Westward Gold Targets High-Grade Potential with 2026 Drilling at the SSD Zone, Toiyabe Hills Property, Nevada

Systematic exploration has expanded the SSD Target's plan dimensions and improved the Company's understanding of mineralization controls

8-12 holes planned at SSD with strategic step-outs from the most significant historical gold intersections seen on the Property

Vancouver, April 27, 2026 - Westward Gold Inc. (CSE: WG, OTCQB: WGLIF, FSE: IM50) ("Westward" or the "Company") is pleased to provide additional details pertaining to its 2026 exploration plans at the SSD Target ("SSD"), one of three zones slated for reverse-circulation ("RC") and core drilling at the Company's Toiyabe Hills Property in Lander County, Nevada ("Toiyabe Hills", or the "Property"). This year's field activities are already well underway, beginning with sampling programs across newly-staked ground, 1:5000 surface geological and alteration mapping, and expanded geophysical surveys. Westward expects drilling to commence in early June, with trenching, road and pad construction to begin in May.

SSD was originally identified several years ago by the Company through a detailed investigation of legacy drill hole data; it is a separate and unique zone of gold mineralization that lies beneath the Courtney Zone, an area of shallow gold mineralization that was the focal point of the vast majority of historical drilling by previous operators. Westward subsequently expanded upon SSD with drilling in 2022 and 2023, and now with the benefit of large-scale systematic programs completed since then - including 1:5000 surface mapping, relogging of legacy RC and core drill holes, soil and rock-chip sampling, gravity and magnetic surveys - this target has been deemed a top priority for follow-up in 2026. SSD also represents the target zone that is most proximal to the recently-identified Threemile Stock, a deep-seated intrusive centre interpreted from magnetic data, dike swarms, and mapped/logged thermal alteration (see press release dated March 26, 2026, for additional details). Importantly, SSD earthwork is already permitted under the Company's existing Exploration Plan of Operations ("EPO") with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management ("BLM"), allowing for significant trench, road, and drill-pad construction flexibility - additional permitting updates for the entire 2026 drill program are outlined below. Details related to 2026 drilling plans at the other two target areas (Campfire and El Segundo) will be provided in subsequent press releases (see Figure 1 below).

Steven Koehler, Westward's Lead Technical Advisor, commented: "In 2022, the Westward Technical Team began to recognize a potential target opportunity beneath the Courtney Zone. Since then, that potential has been refined and verified through the integration of surface mapping, detailed re-logging of RC and core holes, gravity and magnetic surveys, and historical geochemical sampling. Combining these time-tested exploration techniques with fresh, experienced eyes on the rocks led to the confirmation of a new and unique geological setting - the SSD Zone. The setting is characterized by crosscutting high-angle faults, a blind thrust fault, multiple pulses of igneous intrusion within a northeast-striking fault corridor, deeper - potentially hypogene - oxidation, and a hydrothermal system that creates higher gold grades (>10 g Au/t) in select outcrop and drill samples. Gold mineralization is closely associated with quartz porphyry dikes, shearing, decalcification and silicification. These features are reminiscent of pre-discovery geological patterns documented at several well-known gold deposits on the Cortez and Carlin Trends. Based on this new work, SSD is a compelling, high-value, Carlin-type gold target. I'm very eager to begin the discovery-oriented trenching and drilling activities at SSD."

Please see "Technical Disclosure" section below for important details related to historical drilling and surface sampling results referenced herein. All intervals are presented as drillhole lengths, and true thicknesses of mineralization are currently unknown and estimated to be approximately 70-90% of the reported interval lengths.

Figure 1: 2026 Drill Targets at Toiyabe Hills

Click Image To View Full Size

SSD Target - Key Characteristics

• The target area is roughly 1.6 km long by 0.8 km wide, along a northeast-striking dike-filled fault corridor that is cut by west-northwest-striking faults, including the Roberts Mountains Thrust ("RMT").

• SSD gold mineralization is hosted in the lower-plate Wenban Formation, which is exposed at surface across much of the area. Alteration and structural characteristics of the mineralized zones include decalcification, silicification, oxidation to depths exceeding 600 metres, dolomitization, association with quartz porphyry and lamprophyre dikes, and a blind thrust fault.

  • Blind thrusts are often primary ore controls for some of the largest gold deposits in the greater Cortez District.

• Significant gold intervals reported in historical SSD drilling ranged from 9.1 to 50.3 metres thick at depths of 255 to 570 metres (see Figure 2 below), with notable intervals grading between 0.34 and 3.03 g Au/t (and sub-interval grades of up to 17.0 g Au/t). Mineralization remains open in all directions, particularly to the northeast and northwest which will be a focus for 2026 trench sampling, surface mapping, and drilling.

• SSD and the Courtney Zone represent the only areas of the Property where the following coincident observations have been made: i) an abundance of quartz porphyry dikes that host strong silica alteration; ii) altered quartz porphyry dikes and lamprophyre dikes close to one another (with near-surface gold grades of up to 21.8 g Au/t in drilling samples); iii) upper-plate siliciclastic rocks structurally-emplaced within lower-plate carbonate rocks along a blind thrust / duplex; and iv) silicification as either carbonate replacement or as quartz veins, with a strong correlation between gold mineralization and silica.

  • Within the greater Cortez District, this level of silica alteration in quartz porphyry intrusive rocks is distinctly reminiscent of the ground above Barrick Gold's Fourmile deposit.

Figure 2: SSD Target Plan View - Surface Geology & Select Historical Drilling

Click Image To View Full Size

Note: Several other historical holes completed in the area shown in Figure 2 are not referenced, with most reaching insufficient depths to test the SSD Target.

SSD Target - Re-Logging Campaign

In the months leading up to 2026 drilling, the Company has undertaken an extensive re-logging campaign of available legacy core and RC chips across SSD and the Courtney Zone, led by Technical Advisor Steven Koehler, an expert Carlin-type economic geologist with decades of experience in northern Nevada who participated in multiple significant discoveries (including nearby Cortez Hills). To date, 3,273 metres of core and 4,116 metres of RC chips have been re-logged, and the program remains ongoing. Major take-aways include:

• There is clear evidence of a large hydrothermal system at depth that is expressed up-dip in high-grade gold samples - both in surface rocks and shallow historical drilling, including:

  • In T722, in the limonitic interval from surface to 30 feet (9.1 m), clay-altered lathy lamprophyre grading up to 21.8 g Au/t (from 5-10 ft), hosted in the northeast-striking, dike-filled Diamond Fault - an important gold control at the Courtney Zone;

  • 750 m to the northeast, where a rock-chip sample contained 16.4 g Au/t (the highest surface sample on the Property), pointing to the scale and strength of the underlying system.

• Three distinct types of igneous rocks were identified, with felsic to mafic varieties including: i) quartz porphyry - texturally identical to dikes / sills at Cortez Hills (quartz eyes and white feldspar phenocrysts); ii) diorite (less common) - with proximal calc-silicate marble observed; and iii) lamprophyre - lathy, embayed quartz xenocrysts with green mica.

  • This is the only area of the Property currently covered by mapping where all three igneous varieties are observed in close proximity to one another.

• Elevated gold concentrations occur with silicification, or in close proximity to igneous rocks as follows:

  • In upper-plate siliciclastic rocks, higher grades are associated with quartz stringers / stockworks;

  • In lower-plate carbonate rocks (Wenban Formation), higher grades are associated with decalcification, silicification, and/or quartz stringers / stockworks.

• Dolomitic alteration is an important characteristic of the hydrothermal system and occurs as a broader halo above gold mineralization.

  • Dolomitization is a well-documented feature within numerous gold deposits on the Carlin Trend.

• The blind thrust, deep oxidation, and gold occurrences at SSD are confirmed features - compressional fabrics are evident in multiple RC and core holes across a distance of approximately 600 m along the mapped northeast strike.

Figure 3: T902C Core Photos (266.7 - 273.7 m)

Click Image To View Full Size

The SSD Zone interval presented in Figure 3 above is a typical example of elevated gold grades in conjunction with deep oxidation, pervasive shearing breccia associated with a blind thrust. Due to their high-grade nature, samples were tested a second time by the operator with those assays confirming the original results.

SSD Target - Drilling Plan

• SSD will be tested with a combination of RC and core drilling across approximately 8-12 holes / 4,500-9,000 metres, with a particular focus on three distinct target types (see Figure 4 below).

  • High-grade gold along dike margins, thrust and / or duplex-controlled gold, and classic Carlin-type laterally-disseminated gold in lower-plate rocks of the Wenban Formation.

  • Westward's 2025 drilling campaign proved that cost-effective RC holes can be completed to significant depths on the Property (900+ metres), and the Company will retain the option of pre-collaring with RC, setting casing, and drilling core tails.

• A 468-metretrenching program will be completed in the coming weeks to more accurately sample and map structures - this data will contribute to the final determination of collar locations and dips / azimuths.

  • High-grade structures - including the dike containing a 16.4 g Au/t sample - will be projected down-section based on mapped dips and strikes.

  • Drills will be aimed to intersect these structures within favourable carbonate host rocks, where the best potential exists for significant zones of gold mineralization.

Figure 4: SSD Target - Illustrative Cross-Section with Conceptual Drilling

Click Image To View Full Size

2026 Permitting Update

Permitting activities have been ongoing since the begging of the year, and the Company is pleased to report that all three 2026 target areas are now permitted for drilling:

• At SSD, drilling and trenching falls under the existing EPO which allows for up to 100 acres of disturbance (to date, only 9.3 acres have been utilized). Ahead of drilling, Westward will file a Work Plan Concurrence and provide the requisite bonding to the BLM.

• At Campfire, the Company will be operating under its 2025 Notice of Intent ("NOI") with the BLM.

• At El Segundo, the Company recently received approval for a new NOI and has posted the required bond with the BLM.

Technical Disclosure

Data Verification: Westward through its qualified persons conducts robust data verification on all data that are considered to be material to the Property and the Company. Further disclosure related to data verification may be found in the technical reports listed below or in certain other news releases referenced below. For legacy drill assays and surface samples referenced herein from former operators, the Company has reviewed lab certificates and has logged core and RC chips where available. Gold intervals reported are based on cut-off grades employed by the operator at the time, and may differ from Westward's own cut-off grade methodologies.

Data Sources: Sources include the legacy Toiyabe Property data room, drill log files inherited from previous operators, lab certificates, and the following technical reports: 1) NI 43-101 Technical Report, American Consolidated Minerals Corp., Prepared by Paul D. Noland, P. Geo., May 27, 2009, 2) NI 43-101 Technical Report, IM Exploration Inc., Prepared by Donald E. Cameron, P.Geo, August 5, 2021.

Press Releases: Refer to Westward Gold's press release dated October 18, 2022, for full technical disclosure surrounding its 2022 drilling campaign and assay results; refer to Westward Gold's press release dated May 23, 2023, for full technical disclosure surrounding drillhole T2301 and assay results.

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.

Such statements include, but may not be limited to, information as to strategy, plans or future financial or operating performance, such as the Company's expansion plans, project timelines, expected drilling targets, and other statements that express management's expectations or estimates of future plans and performance.

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.

Copyright (c) 2026 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.