LAURION Mineral Exploration Inc. (TSX-V: LME | OTC: LMEFF | FSE: 5YD) has provided an update on environmental, technical, and regulatory work at its 100%-owned Ishkōday Gold and Polymetallic Project in Northwestern Ontario. The company is advancing two complementary initiatives at the historical Sturgeon River Mine: recovery and remediation of a surface waste rock stockpile, and an Advanced Exploration Project focused on dewatering and rehabilitating the historical mine shaft and underground workings.
The surface stockpile initiative involves an application for a Recovery of Minerals Permit submitted to the Ministry of Energy and Mines, including a Recovery and Remediation Plan under section 152.1 of Ontario's Mining Act and Ontario Regulation 463/24. The stockpile, a legacy of historic mining operations, contains mineralized material that LAURION seeks to recover through removal and off-site processing, followed by remediation of the area. The company notes that recovery is not expected to require new infrastructure, mining, or underground development.
Separately, LAURION is preparing a Permit to Take Water (PTTW) application for dewatering the flooded Sturgeon River Mine shaft, with a submission target of Q4 2026. The shaft extends approximately 642 metres below surface and includes 15 historical underground levels, with about 114,000 cubic metres of static water. The proposed Advanced Exploration Project would involve removing the shaft cap, rehabilitating the collar, installing a temporary exploration headframe and hoisting plant, and controlled dewatering to allow safe underground access for exploration drilling and sampling. No commercial mineral production or ore processing is currently proposed.
Over the past five years, LAURION has completed a comprehensive environmental baseline program, including terrestrial ecology, species at risk and bat studies; aquatic and benthic studies; groundwater and surface water monitoring; shaft water and hydrogeological studies; and a Stage 1 Archaeological Assessment. These studies support regulatory review and will inform environmental management and monitoring measures.
Indigenous and stakeholder consultation is ongoing. LAURION is engaging with Animbiigoo Zaagi'igan Anishinaabek First Nation (AZA), Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek First Nation (BNA), and Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek First Nation (BZA) through an Indigenous Joint Steering Committee. Public notice and meetings will be part of the Closure Plan process.
"Five years of rigorous, independent environmental baseline work is not a small undertaking, and I am proud of the diligence our team and consultants have brought to this work," said Cynthia Le Sueur-Aquin, President and CEO. "This stockpile represents decades-old mining waste sitting on surface today. Recovering potentially economic residual mineralization within the stockpile, and doing so responsibly, is exactly the kind of value-additive, environmentally sound project our shareholders should expect from LAURION."
She added that the dewatering and rehabilitation of the historical shaft is equally important, noting historical records indicate gold-bearing structures on multiple underground levels that were not fully explored before mining ceased in 1942. "Subject to regulatory approvals, the proposed dewatering program is expected to provide safe underground access for geological mapping, sampling and evaluation," she said. "It is also anticipated that the program will facilitate the rehabilitation of a long-standing legacy mine hazard under regulatory oversight. This phase of work is exploratory in nature, and no ore will be mined, processed or sold."
Linda Byron, Director at Blue Heron Environmental, commented, "Blue Heron has been pleased to support LAURION with the environmental baseline studies and permitting work required to advance the Ishkōday Project. We appreciate the hard work and commitment demonstrated by the LAURION team throughout this process and are excited to see the Company take this important next step in moving the project forward."
The technical contents of the release have been reviewed and approved by Dr. Trevor Boyd, Ph.D., P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. LAURION is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (LME), OTCQB (LMEFF), and Frankfurt Stock Exchange (5YD). For more information, visit www.LAURION.ca.
