i-80 Gold Reports High-Grade Assay Results at Granite Creek Underground Project
i-80 Gold Corp. (TSX: IAU) (NYSE American: IAUX) has announced promising assay results from its 2025 drilling campaign at the Granite Creek Underground Project. The recent findings highlight robust high-grade mineralization in the South Pacific Zone (SPZ), underlining the potential for resource expansion both to the north and at depth.
Overview of Drilling Campaign
The 2025 drilling program at Granite Creek, which commenced in June 2025 and concluded in December 2025, involved drilling 16,000 meters across 46 holes. The campaign aimed to enhance the continuity of mineralization ahead of an upcoming feasibility study and included an additional six infill holes to bolster the initial exploration plan.
Key Findings and Highlights
Initial results from this drilling endeavor continue to affirm the continuity and high-grade nature of the mineral deposit. Notable assay results from the 2025 SPZ drilling include:
- 40.4 g/t Au over 13.2 m in hole iGU25-31
- 31.3 g/t Au over 7.8 m in hole iGU25-15
- 15.0 g/t Au over 17.5 m in hole iGU25-24
- 12.8 g/t Au over 19.8 m in hole iGU25-08
The mineral resource estimate for Granite Creek Underground, as of December 31, 2024, includes 261,000 ounces of measured and indicated gold at a grade of 10.5 grams per tonne, and an inferred resource of 326,000 ounces at 13.0 grams per tonne.
Strategic Implications
Tyler Hill, Vice President of Geology at i-80 Gold, emphasized the significance of these findings: "The 2025 infill drilling results at Granite Creek Underground successfully support our geological model, confirming the continuity and high-grade nature of the deposit." Hill noted that the South Pacific Zone remains open for further exploration, indicating the potential for enhanced mineral inventory and an extended mine life.
The ongoing assessment of the SPZ will contribute to the updated mineral resource estimate essential for the Granite Creek Underground feasibility study, which is anticipated to be finalized by the end of Q1 2026, followed by results in Q2 2026.
Future Exploration Plans
i-80 Gold is actively planning an additional step-out and infill drilling campaign for the SPZ in 2026 as part of its multi-year exploration strategy. These efforts will incorporate three years of drilling data, combining results from 2025 with those from earlier campaigns in 2023 and 2024.
Company Profile
Located along the prolific Getchell Trend in northern Nevada, i-80 Gold Corp. delivers attractive opportunities in gold mining. Following its first underground gold operation at Granite Creek, the company holds a strategic position with access to extensive geological resources near major gold mining entities.