Lahontan Gold Corp. has reported final analytical results from its 2025 maiden drilling program at the West Santa Fe project, located 13 kilometers from its flagship Santa Fe Mine project in Nevada's Walker Lane region. The final reverse-circulation drill hole, designated WSF25-04R, returned 36.6 meters grading 3.11 grams per tonne gold equivalent from surface, including a higher-grade interval of 10.7 meters at 5.75 grams per tonne gold equivalent. All mineralization reported is oxide material, with additional high-grade intervals reaching up to 12.04 grams per tonne gold equivalent.
The results correlate with historic drilling data and define a near-surface oxide gold and silver zone measuring approximately 500 by 350 meters. This continuity of mineralization supports the potential for low-cost open pit mining and heap-leach processing development at the site. According to company management, these findings are advancing geologic modeling efforts and informing planning for a follow-up spring drilling campaign targeting extensions of the mineralized system.
The West Santa Fe project represents a satellite exploration target to Lahontan's main Santa Fe Mine project, which has a substantial mineral resource base. The Santa Fe Mine project contains a Canadian National Instrument 43-101 compliant Indicated Mineral Resource of 1,539,000 ounces gold equivalent and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 411,000 ounces gold equivalent, all pit constrained. The company plans to continue advancing the Santa Fe Mine project toward production while simultaneously exploring the West Santa Fe target throughout 2025.
The discovery of significant near-surface oxide mineralization at West Santa Fe has important implications for Lahontan Gold's development strategy in Nevada's Walker Lane. Oxide gold deposits typically offer lower processing costs compared to sulfide ores, making them attractive targets for potential near-term production. The proximity of West Santa Fe to the existing Santa Fe Mine infrastructure could provide operational synergies if both projects advance to production. These results demonstrate the exploration potential of Lahontan's land package in a region known for its mineral endowment and mining-friendly jurisdiction.
The technical content of the announcement has been reviewed and approved by Michael Lindholm, CPG, an Independent Consulting Geologist to Lahontan Gold Corp. and a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101. For additional technical details, the Preliminary Economic Assessment and NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Santa Fe Project is available through regulatory filings. The full press release detailing these results can be accessed at https://ibn.fm/7HIq5, while further corporate information is available at https://www.lahontangoldcorp.com.
