Granite Creek Improvements Ramping Up For Gold Output In Second Half Of Year

RENO, NV - i-80 Gold Corp. President and CEO said, "At Granite Creek Underground, The Company’s first gold project to ramp up, we are making good progress in our dewatering efforts, addressing groundwater inflows by enhancing our pumping capacity and upgrading the water treatment infrastructure. These improvements should allow us to ramp-up to steady state of gold output in the second half of 2025.

We continue to make progress on our recapitalization strategy by actively pursing various financing options in order to secure capital and serve as a catalyst to unlock the potential of our gold projects. While we recognize that i-80 Gold remains in a period of balance sheet constraints, the technical foundation of our portfolio is stronger than ever. These are largely low-risk, brownfield projects with infrastructure in place, and we are increasing technical experience to execute on the development plan. With preliminary economic assessments released for all five gold assets, which carry a combined after-tax net present value of approximately $1.6 billion.

In the first quarter of 2025: 1) Revenue totaled $14.0 million. 2) Gold sales totaled 4,952 ounces. 3) Completed modifications to the pumping system at Granite Creek Underground leading to improving water levels and reduced mine interruptions. 4) Received the Decision Record from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for the commencement of the underground portals at Archimedes Underground. 5) Completed approximately 15,000 feet of underground delineation drilling at the Cove Project to enhance the certainty of the mineral resource estimate and support engineering analyses for an anticipated feasibility study. 6) Executed several financing initiatives to enhance financial flexibility in support of the Company's broader recapitalization plan, including a recently finalized working capital facility with Auramet International, Inc.

Mining rates during the first quarter, were higher than the prior year comparative period due to improved productivity and the pace of development. In response to the increased water ingress, the Company improved the pumping system availability and capacity, as well as, modifications to reduce mine interruption. Water levels are dropping throughout the mining area and water ingress rates are anticipated to continue to decrease in the near term. Gold output is expected to ramp up to steady-state during the second half of 2025. Additional dewatering infrastructure upgrades will be completed in 2025. In early 2025 a predictive groundwater model was completed and the Company is utilizing this study to evaluate future dewatering needs.

The Company continues to encounter elevated levels of oxide mineralized material. A substantial portion of this lower-grade mineralized material has been deemed suitable for processing via heap leach at the Company's Lone Tree heap leach facility. During the quarter, 916 ounces were processed and sold from the Lone Tree heap leach facility. As at March 31, 2025, sulfide mineralized material of approximately 26,613 tonnes were on the stockpile to be processed in the remainder of 2025. Under the new toll milling agreement, the material is expected to be processed within 120 days of delivery to the process facilities.

Capital expenditures for the three months were for sustaining capital. Pre-development, evaluation, and exploration expenses were primarily for underground development.

An infill drilling program is planned to be completed in 2025 for inclusion in a feasibility study. Granite Creek open pit expansion baseline field studies associated with Federal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) permitting activities were initiated during the first quarter of 2025. The permitting process is anticipated to take approximately three years.

The development of an exploration drift at Granite Creek Underground began in the fourth quarter of 2024 and is expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2025. This drift will provide access for infill drilling from underground in the South Pacific Zone, which will begin immediately upon completion of the drift.

Ruby Hill (Archimedes Underground Project and Mineral Point Open Pit Project)

Ruby Hill includes the Archimedes Underground Project, the Mineral Point open pit heap leach project, as well as several base metal deposits. The Archimedes Underground Project is expected to be the Company's second underground mine. Mineral Point is a large oxide gold and silver deposit with the potential to become the Company's largest gold producing asset.

During the first quarter of 2025, the Company finalized a preliminary economic assessment on both the Archimedes Underground Project and Mineral Point open pit project.

Permitting for Archimedes underground continued in the first quarter of 2025. During the quarter, the Company received the Decision Record from the BLM for the commencement of the underground portals. Associated state permits are still in process and responses are expected to be received in the second quarter of 2025.

The timeframe to first production is approximately 14 months in duration from the commencement of portal blasting which will commence once the state permit is approved. In the meantime, the Company is leaching the historic leach pads, which provides minor amounts of gold extraction. Construction of the surface facilities and associated infrastructure commenced in the fourth quarter of 2024 and will carry into the first half of 2025. Underground construction activities are expected to begin in the third quarter of 2025.

The Mineral Point drill program is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2025 to support geotechnical, metallurgical and hydrogeology studies for baseline data to advance the permitting and technical reports for Mineral Point.

The permitting process for Cove remains on track with approvals anticipated by the end of 2027. The draft plan of operations has been submitted to the BLM and the baseline permitting work is largely in the process of being finalized. Management is targeting the initiation of the Environmental Impact Statement process in the second half of 2025 pending some additional evaluation and possible discussion with the regulatory agencies due to the significant disturbance footprint and potential impact on water and air quality. The permitting process for Cove remains on track with approvals anticipated by the end of 2027. The draft plan of operations has been submitted to the BLM and the baseline permitting work is largely in the process of being finalized. Management is targeting the initiation of the Environmental Impact Statement process in the second half of 2025 pending some additional evaluation and possible discussion with the regulatory agencies due to the significant disturbance footprint and potential impact on water and air quality.

In addition to the permitting process, an infill drill program was completed during the first quarter of 2025 to increase confidence in the mineral resource and collect data for engineering work to complete a feasibility study expected in 2025. Underground delineation drilling continued during the first quarter on the Helen and Gap deposits with two core rigs, completing approximately 15,000 feet of core drilled bringing total drilling over the course of the infill campaign to approximately 145,000 feet. The 2023 through 2025 drill program results will be included in a planned updated feasibility study.

The focus at Lone Tree is a feasibility study to evaluate the refurbishment of the autoclave facility with the intention of processing sulfide ore from the three underground mines (Granite Creek, Archimedes and Cove) in support of the Company's regional hub-and-spoke mining and processing strategy. Management continues to review the value engineering studies in preparation for the feasibility study which is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2025.

The continued leaching of the historic leach pad at Lone Tree is producing a reasonable amount of gold. The Company plans to continue to recover ounces from the Lone Tree leach pads as long as it is economical to do so.