Aris Mining Corporation press release
High-Grade Momentum Builds as Tesla Drilling Further Defines Robust Mineralization
TSX - Toronto Stock Exchange · Gold · Silver · Lead · Zinc · Copper · Canada
Canada NewsWire
Thickened Central Tesla Zone Expanded Further by New Results
Intercepts Demonstrate a Central Zone of Increased Mineralization per Vertical Metre
Assays Pending From 24 Holes at Tesla Zone and Bridge Zone
VANCOUVER, BC , May 7, 2025 /CNW/ - Foran Mining Corporation (TSX: FOM) (OTCQX: FMCXF) ("Foran" or the "Company") is pleased to announce additional results from the Winter 2025 drill program which consisted of approximately 32,435m of drilling focused on the Tesla and Bridge Zones and several regional targets in close proximity to the McIlvenna Bay Deposit. These target areas are all part of the Company's 100%-owned McIlvenna Bay Project in east-central Saskatchewan .
The 2025 drill holes targeted a series of larger gaps ( +200m ) in Tesla's current drill hole spacing. The results from five additional drill holes and wedges are provided in this release, all of which intersected multiple lenses of copper and/or zinc-rich mineralization across the central part of the Tesla Zone. In many cases the drill holes from the winter program are returning thicker than anticipated intersections from the heart of the Zone, as the infill drill program continues to confirm the continuity of robust lenses of mineralization across Tesla. Results from an additional 24 drill holes completed at the Tesla and Bridge zones during the 2025 winter program remain pending from the assay laboratory at this time.
Key Highlights
Hole TS-25-37w1 returned additional thickened lenses of mineralization from the central Tesla Zone approximately 65m down dip from previously released TS-25-37, as highlighted by: 69.8m grading 0.46% Cu, 9.77% Zn, 16.6 g/t Ag and 0.24 g/t Au (3.56% CuEq), including 14.6m grading 0.45% Cu, 16.86% Zn, 14.8 g/t Ag and 0.40 g/t Au (5.76% CuEq), which was overlain by: 6.2m grading 1.17% Cu, 1.99% Zn, 40.0 g/t Ag and 0.35 g/t Au (2.05% CuEq)
TS-25-37w1 also intersected the newly recognized gold zone at Tesla, which was followed by a high-grade intersection of the lower massive sulphide lens. Highlight assays include: 8.0m of precious metals mineralization grading 0.80 g/t Au and 124.7 g/t Ag 9.2m of lower lens massive sulphide grading 0.85% Cu, 9.00% Zn, 50.1 g/t Ag and 0.42 g/t Au (3.94% CuEq)
Hole TS-25-36 returned two broad zones of mineralization from the lower part of the central Tesla Zone, confirming the continuity of mineralization in this sector of the deposit, as highlighted by: 17.1m grading 0.79% Cu, 7.36% Zn, 50.6 g/t Ag and 0.22 g/t Au (3.28% CuEq) 14.5m grading 0.44% Cu, 8.42% Zn, 32.2 g/t Ag and 0.05 g/t Au (3.10% CuEq)
Hole TS-25-35w1 intersected multiple zones of mineralization in the heart of the Tesla Zone, further confirming the continuity of thickened lenses of mineralization intersected in this area, as highlighted by 21.0m grading 0.98% Cu, 6.20% Zn, 48.9 g/t Ag and 0.25 g/t Au (3.12% CuEq), including 3.5m grading 2.07% Cu, 1.93% Zn, 78.2 g/t Ag and 0.56 g/t Au (3.15% CuEq) and 5.4m grading 0.40% Cu, 10.55% Zn, 45.4 g/t Ag and 0.06 g/t Au (3.77% CuEq). 8.3m grading 0.55% Cu, 8.93% Zn, 29.0 g/t and 0.26 g/t Au (3.46% Cu Eq)
Erin Carswell , Foran's Vice President, Exploration, commented: " _We are extremely proud of the exploration progress made during the winter season, our largest drilling program to date. Our team has executed the 8-rig, ice-based program with exceptional precision, and the results are significantly strengthening our confidence in the Tesla Zone, which lies approximately 300 metres north from our flagship McIlvenna Bay Deposit. Confirmation of multiple zones of substantially thickened mineralization in the Central Tesla Zone not only underscore the potential within the Zone itself but are also indicative of the potential opportunities of our district. Foran's wider claims package is still relatively underexplored - so while the Tesla Zone remains our strategic growth focus, we are also committed to continuing our efforts to fully understand the region and unlock the long-term potential of our _properties in Saskatchewan ."
Foran ice-based drill rig actively drilling, Winter 2025.
[](https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2681773/Foran_Mining_Corporation_High_Grade_Momentum_Builds_as_Tesla_Dri.html)
[](https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2681774/Foran_Mining_Corporation_High_Grade_Momentum_Builds_as_Tesla_Dri.html)
2025 Winter Drill Program
Foran's 2025 winter drill program at Tesla and the Bridge Zone has now been concluded for the season, with a total of approximately 28,494m of drilling having been completed, with approximately 3,941m of drilling at several regional targets in close proximity to McIlvenna Bay for a total of approximately 32,435m . The 2025 winter program has been focused on confirming the continuity of the mineralization at Tesla and tightening up the drill hole spacing across central parts of the Tesla Zone.
To date, Foran's drilling has defined multiple lenses of zinc and/or copper-rich mineralization over a strike length of at least 1,200m and 500- 700m in the down dip direction at Tesla. The winter program targeted a series of larger 200- 300m gaps in the current drill spacing across the Tesla and Bridge zones, utilizing wedging and directional drilling technologies to maintain the efficiency and precision of the drilling at tighter spacings. A plan map showing the location of the drill holes included in this release relative to previous drilling is provided in Figure 1 above.
The five drill holes included in this release (TS-25-35, -35w1, -36, -37w1 and -38) all intersected mineralization at mid-elevations across the central part of the Tesla Zone, infilling some of the larger ( +200m ) spacings between pre-2025 drill holes. This drilling identified several areas where the thickness of the intersected mineralized zones was wider than anticipated, highlighting the opportunities that still exist within the current footprint to continue to grow the extent of the Tesla mineralization. A longitudinal section through the Tesla Zone is provided in Figure 2 below, showing the density of drilling prior to the start of the 2025 drill campaign and the locations of the new pierce points included in this release. A table of assay composites for the drill holes is provided in Table 1.
[](https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2681775/Foran_Mining_Corporation_High_Grade_Momentum_Builds_as_Tesla_Dri.html)
Drilling Highlights:
TS-25-37w1
TS-25-37w1 was drilled as a wedged hole from the previously released parent hole TS-25-37, which intersected the Tesla Zone approximately 65m further down dip. The parent hole intersected multiple lenses of copper and zinc rich mineralization from the central part of Tesla, where an overall thickened package of mineralization had been encountered in several previous drill holes. TS-25-37 returned multiple thick lenses of almost-contiguous mineralization over 143m drill core length, highlighted by a 37.5m interval grading 0.41% Cu, 7.76% Zn, 25.1 g/t Ag and 0.20 g/t Au (2.93% CuEq) and a 52.6m interval grading 1.75% Cu, 2.04% Zn, 22.0 g/t Ag and 0.41 g/t Au (2.54% CuEq) (see Foran's March 19, 2025 news release for additional details).
As shown in the cross section in Figure 3, TS-25-37w1 intersected a similar package of rocks with multiple thick lenses of mineralization, highlighted by a 69.8m intersection grading 0.46% Cu, 9.77% Zn, 16.6 g/t Ag and 0.24 g/t Au (3.56% CuEq), which also contained a higher grade interval of 14.6m that returned 0.45% Cu, 16.86% Zn, 14.8 g/t Ag and 0.40 g/t Au (5.76% CuEq), shown in Figure 4. This mineralization is hosted in a zone of massive to semi-massive sulphides dominantly consisting of coarse-grained pyrite +/- chalcopyrite in a fine-grained sphalerite rich groundmass, which was very similar in appearance to the mineralized zones previously intersected in TS-25-37. Additionally, an interval of stringer and breccia-style copper rich sulphide mineralization sits above the massive sulphide lens, highlighted by a 6.2m interval grading 1.17% Cu, 1.99% Zn, 40.0 g/t Ag and 0.35 g/t Au (2.05% CuEq) which dominantly consisted of pyrite and chalcopyrite hosted in chlorite and carbonate altered felsic rocks.
Drillhole TS-25-37w1 was pushed beyond the interval of thickened mineralization through a package of predominantly mafic rocks in order to test for the presence of Tesla's lower lenses and gold zone, which were predicted at this location. The hole successfully intersected the gabbro-hosted gold zone at 1,510.3m depth, returning an 8.0m interval grading 0.8 g/t Au and 125 g/t Ag. This was followed downhole by 9.2m of massive sulphide belonging to the Tesla lower lenses, which graded 0.85% Cu, 9.0% Zn, 50.1 g/t Ag and 0.42 g/t Au (3.94% CuEq). While Tesla's lower lenses have not been systematically tested during the current infill program due to limited available time on the ice, grades such as these are encouraging - particularly when considered together with the adjacent precious metal mineralization.
A geological cross section showing the relationship between TS-25-37w1 and the parent hole TS-24-37 is provided in Figure 3, depicting the current interpretation of the mineralized horizons in this area of thickened mineralization.
[](https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2681776/Foran_Mining_Corporation_High_Grade_Momentum_Builds_as_Tesla_Dri.html)
TS-25-35 and 35w1
Drill hole TS-25-35 was drilled in the central part of the Tesla zone where it intersected the mineralized horizons approximately 260m along strike to the south from hole TS-25-37w1, which is described above (Figure 2). At this location, the stratigraphic package is intruded by a felsic igneous dyke or sill that appears to displace the majority of the massive sulphide lenses. However, TS-25-35 did intersect a narrow interval of the upper Tesla lens, returning a 2.3m interval of massive sulphide and associated stringer style mineralization that graded 0.86% Cu, 4.67% Zn, 12.0 g/t Ag and 0.01 g/t Au (2.42% CuEq). It appears that the displacing intrusion is a localized phenomenon, since the surrounding drill holes are not affected and all returned significant zones of mineralization.
A wedged hole was subsequently drilled from the TS-25-35 parent hole towards the north, with TS-25-35w1 intersecting the central part of the Tesla Zone approximately 125m north along strike from TS-25-35 and 175m south along strike from TS-25-37w1 (Figure 2). At this location, the intrusive rocks are not present and TS-25-35w1 intersected the more typical mineralization thicknesses that have been returned from previous drilling in this high-tenor part of the Zone.
The hole returned three lenses of mineralization, including an 8.3m interval of massive to semi-massive sulphides grading 0.55% Cu, 8.93% Zn, 29.0 g/t Ag and 0.26 g/t Au (3.46% CuEq), followed approximately 4m downhole by a 21.0m interval of massive sulphide and stringer mineralization grading 0.98% Cu, 6.20% Zn, 48.9 g/t Ag and 0.25 g/t Au (3.12% CuEq), including a higher grade 5.4m interval, grading 0.40% Cu, 10.55% Zn, 45.4 g/t Ag and 0.06 g/t Au (3.77% CuEq). These zones of mineralization are dominantly characterized by massive to semi-massive pyrite +/- chalcopyrite in a fine-grained red-brown sphalerite rich groundmass, with minor intervening intervals of stringer-style sulphides that dominantly consist of pyrite and lesser chalcopyrite hosted in chlorite altered felsic rocks. Finally, approximately 40m below the massive sulphide lenses the hole intersected an additional 8.0m interval of stringer and breccia-style mineralization consisting of pyrite and lesser chalcopyrite in a strongly altered host rock, which graded 0.94% Cu, 0.38% Zn, 15.7 g/t Ag and 0.22 g/t Au (1.17% CuEq). Mineralization from this interval is shown in Figure 4.
TS-25-36
Drill hole TS-25-36 provided a deeper test of the central Tesla Zone, intersecting the mineralized horizons approximately 150m down dip and 50m along strike to the south from TS-25-35w1. TS-25-36 intersected two wide massive sulphide lenses with minor associated stringer and breccia-style mineralization. In detail, the hole returned a 17.1m interval grading 0.79% Cu, 7.36% Zn, 50.6 g/t Ag and 0.22 g/t Au (3.28% CuEq), which appears to correlate with the Tesla Main Lens. This hole also intersected a second massive sulphide interval 47.5m downhole with a 14.5m interval grading 0.44% Cu, 8.42% Zn, 32.2 g/t Ag and 0.05 g/t Au (3.10% CuEq).
The mineralized horizons in this hole generally consist of massive to semi-massive pyrite and minor chalcopyrite in a dark brown sphalerite rich matrix, with minor interbedded zones of stringer-style mineralization similar to those described above. A geological cross section is provided in Figure 5, which shows the relationship between TS-25-36 and the earlier drilling completed in the area.
[](https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2681974/Foran_Mining_Corporation_High_Grade_Momentum_Builds_as_Tesla_Dri.html)
[](https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2681777/Foran_Mining_Corporation_High_Grade_Momentum_Builds_as_Tesla_Dri.html)
TS-25-38
Drill hole TS-25-38 is the northernmost hole completed during the 2025 winter drill program, which intersected the Tesla Zone near the current up dip margin as the Zone plunges off to the north. The hole intersected two relatively narrow zones of mineralization: an upper lens consisting of mostly stringer-style red sphalerite and pyrite (which becomes almost semi-massive over short intervals) hosted in a chlorite-sericite altered schist with local quartz and or albite veining, which graded 0.17% Cu, 2.12% Zn, 32.4 g/t Ag and 0.45 g/t Au (1.20% CuEq) over 11.1m , followed by a zinc rich, lower massive sulphide lens that graded 0.17% Cu, 6.51% Zn, 68.2 g/t Ag and 0.57 g/t Au (2.75% CuEq) over 2.3m .
Ongoing Tesla Drilling Plans
As we await additional results from the 2025 ice-based infill drill program, planning for the Summer drilling season is well underway. With helicopter support, we expect to be able to re-use a land-based drill pad on the eastern side of Hanson Lake to complete several deep holes at the northwestern end of Tesla, targeting the expansion potential of the Zone to the north where it remains open down dip and down plunge.
Table 1 – 2025 Winter Program Assay Results (Denotes Previously Released)
| Hole | Zone | From_m | To_m | Interval_m | Cu % | Zn % | Ag g/t | Au g/t | CuEq % | | TS-25-35 | MS/CS | 1246.1 | 1248.4 | 2.3 | 0.86 | 4.67 | 12.0 | 0.01 | 2.42 | | Including | MS | 1247.6 | 1248.4 | 0.8 | 0.86 | 12.30 | 21.2 | 0.02 | 4.57 | | TS-25-35 | QV | 1325.6 | 1327.6 | 2.0 | 0.06 | 3.73 | 6.9 | 0.02 | 1.21 | | TS-25-35w1 | MS | 1270.3 | 1278.6 | 8.3 | 0.55 | 8.93 | 29.0 | 0.26 | 3.46 | | Including | MS | 1270.8 | 1274.2 | 3.4 | 0.41 | 14.96 | 36.1 | 0.19 | 5.13 | | TS-25-35w1 | MS/CS | 1282.5 | 1303.5 | 21.0 | 0.98 | 6.20 | 48.9 | 0.25 | 3.12 | | Including | MS | 1283.4 | 1286.5 | 3.1 | 0.21 | 12.46 | 35.4 | 0.30 | 4.26 | | And | CS | 1293.6 | 1297.1 | 3.5 | 2.07 | 1.93 | 78.2 | 0.56 | 3.15 | | And | MS | 1298.1 | 1303.5 | 5.4 | 0.40 | 10.55 | 45.4 | 0.06 | 3.77 | | TS-25-35w1 | CS | 1345.5 | 1353.5 | 8.0 | 0.94 | 0.38 | 15.7 | 0.22 | 1.17 | | Including | CS | 1345.5 | 1347.5 | 2.0 | 1.64 | 0.42 | 28.6 | 0.27 | 1.91 | | TS-25-36 | CS/MS | 1418.4 | 1435.5 | 17.1 | 0.79 | 7.36 | 50.6 | 0.22 | 3.28 | | Including | MS | 1422.0 | 1435.5 | 13.6 | 0.76 | 9.26 | 57.6 | 0.17 | 3.83 | | TS-25-36 | MS/CS | 1481.2 | 1495.7 | 14.5 | 0.44 | 8.42 | 32.2 | 0.05 | 3.10 | | Including | MS | 1481.2 | 1483.2 | 2.0 | 0.12 | 9.78 | 20.7 | 0.04 | 3.15 | | And | MS | 1486.5 | 1495.7 | 9.3 | 0.51 | 10.36 | 40.4 | 0.06 | 3.79 | | TS-25-37 | MS/CS | 1289.5 | 1327.0 | 37.5 | 0.41 | 7.76 | 25.1 | 0.20 | 2.93 | | Including | MS | 1300.4 | 1325.3 | 24.9 | 0.28 | 10.62 | 28.3 | 0.15 | 3.65 | | TS-25-37 | QV | 1333.0 | 1336.0 | 3.0 | 0.23 | 1.22 | 66.8 | 0.41 | 1.12 | | TS-25-37 | MS/CS | 1342.3 | 1349.2 | 6.9 | 0.80 | 1.48 | 21.7 | 0.18 | 1.38 | | Including | MS | 1342.3 | 1343.0 | 0.7 | 0.41 | 10.30 | 21.7 | 0.18 | 3.66 | | TS-25-37 | CS | 1353.2 | 1375.4 | 22.3 | 0.92 | 0.16 | 16.5 | 0.23 | 1.10 | | Including | CS | 1370.0 | 1375.4 | 5.5 | 1.49 | 0.30 | 20.9 | 0.29 | 1.71 | | TS-25-37 | MS/CS | 1379.5 | 1432.1 | 52.6 | 1.75 | 2.04 | 22.0 | 0.41 | 2.54 | | Including | CS | 1392.0 | 1402.0 | 10.1 | 3.17 | 0.44 | 36.1 | 1.04 | 3.79 | | And | MS | 1403.9 | 1412.6 | 8.7 | 1.68 | 9.81 | 21.8 | 0.15 | 4.65 | | And | CS | 1413.1 | 1419.1 | 6.0 | 2.91 | 0.53 | 33.9 | 0.31 | 3.15 | | TS-25-37 | CS | 1444.1 | 1447.1 | 3.0 | 1.00 | 0.22 | 9.7 | 0.16 | 1.11 | | TS-25-37 | CS | 1450.1 | 1452.1 | 2.0 | 0.52 | 0.15 | 9.1 | 0.10 | 0.62 | | TS-25-37w1 | CS | 1349.7 | 1355.9 | 6.2 | 1.17 | 1.99 | 40.0 | 0.35 | 2.05 | | Including | CS | 1353.3 | 1354.9 | 1.6 | 1.63 | 3.93 | 21.1 | 0.30 | 2.93 | | TS-25-37w1 | MS | 1367.3 | 1437.1 | 69.8 | 0.46 | 9.77 | 16.6 | 0.24 | 3.56 | | Including | MS | 1395.8 | 1410.4 | 14.6 | 0.45 | 16.86 | 14.8 | 0.40 | 5.76 | | And | MS | 1419.0 | 1425.9 | 6.8 | 0.08 | 16.88 | 12.7 | 0.08 | 5.23 | | And | MS | 1429.7 | 1432.1 | 2.3 | 0.07 | 21.47 | 7.8 | 0.06 | 6.56 | | TS-25-37w1 | QV | 1510.3 | 1518.3 | 8.0 | 0.08 | 0.02 | 124.7 | 0.80 | 1.12 | | Including | QV | 1510.3 | 1511.3 | 1.0 | 0.06 | 0.01 | 80.6 | 2.13 | 1.67 | | And | QV | 1515.4 | 1517.3 | 1.9 | 0.12 | 0.03 | 185.0 | 1.03 | 1.57 | | TS-25-37w1 | QV | 1531.3 | 1533.3 | 2.0 | 0.07 | 0.02 | 60.0 | 0.54 | 0.66 | | TS-25-37w1 | MS | 1549.2 | 1558.4 | 9.2 | 0.85 | 9.00 | 50.1 | 0.42 | 3.94 | | Including | MS | 1556.2 | 1558.4 | 2.2 | 0.60 | 12.71 | 47.7 | 0.28 | 4.73 | | TS-25-38 | CS/QV | 1319.1 | 1330.3 | 11.1 | 0.17 | 2.12 | 32.4 | 0.45 | 1.20 | | Including | QV | 1321.4 | 1324.1 | 2.7 | 0.38 | 1.07 | 40.6 | 0.80 | 1.32 | | TS-25-38 | MS | 1332.2 | 1334.4 | 2.3 | 0.17 | 6.51 | 68.2 | 0.57 | 2.75 |
| Note 1: Composite widths are presented as core lengths. Additional drilling will be required to confirm the geometry of the mineralized zones, but generally true widths are thought to be 80-85% of core length. Intervals generally composited using a 0.5% Cu cut-off grade in the stringer zones. Copper Equivalent values calculated using metal prices of $4.00/lb Cu, $1.50/lb Zn, $20.00/ounce Ag and $1,800/ounce Au and LOM metallurgical recovery rates derived from test work on blended ores for the McIlvenna Bay Deposit completed as part of our April 2022 Feasibility Study: 91.1% Cu, 79.8% Zn, 88.6% Au and 62.3% Ag (MS – massive / semi-massive sulphide, CS – Copper Stockwork/Stringer, QV – quartz-carbonate-albite alteration/veining, L3 – Lens 3 (McIlvenna Bay), L2 – Lens 2 (McIlvenna Bay), CSZ – Copper Stockwork Zone (McIlvenna Bay)). To date no metallurgical test work has been completed on the Tesla Zone or Bridge Zone mineralization. |
Quality Assurance and Quality Control
Drilling was completed using NQ size diamond drill core and core was logged by employees of the Company. During the logging process, mineralized intersections were marked for sampling and given unique sample numbers. Sampled intervals were sawn in half using a diamond blade saw. One half of the sawn core was placed in a plastic bag with the sample tag and sealed, while the second half was returned to the core box for storage on site. Sample assays are performed by the Saskatchewan Research Council ("SRC") Geoanalytical Laboratory in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan . SRC is a Canadian accredited laboratory (ISO/IEC 17025:2017) and independent of Foran. Analysis for Ag, Cu, Pb and Zn is performed using ICP-OES after total multi-acid digestion. Au analysis is completed by fire assay with AAS finish and any samples which return results greater than 1.0 g/t Au are re-run using gravimetric finish. A complete suite of QA/QC reference materials (standards, blanks, and duplicates) are included in each batch of samples processed by the laboratory. The results of the assaying of the QA/QC material included in each batch are tracked to ensure the integrity of the assay data.
Qualified Person
Mr. Roger March , P. Geo., Principal Geoscientist for Foran, is the Qualified Person for all technical information herein and has reviewed and approved the technical information in this release.