WestGold Metals closes Idaho property option, commences 2026 exploration

Vancouver, British Columbia – August 18, 2026 – TheNewswire - WestGold Metals Corp. (" WestGold " or the " Company ") (CSE: WGM; OTCQB: WGMTF; FSE: V0U) is pleased to announce that it has closed the mineral property option agreement (the " Option Agreement ") with Silver Rock Resources, Inc. (the " Optionor "), a wholly-owned subsidiary of IDEX Metals Corp. (TSX-V: IDEX), as first announced on May 14, 2026.

Closing of Option Agreement

Following receipt of acceptance from the Canadian Securities Exchange, the Effective Date under the Option Agreement occurred on July 28, 2026 (the “ Effective Date ”). In accordance with the Option Agreement, WestGold issued 5,737,000 common shares to the Optionor and has made the initial cash payment of CAD$100,000.

Under the Option Agreement, WestGold has the option to acquire a 90% interest in the Amie, Silver Rock and Demming projects (the “ Idaho Properties ”) by incurring aggregate exploration expenditures of C$5,000,000 over a three-year period and satisfying the remaining terms of the Option Agreement.

Mobilisation of field crew to the Idaho Properties

WestGold is also pleased to announce that it has finalised its initial exploration plans and is mobilising a field crew to the Amie, Silver Rock and Demming projects in Idaho, USA, later this month.

The field crew will comprise a three-person team conducting initial ground reconnaissance, geological mapping and surface sampling. The program is expected to include the review and verification of historical mineral showings, soil sampling and targeted grab sampling of prospective areas.

The objectives of the initial field program are to improve the Company’s understanding of the geology and mineralisation of the properties, identify areas warranting systematic follow-up work and assist in the design of future exploration programs for the Amie, Silver Rock and Demming projects.

“ We are very pleased to commence our 2026 exploration activities at the Idaho properties,” said James Hocking, Chief Executive Officer of WestGold. “These properties have seen limited modern exploration, and the initial field program will allow our geological team to evaluate the historical information, assess priority areas on the ground and develop a systematic exploration strategy for each project.”

The Company is currently reviewing and compiling the historical technical information received from IDEX Metals Corp. WestGold intends to provide additional information regarding the properties once that review has been completed.

Overview of the Idaho Properties

The three properties comprising the Idaho Portfolio cover a combined 79 unpatented lode mining claims

on 660.5 hectares of BLM-administered lands, spanning two distinct geological settings with strong

historical mining pedigree and significant modern exploration upside.

Amie Project, epithermal Au-Ag, Owyhee County, Idaho

The Amie Project is WestGold’s flagship asset within the Idaho Portfolio and the Company’s primary nearterm exploration focus. The property comprises 53 unpatented lode mining claims covering approximately 392.79 hectares in Owyhee County, southwest Idaho, located approximately 70 km southwest of Mountain Home, accessible year-round by vehicle via paved State Highway 78 and secondary gravel roads.

The Amie Project is situated on the northeastern flank of the Owyhee Mountains, at the margin of the

Snake River Plain, within the same southeast-trending Miocene-age epithermal gold-silver belt that hosts

Integra Resources’ DeLamar Project, a past-producing mine with a current measured and indicated

resource of approximately 2.9 million ounces of gold and 143 million ounces of silver (Integra Resources, February 2026 feasibility study). DeLamar is located approximately 30 miles northwest of the Amie

Property. Physical evidence of historical activity on the Amie Property includes 11 adits, 4 shafts, and 46

test pits across the property, including the past-producing Amie No. 1 and No. 2 shafts, the Big Shot Mine,

and the Roadside Mine

Silver Rock Project, epithermal Ag-Au, Owyhee County, Idaho

The Silver Rock Project is located in Owyhee County, southwest Idaho, within the same Miocene-age

epithermal belt as the Amie Project. The property hosts a high-grade silver system with multi-phase,

northwest-trending epithermal veins, and historical infrastructure including 8 adits and 15 pits. Elevated

pathfinder elements (mercury, arsenic, antimony) support the epithermal signature. The property has

received no modern systematic exploration or drilling.

Demming Project, epithermal Au-Ag, Owyhee County, Idaho

The Demming Project is located in Owyhee County, southwest Idaho. The property hosts a vertical Au-Ag

quartz fissure vein system extending over 1,000 feet in strike length, averaging 6–10 feet in width,

associated with a historic mine that operated a 100-ton-per-day flotation mill with approximately 8,000

feet of underground development. Dozens of additional parallel veins remain undrilled, extending along

a 20-mile structural belt. A stockpile of mineralized material remains on site.

No current mineral resources or mineral reserves have been defined on any of the Amie, Silver Rock or Demming projects.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Darren Lefort, P.Geo., a “Qualified Person” as defined in National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“ NI 43-101 ”). Mr. Lefort is a consultant to the Company and has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure concerning the Amie, Silver Rock and Demming projects. The historical information presented in this news release has not been independently verified in all instances. Mr. Lefort has reviewed the available historical records and considers the information relevant and suitable for disclosure.

The historical information in this news release relating to the Demming and Silver Rock properties is sourced from a government report titled Site Inspection Report for Abandoned and Inactive Mines in Southern Idaho: Volume III: Miscellaneous Properties, Owyhee County, Idaho , prepared by Earl H. Bennett et al. in 2010 for the Bureau of Land Management.

Grant of Incentive Awards

The Company also announces that, pursuant to the Company’s omnibus equity incentive plan (the “ Plan ”), it has granted an aggregate of 4,250,000 stock options (“Options”) and 8,650,000 restricted share units (“RSUs”) to certain directors, officers and consultants of the Company. Each Option is exercisable for one common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.08 per share for a period of five years from the grant date. The Options and RSUs will vest over a period of 18 months in accordance with applicable award agreements, the terms of the Company’s plan and applicable securities law hold periods.

About WestGold Metals Corp.

WestGold Metals Corp. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the identification, acquisition, and advancement of precious metal exploration opportunities in established North American mining districts. The Company is building a portfolio of high-quality assets in politically stable, mining-friendly jurisdictions, led by an experienced management team with backgrounds in equity capital markets, commercial development, and technical exploration. WestGold's flagship assets are the Amie, Silver Rock and Demming epithermal gold-silver projects comprising the Idaho Portfolio in Owyhee County, Idaho, USA. WestGold's common shares are listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol WGM, quoted on the OTCQB under the symbol WGMTF, and traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol V0U. For more information, investors are encouraged to review the Company's public filings available at www.sedarplus.ca .

For further information, please contact:

James Hocking

Chief Executive Officer & Director

E: investors@westgoldmetals.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains or incorporates by reference “forward-looking statements” and “forwardlooking information” as defined under applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, which address events, results, outcomes, or developments that the Company expects to occur are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking

statements are generally, but not always, identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as

“anticipate,” “expect,” “suggest,” “plan,” “believe,” “intend,” “estimate,” “target,” “project,” “should,”

“could,” “would,” “may,” “will,” “forecast” and other similar expressions.

Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements relating to the Offering, the

anticipated size of the Offering, the expected closing of the Offering in one or more tranches, the receipt

of all necessary regulatory approvals, the anticipated use of proceeds, the Company’s exploration and

acquisition strategy, the advancement of the Company’s mineral projects, and the proposed acquisition

and future exploration of the Idaho Portfolio.

Forward-looking statements or information are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks,

uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in

the forward-looking statements or information, including, without limitation, the risk that the Offering

may not be completed on the terms announced or at all; the risk that the Company may not receive all

necessary regulatory approvals; the risk that the Company may not complete the proposed acquisition of

the Idaho Portfolio; the need for additional capital by the Company through financings, and the risk that

such funds may not be raised; the speculative nature of exploration and the stages of the Company’s

properties; the effect of changes in commodity prices; regulatory risks; availability of equipment and

personnel to carry out work programs; that each stage of work will be completed within expected time

frames; that current geological models and interpretations prove correct; the results of ongoing work

programs may lead to a change of exploration priorities; and the efforts and abilities of the senior

management team.

Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ

materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, described or

intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or

information. The Company’s forward-looking statements and information are based on the assumptions,

beliefs, expectations, and opinions of management as of the date of this news release, and other than as

required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update forward looking statements and information if circumstances or management’s assumptions, beliefs, expectations or opinions should change, or changes in any other events affecting such statements or information.

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

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TheNewsWire

August 18, 2026 - 4:00 AM PDT

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