Al-Istiklal Golden Company (TSXV: IGO; OTCCP: igkf; FSE: 625) announced the discovery of a new gold and silver vein system at Balrog Target, located within the wholly-owned 3Ts Gold and Silver Project in central British Columbia.
Located approximately 185 kilometers southwest of Prince George, the 3Ts project comprises 31 mineral claims covering approximately 35,486 hectares in the Nechako Plateau region. The project is located 16 km southwest of Artemis Gold’s Blackwater mine and hosts a low-sulfur quartz and carbonate refractory vein zone in which there are at least twenty known mineral veins, ranging in length from 50 to over 1,100 meters and up to 32 meters in true width, twelve of which have been identified and have not been tested by drilling.
Highlights: Discovery of new gold and silver veins at Balrog Target – Discovery hole 3TS-26-03 intersected 10.62 meters grading 2.23 g/t gold and 38.14 g/t silver, including 1.75 meters grading 6.45 g/t gold and 114.86 g/t silver.
Hole 3TS-26-18 intersected 3.33 meters grading 4.38 g/t gold and 42.17 g/t silver, including 0.42 meters grading 22.98 g/t gold and 190.48 g/t silver.
Subsequent drilling confirmed continuity over approximately 100 metres, with mineralization remaining open along strike and at depth.
Balrog is located approximately 200 meters west of Johnny Fen (52.46 meters grading 2.51 g/t gold and 19.73 g/t silver), and is the previously westernmost known mineral vein within the 3Ts zone.
This discovery demonstrates the potential to expand the known mineral footprint of the area and may contribute to future resource growth.
This discovery validates a new exploration model based on arcuate and radial structural features interpreted from airborne geophysics. Additional targets generated by the model are currently being tested, with results awaited.
The Balrog discovery represents the first successful test of a new area-scale structural model developed from the company’s 2025 aerial geophysical survey conducted by Precision GeoSurveys. This discovery is significant as the target has no exposed surface, is hidden under approximately 30 meters of till cover, has been fully identified through the integration of geophysics, structural interpretation and geological modeling and represents a significant expansion of the known mineral footprint of the area.
It is estimated that true widths represent approximately 60–65% of reported core intervals, assuming steep vein geometry. Further drilling is required to confirm the orientation and true thickness of the metal structure. These findings demonstrate lateral and vertical continuity within the newly discovered Balrog vein system.
Balrog represents the first successful discovery generated directly from the company’s new regional structural model. The ability to predict the location of a previously unknown vein system deep beneath the hood provides confidence that there are additional blind discoveries elsewhere across the property.
In addition to validating the company’s exploration model, this discovery has the potential to contribute to future resource growth at the 3Ts project. Further excavation will be needed to determine the full extent and economic importance of the Balrog vein system.
Drilling at the project continues to evaluate additional targets generated by the same exploration model, with tests currently suspended.
For several years, the company believed that additional vein systems existed elsewhere within the 3Ts region. However, many of these potential targets are hidden beneath extensive glaciers and lack any surface exposure that would allow them to be identified by traditional prospecting and geochemical methods.
Interpretation of the 2025 airborne magnetic and radiometric survey has led to the development of a new area-wide structural model for the property. The model suggests that emplacement of an underlying intrusive body caused the Jurassic volcanic sequence to dominate, generating a series of arcuate stress fractures.
Subsequent radial fractures developed as the system expanded and expanded, creating pathways for hydrothermal fluids responsible for the formation of the geothermal gold and silver veins observed throughout the region. The company’s Tommy and Ted-Mint vein systems fit well within this framework. Furthermore, elevated thorium responses appear to coincide with regions of maximum structural expansion and may represent suitable sites for vein formation.
“The discovery of the Balrog vein is significant because it validates a completely new way of looking at the 3Ts region,” commented Randy Turner, President and CEO of Independence Gold. “For years we have believed that additional vein systems must exist beyond known deposits, but many of these targets are hidden under the hood and have little or no surface expression.
“Using the 2025 Airborne Geophysical Survey, our technical team developed a model that links arcuate and diagonal structural features to areas of maximum expansion where hydrothermal fluids could accumulate and form gold and silver veins. The Balrog was one of the first blind targets created from this work, and drilling has now confirmed the presence of a new mineral vein system.”
“Perhaps most importantly, Balrog shows that the model works. The vein remains open along strike and at depth, and we have several additional targets throughout the region generated by the same interpretation that are currently being tested. We believe this has the potential to significantly expand the discovery pipeline in 3Ts.”
Independence Gold is a well-funded mineral exploration company whose holdings range from popular early-stage exploration to advanced-stage resource expansion in British Columbia and the Yukon.
