VANCOUVER, British Columbia — LaFleur Minerals Inc. announced promising results from its recent drilling program at the Swanson Gold Project in Quebec's Abitibi Greenstone Belt, confirming broad zones of gold mineralization that extend deeper than previously modeled. The company reported intersections including 1.18 grams per tonne of gold over 255.04 metres in drill hole SW-25-080 and 1.65 grams per tonne over 136.01 metres in SW-25-081, signaling potential for a large-scale gold system near Val-d'Or.
The drilling, conducted between April and earlier this year, targeted depths of 300 to 450 metres over a 120-metre strike length to test the down-dip continuity of the deposit. According to the company's press release dated April 21, 2026, these four diamond drill holes have expanded the known mineralization beyond the envelope defined in the 2026 Mineral Resource Estimate, which was detailed in a March 3, 2026, update. A third hole, SW-25-079, yielded 2.29 grams per tonne over 68.30 metres, while isolated high-grade zones reached up to 86.8 grams per tonne over 1 metre, occurring outside current mineralized boundaries.
"These are very encouraging and mark a significant milestone for the Swanson Gold Project," said Paul Ténière, CEO and Director of LaFleur Minerals. "Intersecting such broad zones of consistent gold mineralization at these grades and intercepts clearly demonstrates the scale and continuity of the system. Importantly, these holes not only extend the deposit beyond the current resource envelope but also highlight the presence of higher-grade zones that could enhance the overall economics of the project. With mineralization remaining open at depth and along strike, we believe Swanson has the potential to evolve into a much larger gold system than previously defined."
The results build on earlier assays from February 4, 2026, and visible gold observed in several cores suggests the presence of high-grade shoots at depth. LaFleur Minerals, traded on the Canadian Securities Exchange as LFLR, the OTCQB as LFLRF, and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange as 3WK0, described the findings as reinforcing the deposit's expansion potential. The Swanson Gold Deposit now traces over approximately 275 metres along strike, with an average horizontal width of 150 metres and depths exceeding 300 metres.
Located on a 19,214-hectare property — spanning over 190 square kilometres — the project includes prospects previously held by Monarch Mining, Abcourt Mines, and Globex Mining. It sits along a major structural break hosting the Swanson, Bartec, and Jolin gold deposits, among other showings. The site's road accessibility positions it near several gold mills, including LaFleur's own refurbished Beacon Gold Mill, capable of processing over 750 tonnes per day and eyed for both Swanson material and custom operations.
Mr. Kal Malhi, Chairman of LaFleur Minerals, emphasized the significance of the intercepts in a statement. "LaFleur has intersected some of the strongest and widest gold mineralization to date at its Swanson Gold Project, indicating the presence of broad zones of gold mineralization extending beyond the limits of the current open pit resource at the Swanson Gold Deposit and highlighting the emergence of a potentially much larger, high-growth gold system with compelling expansion potential," Malhi said. "Swanson Gold Project is one of the largest gold projects in the Val-d'Or region at over 190 square kilometres, and our ongoing drilling results provide us with immense confidence on the size and grades that we are finding at our Swanson extension gold discoveries."
Beyond Swanson, LaFleur's fully funded and permitted drill program encompasses the Bartec, Jolin, and Marimac target zones. Historical mineral resources are reported in Quebec's SIGEOM database for Bartec and Jolin, which the company plans to follow up with diamond drilling. These areas could potentially serve as satellite feeds for the Beacon Mill. Recent work included eight additional drill holes around known Swanson mineralization to fill data gaps and boost the resource estimate, with assays pending. Those holes identified visible gold, sulphides, and alteration similar to gold-hosting zones.
Prior to spring breakup, several holes were drilled at the Jolin deposit to confirm existing mineralization and test targets from prospecting and soil sampling beyond its limits. The company's exploration manager, Louis Martin, P.Geo., approved the scientific and technical details as the Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 standards.
In a related development, LaFleur announced the granting of incentive stock options to management and consultants, allowing the purchase of 2,500,000 common shares at $0.65 each for three years, in line with its stock option plan. This comes amid positive results from a Preliminary Economic Assessment released on March 3, 2026, for the Swanson project and Beacon Mill restart, projecting production rates, mine life, and economic returns including net present value and internal rate of return.
However, the company included several cautionary notes in its release. The PEA is preliminary and incorporates inferred mineral resources, which are geologically speculative and not classified as reserves, with no certainty of realization. Visual observations of mineralization, such as visible gold, are preliminary and not a substitute for lab assays, which may differ from estimates. Historical resource estimates for areas like Bartec and Jolin, prepared by previous operators, have not been verified by LaFleur and do not meet current NI 43-101 standards; further work is needed to classify them as current resources.
The Abitibi Greenstone Belt, a prolific gold-producing region, has long attracted miners to Val-d'Or, known for its rich deposits and infrastructure. LaFleur's consolidation of the land package positions it to capitalize on this, with the Swanson project advancing toward development. Ongoing drilling continues on the property, and the company expects to provide more updates as results come in.
Forward-looking statements in the release, including expectations for production, costs, and timelines, are based on assumptions like gold prices, exchange rates, and permitting success. Actual outcomes could vary due to risks such as resource estimation uncertainties, cost escalations, commodity fluctuations, and operational challenges. LaFleur, headquartered at 1500-1055 West Georgia Street in Vancouver, can be reached at info@lafleurminerals.com or 1-604-805-4602.
As the junior mining sector eyes gold amid volatile markets, these results from LaFleur could draw investor interest to the Val-d'Or area. The company's focus on district-scale projects underscores its strategy to deliver value through the Swanson advancement and Beacon Mill operations, potentially benefiting from nearby milling capacity.
With mineralization open at depth and along strike, future targeting will draw on these insights to explore the full extent of the system. Analysts and industry watchers will likely monitor pending assays and follow-up drilling for further confirmation of the deposit's scale.