Lahontan Gold Announces Exceptional High-Grade Gold Intercepts at West Santa Fe Project
TORONTO, February 24, 2026 – Lahontan Gold Corp (TSXV:LG, OTCQB:LGCXF, FSE:Y2F) has revealed outstanding final analytical results from its 2025 maiden drilling program at the West Santa Fe satellite project, located just 13 kilometers from the company's flagship Santa Fe Mine project in Nevada's prolific Walker Lane mineral district. The reverse-circulation rotary drilling results demonstrate significant high-grade oxide gold and silver mineralization beginning at surface level.
Impressive Drill Results Highlight Mineral Potential
The company reported that drill hole WSF25-04R intersected 36.6 meters grading 3.11 grams per tonne gold equivalent from surface (0.0 to 36.6 meters), with an even more impressive 10.7-meter interval grading 5.75 g/t gold equivalent within that broader zone. All mineralization encountered in this intercept occurs within oxidized material, which typically offers more straightforward processing options.
Additionally, the drill hole revealed a second high-grade zone measuring 12.2 meters grading 3.67 g/t gold equivalent from 22.9 to 35.1 meters depth. Individual intercepts within the broader mineralized zone reached as high as 12.04 g/t gold equivalent over 1.52 meters, with specific assays showing 4.48 g/t gold and 648 g/t silver.
Geological Significance and Historical Validation
The grade and geometry of these intercepts correlate strongly with adjacent historic drill holes, providing important validation of the historical drill hole database maintained by the company. This correlation strengthens confidence in the continuity and predictability of the mineralization at West Santa Fe.
Historic drilling combined with Lahontan's 2025 RC drilling has defined a substantial gold and silver mineralized zone with surface dimensions measuring approximately 500 by 350 meters and true thickness ranging from 35 to over 60 meters. With oxide mineralization beginning at surface, the deposit shows excellent potential for development using low-cost open pit mining and heap-leach processing methods.
Company Leadership Expresses Optimism
Kimberly Ann, Lahontan's Executive Chair, President, CEO, and Founder, commented on the significance of these findings: "The robust assay results from WSF25-04R confirm the high-grade core of the South Zone as defined by historic drilling and underground mine workings. We are continuing to model the West Santa Fe system to better understand the geology and geometry of gold and silver mineralization."
Ann further explained that the geological team is refining plans for a follow-up RC drilling campaign scheduled to commence in Spring. Previous field work, including comprehensive geologic mapping, rock-chip sampling, and airborne magnetic surveys, indicates that the hydrothermal system at West Santa Fe extends at least 1,000 meters east of the main zone of gold and silver mineralization already defined by drilling activities.
Future Exploration and Development Plans
The company has identified several key targets for its upcoming Spring drilling campaign:
- The possible eastern extension of the main mineralized zone
- Untested down-dip extensions of existing gold and silver mineralization
- Further definition of the South Zone's high-grade core
"West Santa Fe continues to be an exciting new exploration target for the Company," Ann emphasized, "one with excellent potential to add important shallow, oxide gold and silver resource ounces to Lahontan's mineral resource ledger."
Technical Notes and Methodology
The company provided important technical context for interpreting these results:
- Gold equivalent calculations use the formula: Au Eq equals Au (g/t) + ((Ag g/t/60)*0.70)
- Silver grade for calculating gold equivalent is adjusted to consider estimated metallurgical recovery reported by Kappes Cassiday (1982)
- True thickness of the intercepts is estimated to be 75-90% of the drilled interval
- Numbers may not total precisely due to rounding
These exceptional results from West Santa Fe position Lahontan Gold Corp to potentially expand its mineral resource base in Nevada's highly prospective Walker Lane district, with the added advantage of surface-accessible oxide mineralization that could support cost-effective development scenarios.
