Lode Gold Receives Three-year Drill Permit at Flagship Fremont Gold Mine, California
Lode secured a three-year drilling permit for the Fremont Gold Mine, advancing the project toward a 2027 preliminary feasibility study.
Lode Gold Resources Inc. has received official approval for a three-year Administrative Use Permit (AUP) from Mariposa County, California. The permit authorizes surface mineral exploration and comprehensive drilling at the company’s 100% privately owned Fremont Gold Mine.
Lode Gold Resources plans to execute a 3,500 to 4,500-meter drilling program in the second half of 2026. Technical objectives for the campaign include metallurgical optimization, geotechnical analysis, resource classification upgrades from Indicated to Reserve, and hydrogeological testing. Exploration targets include deep extensions at Pine Tree-Josephine, infill drilling at Chicken Gulch, and regional prospects such as Queen Specimen and AI-identified targets including Rosie Jane and Drunken Gulch.
The drilling campaign directly supports the completion of a Preliminary Feasibility Study (PFS) targeted for 2027.
Lode Gold Resources Inc. (LOD) has secured a critical regulatory milestone with the approval of its permit, de-risking the execution of the previously announced $9.78 million July 2026 financing and drilling roadmap. This approval confirms management's ability to navigate California's environmental and permitting frameworks, addressing a known execution risk for junior miners in the state.
The news is expected and incremental, following the April 2026 permit application submission and the July 2026 financing closure. It does not introduce new financial terms or strategic pivots. The focus on metallurgical and geotechnical drilling aligns with the company's strategic pivot to 100% underground bulk mining, as outlined in the 2025 Internal Scoping Study. While positive for project progression, the market has already priced in the financing and drilling plans. The permit approval is a necessary step rather than a market-moving catalyst.
Lode Gold Resources Inc. (LOD) is a junior exploration and development company focused on the Fremont Gold Mine in Mariposa County, California. The project is a brownfield, past-producing mine that halted operations in 1942 and sits on 3,351 acres of 100% privately owned patented land. The company’s geological model has shifted from open-pit to 100% underground bulk mining, leveraging an average true width of 53 meters at a 1 g/t cut-off.
The 2026 Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) reports 1.11 moz in Measured & Indicated categories and 1.98 moz in Inferred categories at 1 g/t Au. The company is also evaluating strategic options for its Dingman Gold Project in Ontario, including a potential spin-out.