Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 2, 2025) - Gladiator Metals Corp (TSXV: GLAD) (OTCQB: GDTRF) (FSE: ZX7) ("Gladiator" or the "Company") is pleased to provide compelling results from gravimetric geophysical fieldwork resulting in the identification of multiple, undrilled gravity anomalies at the previously mined Little Chief Trend, Whitehorse Copper Project.
Multiple high-density anomalies have been identified potentially relating to untested copper-gold skarn mineralization, including:
Valerie: Prominent 2km long high-density, gravity anomaly correlated with both a high magnetic response from drone-borne aeromagnetics and coincident with mapped copper-gold skarn mineralization on surface.
LC Footwall: A 900m long untested, coincident gravity and magnetic high with copper-gold skarn mineralization observed on surface.
LC Gravity Offset: An untested 400m long high-density, gravity anomaly to the East of the historical Little Chief pit.
Additional gravity anomalies detected in previously unexplored areas proximal to the historic Little Chief copper mine that produced >8.5Mt at 1.5% Cu and 0.75g/t Au1.
Shallow exploration drilling is planned to test these anomalies with two diamond drill rigs to be mobilized to the prospect areas in the coming weeks in conjunction with ongoing resource drilling at the company's flagship Cowley Park prospect area.
1 Watson P.H. (1984) The Whitehorse Copper Belt - A Compilation. Yukon Geological Survey, Open File 1984-1.
Gladiator CEO Jason Bontempo commented: "We are excited by the untested copper-gold skarn exploration potential indicated by the recently completed gravity survey at Little Chief. This supports Gladiator's belief that the Whitehorse Copper belt is a target-rich environment that is significantly underexplored, away from areas of outcropping mineralization which were the focus of historical exploration efforts.
Two diamond drill rigs will be mobilized in the coming weeks to focus on the discovery of new zones of mineralization at the Little Chief trend as part of Gladiator's fully funded 2025 exploration program. This forms part of Gladiator's overall strategy of extensive regional drilling to explore the full potential of the 35km long, underexplored, Whitehorse Copper Belt whilst at the same time advancing Cowley Park to maiden resource."
Little Chief Gravity Targets
Gladiator has received results for a recently completed gravimetric survey at the Little Chief Trend that has highlighted multiple, high-density bodies potentially representing extensive bodies of untested and previously unrecognized Copper-Gold skarn mineralization under thin cover (refer to Figure 1 below).
Figure 1: Plan map of the Little Chief Trend with copper-gold skarn targets identified and highlighted over contoured gravimetric survey and regional drone-borne aeromagnetic.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1930/257481_2a110896b4a9f8a9_002full.jpg
The results of the gravity survey have been compiled with existing datasets and have identified compelling, near-term drill targets which include:
Valerie: A prominent 2km long gravity anomaly correlated with mapped copper-gold skarn mineralization mapped on surface at the Valerie prospect. The target is mostly under thin till cover and is easily accessible from the Copper Haul Road.
LC Footwall: A distinct 900m long untested coincident gravity and magnetic high with copper-gold skarn mineralization mapped on surface. Remarkably this target remains untested by previous exploration efforts, despite being located proximal to historical mining operations in the area (refer to Figure 2 below).
Figure 2: Schematic section of the Little Chief deposit showing proximal location of the untested coincident gravity and magnetic anomaly now defined at the LC Footwall target.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1930/257481_2a110896b4a9f8a9_003full.jpg
- LC Gravity Offset: A 400m high-density, sub-surface, untested anomaly to the East of the historical Little Chief pit. Mineralized copper-gold skarn has been drilled to the north of this anomaly, providing further encouragement.
As well as these identified high-density gravity anomalies, multiple further discrete additional anomalies have been detected in previously unexplored areas proximal to the historic Little Chief copper mine that produced >8.5Mt at 1.5% Cu and 0.75g/t Au (Watson P.H., 1984 - The Whitehorse Copper Belt - A Compilation. Yukon Geological Survey, Open File 1984-1) These will also be subjected to further surface exploration ahead of first pass drill planning.
Particularly encouraging is the observable coincidence between high-density gravity anomalies and known mineralization at the Middle Chief and Big Chief targets, where near-surface magnetite-copper-gold skarn mineralization has been defined over more than 600 metres of strike north of the historical mining operations at Little Chief with historical results including (refer to the Company's news release dated January 18, 2024, for details):
- LCU-003: 53.56m @ 1.23% Cu from 88.54m
- LCU-009: 49.83m @ 3.06% Cu from 70.26m
- LCU-013 23.01m @ 2.07% Cu from 87.78m
- LCU-017: 54.10m @ 2.05% Cu from 77.42m
- LCU-023: 33.99m @ 2.10% Cu from 148.89m, Incl. 15.24m @ 3.26%Cu from 167.64m
- LCU-151: 32.92m @ 2.08% Cu from 86.87m
This provides support for further exploration targeting undrilled high-density gravity anomalies in the area.
Two diamond rigs will be mobilised to the Little Chief trend in the coming weeks with a focus on first pass exploration of priority target areas.
FURTHER INFORMATION
In May 2025, Aurora Geosciences completed ground-based gravity surveys on behalf of Gladiator, covering the Little Chief target area. The program was designed to assist in target definition and support drill hole planning, particularly in areas of shallow till cover. The survey was conducted on 100m x 20m survey spacings with areas of early interest closed to 50m x 20m spacing. Data was interpreted and inverted by Southern Geosciences Ltd (Perth, Australia).
The gravity survey measures variations in the Earth's gravitational field to identify subsurface variations in density. Copper skarn mineralization in the Whitehorse district has a significantly higher density than surrounding country rock and so sub-surface anomalism provides information for first pass drilling to define if high-density bodies that may represent areas of prospective mineralization.
Instrumentation used in the survey consists of two Scintrex gravimeters and two Leica RTK GPS receivers.
EXPLORATION STRATEGY
The ongoing drilling at Cowley Park is part of a planned 29,000m drill program targeting high-grade copper skarns throughout the Whitehorse Copper Belt before the end of Q4 2025. Drilling is designed with the following objectives:
1 - Advancing Cowley Park to resource definition and expansion:
- Cowley Resource Target: Establish initial drilling framework for an inferred resource at Cowley Park.
- Cowley Exploration: Targeting upside potential for further copper-skarn mineralization at Cowley Park.
2 - Exploration drilling at:
- Chiefs Trend: Highlight further high-grade, near-term copper resource potential by testing near historic mine exploration upside.
- Best Chance: Drill test of outcropping high-grade, magnetite-copper skarn mineralization and broader widths of copper-silicate skarn and test continuity of mineralization between the Best Chance and Arctic Chief prospects.
- Arctic Chief: Highlight continuity of high-grade near surface copper and gold mineralization for future resource drilling.
- Cub Trend Exploration: Highlight continuity of high-grade, near surface, copper and gold mineralization for future resource drilling.
Drilling will be supported by planned geophysical programs including Induced Polarization (ongoing), Electromagnetic and Gravity surveys to help refine drill targeting in the prospect areas and highlight undiscovered areas of exploration potential.
THE WHITEHORSE COPPER PROJECT
The Whitehorse Copper Project is an advanced-stage high grade copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), silver (Ag) and gold (Au) skarn exploration project in the Yukon Territory, Canada.
Copper mineralization was first discovered in 1897 on the Whitehorse Copper Belt and comprises over 30 copper-related, primarily skarn occurrences covering an area of 35km long by 5 km wide on the western margin of Whitehorse City, Yukon.
Exploration and mining development have been carried out intermittently since 1897 with the main production era lasting between 1967and 1982 where production from primarily the Little Chief deposit totalled 267,500,000 pounds copper, 225,000 ounces of gold and 2,838,000 ounces of silver from 11.1 million tons of mineralized material milled (Watson, 1984). The Whitehorse Copper Project is accessible by numerous access roads and trails located within 2 km of the South Klondike Highway and the Alaska Highway. An extensive network of historical gravel exploration and haul roads exists throughout the project area, providing excellent access to the claim package. Access to existing electric power facilities is available through the main Yukon power grid.
Project Highlights
- Advanced 35km long high-grade copper belt.
- Located on western margin of infrastructure rich Whitehorse City, Territory of Yukon
- More than 10,000m completed to date in 2025 at the cornerstone Cowley Park project.
- A further 29,000m diamond drilling planned in 2025 with three diamond drill rigs currently operating.
- Targeting to report maiden high-grade copper NI 43-101 compliant resources, Q2 2026.
- The Project area was a previous producer at Little Chief deposit and other deposits.
- Between 1967-82 HudBay Mining & Smelting, mined 10.5mt at 1.5% Cu plus 0.75g/t Au (Watson P.H. (1984) The Whitehorse Copper Belt - A Compilation. Yukon Geological Survey, Open File 1984-1).
- Key Institutional Investors - Dynamic, Mackenzie, Macquarie Bank and Orimco.
QA / QC
Please refer to the relevant release as quoted for details covering the QA/QC for the stated drill hole intervals.
References:
Watson P.H. (1984) The Whitehorse Copper Belt - A Compilation. Yukon Geological Survey, Open File 1984-1.(https://data.geology.gov.yk.ca/Reference/42011InfoTab)
Tenney D. (1981) - The Whitehorse Copper Belt: Mining, Exploration and Geology (1967-1980). (https://ia802508.us.archive.org/18/items/whitehorsecopper00tenn/whitehorsecopper00tenn.pdf)
Qualified Person
All scientific and technical information in this news release has been prepared or reviewed and approved by Kell Nielsen, the Company's Vice President Exploration, a "qualified person" as defined by NI 43-101.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
"Jason Bontempo"
Jason Bontempo
President and CEO
For further information contact:
Caitlin Cheadle, Investor Relations
+1-778-403-5139
ccheadle@gladiatormetals.com
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Forward-looking statements or information are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements or information, including, without limitation, the need for additional capital by the Company through financings, and the risk that such funds may not be raised; the speculative nature of exploration and the stages of the Company's properties; the effect of changes in commodity prices; regulatory risks that development of the Company's material properties will not be acceptable for social, environmental or other reasons; availability of equipment (including drills) and personnel to carry out work programs; and that each stage of work will be completed within expected time frames. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements or information. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, described or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.
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SOURCE: Gladiator Metals Corp.
