WestGold Metals Corp. Closes Idaho Properties Option Agreement, Commences Exploration

Vancouver, British Columbia — August 18, 2026 — Leads & Copy — WestGold Metals Corp. announced it has closed the mineral property option agreement with Silver Rock Resources, Inc., a subsidiary of IDEX Metals Corp., as initially announced on May 14, 2026. The closing followed acceptance from the Canadian Securities Exchange, with an effective date of July 28, 2026.

Under the terms of the option agreement, WestGold issued 5,737,000 common shares to the optionor and made an initial cash payment of CAD$100,000. The agreement grants WestGold the option to acquire a 90% interest in the Amie, Silver Rock, and Demming projects, collectively known as the Idaho Properties. To secure this interest, WestGold must incur aggregate exploration expenditures of C$5,000,000 over a three-year period and fulfill other conditions stipulated in the agreement.

The company is also preparing to mobilize a field crew to the Idaho Properties later this month to commence initial exploration activities. The team will conduct ground reconnaissance, geological mapping, and surface sampling, including reviewing historical mineral showings and targeting prospective areas. The primary objectives of this initial field program are to enhance the understanding of the geology and mineralization of the properties, identify areas for future work, and inform the design of subsequent exploration programs.

James Hocking, Chief Executive Officer of WestGold, expressed enthusiasm for commencing exploration on the Idaho properties, noting that they have seen limited modern exploration. He stated that the initial field program will enable the geological team to evaluate historical information, assess priority areas on the ground, and develop a systematic exploration strategy for each project.

WestGold is currently reviewing and compiling historical technical information provided by IDEX Metals Corp. and plans to release further details on the properties upon completion of this review.

The Idaho Properties encompass a total of 79 unpatented lode mining claims covering 660.5 hectares of Bureau of Land Management-administered lands. The portfolio includes the Amie Project, a flagship asset focused on epithermal gold-silver mineralization in Owyhee County, Idaho. This project comprises 53 claims covering approximately 392.79 hectares and is situated within the same Miocene-age epithermal gold-silver belt as Integra Resources’ DeLamar Project, a past-producing mine. Historical activity on the Amie Property includes numerous adits, shafts, and test pits.

The Silver Rock Project, also in Owyhee County, features a high-grade silver system with epithermal veins and historical infrastructure, though it has not undergone modern systematic exploration. The Demming Project, located in the same region, hosts a vertical gold-silver quartz fissure vein system with a historic 100-ton-per-day flotation mill and extensive underground development, with additional undrilled parallel veins along a significant structural belt. No current mineral resources or reserves have been defined on any of these projects.

Scientific and technical information in the release was reviewed by Darren Lefort, P.Geo., a Qualified Person under NI 43-101. The historical information, particularly for the Demming and Silver Rock properties, is sourced from a 2010 government report for the Bureau of Land Management. WestGold also announced the grant of 4,250,000 stock options and 8,650,000 restricted share units to directors, officers, and consultants. Each option is exercisable for one common share at $0.08 per share for five years, with vesting over 18 months.

WestGold Metals Corp. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on precious metal opportunities in North America, with its common shares listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE: WGM), OTCQB (WGMTF), and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (V0U).

Source: WestGold Metals Corp.