Scandium Canada Ltd. (TSX-V: SCD) has announced the launch of its 2026 diamond drilling program at the Crater Lake scandium project in Nunavik, Quebec, comprising approximately 4,000 metres of drilling. The program is primarily dedicated to collecting a representative metallurgical bulk sample throughout the defined resource, with additional resource extension drilling at the TG Zone and exploration drilling on the Discovery Zone.
The bulk of the drilling—75% to 80%, or about 3,000 to 3,500 metres—is aimed at collecting an 8 to 10 tonne bulk sample from half-diameter HQ drill core. This sample is crucial for metallurgical testwork required for a future feasibility study, as it will confirm grades and test deposit variability. The remaining drilling includes 500 to 1,000 metres for resource extension to test lateral limits of the 2025 mineral resource estimate, which remains open, and a limited number of shallow holes for exploration on the Discovery Zone, located approximately 750 metres south-southwest along strike from the TG Zone.
Camp mobilization has been underway since late April under Laurentia Exploration's management, with drill crews arriving on June 20 and equipment expected on site starting the same day. Drilling is expected to begin in the coming weeks and continue through August 2026. In parallel, WSP will continue environmental assessment work from June to September, including fauna and flora inventories, fish habitat surveys, and hydrogeological and geochemical studies, supporting the prefeasibility study.
Guy Bourassa, Chief Executive Officer, stated: “With mobilization underway at Crater Lake, this program advances several priorities at once. The bulk of the drilling is dedicated to collecting a representative metallurgical bulk sample throughout the defined resource, the key input for the metallurgical work required for a feasibility study. We will also test the lateral extensions of the TG Zone, where the deposit remains open, and drill initial exploration targets on the Discovery Zone. We expect a steady flow of news from Crater Lake as results become available this fall.”
The Crater Lake project hosts a mineral resource estimate within the TG Zone, as detailed in the technical report titled “NI 43-101 Technical Report and Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Crater Lake Project, Quebec, Canada,” available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+.
Core samples will be shipped to Laurentia's core facility for QAQC insertion before being sent to Activation Laboratories in Ancaster, Ontario, for multi-element geochemical analysis. Mineralized intervals from the bulk sample will be selected based on assay results and sent for LIBS scanning and metallurgical analysis. Assay results are expected in the fall of 2026.
The scientific and technical information in this release has been reviewed and approved by Eric Kinnan, P.Geo., an independent consulting geologist and Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.
Scandium Canada aims to become a market leader in scandium by bringing the world's leading primary source into production, enabling the development of aluminum-scandium alloys for lighter, greener, high-performance materials.
