en.Wedoany.com Reported - Westward Gold Inc. (WG:CSE; WGLIF:OTC; IM50:FSE) has commenced its 2026 exploration program at the Toiyabe Hills property in Lander County, Nevada, with initial work focused on the SSD target area. Following the completion of a 468-meter trenching program, the company has mobilized the first of three drill rigs to the target, with trenching providing more precise structural data to help optimize drill hole angles and orientations. A core drill rig has been activated, and two reverse circulation rigs from National EWP and Legacy Drilling are scheduled to arrive later this year; reverse circulation drilling uses air to lift cuttings to the surface and is typically faster and more cost-effective than core drilling for initial testing.
Drilling will focus on structures expected to extend into the carbonate rocks of the Wenban Formation. A dike sampled during trenching returned a gold grade of 16.4 g/t, indicating the potential of the structural corridor being tested. In addition to drilling, a 1:5,000 scale Anaconda-style mapping program has extended known alteration traces at SSD northward and northeastward, where surface alteration remains open in those directions. Other work includes soil sampling, which is 75% complete on the newly acquired northern claims and fully complete on the southern claims. Geophysical surveys include airborne magnetic surveys over the northern ground, controlled-source audio-frequency magnetotelluric (CSAMT) surveys at El Segundo, and gravity surveys expected to begin shortly.
SSD is one of three areas planned for core and reverse circulation drilling this year. The company is also advancing first-phase work at the El Segundo target and second-phase work at the Campfire target cluster, as part of a broader 2026 program. In a January 6 commentary article on 321 Gold, Bob Moriarty discussed Nevada exploration activity and the broader precious metals environment, likening the search for new deposits there to "finding a needle in an elephant country," and noted that the exploration team in the region includes experienced Carlin-type geologists, with the next phase involving refining the structural controls of mineralization.
In a June 19 report by Kitco News, analysts at Societe Generale raised their gold allocation from 7% to 10%, citing demand for inflation protection and noting that central banks are likely to remain active buyers as part of ongoing diversification from stocks and bonds. In a 321 Gold commentary, Bob Moriarty discussed Nevada exploration activity and the broader precious metals environment, likening the search for new deposits there to "finding a needle in an elephant country," and noted that the exploration team in the region includes experienced Carlin-type geologists, with the next phase involving refining the structural controls of mineralization. Gold market analyst Adam Hamilton, in a subsequent commentary article on 321 Gold, examined market reactions to the Federal Reserve's June meeting and the first Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting chaired by Kevin Warsh, observing that markets responded to a more hawkish interest rate outlook, but future communication changes could alter how data impacts gold prices. In a June 20 report by TheStreet, Goldman Sachs revised its gold price forecast following the Fed meeting, as the bank no longer expects a rate cut in 2026, lowering its year-end target and reducing expectations for gold ETF inflows. Across these reports, analysts continue to focus on inflation trends, central bank purchases, and institutional asset allocation as key drivers of gold prices.
Management, directors, and advisors hold 9.3% of Westward Gold shares, with institutional ownership at 23.3%, of which Crescat Capital holds the largest stake at 12.1%, Concept Capital Mgmt at 9.9%, and US Global Investors at 1.3%. First Majestic Silver Corp. (AG:TSX; AG:NYSE; FMV:FSE) CEO Keith Neumeyer holds 2.7%. EMX Royalty Corp. (EMX:TSX.V; EMX:NYSE.American) holds 1.3%, Starcore International Mines Ltd. (SAM:TSX) holds 1.7%, and MinQuest Ltd. (MNQ:ASX) holds 1.5%. The remainder is held by high-net-worth retail investors. According to the latest data, the company reports approximately 234.7 million shares outstanding, with a public float of about 140.6 million shares, a market capitalization of approximately C$23.5 million, and a 52-week trading range of C$0.07 to C$0.165.
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