BROSSARD, Quebec, March 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VIOR GOLD CORPORATION INC. (“Vior Gold Corporation”, “Vior” or the “Corporation”) (TSXV: VIO, OTCQB: VIORF, FRA: VL5) is pleased to announce that, on March 4, 2026, it has entered into an asset purchase agreement with Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (“Agnico Eagle”) to acquire a 100% interest in the Kinebik, Peacock and Launay properties located in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt (Figure 1), Quebec (the “Properties”). At closing, as partial consideration for the acquisition, Vior Gold Corporation will: (a) issue 45,665,965 common shares representing 9.9% of the Corporation’s issued and outstanding common shares (approximately $5,799,578 based on the 20-day VWAP prior to signing); and (b) make a cash payment to Agnico Eagle of C$750,000. Closing is expected to occur in the first quarter of 2027, and is subject to a number of customary closing conditions, including approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.
At closing, Vior will also grant Agnico Eagle a 2% Net Smelter Return (“NSR”) Royalty on all exclusive exploration rights (“EER”) that are free of any existing royalties. On all EER and other mining titles comprising the Properties where pre-existing royalties exist, Vior will grant Agnico Eagle a 2.0% NSR royalty subject to a 1.0% buyback right for C$2.0M exercisable at Vior’s discretion at any time. The parties will also enter into an investor rights agreement (“IRA”) granting Agnico Eagle certain rights, such as the right to participate in future equity financings of the Corporation and the right to designate one nominee to the board of directors of the Corporation provided that Agnico Eagle maintains at least a 5% ownership of the Corporation.
In aggregate, the Properties are comprised of 1,613 EERs, representing a total surface area of more than 86,373 hectares.
Highlights:
- Significant expansion of Vior’s gold portfolio on strategic corridors
- District scale acquisition of Kinebik covering the 55 kilometres of Cameron Break hosting several gold deposits
- At Kinebik, a fully funded drill program of 20,000 metres is already permitted to follow up on gold mineralization drill intervals at Florence, Cameron and Desjardins (Figure 2).
- Acquisition of Peacock comprising 22,600 hectares adjacent to Vior’s Ligneris project creating a new regional scaled project with considerable potential
- Addition of a new corporate strategic shareholder in Agnico Eagle
Mathieu Savard, President and Chief Executive Officer of Vior Gold Corporation, commented “We are thrilled about this transaction allowing us to consolidate the Ligneris district and getting a footprint on the Cameron Break with the Kinebik district scale acquisition. The Cameron Break is considered to be the extension of the Casa Berardi Break that hosts multiple large gold deposits. Kinebik is already permitted for drilling and the Corporation will initiate a fully funded 20,000 metres drill program targeting existing gold mineralization such as Florence, Cameron Main and Desjardins in the second quarter. We are also happy to welcome Agnico Eagle as a new strategic shareholder, joining our already solid base of investors. The team is focused on creating value for our shareholders and expects that the addition of these projects will provide that in the future. Meanwhile, continue to advance of our program at Ligneris and expect an update will be published in the coming weeks.”
Kinebik is a district scale project that comprises 934 EER located in the North Volcanic Zone of the Abitibi Greenstone Belt (Figure 2) and straddles the Cameron Shear over 55 kilometers that is interpreted as the eastern part of the prolific Casa Berardi Break. The southeastern portion of the Kinebik block represents 10 kilometers of Cameron break located directly on strike with Cartwright and Flordin deposits. Moreover, several gold mineralization occurrences are found in a variety of rock types such as banded iron formation, felsic intrusions, quartz veins and sedimentary rocks. Directly to the southeast of Cartwright, drilling conducted in 2024 and 2025 by O3 Mining Inc. returned values of 5.1 g/t Au over 2.8 meters (Cameron Main, drillhole O3KN-24-011 unpublished by O3 Mining Inc. from SIGEOM: GM 74516). To the North of Flordin, mineralization hosted in granodiorite returned values of 5.5 g/t Au over 6.0 metres including 30.0 g/t Au over 1.0 meter (Florence showing, SIGEOM: GM 47626) and 7.43 g/t Au over 4.08 meters (Desjardins showing, Zone 52, SIGEOM: GM53676). Most of the northwest corridor has not seen proper exploration and remains largely unexplored. Drilling permits are already obtained and Vior Gold Corporation will undertake an initial drilling program in the second quarter of this year. In addition to this acquisition, Vior Gold Corporation recently added 260 EERs through claims designation in the Kinebik area.
The Peacock Project comprises two blocks totaling 456 EER located north of the Ligneris project, 60 kilometers north of Amos (Figure 3). It covers the potential south extension of the Joutel Camp stratigraphy and the western extension of the volcanic package hosting the Sleeping Giant Mine. It displays exploration potential for gold rich VMS as well as gold-bearing quartz veins. Several semi-massive sulphide (copper bearing) coincident with VTEM and gravimetric anomalies remain untested by drilling. The project also covers more than 6 kilometers of the Laflamme shear zone and the northeast extension of the Riviere Octave Formation, hosting most of the Ligneris mineralization to the southwest.
The Launay project is located near the community of Taschereau, 43 kilometers west-northwest of the town of Amos and consists of 226 EER covering 12,602 hectares (Figure 4). The property is in the North Volcanic Zone of the Abitibi Greenstone Belt and is underlain by the Launay Pluton, the Guyenne and Taschereau Batholiths and the volcanics rock of the Figuery and Amos groups. There has been no historical mining or gold production on the property. Gold mineralization at Launay typically occurs within 2 contexts: (1) within quartz-carbonate veins often associated with shears, faults and breccias zone; (2) associated with disseminated sulphides within felsic intrusive rocks strongly altered in carbonate, hematite and albite. Historical drilling on the southern edge of the Launay Pluton returned values of 4.18 g/t Au over 27.8 meters including 6.92 g/t Au over 12.8 meters, 4.04 g/t Au over 15.5 meters, including 5.10 g/t Au over 11.5 meters on Zone 75 (SIGEOM: GM68983), and 5.10 g/t Au over 9.42 meters on Zone Principale (SIGEOM: GM45769).
Change in financial year-end
The Corporation is also announcing that its board of directors has approved the change of the Corporation’s financial year-end from June 30th to December 31st in order to ensure better consistency with its operational cycle. A Notice of Change in Year-End has been filed by the Corporation on SEDAR+ pursuant to Regulation 51-102 respecting Continuous Disclosure Obligations (“R51-102”).
Quality Control
Drill program design, Quality Assurance/Quality Control (“QA/QC”), and interpretation of results is performed by qualified persons employing a QA/QC program consistent with National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure of Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”) and industry best practices. Standards and blanks are alternately inserted every 15 samples to adhere to QA/QC guidelines and protocols by the Corporation and the lab. Historical results on Ligneris, Kinebik and Launay Projects described in this news release are from public sources and the Qualified Person responsible for the review and approval of the technical information disclosed in this news release (see details below) has not verified the information relating to these historical results. Consequently, such information is not necessarily indicative of mineralization on Ligneris, Kinebik and Launay Projects.
Qualified Person
The technical content disclosed in this news release was reviewed and approved by Pascal Simard, Vice-President Exploration at Vior Gold Corporation, Qualified Person as per NI 43-101.
About Vior Gold Corporation Inc.
Vior Gold Corporation is a junior mineral exploration corporation based in the province of Quebec, Canada, whose corporate strategy is to generate, explore, and develop high-quality precious metals projects in the proven and favorable mining jurisdiction of Quebec. Through the years, the Corporation’s management and technical teams have demonstrated their ability to discover several multi million ounces gold deposits in Quebec.
For further information, please contact:
Mathieu Savard President and CEO
418-670-1448
msavard@vior.ca
www.vior.ca
SEDAR+: Vior Gold Corporation Inc.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the Policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that is based on expectations, estimates, projections, and interpretations as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the closing of the Transaction, the ability to obtain the required approvals of the TSX Venture Exchange, the significance of the Corporation's expansion of the Ligneris district, the Corporation's planned exploration activities and long-term objectives, the potential of the Kinebik, Peacock and Launay properties, the ability of exploration (including drilling) to accurately predict mineralization, production being achieved at any of the Corporation's properties, the significance of previous exploration results at the Kinebik, Peacock and Launay properties, and the Corporation's ability to deliver returns to its shareholders and long-term benefits to its stakeholders. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, interpretations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "interpreted", "management's view", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information and are intended to identify forward-looking information. This forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Corporation, at the time it was made, involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the companies to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the parties cannot assure shareholders and prospective purchasers of securities that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and neither the Corporation nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such forward-looking information. The Corporation does not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by law.
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a35914a5-ddf1-4b94-941c-ef4f2d9d8f5f
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ca4af139-924b-4ac1-8dc5-50fb46c84295
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7231ebc7-f953-42e7-af3d-f8a019937eac
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/19ccda54-cbc6-41fc-9f1d-9019d46b452e
Figure 1
Projects Location
Figure 2
Kinebik Project
Figure 3
Peacock Project
Figure 4
Launay Project
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