Primary Hydrogen Announces Fully Funded and Permitted 2026 Exploration and Maiden Drill Program at Wicheeda North
Rhea-AI Summary
Primary Hydrogen (OTCQB: HNATF) announced a fully funded and permitted 2026 exploration and maiden drill program at its Wicheeda North rare earth element project in British Columbia. The work includes soil geochemical infill and extensional sampling, an airborne gamma-ray radiometric survey, and about 1,500 metres of first-ever drilling on the property targeted for fall 2026.
The company’s five-year Mines Act permit, expiring in 2031, authorizes up to 70 drill sites, trenching and 8 kilometres of exploration access, allowing programs through 2030 without new Notices of Work. The 2026 program funding comes from prior critical mineral flow-through financings, with no additional financing required. Primary Hydrogen holds an option to acquire a 75% interest in the 2,138-hectare Wicheeda North property, which hosts two untested high-priority rare earth anomaly clusters identified in 2025.
Positive
- 2026 Wicheeda North program fully funded from prior critical mineral flow-through financings
- Five-year Mines Act permit authorizes up to 70 drill sites through 2030
- Maiden drill program of about 1,500 metres planned for fall 2026
- Two high-priority, untested REE anomaly clusters identified for follow-up
- Permit also allows trenching and 8 km of exploration access
Negative
- No drilling has been undertaken on Wicheeda North to date, so no mineral resources are defined
- Background rare earth levels at Wicheeda North are reported lower than the neighbouring Wicheeda deposit
- Primary Hydrogen currently only holds an option to acquire a 75% interest in the property
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - August 10, 2026) - Primary Hydrogen Corp. (TSXV: HDRO) (FSE: 83W) (OTCQB: HNATF) (the "Company" or "Primary") is pleased to announce it has prepared a fully funded and permitted 2026 work program at the Wicheeda North rare earth element project in British Columbia (the "Property" or "Wicheeda North"). The program will culminate in the first drilling to be undertaken in the Property's history. Soil geochemical sampling and an airborne radiometric survey will be completed in advance of the drill program, with approximately 1,500 metres of drilling targeted for completion in the fall of 2026.
Highlights of Proposed Work Program
- First drilling on the property — approximately 1,500 metres, targeted for completion in the fall of 2026
- Five-year permit for up to 70 drill sites — authorizing the 2026 program and successive programs through 2030 without a further Notice of Work application
- No additional financing required — funded from the Company's previous Critical Mineral flow-through financing, as announced in the Company's June 23, 2026 and July 8, 2026 news release, in respect of this ground and the proceeds of which are still held in treasury
- Two untested targets — the 2025 program identifies two high-priority REE anomaly clusters on the property, neither of which has been tested by drilling
- Sequenced to narrow targets in advance of drilling — soil geochemistry and an airborne radiometric survey precede the selection of drill collars
"Wicheeda North is permitted and funded, so the question this year was one of sequencing," said David Jackson, Chief Executive Officer of Primary Hydrogen. "We are sampling and flying the airborne survey ahead of the rig, so that the holes are placed on the best information available to us. I would rather spend a few weeks refining targets than mobilize early and guess. The permit runs five years and covers seventy drill sites, which allows us to plan well beyond a single season."
2026 Work Program
The program has been sequenced so that each stage progressively narrows the target set for the stage that follows, with soil geochemistry and airborne radiometrics completed in advance of drilling and drill targets selected only upon integration of the combined results.
Soil geochemical sampling. Infill sampling is intended to tighten sample spacing within the Company's existing soil grids in order to better define the extent and tenor of the anomalies identified during the 2025 field season. Extensional sampling will attempt to extend coverage beyond the current grid limits, in order to establish whether those anomalies are closed or remain open.
Airborne radiometric survey. Gamma-ray spectrometric surveys measure the potassium, uranium and thorium channels. Rare earth-bearing carbonatites commonly carry elevated thorium, which makes the thorium response a recognized vectoring tool for targets of this style. As the Company has previously interpreted the property as carrying a greater depth of overburden than the neighbouring deposit, the survey is intended to narrow the target set rather than to define drill collars in isolation.
Drilling. A maiden drill program of approximately 1,500 metres is planned and targeted for completion in the fall of 2026. Drill targets are to be selected upon completion of the surface programs described above, integrated with regional LiDAR coverage, historical geophysical data and the results of the Company's 2025 survey. A request for proposals has been issued to drilling contractors.
The Wicheeda North Project
Wicheeda North comprises nine contiguous mineral claims totalling 2,138 hectares (21.1 square kilometres) in the northern Cariboo Mining Division of British Columbia. The property lies within the Rocky Mountain Trench, a structural corridor known to host carbonatite intrusions associated with rare earth element mineralization. The Company holds an option to acquire a
In November 2025 the Company reported the results of an airborne geophysical survey and a soil geochemical sampling program completed during the 2025 field season. That work identified two high-priority REE anomaly clusters — Grid A-South, in the northeastern portion of the property, and Grid D-South, in the eastern portion — representing the highest rare earth values recorded in the property-wide soil dataset. Neither of these clusters has been tested by drilling. The Company further reported that background rare earth levels across Wicheeda North are lower than those observed at the neighbouring Wicheeda deposit, which it interpreted as indicative of a greater depth of overburden.
The property lies approximately 5 kilometres northwest of the Wicheeda rare earth deposit held by Defense Metals Corp. In February 2026 the Province of British Columbia's Critical Minerals Office selected the project covering the Wicheeda deposit for support under its Advanced Project Initiative, being the only rare earth project among the three selected (Defense Metals Corp. February 23, 2026 press release). Federal funding has since been conditionally approved in respect of a 60-kilometre transmission line to serve that project (Defense Metals Corp. March 4, 2026 press release). The Company has no interest in the Wicheeda deposit. Mineral deposits and exploration results on neighbouring properties are not necessarily indicative of mineralization on the Company's Property, and no mineral resource has been estimated on Wicheeda North.
The Company holds a Mines Act permit in respect of Wicheeda North, issued on a multi-year area-based basis for a five-year term expiring in 2031, authorizing surface drilling at up to 70 sites together with trenching and 8 kilometres of exploration access. The 2026 program and successive programs through 2030 may accordingly proceed without a further Notice of Work application.
Qualified Person
The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Christopher Michael Longton, AIPG CPG #11958, VP Exploration of the Company, a "qualified person" within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. As an officer of the Company, Mr. Longton is not independent of the Company for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101.
About Primary Hydrogen Corp.
Primary Hydrogen is dedicated to the exploration and development of natural hydrogen resources. With projects in the U.S. and across Canada, the Company's portfolio includes the Blakelock, Hopkins, Mary's Harbour, Point Rosie, Crooked Amphibolite, Coquihalla and Cogburn projects. Primary has an option to acquire a
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Dave Jackson
Chief Executive Officer
Primary Hydrogen Corp.
Email: dave@primaryh2.com
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements in this release include statements regarding: (i) the scope, methodology, sequencing and timing of the Company's 2026 work program at Wicheeda North, including the planned soil geochemical sampling, airborne radiometric survey and maiden drill program; (ii) the anticipated extent of and completion of the drill program in the fall of 2026; (iii) the Company's expectation that completion of the program will satisfy the remaining exploration expenditure requirements under the Wicheeda North option agreement; (iv) the sufficiency of the Company's existing funds to complete the program without additional financing; (v) the utility of the planned radiometric survey in narrowing drill targets; (vi) the reporting of results and the selection of drill targets; and (vii) the Company's ability to conduct successive programs under the existing permit.
Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company at the date of this news release, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Such assumptions include, without limitation: that the 2026 program is completed substantially as planned and within the period required under the option agreement; that expenditures incurred on the program qualify as exploration expenditures under that agreement; that the Company retains the financial resources, contractors, equipment and land access required to complete the program; that drilling contractors and equipment will be available when required; that field and weather conditions will permit the planned work; and that the Company remains in compliance with the conditions of its Mines Act permit.
Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. Such risks include, but are not limited to: that the work program may be delayed, reduced in scope, or not completed as planned; that a drilling contractor may not be secured on acceptable terms or within the anticipated timeframe; that expenditures incurred may not qualify under the option agreement, or may not be recognized in the amounts anticipated; that the Company may not satisfy the expenditure requirements within the time required, and that the option may not vest; that the planned radiometric survey may not produce a usable response, including as a result of overburden depth, vegetation or ground conditions; that sampling and drilling may not identify mineralization warranting further expenditure; the early-stage nature of the property, on which no mineral resource has been estimated and no drilling has been undertaken; that exploration results on neighbouring properties are not indicative of the Company's property; and the Company's ability to obtain any financing required for work beyond the program described. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by law.
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.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/308757