted as conduits for mineralizing fluids during the formation of ABM.

This discovery is critical as it indicates potential zones of high-grade copper and gold mineralization within the stratigraphic footwall (the rock layer below the deposit) of the deposit.

Highlights from the 2023 drilling program include:

• 6.4 meters averaging 5.2% copper, 5.6% zinc, 1.0% lead, 141 g/t silver, and 2.4 g/t gold from a depth of 12.9 meters in hole K97-181.

• 12.6 meters averaging 0.13% copper, 0.8% lead, 1.97% zinc, and 24.4 g/t ton silver from 20.3 meters in K18-480.

• 0.5 meters averaging 0.8% copper, 0.3% lead, 9% zinc, and 26 g/t silver from 46.5 meters in K16-415.

Leveraging the insights gained from last year's surveys, the 2024 drilling program aims to further explore and delineate additional high-priority targets. The focus will be on discovering new zones of high-grade copper-rich mineralization and expanding the mineralized footprint of ABM.

The program will also include drilling additional water monitoring wells for environmental compliance and collecting metallurgical samples to enhance the understanding of the orebody's processing characteristics.

BMC also plans to collect metallurgical samples from ABM to add further confidence to the metallurgical performance of the orebody proposed to be mined and processed in the first year of operations.

This metallurgical test work will also provide critical information required for final detailed engineering expected to commence in late 2024, and for confirming mining schedules.