IsoEnergy & Purepoint Extend High-Grade Uranium Discovery at Dorado Joint Venture

IsoEnergy-Purepoint's Dorado JV reports strongest intercept to date with 110,800 CPS peak, extending Nova Discovery 70m northeast in Athabasca Basin.
- IsoEnergy and Purepoint's latest drill hole PG25-07A achieved the Dorado project's strongest intercept to date, with peak radioactivity readings of 110,800 CPS and an average of 11,100 CPS across 14.0 metres.
- The Nova Discovery zone has been successfully extended 70 metres northeast of previous intercepts, with mineralization showing improved grade and thickness characteristics as the system expands.
- The drill program has expanded to include the Turaco target area, located 8 kilometres northeast of Q48, where up to four holes are planned as part of the 5,400-metre drilling program approved for 2025.
- The Dorado joint venture encompasses more than 98,000 hectares of prime uranium exploration ground in Saskatchewan's world-class Athabasca Basin, with shallow unconformity depths of 30-300 metres enabling efficient drilling operations.
- Winter drilling operations are planned to continue following the northeastern extension of the Nova Discovery, where increasing radioactivity suggests potential for further high-grade uranium mineralization discoveries.
IsoEnergy Ltd. (NYSE American: ISOU | TSX: ISO) and Purepoint Uranium Group Inc. (TSXV: PTU | OTC: PTUUF) have reported significant drilling results from their 50/50 Dorado joint venture project in Saskatchewan's Athabasca Basin. IsoEnergy is a uranium exploration and development company focused on North American uranium assets, while Purepoint Uranium Group specializes in high-grade uranium exploration in the Athabasca Basin. The companies' joint venture encompasses more than 98,000 hectares of prime uranium exploration ground, representing one of the largest consolidated land positions in the region.
The latest drilling results from the Nova Discovery at the Q48 target area demonstrate expanding high-grade mineralization, with drill hole PG25-07A achieving the project's strongest intercept to date. These developments position the Dorado project as an increasingly significant uranium exploration asset for investors monitoring the sector's growth potential.
Nova Discovery Expansion Demonstrates System Strength
The most recent drill hole, PG25-07A, has successfully extended the Nova Discovery zone approximately 70 metres northeast of previous intercepts. The hole returned an average of 11,100 counts per second (CPS) across 14.0 metres, with a peak reading of 110,800 CPS measured using a Mount Sopris 2PGA-1000 downhole radiometric probe.
"The results from PG25-07A mark a significant leap forward for our new Nova discovery," - Philip Williams, CEO and Director of IsoEnergy. This step-out hole shows that the mineralized structure continues northeast and that the grades and thickness are improving as we move along the trend."
The mineralization occurs within basement rocks at approximately 60 metres below the unconformity, hosted in a steeply dipping, uranium-bearing structure. The primary mineralized structure is located in sheared, reddish-brown altered granitic gneiss containing pitchblende, which returned an average of 82,300 CPS over 0.6 metres. A secondary strongly mineralized interval within pelitic gneiss core averaged 46,000 CPS over 0.4 metres.
Systematic Exploration Approach Yields Results
The joint venture partners have implemented a methodical drilling strategy at the Q48 target area, which appears to be generating positive outcomes. Chris Frostad, President and CEO of Purepoint Uranium, emphasized the effectiveness of this approach. Frostad commented:
"The recent Nova Discovery results underscore just how much potential remains at Dorado. PG25-07A has successfully extended the Nova Discovery zone by 70 meters and delivered our strongest intercept to date, both in intensity and thickness based on radioactivity. The systematic way we've approached Q48 is paying off, and we expect the next phase of drilling will push this discovery even further."
The Q48 target area is characterized by a steeply dipping, north-south trending conductive package identified through geophysical surveys. Historical drilling had intersected strongly altered and structurally disrupted rocks at the unconformity and basement levels, including garnetiferous pelitic gneiss, graphitic pelitic gneiss, and semipelite with local weak radioactivity and intense clay alteration zones.
Technical Drilling Results & Geological Context
Drill hole PG25-06, which targeted the brittle fault associated with mineralization approximately 20 meters northeast of initial drilling, encountered Athabasca sandstone to 316 meters depth. The hole intersected granitic gneiss with paleoweathering alteration to 341 meters, followed by generally unaltered granite, pegmatites, and pelitic gneiss to completion at 482 meters.
PG25-07A was collared from the PG25-04 drill pad, with initial deviation resulting in the significant 70-metre step-out to the northeast. The unconformity was intersected at 322 metres depth, with the radioactive structure located approximately 40 metres up-dip of PG25-04. The hole encountered various geological units including granitic gneiss with pegmatitic intervals, displaying different alteration patterns from clay alteration near the unconformity to chloritization and silicification at depth.
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Operational Challenges & Future Planning
Current drilling operations at the Q48 target face seasonal limitations due to ground conditions. The Nova Discovery mineralization remains open to the northeast, which represents the direction of increasing radioactivity. However, wet marsh ground conditions currently prevent further drilling in that direction.
Williams addressed these operational constraints and outlined the company's forward planning:
"While we have had to pause advancement in this direction due to ground conditions, we are eager to return this winter to continue following what we believe is shaping up to be an exciting discovery."
Follow-up drilling is expected to resume during winter months when frozen ground conditions allow for more efficient land-based access to the northeastern extension area.
Turaco Target Area Development
The drilling program has now expanded beyond Q48 to include the Turaco target, located approximately 8 kilometres northeast of Q48 within the Dorado project area. The drill rig has been mobilized to this location as part of the 5,400-metre drill program approved by the joint venture partners for 2025.
The Turaco zone is characterized by a broad area of high conductivity. Despite numerous geophysical surveys including airborne electromagnetics (VTEM), ground electromagnetic surveys, induced polarization, and gravity studies, previous drilling had not adequately explained the interpreted electromagnetic conductors.
A recent comprehensive review of geophysical results by Condor Consulting North of Vancouver has selected alternative electromagnetic conductor picks that better explain the conductive responses. The consultants used Maxwell Modeling to accurately locate discrete conductor positions, identifying high-priority target areas for the upcoming drilling program. Up to four holes are planned at Turaco as part of the current drilling campaign.
Project Infrastructure & Exploration Advantages
The Dorado project benefits from several operational advantages that enhance exploration efficiency and economic potential. The shallow unconformity depths across the property typically range between 30 and 300 metres, allowing for highly efficient drilling operations and rapid follow-up on results.
The project encompasses the former Turnor Lake, Geiger, Edge, and Full Moon properties, all underlain by graphite-bearing lithologies and fault structures considered favorable for uranium deposition. Recent drilling by IsoEnergy east of the Hurricane Deposit has intersected strongly elevated radioactivity in multiple holes, confirming the continuity of the fertile graphitic rock package and highlighting opportunities for additional high-grade discoveries across the region.
Regional Context & Market Position
The Athabasca Basin represents one of the world's premier uranium mining jurisdictions, hosting several major uranium deposits and mining operations. The basin's geological characteristics have historically produced some of the highest-grade uranium deposits globally, making it an attractive region for exploration investment.
The IsoEnergy-Purepoint joint venture's extensive land position of more than 98,000 hectares provides significant exploration potential within this established uranium district. The partnership structure allows both companies to share exploration costs and technical expertise while maintaining substantial exposure to potential discoveries.
For Investors
The latest drilling results from the Dorado joint venture represent a significant development in IsoEnergy and Purepoint's exploration program. The extension of the Nova Discovery by 70 metres with improved grade and thickness characteristics demonstrates the potential scale of the mineralized system. The achievement of the project's strongest intercept to date, with peak readings of 110,800 CPS, indicates robust mineralization that warrants continued exploration investment.
For investors considering IsoEnergy and Purepoint, the Dorado project offers exposure to high-grade uranium exploration in a world-class mining jurisdiction. The systematic approach to exploration, combined with the project's operational advantages including shallow unconformity depths and extensive land position, provides multiple opportunities for discovery success. The planned winter drilling program to follow the northeastern extension of the Nova Discovery, along with initial testing at the Turaco target, should provide additional catalysts for share price performance.
However, investors should recognize that uranium exploration carries inherent risks, including the potential for unsuccessful drilling results and commodity price volatility. The current seasonal drilling limitations also introduce timing considerations for result delivery. Nevertheless, the technical progress demonstrated at Q48 and the comprehensive exploration program planned for 2025 position both companies as compelling opportunities within the uranium exploration sector.
Analyst's Notes


