Standard Uranium to Begin Maiden Drill Program at Corvo: What the Winter 2026 Campaign Could Reveal

Standard Uranium Ltd (TSX-V: STND; OTCQB: STTDF) has started mobilizing for its first-ever diamond drill program at the Corvo uranium project in Saskatchewan’s eastern Athabasca Basin, with drilling expected to begin in the coming days.

This winter campaign is designed to test the Manhattan Showing, a surface uranium occurrence where grab samples have returned grades as high as 8.10% U₃O₈. The company believes the showing sits within a compelling corridor of geophysical features—specifically an electromagnetic (EM) trend and low-density anomalies—that often attract uranium explorers looking for “unconformity-related” styles of mineralization.

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1) What’s Happening Right Now: Mobilization, Roads, and a Near-Term Drill Start

According to the update, road construction and site preparation are underway, and drill crews are expected on site by the end of the week. Standard Uranium plans to use skid-supported diamond drilling, a common approach for winter programs where snow/ice access and reduced ground disturbance can be operational advantages.

The planned program size is about 3,000 metres across eight to ten drill holes. In practical terms, that’s enough meterage to test multiple priority targets while also leaving room to follow up quickly if early holes identify strong alteration, structure, or radioactivity.

Why “maiden drilling” matters

Investors often treat a maiden drill program as a major inflection point. Before drilling, a project can look attractive on maps, samples, and geophysical models—but drilling is what starts to answer the hardest questions:

• Is the mineralization continuous at depth (not just on surface)?
• Are the structures (faults, shear zones, graphitic conductors) actually mineralized?
• Is there alteration typical of major uranium systems?
• Are grades meaningful over drill-length intervals (not only in hand samples)?

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2) The Corvo Uranium Project: Location, Prospectivity, and the Athabasca Advantage

The Athabasca Basin is globally known among geologists and investors for hosting some of the world’s highest-grade uranium deposits. “Unconformity-associated” uranium deposits in this region have been studied for decades, and explorers frequently use integrated geophysics (EM, gravity, magnetics) to vector toward structures and alteration systems that can host uranium.

Corvo sits in the eastern Athabasca Basin, a part of the district that continues to attract exploration dollars because it contains favorable geology and discovery potential along trend from other uranium occurrences and discoveries.

What makes Athabasca-style targets distinctive?

While every uranium project is different, many Athabasca Basin exploration models focus on a few recurring ingredients:

• Conductive corridors (often graphitic or sulphidic units) that can represent pathways for mineralizing fluids
• Major structures that allow fluids to move and react
• Alteration halos (clays like illite, chlorite, hematite) that can form around mineralized systems
• Geophysical contrasts such as gravity lows or density anomalies that may reflect alteration or structure

Because uranium can be transported by oxidized fluids and deposited when conditions change (for example, when fluids encounter more reduced rocks), explorers often pay close attention to geological “boundaries” and fluid pathways.

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3) The Manhattan Showing: High-Grade Surface Samples and the Big Question at Depth

The headline feature of this program is the Manhattan Showing, where surface grab samples reportedly returned uranium grades up to 8.10% U₃O₈. That number is eye-catching, but it also comes with an important reminder: grab samples are selective and don’t necessarily represent average grade. Drilling is needed to see whether mineralization continues below surface and across meaningful thicknesses.

Why drill underneath a surface showing?

Surface mineralization can be the “tip of the iceberg” in some systems—or it can be isolated. The winter 2026 drill plan is intended to answer whether Manhattan is:

• A shallow expression of a larger mineralized system tied to structure and alteration
• A localized feature without broader continuity
• Connected to deeper conductors that may have concentrated uranium-bearing fluids

Standard Uranium’s technical view is that Manhattan sits along a northeast–southwest trending EM corridor that also coincides with low-density geophysical anomalies—a combination the company describes as fitting a classic unconformity-related exploration “signature.”

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4) Program Size and Design: 3,000 Metres, 8–10 Holes, and Skid-Supported Diamond Drilling

The plan calls for about 3,000 metres of diamond drilling divided across eight to ten holes. Depending on hole depth and orientation, this could allow the team to:

• Test multiple targets quickly (Manhattan plus additional anomalies)
• Adjust targeting as results come in
• Gather structural and alteration data for 3D modeling
• Collect core for geochemistry, geotechnical work, and future deposit modeling

Because this is an inaugural campaign, the goal is often to maximize learning per metre drilled—confirm the geological model, identify the best mineralizing controls, and decide what the next phase should look like.

What diamond drilling adds versus surface work

Diamond core is especially valuable in uranium exploration because it preserves rock textures and structures. That helps geologists identify:

• Fracturing and faulting that can control fluid flow
• Alteration minerals and intensity patterns
• Radioactive intervals and associated lithologies
• Contacts that may represent the unconformity or key geological boundaries

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5) How the Targets Were Built: 2025 High-Resolution Geophysics + Historical Data

Standard Uranium says the drill targets were defined through interpretation of 2025 high-resolution geophysical surveys combined with historical exploration information. This kind of “data integration” is typical in modern exploration: you take older drilling or prospecting records, add new geophysical layers, then rank targets that best match your deposit model.

Why EM corridors and gravity lows get attention

In uranium exploration, EM surveys often highlight conductive horizons (sometimes graphitic), while gravity surveys can point to density changes that may reflect alteration, structure, or rock type contrasts. Standard Uranium’s team is focusing on the overlap between:

• Surface mineralization (Manhattan’s uranium grades)
• Newly defined gravity lows (low-density anomalies)
• EM conductors along a corridor trend

This “stacking” of evidence can improve odds compared with drilling a single anomaly in isolation—though it never guarantees success.

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6) Beyond Manhattan: The Northwestern EM Corridor Targets

The winter program isn’t only about the Manhattan Showing. The plan also includes testing targets along a northwestern EM corridor that extends several kilometres from Manhattan. That matters because uranium systems can be district-scale, with multiple mineralized zones along the same structural or stratigraphic trend.

Even if the first Manhattan holes are the “headline,” additional corridor tests can help the team answer a broader question: Is Corvo a single-point opportunity, or a multi-target system? If the corridor shows consistent alteration or structure, it can support a larger exploration runway for future campaigns.

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7) The Partnership Angle: Aventis Energy and the Earn-In Structure

Corvo is being advanced with partner Aventis Energy Inc. Under a three-year earn-in option agreement, Aventis can earn a 75% interest by funding exploration spending over the term, with the inaugural drilling slated to begin in February 2026.

From a business standpoint, an earn-in structure can benefit a project generator or explorer by:

• Reducing dilution pressure (partner funds a portion of exploration)
• Accelerating work programs (more budget for geophysics/drilling)
• Sharing technical and operational risk

From an investor standpoint, it also means results and timelines may be influenced by partner priorities and budgets. Still, the message from Standard Uranium leadership is that this drilling milestone is a key step for both companies.

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8) Management Commentary: “A Major Milestone” and a Discovery-Focused Mindset

Standard Uranium President and VP Exploration Sean Hillacre described getting drills turning at Corvo as “a major milestone,” emphasizing the intent to test the high-grade Manhattan Showing at depth and to apply a rigorous, discovery-focused approach across the broader corridor targets.

In exploration messaging, wording matters. Phrases like “high-priority targets”, “classic signature”, and “discovery-focused” typically indicate management believes the project has enough technical support to justify first-pass drilling—while acknowledging that the program is still early-stage and success is not guaranteed.

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What to Watch Next: Practical Milestones After Mobilization

For readers tracking this story, these are the near-term checkpoints that often shape market attention:

1) Spud date and first-hole updates

Once drilling begins, the market usually looks for confirmation of hole locations and depths—and whether drilling conditions match expectations.

2) Radioactivity and alteration observations

In uranium exploration, early commentary sometimes references “radioactivity” in core or strong alteration. While not the same as lab assays, these observations can hint whether the model is tracking.

3) Assay results and interval reporting

Ultimately, lab assays determine grades. The most impactful results typically combine grade + thickness + geological context (structure/alteration). A single high number is less meaningful without continuity and supporting geology.

4) Follow-up planning

If results are encouraging, companies often expand meterage, add step-out holes, or plan summer/fall programs. If results are weak, they may pivot to other targets within the land package.

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Context: Why Uranium Exploration Still Draws Attention

Uranium remains strategically important because it is a key fuel for nuclear power generation. Exploration companies like Standard Uranium operate upstream in the supply chain, aiming to discover economic deposits that could feed future production pipelines. While commodity cycles can be volatile, the long development timelines for uranium projects mean new discoveries can be valuable if they progress toward resource definition and permitting.

That said, exploration is high-risk. Most drill programs do not become mines. The “edge” comes from disciplined targeting, strong technical teams, and the ability to keep funding work programs without excessive dilution—one reason partnerships and option agreements can be important in practice.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

FAQ 1: What is the main goal of Standard Uranium’s Corvo drill program?

The primary goal is to test the Manhattan Showing at depth and evaluate priority targets defined by integrated geophysics (EM corridors and gravity lows) to see if there is a drill-confirmed uranium system.

FAQ 2: How big is the planned drill program?

The winter 2026 plan is approximately 3,000 metres across eight to ten holes, using skid-supported diamond drilling.

FAQ 3: Why is the 8.10% U₃O₈ number important?

It signals that high-grade uranium mineralization exists at surface at the Manhattan Showing. However, because it comes from grab sampling, drilling is needed to determine if similar mineralization continues at depth and across meaningful intervals.

FAQ 4: What does “unconformity-related uranium deposit” mean in simple terms?

It’s a deposit style often found near a geological boundary (an “unconformity”) where fluids moved through rocks and concentrated uranium under the right chemical and structural conditions. In the Athabasca Basin, explorers frequently look for conductors, structures, and alteration patterns linked to this model.

FAQ 5: What role does Aventis Energy play at Corvo?

Aventis is a project partner under an earn-in option agreement. Public disclosures indicate Aventis can earn a majority interest by funding exploration over a defined term, and the inaugural drill program is part of that funded advancement pathway.

FAQ 6: What should investors watch for after drilling starts?

Key items include confirmation of drill start and progress, geological observations (alteration/structure/radioactivity), and eventually assay results that show grade and thickness in context.

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Conclusion: A High-Impact First Test for Corvo’s Best Targets

Standard Uranium’s move to initiate its maiden drill program at Corvo marks a clear transition from target generation to true discovery testing. With a focused winter plan—about 3,000 metres across 8–10 holes—the company is aiming to determine whether the high-grade Manhattan Showing is part of a larger mineralized system tied to EM conductors and gravity-low anomalies.

In the near term, the story will likely be driven by execution (roads, crews, drilling cadence) and then by the technical outputs that matter most: core observations and assays. If results validate the geophysical model, Corvo could become a more prominent exploration narrative in the eastern Athabasca Basin. If not, the program will still provide critical data to refine targeting and decision-making going forward.

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