Capella Begins Key Gold Sampling in Finland's Arctic Frontier

VANCOUVER, BC – March 30, 2026 – In a move that signals growing momentum in European mineral exploration, Capella Minerals Ltd. has commenced a crucial geochemical sampling program at two promising gold targets in the heart of northern Finland's prolific Central Lapland Greenstone Belt (CLGB). The Canadian exploration firm is targeting orogenic-style gold deposits, similar to those that have defined major gold districts around the world.

The company announced that field crews have begun Base of Till ("BoT") sampling at its Seisunselka and Jolhikko projects. These targets, identified through high-resolution drone magnetic surveys, lie in a region renowned for its mineral wealth, representing a significant step forward in the company's strategy to uncover new resources in the underexplored Arctic territory.

The Hunt in a Gold Hotspot

The Central Lapland Greenstone Belt is no ordinary geological formation. It is a vast, mineral-rich expanse that hosts some of Europe's most significant mineral deposits, including the continent's largest primary gold mine, Agnico Eagle's Kittilä mine. Located just 150 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, Kittilä has been a beacon of the region's potential since it began production in 2009, with reserves of over 3 million ounces of gold.

Despite the success of Kittilä and an ongoing exploration boom drawing in junior and major mining companies alike, large parts of the CLGB remain underexplored, hidden beneath a thick blanket of glacial sediments left behind by the last Ice Age. It is this combination of proven potential and untapped ground that makes the region a global hotspot for gold exploration. Capella's Seisunselka and Jolhikko targets, located just 14 km and 8 km respectively from its recent drilling at Killerö E, are situated squarely within this highly prospective environment.

The Science of Finding Hidden Gold

Exploring in glaciated terrains like northern Finland presents unique challenges. The valuable bedrock that may host gold deposits is often buried under meters of till—a mix of clay, sand, and boulders deposited by ancient glaciers. To overcome this, explorers rely on specialized techniques like Base of Till (BoT) sampling.

This method acts as a form of geological forensics. A specialized rig drills through the loose glacial overburden to collect a sample from the very bottom layer of till, directly at the interface with the solid bedrock. The chemical makeup of this sample provides a direct clue to the nature of the rock beneath it. If the bedrock contains gold, a faint but detectable geochemical signature will be present in the overlying till.

By collecting a grid of these samples, geologists can map out these chemical anomalies and effectively "see through" the glacial cover, tracing the mineral plume back to its source. This proven technique is a critical and cost-effective first step used to identify and prioritize the most promising locations for more expensive diamond drilling. According to Capella, the current sampling program is expected to be completed by mid-April, with crucial assay results anticipated in late May.

Strategic Partnerships Fueling Discovery

Ambitious exploration programs in remote regions are capital-intensive. Capella has mitigated this financial risk through a strategic partnership with Tümad Madencilik Sanayi Ve Ticaret A.S., a major Turkish mining company and a subsidiary of the industrial conglomerate Nurol Holding. The sampling programs at Seisunselka and Jolhikko are fully funded by Tümad as part of a significant earn-in agreement signed in September 2025.

Tümad is a formidable partner, producing approximately 200,000 ounces of gold annually from its operations in Türkiye. The agreement with Capella represents a key part of its international expansion into the stable and prospective jurisdiction of Scandinavia. Under the terms, Tümad can earn a significant interest in Capella’s Finnish and Norwegian projects by funding millions of dollars in exploration expenditures, including a commitment for 12,000 meters of diamond drilling across the portfolio in 2026.

This partnership model allows Capella to accelerate its exploration timeline and pursue multiple targets simultaneously, leveraging its partner's financial strength while retaining significant upside for its shareholders.

A Multi-Pronged Exploration Strategy

The work at Seisunselka and Jolhikko is just one component of a broader, multi-pronged exploration campaign Capella is executing in Finland. The company is also awaiting the full assay results from its recently completed first-pass diamond drill program at the nearby Killerö E target, which are expected in April.

"Base of Till sampling programs are a key element of any exploration program in the Central Lapland Greenstone Belt, with assay results being used to prioritize new targets for follow-up diamond drilling," commented Eric Roth, Capella's President and CEO, in the company's press release. "Our interpretation of the high-resolution drone magnetic data for Seisunselka and Jolhikko indicates that these areas display many characteristics of Precambrian orogenic gold systems, so we are excited to get the BoT programs underway."

Roth also noted that because both targets are fully permitted, the company can move quickly to drill any anomalous areas identified by the sampling. Looking ahead to the summer, Capella anticipates a busy season of diamond drilling that will target not only any new anomalies from the current BoT surveys but also drill-ready targets at its Killerö W and Saattopora W projects.

The results from the ongoing sampling and the upcoming assays from Killerö E will be pivotal in shaping this summer drilling campaign, providing the data needed to vector in on what the company hopes will be Finland's next major gold discovery.