VANCOUVER – In a development with significant implications for North America's strategic mineral supply, SAGA Metals Corp. has released outstanding drill results from its Radar Titanium-Vanadium-Iron Project in Labrador. The findings, announced on January 9, 2026, bolster the company's thesis that its property could become a crucial source of titanium, a metal deemed critical for defense and aerospace applications.
Record-Breaking Drill Intercepts Confirm Large-Scale System
The latest assays come from the initial phase of a Mineral Resource Estimate drill program at the Trapper Zone, part of the larger 160 km² Dykes River intrusive complex. The results represent the most impressive intercepts drilled on the property to date, confirming the presence of a robust, large-scale oxide mineral system.
The standout drill holes, R-0008 and R-0009, returned substantial cumulative intervals of oxide mineralization rich in titanium dioxide (TiO₂), vanadium pentoxide (V₂O₅), and iron oxides (Fe₂O₃). This mineral assemblage is characteristic of vanadiferous titanomagnetite and ilmenite, key sources for titanium.
Key assay highlights include:
- Hole R-0008: 269.36 metres averaging 6.57% TiO₂, 0.244% V₂O₅, and 36.21% Fe₂O₃.
- Hole R-0009: 296.47 metres averaging 7.46% TiO₂, 0.250% V₂O₅, and 39.75% Fe₂O₃.
- High-grade intervals within these broader intercepts, including a 2-metre section assaying 13.30% TiO₂.
Michael Garagan, CGO & Director of SAGA Metals, called the results "an outstanding success." The company's fieldwork in 2024 and 2025 has also validated a prospective oxide layering zone over an approximate 16-kilometre strike length.
Timely Focus on North American Titanium Security
SAGA Metals positions the Radar Project as a timely solution to a growing strategic concern. The company points to a January 2, 2026, report from market intelligence firm Project Blue, titled "Metals and the Security of Nations," which highlights titanium as a critical mineral for defense with concentrated supply-chain risks.
Currently, over 90% of globally mined titanium is processed into pigment. However, the critical supply gap exists in the metal pathways required for aerospace-grade sponge—a purified form of titanium essential for manufacturing jet fighters and other defense equipment.
"Titanium is essentially a defence metal," Project Blue Founder Dr. Nils Backeberg stated in an interview with MINING.com. He noted that defense can account for 20% or more of total titanium consumption, with an F-15 fighter jet comprising up to 40% titanium by weight.
A New Domestic Narrative for a Critical Metal
The Radar Project's location near the tidewater port of Cartwright, Labrador, offers a logistical advantage for potential future development. SAGA's work suggests the entire Dykes River intrusive complex hosts a district-scale oxide system, which could underpin multiple downstream titanium value chains.
This discovery comes as Western governments and manufacturers intensify their focus on building secure, defense-aligned supply chains for critical inputs. A domestic source of titanium-bearing minerals would reduce reliance on foreign sources and strengthen North American industrial and national security.
The company's successful ground-truthing of historical geophysical data and the consistency of its drill results validate the project's potential scale and grade. As global tensions underscore the importance of resource sovereignty, SAGA Metals' Radar Project is emerging as a significant player in the conversation about North America's critical mineral future.
