VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Copper Quest Exploration Inc. (CSE:CQX, FRA: 3MX)) ("Copper Quest" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has completed its positive due diligence of the arms-length Option to Purchase Agreement (the "Agreement") dated November 7th, 2025 and previously announced November 14, 2025. The Agreement is with 0847114 B.C. Ltd. ("Privco"), a British Columbia Incorporated company that holds 100% ownership, title, and interest in the Alpine Gold Property (the "Property"), located in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia (the "Acquisition"). The Company plans to immediately begin the process to complete the Acquisition of the Property.
Highlights of the Alpine Gold Property
2018 NI43-101 Inferred Resource of 268,000 tonnes estimated using a cut-off grade of 5.0 g/t Au and an average grade of 16.52 g/t Au that represents an inferred resource of 142,000 oz of gold (McCuaig & Giroux, 2018).
Substantial opportunity to grow the maiden Alpine resource to the east-west and to depth with only about 300m of the roughly 2km long vein system explored to date by underground mine workings and drilling.
Estimated 24,000 tonnes Run of Mine mineralized stockpile on surface presenting a possible near term cash flow opportunity.
1,650 meters of clean and dry underground workings accessing sampled and mineable zones.
At least 4 additional relatively unexplored vein systems on the Property (Black Prince, Cold Blow, Gold Crown & past-producing King Solomon), all hosting historic high-grade gold values.
Road accessible 4,611.49-hectare Property including 15 Crown Grants (1 with surface rights) and 19 staked mineral claims with all-season operation potential (Figure 1).
Additions of Mr. Allan Matovich to the Board of Directors. Mr. Ted Muraro and Mr. John Mirko as Technical Advisors on closing. They have a combined mining and exploration experience of 150+ years in the industry.
The 4,611.49-hectare Property is approximately 20 kilometers northeast of the City of Nelson (Figure 1) and hosts the former operating underground mine with a recorded production of approximately 16,810 tonnes of mineralized vein material (Table 1). This material contained 356,360 grams of gold, 222,054 grams of silver, 49,329 kilograms of lead and 17,167 kilograms of zinc. The other 4 significant vein systems on the property will also be explored including the Black Prince and Cold Blow quartz veins approximately 3km to the northeast of the Alpine mine, the Gold Crown vein system 600m southeast, and the past-producing King Solomon vein workings 1.8km to the south. Further information about the Alpine Gold property will be forthcoming in the upcoming weeks.
Brian Thurston, President & CEO of Copper Quest, commented: "The Alpine Gold property presents a tremendous opportunity to create near term value for our shareholders through exposure to an all-time high gold market while we continue to also focus on our efforts of copper exploration. Our recent closing of approximately $2 million in financing ensures that our shareholders will see work put into the ground to advance our multiple properties. We look forward to welcoming Mr. Matovich, Mr. Muraro and Mr. Mirko to our team in the very near future."
Figure 1: Location Claim Map
Appointment of Mr. Allan Matovich as Director
Copper Quest is also pleased to announce that upon closing of the acquisition, Mr. Allan Matovich will join the Company's Board of Directors. Mr. Matovich is the principal owner of the Alpine Gold Property.
Mr. Matovich has 60+ years of mining and exploration experience in Canada and the United States. He first started with Cominco in Trail BC working in the smelter operation. Mr. Matovich then started Matovich Mining Industries where they supplied considerable tonnages of siliceous flux materials, lead and zinc concentrates to Cominco for over 20 years. Mr. Matovich then opened a mining operation in 1997 in Northern British Columbia to supply barite for drilling fluids in the oil and gas industry. This mining operation is still in production today. Mr. Matovich also opened a barite operation in Washington State that is going into production. He also worked with Halliburton, Baker Hughes, and Newmont and was very successful. In 2000, Mr. Matovich purchased the Alpine Gold Mine and since then has spent a considerable amount of time proving up the project.
Mr. Matovich commented "I am very pleased to bring the Alpine Gold Property to Copper Quest and join as a director. The company has a fantastic portfolio of critical mineral projects advancing and the Alpine Gold Project gives a potential near term cash flow opportunity along with upside to grow the current resource with drilling. I look forward to working with the Copper Quest team to help create value for all stakeholders involved."
Table 1, Production History, Minfile (082FNW127) for Alpine Mine for gold (Au) and silver (Ag)
YEAR
Tonnes
Tonnes
Au Grams
Ag Grams
Est Grade
Est Grade
Mined
Milled
Recovered
Recovered
Au (g/t)
Ag (g/t)
1988
200
90
198
591
2.20
6.57
