VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Union Power Metals Corporation (CSE: UPPR) (OTCQB: UPR) (FSE: UPERF) ("Union Power" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on its maiden drill program at the Michalová manganese project in central Slovakia.
The Company spudded the first hole of the program in August and is advancing a planned 25-hole, approximately 1,000-metre drill campaign designed to verify historical geological information and generate fresh material for metallurgical testing.
The program represents an important step in Union Power's technical evaluation of Michalová, combining modern drilling and analytical work with the extensive body of historical exploration data compiled by the Company from Slovak state archives.
Michalová Drill Program (Figure 1)
The current program has been designed around two principal objectives:
Verification of Historical Drilling
Twin holes are being drilled adjacent to selected historical drill collars to provide a direct comparison between new drilling results and historical information contained in archival records held by the Slovak State Geological Institute (ŠGÚDŠ).
The Company considers consistency between the new drilling and historical results to be an important initial technical objective of the program. If current drilling demonstrates reasonable correlation with the historical geological information, it would provide additional confidence in the extensive archival dataset as Union Power determines the appropriate next steps for the project.
Metallurgical Testwork
In parallel with drilling, the Company is assembling representative metallurgical composites from the oxide and carbonate manganese mineralization at Michalová.
These samples are intended for metallurgical testwork designed to evaluate the characteristics of the mineralization and its potential suitability for processing toward high-purity, battery-grade manganese products.
By advancing metallurgical work alongside geological verification, Union Power intends to begin evaluating both the physical scale and characteristics of the mineralization and its potential processing pathway at an early stage of the project.
The Company expects to provide further updates as drilling progresses and analytical and metallurgical results become available.
- What we are chasing at Michalová is a question Europe has not been able to answer for itself: whether a manganese deposit on this continent can be taken all the way to battery grade," said Derrick Dao, Chief Executive Officer of Union Power Metals.
"We are drilling to verify the historical work and running metallurgical testwork in parallel, rather than sequentially, because tonnes and grade alone will not tell us whether this deposit has a place in a cathode supply chain. The answer ultimately comes out of the laboratory.
"For this first drill program, one of the most important things we want to establish is whether our modern drilling tracks what the historical drilling told us. If we can demonstrate that correlation while simultaneously beginning to understand the metallurgical characteristics of the mineralization, we will have taken an important step forward in evaluating Michalová.
"That is genuinely exciting to me. Europe currently has no integrated mine-to-battery-grade manganese producer, and determining whether Michalová has the potential to contribute to a future European manganese supply chain is the reason we are here."
Figure 1 - Michalová Drill Plan
About the Michalová Project
The Michalová oxide and manganese carbonate deposit is located in the Banská Bystrica Region of central Slovakia, within a European Union member state and inside the customs union serving the region's battery and steel supply chains.
The project was the subject of extensive state-funded exploration during the Czechoslovak era, and the Company has compiled and translated corresponding archival records held by GEOFOND.
Union Power's current work program is designed to apply modern exploration, analytical and metallurgical methods to the historical geological information as the Company evaluates the project's potential.
Manganese is designated a strategic raw material under the European Union's Critical Raw Materials Act. High-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate is an important manganese product used in certain lithium-ion battery cathode chemistries.
Union Power is evaluating whether mineralization at Michalová may ultimately be suitable for processing toward a high-purity manganese product. No determination regarding economic viability or the ability to produce battery-grade manganese has been made, and further drilling, analytical, metallurgical and technical work is required.
Qualified Person
The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Lorne Warner, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.
Mr. Warner has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release.
About Union Power Metals Corporation
Union Power Metals Corporation is a mineral exploration company focused on advancing high-potential manganese projects in Slovakia, while maintaining exposure to uranium assets in Botswana. The Company is committed to responsible development and long-term value creation through the advancement of critical minerals important to evolving global energy and industrial supply chains.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Derrick Dao
Chief Executive Officer
Union Power Metals Corporation
For more information, please contact:
Derrick Dao
Chief Executive Officer
info@unionpowermetals.com
+1 825 558 3828
Carrie Howes
Investor Relations
carrie@unionpowermetals.com
+1 647 725 9639
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains statements which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the Company's planned drill program at Michalová; the anticipated number and metres of drill holes; the objectives and potential results of twin-hole drilling; the potential correlation between current and historical drilling; planned analytical and metallurgical testwork; the assembly and testing of oxide and carbonate composites; the potential suitability of mineralization for processing toward high-purity or battery-grade manganese products; the potential of the Michalová Project; and the possible role of the project in European manganese and battery supply chains.
Forward-looking information is often identified by words such as "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "potential" or similar expressions.
Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions considered reasonable by management as of the date hereof, including the Company's ability to complete the planned exploration program, obtain meaningful analytical and metallurgical results, access required personnel and services, maintain its mineral rights and obtain adequate financing to advance its projects.
Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such information. These risks include, without limitation, risks associated with mineral exploration and development; the possibility that current drilling may not correlate with historical results; the possibility that metallurgical testwork may not demonstrate a viable pathway to high-purity or battery-grade manganese products; availability of financing; commodity prices; regulatory and permitting matters; general market and economic conditions; and other risks inherent in the mineral exploration industry.
There can be no assurance that the planned exploration or metallurgical programs will produce the results anticipated by the Company or that the Michalová Project will ultimately support an economically viable mineral operation or the production of battery-grade manganese.
Forward-looking information contained herein represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
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