IG ASIA Drilling Intersects Medium-To High-Grade Cu–Mo Intervals in 6 of 10 Drill Holes at the Uzhnaya Ploshchad Prospect, Pribrezhniy Project, Kazakhstan

Author of the article:You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.CHARLESTOWN, Saint Kitts and Nevis, April 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — IG ASIA LLC (“IG Asia” or the “Company”), a private company based in Nevis, is pleased to report encouraging results from its delineation drilling program at the Uzhnaya Ploshchad (“Southern Area”) Prospect. The prospect is located within the broader Pribrezhniy project license area in the Republic of Kazakhstan and represents part of a clustered porphyry copper system situated outside the known Pribrezhniy Copper Deposit.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Uzhnaya Ploshchad is located approximately 5–10 km east of the depleted Kounrad Cu/Au/Mo mine, which historically hosted a pre-mining resource of 800 Mt at 0.62% Cu (Fig. 1). (At Kounrad, Central Asia Metals Ltd owns an (SX-EW) plant recovering copper from old waste dumps. The operation is known for its low-cost, highly-profitable production.)Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.The 10-hole infill and delineation drilling program, conducted between February and March 2026, was aimed at confirming the continuity of previously identified mineralization at Uzhnaya Ploshchad, while also defining higher-grade zones similar to those intersected in drill hole UPL2402 (50 m @ 1.16% CuEq), completed in the fall of 2024.DRILL PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTSFigure 1: Prospective areas located within Kounrad-Pribrezhniy trend.

The Pribrezhniy Project license area is shown in green.EXPLORATION HIGHLIGHTSTable 1: Diamond drill holes register from Feb-Mar 2026 exploration programA total of 706.2 meters of mineralized intercepts grading ≥0.25% Cu were recorded in six of the ten drill holes completed during the Q1 2026 program, with an average grade of 0.49% CuEq (Table 2). The remaining four drill holes—UPL2602, UPL2603, UPL2604, and UPL2605—did not intersect significant near-surface copper mineralization but marginal grades in oxide over selected intervals which will be incorporated in program-wide copper diagnostic leach testwork.Figure. 2: DH UPL2609 @ 65.8m, 1.18%Cu & 805ppm Mo. Hydrothermal breccia supported by predominantly fine grained quartz diorite or strongly silicified unit’s angular to sub-angular clasts diorite clasts. Matrix is dominantly biotite-mafic minerals later replaced by massive chalcopyrite or cemented by chalcopyrite.Table 2: Summary of drill results and mineralized intervals from Uzhnaya Ploshchad areas, 6 holes*Copper equivalent (CuEq) is determined using an LME metal price for Mar 26, 2026, of USD 12,321 per ton for copper and USD 63,961 per ton of molybdenum (Live Molybdenum Price & Charts | CommodityPriceAPI), based on the following formula: CuEq % = Cu % + 5.19 X Mo %. Molybdenum is not recoverable from oxide mineralization processed by SX-EW. CuEq grades reported for oxide intervals therefore reflect copper only; the molybdenum contribution to CuEq applies to sulfide intervals only where conventional flotation recovery is anticipated.Selective high-grade copper intervals returned up to 147 ppb Au and 11 g/t Ag; however, due to the irregular distribution of gold assays and a 2 ppm lower detection limit for silver, these values were not included in the current copper equivalent grade calculation.Figure 3: 2024-2026 Diamond drilling results at Uzhnaya Ploshchad QA/QC MEASURESPROJECT HIGHLIGHTSFigure 4: Large Porphyry copper ±Mo/Au systems in South Central Kazakhstan Figure 5: Infrastructure in the districtOTHER AREAS, SHABIGON Figure 6: Shabigon historical drill holes’ locations on geology map NEXT STEPSAt the beginning of April 2026, the company intends to resume its exploration program which will include:MANAGEMENT COMMENTS: “These results from our second-pass drill campaign at Uzhnaya Ploshchad are outstanding. The intercepts confirm long, continuous intervals of exceptional copper and molybdenum grades within tourmaline breccias — a hallmark of high-energy porphyry hydrothermal systems — surrounded by a broad halo of oxide and sulfide mineralization that remains open and largely unexplored.Uzhnaya Ploshchad is a new “greenfield” discovery within our Balkhash contract area, which also hosts our Pribrezhniy copper-molybdenum deposit. As an oxide system located away from the alluvial fan at Pribrezhniy, Uzhnaya Ploshchad represents an attractive near-term development opportunity enabling our Balkhash contract area to deliver early production while advancing the Pribrezhniy Deposit, one of the most significant copper resources in Central Asia. Our IG Team has a strong track record of discovery — from the Svetloye high sulfidation epithermal gold and Malmyzh copper-gold porphyry deposits in the Russian Far East, to brownfield successes at the Trixie gold mine in Utah’s East Tintic District and the Durmin gold deposit in Khabarovsk Krai. Uzhnaya Ploshchad adds another genuine discovery to that record, and I am very proud of the professionalism and dedication our Team brings to every project. They truly exemplify our corporate motto, Excellentium Prosperitus.I look forward to advancing this discovery through exploration and into development — for the benefit of our IG Team, our partners at Tau Ken Samruk, and the nation and peoples of the Republic of Kazakhstan.”Thomas E. BowensFounder and Executive Director, IG Asia LLC​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​QUALIFIED PERSON Volodymyr Buchynskyy, P. Geo, Vice President Exploration of IG Asia LLC and a “qualified person” within the meaning of NI 43-101 has prepared, validated and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this press release. During the exploration program from February to March 2026, Mr. Buchynskyy has visited the Pribrezhniy camp and spent 19 days by observing drill sites, overseeing the drilling, core logging, sawing and sampling procedures.CONTACT INFORMATION: Stephanie Ashton, VP of Business Development: sashton@igglobalgroup.com Volodymyr Buchynskyy, VP of Exploration: vbuchynskyy@igglobalgroup.comFor more information see the company’s website: https://igasia.co/About IG AsiaIG Asia is a privately held exploration and development company advancing its core Pribrezhniy Project in Kazakhstan, which it acquired from Rio Tinto International Holdings Limited in 2024. The company began operations in 2021 with a focus on copper, gold, and molybdenum, targeting world-class opportunities in the mineral-rich Balkhash region of Kazakhstan.Founded by Thomas E. Bowens, IG Asia was established to capitalize on the vast mineral discovery potential of Kazakhstan and the opportunities presented by the country’s modernized and attractive foreign investment framework. The company draws on the proven track record of IG Global Group, whose team delivered successful greenfield discoveries at the Svetloye gold and Malmyzh copper-gold porphyry systems in the Russian Far East, as well as brownfield discoveries at the Trixie gold mine in Utah’s historic East Tintic District and the Durmin gold deposit in Khabarovsk Krai, Russia. This depth of exploration and development experience across complex jurisdictions is a core strategic advantage in IG Asia’s ability to execute in the region.FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATIONCertain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking information or statements (collectively, “forward-looking statements”), including those identified by the expressions “anticipate,” “believe,” “plan,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “should,” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements reflect management’s current beliefs and expectations and are based on assumptions and information currently available to the Company. They are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict, including the continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market, or business conditions. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements.Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by applicable law.Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b49a71a3-abbf-4b86-98f1-5407c4e2a266https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1cef56ab-e558-4f72-922c-0f0989489495https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b4007ef4-48a9-4d09-8901-941485432ad3https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/49b7118e-b2a5-4873-8226-d9670f029509https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/584999a8-f3eb-4060-832e-f50c90dbe6f1https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1fb815e8-d1ff-4dd9-9e50-53469c148375Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. 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