Highland Copper Initiates Infill Drill Program on White Pine North
Highland Copper Initiates Infill Drill Program on White Pine North
January 19, 2022 – Longueuil, Quebec. Highland Copper Company Inc. (TSXV: HI, OTCQB: HDRSF)
(“Highland Copper” or “Highland” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has initiated an infill
drill program on White Pine North projects in Michigan, USA.
Denis Miville-Deschênes, President and CEO, stated: “We are excited to be back drilling in Michigan as
we believe we still have tremendous value to surface from Highland’s key business assets, the Copperwood
and White Pine North projects. We are drilling the extension of the historic White Pine mine which had a
long history of successful conversion of inferred ore. Similarly, we hope to convert a significant portion of
our 97 million inferred resource tonnes. We look forward to providing updates throughout the program.”
The significant capital investment demonstrates Highland’s commitment to advancing its assets including
the Copperwood project which has received all required Michigan state permits, and the White Pine North
Project, a proven past producer. Copperwood and White Pine North both have significant contained copper
resources totaling 4.8 billion pounds in the Measured and Indicated category (182.7 million tonnes at 1.20%
copper grade) 1, and 3.5 billion pounds in the Inferred category (148.7 million tonnes at 1.08% copper
grade). This expenditure will serve to improve the resource quality from a classification perspective.
Highland Coppers’ White Pine North project is the extension of the historic White Pine Mine which
operated for approximately fifty years and produced more than five billion pounds of copper. Highland
believes that the opportunity at White Pine North is significant, as demonstrated by the 2019 Preliminary
Economic Assessment (“PEA”)2. The continuity of the deposit considered in the PEA mine plan represents
3.2 billion pounds contained in the Measured and Indicated category (133.4 million tonnes at 1.07% copper
grade) and 2.2 billion pounds contained in the Inferred category ( 97.2 million tonnes at 1.03% copper
grade).
The winter drilling program, currently underway , has the goal of upgrading a portion of the Inferred
resources into the Measured and Indicated category. This would increase the usable resource base and mine
life for future Feasibility Stud ies. The initial p hase of t he program consists of 8 holes representing
approximately 8,400 meters of core drilling. The timing of the program will be partially dependent on
weather conditions.
Work is also on -going on our key technical studies. The Preliminary Economic Assessment on the
combined scenario is progressing well. The PEA will contemplate eliminating considerable infrastructure
at Copperwood, particularly the processing plant and tailings storage facilities as defined in the previous
stand-alone Copperwood Feasibility Study3. In its place, the PEA will consider processing ore from the two
deposits in one central facility located at White Pine North. We expect to issue the results of the combined
scenario PEA late in Q1 2023.
Highland is concurrently updating the Copperwood Feasibility Study and expects to publish the results at
the same time as the combined scenario PEA.
1. Measured category is 27.3 million tonnes at 1.68% copper grade. Indicated category is 155.4 million tonnes at 1.11 copper grade.
2. The White Pine North PEA (dated effective September 22, 2019 and posted to SEDAR on November 7, 2019) includes an economic analysis of
mineral resources. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.
3. Copperwood Feasibility Study dated effective June 14, 2018 and was posted to SEDAR on July 31, 2018.
2
Qualified Person
The technical information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Denis Miville-
Deschenes, P Eng., the Company's President and CEO. Mr. Miville-Deschenes is a qualified person under
Canadian National Instrument 43-101.
About Highland
Highland Copper Company Inc. is a Canadian company focused on exploring and developing copper
projects in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, U.S.A. Information about the Company is available on
SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company’s website at www.highlandcopper.com.
Cautionary Statement
This news release contains “forward-looking statements” and “forward-looking information” (collectively
“forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. These
include, without limitation, statements with respect to: (a) the Company’s expectations and beliefs for the
development of its mineral projects, including the timing and ultimate economic results thereof; (b) the
timing of the completion of anticipated synergies to be recognized in the PEA on the combined development
scenario of the Copperwood and White Pine Project (c) the Company’s plans for the development of the
projects both individually and potentially on a combined basis ; and (d) the resources identified on the
Company’s mineral projects . Such forward looking statements are based on a number of assumptions,
which may prove to be incorrect . Important assumptions with respect to each development project are
contained in Feasibility Study (for Copperwood) and the PEA ( for White Pine). Important factors that
could materially impact the Company's expectations include: uncertainties involving the availability of
financing in the debt and capital markets; uncertainties involved in the estimation of reserves and resources,
including uncertainties in the int erpretation of drilling results and other geological and geotechnical data,
actual exploration results, interpretation of metallurgical characteristics of the mineralization, changes in
project parameters as plans continue to be refined; availability of sk illed labour; effects of regulation by
governmental agencies; unanticipated variation in geological structures, metal grades or recovery rates;
unexpected cost increases, which could include significant increases in estimated capital and operating costs
and the effects of inflation ; fluctuations in metal prices and currency exchange rates; and general market
and industry conditions. All forward -looking statements in this press release are based on information
available to the Company as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update
forward-looking statements except as required by law.
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
release.
For further information, please contact:
Denis Miville-Deschênes, President & CEO
Tel: +1.450.677.2455
Email: [email protected]