Westward Gold Breaks Ground at Campfire Target & Details Additional Exploration Activities at Toiyabe Hills

(TheNewswire)

5,000-metredrilling campaign at the Campfire Target Complex slated to commence inmid-June

Vancouver, British Columbia, May 27, 2025 – TheNewswire – Westward Gold Inc. (CSE: WG, OTCQB:WGLIF, FSE: IM50) ( “Westward” or the “Company” ) is pleased toannounce that pre-drilling earthwork activities – including road anddrill-pad construction – began during the week of May 12 th at its flagship Toiyabe HillsProperty in Lander County, Nevada ( “Toiyabe Hills” , or the “Property” ). This followed approval of the Company’sNotice of Intent ( “NOI”) at the beginning of the month from the U.S. Bureau of LandManagement ( “BLM” ). TheNOI allows for up to 5 acres of disturbance at the Campfire TargetComplex ( “Campfire” ), andWestward has planned for up to 12 drill sites to support approximately5,000 metres (~16,500 feet) of reverse-circulation ( “RC” ) drilling in 2025.

Westward’s chosen drilling contractor, National EWP, Inc., isexpected to mobilize an RC rig to the Property on June 16 th , with drilling commencingshortly thereafter. The Company has selected a Schramm T-685 which hasa maximum depth capacity of 3,000 ft (~915 metres), to allow forgreater flexibility should the observed geology warrant extendingholes beyond their initial planned depths. Drill samples will beshipped to Paragon Geochemical in Sparks, NV, for assays on aconsistent basis throughout the campaign. Investors can expect regularupdates from the Company as drilling progresses over the summermonths.

Robert Edie, Westward’s Vice President Exploration, commented: “Wehave designed this Phase I program at Campfire with maximumadaptability in mind, and with an eye towards follow-up campaigns.We’ve permitted up to 12 sites with approximately 500-metre collarspacings, granting us significant coverage of the target’salteration footprint. We selected an RC rig that can reach meaningfuldepths, and we will have casing on hand to preserve our re-entryoption with diamond drilling. Our technical team will be at the rigeach day to monitor progress and make important decisions based onrock samples coming out of the ground. We’re very excited to betesting our targeting concepts at Toiyabe Hills and are eagerlyanticipating the launch of Campfire’s maiden drill program.”

Figure 1: Road Construction atCampfire Target Complex, Toiyabe Hills
(Looking Northeast, CortezHills & Goldrush Mine Portals in Background)

Click Image To View Full Size

Near-Term Exploration Highlights at ToiyabeHills:

• Campfire Drilling: Access roadand drill pad construction (ongoing as of May 12 th )

• Campfire Drilling: Drill rigmobilization to site (expected on June 16 th )

• Campfire Drilling: Commencement of drilling (expected 2-3 days after rigmobilization)

• New Target Generation: Expansion of gravity survey coverage over newly-staked ground (datacollection completed at the end of March, final interpretationspending internal review – see below for details)

• New Target Generation: Expansion of surface sampling coverage over newly-staked ground (soilgrid completed early May, assays pending – see below for details)

• New Target Generation: Expansion of rock-chip sample coverage & collection of newroad-cut channel samples (ongoing in tandem with geological mapping /post road-construction – see below for details)

• New Target Generation: Anaconda-style geological mapping, adding 10-12 squarekilometres to existing coverage (ongoing throughout field season –see below for details)

In parallel with the Company’s inaugural drill program at Campfire,additional exploration activities across the greater Toiyabe Hillsfootprint (~60 square kilometres) are already well underway and willcontinue throughout the field season. The primary goal of theseprograms will be to advance other potential target areas, with aparticular focus on the footwall of a district-scale, mantle-tappingstructural corridor that runs north-south spanning the full extent ofthe Property (the “HilltopCorridor” ). The Company believes the western flank of thisimportant structural feature to be a preferential setting for golddeposition, as supported by ever-growing geochemical datasets (seeFigures 2 and 3 below), exposed host-rock stratigraphy (namely theDevonian Wenban Formation), geophysical datasets, and detailedgeological mapping. This is also a classic structural setting forseveral of Nevada’s giant gold deposits.

Figure 2: Arsenic-in-Soil Sampleswith Arsenic Rock-Chip Samples (Left) & Gold Rock-Chip Samples(Right)

Click Image To View Full Size

Arsenic continues to provide valuable insight to the Company, as thebest non-gold geochemical vectoring tool available in the hunt forCarlin-type gold deposits. The large arsenic plume to the west,southwest and south of the circular geophysical features was a vitalobservation during the generation of the Campfire Target Complex. Thefootprint of this geochemical anomaly compares favourably in size todocumented pre-discovery arsenic footprints from major gold depositsin the area, notably the original Cortez Mine. Other importantpathfinder elements within the Carlin suite (mercury and antimony) arehighlighted in Figure 3 below, and bolster the rationale for expandingthe Property to the southwest where anomalies remain open and indicatepreliminary definition of a new emerging multi-element geochemicalfootprint immediately south of Campfire, in a similar structuralsetting – footwall to the lamprophyre-bearing Hilltop Corridor. Asexpected, most of the anomalous Carlin pathfinder geochemistry on theProperty is in the footwall (west) of the structural corridor, asetting analogous to other large alteration systems around some ofNevada’s most significant gold deposits.

Figure 3 :Mercury-in-Soils (Left) & Antimony-in-Soils (Right)

Click Image To View Full Size

As it relates to Westward’s most recent land expansion (72 claimsadded in the southwest), the Company has recently completed twovaluable programs, adding to its geophysical and geochemicaldatabases. At the end of March, a gravity survey was completed overthe new ground by MWH Geosurveys of Reno, NV. This survey tied into– and extended – a previous survey from 2024, and was composed of148 unique stations on a 200 x 200-metre square grid (see Figure 4below).

Figure 4: Toiyabe Hills 2025 (Red)& 2024 (Black) Gravity Stations over Topography

Raw data from the survey were sent to Jim L. Wright of WrightGeophysics for interpretation; Mr. Wright is a renowned geophysicistwith decades of experience in Carlin-type gold systems, and wasinstrumental in bolstering Westward’s Campfire Target Complex withkey observations from the 2024 gravity survey. The 2025 survey to thesouthwest covers an emerging area of interest, based on preliminarysurface sampling, geological mapping, and its location in the footwallof the Hilltop Corridor. Results point to a highly-complex structuralsetting, with evidence of intense disruption – important features toconsider when evaluating the potential for favourable hydrothermalfluid flow and mineral deposition. Detailed interpretations of thegeophysical data will be outlined in future press releases.

In addition to the gravity survey extending the Company’sgeophysical datasets, Westward recently completed collection of soilsamples across a grid over the new ground. Samples will be analyzed byALS in Reno, NV, and – in tandem with the new geophysical data andgeological mapping – will provide additional insight into newpotential target areas.

Additional upcoming exploration activities will include a continuationof 1:5000 scale Anaconda-style geological mapping, led by TechnicalAdvisor Steven Koehler and VP Exploration Robert Edie. Westwardexpects to cover 10-12 square kilometres during the 2025 field season,with a focus on previously-unmapped areas of the Hilltop Corridorfootwall that coincide with geochemical anomalies and compellinggeophysical features. The recently-staked ground covering an exposureof lower-plate Wenban Formation will also be mapped. Lastly, theCompany will take advantage of exposures created by Campfire roadconstruction to conduct a thorough rock-chip channel sampling program,which will also encompass areas of interest identified while mapping.

Sampling Methodology, Chain ofCustody, Quality Control and Quality Assurance (“QA/QC”)

All surface rock and soil sampling was conducted underthe supervision of the Company’s Vice President of Exploration orTechnical Advisors. The chain of custody from the project to thesample preparation facility was continuously monitored. For rock-chipsamples, certified reference materials ( “CRMs” ) or blankswere inserted approximately every thirty samples. The samples weredelivered to Bureau Veritas Mineral Laboratories USA preparationfacility in Sparks, NV where they were crushed and pulverized. Pulps were digested and analyzed for gold usingfire assay fusion (FA430) and an atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS)finish on a 30-gram split. All other elements were determined by ICPanalysis (AQ200). Data verification of theanalytical results included a statistical analysis of the standardsand blanks that must pass certain parameters for acceptance to ensureaccurate and verifiable results. All resultswere deemed to be within acceptable analytical limits for disclosure. Bureau Veritas Mineral Laboratories USA isindependent of Westward. Soil samples were transported from thefield collection areas by Robert Edie to his home in Zephyr Cove, NV,and then to ALS’ certified laboratory at 4977 Energy Way, Reno, NV89502.  There, the samples were crushed and pulverized; resultingsample pulps (30g sample weight for gold and 500mg for multielement)were analyzed by ALS Reno for gold at 4977 Energy Way, Reno, NV, 89502and ALS Vancouver for multielement at 2103 Dollarton Hwy, NorthVancouver, BC, Canada. ALS is independent of the Company. CRMspurchased from Moment Exploration Geochemistry in Lamoille, NV, wereinserted into the soil sample stream at a frequency of one every 25thsample (4%). Four CRMs were inserted at random, three with known goldvalues, and one certified blank. All results were deemed to be withinacceptable analytical limits for disclosure.

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 of historical fact, whichaddress events, results, outcomes, or developments that the Companyexpects to occur are, or may be deemed, to be, forward-lookingstatements. Forward-looking statements are generally, but not always,identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as"expect", "believe", "anticipate","intend", "estimate”, “potential”, “ontrack”, “forecast", "budget", “target”,“outlook”, “continue”, “plan” or variations of such wordsand phrases and similar expressions or statements that certainactions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”,“might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved or thenegative connotation of such terms.

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 riskthat such funds may not be raised; the speculative nature ofexploration and the stages of the Company’s properties; the effectof changes in commodity prices; regulatory risks that development ofthe Company’s material properties will not be acceptable for social,environmental or other reasons, availability of equipment (includingdrills) and personnel to carry out work programs, that each stage ofwork will be completed within expected time frames, that currentgeological models and interpretations prove correct, the results ofongoing work programs may lead to a change of exploration priorities,and the efforts and abilities of the senior management team. This listis not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of theCompany’s forward-looking statements or information. These and otherfactors may cause the Company to change its exploration and workprograms, not proceed with work programs, or change the timing ororder of planned work programs. Additional risk factors and detailswith respect to risk factors that may affect the Company’s abilityto achieve the expectations set forth in the forward-lookingstatements contained in this news release are set out in theCompany’s latest management discussion and analysis under “Risksand Uncertainties”, which is available under the Company’s SEDAR+profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Although the Company has attempted toidentify important factors that could cause actual results to differmaterially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be asanticipated, estimated, described or intended. Accordingly, readersshould not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements orinformation. The Company’s forward-looking statements andinformation are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations, andopinions of management as of the date of this press release, and otherthan as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does notassume any obligation to update forward-looking statements andinformation if circumstances or management’s assumptions, beliefs,expectations or opinions should change, or changes in any other eventsaffecting such statements or information.

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