Eskay sets out 2026 exploration plans for Eskay project

Executive Summary

• Eskay Mining Corp. has announced its 2026 exploration plan for its consolidated Eskay Project in the Golden Triangle, British Columbia, shifting focus from volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) targets to copper-gold porphyry and stacked gold vein deposits.
• The company is refining borehole placement for drilling at the Vermillion and TM targets to depths of up to 350 metres, with potential expansion to the Big Red and Sultan targets based on concurrent surface work.
• Significant preparatory work is underway, including the transfer of historical geochemical and geophysical data into AI-compatible systems (Mantle, QGIS, Mira Geoscience) and the analysis of Worldview 3 hyperspectral imagery to identify new alteration patterns for surface sampling.

Key Details

• Target Areas: The 2026 program focuses on four targets—Vermillion, TM, Big Red, and Sultan—all located within two kilometres of the Kyba line unconformity. These targets exhibit characteristics of porphyry copper/gold deposits or stacked gold vein deposits (similar to the Surebet deposit).
• Drilling Specifications: Drilling at Vermillion and TM is planned to depths of up to 350 metres. Extension to Big Red and Sultan is contingent on additional surface work.
• Operational Logistics: Camp facilities, helicopter services, and drilling capacity have been secured. A field team is being assembled by Apex Geosciences Ltd., with geologists from the 2024/2025 discoveries contracted for assistance.
• Data Integration & AI Analysis:
  • Two Apex geologists are transferring historical geochemical data into Rogue Geoscience’s Mantle database system.
  • Proprietary geological maps are being transferred to QGIS.
  • in3D Geoscience is contracted to transfer geophysics surveys into Mira Geoscience’s analyst system.
  • The goal is to use AI technologies to re-evaluate 25 years of VMS exploration data to generate new VMS and epithermal gold targets for 2027.
• Remote Sensing: Worldview 3 hyperspectral imagery covering the eastern half of the property (purchased late 2025) is being analyzed to identify alteration patterns in unsampled areas to guide 2026 surface sampling.
• Strategic Outlook: CEO Mac Balkam stated that 2026 is the "cornerstone" for monetizing the land mass, aiming to isolate stand-alone discoveries from over 50,000 metres of historical drilling and geophysics. The Vermillion-TM drilling is expected to contribute significantly to company value and potentially lead to a major discovery.
• Upcoming Events: CEO Mac Balkam and Chief Geologist Clinton Smyth will attend the PDAC Convention in Toronto from March 1 to March 4.

Notable Quotes

• "Two thousand twenty-six is the cornerstone of our plan to monetize Eskay Mining's highly mineralized significant land mass. In the first instance, we are taking the next step of raising meaningful interpretation of over 50,000 metres of drilling, project-wide geophysics and focused sampling to isolate the number of stand-alone discoveries across the consolidated property." — Mac Balkam, CEO