Helium and a Hyperscaler Next Door: Max Power Mining’s Saskatchewan Puzzle Nears a Key Data Drop

Junior explorer Max Power prepares operational update on Lawson hydrogen system, with 8.7% helium at Bracken and a C$1.7B Bell data center nearby, amid global helium supply shock.

The week starting May 18 promises to be a watershed for Max Power Mining. The junior explorer has pledged a comprehensive operational update on its Lawson natural hydrogen system in Saskatchewan, and the market is already pricing in more than just H?. With helium grades of up to 8.7% emerging from a nearby wellbore, and a C$1.7 billion Bell Canada data center project taking shape in the same corridor, the story is evolving faster than the drilling rigs can turn.

Lawson sits roughly 80 kilometres northwest of Moose Jaw, within the 475-kilometre Genesis Trend that Max Power controls through a land position of 1.3 million approved acres and another 5.7 million under application. The key geological feature is a salt barrier — a natural seal that could trap hydrogen and maintain reservoir pressure. GLJ Ltd. of Calgary is now running a commercial evaluation of the system, layering a high-resolution 3D seismic survey completed in April over the company’s proprietary MAXX LEMI artificial-intelligence platform. The seismic work expanded the mapped structural area to 14.2 square kilometres, giving the analyst team better targets for the next drilling campaign.

But it is the adjacent Bracken field that has added a second revenue vector to the thesis. A well drilled to 2,600 metres in the Grasslands project encountered gas containing both hydrogen and helium in the upper Devonian. Average helium concentration ran at 4.4%, with peak readings of 8.7%. Those numbers are high enough to make helium a potential stand-alone cash flow source rather than a mere byproduct, provided flow rates confirm commercial viability. Service rigs are on standby to test the exact gas composition as soon as the spring snowmelt allows access.

The timing is serendipitous for Max Power. An unspecified geopolitical event in March removed roughly 30% of global helium supply from the market, roughly doubling spot prices. A junior with even modest helium recoverability suddenly commands a different order of attention. The Bracken discovery therefore plugs directly into a supply-shock narrative that is driving investor interest across the sector.

Meanwhile, the demand side for hydrogen is building in Max Power’s backyard. Bell Canada has flagged plans for what would be the largest proposed data centre in the country near Regina, with a C$1.7 billion price tag. The facility would sit in the same industrial corridor as Max Power’s project area, potentially opening a path to offtake discussions for natural hydrogen if Lawson can deliver commercial flow rates. The company has been positioning itself as a low-carbon energy source for the emerging AI-driven electricity demand — a storyline that resonates with current energy-security themes.

Regional activity is also heating up. Makenita Resources announced on May 17, 2026, a significant expansion of its Saskatchewan land package to 51,304 contiguous acres, directly adjacent to Max Power’s holdings. That move underscores the scramble for prospective ground along the Genesis Trend and adds pressure on the junior to demonstrate technical progress.

The stock has responded aggressively. On Monday the shares touched €1.65, a new 52-week high, after surging 34% over the prior week. Year-to-date the valuation has more than quadrupled, reflecting the market’s willingness to extend credit to a story that remains pre-commercial. The company has also boosted its capital-markets presence, signing Quantum Ventures to provide media content and digital campaigns under the “The New Money” brand for an upfront payment of US$150,000.

A C$20.5 million equity raise, arranged through a broker, gives Max Power the runway to fund the next phase: a follow-up well at Lawson, flow tests at Bracken, and additional seismic work across multiple project areas. That financing also helped address the going-concern risk flagged by auditors in March 2026, a concern that has since been overtaken by the market’s pivot toward domestic energy sources and resource sovereignty.

The hard test remains a confirmation well planned for mid-2026 at the highest point of the Lawson structure. That borehole will need to deliver commercial flow rates to support a development decision. Until then, the market will parse every detail from this week’s operational update and track the Bracken flow tests after the snow clears.