MONTREAL – Midland Exploration Inc. has initiated a significant new diamond drilling campaign on its Jouvex gold property, marking a renewed and focused effort to uncover mineral potential in a strategic part of Quebec's Abitibi region.
Drilling Program Targets New Gold Potential
The company announced that a 1,600-metre helicopter-supported diamond drilling program began in January 2026. This work will test a newly identified target in the southern portion of the Jouvex property, which is located approximately 10 kilometres northwest of the known Douay gold deposit. A total of five drill holes are planned to investigate coinciding magnetic and induced polarization (IP) anomalies that suggest favourable geology.
This specific area has never been drill-tested before, with the nearest historical holes situated some 350 metres to the northeast. The primary target is a strong positive magnetic anomaly linked to a chargeability zone, which could indicate the presence of disseminated sulphides. Geophysicists interpret this zone as a potential extension of the Casa-Berardi deformation zone, a major structure that hosts significant gold mineralization in the region.
Advanced Surveys Pave the Way for Drilling
The decision to drill follows an extensive exploration program conducted by Midland in 2024 and 2025. The company first executed two drone-supported magnetic surveys over the property. This was followed in the fall of 2025 by a 30-line-kilometre induced polarization (IP) survey focused on the southern sector.
This comprehensive geophysical data, combined with a recent reassessment of historical data, led to the identification of the new target. Midland's compilation work revealed a previously unmapped band of felsic tuffs and volcanic rocks between sedimentary and mafic volcanic units. These rocks are favourable for both gold and volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) style mineralization.
Strategic Location Near a Major Gold Deposit
The Jouvex property's proximity to the Douay deposit adds considerable intrigue to this exploration program. The Douay deposit, located just to the southeast, hosts a substantial resource. According to a 2022 mineral resource estimate cited by Midland, Douay contains indicated and inferred resources of 3.038 million ounces of gold.
The new target on Jouvex is situated near a major regional structure that runs just north of the Douay deposit. Midland's technical team notes that the magnetic fabric in the south part of Jouvex is truncated, suggesting interference from major structures. These zones are considered prime locations for intrusive rocks similar to those at Douay and represent a common setting for high-grade gold deposits throughout the Abitibi Greenstone Belt.
The qualified person for this press release and the Jouvex project data is Richard D. St-Cyr, P.Geo., Midland's Exploration Director. Midland Exploration is a mineral exploration company focused on making new, world-class discoveries of gold and critical metals in Quebec, often in partnership with major mining firms.
