Drill Results

Neotech Metals Drills 214m of 0.67% TREO, 21.2 g/t Gallium, 21.9 g/t Tantalum and 0.1% NbO at Hecla-Kilmer

Neotech Metals Confirms Critical By-Product Grades at Hecla-Kilmer, Awaiting Resource Definition

By The Northwire Desk — AI Analysis Apr 21, 2026 · 04:01 NTMC · 0.29 Neotech Metals Corp.

Executive Summary

Date: 2026-04-21
Event Type: Drill Results (First round from 2025 campaign)
Key Discovery: Hecla-Kilmer Rare Earth Project in Ontario shows continuous mineralization with significant by-product values.
Specific Grades: 214m interval @ 0.67% TREO, 21.2 g/t Gallium, 21.9 g/t Tantalum, and 0.1% NbO (Niobium).
Campaign Scope: Results come from the completion of ~8,000m drilling in 2025 plus re-assay of historical core (~1,980m).
Future Milestone: Data to be incorporated into a Maiden Resource Estimate (MRE) scheduled for 2026.

October 2025: Launched $4M financing and drilling program targeting Hecla-Kilmer.
November 2025: Announced completion of ~8,000m drill campaign; preliminary TREO results from BC project showed up to 3.39%.
December 2025: Mineralogy study confirmed apatite-hosted REEs (up to 98% TREO in apatite), enabling low-temperature leaching.
February 2026: Escrow shares released, warrant exercise proceeds received ($133k).
March 2026: Received $200k government grant (OJEP) for exploration; confirmed drilling completion status.
April 2026 (Current): First assay results from the completed campaign released, validating the mineralogy and grade continuity.

Material Impact

Routine - Positive: The news confirms expectations set by previous announcements regarding the completion of the drilling program and the potential for critical minerals.
Incremental Nature: While the Gallium and Tantalum values are notable, they follow the established narrative of a multi-element deposit (REE + Niobium) previously highlighted in December 2025 mineralogy reports.
Market Expectation: The market has been pricing in these results since the drilling completion was announced in November 2025 and the grant was secured in March 2026.
Resource Estimate Dependency: True material impact will likely occur upon the release of the Maiden Resource Estimate (MRE) in 2026, not solely on drill intercepts which are standard for this stage.

In Line with Mineralogy: The results align with the December 2025 apatite-hosted confirmation, suggesting consistent geology rather than a new discovery.
Grade Validation: The 0.67% TREO over long intervals (e.g., 214m) supports the "scale" claims made by management but does not exceed high-grade expectations set by the BC project preliminary results (3.39%).
By-Product Value: The inclusion of Gallium and Tantalum adds economic value, potentially improving the project's economics beyond standard REE models, though this requires metallurgical confirmation in future work.

NTMC · Price

Company Overview

Flagship Asset: Hecla-Kilmer Rare Earth Project (100% owned), Ontario, Canada.
Location: ~15 km from Otter Rapids hydro plant (power access).
Mineralization: Apatite-hosted Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and Niobium.
By-Products: Gallium, Tantalum, Niobium (critical for semiconductors/green energy).
Development Stage: Exploration/Resource Definition (Drilling completed, MRE pending 2026).

TREO Project: British Columbia location; preliminary drilling showed TREO up to 3.39% in carbonatite and phyllite intervals (Nov 2025 news).

More from Neotech Metals Corp.