Kestrel Gold Inc. has reported on exploration activities completed by option partner Centerra Gold Inc. at the 100%-owned QCM property in British Columbia's Manson-Germanson District, detailing surface work from the second quarter of 2026 and results from a 9,110.5-metre diamond drill program.

Centerra, advancing an option earn-in program to acquire up to a 75% interest, mobilized field crews on June 9, 2026. The 2026 surface program included 880 soil samples, 100 rock samples, 59 outcrop exposures, and 40 structural measurements. Mapping at the historical Flagstaff showing identified intense Fe-carbonate and moderate mariposite alteration within 50 m of historic drill collars, with three distinct quartz vein orientations.

Follow-up work 500 m southeast identified similar alteration and vein characteristics, including localized zones of 5% to 7% pyritohedral pyrite, indicating potential for the mineralized footprint to extend along strike. Assay results are anticipated in late August 2026, with additional fieldwork planned for September 2026.

This follows Centerra's 2025 diamond drilling campaign, which comprised 9,110.5 metres across 36 holes between May 25 and October 31, 2025. The program included 6,305.5 metres at the Main Zone and 2,805.0 metres at the 14 Vein target, located 7 km apart.

At the Main Zone, drilling defined a continuous mineralized zone measuring 500 m long by 180 m wide by 180 m deep, with average grades consistently returning 0.5 to 0.8 g/t Au. Highlight intercepts included hole QCM-25-006, returning 137.00 m at 0.522 g/t Au from 136.00 m, and QCM-25-005, intersecting 48.00 m at 0.823 g/t Au from 87.00 m. Preliminary cyanide leach testing on eight Main Zone samples returned greater than 90% gold recovery within 24 hours, while paired fire assay and Photon Assay results showed no systematic bias.

At the 14 Vein target, drilling delineated a mineralized zone measuring 200 m by 20 m, returning typical grades of 0.4 to 0.6 g/t Au. A step-out hole located 100 m north, QCM-25-022, intersected 11.00 m at 0.975 g/t Au from 25.00 m, including 7.00 m at 1.347 g/t Au, identifying a potential parallel structure.

“Over the next 30 days, our management team will be conducting site visits to our existing QCM and KSD properties to support current technical assessment of ongoing programs. We are actively evaluating a number of prospective new projects to generate growth for the Corporation, including opportunities in western Canada and South America.”

— Gordon Aldcorn, President & CEO

Read the full announcement: Corporate Update - QCM Property Exploration Update