Commencement Of Drilling On The Comstock Lode

LA JOLLA, CA — Tonogold Resources, Inc. reported the commencement of its initial exploration and evaluation program at the Comstock Lode, Virginia City, Nevada, with the first drill hole having commenced. This will be the first modern exploration of the historically significant Comstock Lode.

Tonogold’s initial drill program will focus on the 3 km strike length of the main Comstock Lode that Tonogold controls, where historic production (mainly in the late 1800s) recovered over 9 million ounces of gold equivalent (AuEq). Approximately 6 million tonnes at 72g/t AuEq was mined during the late 1800s. Most of this production came from the upper 500 meters, where favorable mining conditions prevailed thanks to the development of a massive dewatering system through the Sutro Tunnel. Influx of water, poor ventilation, and heat coupled with inadequate 19th century mining technology hampered attempts to mine below the Sutro tunnel level in the late 1870s and early 1880s.