Imperial Reports Mount Polley Operations and Construction Activities Continue

/EIN News/ -- VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Imperial Metals Corporation (“Imperial”) (TSX:III) notes that a number of third parties, including news agencies, have incorrectly reported that an injunction was granted in respect of the construction and operation of the tailings storage facility at Imperial’s Mount Polley mine. Imperial confirms that no such injunction was granted. Normal operations of the mine and construction of a four-metre raise of the tailings storage facility will continue.

On May 8, 2025, Mr. Justice Weatherill of the Supreme Court of British Columbia heard an application for an interim injunction from Xatśūll First Nation regarding the decision to approve the aforementioned four-metre raise of the tailings storage facility. The Court adjourned the application until June 24, 2025 when both the underlying petition challenging the decision and the injunction will be heard and decided. Mount Polley Mining Corporation, Imperial’s wholly-owned subsidiary, made clear at the hearing that although it continues with previously permitted use of the tailings storage facility, it did not anticipate needing to use the four-metre raise currently under construction until July 1, 2025 at the earliest, and agreed to provide an undertaking to the Court to that effect.

The result of yesterday’s hearing was that the matter would be heard in June, 2025 and no injunction was issued.

About Imperial

Imperial is a Vancouver based exploration, mine development and operating company with holdings that include the Mount Polley mine (100%), the Huckleberry mine (100%), and the Red Chris mine (30%). Imperial also holds a portfolio of 23 greenfield exploration properties in British Columbia.

Company Contacts

Brian Kynoch | President | 604.669.8959
Darb S. Dhillon | Chief Financial Officer | 604.669.8959

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information contained in this news release are not statements of historical fact and are “forward-looking” statements. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect Imperial management’s expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Imperial’s expectations and timing with respect to the construction and operation of the tailings storage facility at the Mount Polley mine, including the four-metre lift currently under construction; the anticipated timing of the judicial review and injunction hearing; the judicial review process taking longer than anticipated; the possibility that the outcome of the judicial review could result in material changes to the provincial permitting process; the potential for the injunction to restrict both construction and production activities for an extended period or indefinitely after July 1, 2025; the Company’s and MPMC’s expectations regarding their relationships with Indigenous communities, including Xatśūll; expectations regarding the ongoing engagement with Xatśūll and other Indigenous communities during the permitting process; and other risks outlined in statements made by Imperial from time to time in the filings made by Imperial with securities regulators. Imperial disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation.

In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "outlook", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative of these terms or comparable terminology. By their very nature forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Imperial to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, Imperial has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on information currently available to Imperial as well as Imperial’s current beliefs and assumptions. These factors and assumptions and beliefs and assumptions include, the risk factors detailed from time to time in Imperial’s annual information form, interim and annual financial statements and management’s discussion and analysis of those statements, all of which are filed and available for review on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Although Imperial has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, imperialmetals.com events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, many of which are beyond Imperial’s ability to control or predict. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and all forward-looking statements in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements.