Edge Copper starts drilling at Zonia project

Executive Summary

• Edge Copper Corp. has commenced a 53,000-foot drilling program at its 100%-owned Zonia copper project in Arizona, mobilizing two diamond drill rigs for a six-month campaign.
• The company plans to announce a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for the Zonia project next month, which will serve as an initial development milestone.
• The drilling program is optimized via a collaboration with GeologicAI, reducing the original plan from 60,000 feet to 53,000 feet across 78 holes, with a focus on resource conversion, expansion, and geotechnical data.

Key Details

• Drilling Program Scope: 53,000 feet total across 78 holes, scheduled to run for six months.
• Drilling Objectives Breakdown:
  • ~65% of holes: Conversion of oxide copper indicated and inferred mineral resources to higher confidence categories.
  • ~24% of holes: Stepout and expansionary drilling.
  • ~14% of holes: Condemnation and geotechnical drilling.
• Optimization: The program was reduced from an original ~60,000 feet to 53,000 feet following a drill spacing and optimization study by technical collaborator GeologicAI.
• Technology & Data: GeologicAI’s proprietary core scanner is being used to digitize historical core and scan newly drilled core in real-time, enabling remote geological logging and dynamic adjustment of drill targeting.
• Timeline for Results: Drill results are expected to be reported over the next seven to eight months, subject to assay laboratory turnaround times.
• Future Milestones:
  • Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) expected to be announced next month.
  • Updated mineral resource for Zonia expected in late Q3 or early Q4 2026.
• Project Context: Zonia is a past-producing SX-EW heap leach operation located in Arizona's historic Walnut Grove mining district, featuring existing infrastructure and significant potential for resource expansion.

Notable Quotes

• "The commencement of this drill program represents an important step in advancing Zonia toward the next stage of development... The results from this program and the updated mineral resource are expected to establish the foundation for the size and development potential of Zonia." — Gil Clausen, Chair and CEO, Edge Copper Corp.
• "By optimizing the drill plan and integrating advanced data analytics through our collaboration with GeologicAI, we are able to efficiently upgrade and expand the resource while supporting future mine planning." — Gil Clausen, Chair and CEO, Edge Copper Corp.