Québec Innovative Materials Corp. (CSE: QIMC) (OTCQB: QIMCF) announced on October 26, 2026, that 147 new soil-gas stations at its New Salem-Apple River project in Nova Scotia returned a thermogenic wet-gas signature in 99% of samples, together with the highest helium concentration recorded in the current dataset at 5.573 ppmv. The results extend QIMC's multi-gas system — encompassing clean natural hydrogen, helium, and natural gas — onto previously unsampled ground. Investors may be watching how the surface geochemistry integrates with the company's recently completed 63.7-kilometre 2D seismic program now in processing.

Key Points

  • Québec Innovative Materials Corp. (CSE: QIMC) (OTCQB: QIMCF) (FSE: 7FJ)
  • 147 new soil-gas stations across eight lines in New Salem-Apple River returned wet thermogenic gas in 145 of 147 samples (99%) and helium anomalies peaking at 5.573 ppmv
  • Station 6033-700 recorded 1,287 ppmv methane and the dataset's highest helium reading; four stations exceeded the regional anomaly threshold of 5.48 ppmv
  • Seismic data processing by Earth Signal Processing Ltd. of Calgary is ongoing; integration with the new surface geochemistry is the key near-term milestone

New Salem-Apple River Soil-Gas Results Extend Cumberland Basin Thermogenic Fairway

Sampled in September 2026 at 100-metre station spacing along 13.9 line-kilometres, the 147 new stations cover five lines in the New Salem sector and three in the Apple River sector. The median wetness index of 7.7% and median Bernard ratio of 14 place the results firmly in the thermogenic wet-gas field, the release states, improving on the 86% wet-gas rate reported on October 6, 2026. Methane exceeded the 2 ppmv atmospheric ceiling at 124 stations (84%), with nine exceeding 10 ppmv. All C1-C4 hydrocarbon and helium analyses were performed by GeoFrontiers Corporation of Texas, the independent laboratory used in prior Nova Scotia programs.

Helium Anomalies and Line 6000A Highlight District-Scale Consistency

Four of the 147 stations surpassed the regional helium anomaly threshold of 5.48 ppmv, with concentrations ranging from 5.264 to 5.573 ppmv and a mean of 5.386 ppmv. Line 6000A, the longest new line at 4.0 kilometres, was anomalous along its full length: 27 of 41 stations exceeded 5 ppmv methane, and the line recorded the highest ethane and combined C2-C4 concentrations of the program. The release notes the U.S. Department of Energy designated helium a critical material on October 23, 2026, reinforcing what the company characterises as the strategic relevance of evaluating helium alongside clean natural hydrogen in Nova Scotia.

Surface Geochemistry Tied Directly to the 63.7-km 2D Seismic Footprint

All eight new soil-gas lines lie within the footprint of the 2D seismic program completed by Echo Seismic Ltd. on October 14, 2026, and now being processed by Earth Signal Processing Ltd. The company states that tying surface anomalies to imaged faults and structures forms the subsurface dataset for its multi-gas pilot production pathway. The broader Cumberland Basin program encompasses more than 10,000 soil-gas samples, 63.7 kilometres of seismic data, and more than 3,500 metres of drill core. No hydraulic fracturing or reservoir stimulation is contemplated. The qualified person for the technical disclosure is Prof. Marc Richer-Laflèche, Ph.D., P.Geo., of INRS.