Standard Uranium begins first drilling at Rocas project in Athabasca Basin

Core Insights - Standard Uranium has commenced drilling at the Rocas Uranium Project, located approximately 75 kilometers southwest of the Key Lake Mine and Mill facilities [1] - The project is under a three-year earn-in option agreement with Collective Metals, which can earn a 75% interest by funding CAD$4.5 million in exploration expenditures [2] - The current drill program is fully funded by Collective Metals and operated by Standard Uranium [2] Exploration Details - The exploration team mobilized to the site on March 16, with diamond drilling underway on the first-ever hole at Rocas [3] - The winter/spring 2026 campaign is expected to comprise approximately 1,200 to 1,500 meters of drilling, targeting high-priority zones identified through a 2025 ground gravity survey and integrated geophysical modeling [3] - Rocas covers 4,002 hectares across three mineral claims in the southeastern Athabasca Basin, a significant uranium district [4] Mineralization Findings - Recent fieldwork has confirmed the presence of both uranium and rare earth element (REE) mineralization across the property, with assays of up to 9.83% total rare earth oxides (TREO) and 0.016% U₃O₈ from grab samples [4] - Additional uranium assays from outcrop and boulder samples range from 0.007% to 0.409% U₃O₈, indicating widespread mineralization potential [5] - The inaugural drill program will focus on high-priority targets along a 7.5-kilometer magnetic low and electromagnetic conductive corridor, which coincides with gravity lows and multiple uranium and REE surface occurrences [5] Strategic Importance - Management views the program as a key milestone in unlocking the project's potential, advancing exploration efforts within one of the world's premier uranium jurisdictions [6]