QIMC Intersects Major Subsurface Fault Corridor with Elevated H2 Readings at 142m Depth

Feb 24, 2026, 12:00 GMT-5 Refinitiv 7 min read

Pressurized Formation Water and Visible Gas Bubbling Confirm Active Structural System in First of Five-Hole Systematic Drill Program

Montreal, Quebec–(Newsfile Corp. – February 24, 2026) – Quebec Innovative Materials Corp. (CSE: QIMC) (OTCQB: QIMCF) (FSE: 7FJ) (“QIMC” or the “Company”) is pleased to report significant initial results from the first 300 metres of its planned 650-metre diamond drill hole DDH-26-01 at its West Advocate Eatonville Project, Nova Scotia. Drilling remains ongoing.

The Company has intersected a previously unmapped hydrogen-bearing tectonic fault corridor measuring approximately 40 metres in apparent width between 142 metres and 191 metres depth.

These results provide strong subsurface data supporting the presence of a structurally controlled natural hydrogen system and materially confirming QIMC’s structural natural hydrogen model.

What This Means for Investors

QIMC’s results represent direct subsurface indication via drill bit of a pressurized structural conduit consistent with an active natural hydrogen migration system at West Advocate. With four additional drill holes planned and in situ quantitative measurements to follow, the Company has a defined, systematic, data-driven, and well-capitalized pathway for the next phases of its Nova Scotia natural hydrogen program.

John Karagiannidis, President of QIMC, notes:

“Reporting on the first 300 metres of a planned 650-metre hole, we have intersected a 40-metre-wide hydrogen-bearing fault corridor with readings in the ambient air around the borehole collar approximately 2,000 times atmospheric background levels. These results strongly support our structural hydrogen model and indicate we are operating within an active structurally controlled gas migration system.

The geochemical, geological, and geophysical similarities between the Eatonville Road and Bennett Hill areas suggest a broader structurally controlled hydrogen corridor across the Advocate region. Drilling remains ongoing as we continue evaluating the system at depth.”

TECHNICAL CONTEXT: MEASUREMENT METHODOLOGY

The winter exploration program at West Advocate has two important components.

The first, currently underway, uses conventional diamond drilling to document local geology and validate our exploration model, which was developed to explain the strong hydrogen, radon, and thoron anomalies observed in the soils of the area.

The drilling program is being executed by Maritime Diamond Drilling Ltd., an experienced Nova Scotia drilling contractor. Core logging and geological documentation are being conducted by Tower Resources Inc. of Nova Scotia, providing independent technical support for lithological, structural, and alteration characterization.

Four hydrogen detectors were deployed to measure hydrogen concentrations at the edge of the wellhead and inside the drill compartment. These measurements are direct indicators of hydrogen emerging from the drill head, though the concentrations recorded are highly diluted by ambient atmospheric air, meaning the true subsurface concentrations may be significantly higher than what was measured.

The second component includes in situ sampling using pressurized water samplers rated to pressures equivalent to 1,200 metres of burial depth. These data will allow us to quantitatively establish the relationships between hydrogen concentrations and the structural features identified during drilling, providing a much more rigorous and precise characterization of the system.

Major Subsurface Results

Within the first 300 metres of drilling, QIMC encountered:

A ~40-metre-wide hydrogen-bearing fault corridor
Elevated hydrogen (H₂) readings in the vicinity of the borehole collar exceeding 1,000 ppm (instrument detection range up to 1,000 ppm; readings reached the upper calibrated measurement range of the monitoring equipment) during intersection of the fault zone
Very low oxygen (O₂) and no methane (CH₄) detected
Strong pressurized formation water inflow into the borehole and visible gas bubbling
Hydrogen detected within the structural interval associated with the fault corridor

For context, normal atmospheric hydrogen concentrations average approximately 0.5 ppm (500 parts per billion). The readings recorded near the borehole collar following pressurized formation water inflow are therefore approximately 2,000 times greater than typical atmospheric background levels. Because these readings were taken in ambient air significantly diluted by the atmosphere, they are considered a conservative indicator of subsurface hydrogen concentrations.

Formation water inflow and gas bubbling subsided only after drilling an additional six metres past 191 metres, indicating intersection of an active, pressurized structural conduit rather than a stagnant or isolated gas pocket.

Drilling also intersected faulted black graphite between 206 metres and 212.3 metres. Graphitic shear zones are commonly associated with deep crustal deformation, which may promote the rise of hydrogen from deep sources.

Discovery Highlights (First 300m of 650m Hole 1)

Newly identified ~40 m wide hydrogen-bearing fault zone
Hydrogen readings exceeding 1,000 ppm near the borehole collar
Pressurized formation water inflow with visible gas bubbling
Hydrogen detected in specific structural intervals
Very low oxygen (O₂) and no methane (CH₄) detected
Cataclasites and intensely deformed sedimentary rocks observed
Graphite-rich shear zone (206 m – 212.3 m)
Structure interpreted as part of a multi-kilometre structural corridor

Ongoing Drill Program

Hole 1 (DDH-26-01): Drilling continues to planned 650m depth; borehole geophysics and multi-parameter logging underway to characterize lithology, structural features, fracture distribution, and hydrogeological conditions.
Hole 2 (DDH-26-02): Drilled from the same site as Hole 1 with an orientation of N297° and a 55° plunge to the northwest, designed to drill in the direction of identified magnetic and gravity highs.
Hole 3 (DDH-26-03): Eatonville Road area along the Reid Line, planned to 700m depth.
Holes 4 (DDH-26-04) & 5 (DDH-26-05): Bennett Hill targets, testing the broader regional structural hydrogen corridor interpreted from geochemical and geophysical similarities with the Eatonville area.

About Québec Innovative Materials Corp. (QIMC)

Québec Innovative Materials Corp. (CSE: QIMC) (OTCQB: QIMCF) (FSE: 7FJ) is a mining exploration and development company dedicated to unlocking the potential of North America’s abundant natural resources. With properties in Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Minnesota (USA), QIMC specializes in the exploration of white (natural) hydrogen and high-grade silica assets.

QIMC is committed to sustainable development, environmental stewardship, and innovation, with the objective of supporting clean energy solutions for the AI-driven and carbon-neutral economy.

For More Information, Please Contact:

QUEBEC INNOVATIVE MATERIALS CORP.
John Karagiannidis
President & Chief Executive Officer
Email: info@qimaterials.com
Tel: +1 514-726-7058

Past performance is not an indicator of future returns. NIA is not an investment advisor and does not provide investment advice. Always do your own research and make your own investment decisions. NIA has received compensation from QIMC of US$50,000 cash for a six-month marketing contract. This message is for informational and educational purposes only and does not provide investment advice.