Orezone resumes operations at Casa Berardi; reaffirms 2026 production guidance
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orezone Gold Corporation (TSX: ORE | ASX: ORE | OTCQX: ORZCF) (the “Company” or “Orezone”) is pleased to announce that operations resumed at its Casa Berardi mine in Quebec on the evening of July 17, following the voluntary suspension of operations announced on July 14 due to nearby wildfire activity.
During the temporary suspension, a skeleton workforce remained on site to preserve the operation while advancing planned maintenance activities originally scheduled for later in the year. As a result, the Company expects to benefit from reduced planned maintenance downtime over the balance of 2026.
The Company reaffirms its 2026 production guidance of 62,000 to 67,000 ounces from Casa Berardi. Orezone would like to thank SOPFEU (Société de protection des forêts contre le feu), our employees and contractors, and local authorities for their professionalism, dedication, and support throughout the voluntary suspension.
ABOUT OREZONE GOLD CORPORATION
Orezone Gold is an emerging intermediate gold producer with operations in Canada and West Africa. Its Casa Berardi and Bomboré gold mines host significant mineral endowments, growth opportunities, and exploration upside. The recently acquired Casa Berardi mine in Quebec has produced over 3.2 million oz of gold to-date while the Bomboré mine was constructed and brought into production by Orezone in late 2022.
Orezone is led by an experienced management team committed to safe, sustainable, and responsible mining practices, with a focus on delivering long-term value for all stakeholders.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Patrick Downey President and Chief Executive Officer
Amanda Mallough Vice President, Investor Relations Tel: 1 778 945 8977 info@orezone.com / www.orezone.com
For further information please contact Orezone at +1 (778) 945 - 8977 or visit the Company’s website at www.orezone.com .
The Toronto Stock Exchange neither approves nor disapproves the information contained in this news release.
This announcement was authorized for release by Patrick Downey, Director, President & CEO.
Qualified Persons
The scientific and technical information in this news release was reviewed and approved by Mr. Rob Henderson, P.Eng., Vice-President of Technical Services, who is a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.
Competent Persons
In accordance with ASX Listing Rule 5.12, the information in this announcement relating to the Casa Berardi and Bomboré mines is confirmed as an accurate representation of the available data for the project by Mr. Rob Henderson, P.Eng., Vice-President of Technical Services, an employee of Orezone Gold Corporation. Mr. Henderson is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia and has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralization and type of deposit under consideration, and to the activity being undertaken, to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the JORC Code (2012 Edition). Mr. Henderson consents to the inclusion in this announcement of the matters based on this information in the form and context in which they appear.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains certain information that may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable U.S. securities laws (together, "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "intend", "plan", "will", "may", "could", "should" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the Company's ability to achieve its 2026 production guidance at Casa Berardi; the expected benefits of advancing planned maintenance activities during the voluntary suspension of operations; and the Company's anticipated operational performance for the remainder of 2026. All such forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by management in light of its experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management believes are appropriate in the circumstances.
All forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, delays caused by pandemics, terrorist or other violent attacks (including cyber security attacks), the failure of parties to contracts to honour contractual commitments, unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; unexpected failure or inadequacy of infrastructure; the possibility of unanticipated costs and expenses; accidents and equipment breakdowns; political risk; unanticipated changes in key management personnel; general economic, market or business conditions; wildfire and other natural hazards; and other factors described in the Company's most recent Annual Information Form and Management's Discussion and Analysis filed on SEDAR+.
Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management believes are reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this news release.