VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Miata Metals Corp. (CSE: MMET) (FSE: 8NQ) (OTCQX: MMETF) (“Miata” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce drill results from its ongoing, 25,000 m diamond drilling program at its Sela Creek Gold Project (“Sela Creek” or the “Project”) in Suriname. These results are from drilling at the Big Berg target, one of several high-priority zones currently being tested across Sela Creek.
Initial drilling at Big Berg has returned the strongest intercepts to date at Sela Creek, confirming a broad gold system with consistent mineralization from surface. These results highlight the first large discovery outside of Jons Trend, adding scale to the Project via the drill bit and highlighting its district-scale potential. The scale and geometry of mineralization suggest Big Berg may form part of the same structural corridor as Jons Trend, located approximately 1 km along strike from Jons Trend, and further drill-testing of this trend and its continuity is ongoing.
Highlights
- 26DDH-BB-003 intersected:
- 67.5 m at 1.13 g/t Au from surface1,2
- and 96 m at 1.41 g/t Au from 96 m1,3
- Including multiple high-grade zones:
- 18.1 m at 2.95 g/t Au2 from 40.4 m
- 7.7 m at 5.79 g/t Au2 from 130.3 m
- 4.65 m at 3.98 g/t Au2 from 147 m
- 23.5 m at 2.34 g/t Au2 from 168.5 m
- Big Berg is a new discovery, approximately 1 km southeast of Jons Trend
- Continuity of gold mineralization was confirmed in three additional drill holes at Big Berg:
- 7 m at 3.75 g/t Au2 from 96 m in DDH-BB-001
- 25 m at 0.90 g/t Au2 from 69 m, and 5.25 m at 2.38 g/t Au from 105 m in DDH-BB-002
- 7.25 m at 2.79 g/t Au2 from 90.75 m and 7.2 m at 1.99 g/t Au from 110.8 m in DDH-BB-04
- Big Berg and Jons Trend remain open along strike and at depth, highlighting significant district-scale expansion potential
- One rig continues drilling at Big Berg to expand discovery zone
Figure 1. Long section of interpreted mineralized zones at the Big Berg target. Location of section is indicated on Figure 2 with A-A’.
“These results from Big Berg mark a defining moment for the Sela Creek Project,” stated Dr. Jacob (Jaap) Verbaas, CEO of Miata. “Intersecting nearly 100 metres of continuous gold mineralization at 1.41 g/t Au in a new target, beginning near surface, is a clear indication that we have found a large and robust gold system. When combined with the higher-grade intervals throughout the hole, this represents the strongest drilling we have seen on the Project to date.”
What is particularly compelling is the strong similarity between Big Berg and Jons Trend. While Jons Trend continues to grow toward what we expect will form the basis of an initial resource, Big Berg demonstrates that mineralization extends beyond a single discovery zone.”
“Both Big Berg and Jons Trend remain open along strike and at depth, and we are well positioned to continue expanding the system and defining its full scale. One of our drill rigs has now returned to Big Berg to continue testing this exciting new discovery.”
Big Berg Target
Big Berg is situated approximately 800 to 1,200 metres along strike from Jons Trend, within the same interpreted structural corridor that hosts gold mineralization across the central portion of the Sela Creek property. Drilling at Big Berg has confirmed a robust and laterally extensive mineralized system characterized by broad zones of gold mineralization, with local high-grade mineralized zones.
Hole 26DDH-BB-003 is particularly significant, intersecting repeating mineralized zones from surface through to depth, with two major zones that combine to 67.5 m and 96 m respectively. These wide intercepts, combined with multiple higher-grade intervals such as 2.5 m at 15.34 g/t Au from 45 m and 2 m at 17.84 g/t Au from 131.3 m, point to a strong gold system that may be amenable to open-pit mining.
Figure 2. Map view of the Big Berg discovery holes. Note the continuity of structures and modeled vein arrays with the Jons Trend target. All 2025 results are indicated as intersected width. True width information, where available, is disclosed on the company website
The distribution of mineralization within the hole indicates the presence of repeating, sub-parallel zones. This hypothesis is supported by cross-section interpretations that highlight vertically continuous zones of veining and mineralization across multiple drill holes.
Core observations show mineralization associated with quartz-sulphide veining within altered host rocks, with increasing silica and muscovite alteration at depth, consistent with a strengthening mineralized system.
Figure 3. Dense quartz veining and intense silicification around 150 m in 26DDH-BB-003. Alteration, mineralogy, and veining styles are similar to Jons Trend, a discovery zone approximately 1 km to the northwest.
Figure 4. Strong silicification and pyrrhotite-pyrite alteration in BBH-03 at 47 m down hole.
Table 1. Drill results for Big Berg. Reported intervals in this table are over 2.5 m and > 0.45 g/t gold and less than 5 m internal dilution. True widths are unknown. Note the 67m at 1.41 g/t do not meet the maximum internal dilution threshold to be reported in this table.
| Hole Id | From (m) | To (m) | Intercept (m) | Au (g/t) | Hole Length (m) | Target | |
| 26DDH-BB-001 | 46 | 50.5 | 4.5 | 0.80 | 174.4 | Big Berg | |
| including | 47 | 48 | 1 | 2.28 | |||
| and | 96 | 103 | 7 | 3.75 | |||
| including | 98 | 103 | 5 | 4.82 | |||
| and | 109.6 | 110.1 | 0.5 | 1.45 | |||
| and | 121.6 | 124 | 2.4 | 1.03 | |||
| and | 128 | 129 | 1 | 0.53 | |||
| and | 130 | 131 | 1 | 0.64 | |||
| 26DDH-BB-002 | 1.5 | 4.5 | 3 | 0.56 | 156 | Big Berg | |
| and | 46 | 48 | 2 | 1.03 | |||
| and | 56 | 57 | 1 | 0.65 | |||
| and | 69 | 94 | 25 | 0.90 | |||
| including | 81 | 89 | 8 | 1.21 | |||
| including | 91 | 94 | 3 | 2.20 | |||
| and | 105 | 110.25 | 5.25 | 2.38 | |||
| including | 105.8 | 109 | 3.2 | 3.47 | |||
| 26DDH-BB-003 | 0 | 15.5 | 15.5 | 0.83 | 210 | Big Berg | |
| including | 6 | 10.5 | 4.5 | 1.25 | |||
| and | 28.5 | 30 | 1.5 | 1.35 | |||
| and | 40.4 | 58.5 | 18.1 | 2.95 | |||
| including | 45 | 47.5 | 2.5 | 15.34 | |||
| and | 65 | 67.5 | 2.5 | 2.41 | |||
| and | 96 | 110.5 | 14.5 | 0.95 | |||
| including | 103.5 | 105 | 1.5 | 4.13 | |||
| and | 130.3 | 138 | 7.7 | 5.79 | |||
| including | 131.3 | 133.3 | 2 | 17.84 | |||
| and | 147 | 151.65 | 4.65 | 3.98 | |||
| including | 149.5 | 150.65 | 1.15 | 12.11 | |||
| and | 162 | 163.5 | 1.5 | 1.46 | |||
| and | 168.5 | 192 | 23.5 | 2.34 | |||
| including | 171 | 184 | 13 | 3.43 | |||
| 26DDH-BB-004 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0.54 | 180 | Big Berg | |
| and | 48 | 49.5 | 1.5 | 0.93 | |||
| and | 58.9 | 66 | 7.1 | 0.50 | |||
| and | 73.5 | 77.9 | 4.4 | 0.75 | |||
| and | 90.75 | 98 | 7.25 | 2.79 | |||
| including | 95.15 | 96.15 | 1 | 11.40 | |||
| and | 103 | 104 | 1 | 0.57 | |||
| and | 110.8 | 118 | 7.2 | 1.99 | |||
| including | 110.8 | 112.35 | 1.55 | 6.15 | |||
| and | 126.55 | 130 | 3.45 | 1.55 | |||
| including | 127.05 | 128.05 | 1 | 4.06 | |||
| and | 132.7 | 148.5 | 15.8 | 0.62 |
Table 2. Collar information.
| Collar | Easting (m) | Northing (m) | Elevation (m) | Azimuth () | Inclination () | Length (m) |
| 26DDH-BB-001 | 755703 | 417495 | 113.2 | 330 | -50 | 174.4 |
| 26DDH-BB-002 | 755719 | 417581 | 113.2 | 310 | -50 | 156 |
| 26DDH-BB-003 | 755622 | 417509 | 112.3 | 28 | -45 | 210 |
| 26DDH-BB-004 | 755722 | 417578 | 112.8 | 285 | -60 | 200 |
Potential Link to Jons Trend and District-Scale Potential
The results from Big Berg have important implications for the broader Sela Creek project.
The proximity of Big Berg to Jons Trend, combined with its position along the same interpreted structural corridor, provides strong support for a potentially continuous or repeating mineralized system along strike. This spatial relationship significantly enhances the potential for linking these zones through ongoing drilling.
To date, drilling at Jons Trend has defined a large and growing mineralized footprint that is expected to form the foundation of an initial resource. Big Berg proves that this mineralization is not isolated.
Key similarities between Big Berg and Jons Trend include:
- Comparable vein orientations and structural controls
- Similar alteration assemblages and host lithologies
- Presence of broad mineralized envelopes with internal high-grade zones
- Strong vertical continuity
These characteristics support the interpretation that Big Berg may represent either a direct extension of Jons Trend or a parallel mineralized zone within the same structural framework.
Both Big Berg and Jons Trend remain open in all directions and at depth, with drilling to date testing a limited portion of the interpreted mineralized corridors. This reinforces the Company’s view that Sela Creek represents a large, underexplored gold system with substantial room for continued expansion, both laterally and along strike.
Program Update and Next Steps
The Company is currently drilling additional holes at Big Berg following these results, that are planned to further define the scale and continuity of mineralization.
Ongoing work will focus on:
- Expanding the footprint of mineralization along strike and at depth
- Testing continuity between Big Berg and Jons Trend
- Further refining the structural model controlling gold mineralization
Miata is well-positioned to accelerate both expansion and discovery drilling across multiple high-priority targets, including Puma, Stranger, and additional regional corridors.
QAQC
Drill core samples are analyzed for gold at FILAB Suriname, a commercial certified laboratory under ISO 9001:2015. Samples are crushed and pulverized to 85% passing 88 µm prior to analysis using a 50 g fire assay (50 g aliquot) with an Atomic Absorption (AA) finish. For samples that return assay values over 5.0 grams per tonne (g/t), another cut was taken from the original pulp and fire assayed with a gravimetric finish. Samples with coarse visible gold or returning an assay value over 10.0 grams per tonne (g/t), metallic screen analysis is conducted on the coarse reject material. Miata Metals inserts certified reference standards, as well as blanks and ¼ core duplicates in the sample sequence for quality control and assurance.
QP Statement
The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Jacob Verbaas, P.Geo., a director of the Company and Qualified Person as defined under the definitions of National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.
1True width unknown
2Maximum internal dilution of 8.5 m below 0.1 g/t Au
3Maximum internal dilution of 18.3 m below 0.1 g/t Au
About Miata Metals Corp.
Miata Metals Corp. (CSE: MMET) is a Canadian mineral exploration company listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange, as well as the OTCQX (OTCQX: MMETF) and Frankfurt (FSE: 8NQ) Exchanges. The Company is focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties. The Company holds a 70% interest in the ~215 km2 Sela Creek Gold Project with an option to acquire a full 100% interest in the Project, and a 70% beneficial interest in the Nassau Gold Project with an option to acquire 100%. Both exploration properties are located in the greenstone belt of Suriname.
On Behalf of the Board
Dr. Jacob (Jaap) Verbaas, P.Geo | CEO and Director
[email protected]
+1 778 488 9754
For Further Information, please contact:
Nikki McEachnie
Director of Investor Relations
[email protected]
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain information contained herein constitutes “forward-looking information” under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “anticipates”, “anticipated”, “expected”, “intends”, “will” or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results “will” occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different, including receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals. Although management of the Company have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The Company will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws.
The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
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