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Star Copper District-Scale Campaign Underway with Inaugural Drilling at Star East and Return to Copper Creek
Star Copper District-Scale Campaign Underway with Inaugural Drilling at Star East and Return to Copper Creek
Early season inaugural target depth success at Star East speeds redeployment to test large geophysical signature at Copper Creek
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / June 16, 2026 / Star Copper Corp. (CSE:STCU)(OTCQX:STCUF)(FWB:SOP) ("Star Copper" or the "Company"), a critical minerals exploration and development company, is pleased to announce the first drill hole into the Star East target has been successfully completed.
HIGHLIGHTS
Inaugural Star East drilling achieves target depth with excellent core sample recovery.
Proximal mineralization shows the system is still intact across the fault.
Drilling has commenced at Copper Creek South.
Two initial drill holes are planned at Copper Creek North.
Fully funded exploration campaign supported by over $12 million flow-through financing.
3D IP (Induced Polarization) and MT (Magnetotellurics) planned for late June.
With the first ever drill hole into the Star East target successfully and expeditiously concluded, the Company feels confident in its assessment that the Star project is progressing towards a better understanding of mineralization control and overall understanding of the deposit model. Further induced polarization("IP") and Magnetotellurics ("MT") surveys are designed to fill in the unknowns that previous surveys were unable to define.
The early season program has been designed to test a series of compelling geophysical, geochemical, and structural targets generated through the integration of IP chargeability and conductivity anomalies, airborne magnetic data, soil and rock geochemistry, historic trenching, and detailed geological and structural mapping.
Company CEO Darryl Jones notes, "We decided to move quickly to commence drilling at some of our satellite locations with the added benefit of early season helicopter while we await the larger geophysical program. With MT and IP being conducted during June 2026 testing these targets became a priority to understand the geologic landscape."
Once the initial phase of 2026 drilling is concluded at Copper Creek, the Company expects to advance drilling at Star North and return to Star East while concurrently deploying 3D IP and MT geophysical surveys at Star Main to refine drill targeting aimed at fine tuning the district-scale hypothesis and advancing towards establishing sufficient geological confidence to support a future maiden Mineral Resources Estimate at Star Main, both of which remain primary goals for this year's campaign.
STAR EAST
Star East DDH SE-26-001 (340866E, 6457751N; azimuth 100°, dip -63°; TD 230.6 m) is the first drill hole completed on the Star East target, a 1 km x 1 km Cu-Au-in-soil and IP chargeability anomaly located southeast of Star Main and separated from it by the northeast-trending Dick Creek Fault. The hole intersected a broad sequence of plagioclase porphyry and andesite ash tuff, cut by several intervals of CKP (crowded pink-feldspar porphyry), providing the first direct test of geology beneath this largely covered target. Importantly, the presence of CKP at Star East is notable because the same intrusive phase is logged in several Star Main holes and is commonly associated there with mineralizing intrusive contacts along the margin of the Star stock and host Stuhini Group volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks. As such, the hole supports the interpretation that Star East may represent a displaced or related part of the broader Star porphyry system across the Dick Creek Fault.
Alteration and mineralization in SE-26-001 are consistent with a Cu-Au porphyry-style environment, with broad propylitic to phyllic assemblages overprinting multiple zones of K-feldspar alteration, including stronger potassic development from approximately 6-23 m, 62-84.6 m, 96-171.9 m, and again near the bottom of hole. Chalcopyrite is present from near surface as fine disseminations and in pyrite-chalcopyrite stringers, sigmoidal veinlets, and sheeted vein sets, with notable zones including 27.2-30.0 m, a narrow semi-massive sulphide band at 44.4-44.5 m with K-feldspar halos, 84.6-88.5 m, 135.5-138.6 m, and 159.0-162.7 m. Several of these mineralized intervals occur adjacent to, or within, CKP intrusions and strongly altered volcanic units, reinforcing similarities to Star Main and indicating that the Star East target preserves the same key ingredients seen elsewhere in the district-scale Star system.
Figure 1- Star East Hole SE-26-001 core intersects strong K-feldspar alteration within an overall propylitic and phyllic overprint. Star Copper 2026
COPPER CREEK
Advancing a High-Priority Copper-Gold Discovery Target
Copper Creek has rapidly emerged as one of the Company's most compelling exploration targets outside of Star Main. Historic exploration identified widespread copper-gold mineralization associated with altered volcanic rocks and quartz monzodiorite intrusive dike swarms within a structurally complex corridor extending along both sides of the Copper Creek drainage.
The target area was originally explored in the 1970s by previous operators, including Skyline Explorations and United Cambridge Mines, where drilling intersected broad intervals of copper mineralization including historic drill hole G-2, which returned 35.5 metres grading 0.485% copper, with localized higher-grade gold values reported within the broader mineralized system.
During the 2025 field season, Star Copper completed a detailed reconnaissance and target verification program at Copper Creek, confirming extensive hydrothermal alteration, structurally controlled copper mineralization, and widespread copper-gold geochemical anomalies coincident with multiple untested IP chargeability anomalies. This culminated in the completion of the first drill hole in Copper Creek since the 1970s. CC-25-001 was drilled to 151m and intersected 111.0m of 0.348% CuEq (0.178%Cy and 0.167g/t Au) from 40m (See Star Copper News Release dated March 24, 2026, https://starcopper.com/news/)
Drilling in 2026 will focus on testing multiple high-priority IP chargeability anomalies associated with coincident copper and gold soil anomalies hosted within strongly altered and fractured volcanic rocks and quartz monzodiorite dike swarms on both sides of the Copper Creek gully system.
CC 26-02 (Copper Creek North) has been designed to test a robust IP chargeability anomaly associated with coincident copper and gold soil anomalies along interpreted structural trends within altered volcanic rocks and quartz monzodiorite dike swarms.
CC 26-03 (Copper Creek South) will test a similar geophysical and geochemical signature approximately 500 metres to the south, providing an opportunity to evaluate the scale and continuity of the mineralized corridor.
"The commencement of drilling at Copper Creek is an exciting milestone for Star Copper and marks the beginning of what we believe will be a transformational exploration season," Mr. Jones continues. "Over the last two years our technical team has systematically advanced the Star Project from a single known mineralized centre toward a district-scale exploration opportunity. Copper Creek is a prime example of that work. Historic drilling, strong surface geochemistry, compelling geophysical signatures and widespread alteration all point toward the potential for a significant copper-gold system."
The Company is committed to providing additional updates as drilling progresses throughout the 2026 field season and looks forward to building on exploration success aimed at building shareholder value.
Qualified Person
Jeremy Hanson, P. Geo., a Qualified Person as that term is defined under NI 43-101, is an independent contractor of the Company and has reviewed and approved the technical aspects of this news release.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
~Darryl Jones~
Darryl Jones
CEO, President & Director
Star Copper Corp.
About Star Copper Corp. (CSE:STCU)(OTCQX:STCUF)(FWB:SOP / WKN A416ME)
Star Copper Corp. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the discovery and advancement of large-scale copper-gold systems in British Columbia. The Company's flagship Star Project is located in British Columbia's prolific Golden Triangle and hosts multiple high-priority targets and exhibits geological characteristics consistent with significant porphyry copper deposits (watch our videos: https://starcopper.com/media/). The project hosts multiple copper-gold porphyry-style targets, including Star Main, Star North, East & West, Copper Creek and Copperline. Significant exploration including historical drilling has confirmed open mineralization at depth and in all directions. Star Copper's strategic plans include geological mapping and geophysical surveys to refine existing targets, diamond drilling programs to test high-priority zones, environmental baseline studies and permitting groundwork alongside data analysis and resource modeling to support a future resource estimate prepared in accordance with NI 43-101. The Company further plans to advance its Indata Project with follow-up drilling to expand on previous high-grade copper and gold intercepts, trenching and surface sampling to delineate mineralized zones, and infrastructure improvements for site accessibility and operations. With a commitment to sustainable development and value creation, Star Copper aims to position itself to support surging industrial demand to meet growing global electrification needs.
For more information visit: www.starcopper.com for in depth information and the ability to watch our videos at https://starcopper.com/media/, and while you are there, sign up for free news alerts at https://starcopper.com/news/news-alerts/, where you can follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook or LinkedIn. Additional information regarding the project, including historical drilling, is available under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and/or in the Company's February 26, 2025, technical report.
Investor Relations
Star Copper Corp.
Email: [email protected]
Web: https://starcopper.com/
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding exploration of the Company's flagship Star Project and the potential thereof, as well as the anticipated mineral resource estimate planned in respect of the Star Project. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include, but are not limited to, the early-stage nature of the Star Project, the inherently unpredictable nature of resource exploration, market conditions and the risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect, and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly required by applicable law. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.
SOURCE: Star Copper Corp.
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
S.Morin--SMC
