Midland Begins a Major Exploration Program for Nickel in Nunavik, Quebec Under Its Strategic Alliance With BHP

MONTREAL, March 21, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Midland Exploration Inc. (“Midland”) (TSX-V: MD) is pleased to announce the commencement of a major exploration program for nickel in Nunavik, following up on exploration work carried out from 2020 to 2022 during which new Ni-Cu-Co mineral occurrences were discovered.

This new program totalling C$3,400,000 will be conducted under the strategic alliance (the “Alliance”) executed in August 2020 between Midland’s wholly owned subsidiary, Midland Base Metals Inc., and Rio Algom Limited, wholly owned subsidiary of BHP Group PLC (“BHP”).

The 2023 exploration program will focus on a major crustal-scale structure that has been identified in the regional magneto-telluric (“MT”) surveys performed in 2022. This structure, previously poorly recognised is deemed favorable for nickel-copper mineralization. The 2023 program will consist of a 1,534 samples lake sediment survey, an airborne Z-Tipper axis electromagnetic survey (“ZTEM”) as well as two phases of mapping and prospecting scheduled to take place next July and August.

Highlights:

• Regional MT surveys completed in 2022 identified a major crustal-scale structure in a poorly explored area, that is deemed favorable for nickel-copper mineralization.
• New Ni-Cu-Co mineral occurrence discovered by prospecting in 2022.
• Lake sediment survey totalling approximately 1534 samples to be done in July 2023.
• Helicopter-borne Z-Tipper axis electromagnetic survey (ZTEM) totalling approximately 8900 line-kilometers to be done in July 2023.
• Prospecting and mapping (July-August 2023).

New Ni-Cu-Co showing identified in 2022.

The Alliance with BHP for nickel exploration is focused on mafic intrusive rocks with troctolite/olivine gabbro compositions similar to those in Voisey’s Bay and the Nain Province, but that have historically received far less exploration in Quebec, despite the discovery of several Ni-Cu-Co prospects and occurrences. The Papavoine Ni-Cu-Co prospect, discovered in 2000 and currently held by Midland for the benefit of the Alliance Agreement, graded up to 0.63% Ni, 0.31% Cu and 0.04% Co over 6.6 metres in channel samples (see Midland’s press release dated August 12, 2021). Approximately 20 kilometres southeast of Papavoine, the Mantas intrusion yielded grades up to 0.48% Ni, 0.21% Cu and 0.06% Co over 0.7 metre in channel sample (see Midland’s press release dated August 12, 2021).