Emperor Continues to Define Shallow High-Grade Gold Mineralization Supporting Conceptual Open-Pit Growth
New shallow high-grade intercepts at Duquesne West bolster Emperor Metals’ open-pit concept and support future resource and PEA work.
Rhea-AI Summary
Emperor Metals (EMAUF) reported new 2026 drill assay results from the Duquesne West Gold Project, highlighting shallow, high‑grade gold intercepts that support its conceptual open‑pit development strategy.
Key results include hole DQ26-52 with 24.1 m grading 2.6 g/t Au, including 7.1 m of 7.5 g/t Au from 45.2 m (~35 m vertical depth), and DQ26-53 with 14.3 m grading 2.2 g/t Au, including 4.0 m of 7.4 g/t Au from 50 m (~39 m vertical depth). One 1.0 m interval in DQ26‑52 returned 37.9 g/t Au. The 2026 program drilled 20,479 m in 66 holes plus 7,884 m of historical core, building on a total of 142,758 m completed to date. Assays have been received for 42 of 66 holes (~61% of 2026 drilling), and about 45% of all expected assays including historical core. Duquesne West currently hosts an inferred mineral resource of 1.46 Moz Au at 1.69 g/t, which Emperor aims to advance toward an updated NI 43‑101 estimate and a future PEA.
Positive
- DQ26-52 intercept: 24.1 m grading 2.6 g/t Au, including 7.1 m of 7.5 g/t Au from 45.2 m (~35 m vertical depth).
- DQ26-53 intercept: 14.3 m grading 2.2 g/t Au, including 4.0 m of 7.4 g/t Au from 50 m (~39 m vertical depth).
- High-grade sub-interval in DQ26-52: 1.0 m grading 37.9 g/t Au within the broader near-surface zone.
- 2026 drill program completed on budget with 66 holes totaling 20,479 m plus 7,884 m of historical core sampled.
- Total drilling completed to date at Duquesne West reaches 142,758 m, improving geological confidence and model refinement.
- Current inferred resource stands at 26.9 Mt containing 1.46 Moz Au at an average grade of 1.69 g/t Au.
Negative
- Only about 42 of 66 holes (61% of 2026 drilling) and roughly 45% of all expected assays including historical core have been reported, leaving substantial results outstanding.
- The Duquesne West mineral resource remains in the inferred category, with conversion to indicated and completion of a PEA still pending.
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - September 9, 2026) - Emperor Metals Inc. (CSE: AUOZ) (OTCQB: EMAUF) (FSE: 9NH) ("Emperor") is pleased to report results from the latest assay release of its 2026 exploration campaign at the Duquesne West Project. The program comprised 20,479 m of new drilling and approximately 7,884 m of targeted historical previous unsampled core, generating more than 28,000 m of combined drilling data to further refine and expand the resource model.
With 142,758 m of drilling completed to date, these results represent another significant step toward Emperor's objective of advancing the project to a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) in the near term.
Highlights of Press Release:
- DQ26-52: 24.1 meters (m) grading 2.6 g/t Au
- including 7.1 m of 7.5 g/t Au from 45.2 m: 35 m vertical depth.
- DQ26-53: 14.3 m grading 2.2 g/t Au
- including 4.0 m of 7.4 g/t Au from 50 m: 39 m vertical depth.
- Assay results have now been received for 42 of 66 drill holes or
61% of the 20,479 m drilled during the 2026 program.
CEO John Florek commented: "It is encouraging to see our exploration strategy continue to deliver the combination of grade and thickness within the shallow portions of the Duquesne West deposit that is fundamental to our open-pit development vision. These results reinforce our strategic objective of defining robust, near-surface mineralization capable of supporting a high-grade starter pit with favourable stripping ratios. This is another important step in demonstrating the long-term value and scalability of the project.
"Our vision is to rapidly grow the project's gold inventory through cost-effective, shallow drilling, where each meter drilled has the potential to efficiently add high-quality ounces. This approach allows us to systematically expand the conceptual open-pit footprint while maintaining disciplined exploration expenditures, creating significant value through capital-efficient resource growth.
"Such an approach has the potential to enhance project economics by accelerating payback, improving capital efficiency, and strengthening the foundation for future development decisions. Importantly, this intercept is located approximately 400 m west from the high-grade interval reported in our previous news release on July 29th, which returned 21.3 m grading 3.0 g/t Au. Together, these results demonstrate the continuity of shallow, high-grade mineralization and further support our strategy of defining a substantial inventory of accessible, high-margin ounces that could underpin the early years of a future mining operation."
Exploration Program:
The 2025/2026 program is focused on reinforcing resource continuity, expanding the mineralized envelope, and delivering wider and more robust high-grade intervals adding to the Duquesne West's compelling growth profile (See Figure 1).
Emperor completed its 2026 exploration program on budget, drilling 66 holes totaling 20,479 m. To date, assay results have been reported for approximately 12,521 m, representing 42 of 66 holes (roughly
This drilling program continues to deliver robust gold intercepts, demonstrating the abundance of gold mineralization while further expanding the known extent of the deposit. The identification of free gold within the system further enhances the project's upside potential, representing a characteristic that had not previously been recognized or systematically targeted.
Notable intercepts reported during this season's drilling include:
Table 1: Notable Drill Intercepts Reported to Date from the 2025/2026 Drill Program (See Previous Press Releases).
| Hole No. | From (m) | To (m) | Interval (m) | Au (g/t Au) |
| DQ26-20 | 402.7 | 417.7 | 15.0 | 61.5 |
| DQ26-45 | 478.3 | 514.2 | 35.9 | 3.1 |
| DQ26-46 | 436.9 | 457.0 | 20.1 | 5.0 |
| DQ26-43 | 64.9 | 86.7 | 21.3 | 3.0 |
| DQ25-01 | 155.1 | 262.8 | 107.7 | 0.5 |
DQ26-52: This hole was designed to better define mineralized zones and structural controls that are now interpreted to be more robust and continuous than previously recognized (See Figure 1 and 2). Emperor's systematic infill drilling is improving the geological model and confidence in these lenses. In addition to identifying opportunities to expand mineralization, this work is intended to support the conversion of portions of the current Inferred Mineral Resource to the Indicated category in Emperor's future NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate update.
Of particular significance, hole DQ26-52, of 24.1 m grading 2.6 g/t Au, is in close proximity to the previously reported DQ26-33, 34, 35 (see Press Release dated June 2, 2026). Notably, hole DQ26-34 intersected 9.5 m grading 2.7 g/t Au. The results in DQ26-52 demonstrate increased mineralized thickness while maintaining comparable grades, further supporting the interpretation that these gold-bearing lenses exhibit localized structural thickening. This growing understanding of the deposit geometry reinforces Emperor's belief that significant ounces remain to be added within the existing mineralized footprint through systematic infill drilling. By better defining these structurally controlled thickened zones, Emperor believes there is substantial potential to increase future mineral resources without materially expanding the overall deposit footprint.
The core sample in Image 1 and 2 displays replacement-style mineralized lenses in contact with mineralized QFP. The core highlights wide zones of intense alteration and pervasive gold mineralization, illustrating the strong continuity and robust thickness of the system.
What's Next
Emperor continues to receive assay results from the completed 2025/2026 exploration program. Remaining results, including assays from historical core resampling, will be incorporated into Emperor's ongoing geological interpretation and resource modelling.
Emperor is also advancing toward a future PEA with an updated 43-101 for Duquesne West, with the updated geological model expected to help inform the timing of this milestone.
Figure 1: Location of Drillholes Released in this Press Release.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8461/313563_3f06a86bf46f1913_001full.jpg
Figure 2: Long Section line from Figure 1 showing current drillholes in this release as well as the 3 drill holes from our 2023 drill program that highlights the expansion potential of the area.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8461/313563_3f06a86bf46f1913_002full.jpg
Image 1: This zone highlights mineralized quartz-feldspar porphyry (QFP) in sharp contact with an altered mafic volcanic host rock in DQ26-52. The image illustrates replacement-style minerlization in the mafic volcanics and continuous gold mineralization between the two lithological units, forming a substantial mineralized lense. The entire zone returned 24.1 m grading 2.6 g/t Au, underscoring the strong thickness, structural continuity, and high intensity of mineralization near the surface as the deposit continues to expand. Shown is the interval between 66.4 to 67.4, which returned 1.0 meter grading 37.9 g/t Au.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8461/313563_3f06a86bf46f1913_003full.jpg
Image 2: Close up select zone of DQ26-52 which returned 37.9 g/t Au from 66.36 m to 67.36 m shown in Image 1; See red box in Image 1 for location, and Table 2 and 3 for intercepts.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8461/313563_3f06a86bf46f1913_004full.jpg
Table 2: Highlights the key intercepts from each drill hole reported in this press release. The areas surrounding these intercepts remain largely underexplored and warrant substantial follow-up drilling to further evaluate their expansion potential.
| Hole No. | From m | To m | Interval m | Au (g/t Au) |
| DQ26-52 | 45.2 | 69.4 | 24.1 | 2.6 |
| DQ26-53 | 50.0 | 64.3 | 14.3 | 2.2 |
| DQ26-53 | 93.2 | 96.2 | 3.0 | 0.7 |
| DQ26-24 | 178.7 | 186.2 | 7.5 | 0.5 |
| DQ26-24 | 209.2 | 210.6 | 1.5 | 2.7 |
| DQ26-24 | 229.2 | 237.1 | 7.9 | 0.6 |
| DQ26-54 | 63.8 | 64.8 | 1.0 | 1.6 |
| DQ26-54 | 109.5 | 113.5 | 4.0 | 0.7 |
1Estimated 70
Table 3: Highlights the overall mineralized intercept of near-surface gold at DQ26-52.
| Hole No. | From m | To m | Interval m | Au (g/t Au) |
| DQ26-52 | 45.2 | 46.2 | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| DQ26-52 | 46.2 | 47.2 | 1.0 | 3.6 |
| DQ26-52 | 47.2 | 48.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 |
| DQ26-52 | 48.2 | 49.2 | 1.0 | 0.7 |
| DQ26-52 | 49.2 | 50.2 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| DQ26-52 | 50.2 | 51.2 | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| DQ26-52 | 51.2 | 52.2 | 1.0 | 0.6 |
| DQ26-52 | 52.2 | 53.2 | 1.0 | 1.1 |
| DQ26-52 | 53.2 | 54.2 | 1.0 | 0.8 |
| DQ26-52 | 54.2 | 55.2 | 1.0 | 0.8 |
| DQ26-52 | 55.2 | 56.2 | 1.0 | 0.1 |
| DQ26-52 | 56.2 | 57.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 |
| DQ26-52 | 57.2 | 58.2 | 1.0 | 0.3 |
| DQ26-52 | 58.2 | 59.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 |
| DQ26-52 | 59.2 | 60.2 | 1.0 | 0.1 |
| DQ26-52 | 60.2 | 61.2 | 1.0 | 0.3 |
| DQ26-52 | 61.2 | 62.2 | 1.0 | 0.1 |
| DQ26-52 | 62.2 | 63.6 | 1.3 | 0.6 |
| DQ26-52 | 63.6 | 64.9 | 1.3 | 1.0 |
| DQ26-52 | 64.9 | 66.4 | 1.5 | 2.5 |
| DQ26-52 | 66.4 | 67.4 | 1.0 | 37.9 |
| DQ26-52 | 67.4 | 68.4 | 1.0 | 9.0 |
| DQ26-52 | 68.4 | 69.4 | 1.0 | 0.8 |
1Estimated =
Table 4: Table of Assays Reported for Drill Holes Included in This Release.
| Hole No. | % Reported | Total Depth |
| DQ26-52 | 100 | 90 |
| DQ26-53 | 100 | 132 |
| DQ26-54 | 100 | 144 |
| DQ26-24 | 100 | 270 |
Quality Assurance and Control
The Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) was conducted by Technominex, a geological contractor hired by Emperor, which adheres to CIM Best Practices Guidelines for exploration related activities conducted at its facility in Rouyn Noranda, Quebec. The QA/QC procedures are overseen by a Qualified Person on site.
Emperor QA/QC protocols are maintained through the insertion of certified reference material (standards), blanks and lab duplicates within the sample stream totaling approximately one QA/QC sample per 7 samples. Drill core is cut in-half with a diamond saw, with one-half placed in sealed bags with appropriate tags and shipped to either the SGS Val D'Or, Quebec or MSALabs in Val D'Or, Quebec and the other half retained on site in the original core box. For SGS labs, a dispatch list consists of 88 or 176 samples along with their corresponding QA/QC samples for a single batch. This allows complete batches (88 samples) for fire assay. A file for sample tracking records tags used and weights of sample bags shipped to the SGS Val D'Or. Shipment is done by Manitoulin Transport and coordination by Technominex staff in Rouyn-Noranda
The third-party laboratory, SGS prep laboratory in Val D'Or Quebec, processes the shipment of samples using standard sample preparation (code PRP92) and produces pulps from the specified samples. The pulps are then sent off to SGS Burnaby for analysis. Chain of custody is maintained from the drill to the submittal into the laboratory preparation facility all the way to analysis at the SGS Burnaby B.C. laboratory.
Analytical testing is performed by SGS laboratories in Burnaby, British Columbia. The entire sample is crushed to
Quality Assurance and Quality Control for MSALabs
Samples are submitted to MSALABS' analytical facility in Val d'Or, Quebec, for preparation and gold analysis. Samples are dried and crushed to
Emperor QA/QC protocols are maintained through the insertion of certified reference material (standards), blanks and lab duplicates within the sample stream totaling approximately one QA/QC sample per 7 samples. Drill core is cut in-half with a diamond saw, with one-half placed in sealed bags with appropriate tags and shipped to MSALabs in Val D'Or and the other half retained on site in the original core box. A file for sample tracking records tags used and weights of sample bags shipped to MSALabs in Val D'Or Quebec.
MSALABS is an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory and implements rigorous internal quality control procedures. These include the systematic insertion of certified reference materials (CRMs), blanks, and duplicates at defined intervals throughout the analytical process to monitor accuracy, precision, and potential contamination.
About the Duquesne West Gold Project
The Duquesne West Gold Property is located 32 km northwest of the city of Rouyn-Noranda and 10 km east of the town of Duparquet. The property lies within the historic Duparquet gold mining camp in the southern portion of the Abitibi Greenstone Belt in the Superior Province.
Emperor is targeting a multi-million-ounce gold resource at Duquesne West through a combination of conceptual open-pit and underground mining scenarios. The Property currently hosts an updated inferred mineral resource estimate (MRE) of 26.9 million tonnes (Mt) containing 1.46 million ounces (Moz) of gold at an average grade of 1.69 g/t Au (See Press Release dated July 9, 2025, available on SEDAR+). The sensitivity table in the MRE shows various grade scenarios for a higher-grade open pit for an underground mining scenario.
Under an Option Agreement, Emperor agreed to acquire a one hundred percent (
A reinterpretation of the existing geological model was created using AI and Machine Learning. This model shows the opportunity for additional discovery of ounces by revealing gold trends unknown to previous workers and the potential to expand the resource along significant gold-endowed structural zones.
QP Disclosure
The technical content pertaining to the Duquesne West Project in this news release has been reviewed and approved by John Labrecque, Vice President of Emperor (B.Sc., P.Geol., Geologue Restrictif Temporaire OQLF), who is recognized as a Qualified Person under CIM guidelines and serves as a consultant to Emperor.
About Emperor Metals Inc.
Emperor Metals Inc. is a high-grade gold exploration and development junior mining company focused on Quebec's Southern Abitibi Greenstone Belt, leveraging AI-driven exploration techniques. Emperor is dedicated to unlocking the substantial resource potential of the Duquesne West Gold Project and the Lac Pelletier Project (currently awaiting liability transfer) both situated in this Tier 1 mining district.
Emperor is led by a dynamic group of resource sector professionals who have a strong record of success in evaluating and advancing mining projects from exploration through to production, attracting capital and overcoming adversity to deliver shareholder value. For more information, please refer to SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca), under Emperor's profile.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
s/ "John Florek"
John Florek, M.Sc., P.Geol
President, CEO and Director
Emperor Metals Inc.
Contact:
John Florek
President/CEO
T: (807) 228-3531
The Canadian Securities Exchange has not approved nor disapproved the content of this press release.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements made and information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. These statements and information are based on facts currently available to Emperor and there is no assurance that the actual results will meet management's expectations. Forward-looking statements and information may be identified by such terms as "anticipates," "believes," "targets," "estimates," "plans," "expects," "may," "will," "could" or "would."
Forward-looking statements and information contained herein are based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, the estimation of mineral resources and reserves, the realization of resource and reserve estimates, metal prices, taxation, the estimation, timing and amount of future exploration and development, capital and operating costs, the availability of financing, the receipt of regulatory approvals, environmental risks, title disputes and other matters. While Emperor considers its assumptions to be reasonable as of the date hereof, forward-looking statements and information are not guarantees of future performance and readers should not place undue importance on such statements as actual events and results may differ materially from those described herein. Emperor does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or information except as may be required by applicable securities laws.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/313563
FAQ
How much drilling did Emperor complete in the 2026 Duquesne West program, and how many assay results are in?
Emperor completed the 2026 exploration program with 66 drill holes totaling 20,479 m, in addition to 7,884 m of previously unsampled historical core. Assay results have been received for 42 of 66 holes, representing about 12,521 m or roughly 61% of the 2026 drilling. When the historical core is included, approximately 45% of total expected assays have been reported.
What are some of the notable intercepts from the broader 2025/2026 drill program?
Notable intercepts from the 2025/2026 program include: DQ26-20 with 15.0 m grading 61.5 g/t Au from 402.7–417.7 m, DQ26-45 with 35.9 m grading 3.1 g/t Au from 478.3–514.2 m, DQ26-46 with 20.1 m grading 5.0 g/t Au from 436.9–457.0 m, DQ26-43 with 21.3 m grading 3.0 g/t Au from 64.9–86.7 m, and DQ25-01 with 107.7 m grading 0.5 g/t Au from 155.1–262.8 m.
What is Emperor’s current resource base and development goal for Duquesne West?
The Duquesne West Property currently hosts an updated inferred mineral resource estimate of 26.9 Mt containing 1.46 Moz of gold at an average grade of 1.69 g/t Au. Emperor is targeting a multi‑million‑ounce gold resource using combined conceptual open‑pit and underground mining scenarios and is working toward an updated NI 43‑101 resource and a future Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA).
What quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) measures are used for the drill samples?
QA/QC is managed by Technominex under CIM Best Practices and overseen by a Qualified Person. Drill core is cut in half, with one half sent to SGS Val d'Or or MSALabs Val d'Or and the other retained on site. Emperor inserts certified reference materials, blanks, and lab duplicates at about one QA/QC sample per seven samples. SGS uses 50 g fire assay with ICP‑AES and metallic screening for high‑grade samples, while MSALabs uses Chrysos PhotonAssay technology on ~500 g aliquots. Both labs apply internal QC procedures, and MSALabs is ISO/IEC 17025 accredited.