NorthWest Announces 2026 Drilling Underway at Kwanika
Northwest secured funding for a near-term preliminary economic assessment at its Kwanika project following planned drilling advances.
Northwest Copper Corp. (NWST) has launched its 2026 exploration drilling program at the 100% owned Kwanika project in British Columbia. Three drill rigs are currently active, targeting the Western Zone for underground operations and the northern Pit Zone for open-pit mining. The program is fully funded by a $13.8 million brokered private placement that closed on May 14, 2026.
The company has planned drilling for up to 10,000 metres across 41 holes for the 2026 season, a reduction from the initially planned 12,000 metres. Work in the Western Zone involves deep holes progressing east to west to upgrade and expand underground resources, with a focus on higher-grade mineralization to support bulk underground mining methods. Meanwhile, the Pit Zone focus involves shallow holes progressing south to north to confirm, infill, and expand near-surface mineralization.
Assay results are expected later in the summer, with management evaluating opportunities to extend the program into the fall. The drilling directly supports the upcoming updated Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) targeted for mid-2026 and future mineral resource estimates.
Northwest Copper Corp. (NWST) has begun drilling, a standard operational step following the closing of its $13.8 million financing in May 2026 and the release of updated mineral resources in March 2026. The activity confirms capital deployment and progress toward the mid-2026 Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) milestone.
The program scope is limited to 10,000 metres for this season, a constraint that aligns with typical seasonal drilling windows and budget allocations. The update introduces no new surprises, unexpected catalysts, or material deviations from previous guidance.
Northwest Copper Corp. (NWST) is an exploration and development company focused on copper-gold projects in British Columbia. Its flagship asset is the 100% owned, royalty-free Kwanika-Stardust project, located near Prince George, BC. The project features an alkalic porphyry system at Kwanika Central and skarn deposits at Stardust, characterized by structurally controlled higher-grade zones.
An updated mineral resource report from March 2026 outlines 45.19 Mt of combined indicated and inferred resources containing 534 Mlb Cu, 972 koz Au, and 2,428 koz Ag. Management is pivoting toward a capital-efficient, top-down mining strategy that combines a high-grade starter open pit with sub-level caving underground methods. Metallurgical testing has shown improved gold and silver recoveries of 94-96% and ore sorting potential, which could reduce mill size and capital costs.