Rackla Metals (TSXV:RAK) has provided a detailed update on its ongoing exploration efforts at the Grad Property in the Northwest Territories, reporting that drilling and sampling activities are progressing steadily despite challenging terrain and weather conditions.

CEO Simon Ridgway commented in a press release: “We are very pleased with the progress we have made to date and how rapidly we have been able to advance this target. The 2025 exploration season has presented some challenges including a late start due to a slow spring melt and a very wet start to the summer season, but our crews have been able to make significant progress. The planned 4,000m drill program will test an area measuring 600 m x 350 m x 500 m with the goal of demonstrating continuity to the mineralized zone at the BiTe discovery. 

With success, the Company plans to submit a permit application for an airstrip and camp on the property to support a much larger program in 2026.”

Drill Program Advancing Through Fourth Hole

Drilling is currently underway with a single rig operating on a continuous 24-hour cycle. According to the company, crews are averaging approximately 50 metres of drilling per shift. The rig is presently completing the fourth drill hole, designated G25-004, with a target depth of 400 metres.

All holes drilled to date have intersected consistent zones of sheeted quartz/sulphide-tourmaline veins. The average vein density ranges between 5 to 10 per metre, with some sections exhibiting higher concentrations. Mineralogical observations include the presence of bismuth sulphides, chalcopyrite, and pyrrhotite within the veins and vein margins.

In addition, geologists have reported strongly sericitized quartz-diorite in each hole. These altered sections contain fewer veins but are host to disseminated bismuth sulphides. The first three drill holes have been logged and are currently being cut for analysis. The first batch of core samples is scheduled for shipment to the laboratory today. Results are expected within three to four weeks.

High-Grade Gold Samples Reported from BiTe Cliff Area

Surface rock sampling efforts have returned encouraging gold values from an area near the BiTe cliff, located roughly 100 metres west of the initial BiTe discovery channel. 

Two of the five high-grade samples came from strongly sericitized quartz-diorite with minimal veining and no visible gold, but with disseminated bismuth sulphides. The remaining three samples were collected from veined granodiorite containing bismuthinite along vein margins.

Continuous rock chip sampling is currently underway across this area, including along the western boundary of a talus-fine anomaly zone that returned an average gold concentration of 1.06 g/t over a 550-metre stretch.

Ongoing Mapping and Geological Assessments

Geologists are actively mapping and sampling the north and south faces of the BiTe cliff’s upper reaches. According to preliminary results from the ridge top (based on 16 chip samples, each one metre in length), gold values are low. These samples showed associations with quartz-arsenopyrite veins.

Arsenopyrite-bearing quartz veins at the Grad Property typically occur near sedimentary rock contacts. The results are being interpreted as evidence that the ridge top has only recently been unroofed geologically, suggesting that the intrusive rock body beneath remains largely intact and has not been significantly eroded.

Further sampling is being conducted at various elevations on the cliff face to investigate the geological transition from arsenopyrite-bearing veins to bismuthinite-bearing veins.

Safety Measures in Challenging Terrain

Due to the extreme topography of the Grad Property and the unpredictable weather conditions common to the Rocky Mountain region, Rackla Metals has engaged Minconsult Exploration Services to oversee safety operations. A certified Canadian Avalanche and Mountaineering Professional is managing the mountain safety program to support both geological and drilling teams on-site.

2025 Exploration Program and Future Planning

Despite a delayed start caused by a prolonged spring melt and an unusually wet early summer, Rackla reports that progress has been steady. The company’s 2025 exploration campaign includes a planned 4,000-metre drill program, aimed at testing a target zone measuring approximately 600 metres by 350 metres by 500 metres.

The primary objective is to confirm the continuity of the mineralized zone associated with the BiTe discovery. Should the drilling yield promising results, Rackla Metals intends to apply for permits to construct an airstrip and a camp at the site in support of a larger-scale exploration program planned for 2026.

Rackla Metals continues to work in consultation with local Indigenous communities, specifically the Sahtu Dene First Nation. The company reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining respectful and collaborative relationships with these communities. Rackla states that it aims to align its exploration efforts with community values and to coordinate with local stakeholders and regulatory authorities.