Kirkland Lake begins 2026 drilling at Mirado

Executive Summary

• Kirkland Lake Discoveries Corp. has commenced its 2026 diamond drilling program at the Mirado property, a past-producing gold asset located 20 km southeast of Kirkland Lake, Ontario.
• This marks the first systematic, large-scale exploration of the asset in over a decade, aiming to expand known high-grade zones and test new structural targets using modern geological modeling.
• The company has partnered with Paragon Geochemical to utilize Chrysos PhotonAssay technology for the 2026 program to ensure rapid turnaround times and improved statistical reliability for coarse/nuggety gold samples.

Key Details

• Drilling Program: 2026 diamond drilling campaign at the Mirado property.
• Location: Mirado property, 20 kilometres southeast of Kirkland Lake, Ontario, within the Abitibi greenstone belt.
• Historical Context:
  • 1940s: Yama Gold Mines produced 3,227 ounces of gold at a recovered grade of 0.15 ounce per ton (1937–1943).
  • 1980s: Golden Shield Resources conducted 32,000 feet of drilling and extensive underground drifting.
  • Property was consolidated in 2012; further advancement was deferred during the 2013 commodity price correction.
• Mineralization Styles:
  • North Zone: Semi-conformable, stratigraphically controlled sulphide mineralization within felsic volcaniclastics.
  • South Zone: Discordant, structurally controlled gold mineralization hosted in quartz-chlorite vein arrays.
• Analytical Technology: Use of Chrysos PhotonAssay via Paragon Geochemical. This non-destructive X-ray fluorescence method uses larger (500 grams) samples to reduce grade variability associated with nuggety/coarse gold and provides faster results than traditional fire assay.
• 2026 Program Objectives:
  • Database Validation & Infill: Verify historical high-grade logs and provide data density for NI 43-101 compliance.
  • Depth Extensions: Test projected high-grade chutes below 250 meters (where most historical drilling stopped).
  • Strike & Zone Expansion: Investigate lateral continuity of the MZ zone to the west and evaluate polymetallic potential of the North zone.
  • Structural Synthesis: Integrate 90 years of historical records into a unified 3-D geological model.
• Qualified Person: Benjamin Cleland, PGeo, Vice-President, Exploration.
• Disclaimer: Historical data presented in the release has not been verified by a qualified person under NI 43-101 and is for informational purposes only until modern confirmatory drilling is completed.

Notable Quotes

• "The Mirado property has a history of technical success that was frequently interrupted by external market cycles rather than geological outcomes," said Stefan Sklepowicz, chief executive officer. "Our objective for the 2026 campaign is to apply modern exploration standards to a system that has historically been advanced in a fragmented manner. By integrating 90 years of data into a cohesive model, we aim to identify the primary controls on mineralization and systematically test for extensions at depth."