Aeonian Commences Inaugural Drill Program at the Jake Zone, Koocanusa Copper-Silver Project, Southeastern British Columbia
AEONIAN COMMENCES INAUGURAL DRILL PROGRAM AT THE JAKE
ZONE, KOOCANUSA COPPER-SILVER PROJECT, SOUTHEASTERN
BRITISH COLUMBIA
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / March 16, 2026 / Aeonian Resources Corp. ("Aeonian" or the
"Company") (TSX.V:ALTN) is pleased to announce that drilling has commenced at the Company's flagship
property, Koocanusa, marking the first diamond drill program of 2026 designed to test structurally
enriched, sedimentary hosted copper-silver mineralization on the property.
Highlights
• Fully-funded inaugural drill program at the Koocanusa copper-silver project now underway setting
the stage for a productive 2026 exploration season.
• Three diamond drill holes planned from two drill pads totaling approximately 900 metres.
• Diamond drilling designed to test a 130-metre-thick conductive sedimentary package interpreted
to be a premium host for copper mineralization.
• Drill target defined by coincident surface exposed copper-silver mineralization and airborne
magnetic geophysics.
• Conductivity anomaly is interpreted to extend along approximately 500 metres of strike length
which remains open both laterally and down dip.
• Portable XRF analysis will be used on site to help guide drilling decisions in real time.
• Jake is one of approximately nineteen priority copper-silver targets identified across the district-
scale Koocanusa property.
Andy Randell, CEO of Aeonian Resources, commented:
"Commencing our inaugural drill program at Koocanusa is an important milestone for Aeonian. The Jake
target presents a compelling combination of encouraging copper-silver values at surface, favourable
sedimentary host rocks, and a strong conductive geophysical signature that may represent sulphide-
bearing horizons at depth.
This program represents the first test of a broader exploration model across the Koocanusa property. With
nineteen priority targets identified to date, we believe the project has the potential to develop into a
significant copper-silver exploration district within the Purcell Basin.
Our objective with this initial drilling is to confirm the geological model and determine whether these
conductive sedimentary horizons host copper mineralization at depth."
Why the Jake Target Matters
The Jake target represents a compelling first drill test within the Koocanusa Project due to the combination
of several key exploration indicators:
• Surface copper and silver mineralization identified in sedimentary host rocks
• A strong airborne magnetic and ground conductivity anomaly coincident with mapped mineralized
horizons
• Geological bedding orientations consistent with the dip of the geophysical target
• A conductive stratigraphic package interpreted to be approximately 130 metres thick
Together, these features provide a strong geological basis for testing whether copper-silver mineralization
continues at depth within favourable sedimentary host units.
The inaugural drill program is focused on the Jake target, where surface sampling has returned values of
up to 0.32% copper and 31.1g/t silver from mineralized sedimentary units exposed at surface
(see December 8, 2025, news release). These occurrences coincide with a strong subsurface conductivity
and surface magnetic anomalies identified in airborne geophysical surveys completed in 2025.
Figure 1. Koocanusa Copper Project
The initial drill program will consist of three diamond drill holes from two drill pads totaling approximately
900 metres (Figure 1), designed to test for down dip extensions of mineralization over an interpreted 500
metre strike length.
Geophysical interpretation indicates that the Jake target corresponds to a conductive stratigraphic package
approximately 130 metres thick, interpreted to dip eastward at an angle consistent with bedding
measurements observed in surface outcrops. The Company believes the conductivity anomaly may
represent sulphide-bearing sedimentary horizons capable of hosting copper mineralization.
The conductive zone is interpreted to extend along approximately 500 metres of strike and remains open
both laterally and down dip, providing potential for expansion if mineralization is confirmed.
During the program, the Company will utilize a portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) analyzer on site to
rapidly assess copper concentrations in drill core. While pXRF measurements are not a substitute for
laboratory assays, the instrument will be used to guide geological interpretation and help make the drill
program more responsive as results are observed in real time.
Decisions regarding follow-up drilling will be made once geological observations and laboratory assay
results from the initial program have been received and evaluated.
The Jake target was selected for the inaugural drill program due to its combination of strong geophysical
response, encouraging surface mineralization, and favourable access.
Sediment-Hosted Copper - Target Concept
Sediment-hosted copper deposits form when metal-bearing fluids migrate through permeable sedimentary
rocks and precipitate copper-hosting minerals within favourable stratigraphic horizons, often along faults
or physical trap zones. These deposits can form laterally extensive mineralized layers that follow bedding
within sedimentary basins.
At Koocanusa, the exploration model focuses on Revett-type sedimentary copper mineralization, where
copper and silver occur within specific sedimentary units that provided favourable fluid pathways and
chemical conditions for metal deposition.
Within the Purcell Basin, the mineralized unit known as the Revett Formation in Montana is equivalent to
the Creston Formation in British Columbia, reflecting differences in regional geological nomenclature rather
than a change in stratigraphy.
Exploration programs elsewhere in the Purcell Basin in Montana have targeted the same regional
sedimentary basin and stratigraphic sequence that extends northward into southeastern British Columbia.
Several significant sediment-hosted copper-silver deposits occur within this basin, including the Libby
(Montanore) Project, Rock Creek Project, and Spar Lake Mine.
In recent years Hecla Mining Company has consolidated several of these projects and updated mineral
resource estimates, including the Montanore deposit near Libby, Montana, which is reported to contain an
inferred mineral resource of approximately 1.5 billion pounds of copper and 183 million ounces of silver 1.
The Company notes that these deposits are referenced for geological context only, and that mineralization
present elsewhere in the basin is not necessarily indicative of mineralization at the Koocanusa Project.
While the Koocanusa Project is at an early stage of exploration and mineralization remains unconfirmed at
depth, Aeonian believes that the presence of similar stratigraphic units and basin architecture supports the
potential for sediment-hosted copper-silver systems within the project area.
District-Scale Exploration Potential
Exploration at the Koocanusa Project has identified approximately nineteen priority targets across the
property through airborne geophysical surveys, geological mapping, and surface sampling programs.
These targets represent conductive stratigraphic horizons and structural trap zones interpreted within
favourable Creston Formation sedimentary units across the project area. Several of these targets exhibit
geophysical signatures like the Jake conductivity anomaly and remain untested by drilling.
Results from the inaugural drill program at Jake will help refine the geological model and guide future
exploration across the broader target pipeline.
Reference
1 Reported by Hecla: https://www.hecla.com/exploration
Qualified Person and NI 43-101 Disclosure
The scientific and technical information in this news release was reviewed and approved by Kristian
Whitehead, P .Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Whitehead is not independent of the
Company.
About the Koocanusa Project
The Koocanusa Project is a district-scale copper-silver exploration property located in southeastern British
Columbia near the Canada-United States border. The project covers approximately 352 km² of prospective
ground within the Purcell Basin, a large Proterozoic sedimentary basin known to host stratiform copper-
silver mineralization.
Exploration at Koocanusa has focused on identifying conductive stratigraphic horizons and structural trap
zones within Revett-equivalent sedimentary units that may host sediment-hosted copper mineralization.
The Koocanusa Project benefits from excellent infrastructure and access, including highway access on
three sides of the property and the ability to conduct exploration activities throughout the year.
The current exploration permit allows for drilling activities over a three-year period, providing the Company
with flexibility to advance exploration depending on results.
About Aeonian Resources Corp.
Aeonian Resources is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on advancing sediment-hosted
copper and critical mineral projects in British Columbia. With a strong commitment to environmental
responsibility, Indigenous engagement, and sound science, Aeonian aims to uncover the next generation
of sustainable mineral resources. For additional information, visit the Company's
website www.aeonianresources.com.
All costs in this release are in Canadian Dollars.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF AEONIAN RESOURCES CORP .
"Andy Randell"
Chief Executive Officer
For further information, please contact:
Sharyn Alexander, Corporate Communications
Telephone: +1 (604) 800 6849
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the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking
information" with respect to Aeonian within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements
with respect to the Company's planned drilling and exploration activities. The Company provides forward-
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Although Aeonianhas attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or
results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors
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