Voyageur Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (TSX-V: VM) has taken a significant step forward at its Frances Creek barite project in British Columbia by submitting a Multi-Year Area-Based (MYAB) Notice of Work (NoW) application to the provincial Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals. The application, announced on June 10, 2026, seeks authorization for a five-year advanced exploration program on a 76.8-hectare area within the company's mineral claims. This program is designed to generate the material and data needed to advance the project toward a final feasibility study and eventual production of pharmaceutical-grade barium contrast agents.
The proposed work includes exploration trenching, access trail development, construction of a processing area, and a mine rock storage facility, primarily on previously disturbed forestry land. A comprehensive package of technical studies accompanied the application, covering terrain stability, acid rock drainage, soil surveys, archaeology, and management plans for dust, weeds, and emergency response.
The Year 1 program plans to extract 2,000 tonnes of high-grade barite ore, split evenly between the A and B Zones. The ore, with a specific gravity of 4.5 hosted in dolomite (specific gravity 2.9), will be processed on site using dry densimetric technology to produce an initial concentrate. This concentrate will be shipped to Voyageur's future facility for testing and validation of its proprietary concentration and acid leach process to meet USP specifications. The MYAB framework allows for further extraction of up to 1,000 tonnes per cell per year in subsequent years, subject to regulatory conditions.
The application also includes a geotechnical drilling program to gather rock mechanics and slope stability data necessary for finalizing quarry pit wall designs and waste rock storage configurations. This data is the primary remaining requirement to complete an NI 43-101 Final Feasibility Study, building on the company's 2022 Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) and a Pre-Feasibility Study currently in progress.
Brent Willis, CEO of Voyageur, stated: “This Notice of Work submission is a significant de-risking milestone. The Year 1 test extraction will generate the material required to advance process development and validation at our pilot plant in support of a future full-scale pharmaceutical API facility. The accompanying geotechnical program will enable us to progress the project to Final Feasibility Study level.”
The Frances Creek project hosts an indicated and inferred mineral resource of 132,000 tonnes of pharmaceutical-grade barium sulfate, with recent testing confirming an average grade of 98.8% BaSO4, exceeding the 97.5% pharmaceutical-grade threshold. The company's strategy is to establish a fully vertically integrated barium contrast media supply chain, positioning itself as a secure North American supplier. The 2022 PEA outlined a low-cost open-pit development scenario with a 10-year project horizon, initial capital of $36 million, and an 11-month payback period, though the company notes that costs for imported pharmaceutical-grade barite have increased significantly since the PEA, which may enhance project economics.
All activities will comply with British Columbia's Mines Act, Health, Safety and Reclamation Code, and Mineral Tenure Act regulations, with progressive reclamation planned. The disclosure has been reviewed by Bradley Willis, P.Eng, a qualified person under NI 43-101.
