West Vault Mining Inc. (TSX.V: WVM) (OTCQX: WVMDF): Gold Exposure by Holding Nevada Gold Reserves in the Ground

• West Vault Mining Inc. (West Vault) has a long-term bullish outlook for gold
• West Vault seeks lower risk and higher long-term returns by keeping its gold in the ground
• West Vault has substantially derisked its Hasbrouck Gold Project located in mining-friendly Nevada through completion of a PFS and obtaining all major permits

A Safe Haven Reasserts Itself

Gold’s reputation as a hedge against inflation, weakening currencies and market volatility has rarely felt more relevant. Global investors, from central banks to individuals, continue accumulating the metal as protection against persistent inflation, geopolitical conflict, and the uncertain trajectory of monetary policy.  Many analysts are forecasting rising gold prices, driven by geopolitical tensions and recessionary tailwinds.  With gold already trading over US$4,200 per oz, such forecasts are trending higher. On October 15th J.P. Morgan Chase Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon stated that gold “could easily go to $5,000 or $10,000 in environments like this”. With such forecasts as a backdrop, advanced-stage projects in safe jurisdictions are attracting greater attention as future sources of supply.

West Vault’s Strategy

West Vault Mining (TSX.V: WVM) (OTCQX: WVMDF) is a different kind of gold company. It is value driven, seeking to do things that are accretive to long term value per share while not exposing shareholders to development and financing risk until the risk-reward balance is compelling.  What is often missed by investors is that the per ounce cost of holding gold reserves in the ground is typically lower than holding the same number of ounces in a bank vault.  West Vault seeks to provide investors with a platform to hold gold in the ground, and the opportunity to achieve low risk, high long-term returns by minimizing permitting risk, construction risk, operating risk, financial risk, and geopolitical risk.  Reducing risks can lower the assumed discount rate to net asset value (“NAV”) while maximizing long-term exposure to gold.

How does West Vault provide exposure to gold in the ground and lower risks?  Its 100% owned Hasbrouck Gold Project in Nevada has secured all major development permits and is construction-ready, resulting in low permitting risk.  Until a decision is taken to construct and operate a mine, or sell the project, exposure to construction and operating risk does not occur.  Likewise, West Vault seeks to reduce the risk and dilution to shareholders associated with mine financing by waiting for the most opportune economic circumstances – when higher gold prices provide exceptional returns at a low cost of capital.  With the project located in Nevada, amongst the safest, most mining-friendly jurisdictions globally, geopolitical risk is substantially reduced.

A Permitted Project in Nevada

West Vault’s Hasbrouck Gold Project has all the above positive attributes – holding its gold reserves in the ground in a geopolitically favourable location with all major permits and a positive pre-feasibility study in hand.  This is WVM’s “gold vault” and hence the name “West Vault.”

As investors know, jurisdiction matters in mining, and Nevada remains a premier location (Fraser Institute 2024 Annual Survey of Mining Companies). The Hasbrouck Gold Project is located between Tonopah and Goldfield, historically one of Nevada’s most prolific gold-silver districts. With decades of production history, a transparent regulatory system, and robust infrastructure, Nevada consistently attracts investment from juniors and majors alike. For the Hasbrouck Gold Project, the combination of established infrastructure, nearby power grid, valid permits, and secured water rights reduces development risk and accelerates potential development timelines, once a ‘go’ or ‘sell’ decision is made. In contrast to projects in less predictable jurisdictions, West Vault offers exposure to rising gold prices without the same project execution uncertainty and risk of expropriation that often plagues international developments.

An independent 2023 NI 43-101 Pre-feasibility Study (2023 PFS) completed by RESPEC estimated the project’s mineral reserve at 753,000 ounces of proven and probable gold in 44.02 million tons at a grade of 0.017 oz Au/ton. The simple heap leach process is forecast to achieve a 75% average gold recovery based on 13 metallurgical test programs, with a low waste to ore strip ratio, enhancing economics.  Annual production is forecast at 71,000 oz/year with an all in sustaining cost of just US$877/oz, less than a quarter of the current gold price.  The 2023 PFS base case estimates a 51% internal rate of return (“IRR”) and US$206 million net present value (“NPV5%”) at just US$1,790/oz gold, increasing to a 110% IRR and US$503 million NPV5% at US$2,600/oz gold, which is the highest value in the sensitivity analysis found in the 2023 PFS.  With only 58 million common shares issued by West Vault, a favourable value per share is implied.  West Vault’s strategy is aligned with shareholders who seek exposure to rising gold prices.

Exploration and Expansion Potential

Beyond its defined mineral reserves, Hasbrouck offers exploration upside across multiple targets. Four targets at Three Hills include extensions to known mineralization, open high-grade corridors, and potential high-grade structures. The Hasbrouck pit demonstrates three centers of mineralization with expansion potential, while the 500 acre Hill of Gold area represents an additional upside opportunity.

With infrastructure already nearby and widespread prospective ground under control, the company has positioned Hasbrouck as both a near-term production candidate and a platform for longer-term exploration and potential resource expansion.

Disciplined Strategy and Shareholder Alignment

West Vault’s corporate strategy centers on the principle that “disciplined patience drives value creation.” The company focuses on minimizing dilution, avoiding premature development, and timing a construction, sale, or M&A decision to maximize per-share value. With US$2.3 million in cash (as of June 2025), no debt, and an efficient burn rate of approximately US$1 million per year, West Vault maintains financial flexibility for roughly two years without additional financing pressure.

Management and insider ownership stands at 48%, with institutional participation reaching 72%. This structure reflects long-term commitment and alignment with shareholders. The West Vault leadership team brings proven construction and M&A experience, including CEO Sandy McVey’s mine building career and CFO Frank Hallam’s involvement in the co-founding, merger and sale of a half dozen successful mining companies, and multiple significant financings, totaling several billion dollars in value.

Looking Ahead

With gold’s role as a safe-haven asset strengthening and prices forecast to trend higher through 2026, West Vault is strategically positioned to benefit from both timing and jurisdictional advantage. The Hasbrouck Gold Project stands apart as one of the few permitted, construction-ready assets among junior developers, offering both strong base-case economics and significant leverage to gold price appreciation with zero construction or production risk until management determines conditions and returns justify moving forward to construction.

For investors seeking exposure to gold without development risk or near-term construction obligations, West Vault offers a compelling proposition: shovel-ready optionality, disciplined capital strategy, and jurisdictional safety, all anchored in Nevada’s historically prolific mining neighborhood.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.WestVaultMining.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to WVM/ WVMDF, including relevant qualifications, cautionary language and forward-looking statements, are available in the company’s newsroom at ibn.fm/WVMDF. Readers are advised to read these documents and the 2023 PFS to fully understand the information in this article. Sandy McVey, P.Eng., the company’s qualified person under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information herein.

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