Upside Gold Corp. has released preliminary results from its initial diamond drilling program at the Kena Gold-Copper Property in southeastern British Columbia, reporting intersections of wide, near-surface gold mineralization consistent with historical resource grades. The program, which comprised 1,002 metres across three diamond drill holes, was designed to test the northeast margin of the Kena lode gold zone and was paused in November 2025 due to snow conditions, with plans to resume in June.
The drilling intersected broad zones of mineralization, including a highlight interval of 178 metres starting from 15 metres depth grading 0.36 grams per tonne gold, 1.8 g/t silver, and 534 parts per million copper. This demonstrates the width and continuity of gold mineralization along the northeastern margin, with grades comparable to the Kena Historic Resource. Future drilling will continue testing targets to the northeast, as well as additional priority targets to the southwest down dip and southeast along strike, extending beyond the boundaries of the historical resource estimate.
The importance of these results lies in their potential to advance the Kena Project toward becoming a viable mining operation. The property hosts a substantial historical resource, though it requires current verification. According to the technical report entitled NI 43-101 Resource Estimate for the Kena and Daylight Properties prepared by Sue Bird, P.Eng. of Moose Mountain Technical Services and filed on SEDAR, the Kena Project historically contained an Indicated Mineral Resource of 32.1 million tonnes at 0.544 g/t Au for 0.561 million ounces of gold, and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 177.5 million tonnes at 0.486 g/t Au for 2.77 million ounces of gold. A Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to classify this historical estimate as a current mineral resource, and Upside Gold is not treating it as such; additional drilling is required for reclassification.
The initial drilling success has several implications. For the mining industry, it highlights the continued exploration potential in established Canadian mining jurisdictions like British Columbia. For investors and the market, it represents a critical step for Upside Gold in de-risking the project and adding value through systematic exploration. The company's focus on advancing the project through methodical programs, as outlined on its website at https://www.upsidegoldcorp.com, is central to its strategy.
From a technical standpoint, the drill core samples were analyzed at the independent ALS Canada Ltd. laboratory, which conforms to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standards. The Qualified Person for the project, Trevor Boyd, P.Geo., Vice President of Exploration, reviewed and approved the technical information under NI 43-101 standards. The ongoing work aims to provide the data necessary to potentially upgrade the historical resource estimate, which was calculated using assumptions including a gold price of US $2,000 per ounce and an 88% metallurgical recovery rate.
The resumption of drilling in June will be closely watched, as further results could significantly impact the project's economic assessment and Upside Gold's ability to attract development capital. The company's progress at Kena contributes to the broader exploration and development pipeline within Canada's mineral sector, which remains a key component of the national economy.
