Trailbreaker Resources Ltd. has received a property-wide exploration permit for its 8,000-hectare Coho copper-gold property in central British Columbia, Canada. The five-year Multi-Year Area-Based Mines Act permit, approved by the BC Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals with a provisional expiry date of December 18, 2030, allows diamond drilling from up to 50 drill pads, construction of exploration access trails, geophysical surveys, and a temporary work camp.
The Coho property represents a drill-ready copper-gold porphyry target located 30 kilometers west of Centerra Gold's Mount Milligan mine, a producing operation with current reserves of 1.2 billion pounds of copper and 2.8 million ounces of gold according to the Centerra Gold website. This proximity to established mineralization highlights the property's strategic importance within British Columbia's mining sector, particularly as global demand for copper continues to rise amid energy transition initiatives.
Daithi Mac Gearailt, CEO of Trailbreaker, stated that the permit timing allows for inaugural drilling during the 2026 exploration season at the previously undrilled Coho zone. The property sits within the Quesnel Tectonic Terrane, a district known for prolific alkalic copper-gold porphyry deposits. Recent neighboring discoveries further underscore the area's mineral potential, including Pacific Empire Minerals' Trident property where drilling intercepted 183.0 meters of 0.77% copper, 0.51 g/t gold, and 3.4 g/t silver as reported in their December 15, 2025 news release.
The Coho zone itself features a 650 by 550 meter copper-gold-silver surface geochemical anomaly with historic grab samples returning values up to 16.15 g/t gold, 16.35% copper, and 67.3 g/t silver. Recent geophysical surveys have identified an interpreted 400 by 250 by 200-meter-deep porphyry intrusive complex with chargeability anomalies spanning more than 1.4 kilometers. The property is also contiguous with Pacific Empire Minerals' Trident property to the west and near Pacific Ridge Exploration's Chuchi property to the north, where 2024 drilling returned 382.0 meters of 0.19% copper, 0.12 g/t gold, and 0.47 g/t silver according to their November 25, 2024 news release.
This permit approval carries significance beyond Trailbreaker's exploration program, potentially impacting regional economic development and mineral resource assessment in British Columbia. The Coho property lies within the territory of the Takla First Nation, with whom Trailbreaker is collaborating on the drill program, reflecting evolving industry practices regarding Indigenous engagement in resource development. Successful exploration at Coho could contribute to understanding mineral clustering patterns along the Hogem batholith margin, where alkalic porphyry deposits commonly occur in groups.
The timing of this permit coincides with increasing focus on copper as a critical mineral for electrification and renewable energy infrastructure. British Columbia's mining sector represents a significant component of Canada's natural resource economy, and discoveries in established districts like the Quesnel Terrane can extend mine life and support regional employment. The Coho property's location just 3.5 kilometers east of Pacific Empire Minerals' Trident property and 4.5 kilometers south of the BP zone on the Chuchi property suggests potential for interconnected mineral systems that could influence future exploration strategies across the district.
