Westhaven Gold Corp. (TSX-V: WHN) (OTCQB: WTHVF) (FRA: 1W5) has announced the start of exploration at its Spences Bridge Gold Belt properties in southern British Columbia. The 2026 program combines potential resource growth through drilling, district-scale exploration, and project derisking via resource infill drilling and advancement of Pre-Feasibility studies (PFS).
Exploration Activities Underway
Prospecting, geological mapping, and soil sampling surveys are now underway on priority target areas at the Prospect Valley and Shovelnose properties. A fifth drill rig has been mobilized to the Shovelnose property in preparation for a 15,000-meter exploration drilling program expected to commence mid-month and continue through mid-December.
The ongoing 35,000-meter resource infill drilling program is over 50% complete. Results continue to confirm the continuity of gold and silver mineralization within the South Zone deposit, including intersections of 9.8 meters grading 8.3 g/t gold and 11 g/t silver (SNR26-83), and 11.46 meters grading 4.59 g/t gold and 43 g/t silver (SNR26-92).
Strategic Earn-In Agreement with Dundee Corporation
This work is being funded under a strategic earn-in agreement with Dundee Corporation, whereby Dundee may earn up to a 60% interest in Westhaven’s four Spences Bridge Gold Belt properties through up to CDN$85,000,000 in staged project expenditures. Under the first phase, Dundee has committed a minimum of CDN$30,000,000, inclusive of a fully funded 50,000-meter drill program and PFS work at Shovelnose.
CEO Comments
Ken Armstrong, President and CEO of Westhaven, stated: “With resource infill drilling over 50% complete and PFS-related studies well underway at Shovelnose, we are pleased to have also started field exploration work at both the Shovelnose and Prospect Valley gold properties. Exploration is perhaps the most important component of our 2026 field programs with prospecting, mapping and soil sampling planned as well as 15,000m of exploration drilling focused on discovery of new gold-bearing epithermal mineralization at Shovelnose.”
Drilling Operations and Targets
The addition of a fifth drill will allow exploration drilling to start without impacting ongoing infill and technical drilling of the South Zone deposit. Three drills are currently focused on resource infill drilling, whereas the fourth drill completed a three-hole (1,200-meter) hydrogeological program in early June and is currently completing a four-hole (1,260-meter) geotechnical drill program. Exploration drilling will initially focus on testing targets located proximal to the NW-trending structure hosting mineralization associated with the South Zone, FMN, and Franz gold deposits.
