Copper Quest Exploration Inc. (CSE: CQX | OTCQB: IMIMF | FRA: 3MX) just dropped a catalyst: it has closed the acquisition of the Nekash Copper-Gold Porphyry Project in Lemhi County, Idaho. That’s 100% ownership of 70 unpatented lode claims covering ~585 hectares in the heart of the Idaho-Montana porphyry copper belt. The project is fully road-accessible, which matters when you’re trying to move drills and gear.
Management is framing this as a portfolio upgrade — stepping outside British Columbia and adding another Tier-1 jurisdiction with serious copper endowment.
Why This Matters
- Two belts, double the shots: CQX now straddles BC and Idaho — both proven porphyry hunting grounds.
- District-scale upside: The Idaho-Montana belt is home to world-class systems like Butte and CUMO. That’s the league Nekash sits in.
- 100% control: No messy JVs here — Copper Quest has full say on how Nekash gets advanced.
- Multi-project optionality: Stars, Stellar, Rip, Thane, Nekash. Investors aren’t buying a single lottery ticket, they’re buying a whole stack.
Portfolio Snapshot
Stars (BC): 100% owned; discovery-stage project in the Bulkley Belt. Land package ties directly into Stellar.
Stellar (BC): 100% owned, 5,389 ha north of Stars. Untested anomalies include the massive Cassiopeia magnetic feature (~2.5 km) and Jewelry Box with high-grade samples.
Rip (BC): Earn-in up to 60% with ArcWest. 4,750 ha, 60 km south of Houston. 2024 holes at North Target showed a big mineralized system, though sub-economic grades. The larger South Target — still untested — is the big 2025 swing.
Thane (BC): 100% owned, 20,658 ha in the Toodoggone District. 14 × 6 km alteration corridor with 10 targets. Only 12 shallow historical holes drilled.
Nekash (Idaho): 100% owned, 70 lode claims (585 ha). Road accessible, right in a proven porphyry copper belt. Historic Bureau of Mines work plus more recent sampling confirmed copper-gold quartz veins, stockwork veining, and a manto horizon grading up to 3.8% Cu, 0.9 g/t Au, and 25 g/t Ag across 6.4m. Rock chip samples have returned assays as high as 6.6% Cu and 0.6 g/t Au, showing robust mineralization at surface.
Catalysts to Watch in 2025
- Nekash integration — first-pass programs and target definition.
- Rip — permits for the South Target + follow-ups on the North.
- Stellar — first real tests of Cassiopeia and Jewelry Box.
- Thane — systematic work across multiple zones.
Share Structure
- Issued & Outstanding: 62,529,522
- Reserved for Issuance: 34,205,220
- Listing: CSE: CQX | OTCQB: IMIMF | FRA: 3MX
- Share Price: ~C$0.10 (Sept 2025)
Macro Backdrop: Copper Demand & Supply
Globally, copper demand is running hot — electrification, EV adoption, renewable energy build‑outs, and the surge in AI/data center infrastructure are all copper‑intensive. According to the International Energy Agency, copper demand could climb from ~25 million tonnes in 2023 to nearly 50 million tonnes by 2035, essentially a doubling in just over a decade. Meanwhile, average head grades at existing mines have slipped from ~1.2% Cu in the 1990s to below 0.7% Cu today, driving up costs and lowering output. The International Copper Study Group projects a supply gap of 2–3 million tonnes per year as early as 2026, potentially exceeding 6 million tonnes annually by the early 2030s. This supply‑demand imbalance underscores the need for new porphyry discoveries in stable jurisdictions like the U.S. and Canada. Copper Quest’s addition of Nekash plugs directly into this macro trend, positioning it as a potential contributor to the next generation of copper supply.
Why Investors Are Watching
Copper is the commodity everyone’s chasing thanks to EVs, grids, and looming supply deficits. Few juniors bring:
- Multiple district-scale projects in Tier-1 ground.
- A fresh U.S. asset with 100% control.
- Near-term catalysts lined up across the portfolio.
Bottom Line
Copper Quest isn’t sitting on one project hoping lightning strikes. It’s stacking exposure: four plays in BC plus a new Idaho porphyry. With ~62.5M shares out and trading around C$0.10, the setup looks like a low-cap copper basket with asymmetric upside. 2025 is loaded with catalysts — and if even one project delivers meaningful drill hits, the rerate potential could be huge.
Marc has been involved in the Stock Market Media Industry for the last +5 years. After obtaining a college degree in engineering in France, he moved to Canada, where he created Money,eh?, a personal finance website.
