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HWG.CN ·

Headwater Gold Acquires the Whiskey Project in Nevada and Reports 19.2 g/t Au in Rock Samples at Surface

Drill Results Mergers & Acquisitions Exploration Programs

Suite 1210 – 1130 West Pender Street

Vancouver, British Columbia, V6E 4A4 Canada

T +1 (604) 681-9100

[email protected]

Headwater Gold Acquires the Whiskey Project in Nevada and

Reports 19.2 g/t Au in Rock Samples at Surface

Vancouver, British Columbia, April 10, 202 5: Headwater Gold Inc. (CSE: HWG) (OTCQB:

HWAUF) (the "Company" or "Headwater") is pleased to announce the acquisition of the Whiskey

gold project located in Mineral County, Nevada. Whiskey is an epithermal gold project situated in

the highly endowed Walker Lane belt near Headwater’s Spring Peak and Lodestar projects, which

are being advanced through earn-in agreements with Newmont Corporation (“Newmont”).

Highlights:

• Strategic Location: The Whiskey project is positioned in heart of the Walker Lane gold

belt, 20 kilometres east of the Borealis Mine and the Company’s Spring Peak project;

• High-Grade Surface Mineralization: Recent rock chip sampling by Headwater returned

gold grades of 19.2 g/t Au, 18.5 g/t Au and 14.6 g/t Au from the High Proof target with no

known drilling ever completed in the area; and,

• Positive Historical Drilling : Historical shallow drilling at the East Rye and West Rye

targets intercepted broad zones of epithermal gold mineralization, including 59.7 metres

grading 0.85 g/t Au (RS-6) and 10.7 metres grading 0.52 g/t Au (W-83-5).1

Caleb Stroup, the President and CEO of the Company, states: "Whiskey is a high-quality addition

to our portfolio of 100% controlled Nevada gold projects, giving our shareholders direct leverage

to any exploration success we generate. Strategically located near our Spring Peak and Lodestar

projects, where we are advancing major earn -in agreements with Newmont, Whiskey covers a

large, well-preserved epithermal system with multiple distinct target types ranging from high-grade

gold in basement structures to classic low -sulfidation epithermal targets developed in rhyolite

domes. The combination of known high-grade surface mineralization, encouraging historical drill

results and large areas of untested potential under shallow cover makes Whiskey a very exciting

exploration opportunity. We look forward to systematically advancing the project with a focus on

defining and testing high-priority targets.”

Project Overview:

Whiskey was acquired through a combination of two option agreements to acquire a 100%

interest in pre-existing claims held by private parties and the staking of additional mining claims

by Headwater, resulting in the consolidation of a land package covering 216 unpatented lode

claims on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land. The project covers a preserved epithermal

system exposed in an erosional window beneath a thin veneer of post-mineral basalt cover.

Surface mapping and sampling have identified three primary target areas:

• High Proof Target: High-grade, fault-hosted gold mineralization hosted in basement

rocks, where recent rock sampling by Headwater returned values up to 19.2 g/t Au. No

known historical drilling has been completed in the area.

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• East Rye and West Rye Targets: Broad zones of chalcedonic silica alteration developed

above rhyolite flow domes, with highly anomalous epithermal pathfinder elements

(mercury, arsenic and gold) at surface. Historic shallow drilling returned gold intercepts in

both areas, including 59.7 m grading 0.85 g/t Au from 48.77 m (including 12.2 m at 1.79

g/t Au) in RS-6 and 10.7 m grading 0.52 g/t Au from 33.53 m in W-83-5.1

The project area exhibits excellent district scale potential with large zones of preserved alteration

extending beyond the historic al drill-tested areas. The broader mineralized system remains

largely open in terms of prospectivity to the north, east and south under shallow post -mineral

basalt and to the west under alluvial cover.

Figure 1: Whiskey project location in relation to Headwater’s Spring Peak and Lodestar properties which

are under earn-in agreements with Newmont.

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Figure 2: Simplified geological map of the Whiskey project showing primary target areas .

Previous Exploration

Intermittent exploration has taken place on the Whiskey property since 1971, with operators

including Conoco, US Minerals Exploration, Homestake, Combined Metals Reduction, Santa Fe

Minerals and Newmont. In addition to surface sampling and geologic mapping, 48 shallow

exploration holes have been drilled on the property, of which Headwater has assay and collar

location data for 41 of these holes. Drilling was focused on the outcropping exposures of silicified

rhyolite in the eastern and western portions of the property, with very little exploration completed

on trend under post-mineral cover rocks, or following-up other known anomalies on the property.

The average hole depth of historic drilling is 97 metres, with a maximum depth of 191 metres.

Historical surface sampling includes 801 soil and 614 rock samples 1. The historic surface

sampling and mapping also focused on the exposures of silicified rhyolite, with only scattered

sampling of the intrusion-hosted veins and other altered rocks on the property. In December of

2024 and January of 2025, Headwater collected 74 rock samples on the property, targeting silica

alteration and veining. At the High Proof target, selective sampling of fracture zones and historic

workings confirmed the presence of high -grade gold mineralization in granitic basement rocks.

Gold mineralization is associated with quartz -sulfide alteration in northwest -striking fracture

corridors.

Headwater Exploration Plans:

Headwater recently completed a reconnaissance rock sampling program and has completed

property-wide gravity, airborne magnetic and radiometric geophysical surveys , the results of

which are currently being interpreted. The next steps at Whiskey will include upgrading the

geological map, integrating new geophysical and geochemical datasets and prioritizing drill

targets for initial testing of high -grade zones. The project location on BLM land facilitates

streamlined permitting and year-round access to the project.

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Figure 3: Brecciated volcanic rocks with silica and iron oxide alteration at the Whiskey project.

Acquisition Terms:

Headwater consolidated the W hiskey project through two exploration lease and option to

purchase agreements (each, an “Agreement”) with separate private arm’s length vendors,

securing the right to acquire 100% interests in pre-existing project claims (the “Vendor Claims”).

Each Agreement provides for an initial payment of US$4,000 and , beginning on the third

anniversary, annual minimum payments of US$10,000. Annual payments increase by US$5,000

per year until US$30,000 is payable on the seventh and each succeeding anniversary over a

twenty-year term. These minimum payments may be credited towards the purchase price of

US$1,500,000 under each Agreement should the Company elect to exercise its option to

purchase a 100% interest in the Vendor Claims. The Vendor Claims under each Agreement are

subject to a 2.0% net smelter return (“NSR”) royalty, of which the Company may purchase 1.5%

of the NSR for US$2,000,000 and reduce the royalty to 0.5%.

Headwater has also located an additional 134 100% owned unpatented mining claims contiguous

to the Vendor Claims, consolidating the district.

About Headwater Gold:

Headwater Gold Inc. (CSE: HWG, OTCQB: HWAUF) is a technically driven mineral exploration

company focused on the exploration and discovery of high-grade precious metal deposits in the

Western USA. Headwater is aggressively exploring one of the most well -endowed and mining-

friendly jurisdictions in the world with a go al of making world -class precious metal discoveries.

Headwater has a large portfolio of epithermal vein exploration projects and a technical team of

experienced geologists with diverse capital markets, junior and major mining company

backgrounds. The Com pany is systematically drill testing several projects in Nevada and in

August 2022 and May 2023 announced significant transactions with Newmont where it acquired

a 9.9% strategic equity interest in the Company and entered into earn-in agreements on several

of Headwater’s projects, including Spring Peak and Lodestar. In September of 2024 , Centerra

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Gold Inc. acquired a strategic 9.9% interest in the Company through a non-brokered private

placement at a premium to market.

Headwater is part of the NewQuest Capital Group which is a discovery -driven investment

enterprise that builds value through the incubation and financing of mineral projects and

companies. Further information about NewQuest can be found on the company webs ite at

www.nqcapitalgroup.com.

For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.headwatergold.com.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Caleb Stroup

President and CEO

+1 (775) 409-3197

[email protected]

For further information, please contact:

Brennan Zerb

Investor Relations Manager

+1 (778) 867-5016

[email protected]

Qualified Person:

The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by

Scott Close, P.Geo (158157), a “Qualified Person” (“QP”) as defined in National Instrument 43 -

101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

1Historical drill intercepts and historical surface geochemistry included in this release were

sourced from drill logs, assay certificates and internal company reports generated by previous

operators. These results have not been independently verified by Headwater and are treated by

the Company as historical in nature and not current or NI 43-101 compliant.

Analytical Methods:

Headwater rock samples were delivered to Bureau Veritas (“BV”) facilities in Sparks, Nevada. Samples

were prepared by crushing and grinding via BV method PRP70 -500 to obtain a 500g sub -

sample. Geochemical analyses including fire assay were carried out at ISO 17025:2017 accredited Bureau

Veritas laboratories in Vancouver, British Columbia. Pulps were assayed for 59 elements via method

MA250 using a 25g sample after a four acid near total digest with an ICP-MS finish. Gold was assayed by

fire assay using BV method FA330 with a 30g sample charge and ICP -ME finish. For samples containing

greater than 10 g/t gold, the overlimit protocol is to determine gold concentration by gravimetric finish.

Results of the laboratory's quality control program which includes reference materials, analytical blanks,

and analytical replicates are monitored by Headwater.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release includes certain forward -looking statements and forward -looking information

(collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation.

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation,

statements regarding future capital exp enditures, exploration activities and the specifications, targets,

results, analyses, interpretations, benefits, costs and timing of them, Newmont’s anticipated funding of the

earn-in projects and the timing thereof, and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of

the Company, are forward -looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are

reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Often, but not always,

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forward looking information can be identified by words such as “pro forma”, “plans”, “expects”, “may”,

“should”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “potential” or

variations of such words including negati ve variations thereof, and phrases that refer to certain actions,

events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. Forward -looking

statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may c ause the actual

results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results,

performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and other

factors include, among others, risks related to the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities

of the Company, including the Company’s exploration plans and the proposed expenditures for exploration

work thereon, the ability of the Company to obtain sufficient financing to fun d its business activities and

plans, the risk that Newmont will not elect to obtain any additional interest in the earn -in projects in excess

of the minimum commitment, the ability of the Company to obtain the required permits, changes in laws,

regulations and policies affecting mining operations, the Company’s limited operating history, currency

fluctuations, title disputes or claims, environmental issues and liabilities, as well as those factors discussed

under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s prospectus dated May 26, 2021 and other filings of the

Company with the Canadian Securities Authorities, copies of which can be found under the Company’s

profile on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward -looking statements. The Company

undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements, except as otherwise required by

law.