Minto Metals Corp. Feb. 28 announced with the results from its 2022 exploration program at the Minto Mine a new lens discovery at Minto East that returned multiple holes of high-grade copper and could add new resources for this northern Yukon miner.

According to the most recent calculation, Minto hosts 11.09 million metric tons of measured and indicated resource averaging 1.46% (356 million lb) copper, 0.53 grams per metric ton (189,000 oz) gold, and 4.75 g/t (1.86 million oz) silver; plus 13.03 million metric tons of inferred resource averaging 1.29% (370 million lb) copper, 0.49 g/t (207,000 oz) gold, and 4.55 g/t (2.09 million oz) silver.

Late last year, Minto reported that the exploration program extended known mineralization at its Minto North deposit, as well as adding a potentially new resource at its Cu Keel South deposit. The lens discovery at Minto East adds to the copper windfall on the Yukon property.

"We are excited with this new discovery," said Minto Metals Vice President of Exploration David Benson. "It has the potential to add new resources for the company and highlights the real exploration potential that exists at the Minto mine site."

At the end of 2022, Minto reports it had completed 53 holes for 28,438 meters. The latest results come from 10 holes totaling 4,846 meters. Highlights include:

• 8.41 meters averaging 2.28% copper, 1.22 g/t gold, and 10.89 g/t silver in hole 22-SDME-008, including 6.82 meters averaging 2.77% copper, 1.49 g/t gold, and 13.25 g/t silver.

• 5.72 meters averaging 2.82% copper, 1.59 g/t gold, and 15.71 g/t silver in 22-SDME-011.

• 8.82 meters averaging 1.38% copper, 0.65 g/t gold, and 4.92 g/t silver in 22-SDME-012, including five meters averaging 2.04% copper, 0.81 g/t gold, and 7.08 g/t silver.

• 6.35 meters averaging 3.53% copper, 1.08 g/t gold, and 12.83 g/t silver in 22-SDME-015.

• 7.5 meters averaging 1.98% copper, 1.1 g/t gold, and 5 g/t silver in 22-SDME-016.

"This new mineralized zone occurs approximately 60 meters beneath the Minto East 152 lens, an area that previously had not been drill-tested despite supporting geophysical evidence suggesting additional mineralization could be present," added Benson. "We see numerous additional opportunities as we have demonstrated here beneath the current resource from supporting geological and geophysical interpretations to replicate the success at Minto East in future exploration drilling campaigns."

The company says the latest results were drilled as part of collaborative drilling between the Mine Operations and Exploration departments at Minto – Mine Operations aimed to increase the confidence level in Minto East lenses 151 and 152, while Exploration aimed to explore the area approximately 100 meters below the East lens 152; an area with no historical drilling.

The new lens, initially termed 150 Deep, exhibits continuity across dimensions of 60 by 75 meters with drill-indicated thicknesses greater than five meters. So far, the exploration target area for 150 Deep is approximately 120 by 180 meters.

Minto Metals Corp.

Although not a primary target, all but one hole intersected the apparent continuation of Minto East Lens 155.