Primary Hydrogen Completes Soil Sampling Begins Drilling at Wicheeda North
News related to:Primary Hydrogen Corp · 2 min read
Primary Hydrogen Corp. has completed the first phase of soil sampling at its Wicheeda North rare earth element project in British Columbia and is preparing for the project's maiden drilling program, which is set to commence on October 1.
The company announced that the initial soil sampling, which was part of its 2026 work program, has been completed and the samples have been submitted for analysis. A second phase of soil sampling is currently underway, targeting three areas selected from historical data. This phase is expected to be completed by September 23.
Precision GeoSurveys Inc. has been contracted to fly an airborne radiometric survey covering 738 line-kilometres. The survey, which is scheduled to commence later this month, will measure natural gamma radiation from potassium, uranium, and thorium. Thorium, commonly associated with rare earth elements, will be key in identifying potential mineralization areas. The preliminary results from this survey are expected to be available by the end of September.
Radius Drilling Corp. has been engaged to carry out the maiden drill program, which is proposed to span approximately 1,500 metres. The drilling will begin on October 1 and is expected to be completed by November 1. The initial drill targets will be selected from the results of the Phase 1 soil sampling, the preliminary radiometric survey, and data from the 2025 airborne survey and soil program. The Company has strategically chosen to initiate the drilling program despite not having received the Phase 2 soil results, in order to complete the program within the 2026 field season.
"We set October 1 as the drill date knowing the second set of soil results would not be back before the rig arrives, and we made that call deliberately," said David Jackson, Chief Executive Officer of Primary Hydrogen. "The first grid, the airborne survey, and last year's data give us what we need to site the opening holes. The Phase 2 results will be in hand while we are still drilling, and they will guide the holes that follow. Waiting for every result before turning a drill would have pushed us out of the season."
The Wicheeda North project, covering nine contiguous mineral claims totaling 2,138 hectares in the northern Cariboo Mining Division of British Columbia, has not seen any drilling to date. The 2026 program follows the next steps set out in the 2025 field season, which identified two high-priority rare earth anomaly clusters, Grid A-South and Grid D-South.
The project is covered by a Mines Act permit issued on a multi-year area-based basis for a five-year term, expiring in 2031, which authorizes surface drilling at up to 70 sites. The 2026 program is fully funded from the Company's existing treasury, as previously announced.
The Company's exploration efforts at Wicheeda North are part of its broader commitment to the exploration and development of natural hydrogen resources. With projects in the U.S. and across Canada, the company aims to advance its portfolio, including the Wicheeda North project, towards identifying potential rare earth mineralization.