RETRANSMISSION: QIMC Reports Record 23.5% Natural Hydrogen Within the First 300 Metres of Ongoing DDH-26-05 and Observations Consistent with Free Gas at Bennett Hill at 164 Metres
RETRANSMISSION: QIMC Reports Record
23.5% Natural Hydrogen Within the First 300
Metres of Ongoing DDH-26-05 and
Observations Consistent with Free Gas at
Bennett Hill at 164 Metres
Observations consistent with free gas at 164 metres, together
with a ~54-metre corridor of sustained percent-level hydrogen
concentrations (143-197 m), support the interpretation of a
robust, structurally controlled natural hydrogen system.
Highlights
Record 23.5% H
₂
encountered within only the first 300 metres
of ongoing drill hole DDH-26-
05, approximately 540 metres shallower than the Company's previous record of 24.3% H
₂
at 707
metres in DDH-26-04.
Observations consistent with free gas at 164 metres,
together with a ~54-metre corridor of
sustained percent-level hydrogen concentrations (143-197 m), support the interpretation of a
robust, structurally controlled natural hydrogen system.
DDH-26-05 has exceeded the Company's previous Bennett Hill drill hole
over the
comparable upper interval in hydrogen concentrations, hydrogen frequency and geological
continuity, while drilling continues beyond the first 300 metres
.
Why This Hole Matters
DDH-26-05 has now exceeded the Company's previous Bennett Hill discovery over the comparable
upper interval in hydrogen concentrations, hydrogen frequency, structural observations and geological
continuity, while remaining open at depth. These results further strengthen the interpretation that Bennett
Hill hosts a large, structurally controlled natural hydrogen system.
Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - August 12, 2026) -
Quebec Innovative Materials Corp. (CSE:
QIMC) (OTCQB: QIMCF) (FSE: 7FJ) ("QIMC" or the "Company")
is pleased to announce the
strongest natural hydrogen results ever reported by the Company from the
first approximately 300
metres
of ongoing diamond drill hole
DDH-26-05
at its Bennett Hill Natural Hydrogen Project in Nova
Scotia. These results represent only the initial portion of the hole.
Hydrogen concentrations of up to
23.5% H
₂
, together with drilling observations consistent with free gas entering the borehole
within a major structural zone, represent a significant new milestone for the Company's natural
hydrogen exploration program.
Achieving these record concentrations within only the first 300 metres
of an active drill hole—compared with the Company's previous record of 24.3% H
₂
at 707 metres in
DDH-26-04—further validates QIMC's evolving geological model for a large-scale, structurally controlled
natural hydrogen district and further refines the Company's geological interpretation of Bennett Hill, which
indicates the characteristics required to move toward a pilot-scale production project as a pathway to
commercial development.
The combination of record hydrogen concentrations, observations consistent with free gas entering the
borehole and the continued validation of the Company's structural geological model represents an
important milestone in advancing Bennett Hill from exploration toward pilot production development.
CEO Commentary
"DDH-26-05 has delivered the two things every natural hydrogen developer wants to see:
concentrations and free gas
—
and it delivered them in the first 300 metres," said John Karagiannidis,
President and Chief Executive Officer of QIMC. "Hydrogen concentrations of 23.5% within only the
first 300 metres fundamentally strengthen our confidence that Bennett Hill hosts one of Canada's
most significant emerging natural hydrogen systems. Our record hole DDH-26-04 needed 707 metres
to reach 24.3%; DDH-26-05 has come within striking distance of that record at less than a quarter of
the depth. And at 164 metres, the system did something remarkable — it came to us. Free gas flowed
into the hole, our rig analyzers picked up hydrogen in the open air, and the strongest readings of the
hole bracket that structure on both sides. Shallow, clean, high-concentration hydrogen is precisely
what our pilot production pathway model calls for. With roughly seventy-four percent of our readings
above one percent hydrogen and methane at zero across the board, Bennett Hill continues to look
like exactly what we believe it is: the cornerstone of a district-scale clean hydrogen system."
Summary of Results: 0-300 Metres, DDH-26-05
IsoJar mud-gas hydrogen readings (EAGLE II analyzer) were collected at nominal 3-metre intervals from
32 m to 305 m, with multiple replicate measurements per depth (192 valid readings across 91 sampled
depths). Significant results include:
Depth (m)
Peak H
₂
reading
Other readings at depth
Geological context
143
5.6% H
₂
4.2%, 3.0%, 2.0%
Base of graphitic fault breccia /
faulted contact
155
6.4% H
₂
4.4%, 4.4%, 3.9%
Siltstone approaching free-gas
structure
158
20.8% H
₂
7.5%, 4.8%
6-7 m above free gas intersection
164-167
Free gas flow
Mud seam, lost core; void at 167 m
Free gas intersection — no water
return
170
23.5% H
₂
16.5%, 15.5%
Directly below free gas structure —
peak of hole to date
176
17.6% H
₂
3.4%
Granitized siltstone with syenitic
dykes
179
16.0% H
₂
1.1%
Granitized siltstone
182-194
5.9-8.0% H
₂
Multiple 5.9-8.0% readings
Granitized siltstone / plagioclase-
rich intrusive
260-263
13.9% H
₂
5.3%
Green siltstone below graphitic
breccias
The overall distribution of hydrogen concentrations through the first 300 metres of DDH-26-05 is shown
in
Figure 1
. Rather than representing a single isolated high-concentration interval, the data define an
approximately 54-metre corridor (143-197 m) of sustained percent-level hydrogen concentrations
culminating in a record 23.5% H
₂
at 170 metres. The profile also highlights a second double-digit
hydrogen interval at 260-263 metres and the interval where drilling observations were consistent with
free gas entering the borehole. Collectively, these results illustrate the continuity and intensity of hydrogen
concentrations through the first 300 metres of DDH-26-05 and provide further support for the Company's
interpretation of a structurally controlled natural hydrogen system at Bennett Hill.
Figure 1. Distribution of hydrogen concentrations through the first 300 metres of DDH-26-05,
highlighting the principal hydrogen-bearing corridor, observations consistent with free gas entering the
borehole, and continued drilling beyond 300 metres. Note: conceptual image, not to scale.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7968/309311_578d0b4c14229801_001full.jpg
Free Gas at 164 Metres
At approximately 164 metres, DDH-26-05 intersected a mud seam (164.7-165.1 m, with approximately
40 cm of lost core) within a competent siltstone package. As the drill advanced through this interval, rig-
mounted gas monitoring equipment detected elevated hydrogen concentrations in the ambient air at the
rig — an observation the Company interprets as a free gas flow from the formation into the borehole.
Immediately beyond it, at 167 metres, the drill encountered an open void with complete loss of water
return; further voids were encountered at 257 m and 296 m.
The geochemistry underlines the significance of this structure: the two strongest readings of the hole —
20.8% H
₂
at 158 m and 23.5% H
₂
at 170 m — sit directly above and below the free gas intersection,
defining a gas-charged structural zone at the heart of a ~54-metre percent-level hydrogen corridor.
Mud-gas geochemistry demonstrates that hydrogen is present in the fractured rock. Free gas
deliverability is one of the central assumptions of the pilot production pathway model the Company
began evaluating in July 2026, and DDH-26-05 has now provided the first direct drilling evidence in
support of that assumption — at a depth shallow enough to be reached by simple, low-cost wells.
Geology of the First 300 Metres: The Structural Plumbing Predicted by R2G2™
Logging of DDH-26-05 (collared at an azimuth of 155° and a dip of -70°, NQ core, 100% core recovery
through the reported interval) confirms the architecture predicted by the Company's R2G2™ targeting
framework:
35.0-143.5 m — Graphitic fault breccia:
a more than 108-metre-thick graphitic fault zone hosting
numerous discrete fault gouge intervals, interpreted as a long-lived, reactivated structural conduit
— the primary hydrogen migration pathway. Hydrogen readings through this zone ran consistently
at 1-4.2% H
₂
.
143.5-175.2 m — Siltstone hosting the free gas intersection:
competent, thinly bedded
siltstone containing the 164.7-165.1 m mud seam and the 167 m void, bracketed by the 20.8%
and 23.5% H
₂
peaks — a gas-charged conduit and potential trap geometry.
176.0-251.8 m — Granitized siltstone, syenitic intrusions and graphitic silica-granitic
breccias:
sustained percent-level hydrogen (peaks of 17.6%, 16.0% and 8.0% H
₂
) through an
interval of granitization, syenite dykes and hydrothermal breccias associated with the Cobequid-
Chedabucto Fault Zone.
251.8-300+ m — Green siltstone:
a second double-digit hydrogen zone (13.9% H
₂
at 263 m)
with an associated void at 257 m, and readings of 2.1-3.5% H
₂
continuing toward 300 m.
Building on Record Hole DDH-26-04
DDH-26-05 is the second hole at Bennett Hill, located approximately 15 kilometres from the Company's
Eatonville Road drill area (DDH-26-01 to DDH-26-03). The first Bennett Hill hole, DDH-26-04, was
completed to 818 metres and returned a peak mud-gas reading of 24.3% H
₂
at 707 metres — the
highest single hydrogen reading recorded across QIMC's 2026 Advocate Area program — with 104 of
284 IsoJar readings (approximately 37%) at or above 1% H
₂
. Over the upper interval comparable to
today's results, DDH-26-04 peaked at 16.0% H
₂
at 236 metres.
DDH-26-05 has exceeded that benchmark on every measure over the first 300 metres: substantially
higher hydrogen concentrations within the upper 300 metres (23.5% vs 16.0%), a higher hit rate
(approximately 74% vs 37% of readings at or above 1% H
₂
), a free gas intersection, and open gas-
charged structure confirmed by drilling voids. In the Company's interpretation, two consecutive holes with
intensifying hydrogen — 700 metres apart on the same structure — support a laterally extensive,
structurally controlled and vertically persistent hydrogen system at Bennett Hill. DDH-26-05 is planned to
a total depth of 900 metres to test the depth continuation of this system below the horizon that produced
the 24.3% record in DDH-26-04. Collectively, the geological observations, sustained hydrogen
concentrations, and observations consistent with free gas entering the borehole continue to strengthen
the Company's confidence in Bennett Hill as an emerging district-scale natural hydrogen system.
Importance for the Pilot Production Pathway
On July 20, 2026, the Company announced the beginning of a technical evaluation of a pathway toward
pilot-scale characterization and clean energy generation of the Advocate Area hydrogen system. The
results reported today advance that pathway on four fronts: (i) the free gas intersection at 164 metres
provides the first direct evidence of mobile, free-phase gas — the fundamental prerequisite for pilot
testing; (ii) 23.5% H
₂
at 170 metres demonstrates that high-concentration hydrogen exists at depths
reachable by simple, low-cost pilot wells; (iii) a second consecutive hydrogen-bearing hole at Bennett
Hill, stronger than the first over the equivalent interval, supports resource continuity; and (iv) the
confirmation of the predicted fault-breccia architecture continues to validate the R2G2™ targeting
framework as a repeatable exploration and development tool across the Company's 43-kilometre
district-scale corridor.
About Québec Innovative Materials Corp. (QIMC)
Québec Innovative Materials Corp. is a North American exploration and development company
advancing a portfolio of natural hydrogen and critical mineral projects, with properties in Québec,
Ontario, Nova Scotia and Minnesota (USA). The Company applies its proprietary R2G2™ (Reactivated
Rift and Graben Geostructure) exploration framework, developed in collaboration with INRS, and is
focused on responsible exploration, technical innovation, and the advancement of natural hydrogen
opportunities that may contribute to future clean-energy development. The Company's exploration in the
Advocate Area involves no hydraulic fracturing and no reservoir stimulation.
For Further Information
QUÉBEC INNOVATIVE MATERIALS CORP.
John Karagiannidis
President & Chief Executive Officer
Email:
Tel: +1 514-726-7058
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian
securities legislation, including statements regarding the continued drilling and anticipated results of
DDH-26-05; the interpretation of free gas observations, drilling voids, mud-gas and soil-gas data; the
existence, scale and continuity of a district-scale natural hydrogen system; and the potential
advancement toward pilot-scale characterization, clean energy generation or any future development
pathway. Forward-looking information is based on assumptions management considers reasonable,
including assumptions regarding field conditions, instrument performance, the continuity of geological
structures, the availability of financing, and permitting and regulatory frameworks. Actual results may
differ materially. Risks include, without limitation, that preliminary field readings are not confirmed by
laboratory analysis or subsequent work; that free gas observations do not reflect sustained
deliverability or recoverable accumulations; that the remainder of DDH-26-05 does not deliver results
consistent with readings observed to date; that no economically recoverable hydrogen accumulation
exists on the Company's properties; that regulatory frameworks for natural hydrogen in Nova Scotia
and elsewhere remain under development; and that additional financing may not be available on
acceptable terms. No resource estimate has been prepared for the Advocate Area projects, and there
is no assurance that the exploration results described herein will translate into a discovery of
commercial quantities of natural hydrogen. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
forward-looking information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking
information except as required by law.
Sampling, Methodology and Data Verification
Mud-gas readings reported in this release are preliminary field readings from co-collected IsoJar
headspace samples taken at nominal 3-metre depth intervals during the drilling of DDH-26-05,
measured with a portable EAGLE II gas analyzer, consistent with the methodology disclosed by the
Company on June 18 and June 29, 2026. A total of 192 valid readings were recorded across 91
sampled depths between 32 m and 305 m; reported statistics count individual replicate
measurements. Values are transcribed from original handwritten field records; individual values
flagged as unclear on the field sheets have been excluded from headline statistics pending
verification against the original records. Real-time readings from rig-mounted monitoring equipment
measure hydrogen concentrations in ambient air at the drill rig, are continuous indicative
measurements used for safety and operational correlation purposes and are not directly comparable
to headspace mud-gas sample values. Preliminary field readings are subject to confirmation by
laboratory analysis.
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