Imperial receives Mount Polley permit, updates 2026 guidance and Huckleberry results

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Imperial Metals Corporation  (“Imperial”) (TSX:III) reports that the British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) has recommended approval of Mount Polley Tailings Dam construction to the 987 metre elevation from the previously permitted 974 metre elevation. The regulatory process included consultation with First Nations in the area. Based on EAO’s recommendation, Minister Brar (Mining and Critical Minerals) and Minister Davidson (Environment and Parks) have granted consent, and the corresponding permits were issued.

The permitted facility will provide storage of the tailings generated by the expanded mining to 2034. Mount Polley Mine Production Imperial reports copper and gold production for the second quarter 2026 from Mount Polley mine. Production was 3.382 million pounds copper and 6,848 ounces gold at Mount Polley.

Throughput in the second quarter of 2026 was 18,498 tonnes per day compared to 19,331 tonnes per day in the second quarter of 2025. Copper production was 3.382 million pounds compared with 9.496 million pounds in the second quarter of 2025 and gold production was 6,848 ounces in versus 11,061 ounces in the comparative 2025 quarter. Mill feed for the second quarter of 2026 was sourced 44% from the Springer pit Phase 5 pushback supplemented by 15% from Phase 4 and C2 pit, and 41% from lower grade stockpiles.

The high percentage of low-grade stockpile material delivered to the mill resulted in lower copper and gold grades being milled. By the fourth quarter of 2026 higher grade material from Phase 5 should begin to be delivered to the mill and reduce or eliminate the need to process lower grade stockpiles. Three initiatives are being undertaken to improve grades for the third quarter.

Production from the C2