Blende Silver Corp. (TSX.V: BAG) (OTC: BAGGF) has announced that field crews are mobilizing to its 100%-owned Blende Silver-Zinc-Lead Project in north-central Yukon to commence the first phase of drilling targeting the project's 3D induced polarization (IP) chargeability anomalies. The first drill holes are expected to start within approximately 10 days, marking a critical step in testing potential extensions of mineralization beyond the currently defined zones.
The initial drill holes will focus on the Central Zone, a roughly 2-kilometer corridor between the company's West Zone and East Zone deposits. This drilling represents the first direct test of priority 3D IP chargeability anomalies identified in a recently completed survey, particularly in the Lower Central Zone and New Mountain Top areas. According to the company, these anomalies are several times larger in areal extent than the chargeability response over the West Zone, which anchors the existing mineral resource.
The Blende project hosts an existing NI 43-101 mineral resource and is described as one of the larger known carbonate-hosted silver-zinc-lead occurrences in Western Canada. The current program is designed to assess whether mineralization extends beyond the defined zones, with the potential to expand the resource base. The company's 3D IP survey identified chargeability highs coincident with low resistivity, a combination that may indicate sulphide mineralization. This criterion has been used to rank drill targets, and prior review of inversion data suggested that historical drilling in the Central Zone may have been positioned between two distinct chargeability anomalies rather than directly testing the strongest responses.
Andrew H. Rees, President and CEO, stated: "Blende is not a greenfield story. We already hold one of the larger known carbonate-hosted silver-zinc-lead resources in Western Canada, and our objective now is to test whether that resource can be expanded." He added that the 3D IP survey identified anomalies covering a larger area than the West Zone response, and this program puts a drill directly into those targets for the first time.
The drilling is part of a phased program designed to accommodate seasonal realities. Phase 1, commencing this summer, will see the company drill as many holes as conditions permit, anticipated to be one to two holes, before the field season concludes in mid-September 2026. Drilling is planned to resume and expand in spring and summer 2027. During the winter break, the company plans to mobilize equipment over the seasonal winter road to establish camp infrastructure and an airstrip, positioning the project for an expanded exploration program in subsequent phases.
The Blende project covers 5,345 hectares and is located approximately 63 kilometers northeast of Keno Hill, Yukon, within the historic Keno Hill silver district. The property has undergone more than $9.2 million in past exploration, including 25,195 meters of drilling in 132 drill holes, though these figures are derived from historical records that have not been independently verified. The current mineral resource estimate, prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 at a 1.5% ZnEq cutoff, was disclosed in May 2021 and has not been updated to reflect current metal prices.
The company cautioned that geophysical anomalies are not direct indications of mineralization and that there is no certainty drilling will intersect economic mineralization. The program is directed at testing for extensions to the existing resource, and there is no guarantee it will result in any increase. The scientific and technical information in the announcement has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Sarah Palmer, P.Geo., an independent Qualified Person.
As Blende Silver advances this drilling campaign, the results could have significant implications for the company and the broader silver-zinc-lead mining sector. Successful intersection of mineralization in these large anomalies could substantially expand the resource base, potentially enhancing the project's economic viability. The phased approach, including winter road mobilization for infrastructure development, underscores the company's long-term commitment to exploring the full potential of the property.
