en.Wedoany.com Reported - U.S. GoldMining Inc. has commenced drilling for its 2026 exploration program at the Whistler gold-copper project in Alaska. The first drill rig has safely started drilling ahead of schedule at the Whistler Orbit target, with a second rig currently in transit. The fully funded program will drill at least 6,000 meters of core, testing the top 8 to 10 targets within Whistler Orbit.

Whistler Orbit is a classic porphyry cluster covering an area of 7.5 kilometers by 4.5 kilometers. The technical team has systematically delineated over 25 individual exploration targets through geological mapping, geophysical surveys, and geochemical vectors to prioritize the highest-ranked targets for 2026 drill testing. The commencement of drilling propels the company into a catalyst-rich phase, aiming to build upon the recently released Whistler Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA). This PEA conservatively incorporated only the indicated resources of the Whistler deposit (one of the project's three deposits with reported mineral resource estimates), conceptually modeling an after-tax net present value (discounted at 5%, NPV5%) of $2.0 billion, an internal rate of return (IRR) of 33%, and an initial payback period of 2.1 years at base-case prices. Base-case prices are $3,200 per ounce of gold, $4.50 per pound of copper, and $37.50 per ounce of silver. The company expects to release initial assay results before the end of the third quarter.

The Whistler gold-copper project is located 105 miles (170 kilometers) northwest of Anchorage, Alaska, USA, and comprises multiple gold-copper porphyry deposits and exploration targets across a total land area of approximately 53,700 acres (217.5 square kilometers). Tim Smith, Chief Executive Officer and professional geologist, supervised the preparation of the exploration program and reviewed the related scientific and technical information.