Westward completes 4,506 m of RC drilling at Toiyabe

Executive Summary

• Westward Gold Inc. provided an update on its 2025 drilling campaign at the Campfire Target Complex on the Toiyabe Hills property in Nevada, reporting significant geological success and cost efficiencies.
• The company has completed 4,506 meters of Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling across seven holes, exceeding initial expectations for Phase 1 and confirming a fully preserved, lower-plate-hosted Carlin-type gold system over a 1.6 km by 1.0 km plan extent.
• Initial geochemical data from holes CF25-01 and CF25-02 shows anomalous gold and Carlin-type trace element signatures, particularly in decalcified carbonate rocks and near sulphidized lamprophyre dikes, validating the target's potential for future grade-hunting.

Key Details

• Drilling Progress: 4,506 meters of RC drilling completed across seven drill holes; original target was ~5,000 meters, but the company expects to meaningfully exceed this due to cost savings.
• Geological Success:
  • All seven holes intersected favourable lower-plate carbonate rocks.
  • Six holes collared in upper-plate rocks intersected the lower plate at shallower-than-predicted depths.
  • Approximately 68% of Phase 1 metreage was in favourable lower-plate rocks.
  • Vertically extensive decalcification (characteristic of Carlin-type systems) and sulphidized igneous dikes observed in all holes.
• System Definition: Drilling confirmed a Carlin-type gold system over a plan extent of ~1.6 km by 1.0 km. The hydrothermal alteration cell remains open in all directions and at depth.
• Specific Hole Highlights:
  • CF25-01 & CF25-02: Intersected anomalous gold and Carlin-type trace element signatures, especially in decalcified carbonate rocks of the Wenban and Roberts Mountains formations and proximal to sulphidized lamprophyre dikes. Gold and trace element signatures increase near the bottom of CF25-02.
  • Challenges: Difficult conditions in holes CF25-01, CF25-03, CF25-05, and CF25-06 resulted in no sample recovery or early termination in some zones.
• Cost Efficiency: Direct drilling costs averaged $61 USD per foot ($200 USD per meter), which is below the original budget, allowing for increased metreage.
• QA/QC Protocols:
  • Samples analyzed by Paragon Geochemical Services Inc. for gold and 35 additional elements.
  • Processing: Dried at 100°C, crushed to 70% passing 10 mesh, riffle split 250g, pulverized to 85% passing 200 mesh.
  • Analysis: Fire assay (Au-FA30) for gold; Aqua Regia/ICP-OES (35AR-OES) for multielement geochemistry.
  • Controls: Certified standards/blanks inserted every 65 feet (8% frequency); Rig/coarse/pulp duplicates every 250 feet (2% frequency).
  • Surveys: Gyroscopic downhole surveys provided by Reflex for accurate inclination and azimuth data.

Notable Quotes

• Kelly Cluer, Director: "The drill chips we have logged so far and the initial geochemical data released herein indicate that success has been achieved. Ultimately, phase 1 drilling was designed to set us up smartly, in a large new undrilled Carlin system, for a future phase 2 grade-hunting campaign. It's still early days and we expect forthcoming results to contribute greatly to our vectoring efforts."