MONTREAL, Feb. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Harfang Exploration Inc. (TSX-V: HAR) (“Harfang” or the “Company”) announces fully-funded winter exploration plans for its portfolio of wholly-owned projects located in Eeyou Istchee James Bay, Québec, and in Ontario (see Figure 1).
HIGHLIGHTS
- At Serpent, the Company will initiate a maiden diamond drilling program of approximately 10 holes totalling an estimated 1,500 metres focused on Mista, a 650-metre-long Cu-Au-Ag target that has never been drilled. The 3-week-long program will be completed by the end of March.
- At Menarik West, Harfang and SOQUEM have already commenced direct current-induced polarization (“DC-IP”) surveys focused on the Pierre intrusion and the new Cox zone, where gold mineralization is associated with disseminated sulphides and silica alteration. This survey will be completed by the end of February and will lead to generating drill targets for the fully funded 2027 diamond drilling program.
- At Blakelock, the Company will complete a deep DC-IP survey focused on the eastern half of the property. With the data compilation now complete, this DC-IP survey is the final step to generating diamond drill targets for a 2027 diamond drilling program. This survey will be completed by the end of March.
Rick Breger, President and CEO of Harfang, said, “We are eager to continue our winter 2026 exploration program across our project portfolio, which will advance several high-priority assets toward drilling. At Serpent, we will drill the Mista target, a compelling copper-gold-silver system that was discovered in 2019 and has yet to be tested below the surface. This drill program is particularly exciting for our team, as it marks the first drill test of a well-defined target that has been building steadily through years of surface work. We have also already commenced a DC-IP survey at Menarik West in partnership with SOQUEM, and we will complete Harfang’s maiden field program at Blakelock, where we will complete a DC-IP survey to begin unlocking the project’s drill potential.”
“From a technical perspective, the winter 2026 program is designed to systematically advance each project. At Serpent, drilling will test the Mista target, where coincident geological, geochemical, and geophysical indicators point to a shallow Cu-Au-Ag mineralized system. The DC-IP surveys at Menarik West and Blakelock are a critical step in identifying subsurface chargeability anomalies that can be directly translated into high-confidence diamond drill targets. Collectively, this work reflects Harfang’s disciplined exploration approach, using modern geophysics and targeted drilling to efficiently evaluate and prioritize the most prospective assets as the Company moves into the next phase of exploration and discovery.”
WINTER PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Serpent
The Company is planning a diamond drilling program focused on the Mista target. The program will total approximately 1,500 metres in 10 holes. Mista is a Cu-Au-Ag target that the company discovered during the 2019 summer prospecting program, followed up with DC-IP in 2020, and additional surface exploration in 2024. Drilling will commence in early March and is expected to take approximately 3 weeks to complete.
Exploration to date at Mista has identified surface mineralization in outcrops over a 350-metre strike length while the results from the DC-IP survey indicate an intense chargeability anomaly suggesting potential mineralization spanning more than 650 metres. Mineralization is associated with quartz stockwork hosted in fine-grained quartz arenites and wackes at the contact with the tonalitic gneiss of the Langelier Complex.
Assay highlights at Mista include: 1.69% Cu, 0.96 g/t Au, 15.4 g/t Ag (grab sample), 1.56% Cu, 0.26 g/t Au, 9.0 g/t Ag (grab sample), and 1.00% Cu, 0.21 g/t Au, 7.9 g/t Ag over 12.9 m (channel sample). Drilling will focus on testing the main trend where surface assay results and IP suggest the presence of a continuous mineralized system.
Menarik West
At Menarik West, two DC-IP surveys are already underway. The first survey, which covers the Pierre intrusion and surrounding rocks, is designed to identify disseminated sulphides with silica alteration that may be gold-bearing down to 200 m vertical depth. Assay results from Harfang’s 2023 drilling program are highlighted by 1.15 g/t Au over 47 m (incl. 3.75 g/t Au over 7 m), commencing 95 m downhole. Mineralization remains open at depth.
The second survey will cover the newly discovered Cox zone, where surface exploration returned 19.2 g/t Au, 7.44 g/t Au, and 3.93 g/t Au in grab samples (see press release dated December 9, 2025). Preliminary interpretations suggest that mineralization may extend more than 500 metres along strike. The survey is designed to identify disseminated sulphides along the entire prospective corridor.
These DC-IP surveys are the critical step before the Company and SOQUEM plan the fully funded 2027 diamond drilling program.
Blakelock
The Company will complete a deep DC-IP survey focused on the eastern half of Blakelock, known as North-Abitibi prior to Harfang’s acquisition of NewOrigin Gold Corp. (“NewOrigin”) completed in November 2024. Drill assay results previously reported by NewOrigin highlighted by 6.1 g/t Au over 6.0 m, 21.4 g/t Au over 1.5 m, and 17.8 g/t Au over 1.6 m. Mineralization is associated with disseminated sulphides and silica alteration in felsic tuffs.
Since acquiring the western and eastern portions of this asset in 2022 and 2024, respectively, Harfang has not conducted any field exploration. The Company has completed its previously announced comprehensive data compilation and is currently in the process of completing a 3D model, for which this DC-IP Survey will be integrated.
The ultimate goal of the DC-IP survey is to provide the final dataset required to plan an effective diamond drilling program.
Qualified Person
Ludovic Bigot, P.Geo., VP Exploration of Harfang, reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. Mr. Bigot is a qualified person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 on standards of disclosure for mineral projects.
About Harfang Exploration Inc.
Harfang is a discovery-driven mineral exploration company focused on identifying and advancing high-potential ore deposits in Québec and Ontario. The Company leverages rigorous geoscience, disciplined capital deployment, and a partnership-oriented mindset to maximize discovery potential. Harfang is run by a team of enthusiastic industry professionals with varied experience and a proven track record. In November 2024, Harfang completed the acquisition of NewOrigin Gold Corp., consolidating high-quality gold assets, including properties in the Pickle Lake and Abitibi regions. Harfang is committed to sustainable exploration practices, engaging closely with local stakeholders, and prioritizing environmental stewardship.
For further information, please contact:
Rick Breger, P.Geo., MBA
President, CEO, and Director
E: rbreger@harfangexploration.com
T: 514.940.0670
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
The information in this news release includes certain information and statements about management’s view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward-looking statements. Any number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements as well as future results. Although Harfang believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, Harfang disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise.
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.
Figure 1. Location map of Harfang’s projects in Ontario and Eeyou Istchee James Bay, Québec.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4e528760-a2b9-4fb8-bf74-8082fac0edea
