Star Metro - Tocvan Discovers New Gold-Silver Zone 1,600 Meters From Main Zone at South Block Gran Pilar; First Aggressive Step-Out Drilling Intersects Mineralization From Surface

RC Drilling is ongoing as part of the Company's fully funded 20,000-meter program, with over 2,400 meters completed to date.

Highlights

• New discovery 1,600 m east of Main Zone - first aggressive step-out in South Block returns 22.9 m @ 0.6 g/t Au from surface, including 6.1 m @ 1.6 g/t Au & 13 g/t Ag (JES-26-135)

• Additional deeper zone: 10.7 m @ 0.4 g/t Au (including 3.1 m @ 1.3 g/t Au & 13 g/t Ag) from 122 m downhole

• Mineralization hosted in northern portion of 1,200 m long magnetic anomaly surrounded by strongly anomalous gold-in-soil and rock samples; 2.4 g/t Au and 21.9 g/t Ag in soils (40 m north of JES-26-135) and 2.7 g/t Au with 17 g/t Ag and 2.3 g/t Au with 24 g/t Ag in rocks (15 m south of JES-26-135)

• Part of fully funded 20,000 m program; >2,400 m completed to date

• First three exploration holes from South Block and six pilot-facility holes reported in this release

VIDEO

Tocvan Ventures - Significant Drill Discovery 1,600 Meters from Main Zone at Gran Pilar

Why This Discovery Matters

• Proves district-scale potential: The 1,600 m step-out is the first aggressive test beyond the Main Zone and immediately hits mineralization, significantly expanding the known footprint of the Gran Pilar system.

• Validates targeting strategy: Discovery sits inside a 1,200 m magnetic anomaly that already hosts the strongest gold-in-soil (1,200 m of >50ppb Au; incl., 260 m of 180 to 1,200 ppb Au) and rock geochemistry on the entire property, confirming that geophysics combined with surface geochemistry in conjunction with geological and structural mapping are effective tools for new discoveries.

• Opens a new mineralized corridor: The South Block now demonstrates its own independent mineralized zone at surface, separate from the Main Zone, increasing the overall size and scale potential of the project.

• De-risks future growth: Early success in the fully funded 20,000 m program shows that high-priority targets identified by magnetics and geochemistry can deliver immediate results, accelerating resource expansion and exploration momentum.

• Enhances project viability: A significantly larger mineralized system at surface supports the potential for open-pit resources, strengthening the pathway toward near-term production and long-term value creation.

"This is a landmark result for Tocvan," commented Brodie Sutherland, CEO. "For the first time we have aggressively tested well beyond the Main Zone in the South Block and immediately intersected mineralization at surface. The location within a large magnetic anomaly that already shows the strongest surface gold geochemistry on the project underscores the scale potential we see at Gran Pilar. With over 2,400 meters already drilled in our fully funded 20,000-meter program, we are well positioned to continue expanding this new discovery and testing additional high-priority targets. Currently drilling is active 300 meters east of this new discovery, testing the current eastern limit of known mineralization. Our programs are fully funded for drilling and pilot mine operation. With a clear path to near-term pilot production, these early South Block results significantly increase the scale and potential of Gran Pilar."

A total of three exploration drill holes and six holes related to the pilot facility are included in this news release. The Company will provide further updates as additional drill holes are completed and assays are received.

Figure 1. Drone magnetic survey map showing tilt derivative of the Reduced to Pole (RTP) and priority target areas identified to date by geological mapping and surface geochemistry. Location of the new El Mezquite target area.

Figure 2. Cross-section view west to east across the South Block. El Mezquite target is 1,600m east of the Main Zone. The area between is just now being explored and drilled for the first time. Another 1,500m east is additional area just starting to be explored.

Figure 3. Drone magnetic survey map showing tilt derivative of the Reduced to Pole (RTP) and priority target areas identified to date by geological mapping, surface geochemistry and drilling. The majority of the project has seen no modern exploration, first pass reconnaissance drilling is being completed for the first time across the South Block.

Figure 4. Long-section across the Gran Pilar project. First pass exploration drilling across the South Block has returned promising results early. The North Block has returned encouraging silver results to date, with more follow-up planned.

El Mezquite Target

Initial drill target was elevated gold and silver in soils and rock samples. Up to 2.4 g/t Au and 21.9 g/t Ag in soils, within 350-meter-long soil anomaly. Rock samples including 2.7 g/t Au, 17 g/t Ag and 0.68% Pb and 2.3 g/t Au, 24 g/t Ag and 0.92% Pb. All hosted within andesite volcanic rocks, that make up the primary host across most of the project area. The target coincides with magnetic linear feature (interpreted fault structure) that extends north-south for over 1,200 meters. The target is open north and south along strike and further to the northwest towards another elevated soil sample (247 ppb Au or 0.25 g/t Au). Two zones (0.0-22.9m and 122.0-132.7m) were intersected in drillhole JES-26-135 with anomalous mineralization in between. Since the drillhole started in mineralization the full extent and potential width is unknown at this time. A drill will follow-up to further define the extent of mineralization at the target.

Pilot Drilling

The Company is also pleased to announce successful completion of drilling in preparation for the Pilot Mine Facility. A total of four condemnation holes were completed underneath the future mine facility and infrastructure. No significant mineralization was intersected, confirming the area is suitable for long-term infrastructure. A total of two water monitoring wells were drilled. The upper well, closest to existing drilling was sampled and returned anomalous gold and silver (up to 0.13 g/t Au and 22.6 g/t Ag), which likely represents the outer extent of mineralization extending from the North Hill prospect 100 meters to the southeast.

Summary of Other Exploration Drilling

JES-26-133 tested the southern extension of the same magnetic feature and intersected seven anomalous zones with up to 0.3 g/t Au and 21.5 g/t Ag; the hole ended in mineralization.

JES-26-140 tested a southern target and returned 13.7 m of anomalous mineralization with up to 0.2 g/t Au, 17 g/t Ag and elevated pathfinder elements.

Table 1. Summary of Drillhole results in this news release. As this is first pass reconnaissance drilling, true drill widths are unknown at this time.

Table 2. Summary of Drillholes in this news release.

The Gran Pilar Project, Sonora, Mexico

100% CONTROLLED PRIORITY TARGETS FOR TRENCHING & DRILLING

1. South Block Main Zone Expansion

   1. Follow-up on 2025 Drill Success

      1. 19.4 g/t Au over 3.1 meters within 106.6 meters of 0.6 g/t Au (February 25, 2025 News Release)

      2. 5.4 g/t Au over 6.1 meters within 41.2 meters of 1.0 g/t Au (May 7, 2025 News Release)

      3. 136 g/t Ag over 10.7 meters within 42.7 meters of 41 g/t Ag (June 25, 2025 News Release)

2. South Block (November 12, 2024 News Release)

   1. Placer Corridor (900-meter strike length)

      1. Soil samples up to 21.2 g/t Au and >2,000 g/t

   2. Placer Source Area

      1. Soil samples up to 2.4 g/t Au and 22 g/t Ag

      2. Rock samples up to 7.3 g/t Au and 389 g/t Ag

3. North Block

   1. North Alteration Zone (3.2 km by 1.5 km area)

      1. 2-meter chip sample, 5.6 g/t Au and 106 g/t Ag (October 19, 2023 News Release)

      2. Historic mine working sample, 3.2 g/t Au and 1,225 g/t Ag (March 8, 2024 News Release)

Gran Pilar Drill Highlights:

• 2025 Diamond Drilling Highlights include:

  • 83.5m @ 1.3 g/t Au, including 9.7m @ 10.3 g/t Au (March 11, 2025 News Release)

  • 97.4m @ 0.7 g/t Au, including 36.3m @ 1.6 g/t Au (March 19, 2025 News Release)

  • 64.9m @ 1.2 g/t Au, including 3.0m @ 21.6 g/t Au and 209 g/t Ag (March 26, 2025 News Release)

  • 46.9m @ 0.5 g/t Au, including 2.6m @ 7.2 g/t Au and 80 g/t Ag (April 16, 2025 News Release)

• 2025 RC Drilling Highlights include:

  • 106.8m @ 0.6 g/t Au, including 3.1m @ 19.4 g/t Au (February 25, 2025 News Release)

  • 41.2m @ 1.0 g/t Au, including 6.1m @ 5.4 g/t Au (May 7, 2025 News Release)

• 2024 RC Drilling Highlights include (all lengths are drilled thicknesses):

  • 42.7m @ 1.0 g/t Au, including 3.1m @ 10.9 g/t Au

  • 56.4m @ 1.0 g/t Au, including 3.1m @ 14.7 g/t Au

  • 16.8m @ 0.8 g/t Au and 19 g/t Ag

• 2022 Phase III Diamond Drilling Highlights include (all lengths are drilled thicknesses):

  • 116.9m @ 1.2 g/t Au, including 10.2m @ 12 g/t Au and 23 g/t Ag

  • 108.9m @ 0.8 g/t Au, including 9.4m @ 7.6 g/t Au and 5 g/t Ag

  • 63.4m @ 0.6 g/t Au and 11 g/t Ag, including 29.9m @ 0.9 g/t Au and 18 g/t Ag

• 2021 Phase II RC Drilling Highlights include (all lengths are drilled thicknesses):

  • 39.7m @ 1.0 g/t Au, including 1.5m @ 14.6 g/t Au

  • 47.7m @ 0.7 g/t Au including 3m @ 5.6 g/t Au and 22 g/t Ag

  • 29m @ 0.7 g/t Au

  • 35.1m @ 0.7 g/t Au

• 2020 Phase I RC Drilling Highlights include (all lengths are drilled thicknesses):

  • 94.6m @ 1.6 g/t Au, including 9.2m @ 10.8 g/t Au and 38 g/t Ag;

  • 41.2m @ 1.1 g/t Au, including 3.1m @ 6.0 g/t Au and 12 g/t Ag ;

  • 24.4m @ 2.5 g/t Au and 73 g/t Ag, including 1.5m @ 33.4 g/t Au and 1,090 g/t Ag

• 15,000m of Historic Core & RC drilling. Highlights include:

  • 61.0m @ 0.8 g/t Au

  • 21.0m @ 38.3 g/t Au and 38 g/t Ag

  • 13.0m @ 9.6 g/t Au

  • 9.0m @ 10.2 g/t Au and 46 g/t Ag

Pilar Bulk Sample Summary:

• 62% Recovery of Gold Achieved Over 46-day Leaching Period

• Head Grade Calculated at 1.9 g/t Au and 7 g/t Ag; Extracted Grade Calculated at 1.2 g/t Au and 3 g/t Ag

• Bulk Sample Only Included Coarse Fraction of Material (+3/4" to +1/8")

• Fine Fraction (-1/8") Indicates Rapid Recovery with Agitated Leach

  • Agitated Bottle Roll Test Returned Rapid and High Recovery Results: 80% Recovery of Gold and 94% Recovery of Silver after Rapid 24-hour Retention Time

Additional Metallurgical Studies:

• Gravity Recovery with Agitated Leach Results of Five Composite Samples Returned

  • 95 to 99% Recovery of Gold

  • 73 to 97% Recovery of Silver

  • Includes the Recovery of 99% Au and 73% Ag from Drill Core Composite at 120-meter depth.

About Tocvan Ventures Corp.

Tocvan Ventures Corp. is a dynamic exploration and near-term producer advancing high-potential gold and silver projects in the mine-friendly jurisdiction of Sonora, Mexico. At its flagship Gran Pilar Gold-Silver Project, Tocvan holds a 100% interest in over 21 km² of prospective ground, bolstered by the pivotal 2023 land acquisition that provides ample space for scalable mine infrastructure, including a planned 50,000-tonne pilot production facility. The Company also maintains a 51% interest in a 1 km² joint venture area with Colibri Resources, further expanding its footprint. Recent exploration successes, including near surface 3.1 meters at 19.4 g/t Au, underscore Gran Pilar's potential as a premier gold-silver asset. Additionally, Tocvan's 100% owned Picacho Gold-Silver Project, located in the prolific Caborca Trend-home to some of Mexico's largest gold deposits-positions the Company for further growth. With robust metallurgical results (up to 99% gold and 97% silver recovery) and a strategic capital to bolster growth, Tocvan is poised to deliver significant shareholder value in a market buoyed by record-high gold prices. With approximately 78 million shares outstanding, Tocvan is committed to unlocking the full potential of its assets through innovative exploration, strategic development, and investor-focused initiatives.

Quality Assurance / Quality Control

Rock and Drill samples were shipped for sample preparation to ALS Limited in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico and for analysis at the ALS laboratory in North Vancouver. The ALS Hermosillo and North Vancouver facilities are ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 certified. Gold was analyzed using 50-gram nominal weight fire assay with atomic absorption spectroscopy finish. Over limits for gold (>10 g/t), were analyzed using fire assay with a gravimetric finish. Silver and other elements were analyzed using a four-acid digestion with an ICP finish. Over limit analyses for silver (>100 g/t) were re-assayed using an ore-grade four-acid digestion with ICP-AES finish. Control samples comprising certified reference samples and blank samples were systematically inserted into the sample stream and analyzed as part of the Company's robust quality assurance / quality control protocol.

Soil Samples were shipped for sample preparation to ALS Limited in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico and for analysis at the ALS laboratory in North Vancouver. The ALS Hermosillo and North Vancouver facilities are ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 certified. Gold and multi-element analysis of soils was completed by aqua regia digestion and ICP-MS finish using a 50-gram nominal weight. Over limit gold values greater than 1 g/t were re-assayed with a more robust aqua regia digestion ad ICP-MS finish. Over limit analyses for silver (>100 g/t) were re-assayed using an ore-grade four-acid digestion with ICP-AES finish. Control samples comprising blank samples and certified reference materials were systematically inserted into the sample stream and analyzed as part of the Company's robust quality assurance / quality control protocol.

Brodie A. Sutherland, CEO for Tocvan Ventures Corp. and a qualified person ("QP") as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains "forward-looking information" which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements regarding the use of proceeds from the Offering. Such forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words and phrases such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved.

These forward-looking statements, and any assumptions upon which they are based, are made in good faith and reflect our current judgment regarding the direction of our business. Management believes that these assumptions are reasonable. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, risks related to the speculative nature of the Company's business, the Company's formative stage of development and the Company's financial position. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, except as may be required by applicable securities laws.

There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

For more information, please contact:

TOCVAN VENTURES CORP.
Brodie A. Sutherland, CEO
1150, 707 - 7 Ave SW
Calgary, Alberta T2P 3H6
Telephone: 1 888 772 2452
Email: [email protected]

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SOURCE: Tocvan Ventures Corp

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

M.Johnston--SMC