Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 24, 2025) - Kutcho Copper Corp. (TSXV: KC) (OTCQX: KCCFF) ("Kutcho Copper" or the "Company") is pleased to provide positive updates on metallurgical and geological understanding, and looks forward to the next steps planned for 2025 at its feasibility stage, high-grade copper-zinc development project located in north-western British Columbia.
Vince Sorace, President & CEO of Kutcho Copper stated: "Kutcho Copper finished 2024 with several fundamental accomplishments, and we anticipate that 2025 will be another year of progress for the Company. We are uniquely positioned with a feasibility-stage, high-grade, low-cost copper-zinc development project located in a Tier 1 jurisdiction that has potential for significant exploration upside and continued engineering optimization. We will continue to explore and expand on opportunities for the Kutcho project on our path towards a construction decision.
Since completion of the 2021 Feasibility Study ("FS"), Kutcho Copper has been attending to improvement recommendations and risk reduction studies documented in the FS. Kutcho Copper is pleased to report a number of additional milestones from its optimization program, including:
Oxide Ore
A simple oxide model was included in the 2021 Mineral Reserve; one of the recommendations was a detailed review of the extent and intensity of oxide mineralization. Oxidation of mineralization can lead to poorer recoveries of metals to concentrates and operational complexity. Understanding degree of oxidation and precise location of it, is important for project performance.
Since 2021, detailed logging of existing core photographs from the Main deposit was completed using a six-point scale for the degree of weathering. Results of this detailed logging indicate that the indurated massive sulphide mineralization at shallow depths has minimal weathering which is generally limited to oxidation along late faults and fractures. In practical terms, it appears that the massive sulphide mineralization was protected from weathering due to its generally massive nature. Surface water infiltration, which causes weathering, preferentially travelled down through the rock along faults and planes in north dipping, fissile hanging wall schists parallel and above the sulphide horizon.
A cut through the weathering profile overlying sulphide mineralization is displayed on Figure 1, here approximately 1 m of moderately weathered material overlies weakly weathered zinc sulphide of the Main deposit, confirming the new detailed modelling, this is a significant reduction from the average oxide thickness of 20 m predicted in the 2021 oxide model.
The Mineral Reserve currently includes 0.44 Mt of Probable category oxide ore. It is expected that a future statement of the Mineral Reserve will restate most of this material as sulphide ore.
Figure 1. Eastern limit of the Main Deposit, excavation removed two meters of overburden and 1 m of weathered material to expose weakly weathered sulphides.
Metallurgical and Flotation Flowsheet Optimization and Improvements
Kutcho Copper, in partnership with PMC Laboratory (Maple Ridge, BC), continues to investigate optimizing the flotation flowsheet.
The optimized rougher flowsheet being evaluated uses conventional techniques to produce two distinct rougher copper concentrates. The optimization work has now clearly shown a "fast-floating" copper concentrate, that is low in entrained zinc, and a "slow-floating" component that is more complex. Several cleaner and regrind strategies are being evaluated in a methodical manner. Three major groups of cleaner strategies are evolving each of which are showing promise to lead to improvement in overall economic metallurgical performance.
A detail of this investigative work has also demonstrated that changing the pH control reagent from lime to soda ash eliminates the production of gypsum whilst maintaining projected copper and zinc recoveries.
We look forward to sharing more updates as we progress with the development of the cleaning circuit and move closer to realizing the full potential of our optimized flotation process.
Looking ahead into 2025:
Kutcho Copper intends to showcase the Project's upside potential through:
Advancing both near-resource and greenfields exploration targets.
Evaluating and, if warranted, executing on a number of accretive and strategic opportunities.
Continuing to evaluate project opportunities identified in the Feasibility Study through detailed engineering and executing on, or incorporating, accretive opportunities.
Continuing to de-risk and advance the Project towards a production decision.
In addition, the Company announces that it has entered into a service agreement (the "Agreement") with Resource Stock Digest ("RSD") of Round Rock, Texas. Under the terms of the Agreement, among other things, RSD has agreed to provide certain promotional services to the Company in accordance with Policy 3.4 - Investor Relations, Promotional and Market-Making Activities of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange").
RSD has been engaged for up to an 18 month advertising and marketing program for a cash fee of US$10,000 every 3 months payable upon receipt of approval of the Agreement by the Exchange. RSD conducts interviews with the Company and produces its own content that is distributed to RSD's subscriber base. RSD is owned and operated by Gerardo Del Real and Nick Hodge, both shareholders of the Company as at the date of the Agreement. RSD and Messrs. Del Real and Hodge are at arm's-length to the Company and have no relationship with the Company outside of this Agreement.
Qualified Persons
The technical or scientific information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Andrew Sharp, P.Eng BC (Lic. No. 47907), FAusIMM, Chief Operating Officer for Kutcho Copper, who serves as a qualified person under the definition of National Instrument 43-101.
About Kutcho Copper
Kutcho Copper Corp. is a Canadian resource company committed to social responsibility and the highest environmental standards, focused on expanding and developing the Kutcho Project, its feasibility stage, high-grade copper-zinc development project located in north-western British Columbia.
Vince Sorace President & CEO, Kutcho Copper Corp.
For further information regarding Kutcho Copper Corp., please email info@kutcho.ca or visit our website at www.kutcho.ca.
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.
This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "advance", "de-risk", "execute", "incorporate", "accretive", "plans", "compelling", "believes", "intends", "potential", "value opportunities", "upside", variations of these words and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although Kutcho Copper believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results or realities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such material risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, statements and information related to the Feasibility Study; the funding, timing and results of planned exploration programs; the ability of the Company to upgrade inferred mineral resources to higher categories and, subsequently, to mineral reserves; the outcome of potential optimizations and opportunities identified in the Feasibility Study and subsequently; the Company's ability to raise sufficient capital to fund its obligations under its property agreements going forward, to maintain its mineral tenures and concessions in good standing, to explore and develop the Kutcho project and for general working capital purposes; changes in economic conditions or financial markets; the inherent hazards associates with mineral exploration and mining operations, future prices of copper and other metals, changes in general economic conditions, accuracy of mineral resource and reserve estimates, the ability of the Company to obtain the necessary permits and consents required to explore, drill and develop the Kutcho project and if obtained, to obtain such permits and consents in a timely fashion relative to the Company's plans and business objectives for the projects, including the environmental assessment process; the ability of the Company to conclude agreements with First Nations; the general ability of the Company to monetize its mineral resources; and changes in environmental and other laws or regulations that could have an impact on the Company's operations, compliance with environmental laws and regulations, aboriginal title claims and rights to consultation and accommodation, dependence on key management personnel and general competition in the mining industry. Forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.
