Volta Metals Ltd. (CSE: VLTA) has announced the completion of its 2026 winter drill program at the Springer Rare Earth Element deposit near Sturgeon Falls, Ontario, reporting all assay results from a 13-hole, 5,445-metre campaign. The program delivered a standout 688.4-metre continuous interval grading 0.81% TREO and 68.1 g/t Ga₂O₃, while gallium was confirmed over the full assayed length of every hole drilled. The company also identified niobium as a potential third critical mineral at the deposit, adding to its rare earth and gallium inventory ahead of two resource estimates targeted for Q4 2026.

Key Points

  • Volta Metals Ltd. (CSE: VLTA, OTCQB: VOLMF, FSE: D0W)
  • All 13 holes from the 5,445-metre 2026 drill program at Springer have been assayed, with gallium present over the full assayed length of every hole
  • Best interval: SL26-35 returned 688.4 metres at 0.81% TREO and 68.1 g/t Ga₂O₃ from 4.6 metres downhole; highest-grade hit was 7.54% TREO and 282.7 g/t Ga₂O₃ over 2.95 metres in SL26-29
  • Investors may be watching the company's inaugural gallium resource estimate and updated rare earth resource estimate, both targeted for Q4 2026

Springer 2026 Drill Results: Wide Intervals and Grades Above the Current Resource

Volta's 13-hole winter program, drilled from January to April 2026, returned four intervals of 75 metres to 324 metres grading 1.00% TREO or better — approximately 43% above the 0.70% TREO average grade of the current Indicated resource. Drill hole SL26-29 intersected 324.0 metres at 1.00% TREO and 70.1 g/t Ga₂O₃, while SL26-30 returned 236.1 metres at 1.00% TREO from 5.4 metres downhole. The release notes that all intervals are downhole core lengths and that true thickness is unknown. The current Indicated resource stands at 56.6 million tonnes at 0.70% TREO, with an Inferred resource of 119.5 million tonnes at 0.58% TREO.

Gallium Confirmed Deposit-Wide as China Controls 99% of Global Primary Supply

Gallium was recorded over the full assayed length of all 13 holes in the 2026 program, across multiple rock types and independent of rare earth grade. The highest gallium result was 282.7 g/t Ga₂O₃ over 2.95 metres in SL26-29. According to the USGS figures cited in the announcement, China controls 99% of global primary gallium production — a supply concentration that investors may view as context for Volta's North American gallium development. Gallium is not currently included in the Springer mineral resource estimate, and the company is targeting an inaugural gallium resource declaration for Q4 2026.

Niobium Emerges as a Potential Third Critical Mineral Across 13 of 39 Historic Holes

A compilation of 39 drill holes spanning the 2011–2026 programs identified substantial niobium intervals in 13 holes. Notable results include 0.16% Nb₂O₅ over 41.8 metres in SL12-12 and 0.11% Nb₂O₅ over 58.2 metres in SL11-01, the latter coinciding with 1.53% TREO and 104.8 g/t Ga₂O₃. Volta cautions that niobium grades reported are below those typical of deposits mined principally for niobium, no metallurgical test work has been completed, and niobium is not included in the current resource estimate. The company states it will assess whether additional geological, mineralogical, and metallurgical work is warranted.