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The Phase I framework drilling campaign – totaling 7,163 metres across 11 holes – has confirmed a vertically-extensive hydrothermal system containing a new Carlin-type gold zone at Campfire, which remains open in all directions and at depth

Vancouver, British Columbia – TheNewswire - December 22, 2025 – Westward Gold Inc. (CSE: WG, OTCQB: WGLIF, FSE: IM50) (“Westward” or the “Company” ) is pleased to provide results for three reverse-circulation (“RC” ) drill holes (CF25-05 through CF25-07), and announce that 2025 drilling operations at its flagship Toiyabe Hills Property in Lander County, Nevada (“Toiyabe Hills” , or the “Property” ) are complete, following a successful first-ever campaign at the Campfire Target Complex (“Campfire” ). Of the new results and key takeaways included herein, those from drillhole CF25-07 were noteworthy; in addition to intersecting 3.1m of 0.80 g Au/t – along with several other zones of elevated gold, arsenic, antimony and mercury – it will serve as an important vectoring tool as the best example of Carlin-type hydrothermal and thermal alteration (hornfelsing) to date at Campfire. Assay results from the first seven holes – in addition to detailed geologic logging of RC chips – continue to confirm that the Campfire Target Complex represents a new gold zone at Toiyabe Hills, associated with a large-scale Carlin-type system that remains open in every direction and at depth (see press releases dated September 18 and November 5, 2025 for details of results from holes CF25-01 through CF25-04) . Early-stage target definition for 2026 Phase II drilling is already underway and will continue to be refined as additional data is received and evaluated over the winter months.

2025 Campaign Highlights at the Campfire Complex:

• 7,163 metres of RC drilling were completed across 11 wide-spaced vertical holes, 43% above the Company’s initial 5,000-metre goal (see Figure 1 below). 

• 57% of all drilling was in favourable lower-plate carbonate rocks – namely the Wenban and Roberts Mountains Formations (well-documented regional gold hosts) – which were encountered at shallower-than-anticipated depths. 

• Assay results returned to date confirm a new gold zone on the Property associated with the large-scale Carlin-type hydrothermal system, concurrent with elevated trace-element geochemistry (arsenic, antimony, mercury) 

• Vertically-extensive decalcification (an alteration type characteristic of Carlin-type gold systems) and sulfidized igneous dikes were observed in all nine holes that tested lower-plate stratigraphy. 

• The RC rig achieved significant drilling depths (CF25-10 reached 3,005’ / 915.9m) in a cost-effective manner, with direct drilling costs for the campaign totalling approximately US$230 / metre (US$70 / foot). 

• In consultation with Westward’s contractors, the program was terminated in November with the approach of winter weather conditions; assay results remain pending from Paragon Geochemical Services Inc. (“Paragon” ) for holes CF25-08 through CF25-10.  

Figure 1: Campfire Target Complex – Completed Phase I Drill Campaign

 
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Colin Moore, President & CEO, noted: “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped make this ambitious inaugural drilling campaign at Campfire a success – no small feat for a company of our size. With the financial support of our shareholders and expert execution from our technical team and contractors, we were able to complete an expanded program in a safe, timely, and cost-effective manner. This initial Phase I program has demonstrated the outsized scale potential of this target area; with every hole the system footprint is growing, and we have yet to find the limits of it. We continue to intersect elevated Carlin-type gold along with pathfinder trace elements in the expected settings, namely near the Roberts Mountains Thrust and in the Wenban Formation. This is an ideal set-up for a Phase II program, where we can begin to target the more concentrated mineralized zones that turn discoveries into economic deposits. Along with the remaining pending assays from Campfire, over the coming weeks and months we will be providing details from additional exploration activities that will further enhance our technical understanding of the Property moving into 2026.”

Key Drilling Highlights, CF25-05 to CF25-07:

• All three holes – a continuation of the system-scale framework drilling at nominal 500-700m collar spacings – encountered elevated gold and Carlin-suite geochemistry (see Table 1 and Figures 2-4), most notably in and proximal to the Roberts Mountains Thrust (contact between upper-plate siliciclastic rocks and lower-plate carbonate rocks), and in decalcified zones of the Wenban Formation. 

• Holes CF25-05 and CF25-06 encountered abundant structure throughout, as evidenced by potential blind thrusts (sheared/elliptical/graphitic chips) and numerous breccia zones; this also led to challenging drilling conditions resulting in termination of the holes prior to testing the full vertical extent of the Wenban Formation. These locations are candidates for follow-up diamond drilling in 2026. 

• CF25-05 encountered an 80-metre-thick interval near the bottom of the hole characterized by pervasive decalcification, quartz veining and/or selvages of silicification, shearing (blind thrust with graphitic, elliptical chips), multiple sulfidized dikes, and increased amounts of sooty sulfides including quartz-sooty pyrite stringers to stockworks. This hole also returned elevated gold, arsenic, antimony and mercury around the Roberts Mountains Thrust (4.6m of 0.17 g Au/t). 

• The holes encountered elevated near-surface Carlin-type geochemistry in upper-plate rocks, most notably proximal to igneous dikes. This mineralization in less-favourable host stratigraphy highlights strength of system and supports the Company’s interpretation of a very large Arsenic plume at surface, as evidenced by robust soil and rock-chip sampling.  

• CF25-07 – which intersected 3.1m of 0.80 g Au/t – represents a significant vectoring tool in that it demonstrated the strongest Carlin-type hydrothermal and thermal alteration to date at Campfire.  

  • The hole encountered multiple igneous dikes – both lamprophyres and quartz-feldspar porphyry – similar to those seen at the neighbouring Cortez Camp.  

  • CF25-07 provided the best examples of hornfels ever observed at the Property, both as quartz hornfels in the upper plate and calc-silicate hornfels in the lower plate. Westward recognizes that hornfelsing – thermal alteration – is an important, mappable characteristic of Northern Nevada Carlin-type gold systems. In the Cortez and Carlin Camps, gold mineralization is often within or proximal to these hornfels aureoles (examples include Pipeline, Gold Acres, Cortez, Cortez Hills, Bluestar, and Four Corners). 

  • In addition to providing the best sub-surface examples of decalcified and silicified lower-plate carbonate rocks ever at Toiyabe Hills, CF25-07 also encountered abundant silica – either as veins or larger volume replacements. 

Table 1: Campfire Target Drill Hole Table  

Gold intervals reported in this table were calculated using a 0.14 g Au/t cutoff.  Included intervals were calculated using a 1.00 g Au/t cutoff.

Figure 2: Campfire Target: CF25-05 Downhole Geology and Geochemistry

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Figure 3: Campfire Target: CF25-06 Downhole Geology and Geochemistry

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Figure 4: Campfire Target: CF25-07 Downhole Geology and Geochemistry

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Quality Assurance / Quality Control (“QA/QC”)

The Company implemented a best-practices QA/QC program during its 2025 drilling campaign. All sampling was conducted under the supervision of the Company’s Vice President Exploration and/or members of its technical team, and the chain of custody from the Property to the sample preparation facility was continuously monitored. Samples were transported directly from the field to Paragon’s facility located at 1555 Industrial Way, Sparks, NV, 89431. Samples were dried at 100 degrees Celsius, crushed to 70% passing 10-mesh, riffle split 250 grams, and pulverized to 85% passing 200-mesh. Fire assay and multi-element analysis were completed at the same location. RC samples were collected in five-foot intervals. Certified standards and blanks were inserted every 13 samples for a frequency of 8% or greater. Rig duplicates, coarse duplicates, and pulp duplicates were collected or created at a frequency of 6%. Standards and blanks were sourced from MEG LLC of Lamoille, NV. All samples were analyzed for gold and either 35 additional elements (holes CF25-01 through CF25-04) or 49 additional elements (holes CF25-05 through CF25-10). Assays consist of fire assays (Au-FA30) for gold, and aqua regia / ICP-OES (35AR-OES or 50AR-MS) for multi-element geochemistry. Drill-hole deviation for the submitted holes was measured by gyroscopic down-hole surveys with tooling provided by REFLEX of Elko, NV. The deviation surveys provide accurate data about the true inclination and azimuth of the holes. Obtaining an accurate survey of the drill holes leads to a better contextual understanding of the RC samples, and a more robust 3D geological model.

Qualified Person

The technical information contained in this news release was reviewed and approved by Robert Edie, Vice President Exploration of the Company, who is a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Edie is a Certified Professional Geologist (CPG) through the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG).

About Westward Gold

Westward Gold is a mineral exploration company focused on developing the Toiyabe Hills Project located in the Cortez Trend area of Lander County, Nevada, and the Coyote and Rossi Projects located along the Carlin Trend in Elko County, Nevada. From time to time, the Company may also evaluate the acquisition of other mineral exploration assets and opportunities.

For further information contact:

Andrew Nelson
Chief Financial Officer
Westward Gold Inc.
+1 (604) 828-7027

andrew@westwardgold.com

www.westwardgold.com

The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

This news release contains or incorporates by reference “forward-looking statements” and “forward-looking information” as defined under applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, which address events, results, outcomes, or developments that the Company expects to occur are, or may be deemed, to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally, but not always, identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expect", "believe", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate”, “potential”, “on track”, “forecast", "budget", “target”, “outlook”, “continue”, “plan” or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved or the negative connotation of such terms.

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Forward-looking statements or information are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements or information, including, without limitation, the need for additional capital by the Company through financings, and the risk that such funds may not be raised; the speculative nature of exploration and the stages of the Company’s properties; the effect of changes in commodity prices; regulatory risks that development of the Company’s material properties will not be acceptable for social, environmental or other reasons, availability of equipment (including drills) and personnel to carry out work programs, that each stage of work will be completed within expected time frames, that current geological models and interpretations prove correct, the results of ongoing work programs may lead to a change of exploration priorities, and the efforts and abilities of the senior management team. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company’s forward-looking statements or information. These and other factors may cause the Company to change its exploration and work programs, not proceed with work programs, or change the timing or order of planned work programs. Additional risk factors and details with respect to risk factors that may affect the Company’s ability to achieve the expectations set forth in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are set out in the Company’s latest management discussion and analysis under “Risks and Uncertainties”, which is available under the Company’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, described or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company’s forward-looking statements and information are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations, and opinions of management as of the date of this press release, and other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements and information if circumstances or management’s assumptions, beliefs, expectations or opinions should change, or changes in any other events affecting such statements or information.

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