Gladiator Completes Gravity Survey and Identifies Multiple Large-Scale, Untested Copper Skarn Targets at Little Chief
Gladiator Metals (OTCQB: GDTRF) has announced significant findings from its gravimetric geophysical survey at the Little Chief Trend, Whitehorse Copper Project. The survey identified multiple untested copper-gold skarn targets, including the 2km-long Valerie anomaly, the 900m-long LC Footwall target, and the 400m-long LC Gravity Offset.
The company plans to deploy two diamond drill rigs in the coming weeks to test these anomalies as part of its 29,000m drill program for 2025. The targets are located near the historic Little Chief copper mine, which previously produced 8.5Mt at 1.5% Cu and 0.75g/t Au. The exploration program aims to advance the Cowley Park prospect to a maiden resource while exploring the full potential of the 35km-long Whitehorse Copper Belt.
Gladiator Metals (OTCQB: GDTRF) ha annunciato risultati significativi dal suo sondaggio geofisico gravimetrico presso il Little Chief Trend, nel progetto Whitehorse Copper. L'indagine ha individuato diversi obiettivi di skarn rame-oro non ancora testati, tra cui l'anomalia Valerie lunga 2 km, l'obiettivo LC Footwall di 900 m e l'LC Gravity Offset di 400 m.
L'azienda prevede di impiegare due trivelle diamantate nelle prossime settimane per esaminare queste anomalie nell'ambito del suo programma di perforazione da 29.000 m previsto per il 2025. Gli obiettivi si trovano vicino alla storica miniera di rame Little Chief, che in passato ha prodotto 8,5 Mt con 1,5% di Cu e 0,75 g/t di Au. Il programma di esplorazione punta a sviluppare il giacimento Cowley Park fino a una prima stima delle risorse, esplorando al contempo tutto il potenziale della cintura di rame Whitehorse lunga 35 km.
Gladiator Metals (OTCQB: GDTRF) ha anunciado hallazgos significativos de su encuesta geofísica gravimétrica en la tendencia Little Chief, dentro del Proyecto Whitehorse Copper. La encuesta identificó múltiples objetivos de skarn de cobre y oro sin probar, incluyendo la anomalía Valerie de 2 km de longitud, el objetivo LC Footwall de 900 m y el LC Gravity Offset de 400 m.
La compañía planea desplegar dos equipos de perforación diamantina en las próximas semanas para probar estas anomalías como parte de su programa de perforación de 29,000 m para 2025. Los objetivos están ubicados cerca de la histórica mina de cobre Little Chief, que anteriormente produjo 8,5 Mt con 1,5% de Cu y 0,75 g/t de Au. El programa de exploración tiene como objetivo avanzar en el prospecto Cowley Park hacia un recurso inicial, mientras explora todo el potencial del cinturón de cobre Whitehorse de 35 km de longitud.
Gladiator Metals (OTCQB: GDTRF)는 Whitehorse Copper 프로젝트의 Little Chief Trend에서 실시한 중력 지구물리 조사에서 중요한 발견을 발표했습니다. 이 조사에서는 길이 2km의 Valerie 이상, 길이 900m의 LC Footwall 목표, 길이 400m의 LC Gravity Offset 등 여러 미검증 구리-금 스카른 목표가 확인되었습니다.
회사는 2025년을 목표로 하는 29,000m 시추 프로그램의 일환으로 이들 이상을 시험하기 위해 향후 몇 주 내에 두 대의 다이아몬드 시추 장비를 투입할 계획입니다. 이 목표들은 과거에 8.5Mt, 구리 1.5%, 금 0.75g/t을 생산한 역사적인 Little Chief 구리 광산 인근에 위치해 있습니다. 탐사 프로그램은 Cowley Park 광상을 최초 자원으로 발전시키고, 길이 35km의 Whitehorse Copper Belt의 잠재력을 전면적으로 탐색하는 것을 목표로 합니다.
Gladiator Metals (OTCQB : GDTRF) a annoncé des résultats significatifs issus de son levé géophysique gravimétrique sur la tendance Little Chief, dans le cadre du projet Whitehorse Copper. L'enquête a identifié plusieurs cibles de skarn cuivre-or non testées, notamment l'anomalie Valerie de 2 km de long, la cible LC Footwall de 900 m et le décalage gravimétrique LC de 400 m.
La société prévoit de déployer deux foreuses diamantées dans les semaines à venir pour tester ces anomalies dans le cadre de son programme de forage de 29 000 m prévu pour 2025. Les cibles sont situées à proximité de la mine historique de cuivre Little Chief, qui a précédemment produit 8,5 Mt à 1,5 % de Cu et 0,75 g/t d’or. Le programme d’exploration vise à faire progresser le prospect Cowley Park vers une première estimation des ressources tout en explorant le plein potentiel de la ceinture de cuivre Whitehorse longue de 35 km.
Gladiator Metals (OTCQB: GDTRF) hat bedeutende Ergebnisse seiner gravimetrischen geophysikalischen Untersuchung am Little Chief Trend des Whitehorse Copper Projekts bekannt gegeben. Die Untersuchung identifizierte mehrere bislang ungetestete Kupfer-Gold-Skarn-Ziele, darunter die 2 km lange Valerie-Anomalie, das 900 m lange LC Footwall-Ziel und den 400 m langen LC Gravity Offset.
Das Unternehmen plant, in den kommenden Wochen zwei Diamantbohrgeräte einzusetzen, um diese Anomalien im Rahmen seines 29.000 m-Bohrprogramms für 2025 zu testen. Die Ziele befinden sich in der Nähe der historischen Little Chief Kupfermine, die zuvor 8,5 Mio. Tonnen mit 1,5 % Cu und 0,75 g/t Au produziert hat. Das Explorationsprogramm zielt darauf ab, das Cowley Park-Vorkommen zu einer ersten Ressourcenschätzung voranzutreiben und das volle Potenzial des 35 km langen Whitehorse Copper Belt zu erkunden.
- Multiple large-scale untested copper-gold skarn targets identified through gravity survey
- Proximity to historic Little Chief mine that produced 8.5Mt at 1.5% Cu and 0.75g/t Au
- Two diamond drill rigs to be mobilized in coming weeks
- Strong historical drilling results including intersections up to 49.83m @ 3.06% Cu
- Project is fully funded for 2025 exploration program
- Excellent infrastructure with access to roads and Yukon power grid
- Targets remain untested and unproven
- Resource definition not expected until Q2 2026
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 2, 2025) - Gladiator Metals Corp (TSXV: GLAD) (OTCQB: GDTRF) (FSE: ZX7) ("Gladiator" or the "Company") is pleased to provide compelling results from gravimetric geophysical fieldwork resulting in the identification of multiple, undrilled gravity anomalies at the previously mined Little Chief Trend, Whitehorse Copper Project.
Multiple high-density anomalies have been identified potentially relating to untested copper-gold skarn mineralization, including:
Valerie: Prominent 2km long high-density, gravity anomaly correlated with both a high magnetic response from drone-borne aeromagnetics and coincident with mapped copper-gold skarn mineralization on surface.
LC Footwall: A 900m long untested, coincident gravity and magnetic high with copper-gold skarn mineralization observed on surface.
LC Gravity Offset: An untested 400m long high-density, gravity anomaly to the East of the historical Little Chief pit.
Additional gravity anomalies detected in previously unexplored areas proximal to the historic Little Chief copper mine that produced >8.5Mt at
1.5% Cu and 0.75g/t Au1.
Shallow exploration drilling is planned to test these anomalies with two diamond drill rigs to be mobilized to the prospect areas in the coming weeks in conjunction with ongoing resource drilling at the company's flagship Cowley Park prospect area.
1 Watson P.H. (1984) The Whitehorse Copper Belt - A Compilation. Yukon Geological Survey, Open File 1984-1.
Gladiator CEO Jason Bontempo commented: "We are excited by the untested copper-gold skarn exploration potential indicated by the recently completed gravity survey at Little Chief. This supports Gladiator's belief that the Whitehorse Copper belt is a target-rich environment that is significantly underexplored, away from areas of outcropping mineralization which were the focus of historical exploration efforts.
Two diamond drill rigs will be mobilized in the coming weeks to focus on the discovery of new zones of mineralization at the Little Chief trend as part of Gladiator's fully funded 2025 exploration program. This forms part of Gladiator's overall strategy of extensive regional drilling to explore the full potential of the 35km long, underexplored, Whitehorse Copper Belt whilst at the same time advancing Cowley Park to maiden resource."
Little Chief Gravity Targets
Gladiator has received results for a recently completed gravimetric survey at the Little Chief Trend that has highlighted multiple, high-density bodies potentially representing extensive bodies of untested and previously unrecognized Copper-Gold skarn mineralization under thin cover (refer to Figure 1 below).
Figure 1: Plan map of the Little Chief Trend with copper-gold skarn targets identified and highlighted over contoured gravimetric survey and regional drone-borne aeromagnetic.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1930/257481_2a110896b4a9f8a9_002full.jpg
The results of the gravity survey have been compiled with existing datasets and have identified compelling, near-term drill targets which include:
Valerie: A prominent 2km long gravity anomaly correlated with mapped copper-gold skarn mineralization mapped on surface at the Valerie prospect. The target is mostly under thin till cover and is easily accessible from the Copper Haul Road.
LC Footwall: A distinct 900m long untested coincident gravity and magnetic high with copper-gold skarn mineralization mapped on surface. Remarkably this target remains untested by previous exploration efforts, despite being located proximal to historical mining operations in the area (refer to Figure 2 below).
Figure 2: Schematic section of the Little Chief deposit showing proximal location of the untested coincident gravity and magnetic anomaly now defined at the LC Footwall target.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1930/257481_2a110896b4a9f8a9_003full.jpg
- LC Gravity Offset: A 400m high-density, sub-surface, untested anomaly to the East of the historical Little Chief pit. Mineralized copper-gold skarn has been drilled to the north of this anomaly, providing further encouragement.
As well as these identified high-density gravity anomalies, multiple further discrete additional anomalies have been detected in previously unexplored areas proximal to the historic Little Chief copper mine that produced >8.5Mt at
Particularly encouraging is the observable coincidence between high-density gravity anomalies and known mineralization at the Middle Chief and Big Chief targets, where near-surface magnetite-copper-gold skarn mineralization has been defined over more than 600 metres of strike north of the historical mining operations at Little Chief with historical results including (refer to the Company's news release dated January 18, 2024, for details):
- LCU-003: 53.56m @
1.23% Cu from 88.54m - LCU-009: 49.83m @
3.06% Cu from 70.26m - LCU-013 23.01m @
2.07% Cu from 87.78m - LCU-017: 54.10m @
2.05% Cu from 77.42m - LCU-023: 33.99m @
2.10% Cu from 148.89m, Incl. 15.24m @3.26% Cu from 167.64m - LCU-151: 32.92m @
2.08% Cu from 86.87m
This provides support for further exploration targeting undrilled high-density gravity anomalies in the area.
Two diamond rigs will be mobilised to the Little Chief trend in the coming weeks with a focus on first pass exploration of priority target areas.
FURTHER INFORMATION
In May 2025, Aurora Geosciences completed ground-based gravity surveys on behalf of Gladiator, covering the Little Chief target area. The program was designed to assist in target definition and support drill hole planning, particularly in areas of shallow till cover. The survey was conducted on 100m x 20m survey spacings with areas of early interest closed to 50m x 20m spacing. Data was interpreted and inverted by Southern Geosciences Ltd (Perth, Australia).
The gravity survey measures variations in the Earth's gravitational field to identify subsurface variations in density. Copper skarn mineralization in the Whitehorse district has a significantly higher density than surrounding country rock and so sub-surface anomalism provides information for first pass drilling to define if high-density bodies that may represent areas of prospective mineralization.
Instrumentation used in the survey consists of two Scintrex gravimeters and two Leica RTK GPS receivers.
EXPLORATION STRATEGY
The ongoing drilling at Cowley Park is part of a planned 29,000m drill program targeting high-grade copper skarns throughout the Whitehorse Copper Belt before the end of Q4 2025. Drilling is designed with the following objectives:
1 - Advancing Cowley Park to resource definition and expansion:
- Cowley Resource Target: Establish initial drilling framework for an inferred resource at Cowley Park.
- Cowley Exploration: Targeting upside potential for further copper-skarn mineralization at Cowley Park.
2 - Exploration drilling at:
- Chiefs Trend: Highlight further high-grade, near-term copper resource potential by testing near historic mine exploration upside.
- Best Chance: Drill test of outcropping high-grade, magnetite-copper skarn mineralization and broader widths of copper-silicate skarn and test continuity of mineralization between the Best Chance and Arctic Chief prospects.
- Arctic Chief: Highlight continuity of high-grade near surface copper and gold mineralization for future resource drilling.
- Cub Trend Exploration: Highlight continuity of high-grade, near surface, copper and gold mineralization for future resource drilling.
Drilling will be supported by planned geophysical programs including Induced Polarization (ongoing), Electromagnetic and Gravity surveys to help refine drill targeting in the prospect areas and highlight undiscovered areas of exploration potential.
THE WHITEHORSE COPPER PROJECT
The Whitehorse Copper Project is an advanced-stage high grade copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), silver (Ag) and gold (Au) skarn exploration project in the Yukon Territory, Canada.
Copper mineralization was first discovered in 1897 on the Whitehorse Copper Belt and comprises over 30 copper-related, primarily skarn occurrences covering an area of 35km long by 5 km wide on the western margin of Whitehorse City, Yukon.
Exploration and mining development have been carried out intermittently since 1897 with the main production era lasting between 1967and 1982 where production from primarily the Little Chief deposit totalled 267,500,000 pounds copper, 225,000 ounces of gold and 2,838,000 ounces of silver from 11.1 million tons of mineralized material milled (Watson, 1984). The Whitehorse Copper Project is accessible by numerous access roads and trails located within 2 km of the South Klondike Highway and the Alaska Highway. An extensive network of historical gravel exploration and haul roads exists throughout the project area, providing excellent access to the claim package. Access to existing electric power facilities is available through the main Yukon power grid.
Project Highlights
- Advanced 35km long high-grade copper belt.
- Located on western margin of infrastructure rich Whitehorse City, Territory of Yukon
- More than 10,000m completed to date in 2025 at the cornerstone Cowley Park project.
- A further 29,000m diamond drilling planned in 2025 with three diamond drill rigs currently operating.
- Targeting to report maiden high-grade copper NI 43-101 compliant resources, Q2 2026.
- The Project area was a previous producer at Little Chief deposit and other deposits.
- Between 1967-82 HudBay Mining & Smelting, mined 10.5mt at
1.5% Cu plus 0.75g/t Au (Watson P.H. (1984) The Whitehorse Copper Belt - A Compilation. Yukon Geological Survey, Open File 1984-1). - Key Institutional Investors - Dynamic, Mackenzie, Macquarie Bank and Orimco.
QA / QC
Please refer to the relevant release as quoted for details covering the QA/QC for the stated drill hole intervals.
References:
Watson P.H. (1984) The Whitehorse Copper Belt - A Compilation. Yukon Geological Survey, Open File 1984-1.(https://data.geology.gov.yk.ca/Reference/42011#InfoTab)
Tenney D. (1981) - The Whitehorse Copper Belt: Mining, Exploration and Geology (1967-1980). (https://ia802508.us.archive.org/18/items/whitehorsecopper00tenn/whitehorsecopper00tenn.pdf)
Qualified Person
All scientific and technical information in this news release has been prepared or reviewed and approved by Kell Nielsen, the Company's Vice President Exploration, a "qualified person" as defined by NI 43-101.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
"Jason Bontempo"
Jason Bontempo
President and CEO
For further information contact:
Caitlin Cheadle, Investor Relations
+1-778-403-5139
ccheadle@gladiatormetals.com
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This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.
Certain of the statements and information in this news release constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information". Any statements or information that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "estimates", "intends", "targets", "goals", "forecasts", "objectives", "potential" or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) that are not statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements or information..
Forward-looking statements or information are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements or information, including, without limitation, the need for additional capital by the Company through financings, and the risk that such funds may not be raised; the speculative nature of exploration and the stages of the Company's properties; the effect of changes in commodity prices; regulatory risks that development of the Company's material properties will not be acceptable for social, environmental or other reasons; availability of equipment (including drills) and personnel to carry out work programs; and that each stage of work will be completed within expected time frames. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements or information. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, described or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.
The Company's forward-looking statements and information are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management as of the date of this news release, and other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements and information if circumstances or management's assumptions, beliefs, expectations or opinions should change, or changes in any other events affecting such statements or information.
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FAQ
What did Gladiator Metals (GDTRF) discover in their recent gravity survey at Little Chief?
When will Gladiator Metals begin drilling the new targets at Little Chief?
What was the historical production at the Little Chief copper mine?
What is the scale of Gladiator's 2025 drilling program at Whitehorse Copper Project?
When does Gladiator Metals expect to release its maiden resource estimate?
