North Atlantic Titanium Corp. (CSE: NATO) (OTCQB: NATQ.F) (FSE: Y33) has released further details regarding its application for drilling permits at the Everett Titanium-Vanadium-Phosphate project near Havre-Saint-Pierre, Quebec. The company submitted applications for a Permit for Forestry Activities (PAF) and a Permit for Work with Impact (ATI) to conduct a diamond drilling program totaling 25,000 meters across 20 drill pads, to be completed in three years or less.
The drilling program targets the northern portion of the Everett Oxide Body, focusing on confirming historical drilling from 1951 and 1968. The company highlighted compelling results from mineralogical characterization conducted by Corem, a Quebec-based applied research center. Analysis of a composite metallurgical sample from 57 sites across the oxide body showed that approximately 99% of oxide minerals consist of high-quality hemo-ilmenite characterized by very low magnesium, manganese, and aluminum impurities. The composite sample graded 17.4% TiO2, 37.0% Fe2O3, 0.18% V2O5, and 2.27% P2O5.
Unlike the nearby Lac Tio Mine—the world's largest hard-rock ilmenite deposit—the Everett Oxide Body is being drill-tested not only for titanium dioxide but also for its polymetallic assemblage. The mineralization includes low-Mg/Cr hemo-ilmenite, apatite as a potential phosphate coproduct, vanadium, and potential scandium credits. This positions the project as a broader Fe-Ti-V-P critical-minerals opportunity rather than a conventional titanium orebody.
The Everett property, held under option from Romaine River Titanium Inc., spans 2,406 hectares within the Lac Allard Anorthosite intrusion, dated at approximately 1.06 billion years. The targeted oxide-apatite-gabbronorite unit (Unit 7) extends over 6 km of strike length. The drilling plan submitted under the ATI application is staged: Stage 1 comprises 6,000 meters of widely spaced drilling to delineate the oxide body limits and collect samples, while Stage 2 involves 19,000 meters of infill drilling to define a Mineral Resource Estimate. Stage 1 is expected to commence upon permit acceptance, with Stage 2 likely beginning in late winter 2026-27.
CEO Dwayne Yaretz stated, “Metallurgical results reinforce the Company’s strategy to advance a secure, domestic critical minerals processing supply chain in Canada - supporting defense readiness and the reshoring of Western titanium metal production.”
The company emphasized minimal environmental impact, as the PAF application involves mostly brushing out historical drill trails. The drilling program is part of a collaboration with the Elements08 Strategic Metals Excellence Centre, funded by the Government of Quebec, and includes partners CTRI, IGS, and Corem.
This development is significant for the critical minerals industry, as it highlights the potential for domestic titanium feedstocks with by-product credits, reducing reliance on foreign supply chains. The Everett project's distinctive mineralogy could offer a competitive advantage in producing high-purity titanium products for defense and aerospace applications.
