Blende Silver Corp. (TSX.V: BAG) (OTC: BAGGF) announced on July 21, 2026, that the Yukon Department of Energy, Mines and Resources has granted the Company a Class 3 Quartz Mining Land Use Approval (Approval No. LQ00608) for its 100%-owned Blende Silver-Zinc-Lead Project in north-central Yukon. The approval, effective July 13, 2026, and valid through July 12, 2031, provides a five-year permitting window to conduct advanced exploration across the entire 260-claim project.
This Class 3 approval is the final major permit required for the Company to execute its planned multi-year exploration programs. It covers diamond drilling, camp facilities for up to 50 persons (supporting up to 11,300 person days of work), a permitted airstrip of 25,000 m², upgrading of 5 km of existing access and construction of 2 km of new road, winter access via the Wind River Winter Road, and on-site fuel storage. The operating season runs from February 1 to September 15 annually.
Andrew H. Rees, President and CEO, stated: “This approval is a major de-risking milestone for Blende Silver. With a five-year Class 3 permit in hand covering the entire claim package, the Company now has the regulatory certainty to plan and execute sustained, multi-season drill programs at what is the largest carbonate-hosted silver-zinc-lead deposit in Yukon. The permitted airstrip and camp infrastructure will materially improve the efficiency and cost profile of our field operations. Combined with the district-scale targeting work currently underway with Ronacher McKenzie Geoscience, Blende is now positioned to advance aggressively toward resource growth.”
The Company acknowledges the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyak Dun, on whose traditional territory the Blende Project is located, and looks forward to continued engagement and communication as exploration programs advance. The Company is committed to responsible exploration, progressive reclamation, and full compliance with all conditions of the approval, including wildlife, heritage, and environmental protection measures.
The Blende Project hosts the largest carbonate-hosted silver-zinc-lead deposit in the Yukon, as referenced in Economic Geology 1995 by M. Robinson and C.I. Godwin. A mineral resource estimate prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 at a 1.5% ZnEq cutoff, as disclosed in the Company’s news release dated May 20, 2021, indicates significant mineralization. The estimate was prepared by Sue Bird, P.Eng., of Moose Mountain Technical Services, an independent Qualified Person. The mineral resource figures are based on metal price assumptions including silver at US$26 per ounce, zinc at US$1.30 per pound, and lead at US$1.00 per pound, and have not been updated to reflect current prices.
With the Class 3 approval in hand, the Company intends to plan and advance exploration programs across the Blende Project over the coming seasons, subject to the conditions of the approval and applicable regulatory requirements. The property covers 5,345 hectares, is winter road accessible, and is located approximately 63 km northeast of Keno Hill, Yukon, within the Keno Hill silver district, one of Canada’s highest-grade historic silver producing districts. The property has undergone more than $9.2 million in past exploration, including 25,195 meters of drilling in 132 drill holes.
