Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2026) - Sun Summit Minerals Corp. (TSXV: SMN) (OTCQB: SMREF) ("Sun Summit" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its fully funded, 2026 exploration drill program at the JD Project, Toodoggone Mining District, north-central British Columbia has now started. Over 10,000 meters of drilling is planned across the Creek and Finn zones.
Highlights:
Transformational Drill Program Has Started: One drill rig is currently in operation kickstarting a significant 10,000 meter drill program, with a second drill rig set to begin operating in the coming days.
Focused and Systematic Drill Program: Results from the carefully planned 2026 drill program will contribute to an inaugural mineral resource estimate ("MRE") planned for Q1 of 2027.
Creek Zone Targeted Drilling: Drilling at the Creek Zone will include step-out and infill drill holes designed to investigate the extent and continuity of near-surface, high-grade and bulk-tonnage gold mineralization. Drilling will follow-up significant 2024 and 2025 results, including 81.0 meters of 4.80 g/t gold, including 34.0 meters of 9.07 g/t gold in drill hole CZ-25-021 (November 25th, 2025, News Release).
Finn Zone Targeted Drilling: Drilling at the Finn Zone will include step-out, infill and exploration drill holes designed to investigate the extent and continuity of near-surface bulk-tonnage gold-silver mineralization. Drilling will follow-up significant historic and 2025 results, including: 17.0 meters of 2.31 g/t gold with 113.1 g/t silver, including 6.0 meters of 5.30 g/t gold with 157.9 g/t silver in drill hole FZ-25-002 (January 22nd, 2026, News Release).
Project-Wide Geophysical Surveying Underway: An airborne mobile magnetotelluric ("MobileMT") survey is underway across the entire JD Project. The goal of the survey is to investigate the scale of alteration zones of known targets as well as identify new target areas.
"We are excited to have officially launched our fully funded 10,000 meter drill program at our JD Project," said Niel Marotta, CEO of Sun Summit Minerals. "This program will include the most significant drilling at JD since the late 1990s. The 2026 program is the largest drill program planned since Sun Summit optioned the JD property in 2024, and represents more meters of drilling at JD than the last two drill seasons combined. Importantly, this program will drive the JD project towards an inaugural mineral resource estimate, expected in Q1 of 2027."
Fully Funded 10,000 Meter Drill Program
The recently commenced, 10,000-meter drill program at the JD project has been carefully planned with drill holes designed to contribute to an inaugural MRE for the Finn and Creek zones, anticipated to be released in Q1 of 2027 (see May 5th, 2026 News Release).
Details of the 2026 drill program include:
- Up to 5,000 meters of drilling is planned at the Creek Zone to systematically evaluate the modelled vein-controlling structures covering a strike-length of over 600 meters and a vertical extent of over 350 meters. Results from this phase of drilling at the Creek Zone should inform grade continuity, the down-dip and strike extents of mineralization, and the presence of additional high-grade zones (e.g., 34.0 meters of 9.07 g/t gold in drill hole CZ-25-021).
- Up to 5,000 meters of drilling is planned at the Finn Zone to systematically evaluate the down-dip and strike-extent of the favorable, and well mineralized, volcaniclastic unit. Drill holes will cover a footprint of approximately 650 meters by 350 meters primarily down-dip from the densely drilled core of the mineralized zone. Results from this phase of drilling at the Finn Zone should inform grade continuity, the down-dip and strike extents of mineralization, verify historical data and evaluate the structural controls on high-grade silver mineralization central to the target (e.g., 6.0 meters of 5.30 g/t gold with 157.9 g/t silver in drill hole FZ-25-002).
One drill rig is currently in operation, focused on the Creek Zone. A second rig is set to begin operating in the coming days. One of the drill rigs will move to the Finn Zone in the coming weeks once drill pads at Finn are constructed.
Target Generation
A project-wide airborne (MobileMT) survey has commenced across the entire JD Project. The survey consists of 740 line kilometers on 250 meter spaced, northwest-southeast oriented lines. The objective of the survey is to image subsurface resistivity/conductivity to a depth of approximately 1 to 2 kilometers. The purpose of the survey is to investigate the scale of broad and locally concealed alteration zones associated with known targets as well as to identify new target areas.
Figure 1. Plan map highlighting the ~4.5 km Creek to Finn Corridor showing drill collar locations as well as results from recent and historical rock and soil geochemical surveys (see October 29th, 2025 news release). The areas marked by the dashed yellow ovals will be the focus for the majority of the 2026 drilling. Targets between will be ranked and prioritised for potential drill testing. See references for sources of historical data.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6142/300458_ad3c271464fe3a56_002full.jpg
Figure 2. Map of the Toodoggone District showing the location of the JD Project in relation to other development and exploration projects. Data sourced from Thesis Gold & Silver Inc., TDG Gold Corp. and Centerra Gold Inc.'s respective corporate websites. The QP has been unable to verify the information and that the information is not necessarily indicative to the mineralization on the property that is the subject of the disclosure.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6142/300458_ad3c271464fe3a56_003full.jpg
National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure
This news release has been reviewed and approved by Sun Summit's Vice President Exploration, Ken MacDonald, P. Geo., a "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators. Mr. MacDonald has verified the data disclosed in this press release, including the sampling, analytical and test data underlying this information that has been collected by Sun Summit. Verification procedures include industry standard quality control practices. Some technical information contained in this release is historical in nature and has been compiled from public sources believed to be accurate. The historical technical information has not been verified by Sun Summit and may in some instances be unverifiable dependent on the existence of historical drill core and grab samples. Management cautions that past results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be achieved on the property.
Community Engagement
Sun Summit is engaging with First Nations on whose territory our projects are located and is discussing their interests and identifying contract and work opportunities, as well as opportunities to support community initiatives. The Company looks forward to continuing to work with local and regional First Nations with ongoing exploration.
Option Grant
The Company has granted stock options to purchase an aggregate of 250,000 common shares in the capital of the Company (each a "Common Share") to certain investor relations service providers of the Company. The stock options have an exercise price of $0.15 per Common Share, expire 3 years from the date of grant, and vest over a twelve month period. Each grant of stock options is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.
About the JD Project
The JD Project is located in the Toodoggone mining district in north-central British Columbia, a highly prospective deposit-rich mineral trend. The project covers an area of over 15,000 hectares and is in close proximity to active exploration and development projects, such as Thesis Gold and Silver Inc.'s Lawyers and Ranch projects, TDG Gold Corp's Baker-Shasta projects, Amarc Resource Ltd.'s AuRORA project, Centerra's Gold Inc's Kemess East and Underground projects, as well as the past-producing Kemess open pit copper-gold mine (Figure 2).
The project is 450 kilometres northwest of the city of Prince George, and 25 kilometres north of the Sturdee airstrip. It is proximal to existing infrastructure in place to support the past-producing Kemess mine, including roads and a hydroelectric power line.
The JD Project is in a favourable geological environment characterized by both high-grade epithermal gold and silver mineralization, as well as porphyry-related copper and gold mineralization. Some historical exploration, including drilling, geochemistry and geophysics, has been carried out on the property, however the project area is largely underexplored.
About Sun Summit
Sun Summit Minerals (TSXV: SMN) (OTCQB: SMREF) is a mineral exploration company focused on the discovery, expansion, and advancement of district-scale gold and copper assets in British Columbia. The Company's portfolio is anchored by its flagship JD Project, alongside the Theory Project, and Orbit Project in the prolific Toodoggone region of north-central BC, and the Buck Project in central B.C.
Further details are available at www.sunsummitminerals.com.
References
Hawkins, P.A. (1998), 1997 Exploration Report on the Creek Zone for Antares Mining and Exploration Corporation and AGC Americas Gold Corporation, JD Property, Toodoggone River Area, Omineca Mining Division, Internal Report #98-065-1.
Davis, J.W., and Jamieson, M.D. (1998), Drilling and Geophysical Report on the M.H. Mineral Clain Group, Toodoggone District, Assessment Report Indexing System, Report 25757, https://apps.nrs.gov.bc.ca/pub/aris.
Krause, R.G. (1995), 1994 Geological and Geochemical Report on the JD Gold Silver Property, Toodoggone River Area, Omineca Mining Division, British Columbia, Assessment Report Indexing System, Report 23663, https://apps.nrs.gov.bc.ca/pub/aris.
Krause, R.G. (1996), 1995 Geological Report on the JD Gold Silver Property, Toodoggone River Area, Omineca Mining Division, British Columbia, Assessment Report Indexing System, Report 24284, https://apps.nrs.gov.bc.ca/pub/aris.
McBride, S. (2013), 2012 Geological, geochemical and diamond drilling report on the JD Property, Assessment Report Indexing System, Report 33556, https://apps.nrs.gov.bc.ca/pub/aris.
McBride, S. and Leslie, C. (2014), 2013 Geological, geophysical and diamond drilling report on the JD Property, Assessment Report Indexing System, Report 34762, https://apps.nrs.gov.bc.ca/pub/aris.
Link to Figures
Figure 1. https://wp-sunsummitminerals-2024.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/media/2026/05/2026_JD_Plans_Figure1_20260502-scaled.jpg
Figure 2. https://wp-sunsummitminerals-2024.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/media/2026/01/20260121_Figure1-Toodoggone-map.jpg
Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that is based on expectations, estimates, projections and interpretations as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves predictions, expectations, interpretations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often, but not always, using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "interpreted", "management's view", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "potential", "feasibility", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information and are intended to identify forward-looking information. This news release contains the forward-looking information pertaining to, among other things: the planned target areas, size and timing of the drill program; timing of the arrival of drill rigs and other drilling equipment, as well as intended use thereof; the Company's intention to use the drill program to contribute to an inaugural MRE, including timing thereof; the Company's future exploration projects at its JD Project. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, Sun Summit cannot assure shareholders and prospective purchasers of securities of the Company that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and neither Sun Summit nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, risks relating to the ability of exploration activities (including drill results) to accurately predict mineralization; errors in management's geological modelling; the ability of Sun Summit to complete further exploration activities, including drilling; property, option and royalty interests in the JD Gold Project; the ability of the Company to obtain required approvals; the results of exploration activities; risks relating to mining activities; the global economic climate; metal prices; dilution; environmental risks; and community and non-governmental actions. Sun Summit does not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be 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/300458
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