D&L Mining Prepares Crosscut 2 for Advance Across Paleochannel Following Freshet; Lhtako Dene Nation Expresses Support to BC Government

 

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, July 15, 2026 – TheNewswire – Omineca Mining and Metals Ltd. (TSXV: OMM) (OTCQB: OMMSF) ("Omineca" or the "Company") is pleased to provide a program update for its Wingdam Underground Paleoplacer Gold Recovery Project, located in the Cariboo Mining District of south-central British Columbia. Underground crosscut development and stabilization work in crosscut #2 has resulted in the recovery of substantial quantities of placer gold from the workings.

 

Omineca is also pleased to announce the receipt of a formal letter of support from the Lhtako Dene Nation.  The Nation has confirmed this support in a letter specifically addressed to the British Columbia government.

 

Program Highlights

• Mining partner DL Mining has completed preparation of Crosscut #2 for advance across the paleochannel and through the pay gravel zone already encountering substantial quantities of placer gold (see Photos Crosscut #2 below) 

• Awaiting BC ministry approval to continue across the channel with the current mining method which has been performing exceptionally well - grouted spiling and shotcrete arch ground support as designed by the Engineer-of-Record 

• The Lhtako Dene Nation (Red Bluff Indian Band) has submitted a formal letter of support for the Wingdam Project to the British Columbia government 

• Upon successful demonstration of safe paleochannel crossing, the Company intends to file its Five-Year Mine Plan for full development along the initially indicated 1.4 kilometres of paleochannel 

 

Project Overview

The Wingdam Underground Paleoplacer Gold Recovery Project is located along the Barkerville Highway, approximately 30 kilometres west of Barkerville in the Cariboo Mining District. The underground project covers more than 15 linear kilometres of placer claims along the Lightning Creek valley and sits within the central portion of Omineca's land package, which exceeds 600 square kilometres of combined hard rock and placer claims.

 

The objective of the project is the full-scale recovery of high-grade placer gold from a paleochannel (an ancient riverbed) located approximately 50 metres beneath the active Lightning Creek. The economic potential of the project was demonstrated in 2012 when the first bulk sample from a single 2.4 metre by 2.4 metre by 24 metre crosscut recovered 173.4 ounces of placer gold.

  

Click Image To View Full Size

 Photos Crosscut #2: (more video and photos here Photos and Videos)

2026 Underground Operations (see photos above)

During the 2026 operating season, steady progress has continued utilizing the grouted spiling and shotcrete arch ground stabilization and tunnelling method designed by MineTech International Limited, the Engineer of Record for the Wingdam project.

 

D&L Mining has provided all required documentation and support for continued operations at Wingdam and is awaiting approval to move forward from the BC Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals. The ministry has become much more proactive in overseeing operations at all mining projects in British Columbia which has understandably added significant time to the reporting/ response/development cycle.

 

Operationally the mine plan at Wingdam is performing as designed and both D&L and Omineca are very pleased with the application of the engineered ground stability program. This approach provides the systematic ground support required to safely advance workings through the complex, water-bearing ground conditions encountered beneath the Lightning Creek valley.

 

This spring, work temporarily shifted to crosscut #2 due to an unexpectedly high level of spring freshet water inflow through existing drill holes near crosscut #3A.  These inflows precluded advancement at that time. Work will recommence in that area at a future date, but it was deemed prudent to move to the previously developed crosscut #2 for advancement while the wet season subsided.

 

Through real-time operating trials, D&L has changed grout from a cementitious formulation to an epoxy based chemical grout to enhance performance across the wide range of  ground conditions encountered. The chemical grout works regardless of variations in the host rocks and is immune to infiltration by water. With a very short setup time (less than 1 hour vs 1 day for cement grout)  the current formulation is proving to be highly effective in this environment. D&L and Omineca are very pleased with the technical progress that has been made in effecting the mine plan at Wingdam.

 

Development Pathway to Full Production

Once the ability to safely tunnel and recover placer gold across the paleochannel from multiple locations is demonstrated, Omineca intends to file its Five-Year Mine Plan with the relevant provincial authorities. The Mine Plan is designed to fully develop, at scale, operations along the initially indicated 1.4 kilometres of paleochannel.

 

First Nations Relations

Omineca extends its sincere appreciation to Chief Clifford Lebrun and the Lhtako Dene Nation (Red Bluff Indian Band) for their formal letter of support for the Wingdam Project, recently addressed to the British Columbia government. This expression of support reflects the positive, long-standing consultation and relationship between Omineca and the Lhtako Dene Nation.

 

The Company is deeply committed to responsible resource development and to advancing the Wingdam Project in a manner that creates meaningful and lasting benefits for the Lhtako Dene Nation and the broader Cariboo region. Omineca looks forward to continued collaboration with Chief Lebrun and Council as the project progresses.

 

Qualified person

All scientific and technical information in this news release has been prepared by, or approved by Stephen Kocsis, PGeo. Mr. Kocsis is an independent qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 -- Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

 

About Omineca Mining and Metals Ltd.

Wingdam, BC

Omineca’s flagship Wingdam gold exploration and placer recovery projects are located along the Barkerville Highway 45 km east of the City of Quesnel. The Wingdam Property includes mineral tenures totaling 61,392 hectares (613 square kms) and in excess of 15 linear kilometers of placer claims, both encompassing the Lightning Creek valley where topographic conditions created thick layers of overburden, which preserved a large portion of a buried paleochannel containing placer gold-bearing gravels. Omineca also has a program exploring for the potential multiple hard rock sources of the placer gold at Wingdam.

 

Fraser Canyon, BC

Part of Omineca’s original acquisitions in the Cariboo district, the Fraser Canyon Project is located 12 kilometers northwest of Quesnel, BC. is now slated to reinitiate the development of a 15.8 km long underground paleochannel for the recovery of placer gold. Historically, two mines north and south of the Fraser River collectively produced 1,482 oz of raw placer gold before operations were suspended in 1986.

 

For further information, please contact:

Tom MacNeill, President and CEO

306-653-2692

tmacneill@fnr.ca

 

Forward Looking Statements

 

This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Omineca and its business.  Such statements are based on the current expectations and views of future events of Omineca’s management.  In some cases, the forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “potential”, “estimate”, “believe” or the negative of these terms, or other similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements.  The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and could differ materially with other factors beyond the control of Omineca.  No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed.  Forward-looking statements and information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statement or information.  Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements or information.  Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Omineca undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

 

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