Vancouver, British Columbia – October 8, 2025 – Avrupa Minerals Ltd. (TSX-V: AVU) has expanded its footprint in the Vihanti-Pyhäsalmi volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) District of central Finland through its Finnish partnership Akkerman Finland Oy (AFOy). The company has secured a new exploration reservation, KKS (VA2025-0043), covering 18.6 km² and encompassing three historic VMS prospects — Kurpas, Kaskela, and Sirviö.
With this acquisition, AFOy now holds seven copper-zinc exploration permits in the district at various stages of approval by the Finnish government, in addition to one gold exploration permit in the Oijärvi Greenstone Belt.
According to records from the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK), the area was intermittently explored between 1970 and 2001. Outokumpu Oy discovered shallow copper-zinc mineralization in 1986 at Kaskela and in 1989 at Kurpas, identifying VMS layers extending several hundred meters. The best results from limited shallow drilling included narrow but high-grade intercepts:
| Prospect | Width (m) | Cu (%) | Zn (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kurpas | 1.0 | 2.4 | – |
| 2.0 | 1.2 | – | |
| 0.2–0.8 | – | 2–8 | |
| Kaskela | 5.1 | – | 6.1 |
| 1.5 | – | 8.8 | |
| 0.7 | 2.4 | – |
Subsequent follow-up exploration by Outokumpu Oy and Belvedere Resources Ltd. did not yield extensions to the mineralized zones, and both companies ceased work in the area by 2005. No exploration has been conducted over the past 20 years.
AFOy now plans to evaluate the deeper potential (>200 meters) of the volcano-sedimentary sequence around KKS using advanced geophysical methods, including airborne deep electromagnetic (EM) surveys and detailed magnetics — a strategy inspired by the deeper success of the Pyhäsalmi Mine, located nearby.
Paul W. Kuhn, President and CEO of Avrupa Minerals, commented:
“We have acquired another area of massive sulfide mineralization close to the Pyhäsalmi Mine. Our VMS portfolio in the District now includes seven licenses covering highly prospective targets, including two permits located less than two kilometers from the Pyhäsalmi headframe.”
Avrupa and its partner Akkerman Exploration are now seeking a joint venture partner to advance the VMS program. Representatives from both companies will attend the FEM2025 Conference in Levi, Finland (October 28–30), where they plan to meet with interested parties.
