Domestic Metals Corp. has commenced a planned 9,000-metre diamond drill program at the Smart Creek copper-gold-silver project in Montana.

The fully funded campaign consists of an estimated six to eight holes utilizing a Borat Longyear LF-90 D rig operated by KP Drilling of Arizona. The program focuses on two main areas: Phase 1 involves three 600-metre to 800-metre holes at the Smart Creek target zone expected to take 45 days, while Phase 2 comprises four 600-metre to 800-metre holes at the Sunrise Mine target area scheduled to take 60 days. First assay results are anticipated six to eight weeks following the start of drilling.

The Smart Creek project is held as a joint venture with Rio Tinto, which retains a 40% interest in the property. Domestic Metals funded the drill program through its existing treasury, supported by private placements that closed earlier in 2026.

The company previously scheduled the program to start in late August 2026, but rig availability pushed the start date back to September 8, 2026.

“Rig availability pushed our start date back several weeks which is an unfortunate but common reality in this market. We are pleased to confirm the rig is now on site, and drilling has commenced after nearly two years of systematic exploration at Smart Creek,” said Gordon Neal, CEO and Director of Domestic Metals. “Our geologists have developed targets based on the high-grade metal sampling results and new IP data. We believe Smart Creek is highly prospective for porphyry copper as well as copper-gold-silver enriched carbonate replacement deposits. The program is designed to deliver news flow over the coming months, starting with visual observations from core and followed by assay results as they come in.”

— Gordon Neal, CEO and Director

Elsewhere in the Montana district, Silver Bow Mining Corp. intersected 4.0 metres grading 994.2 grams per tonne silver equivalent from hole SBM26-03 at the Rainbow Block project.

Domestic Metals will host an investor webinar on September 16, 2026, featuring CEO Gordon Neal and Technical Advisor Daniel MacNeil to discuss the ongoing drill program.

Read the full announcement: Domestic Metals Commences Drill Program at Smart Creek Project, Montana