Emperor Metals Inc. has returned assay results from its 2026 exploration campaign at the Duquesne West project in Quebec, highlighted by drill hole DQ26-52 intersecting 24.1 metres grading 2.6 g/t gold from a vertical depth of 35 metres.

The completed 2026 exploration program comprised 20,479 metres of new drilling across 66 holes alongside approximately 7,884 metres of targeted historical unsampled core. Assay results have now been received for 42 of the 66 holes drilled during the campaign, representing approximately 61 percent of the new drilling data.

Hole DQ26-52 included a higher-grade interval of 7.1 metres grading 7.5 g/t gold from 45.2 metres downhole, which featured a 1-metre subsection yielding 37.9 g/t gold. A second hole, DQ26-53, intersected 14.3 metres grading 2.2 g/t gold from a vertical depth of 39 metres, including 4.0 metres of 7.4 g/t gold.

Systematic infill drilling is designed to refine the geological model and support the conversion of portions of the current Inferred Mineral Resource into the Indicated category in a future National Instrument 43-101 resource estimate update. The Duquesne West property currently hosts an updated inferred mineral resource estimate of 26.9 million tonnes containing 1.46 million ounces of gold at an average grade of 1.69 g/t gold.

Emperor holds the property under an option agreement to acquire a 100 percent interest from Duparquet Assets Ltd., a 50 percent owned subsidiary of Globex Mining Enterprises Inc.

“It is encouraging to see our exploration strategy continue to deliver the combination of grade and thickness within the shallow portions of the Duquesne West deposit that is fundamental to our open-pit development vision. These results reinforce our strategic objective of defining robust, near-surface mineralization capable of supporting a high-grade starter pit with favourable stripping ratios. This is another important step in demonstrating the long-term value and scalability of the project.” — John Florek, President, CEO and Director

The company is advancing toward a Preliminary Economic Assessment and an updated Mineral Resource Estimate for Duquesne West. Emperor expects to receive and incorporate remaining assay results from the completed exploration program, including historical core resampling, into ongoing resource modelling.

Read the full announcement: Emperor Continues to Define Shallow High-Grade Gold Mineralization Supporting Conceptual Open-Pit Growth