- 5,000-metre reverse-circulation campaign is testing for multiple styles of Carlin-type gold mineralization within the Campfire Target Complex
- Drilling has begun within the up-plunge expression of the Campfire Anticline, where favourable carbonate stratigraphy is shallowest and geochemical and geophysical features are strongly developed
- First holes are providing drillers with an opportunity to master ground conditions and calibrate design processes to optimize productivity
Vancouver, British Columbia, July 8, 2025 – TheNewswire - Westward Gold Inc. (CSE: WG, OTCQB: WGLIF, FSE: IM50) (“Westward” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that drilling is underway at its flagship Toiyabe Hills Property in Lander County, Nevada (“Toiyabe Hills”, or the “Property”). Over the next several months, Westward will be testing its Campfire Target Complex (“Campfire”) for the first time, with approximately 5,000 metres (~16,500 feet) of reverse-circulation (“RC”) drilling across this top-priority zone within the ~61 square-kilometre consolidated Property. The Company’s chosen drilling contractor National EWP, Inc. (“National”) has upgraded Westward’s rig to an EDM95K – capable of reaching greater depths, track-mounted for better manoeuverability, and very familiar to the Company’s technical team.
Colin Moore, President & CEO, commented: “This is a very exciting time in our Company’s evolution, and the reason why we’re in this business – to capitalize on patient, systematic targeting with an opportunity to make a game-changing discovery. I’d like to thank all the shareholders who have funded this endeavour, and our technical team for their continued execution. Greenfield exploration is always a challenging venture, but we believe our diligence will be rewarded and the future is bright at Toiyabe Hills.”
Steven Koehler, Technical Advisor, added: “Having walked over and mapped countless acres of exploration ground across Nevada over the last 30 years, I’m acutely aware of the key ingredients which pique the interest of economic geologists and tilt the risk / reward calculus in our favour. Thru-going high-angle structures, igneous dikes, evidence of compressional events, hydrothermal alteration, outcropping carbonate rocks – these are the hallmarks of potential fertile gold environments. One or two of these may make a target, but seeing all of them in one place is exceptional; this is why the Campfire Complex currently has our undivided attention.”
The first two holes of the 2025 campaign – plotted in Figure 1 below – are designed to test the up-plunge expression of the Campfire Anticline, a key feature which begins in the exposed lower-plate carbonate window at surface and plunges into the nexus of several significant geophysical anomalies (a large gravity alteration footprint and potential pipe-like breccia body interpreted from ZTEM). Anticlines are often important controlling structures in Carlin-type gold exploration given their ability to act as hydrothermal fluid traps, localizing and concentrating metals. Geochemical analysis also bolsters these targets with a large Carlin-suite plume (crucially, arsenic) documented to the west, southwest, and south of the geophysical features; its footprint measures favourably against known pre-discovery arsenic plumes at major Carlin-type gold deposits in Nevada, including the original Cortez Mine. This mineral up-flow zone also encompasses both the past-producing Toiyabe-Saddle Mine (now controlled by Barrick Gold Corp.), and gold mineralization at the Courtney Zone on Westward’s Property (<1km NNE of Toiyabe-Saddle). The Company believes these modest distal gold occurrences originated from the feeder zone at Campfire.
Figure 1: Holes CF25-01 & CF25-02 (Campfire Target, Toiyabe Hills)
Beginning this crucial field season with the up-plunge targets – before moving northeast in subsequent holes – offers several distinct advantages, both strategic and logistical:
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The initial locations provide National’s crew with an opportunity to better understand the rocks, alteration, groundwater, and design processes to prevail over any future down-hole challenges
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First-pass assessment of favourable carbonate rocks in the Wenban Formation and an opportunity to compare surface alteration with down-hole alteration
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Absence of upper-plate cover rocks which can render drilling more challenging
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Documentation of marker horizons and an estimate of depth to the top of the Roberts Mountains Formation, another proven host rock in the district (see Figure 2 below)
Figure 2: Illustrative SW-NE Longitudinal Section (Along Spine of Campfire Anticline)
The Company will adapt to real-time visual feedback at the rig in addition to assays (when available) to guide the strategically-placed holes to appropriate depths across the program’s budgeted 5,000 metres in order to maximize success. Within the large-scale Campfire Complex, Westward has identified multiple styles of potential gold mineralization to be tested during this Phase-1 drilling campaign:
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Stratigraphic Targets: in the footwall of the Roberts’ Mountains Thrust within fold limbs and anticlinal axes
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Structural Targets: along the margins of resistivity-modeled pipe-like geometry, and others
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Karst Breccias: within the carbonate section where extreme decalcification has occurred
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Mineralized Dikes: gold in igneous dikes and dike margins
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Breccia Pipes: multi-lithic breccias in steeply-plunging, pipe-like features
Corporate Update
Westward is also pleased to announce the engagement of Hillside Consulting and Media Inc. ("Hillside"), a British Columbia-based firm, to assist in the Company's ongoing marketing and investor relations efforts. Hillside will provide a comprehensive suite of services to enhance the Company's public presence and drive investor engagement. Hillside will provide a digital outreach program to update the market on the Company's gold properties, exploration activities, and overall value proposition. The engagement will commence on July 8th and remain in effect for up to two weeks. The Company will pay Hillside a total of forty-five thousand dollars (Canadian), plus applicable GST for these services. Westward continues to pursue all available avenues to grow its investor base and execute on its business growth plans and long-term exploration strategies.
Qualified Person
The technical information contained in this news release was reviewed and approved by Robert Edie, Vice President Exploration of the Company, who is a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Edie is a Certified Professional Geologist (CPG) through the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG).
About Westward Gold
Westward Gold is a mineral exploration company focused on developing the Toiyabe Hills Project located in the Cortez Hills area of Lander County, Nevada, and the Coyote and Rossi Projects located along the Carlin Trend in Elko County, Nevada. From time to time, the Company may also evaluate the acquisition of other mineral exploration assets and opportunities.
For further information contact:
Andrew Nelson
Chief Financial Officer
Westward Gold Inc.
+1 (604) 828-7027
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The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
This news release contains or incorporates by reference “forward-looking statements” and “forward-looking information” as defined under applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, which address events, results, outcomes, or developments that the Company expects to occur are, or may be deemed, to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally, but not always, identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expect", "believe", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate”, “potential”, “on track”, “forecast", "budget", “target”, “outlook”, “continue”, “plan” or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved or the negative connotation of such terms.
Such statements include, but may not be limited to, information as to strategy, plans or future financial or operating performance, such as the Company’s expansion plans, project timelines, expected drilling targets, and other statements that express management’s expectations or estimates of future plans and performance.
Forward-looking statements or information are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements or information, including, without limitation, the need for additional capital by the Company through financings, and the risk that such funds may not be raised; the speculative nature of exploration and the stages of the Company’s properties; the effect of changes in commodity prices; regulatory risks that development of the Company’s material properties will not be acceptable for social, environmental or other reasons, availability of equipment (including drills) and personnel to carry out work programs, that each stage of work will be completed within expected time frames, that current geological models and interpretations prove correct, the results of ongoing work programs may lead to a change of exploration priorities, and the efforts and abilities of the senior management team. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company’s forward-looking statements or information. These and other factors may cause the Company to change its exploration and work programs, not proceed with work programs, or change the timing or order of planned work programs. Additional risk factors and details with respect to risk factors that may affect the Company’s ability to achieve the expectations set forth in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are set out in the Company’s latest management discussion and analysis under “Risks and Uncertainties”, which is available under the Company’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, described or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company’s forward-looking statements and information are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations, and opinions of management as of the date of this press release, and other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements and information if circumstances or management’s assumptions, beliefs, expectations or opinions should change, or changes in any other events affecting such statements or information.
