Norsemont Mining Completes Initial Drilling Phase at Choquelimpie Project
Vancouver, B.C. — February 19, 2026 — Leads & Copy —
Norsemont Mining Inc. has completed the first seven holes of its Phase 3 drill program at the Choquelimpie project in Chile, totaling 1,650 meters. The company says the drilling provided important data for extending higher-grade zones to depth, but operations have been temporarily postponed due to the annual “Altiplano Winter” weather pattern.
Norsemont anticipates resuming drilling in April 2026 to complete the Phase 3 program, which includes 20 DDH holes for a total of 5,000 meters. Drill samples from the 2025 program have been submitted to a laboratory, with initial results received for two holes and partial results for additional holes. Some intervals with initial “over-limit” results are undergoing re-assaying. The company expects to receive the balance of assays later this quarter.
CEO Marc Levy said the company has drilled seven holes of the planned 20-hole Phase 3 program, with resumption expected in April. He added that planning and permitting for a more extensive Phase 4 program in 2026 is underway. Levy said the 2025 drilling at Choquelimpie intersected higher-grade hydrothermal breccia bodies at depth, boosting confidence in expanding the open-pit resource and the overall size and width of the breccia pipes. He said the company looks forward to reporting initial assay results shortly.
The Phase 3 drill campaign evaluated the down-dip extensions of higher-grade gold mineralization (greater than 1 gram/tonne Au) hosted within hydrothermal breccia zones. The company completed seven core holes totaling approximately 1650 meters.
Downhole surveys were conducted by DV Drilling using a Devic Gyroscope.
All split drill core samples have been shipped to Activation Geological Services SpA (AGS) for geochemical analysis. The samples were prepared at the AGS facility in Antofagasta, Chile, and are being analyzed at the AGS geochemical laboratory in Coquimbo, Chile, which holds an ISO 17025 certification. Gold grades are being determined by fire assay (AGS code AU-FA30). Drill intervals with some degree of oxidation are also being analyzed by the cyanide-soluble gold method (AUCN).
The samples are also undergoing analysis for 60 elements, including silver, by mass spectrometer (MS TD60). Silver and specific base metals are being re-assayed by atomic absorption for samples where the initial value exceeds the accuracy limit (“over-limit”) for that method. The overlimit values are: silver at 100 ppm, copper at 10,000 ppm, lead at 5,000 ppm, and zinc at 10,000 ppm.
Assay results have been received for hole DD01, though some intervals with initial “over-limit” results are being re-assayed. The hole intersected the Vizcacha hydrothermal breccia.
Hole MV25-DD02 reached a length of 239 meters and intersected the Vizcacha Hydrothermal Breccia from the collar to 145 meters depth. Brecciated dacite-andesite porphyry (DAP) dominated the deeper portion of the hole, with abundant sulfide mineralization.
Hole MV25-DD03, drilled to a depth of 275 meters, explored the Choque Zone at depth, below the area where higher gold grades have been calculated within the 2025 resource model (Wilson, 2025). The hole intersected argillically-altered DAP, with intervals of hydrothermal breccia also intersected in the upper half of the hole. The porphyry is oxidized to a down-hole length of 12.5 meters.
Hole MV25-DD04, also designed to explore the Choque Zone, was completed to a length of 200 meters. The lithology for the upper portion of the hole is dominated by dacite-andesite porphyry (DAP), followed by an intersection of hydrothermal breccia. From 50–200 meters (end of hole), quartz-sericite-altered DAP, with 5–10% sulfides, was intersected.
MV25-DD05 was drilled to explore the Choque Zone to a depth of 221 meters and intersected Choque hydrothermal breccia bodies and quartz-sericite-altered DAP (containing 3–10% sulfides). The hydrothermal breccia bodies contain 10–20% total sulfides, including enargite.
MV25-DD06 was drilled to explore the Vizcacha Zone to a depth of 225 meters. The hole intersected dacite-andesite breccia (DAB) and hydrothermal breccia. The DAB is quartz-sericite-altered and contains 5–10% sulfides. The hydrothermal breccia is commonly matrix-supported with poly-lithic clasts and has 7–10% sulfide mineralization. The company believes that this hydrothermal breccia body may be more extensive than currently modeled.
The Phase 3 exploration program was supervised by Roman Flores, a Persona Calificada (Q.P.) with the Commission Minera Chile.
David Flint, MSc, AIPG-CPG, and Chief Geologist of Norsemont Mining Inc., a qualified person as defined in NI 43-101, reviewed and approved the technical information in this press release.
Norsemont Mining Inc. also announced that it has engaged i2i Marketing Group LLC to enhance the Company’s market presence and expand its shareholder communications program. The services will commence on or around March 2, 2026, for an initial period of six months for a total cash consideration of $300,000 (USD), with an option to extend beyond this term.
The Norsemont team comprises experienced natural resource professionals focused on growing shareholder value and developing its flagship project through to feasibility, with an indicated mineral resource estimate of 1,731,000 gold ounces, and 33,233,000 silver ounces and an inferred mineral resource of 446,000 gold ounces and 7,219,000 silver ounces for its Choquelimpie Gold-Silver-Copper project.
Norsemont Mining owns a 100% interest in the Choquelimpie gold-silver-copper project in northern Chile, a past producing gold and silver mine with significant exploration upside. Choquelimpie has over 1,710 drill holes, with significant existing infrastructure, including roads, power, water, camp and a 3,000-tonne-per-day mill.
Source: Norsemont Mining Inc.
Share this story:
