Westward Gold Announces Commencement of Initial Drill Program at Campfire Target Complex

(TheNewswire)

5,000-metrereverse-circulation campaign is testing for multiple styles of
Carlin-type gold mineralization within the Campfire TargetComplex

Drilling has begunwithin the up-plunge expression of the Campfire Anticline, wherefavourable carbonate stratigraphy
is shallowest and geochemical and geophysical features are stronglydeveloped

First holes areproviding drillers with an opportunity to master ground conditions
and calibrate design processes to optimize productivity

Vancouver, British Columbia, July 8, 2025 – TheNewswire - Westward Gold Inc. (CSE: WG, OTCQB:WGLIF, FSE: IM50) ( “Westward” or the “Company” ) is pleased toannounce that drilling is underway at its flagship Toiyabe HillsProperty in Lander County, Nevada ( “Toiyabe Hills” , or the “Property” ). Over the next several months, Westward willbe testing its Campfire Target Complex ( “Campfire” ) for the first time, with approximately 5,000metres (~16,500 feet) of reverse-circulation ( “RC” ) drilling across thistop-priority zone within the ~61 square-kilometre consolidatedProperty. The Company’s chosen drilling contractor National EWP,Inc. ( “National” ) hasupgraded Westward’s rig to an EDM95K – capable of reaching greaterdepths, track-mounted for better manoeuverability, and very familiarto the Company’s technical team.

Colin Moore, President & CEO, commented: “This is a veryexciting time in our Company’s evolution, and the reason why we’rein this business – to capitalize on patient, systematic targetingwith an opportunity to make a game-changing discovery. I’d like tothank all the shareholders who have funded this endeavour, and ourtechnical team for their continued execution. Greenfield explorationis always a challenging venture, but we believe our diligence will berewarded and the future is bright at Toiyabe Hills.”

Steven Koehler, Technical Advisor, added: “Having walked over andmapped countless acres of exploration ground across Nevada over thelast 30 years, I’m acutely aware of the key ingredients which piquethe interest of economic geologists and tilt the risk / rewardcalculus in our favour. Thru-going high-angle structures, igneousdikes, evidence of compressional events, hydrothermal alteration,outcropping carbonate rocks – these are the hallmarks of potentialfertile gold environments. One or two of these may make a target, butseeing all of them in one place is exceptional; this is why theCampfire Complex currently has our undivided attention.”

The first two holes of the 2025 campaign – plotted in Figure 1 below– are designed to test the up-plunge expression of the CampfireAnticline, a key feature which begins in the exposed lower-platecarbonate window at surface and plunges into the nexus of severalsignificant geophysical anomalies (a large gravity alterationfootprint and potential pipe-like breccia body interpreted from ZTEM).Anticlines are often important controlling structures in Carlin-typegold exploration given their ability to act as hydrothermal fluidtraps, localizing and concentrating metals. Geochemical analysis alsobolsters these targets with a large Carlin-suite plume (crucially,arsenic) documented to the west, southwest, and south of thegeophysical features; its footprint measures favourably against knownpre-discovery arsenic plumes at major Carlin-type gold deposits inNevada, including the original Cortez Mine. This mineral up-flow zonealso encompasses both the past-producing Toiyabe-Saddle Mine (nowcontrolled by Barrick Gold Corp.), and gold mineralization at theCourtney Zone on Westward’s Property (<1km NNE ofToiyabe-Saddle). The Company believes these modest distal goldoccurrences originated from the feeder zone at Campfire.

Figure 1: Holes CF25-01 & CF25-02(Campfire Target, Toiyabe Hills)

Click Image To View Full Size

Beginning this crucial field season with the up-plunge targets –before moving northeast in subsequent holes – offers severaldistinct advantages, both strategic and logistical:

• The initial locations provide National’s crew with an opportunity tobetter understand the rocks, alteration, groundwater, and designprocesses to prevail over any future down-hole challenges

• First-pass assessment of favourable carbonate rocks in the WenbanFormation and an opportunity to compare surface alteration withdown-hole alteration

• Absence of upper-plate cover rocks which can render drilling morechallenging

• Documentation of marker horizons and an estimate of depth to the topof the Roberts Mountains Formation, another proven host rock in thedistrict (see Figure 2 below)

Figure 2: Illustrative SW-NELongitudinal Section (Along Spine of Campfire Anticline)

Click Image To View Full Size

The Company will adapt to real-time visual feedback at the rig inaddition to assays (when available) to guide the strategically-placedholes to appropriate depths across the program’s budgeted 5,000metres in order to maximize success. Within the large-scale CampfireComplex, Westward has identified multiple styles of potential goldmineralization to be tested during this Phase-1 drilling campaign:

• Stratigraphic Targets: in thefootwall of the Roberts’ Mountains Thrust within fold limbs andanticlinal axes

• Structural Targets: along themargins of resistivity-modeled pipe-like geometry, and others

• Karst Breccias: within thecarbonate section where extreme decalcification has occurred

• Mineralized Dikes: gold inigneous dikes and dike margins

• Breccia Pipes: multi-lithicbreccias in steeply-plunging, pipe-like features

Corporate Update

Westward is also pleased to announce the engagement of HillsideConsulting and Media Inc. ( "Hillside" ), a British Columbia-based firm, toassist in the Company's ongoing marketing and investor relationsefforts. Hillside will provide a comprehensive suite of services toenhance the Company's public presence and drive investor engagement.Hillside will provide a digital outreach program to update the marketon the Company's gold properties, exploration activities, and overallvalue proposition. The engagement will commence on July 8th and remainin effect for up to two weeks. The Company will pay Hillside a totalof forty-five thousand dollars (Canadian), plus applicable GST forthese services. Westward continues to pursue all available avenues togrow its investor base and execute on its business growth plans andlong-term exploration strategies.

Qualified Person

The technical information contained in this news release was reviewedand approved by Robert Edie, Vice President Exploration of theCompany, who is a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101– Standards of Disclosure forMineral Projects. Mr. Edie is a Certified ProfessionalGeologist (CPG) through the American Institute of ProfessionalGeologists (AIPG).

About Westward Gold

Westward Gold is a mineral exploration company focused on developingthe Toiyabe Hills Project located in the Cortez Hills area of LanderCounty, Nevada, and the Coyote and Rossi Projects located along theCarlin Trend in Elko County, Nevada. From time to time, the Companymay also evaluate the acquisition of other mineral exploration assetsand 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 hasneither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility forthe adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

This news release contains orincorporates by reference “forward-looking statements” and“forward-looking information” as defined under applicable Canadiansecurities legislation. All statements, other than statements ofhistorical fact, which address events, results, outcomes, ordevelopments that the Company expects to occur are, or may be deemed,to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements aregenerally, but not always, identified by the use of forward-lookingterminology such as "expect", "believe","anticipate", "intend", "estimate”,“potential”, “on track”, “forecast","budget", “target”, “outlook”, “continue”,“plan” or variations of such words and phrases and similarexpressions or statements that certain actions, events or results“may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” betaken, occur or be achieved or the negative connotation of suchterms.

Such statements include, but may notbe limited to, information as to strategy, plans or future financialor operating performance, such as the Company’s expansion plans,project timelines, expected drilling targets, and other statementsthat express management’s expectations or estimates of future plansand performance.

Forward-looking statements orinformation are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks,uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events orresults to differ from those reflected in the forward-lookingstatements or information, including, without limitation, the need foradditional capital by the Company through financings, and the risk that such fundsmay not be raised; the speculative nature of exploration and thestages of the Company’s properties; the effect of changes incommodity prices; regulatory risks that development of the Company’smaterial properties will not be acceptable for social, environmentalor other reasons, availability of equipment (including drills) andpersonnel to carry out work programs, that each stage of work will becompleted within expected time frames, that current geological modelsand interpretations prove correct, the results of ongoing workprograms may lead to a change of exploration priorities, and theefforts and abilities of the senior management team. This list is notexhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company’sforward-looking statements or information. These and other factors maycause the Company to change its exploration and work programs, notproceed with work programs, or change the timing or order of plannedwork programs. Additional risk factors and details with respect torisk factors that may affect the Company’s ability to achieve theexpectations set forth in the forward-looking statements contained inthis news release are set out in the Company’s latest managementdiscussion and analysis under “Risks and Uncertainties”, which isavailable under the Company’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors thatcould cause actual results to differ materially, there may be otherfactors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated,described or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place unduereliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company’sforward-looking statements and information are based on theassumptions, beliefs, expectations, and opinions of management as ofthe date of this press release, and other than as required byapplicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligationto update forward-looking statements and information if circumstancesor management’s assumptions, beliefs, expectations or opinionsshould change, or changes in any other events affecting suchstatements or information.

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