CALGARY, Alberta, April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Integral Metals Corp. (CSE: INTG | OTC: ITGLF | FSE: ZK9) (the “Company” or “Integral”) is pleased to announce preliminary results from its 2024 geomicrobial survey at the Burntwood Project in northern Manitoba, where early findings demonstrate promising microbial patterns that may serve as biological pathfinders for rare earth element (REE) mineralization associated with carbonatite intrusions.
The survey covered the northern extent of the Burntwood Syenite-Carbonatite Complex, a regional intrusive system considered prospective for REE and other critical metals. A total of 808 unique soil samples were collected and analyzed using 16S rRNA and metagenomic sequencing, with sampling focused on confirmed carbonatite intrusion zones, background areas, and a systematic grid across the broader project area. Initial analysis revealed a statistically significant depletion of Burkholderiales and an enrichment of Rhizobiales in microbial communities overlying known carbonatite systems. These shifts, identified through LEfSe (Linear Discriminant Analysis Effect Size), may reflect subtle environmental changes linked to REE-bearing mineralization. These results are preliminary and form part of a broader, ongoing research initiative conducted in partnership with Dr. Andrew Cameron and the Institute for Microbial Systems and Society (IMSS) at the University of Regina. The project is supported by funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Mitacs, and the Manitoba Mineral Development Fund (MMDF).
“These early results are encouraging and reinforce our belief that geomicrobial techniques can provide powerful, low-impact insights in the search for buried mineral systems,” said Paul Sparkes, CEO of Integral Metals.
In parallel, rock, soil, and plant geochemical samples collected during the same 2024 program are currently undergoing analysis at the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC). The integration of geomicrobial and geochemical datasets will inform exploration targeting and help prioritize areas for future drilling.
Integral Metals is committed to advancing critical mineral discovery using innovative, science-driven techniques that reduce environmental impact and improve targeting precision.
Qualified Person
The scientific and technical content of this news release has been reviewed, verified, and approved by Jared Suchan, Ph.D., P.Geo., VP of Exploration at the Company, and a “Qualified Person” as defined by National Instrument 43-101.
Integral is an exploration stage company, engaged in the business of mineral exploration for critical minerals, including gallium, germanium, and rare earth elements, with the goal of contributing to the development of a domestic supply chain for these minerals. Integral holds properties in mining-friendly jurisdictions in Canada and the United States of America, including the Northwest Territories, Manitoba and Montana, where it has received regulatory support for its exploration efforts.
Forward-Looking Information
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Although forward-looking information is based on the reasonable assumptions of the Company’s management, there can be no assurance that any forward-looking information will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include, among other things, the risk that the Company’s business prospects and priorities may change, whether as a result of unexpected events, general market and economic conditions or as a result of the Company’s future exploration efforts, and that any such change may result in a re-deployment of the Company’s resources and efforts in a manner divergent from the Company’s current business plan or strategy. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof, and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein.
