Scandium Canada Launches 2026 Diamond Drilling Program at Crater Lake Project
MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC — June 11, 2026 — Leads & Copy — Scandium Canada Ltd. (TSX-V: SCD) today announced the commencement of its 2026 diamond drilling program at the Crater Lake scandium project, located in Nunavik, Québec. The program is designed to encompass approximately 4,000 metres of diamond drilling, with a primary focus on acquiring a representative metallurgical bulk sample from the existing resource. This effort will be complemented by drilling aimed at extending the resource at the TG Zone and exploration drilling at the Discovery Zone.
Camp mobilization for the project began in late April, managed by Laurentia Exploration. Drilling activities are anticipated to start in the upcoming weeks and will continue through August 2026. Concurrently, WSP will proceed with environmental assessment work, building on previous initiatives, from June through September to support the ongoing prefeasibility study.
A significant portion of the drilling, estimated at 75% to 80% or approximately 3,000 to 3,500 metres, is allocated to the collection of a bulk sample weighing between 8 to 10 tonnes. This sample will be sourced from the defined resource and is intended to test its variability. The mobilization process began in late April 2026, with drill crews scheduled to arrive on June 20, and equipment expected on-site the same day. Drilling is slated to commence in the coming weeks and run until August 2026.
Approximately 15% to 20% of the drill budget, translating to 500 to 1,000 metres, will be dedicated to exploratory drilling aimed at resource augmentation. This drilling will test the lateral extensions of the 2025 mineral resource estimate, which currently remains open. The remaining drill meterage will be used for limited, shallow exploration drilling targeting specific areas on the Discovery Zone, situated approximately 750 metres south-southwest along strike from the TG Zone resource.
Furthermore, WSP will continue its environmental assessment work from June to September, building upon the environmental studies initiated in 2024. This phase includes fauna and flora inventories, fish habitat surveys, and hydrogeological and geochemical studies, all crucial for the environmental assessment supporting the prefeasibility study. The WSP team is expected on-site starting June 15.
Guy Bourassa, Chief Executive Officer of Scandium Canada Ltd., 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 2026 campaign is structured around three primary technical objectives: collecting the metallurgical bulk sample, extending the existing resource, and conducting regional exploration. The bulk sample, constituting the core of the program, will be assembled from half-diameter HQ drill core, with an anticipated 80% recovery over mineralized intercepts. The goal is to confirm grades and assess the deposit’s metallurgical variability, providing essential material for the feasibility study’s testwork. The orientation of select drillholes will also allow for testing resource continuity at depth.
The Crater Lake project’s mineral resource estimate is contained within the TG Zone, which is noted to be open. Details are available in the technical report titled “NI 43-101 Technical Report and Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Crater Lake Project, Quebec, Canada,” accessible via SEDAR+.
Core samples will be transported from the site 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 identified based on assay results and then submitted for LIBS scanning and metallurgical analysis. Assay results are expected in the fall of 2026.
The scientific and technical information within this news release has been reviewed and approved by Eric Kinnan, P.Geo. (OGQ No. 00788), an independent consulting geologist and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Kinnan has verified the disclosed data through project database examination, geological records, assay certificates, and QA/QC protocols.
ABOUT SCANDIUM CANADA LTD.
Scandium Canada (TSX-V: SCD) is focused on becoming the world’s leading primary source of scandium, facilitating the development and commercialization of aluminum-scandium (Al-Sc) alloys. The Company aims to meet the increasing demand for lighter, greener, and more durable high-performance materials through its Al-Sc alloys development division and the Crater Lake mining project. Scandium Canada aspires to be a market leader in scandium, contributing to a more responsible economy via innovation and agility.
Source: Scandium Canada Ltd.
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