SOQUEM Announces Positive Gold Intercepts at Lespérance-Lac Shortt
SOQUEM, a subsidiary of Investissement Québec, has released new drill results from the Lespérance-Lac Shortt project in the Abitibi Subprovince of Quebec. The program, completed in March 2025, involved 24 drill holes totaling 5,240.5 metres and focused on evaluating the gold potential in the Boyvinet, Boyvinet West, and Lespérance Breccia areas. The findings underscore the project’s continued potential to host high-grade gold within structurally favorable zones along major deformation corridors.
Key Zones and Highlights
The results identify multiple gold-bearing intervals across three target areas, with the Lac Shortt deformation corridor emerging as a persistent conduit for mineralization. The corridor trends east-west and dips steeply to the north, running through the Boyvinet stock which hosts several historical showings. The 2025 program aimed to test westward continuity and reassess targets using updated models and historical data.
Boyvinet Area
In the Boyvinet area, five holes totaling 1,575 metres were drilled to assess westward continuity of known gold zones. Historical drilling had reported notable intercepts such as 0.74 g/t Au over 10 m and 1.02 g/t Au over 14.8 m. Four of the five holes intersected gold-bearing zones, including:
– 1435-24-017: 0.96 g/t Au over 5.9 m
– 1435-24-018: 0.70 g/t Au over 39.7 m, including 1.46 g/t Au over 16 m at the interface between overburden and bedrock
– 1435-25-020: 1.19 g/t Au over 8.0 m and 1.13 g/t Au over 14.0 m
– 1435-25-021: 0.92 g/t Au over 15.0 m
The mineralized zones extend within a roughly 1.4-kilometre corridor, hosted in basalts and dioritic/gabbroic rocks that show extensive alteration (albite, hematite, potassium feldspar, ankerite, silica) and disseminated pyrite. This pattern aligns with models that combine characteristics of intrusive-related gold systems (IRGS) and orogenic gold deposits, suggesting robust exploration potential.
Boyvinet West Area
Five holes totaling 723 metres in the Boyvinet West area were drilled to validate a shallow gold zone modeled from historical data. Earlier drill BV-16 (1990) identified a fault zone grading 1.34 g/t Au over 16.06 m, including a 2.42 g/t Au over 6.56 m segment. All five holes confirmed the mineralized zone, which now appears to run for about 375 metres with potential to extend northwest and southeast. Notable results include:
– 1435-24-013: 0.91 g/t Au over 19.5 m, including 1.48 g/t Au over 10.7 m
– 1435-24-015: 0.67 g/t Au over 13.1 m, including 4.26 g/t Au over 1.2 m
Lespérance Breccia Area
Eleven holes (2,348.5 m) were drilled to explore copper-gold potential within the breccia zone. Results confirm two mineralization styles: 1) gold associated with intensely altered albite-carbonate-sericite-pyrite zones masking the protolith, and 2) copper-gold zones linked to magnetite-hematite-pyrite-epidote-chlorite-chalcopyrite-bearing breccias in volcano-sedimentary units. The interpretation points to an early skarn-style system associated with breccias and mafic lavas, suggesting multiple pathways for gold and copper mineralization.
Project Context and Next Steps
The Lespérance-Lac Shortt project encompasses 192 mining claims (about 100.73 km²) and is 100% owned by SOQUEM. Located near the Lac Shortt and Bachelor mines, the project benefits from proximity to an active ore processing facility under care and maintenance (800 tpd capacity). SOQUEM plans a follow-up exploration program, targeting continued evaluation of the Boyvinet and Boyvinet West zones, and includes planned induced polarization (IP) geophysical work to delineate and discover new gold-bearing structures. A roughly 5,000 m drilling program is anticipated in fall 2025 to sustain momentum on gold exploration in this region.
About the Exploration Quality and Oversight
All analytical work followed strict QA/QC protocols, with samples prepared at Activation Laboratories in Val-d’Or, using standard 4-acid digestion and ICP-OES/MS analysis for a broad suite of elements. Gold assays employed fire assay with AAS finish, with re-assay by gravimetry for grades exceeding 5.0 g/t Au. The technical disclosures have been reviewed by Catherine Jalbert, a qualified person under NI 43-101.
About SOQUEM
SOQUEM, a mining exploration company and subsidiary of Investissement Québec, focuses on discovering and developing mining properties in Quebec. The company emphasizes innovation, research, and strategic minerals to support Quebec’s mineral wealth and local economies.
