Phoenix Metals says four rigs now drilling at Phoenix South near Greenwood
Phoenix Metals' map of its Greenwood exploration project identifies Phoenix South, JD/Golden Crown, Phoenix Deep, Blue Bell and Lexington. The company says four rigs have begun drilling at Phoenix South.
Photo credit: Phoenix Metals Corp.
GREENWOOD — Phoenix Metals Corp. says four drilling rigs have begun work at its Phoenix South exploration target near Greenwood, following a provincial permit amendment that expanded the company's drilling plans in the Boundary region.
The Vancouver-based mining exploration company confirmed the change in its October 2026 corporate presentation, which also lists one drilling rig at Lexington, approximately 15 kilometres south of the historic Phoenix mine site. The update follows a Sept. 8 announcement that B.C.'s Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals had amended exploration permit MX-5-836 to allow drilling at additional targets.
In September, Phoenix announced it had awarded a 51,500-metre drilling contract covering Phoenix South, JD/Golden Crown, Phoenix Deep and Blue Bell. At the time, the company reported that four additional rigs were being sent to the project, while drilling was already underway at Lexington.
The October presentation describes a fully funded 55,000-metre drilling contract as executed. The larger figure refers to the company's broader Phase 1 drilling program, while the September announcement identified 51,500 metres for the Phoenix Target Area. Phoenix has not published a detailed reconciliation of the two figures.
The company's latest materials confirm drilling has commenced at Phoenix South but do not disclose how many metres have been drilled across the program. Initial drilling results from Lexington and Phoenix South remain pending, with the company identifying the fourth quarter of 2026 as the expected reporting period.
Phoenix South lies immediately south of the historic Phoenix open pit. The proposed exploration program there includes 32 drill holes totalling 9,600 metres, intended to investigate copper and gold mineralization identified through earlier fieldwork.
Other targets are at different stages of development. The JD/Golden Crown area, approximately 1.5 kilometres south of the historic Phoenix pit, is proposed for a larger exploration program examining both near-surface mineralization and deeper gold-copper structures. The October presentation continues to list the start of drilling there as an upcoming activity.
At Phoenix Deep, the company proposes drilling beneath the historic mine workings to investigate deeper mineralized structures. Blue Bell is another exploration target within the broader Phoenix area, where the proposed first phase includes 12 holes totalling 7,850 metres.
Lexington, farther south, was the company's initial drilling focus during the summer. In its Sept. 8 announcement, Phoenix reported completing 10 holes of an initial 12-hole program. The October presentation continues to identify one rig at Lexington but provides no updated count of completed holes.
The Greenwood project covers approximately 12,888 hectares of mineral properties between Greenwood and Grand Forks. The district has a lengthy mining history, including copper and gold production at the former Phoenix operation.
Phoenix's exploration plans seek to determine whether mineralization extends beyond previously identified deposits and whether additional copper and gold deposits can be defined. The company has reported mineral resources at Lexington and Golden Crown, but mineral resources are distinct from economically demonstrated mineral reserves. The larger potential deposits described in its exploration materials remain conceptual and require further investigation.
Phoenix Metals says the company was established in partnership with the Osoyoos Indian Band, whose traditional territory includes the project area. According to its October corporate presentation, Indian Mining Company, which is majority-owned by the Osoyoos Indian Band, holds shares in Phoenix Metals.
The amended exploration permit provides the basis for the company's expanded drilling plans, according to Phoenix's September announcement. The permit number also appears in provincial mining records, although the specific conditions of the 2026 amendment have not been independently established from the publicly accessible permit documentation.
The current work remains mineral exploration. Phoenix has announced no decision to construct a new mine, and its existing mineral resource estimates do not establish that future mining would be economically viable.
The company's next anticipated milestones include initial drilling results from Lexington and Phoenix South, followed by additional drilling at JD/Golden Crown and other targets within the Greenwood project.
Phoenix Metals Corp. says four drilling rigs have begun work at its Phoenix South exploration target near Greenwood, following a provincial permit amendment that expanded the company's drilling plans in the Boundary region.