VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / September 23, 2026 / Storm Exploration Inc. (TSXV:STRM) ("Storm" or the "Company") today announced that it has discovered a new mineralised Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide ("VMS") system on its 100% owned Gold Standard Project, located 60 km north of Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada.
Highlights
- 5 holes totalling 1,000m have been completed to date
- Drilling spans 1.9km of the VMS target's 7km strike-length
- All holes have intersected disseminated and/or semi-massive to massive sulphide mineralisation
- Presence of chalcopyrite (a copper sulphide mineral) and sphalerite (a zinc sulphide mineral) has been confirmed in all holes
"This is an important exploration milestone," stated Bruce Counts, President and CEO of Storm Exploration. "Storm has identified a new VMS occurrence with confirmed critical minerals and significant size potential."
Mr. Counts continued, "These results demonstrate that the entire 7km of the conductivity anomaly is prospective. Given the exploration potential at Gold Standard, a comprehensive phased program of exploration, including geophysics, geochemistry and systematic drilling, is being planned."
Drill Program Update
Initial results from the current drill program confirm the presence of a previously unrecognised VMS system. Historically, VMS deposits have been an important source of critical minerals, accounting for up to 6% of global copper production and 22% of zinc global production.
Storm has completed 1,000m in 5 drill holes over 1.9km of strike length (Figure1) and has intersected broad intervals of disseminated, massive, semi-massive, and stringer/vein sulphide mineralisation. The sulphides are hosted within a variably textured, bi-modal volcanic sequence featuring extensive silicification, quartz-chlorite-sericite-(+/-) garnet alteration as well as chert exhalative zones.
Sulphide mineralisation, including pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, and sphalerite, has been confirmed in core from all drill holes and appear to be stacked in zones that coincide with geological contacts between mafic and felsic volcanic units.
Drilling is targeting a strong conductivity anomaly that was first identified by an airborne Versatile Time Domain Electromagnetic (VTEM) survey. Subsequent ground Very Low Frequency Electromagnetic (VLF-EM) surveys have refined the target to show variably dipping, strong conductive bodies
This first phase of drilling is testing 1.8km of the 3km north-south striking limb of the conductivity anomaly. The 4km east-west striking limb of the anomaly remains untested (Figure 2).
Figure 1 - Current Drillhole location map
Engagement of VMS Expert.
Storm has also engaged the services of Professional Geologist and exploration consultant, Dr. Stephen Piercey, PhD, P.Geo., FGC, to review the technical details of the project and help inform the Company's approach to exploration going forward. A site visit and core review is planned for the coming days.
Dr. Piercey is an award-winning geologist with over 25 years of experience focused on VMS deposits. He has a deep understanding of VMS systems having worked, researched, and consulted in numerous VMS districts in North America (e.g., Finlayson Lake district, Yukon; Ambler district, Alaska; Flin Flon district, Manitoba; Abitibi greenstone belt, Ontario; Tally Pond, Buchans-Roberts Arm, Springdale, and Baie Verte belts, Canadian Appalachians).
Dr. Piercey is a University Research Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at Memorial University of Newfoundland, a Professional Geoscientist (P.Geo.) in Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, and British Columbia. He is a native of Newfoundland and Labrador and completed a B.Sc. (Hons) and M.Sc. degrees at Memorial University, and a PhD at the University of British Columbia.
Next Steps
Detailed core logging and processing is currently underway in Thunder Bay. A summary of the drill program and the geology of each hole will be provided when logging is complete.
Core samples will be analyzed at Actlabs in Thunder Bay, Ontario, which is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 standards and operates under an ISO 9001 certified quality management system. Standard sample QA/QC procedures will be in effect.
Assay results are expected in early Q1/2027 and will be announced as they become available.
Figure 2: Gold Standard Project - Location of Airborne Conductivity Anomaly
About Gold Standard
The Gold Standard Project is located approximately 60km north of the city of Fort Frances and is accessible by all-weather forestry road. The property comprises 373 single cell mineral claims covering 7,869 ha and lies within the Manitou-Stormy Lakes greenstone belt along the Manitou Stretch - Pipestone Lake deformation zone, a large crustal structure that spans over 60km along its strike and up to 3km in width.
The Gold Standard Project hosts a potentially significant VMS target characterized by a conductivity anomaly 7km long and four coincident, shallow holes that were drilled by Inco in 1969 and 1970. All the drill holes intersected copper and zinc sulphide mineralisation; however, no assays were completed since no nickel sulphides were observed (see news release here).
Gold Standard is also home to three historical gold mines that were operational between 1901 and 1903. Surface rock samples collected by Storm in 2022 near the HW-271 mine yielded assays that included 166 g/t Au, 197 g/t Ag and 1.47% Cu (see news release here).
Qualified Person
The technical contents of this news release have been reviewed and approved by Jo Price, M.Sc., MBA, P. Geo., a Director of Storm Exploration Inc. and Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101.
About Storm Exploration Inc.
Storm Exploration is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the discovery and development of economic precious and base metal deposits on three district-scale projects in northwest Ontario: Keezhik, Attwood and Gold Standard.
Forward Looking Information
This news release includes certain information that may constitute "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, the Company's strategic plans, future operations, future work programs and objectives. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. All forward-looking information contained in this press release is given as of the date hereof and is based upon the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management as at the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
On behalf of the Company,
Bruce Counts
President, CEO and Director
For further information, please contact:
Storm Exploration Inc.
T: +1 (604) 506-2804
E: bcounts@stormex.ca
SOURCE: Storm Exploration Inc.
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/new-mineralised-vms-system-discovered-at-storms-gold-standard-project-1225721
