MetalQuest Mining Applies for 21-Year Lease on Former Industrial-Scale Magnesium Production Site in Ontario

Rockport, Ontario — October 22, 2026 — Leads & Copy — MetalQuest Mining Inc. has applied to the Province of Ontario for a 21-year mining lease for the former Timminco Metals / Dominion Magnesium property near Haley Station, in Renfrew County. The application, submitted on August 21, 2026, to the Provincial Mining Recorder of the Ontario Ministry of Energy and Mines, seeks tenure over the site where Canada first produced magnesium at an industrial scale using the Pidgeon process, a Canadian invention.

The Ministry acknowledged the application on August 28, 2026, and MetalQuest paid the $1,200 application fee on September 9, 2026. The former Timminco Site began producing magnesium in 1942 to support the Allied war effort and operated for over six decades until its closure in 2008. Historical Ontario Geological Survey reports indicate cumulative production of approximately 475 million pounds of magnesium metal by the end of 1980.

MetalQuest is the sole applicant for the mining lease, and the Ministry has indicated that its application will be reviewed before any subsequent applications, though this priority does not guarantee approval. The property features a band of high-purity dolomitic marble, with published analyses reporting approximately 21% MgO as mined.

Historical estimates from the 2003 closure plan suggest remaining dolomite in Quarry No. 2 and potential reserves to the south. Magnesium is designated a critical mineral in Canada, Ontario, and the United States, with China producing approximately 86% of the world's primary magnesium in 2025. There is currently no known commercial-scale primary magnesium production in North America.

The Township of Whitewater Region and the County of Renfrew have publicly expressed support for returning the site to productive industrial use. Harry Barr, Chairman and CEO of MetalQuest, stated that applying for tenure over a Crown-held former mine is a rare opportunity and that the site is unique as the location of Canada's first industrial-scale magnesium production.

Magnesium is the lightest structural metal and is crucial for light-weighting vehicles, aircraft, and electronic devices. Its global supply chain is highly concentrated, with production disruptions in China having previously caused international shortages. The U.S. Geological Survey identified magnesium metal as having a high risk of supply disruption.

The Former Timminco Site is located in the Ottawa Valley and hosts a band of high-purity dolomitic marble within Grenville Supergroup carbonate rocks. Historical geological and analytical information indicates high-purity rock, though the Company has not established current mineral resources or reserves and is not treating historical estimates as such. The property is Crown-owned and withdrawn from mining claim registration, meaning it cannot be acquired through the ordinary process of staking claims.

Issuing a lease under subsection 176(3) of the Mining Act is a discretionary process requiring approval from the Minister and the Lieutenant Governor in Council. The application is expected to undergo review, including a Class Environmental Assessment process, posting on the Environmental Registry of Ontario, and Crown consultation with Indigenous communities. MetalQuest intends to work through these steps transparently.

If the lease is granted, MetalQuest proposes a staged technical work program, beginning with historical data compilation and assessment, followed by field confirmation and testing, including mapping, sampling, drilling, and metallurgical tests. Later-stage decisions regarding mineral resource estimates or economic studies will depend on the results of these phases.

The scientific and technical information in the release was reviewed by Ali Alizadeh, a Qualified Person. The Company's portfolio includes iron and critical mineral projects, and it is focused on critical minerals and iron ore.

Source: MetalQuest Mining Inc.