Blende Silver Corp. (TSX.V: BAG) (OTC: BAGGF) announced that the Yukon Department of Energy, Mines and Resources has granted the company a Class 3 Quartz Mining Land Use Approval for its 100%-owned Blende Silver-Zinc-Lead Project in north-central Yukon. The approval, effective July 13, 2026, and valid through July 12, 2031, covers all 260 quartz claims comprising the project, providing a five-year permitting window for advanced exploration.
The Class 3 approval is the final major permit required for the company to execute its planned multi-year exploration programs. It authorizes diamond drilling across the project area, an operating season from February 1 to September 15 annually, camp facilities for up to 50 persons (supporting up to 11,300 person days of work), a permitted airstrip (25,000 m²) for enhanced air access, upgrading of 5 km of existing access roads and construction of 2 km of new road, winter access via the Wind River Winter Road (two round trips per year), and on-site fuel storage for sustained drilling and camp operations.
Andrew H. Rees, President and CEO, stated: “This approval is a major de-risking milestone for Blende Silver. With a five-year Class 3 permit in hand covering the entire claim package, the Company now has the regulatory certainty to plan and execute sustained, multi-season drill programs at what is the largest carbonate-hosted silver-zinc-lead deposit in Yukon. The permitted airstrip and camp infrastructure will materially improve the efficiency and cost profile of our field operations. Combined with the district-scale targeting work currently underway with Ronacher McKenzie Geoscience, Blende is now positioned to advance aggressively toward resource growth.”
The company acknowledged the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyak Dun, on whose traditional territory the Blende Project is located, and expressed commitment to responsible exploration, progressive reclamation, and full compliance with all conditions of the approval, including wildlife, heritage, and environmental protection measures.
The Blende Project hosts the largest carbonate-hosted silver-zinc-lead deposit in the Yukon, as noted in a 1995 Economic Geology publication by M. Robinson and C.I. Godwin. A mineral resource estimate prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 at a 1.5% ZnEq cutoff was disclosed in the company’s news release dated May 20, 2021. That estimate was prepared by Sue Bird, P.Eng., of Moose Mountain Technical Services, and is based on metal price assumptions including silver at US$26 per ounce, zinc at US$1.30 per pound, and lead at US$1.00 per pound. Metal prices have since changed, and the company has not updated the estimate. Historical exploration defined the East and West Zones, two primary mineralized zones approximately two kilometers apart.
With the Class 3 approval, the company intends to plan and advance exploration programs across the Blende Project over the coming seasons, subject to the conditions of the approval and applicable regulatory requirements. Blende Silver Corp. is a Vancouver-based junior resource company focused on silver-zinc-lead exploration and development at its flagship Blende Project, which covers 5,345 hectares and is located approximately 63 km northeast of Keno Hill, Yukon, within the 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.
For further information, contact Andrew H. Rees, President & CEO, at 604-669-6463. This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities legislation.
