TORONTO, Oct. 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Class 1 Nickel and Technologies Limited (CSE: NICO | OTCQB: NICLF) (“Class 1” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce results from its recently completed 2025 prospecting and ground-truthing campaign over its River Valley PGE-Cu-Ni Project (the “RV Project”), located about 65 km northeast of the City of Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.
The RV Project covers approximately 2,916 hectares and hosts several kilometres of highly prospective geology with known platinum group element (PGE)-bearing sulphide mineralization. This mineralization is categorized as Contact-Style PGE-Cu-Ni and is hosted by the River Valley Intrusion (“RVI”). The RV Project lies immediately south of, and within the same intrusive complex as, the advanced River Valley Palladium Project being developed by New Age Metals Inc. (Figure 1).
A total of 73 rock grab samples were collected from outcrop (Figures 2 and 3) and sent for multi-element assay (grab samples are inherently selective and serve to prove the presence of mineralization only). Highlights from the sampling program include:
- 0.96% Cu, 0.17% Ni, 0.47 g/t 3E (Pd + Pt + Au), and 3.28 g/t Ag.
- 0.54% Cu, 0.19 g/t 3E, and 0.54 g/t Ag.
- 1.11 g/t 3E and 0.77 g/t Ag.
- Several new targets were generated for follow-up with ground geophysics and a potential drilling campaign.
Of the 73 rock grab samples, 11 samples (inclusion-bearing and melagabbro) returned assays ranging from 0.26 to 1.11 g/t 3E, 0.04 to 0.96% Cu, and 0.02% to 0.17% Ni. A surface geophysics program is being planned for the North PGE Trend and the Crerar PGE Trend (Figures 2 and 3).
David Fitch, CEO of Class 1 Nickel, commented, “Results from this surface sampling program, combined with results from the VTEM airborne geophysical survey completed earlier this year, along what we know from historical exploration and drilling done on the Property, give us confidence to continue with additional exploration in the target areas, including the Crerar PGE Trend, in order to plan and complete a drilling program in the near future.”
Figure 1. Generalized geology of the River Valley Intrusion (RVI) and the location of the claims (red boundary) that constitute the River Valley PGE Project and the main PGE-(Cu-Ni) occurrences (red triangles). Occurrence #8, labelled the South Zone, is referred to now as the Crerar PGE Trend (modified from Jobin-Bevans, 2004).
In July 2025, the Company completed a field sampling and ground-truthing survey across the Project. Objectives of this program were to sample and map bedrock across the Property, in order to generate targets for a future drilling program. Several VTEM conductors and geophysical picks identified from the spring VTEM survey (see news release dated 27 May 2025) were visited during this campaign.
Figure 2. Outline of the RV Project mining claims (red boundary) that define the River Valley PGE Project, the previously identified Crerar PGE Trend (red polygon), and the North PGE Trend (blue polygon). Bedrock samples are shown as %Cu concentrations.
Figure 3. Close-up of the River Valley PGE Property and location of bedrock samples, showing 3E g/t (Pd+Pt+Au) concentrations in the Crerar and North PGE trends.
River Valley PGE-Cu-Ni Project
The RV Project, covering known Contact-Style PGE-Cu-Ni sulphide mineralization (Crerar PGE Trend) in the southern part of the intrusion (Figure 2), provides PGE-focused exploration upside to the Company’s portfolio as well as exposure to critical minerals, PGE, copper, and nickel. The RV Project is underlain by gabbroic to anorthositic rocks of the Paleoproterozoic RVI with a focus on targeting the productive Marginal and Inclusion-Bearing zones.
Noteworthy historical exploration on the Property includes a diamond drill program completed in 2001 by Mustang Minerals Corp., which targeted the area of the Crerar PGE Trend. Highlights of Pd+Pt+Au grades (3E) from this historical 2001 program include:
- 0.30 g/t 3E over 6.80 metres and 0.31 g/t 3E over 5.45 metres in hole MRS-01-1;
- 0.58 g/t 3E over 7.00 metres in hole MRS-01-6;
- 0.61 g/t 3E over 3.00 metres in hole MRS-01-7;
- 2.26 g/t 3E over 1.50 metres and 0.82 g/t 3E over 7.00 metres in hole MRS-01-2;
- 0.58 g/t 3E over 3 metres in hole MRS-01-9; and
- 0.51 g/t 3E over 9 metres in hole MRS-01-10.
Qualified Person
Technical information and data in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Scott Jobin-Bevans (P.Geo., PGO #0183), a geological consultant to the Company, and a Qualified Person under the definitions established by National Instrument 43‐101.
About Class 1 Nickel
Class 1 Nickel and Technologies Limited (CSE: NICO | OTCQB: NICLF) is a Mineral Resources Company primarily focused on the exploration and development of its 100% owned komatiite-hosted nickel sulphide projects: the Alexo-Dundonald Project (“A-D”), near Timmins, Ontario (4 nickel sulphide deposits) and the Somanike Project, near Val-d’Or, Quebec (includes the historical Marbridge Ni-Cu Mine). Both projects comprise extensive property packages covering past-producing nickel mines, offering excellent exploration upside and near-term production opportunities.
The Company holds 100% interest in its River Valley PGE Project located about 65 km northeast of the City of Sudbury, the world’s largest and longest operating nickel-copper-cobalt-PGE mining camp (see Class 1 news release 13 December 2023).
Outside of the River Valley PGE Project, Class 1 is advancing its Alexo-Dundonald Project toward near-term production and at the same time continue brownfield and greenfield exploration on its large property package to aggregate additional nickel resources. The A-D Project sits on a 14+ km strike-length, folded komatiite unit containing four nickel-copper-cobalt-PGE mineral resources plus numerous underexplored sulphide occurrences. Decades of successful capital expenditure and investment into the Project has resulted in the discovery and delineation of the four mineral resources but the greater Property area remains underexplored. The A-D Project was previously mined (ca. 2005) via a direct shipping model, and the Company is investigating the possibility of a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) study to determine the best path forward.
For more information, please contact:
Mr. David Fitch, President & CEO
T: +61.400.631.608
E: [email protected]
For additional information please visit our website at www.class1nickel.com and our Twitter feed: @Class1Nickel.
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulation services provider has reviewed or accepted responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
This news release contains forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information is characterized by words such as “plan”, “expect”, “project”, “intend”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “estimate” and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” occur. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, changes in the state of equity and debt markets, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in obtaining required regulatory or governmental approvals, and other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, including those risks set out in the Company’s management’s discussion and analysis as filed under the Company’s profile at SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca). Forward-looking information in this news release is based on the opinions and assumptions of management considered reasonable as of the date hereof, including that all necessary governmental and regulatory approvals will be received as and when expected. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable securities laws.
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