NorthWest Announces Updated Mineral Resource at Kwanika Reflecting Strategic Shift to Higher-Grade Copper-Gold Focus
Strategic pivot to high-grade core at Kwanika yields 1.27% CuEq resource ahead of 2026 PEA
The most recent news (March 02, 2026) announces an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for the Kwanika Central deposit. This update is the culmination of a year-long strategic shift to prioritize higher-grade mineralization over the previous "bulk" approach. The Indicated Resource now stands at 16.22 million tonnes grading 1.27% CuEq (0.63% Cu and 0.74 g/t Au). Notably, the underground sub-level cave portion shows a significantly higher grade of 1.64% CuEq. This follows a string of positive news including 94-96% gold recoveries and successful ore sorting tests that rejected 25% of barren waste while retaining 89% of the metal.
The impact is Material - Positive. While the total tonnage is smaller than historical "bulk" models, the grade profile has improved dramatically. - Grade Quality: An Indicated grade of 1.27% CuEq is robust for a BC porphyry, especially with the underground portion reaching 1.64% CuEq. - Economic De-risking: The combination of the higher-grade MRE, the 34% improvement in gold recoveries (announced Jan 2026), and ore sorting success (Feb 2026) suggests the upcoming mid-2026 PEA will likely show significantly better internal rates of return (IRR) and lower initial CAPEX than the 2023 study. - Strategic Alignment: Management has successfully executed the "Target Model" strategy announced in April 2025, proving they can identify and define the high-grade "heart" of the system.
NorthWest Copper is a Canadian explorer focused on the Kwanika-Stardust project in British Columbia. The project is a copper-gold porphyry system. The current strategy involves a "Hub and Spoke" model, potentially using Kwanika as a central processing facility for nearby deposits like Stardust and Lorraine.