Viva Gold Announces Initial Drill Results at Tonopah Gold Project

VANCOUVER, BC — April 23, 2026 — Leads & Copy — Viva Gold Corp (TSXV: VAU; OTCQB: VAUCF) has announced initial results from its 2026 reverse-circulation (“RC”) drill program at its Tonopah Gold Project (“Tonopah,” or the “Project”) in Nevada. The company also provided an update on pre-feasibility and baseline study activities.

The Tonopah project is 100%-owned by Viva and is located on the Walker Lane Mineral Trend, approximately a 30-minute drive south of Kinross Gold’s Round Mountain Mine. Initial drill results have identified new areas of near-surface, higher-grade mineralization.

“Initial drilling has identified new zones of shallow, higher-grade mineralization within the southeast portion of the 2025 PEA resource pit area,” stated James Hesketh, President & CEO. He believes these results will add to high-grade starter-pit mineralization for early mining in an area that was previously sparsely drilled. Hesketh added that pre-feasibility work is advancing as planned, with data validation and additional studies underway to support completion in the fourth quarter of 2026.

The 2026 RC drill program has completed fifteen drill holes totaling 2,407 meters. Assay results have been received for holes TG2601 to TG2604, and an initial 10-sample batch has been completed for TG2608, with remaining results pending. Turnaround times for assays have increased from approximately three weeks to five to six weeks. Initial highlights include:

TG2601: 22.9 meters (m) @ 1.3 grams per tonne (g/t) gold (Au) from 64 m depth, including 4.6 m @ 4.6 g/t Au.

TG2603: 15.2 m @ 1.2 g/t Au from 88.3 m depth, including 3.0 m @ 2.6 g/t Au.

TG2608: 12.2 m @ 1.6 g/t Au from 29 m depth (partial results received; additional assays pending).

The drill program focuses on expanding and infilling gold mineralization, with the objective of upgrading inferred resources and supporting potential conversion to mineral reserves in the pre-feasibility study.

Pre-feasibility study work has commenced at Tonopah, with current efforts focused on validating the Project databases and reviewing prior resource estimation and 2025 PEA work. Detailed resource estimation is expected to commence as additional assay results from the current drill program become available.

Two additional oxide gold recovery column tests commenced on March 3rd, based on a coarse crush size of 37 mm. Initial results indicate the potential for improved processing parameters and the potential to use a coarser crush size for heap leaching, which may help to reduce both capital and operating costs.

An updated geotechnical study has been completed to establish preliminary slope angles for use in open-pit mine design for the pre-feasibility study. The pre-feasibility study remains on track for completion in the fourth quarter of 2026.

An updated baseline golden eagle and raptor study commenced in February 2026. The Company has submitted Work Plan #45 to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for approval to drill a test well and monitoring points.

A total of 14,000 m of new Controlled Source Audio Frequency Magnetotellurics (“CSAMT”) surveying has been completed in the western portion of the Project area. An initial field review of Viva’s 38 new NWG claims, located northwest of the main resource area, returned positive hand-sample assay results of up to 4.3 g/t Au. Additional field work is planned.

Viva Gold utilizes a well-documented system of inserting blanks and standards into the assay stream and has a strict chain of custody for samples taken by the Company. Assays taken by the Company are completed at independent laboratories which have internal quality assurance and quality control systems and procedures.

Viva Gold’s 100%-owned Tonopah Gold Project is located on the Walker Lane Structural Trend in western Nevada. Viva has defined a high-confidence gold mineral resource and has demonstrated the potential for an economically viable open-pit, heap leach/mill gold project through its 2025 preliminary economic assessment (“PEA”). Viva currently has approximately 172 million shares outstanding.

Source: Viva Gold Corp