Standard Uranium Secures $3.5M Funding for Advanced Exploration at Davidson River Project

• Standard Uranium (TSXV: STND) announced a CAD $3.5 million private placement to fund drilling at its flagship Davidson River project in the southwest Athabasca Basin
• The company deployed advanced ExoSphere multiphysics surveying technology in partnership with Fleet Space, incorporating seismic and gravity geophysics to identify high-priority drill targets
• Davidson River sits 25 kilometers from NextGen Energy's Arrow deposit, with the region hosting nearly 500 million pounds of uranium between Arrow and Paladin's Triple R project
• Standard Uranium operates a project generator model, earning revenue through joint venture partnerships while retaining 25% ownership and 2.5% NSR in advanced projects
• The company targets high-grade uranium discoveries above 1% grade in the 250-450 meter depth range, similar to the Arrow deposit where President Sean Hillacre previously worked

Standard Uranium Corporation's latest funding announcement marks a critical juncture for the uranium exploration company as it prepares to return to its flagship Davidson River project for the first time since 2022. The CAD $3.5 million non-brokered private placement represents more than just capital raising—it signals the company's confidence in newly acquired technical data that could fundamentally change its exploration approach in one of Canada's most prospective uranium regions.

Strategic Location in Prime Uranium Territory

The Davidson River project occupies a strategic position in the southwest corner of the Athabasca Basin, positioned approximately 25 kilometers from NextGen Energy's Arrow deposit. As CEO Jon Bey emphasized, 

"Between those two projects alone, there's almost 500 million pounds of uranium in this region." 

The proximity to established discoveries provides both geological validation and logistical advantages, with NextGen's Arrow deposit scheduled for mine construction in early 2026.

President Sean Hillacre, who previously worked at NextGen for seven years and authored his master's thesis on the Arrow deposit, brings unique insights to the exploration strategy. "I worked at NextGen for 7 years. I wrote my masters on the Arrow deposit," Hillacre noted, highlighting the technical continuity between the projects. The geological similarities extend beyond mere proximity—the rocks at Davidson River represent what Hillacre  describes as "folded over" formations from the Arrow area, suggesting similar mineralizing processes.

Technological Innovation Through Multiphysics Surveying

The cornerstone of Standard Uranium's renewed exploration approach centers on ExoSphere multiphysics surveying technology, provided through a strategic partnership with Fleet Space Technologies. This integrated approach combines three types of geophysics: two forms of passive seismic technology and gravity measurements across three main conductor zones. Hillacre explained the technological advantage: 

"By pairing those three different types of geophysics together, they all inform each other and actually improve the model and give us those true images and X-ray vision, so to speak, into the basement rock that we're looking for."

 The gravity component proves particularly crucial, as it identifies alteration halos around uranium deposits—the same methodology that led to the Arrow discovery.

The partnership with Fleet Space emerged from mutual strategic interests. Bey revealed, 

"Fleet Space reaches out to us and says, you know what, we think your project looks phenomenal... We want to come do our survey on your project and we're going to pay for it."

This arrangement positioned Standard Uranium as a technology pioneer while reducing capital requirements for advanced surveying.

AI-Enhanced Targeting Through Machine Learning

Standard Uranium's technical sophistication extends beyond geophysics into artificial intelligence applications. Through collaboration with ALS Goldspot, the company became the first uranium explorer to apply machine learning techniques in the Athabasca Basin. The AI system analyzed publicly available data from Arrow and Triple R deposits, training algorithms to identify geological signatures that match known uranium occurrences.

"We trained an algorithm to go through their lines of data line by line and we know what the deposits look like.".

The system generates probability-weighted heat maps across Davidson River, providing percentage matches to established deposit patterns. This technological layer adds another dimension to target prioritization, complementing traditional geological methods.

Interview with Sean Hillacre, President, & Jon Bey, CEO of Standard Uranium

Systematic Approach to Target Prioritization

The company has developed a comprehensive internal ranking system for drill hole selection, incorporating multiple geological and geophysical parameters. Hillacre described the methodology: 

"Every drill hole we do gets put in the spreadsheet and it gets points for the different things that it hits.” 

Factors include alteration patterns, geochemistry, structural features, gravity anomalies, and AI-generated deposit matches.

This systematic approach has generated approximately 100 potential drill targets across the project area. The challenge lies in selecting the optimal sequence for testing, as historical patterns at NextGen demonstrate that high-priority targets don't always yield immediate success. 

Financial Structure

The current financing comprises both hard dollars at 8 cents and flow-through shares at 10 cents, structured as units with 24-month half-warrants. The non-brokered approach reflects current market conditions for junior exploration companies. 

"It's very rare for a junior to have a bank come in and do a bought deal for companies of our size." 

Standard Uranium's project generator model provides additional financial stability through joint venture partnerships. Under typical arrangements, partners earn 75% project ownership through staged investments totaling $6-7 million over three years, while Standard Uranium retains 25% ownership plus 2.5% net smelter royalty. The company currently operates two active joint ventures with additional partnerships pending.

Discovery Targets

The company focuses on basement-hosted uranium deposits in the 250-450 meter depth range, mirroring the Arrow deposit's geological setting. Unconformity depths across Davidson River range from 50-200 meters, with basement contacts typically occurring around 120-150 meters depth—parameters closely matching the NextGen discovery. Bey addressed market expectations directly: 

"A high-grade discovery is anything over 1%. The retail market sees it, it's binary. It's either you make a major discovery or it's a failure."

 This acknowledgment of market psychology influences the company's communication strategy while maintaining focus on technical advancement through systematic exploration.

Operational Timeline

The immediate drilling campaign represents phase one of a multi-year program targeting 10,000-20,000 meters of drilling over approximately two years. The systematic approach allows for real-time adjustment based on initial results, with Hillacre noting: 

"While we're in the field, we're going to go to the field with our top 5 targets, and then we drill the first one, see how it goes, drill the second one, and then we just adjust on the fly."

The Investment Thesis for Standard Uranium

• Strategic Location: Positioned 25km from NextGen's Arrow deposit in a region hosting 500 million pounds of uranium, with mine construction beginning in 2026
• Technological Advantage: First-mover advantage in applying ExoSphere multiphysics surveying and AI-enhanced targeting in the Athabasca Basin
• Experienced Management: President Sean Hillacre brings seven years of NextGen experience and intimate knowledge of Arrow deposit geology
• Project Generator Model: Diversified revenue streams through joint venture partnerships while maintaining meaningful equity stakes and royalty interests
• Proven Geology: Historical drilling has confirmed similar rock types, conductor systems, and uranium fertility compared to major regional discoveries
• Systematic Approach: Comprehensive targeting methodology incorporating multiple geological, geophysical, and AI-generated parameters
• Financial Flexibility: Non-brokered financing structure with flow-through tax advantages and warrant leverage for future funding
• Discovery Potential: Large-scale project (31,000 hectares) with capacity for multiple uranium deposits along 70 kilometers of prospective strike length

The global uranium market continues to experience fundamental supply-demand imbalances driven by nuclear energy renaissance and mining sector consolidation. Canada's Athabasca Basin remains the world's premier uranium jurisdiction, producing approximately 20% of global supply from less than 1% of known deposits. The basin's geological advantages—exceptionally high grades, established infrastructure, and regulatory stability—attract sustained investment despite commodity price volatility.

Standard Uranium's positioning captures multiple macro trends simultaneously. The pending Arrow mine construction validates southwestern basin geology while creating infrastructure benefits for neighboring projects. Fleet Space's technology partnership reflects broader industry digitization trends, while the company's joint venture model addresses capital efficiency demands in challenging financing environments. Hillacre's observation that "we think it's the most exciting project in the entire Athabasca basin that hasn't had a discovery yet" encapsulates the opportunity: proven geological concepts applied with advanced technology in an underexplored region adjacent to major discoveries.