Mr. Brodie Sutherland reports
TOCVAN OUTLINES PHASED DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR PILOT MINE OPERATIONS AT GRAN PILAR GOLD-SILVER PROJECT
Tocvan Ventures Corp. has made a strengthened development plan as it transitions Gran Pilar from exploration into pilot-scale production. With all major permits secured and construction well under way, Tocvan is advancing a fully permitted 50,000-tonne heap-leach pilot facility designed to generate cash flow, validate metallurgy at scale and materially derisk the path toward commercial production.
The company's 10-year pilot mine permit was secured in August, 2025, followed by a six-year community agreement executed in May, 2026, providing long-term stability and expansion flexibility.
"Gran Pilar is entering a pivotal phase," stated Brodie Sutherland, chief executive officer of Tocvan. "This pilot operation is the first step toward establishing Gran Pilar as a scalable, long-life gold-silver producer. With construction progressing, equipment on site and processing infrastructure being built, we remain firmly on track for our first gold-silver dore pour in Q4 2026. The operating data and cash flow generated will directly inform our commercial development strategy."
The pilot facility represents a low-capital-expenditure, near-term production opportunity that positions Tocvan for rapid advancement in a strong gold market. Investors and stakeholders are encouraged to follow Tocvan's progress as the company advances toward its first gold-silver production in Q4 2026.
Key highlights:
- Target recovery: 70 per cent gold for heap leach;
- Heavy equipment (dozer, excavator and haul truck) mobilized on site in April, 2026;
- Site preparation, fencing and levelling for the heap-leach pad and containment ponds completed;
- Pad and containment pond construction under way;
- Local crushing equipment contracted;
- Processing plant equipment being constructed in Hermosillo;
- Condemnation drilling and water monitoring wells completed; baseline data collection continuing;
- Trenching and material transport phase currently active.
Phased development plan:
- Phase 1: Trenching and material transport (continuing -- Q3 2026):
- Objective: secure and characterize 50,000 tonnes of high-grade oxide feed;
- Key activities: expand dozer trenching across South Block high-priority targets and haul/stockpile mineralized material;
- Milestone: 50,000 tonnes stockpiled;
- Phase 2: leach pad construction (continuing -- Q3 2026):
- Objective: build the engineered 1.76-hectare heap-leach pad and containment system;
- Key activities: complete site grading, compaction, impermeable liner installation, solution collection pipes, containment berms and emergency ponds;
- Milestone: pad certified ready for stacking with full environmental sign-off;
- Phase 3: crushing and stacking (upcoming -- Q3 2026):
- Objective: prepare ore for leaching;
- Key activities: crush material to optimal size and stack ore on the leach pad in four-to-six-metre lifts;
- Milestone: 50,000 tonnes fully stacked and preconditioned;
- Phase 4: facility build (concurrent with phases 2 to 3; target completion Q3 2026):
- Objective: commission the hydrometallurgical processing plant;
- Key activities: install carbon-adsorption columns (five-column circuit), solution ponds and pumps;
- Milestone: plant fully commissioned and dry tested;
- Phase 5: processing and leaching (Q3 to Q4 2026):
- Objective: extract gold and silver at pilot scale;
- Key activities: apply dilute sodium cyanide solution by drip irrigation over a 60-to-90-day leach cycle with solution recirculation; adsorb metals onto activated carbon; monitor recovery rates in real time;
- Milestone: target greater-than-70-per-cent overall recovery achieved; detailed metallurgical and cost data collected.
- Phase 6: dore pour and reporting (late Q4 2026):
- Objective: first gold-silver production and reporting;
- Key activities: weigh, assay and secure first pour; prepare report and cash-flow analysis; evaluate AISC (all-in sustaining cost) and optimization data for phase 2 expansion;
- Milestone: first dore pour and initial revenue generation amid current high gold prices.
About Tocvan Ventures Corp.
Tocvan Ventures is a dynamic exploration and near-term producer advancing high-potential gold and silver projects in the mine-friendly jurisdiction of Sonora, Mexico. At its flagship Gran Pilar gold-silver project, Tocvan holds a 100-per-cent interest in over 21-square-kilometres of prospective ground, bolstered by the pivotal 2023 land acquisition that provides ample space for scalable mine infrastructure, including a planned 50,000-tonne pilot production facility. Recent exploration successes, including near surface 3.1 metres at 19.4 grams per tonne gold, underscore Gran Pilar's potential as a premier gold-silver asset. Additionally, Tocvan's 100-per-cent-owned Picacho gold-silver project, located in the prolific Caborca trend -- home to some of Mexico's largest gold deposits -- positions the company for further growth. With robust metallurgical results (up to 99-per-cent gold recovery and 97-per-cent silver recovery) and a strategic capital to bolster growth, Tocvan is poised to deliver significant shareholder value in a market buoyed by record-high gold prices. With approximately 78.7 million shares outstanding, Tocvan is committed to unlocking the full potential of its assets through innovative exploration, strategic development and investor-focused initiatives.
Mr. Sutherland, chief executive officer for Tocvan Ventures and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this release.
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