Sun Summit Confirms the High-Grade Gold- Silver Potential of the Finn Zone: Drills 5.30 g/t Gold and 157.9 g/t Silver over 6.0 meters at the JD Project
Sun Summit Confirms the High-Grade Gold-
Silver Potential of the Finn Zone: Drills 5.30 g/t
Gold and 157.9 g/t Silver over 6.0 meters at the
JD Project
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - Sun Summit Minerals Corp. (TSXV:
SMN) (OTCQB: SMREF) (
"Sun Summit"
or the
"Company"
) is pleased to report assay results from
all 2025 drilling at the Finn Zone of its JD Project in the Toodoggone Mining District, north-central British
Columbia. 2025 drill results will be integrated into an updated 3D model and will inform the fully funded
10,000 meter drill program planned for 2026.
Drill hole FZ-25-002 returned a significant interval of near-surface gold-silver mineralization: 46.0 meters
of 1.03 g/t gold with 44.9 g/t silver from 38.0 meters down hole, including
6.0 meters of 5.30 g/t gold
with 157.9 g/t silver
from 60.0 meters down hole. This interval is punctuated with a 1.0-meter zone that
returned
784.0 g/t silver
, highlighting the high-grade and historically overlooked silver potential of the
Finn zone epithermal-related system.
Highlights:
Drill hole FZ-25-002 investigated the gold-silver mineralization potential of the Finn Zone and
evaluated the structural controls on the high-grade silver component.
The drill hole intersected a
broad zone of near-surface gold-silver mineralization punctuated with high-grade gold
and silver veins and hydrothermal breccias:
46.0 meters of 1.03 g/t gold with 44.9 g/t silver from 38.0 meters downhole, including
17.0 meters of 2.31 g/t gold with 113.1 g/t silver
from 49.0 meters downhole, and
including
6.0 meters of 5.30 g/t gold with 157.9 g/t silver
from 60.0 meters downhole
high-grade gold-silver intercepts of:
447 g/t silver
with 0.93 g/t gold over 1.0 meter at 53.0 meters down hole
19.75 g/t gold
with 80.90 g/t silver over 1.0 meter at 60.0 meters down hole
784 g/t silver
with 6.79 g/t gold over 1.0 meter at 65.0 meters down hole
Confirms the strong high-grade gold-silver potential of the Finn Zone:
Numerous high-
grade intercepts in drill holes FZ-25-002 and FZ-25-001 (e.g.,
273 g/t silver with 2.6 g/t gold
over 0.51 meters at 38.3 meters downhole and 22.9 g/t gold with 29.0 g/t silver over 0.50 meters at
65.0 meters downhole, (Table 1) demonstrate the high-grade potential of the target. Additional
drilling and modelling focused on the structural controls on the silver-rich zones are planned for
follow-up drill programs.
Strong gold-silver mineralization intersected in FZ-25-004 confirms the expansion
potential of the Finn Zone down-dip.
The drill hole investigated the down-dip extent of bulk-
tonnage style mineralization of the Finn Zone and intersected multiple zones of mineralization
including a strong interval of gold-silver mineralization approximately 160 meters down-dip from
FZ-25-002 (
15.8 meters of 1.17 g/t gold with 9.12 g/t silver
from 104.0 meters downhole,
including
7.0 meters of 1.72 g/t gold with 15.3 g/t silver
from 111.0 meters downhole).
Strong porphyry-related alteration intersected in two reconnaissance drill holes at the
Belle South target:
Zones of intense phyllic and local potassic alteration overprinting polymictic
breccias suggest proximity to a robust porphyry-copper system. The +8.5 km trend of significant
hydrothermal alteration coincident with IP and magnetic anomalies is considered strongly
prospective for porphyry-related mineralization. Significant exploration across the JD Porphyry
trend is planned for 2026.
Planning underway for a significant fully funded 2026 drill program at the JD Project:
Drilling in 2026 at JD will focus on the evaluating the lateral and vertical extents of the Creek Zone
(e.g.,
78.0 meters of 3.72 g/t gold including 19.1 meters of 7.50 g/t gold
, see news release
dated
September 8
th
, 2025
, and
81.0 meters of 4.8 g/t gold including 14.0 meters of 19.81 g/t
gold
, see news release dated
November 25
th
, 2025
) and the Finn Zone and additional high-
priority targets along the Creek to Finn Corridor (Figure 1). Results from the 2026 drill program will
contribute to an inaugural mineral resource estimate.
"Results from our late-season, modest, four drill hole program at the Finn Zone in 2025 have exceeded
expectations and firmly establish the zone as a high-priority target for significant drilling in 2026. The
presence of both high-grade and near-surface bulk-tonnage style gold-silver mineralization with strong
continuity positions the target as an area for significant drilling in 2026," said Niel Marotta, CEO of Sun
Summit Minerals. "We are fortunate to have growing institutional investor support and Sun Summit is fully
funded for its 2026 drill program after closing an oversubscribed $11.5 million private placement in
December 2025. Planning is underway for a considerable follow-up resource-focused drill program, with
a minimum 10,000 meters of drilling expected. The 2026 program would exceed the 9,400 meters of
cumulative drilling completed by Sun Summit in 2024 and 2025, and further adds to the 36,000 meters of
historic drilling at JD prior to 2024. The focus of the 2026 drill program will be at the Creek to Finn
Corridor, and drill results will contribute to an inaugural mineral resource estimate expected by Q2
2027."
Table 1. Assay Results for 2025 Finn Zone Drill Holes
Hole ID
From (m)
To (m)
Interval (m)
Au (g/t)
Ag (g/t)
FZ-25-001
29.00
69.00
40.00
1.18
21.1
including
35.00
42.00
7.00
0.88
39.8
including
38.30
38.81
0.51
2.60
237.0
including
58.00
69.00
11.00
3.37
28.5
including
65.00
65.50
0.50
22.90
29.0
and
107.00
111.00
4.00
2.13
2.7
and
121.00
124.00
3.00
0.70
1.3
and
175.50
179.00
3.50
1.14
2.3
FZ-25-002
26.00
32.00
6.00
0.35
16.6
and
38.00
84.00
46.00
1.03
44.9
including
49.00
66.00
17.00
2.31
113.1
including
53.00
54.00
1.00
0.93
447.0
including
60.00
66.00
6.00
5.30
157.9
including
60.00
61.00
1.00
19.75
80.9
including
65.00
66.00
1.00
6.79
784.0
and
144.00
148.00
4.00
1.77
0.3
and
193.00
197.00
4.00
0.79
3.6
FZ-25-003
101.10
110.00
8.90
0.44
2.2
and
137.00
145.00
8.00
0.39
1.2
and
220.00
225.54
5.54
0.33
5.5
FZ-25-004
44.41
56.20
11.79
0.83
1.0
including
53.00
56.20
3.20
1.87
2.4
and
96.00
98.00
2.00
7.54
0.7
and
104.00
119.80
15.80
1.17
9.1
including
111.00
118.00
7.00
1.72
15.3
Notes:
1
.
Intervals are downhole core lengths. True widths are unknown.
2
.
Calculations are uncut and length-weighted using a 0.10 g/t gold cut-off.
3
.
Grades have not been capped in the length-weighted averaging.
2025 Finn Zone Drill Program
Four drill holes, totalling 950 meters were completed at the Finn Zone in 2025 (Figure 2 and Table 2).
The epithermal-related, gold-silver zone is approximately 3.5 kilometers east of the Creek Zone (e.g.,
81.0 meters of 4.8 g/t gold, see November 25
th
, 2025 news release) and marks the eastern extent of the
highly-prospective 4.5 kilometer long, Creek to Finn corridor (Figure 1). The drill holes were designed to
investigate the continuity of near-surface, high-grade gold-silver mineralization and the down-dip extent
of bulk-tonnage mineralization intersected in previous drill programs (e.g.,
35.7 meters of 7.26 g/t gold,
94 g/t silver including 1.0 meters of 215.4 g/t gold, 308 g/t silver in JD95-047
2
and 20.85 meters
of 8.76 g/t gold, 68 g/t silver including 11.0 m of 15.1 g/t gold,108 g/t silver in JD95-097
2
,
Figure
2). Extensive modelling of compiled historical Finn zone drill data outlined a compelling zone of strong
silver-rich mineralization (e.g., 45.0 m of 3.02 g/t Au, 136 g/t Ag including
5.0 meters of 8.18 g/t gold,
918 g/t silver in JD95-076
2
). Drilling in 2025 also focused on evaluating the structural and/or lithological
controls on this gold-associated, silver-rich mineralization.
Highlights from 2025 Finn Zone Drilling include:
Drill holes FZ-25-001 and FZ-25-002 successfully confirmed the near-surface bulk-tonnage and the
high-grade gold-silver potential of the Finn Zone. Drill hole FZ-25-002 intersected a broad zone of
near-surface gold-silver mineralization punctuated with high-grade gold and silver veins and
hydrothermal breccias (e.g., 46.0 meters of 1.03 g/t gold with 44.9 g/t silver from 38.0 meters
downhole, including
,
17.0 meters of 2.31 g/t gold with 113.1 g/t silver, Figure 2 and Table 1). The
main interval consists of numerous, local high-grade veins and breccias (e.g., 447 g/t silver with
0.93 g/t gold over 1.0 meter, 19.75 g/t gold with 80.90 g/t silver over 1.0 meter and 784 g/t silver
with 6.79 g/t gold over 1.0 meter). Based on gold-silver ratios it appears the high-silver domains
represent a different pulse of mineralization. Further modelling and follow-up drilling is required to
define the extents of this high-silver domain.
Drill holes FZ-25-003 and FZ-25-004 were step-out holes designed to test the dip-extent of
mineralization along the gently north-dipping zone of volcanic breccias (Figure 3). Drill hole FZ-25-
004 intersected multiple zones of gold-silver mineralization (e.g., 15.8 meters of 1.17 g/t gold with
9.12 g/t silver, including 7.0 meters of 1.72 g/t gold with 15.30 g/t silver, Figure 3, Table 1) typical
of the core of the Finn Zone. This zone of strong mineralization in FZ-25-004 is approximately 160
meters downdip from FZ-25-002 (Figure 3). Mineralization intersected in FZ-25-004 confirms the
expansion potential of the Finn Zone down-dip.
Finn Zone Geology
Most of the historical drilling (over 300 drill holes) at the JD Project was focused on the Finn zone where
a broad zone of near-surface, epithermal-related gold-silver mineralization was defined (Figure 1).
Mineralization is primarily hosted in the hanging wall of a gently north-dipping, northeast-striking, locally
faulted volcaniclastic unit. The volcaniclastic unit, traced for over 1.5 kilometres along strike to the west
from the Finn zone, separates two andesite-dominant lithological units of the Toodoggone Formation
(Metsantan and McClair members). Faulting and subsequent mineralization likely exploited a
volcaniclastic unit, at the base of the Metsantan member, where epithermal-related fluids were focused
along permeable volcanic breccias.
The core of the Finn zone consists of strongly silica+clay+sericite altered polymictic breccias, locally
cemented with quartz and mineralized with pyrite with lesser sphalerite, galena, and chalcopyrite.
Peripheral to the high-grade core, epithermal-related alteration grades into sericite+chlorite+pyrite and
more distal epidote+chlorite+/-hematite assemblages with elevated base-metal mineralization.
Next Steps: Creek to Finn Corridor
Assay and geological data from the 2025 Finn Zone drill program are currently being integrated into an
updated 3D structural and mineralization model for the target area. The results from the modelling will
inform the next phase of drilling set to commence this summer.
The focus of the significant drill program at the 4.5 km Creek to Finn Corridor will be on targeting the
extents of mineralization at the Creek and Finn zones. Drill results will contribute to an inaugural mineral
resource estimate. Details of the summer 2026 JD drill program will be announced once plans and
budgets are set.
Figure 1
. Plan map highlighting the 4.5 km Creek to Finn Corridor showing drill collar locations of all
2025 Creek and Finn zone drill holes and historical drill collars as well as results from recent and
historical rock and soil geochemical surveys (see October 29
th
, 2025 news release). The area
between the Finn and Creek zones will be a focus for 2026 exploration programs. See references 1
and 2 for sources of historical drill data.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6142/281199_a90dc3c604b29a4c_002full.jpg
Figure 2
. Plan map of the Finn Zone showing 2025 collars and all historical drill collars with selected
highlights. See references below for sources of historical data.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6142/281199_a90dc3c604b29a4c_003full.jpg
Figure 3
. Cross section through drill holes FZ-25-001, 002, 003 and 004 showing down hole assay
data. Selected highlights from historical drill programs are also shown. See references below for
sources of historical drill data.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6142/281199_a90dc3c604b29a4c_004full.jpg
Figure 4
. Core photos of FZ-25-002. Box photos showing core from 45.65 meters to 73.29 meters
downhole which includes a broad interval of 17.0 meters of 2.31 g/t gold with 113.1 g/t silver. Individual
down hole gold and silver assay results are annotated at the sample depths. The interval consists of
strongly silicified andesite transitioning to quartz-cemented hydrothermal breccias. Abbreviations, qtz
= quartz
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6142/281199_a90dc3c604b29a4c_005full.jpg
Belle South Porphyry Target
Two drill holes for 811 meters in 2025 evaluated the recently defined and previously untested Belle South
Porphyry target (see
September 18
th
, 2025
news release, Figure 5). The two drill holes focused on
coincident magnetic-high and high-chargeability anomalies near the southern extent of the McClair
Creek alteration zone (Figure 5). The purpose of the two short holes was to test for porphyry-related
alteration and mineralization in an area largely covered by till.
The first hole, JD-25-013, collared in rubbly and pervasively QSP (quartz-sericite-pyrite, phyllic
assemblage) altered andesite which transitioned to a broad zone of intermediate volcaniclastic rocks
(crystal to lapilli tuffs) to bottom of hole. The breccias are locally potassic (potassium feldspar-magnetite)
altered and cut by zones of intense phyllic alteration (Figure 6). The breccias locally contain altered
intrusive clasts and intervals with hydrothermal magnetite cement (Figure 6). Phyllic alteration with strong
disseminated pyrite (up to 20%) persisted throughout the hole with an increase in argillic assemblages
with possible gusano textures near the bottom of the hole.
Drill hole JD-25-014 tested the core of the magnetic-high and collared in porphyritic quartz monzodiorite
with increasing propylitic (epidote-chlorite) alteration with local pervasive potassium feldspar alteration
to bottom of hole. The monzodiorite is weakly to moderately magnetic.
The lithologies and alteration assemblages intersected in both holes suggest proximity to a porphyry-
related copper system. The holes returned weakly anomalous zones of copper mineralization with
geochemical data suggesting the holes intersected distal alteration assemblages (e.g., elevated zinc).
The two holes tested only a small portion of the 8.5 km by 2 km long JD Porphyry trend. Only five drill
holes have previously investigated the porphyry-copper potential of the trend, all focused 5 km north at
the McClair target near the epithermal-related Finn Zone (see
February 5
th
, 2025
news releases).
Similar to the McClair target, the Belle South target warrants significantly more drilling to fully evaluate
the porphyry potential of the compelling target area.
Details of the 2026 porphyry-focused exploration program at JD will be announced once all surface data
(e.g., rock and soil geochemistry and hyperspectral) have been interpreted together with all geophysical
data-sets (e.g., IP, magnetics).
A program of continued geophysical surveys, geological mapping and
drilling is anticipated.
Figure 5
. JD Porphyry Trend, A. Map of the JD Project showing the recently compiled IP data (400m
depth slice through the chargeability model, see September 18
th
, 2025 news release). Key targets are
highlighted including the Belle South target. Collar locations for the two 2025 reconnaissance drill
holes are shown. Inset photo looking south down McClair Creek showing parts of the 10 km long
McClair Creek gossan. The Belle South porphyry target is situated above the gossan on a till covered
plateau, where the coincident high-chargeability and high-magnetic intensity is located. B. Map of the