Viva Gold Corp. (TSXV: VAU; OTCQB: VAUCF) provided an update on the work programs underway at its 100%-owned Tonopah Gold Project (“Tonopah,” or the “Project”). Tonopah is located on the prolific Walker Lane Structural Trend in western Nevada, approximately a 30-minute drive south of Kinross Gold’s Round Mountain Mine. Work at Tonopah is advancing on three parallel tracks: completion of the Pre-Feasibility Study (“PFS”); the
environmental baseline studies required to support mine permitting; and follow-up drilling at the Midway
Hills discovery announced in July 2026. Together, these programs are designed to carry Tonopah from the
study stage into formal mine permitting.
Highlights:
- The Tonopah PFS remains on schedule for completion in late Q4 2026. Mine design is substantially
complete and detailed costing is underway. A detailed trade-off study on plant sizing, based on a
larger resource estimate that incorporates 2026 drilling, has been completed. The PFS will be based
on a 3,000-tonne-per-day gravity/CIL mill for higher-grade mineralization and a 7,000-tonne-per-day
heap leach for lower-grade mineralization. - A 1,000-meter core drilling program is underway at the Midway Hills discovery, located approximately
1.4 kilometers northwest of the main pit area. The first hole is being drilled from the same collar
location as discovery hole TG2617 (35.1 meters at 1.62 g/t Au and 16.7 g/t Ag, and 21.4 meters at 0.32
g/t Au), at minus 75 degrees and along strike to the northwest. The hole has reached a depth of
approximately 250 meters and has intersected the Ordovician Palmetto Argillite approximately 65
meters northwest of TG2617. Alteration in the overlying Tertiary volcanic unit includes abundant iron
oxide, silicification and quartz veining. Visual observations of alteration are not a substitute for
laboratory assays. The hole is expected to be completed next week, after which the core will be
logged, sampled and submitted for assay. - Multi-element and cyanide-soluble gold and silver assays from holes TG2616 to TG2618 indicate that
Midway Hills mineralization differs from the main Tonopah deposit in several key respects, including
higher ratios of cyanide-soluble to total gold and silver and lower silica content. Both are positive early
indicators for metallurgical recovery, which will be confirmed through metallurgical test work. - A second drill rig is on site and drilling the first of four downstream groundwater monitoring wells.
The crew will also drill and complete a second aquifer pump test well, 2 adjacent water level
measurement boreholes, and an additional upstream monitoring well. These holes are being logged
and samples captured for assay. These wells provide additional infrastructure for aquifer pump testing
and rapid infiltration basin testing, which together with existing test data will support a robust
numerical groundwater model of the site, a key requirement of the environmental review under the
National Environmental Policy Act. - An archaeological survey team is mobilizing to the site this week to complete a Class III archaeological
survey over the portions of the Tonopah land package that have never been surveyed or have not
been surveyed in the last 10 years, as part of the baseline studies required for permitting. - The 2026 golden eagle and raptor survey report and completed geochemistry studies have been
submitted to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”) for review.
“We are well funded and moving quickly to carry Tonopah through the PFS and baseline studies and
complete a Mine Plan of Operations, which will be submitted to the BLM to begin the mine permitting
process. Moving Tonopah into permitting is the most direct path to de-risking the project and building
shareholder value, and it is what separates a mine developer from an explorer. Follow-up drilling at
Midway Hills adds a second avenue for growth alongside that work,” stated James Hesketh, President &
CEO.
Qualified Person
James Hesketh, MMSA-QP, has approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this press
release. Mr. Hesketh is not independent of the Company; he is an Officer and Director.
Viva Gold is a market awareness client of Capital 10X. For more information, including potential conflicts of interest please see our Content Disclaimer
