Omineca Mining and Metals Ltd. (TSXV: OMM) (OTCQB: OMMSF) has announced a significant hard rock gold discovery at its Wingdam exploration project in the Cariboo Mining District of south-central British Columbia. The initial drill results from the 2025 winter program have intersected gold mineralization in bedrock, marking the first time a lode source has been identified for the rich paleoplacer gold deposits that have been mined in the area for over 165 years.
The discovery was made approximately 500 meters west of and at depths below the company's underground paleoplacer workings, validating the theory that the placer gold originated from a nearby bedrock source. The findings coincide with recent evidence from underground workings indicating that Lightning Creek flowed from west to east when the gold was eroded, contrary to its present direction, suggesting the source lies downstream of the placer deposits.
Highlights from the drilling include hole WD25-41, which returned 4.84 grams per tonne gold over 1.07 meters, and hole WD25-42, which intersected 1.25 grams per tonne gold over 2.0 meters. The mineralization is associated with ultramafic rocks of the Slide Mountain Terrane, which are known to be structurally related to orogenic gold deposits throughout British Columbia, including the Barkerville gold camp 30 kilometers to the east.
The company's exploration thesis is based on the reversal of drainage systems due to glacial isostatic depression. The immense weight of the Cordilleran ice sheet depressed the crust, causing the Fraser River to change course approximately 760,000 years ago and Lightning Creek to reverse flow about 200,000 years ago. This reversal, combined with reactivation of the Eureka Thrust Fault, explains why the lode source is now located downstream and at depth relative to the placer workings.
This theory has been confirmed by observations in the underground workings, where the imbrication of gravel layers indicates a west-to-east flow direction, opposite to the current flow. The 2025 drill program consisted of six NQ diamond drill holes totaling 3,091.9 meters, following up on mineralization intersected in 2024. The program targeted downdip extensions of gold-bearing structures and the Eureka Thrust Fault zone.
Stephen Kocsis, P.Geo., the independent qualified person for the project, has approved the scientific and technical information in this release. The company plans to expand the exploration footprint of this discovery and will announce further details once finalized.
This discovery represents a major step forward in understanding the geological history of the Wingdam area and opens new opportunities for hard rock gold exploration. The presence of high-grade gold in bedrock near the paleoplacer deposits strengthens the potential for a significant new gold system in the Cariboo Mining District.
Omineca's Wingdam project encompasses over 61,000 hectares of mineral tenures and 15 kilometers of placer claims along Lightning Creek. The project has previously recovered 173.4 ounces of placer gold from a single crosscut in 2012, demonstrating the richness of the placer deposit. The company also holds the Fraser Canyon project northwest of Quesnel, which is slated for further development.
