Alpha Chairman Mike Hopley Retires and Stephen Gatley Joins Alpha Board of Directors
Alpha Chairman Mike Hopley Retires and
Stephen Gatley Joins Alpha Board of Directors
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - July 6, 2026) -
Alpha Exploration Ltd.
(TSXV: ALEX)
("Alpha" or
the "Company")
is pleased to announce changes to the board of directors. Firstly, Michael Hopley has
retired from his position as Chairman of the Company's board of directors (the "Board"), effective July 6,
2026. Stephen Gatley a mining engineer, joins the Alpha board, as a seasoned mining executive with
previous experience in Eritrea through Lundin Mining's investment in Sunridge Gold's development of the
Asmara project. Also, Anna Nydegger, Managing Director of NWT Group, Geneva steps down from the
board.
Mr. Hopley has played an important leadership role in the progress of Alpha Exploration, including his
service as President and Chief Executive Officer and, subsequently, as Chairman of the Board. The
Board sincerely thanks Mr. Hopley for his dedicated service, leadership, and contribution to the
Company's growth and advancement.
"It has been a privilege to work with Alpha's directors, management team, technical staff, shareholders,
and partners," said Mr. Hopley. "I am proud of what the Company has accomplished to become one of
the principal companies exploring the highly prospective terrain of the Arabian-Nubian Shield. I am
confident in its ability to continue advancing its outstanding potential gold, and base metal prospects on
its 100% owned Kerkasha property in Eritrea. I leave at a time when Alpha is well financed and is under
the strong new leadership of John Wilton Alpha CEO; I wish the Company every success in its next
stages of its exploration and development strategy."
"On behalf of the Board, we extend our genuine appreciation to Michael for his commitment and
leadership," said John Wilton, CEO of Alpha Exploration. "His experience, judgment, and long-standing
dedication to responsible mineral exploration have been valuable to Alpha, and we wish him the very
best in retirement.
"We also welcome Stephen Gatley to the Alpha team. His extensive mining engineering experience, and
previous involvement with mineral development projects in Eritrea, are an excellent fit with our board as
the Company advances and grows the exploration of its gold and copper discoveries."
In addition, Anna Nydegger, Managing Director of NWT Group, Geneva, will step down from the Alpha
board of directors as of July 6, 2026. The board would like to thank Ms. Nydegger for all her
commitment, assistance and support over the past years.
The Company is also very pleased to announce that Stephen Gatley has agreed to join Alpha as a non-
executive director effective July 6, 2026. Mr. Gatley is a Mining Engineer, and graduate of the Royal
School of Mines, London. He has over 40 years of experience in the minerals industry including working
in the Cornish tin industry at both Wheal Jane and South Crofty mines. He has extensive experience of
managing both underground and open pit mines during years with Rio Tinto plc, in senior positions at
base metal mines in Europe and South America, prior to joining Lundin Mining Corp. where he served
as Vice President Technical Services from 2012 to 2021.
Importantly, Mr Gatley represented Lundin Mining in its investment in Sunridge Gold and later served as
a director of Sunridge that owned the Asmara project in Eritrea from 2009 to 2016. During that time
Stephen visited the project several times and provided valuable guidance. The Asmara Project was
purchased from Sunridge by the large Chinese company Sichuan Road and Bridge in 2016. Mr. Gatley
is based in the UK and is currently a non-executive Director of Cornish Metals plc and AbraSilver
Resource Corp.
The Company also announces that, in connection with the non-brokered private placement for units of the
Company announced on April 20, 2026 (the "Private Placement") and closing of tranches of the Private
Placement announced on April 30, 2026, and June 4, 2026, pursuant to which the Company issued an
aggregate of 12,534,699 units of the Company for aggregate gross proceeds of $7,520,820.00, no
further tranches of the Private Placement are expected to be completed by the Company. Additional
details regarding the Private Placement are included in the Company's press releases dated April 20,
2026, April 30, 2026, and June 4, 2026.
ABOUT ALPHA
Alpha (TSXV: ALEX)
is an exploration company that is rapidly advancing a number of important gold
and base metal discoveries it has made across the 100% owned, 514 km2 Kerkasha Project in Eritrea.
The Aburna Gold Prospect
is an exciting new gold discovery where recent drilling has confirmed a
high-grade mineralized system, with grades including 18m @ 15.33 g/t Au, 16 m @ 14.07 g/t Au, 9 m @
10 g/t Au and 23 m @ 6.74 g/t Au.
The Anagulu Gold-Copper prospect
with recent drilling intersections of 108 m @ 1.24 g/t Au and
0.60% Cu including 49 m @ 2.42 g/t Au and 1.10% Cu, and 109 m @ 0.79 g/t Au and 0.35 % Cu within
a porphyry unit drilled over 2kms along trend, and with an overall and expanding exploration target
footprint of some 4 by 2kms.
The Company is managed by a group of highly experienced and successful mining and exploration
professionals with long track records of establishing, building and returning value to stakeholders from a
number of world class gold and base metal discoveries in Eritrea and across the wider Arabian Nubian
Shield.
For further information go to the Alpha webpage at
www.alpha-exploration.com
or contact:
John Wilton
CEO
Alpha Exploration Ltd.
Email:
Tel: +44 207 129 1148
Cautionary Notes
This press release is intended for distribution in Canada only and is not intended for distribution to
United States newswire services or dissemination in the United States. Neither the TSX Venture
Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX
Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements and information herein, including all statements that are not historical facts,
contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable
securities laws. Such forward-looking statements or information include but are not limited to
statements or information with respect to future dataset interpretations, sampling, plans for its projects
(including the Anagulu prospect), surveys related to Alpha's assets, and the Company's drilling
program. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements or information can be identified by the use
of words such as "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may"
or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are
intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. With respect to forward-looking
statements and information contained herein, Alpha has made numerous assumptions including
among other things, assumptions about general business and economic conditions and the price of
gold and other minerals. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive.
Although management of Alpha believes that the assumptions made and the expectations
represented by such statements or information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that
forward-looking statements or information herein will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking statements
and information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or
industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. These factors include, but
are not limited to: risks relating to Alpha's financing efforts; risks associated with the business of Alpha
given its limited operating history; business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally;
the supply and demand for labour and other project inputs; changes in commodity prices; changes in
interest and currency exchange rates; risks relating to inaccurate geological and engineering
assumptions (including with respect to the tonnage, grade and recoverability of reserves and
resources); risks relating to unanticipated operational difficulties (including failure of equipment or
processes to operate in accordance with specifications or expectations, cost escalation, unavailability
of materials and equipment, government action or delays in the receipt of government approvals,
industrial disturbances or other job action, and unanticipated events related to health, safety and
environmental matters); risks relating to adverse weather conditions; political risk and social unrest;
changes in general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets; changes in laws
(including regulations respecting mining concessions); risks related to the direct and indirect impact
of COVID-19 including, but not limited to, its impact on general economic conditions, the ability to
obtain financing as required, and causing potential delays to exploration activities; those factors
discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Final Prospectus; and other risk factors as detailed
from time to time. Alpha does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in
accordance with applicable securities laws.
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