Idaho Strategic Continues Drilling High-Grade Gold Within Broad Zones of Mineralization at the Red Star Area of the Golden Chest Mine

Rhea-AI Summary

Idaho Strategic Resources (NYSE American:IDR) has announced significant drill results from the Red Star area of its Golden Chest mine, highlighted by drill hole GC 24-276 which returned 5.13 grams per tonne (gpt) gold over 13.5 meters, including 14.72 gpt over 2.3 meters.

The company has completed new underground drill stations at the 941-level, enabling better drill orientations and increased target accessibility. Notable intercepts include GC 24-277 with 2.31 gpt gold over 20.2 meters and GC 25-306 showing 1.76 gpt gold over 46.9 meters. The Red Star area exhibits unique characteristics with broad zones of lower-grade mineralization surrounding high-grade intercepts, potentially suitable for high-productivity mining methods like longhole stoping.

Positive

• Discovery of broad mineralized zones with high-grade gold intercepts at Red Star area
• Strategic location near existing operations and infrastructure reduces potential development timeline
• New underground drill stations enable better drilling orientation and expanded target access
• Mineralization style potentially suitable for more efficient bulk mining methods

Negative

• Additional exploration work required to fully delineate the mineralization
• True thickness of mineralization yet to be determined

Insights

Mining Geologist

IDR's Red Star drilling shows promising wide gold zones with high-grade sections, potentially enabling more efficient mining methods near existing infrastructure.

The latest drilling results from Idaho Strategic Resources' Red Star area represent a meaningful development in the company's exploration efforts. The intercepts show a pattern of high-grade gold zones nested within broader mineralized envelopes - a departure from the company's typical narrow-vein deposits at Golden Chest.

Drill hole GC 24-276 returned an impressive 5.13 grams per tonne (gpt) over 13.5 meters, including a high-grade section of 14.72 gpt over 2.3 meters. Similarly, GC 24-277 intercepted 2.31 gpt over 20.2 meters and 1.95 gpt over 38.8 meters, both containing multiple high-grade zones. The most recent hole, GC 25-306, showed 1.76 gpt over 46.9 meters including a spectacular 88.6 gpt over 0.3 meters.

These wide mineralized zones are geologically significant. Most epithermal and mesothermal gold deposits in similar settings produce discrete, narrow high-grade veins. The Red Star area's broader mineralization pattern suggests a more robust hydrothermal system or potentially different structural controls than previously understood at Golden Chest.

From a mining perspective, this geometry is advantageous. The broader mineralized envelopes could support bulk mining methods like longhole stoping, which typically offers higher productivity and lower per-ton mining costs compared to the selective mining methods required for narrow veins. The proximity to existing infrastructure (the North Ramp) further enhances the economic potential by reducing development timelines and capital requirements.

The completion of underground drill stations at the 941-level represents smart tactical planning, as it allows for better drill hole orientations to accurately delineate the shape and true thickness of the mineralized zones, while not interfering with ongoing mining operations. This strategic positioning also enables the company to target other potential ore bodies in the footwall of the Idaho fault, including the mentioned Claggett and Popcorn veins.

Drilling highlighted by drill hole GC 24-276 which returned 5.13 grams per tonne (gpt) over 13.5 meters including 14.72 gpt over 2.3 meters, reported in drilled thickness

Completion of the previously discussed underground drill stations at the 941-level of the Golden Chest Mine allows for better drill hole orientations and increases available targets within the Red Star area, helping delineate the shape of a broad mineralized zone

COEUR D'ALENE, IDAHO / ACCESS Newswire / September 11, 2025 / Idaho Strategic Resources (NYSE American:IDR) ("IDR" or the "Company") is pleased to announce drill results showing additional high-grade gold intercepts within broader zones of gold mineralization from the Red Star area of the Golden Chest mine.

The discovery of the Red Star area was initially announced by the Company in October of 2024 when it was discovered during a drill program targeting H-Vein extensions. Additional drilling targeting the Red Star area has yielded results similar to those previously released in 2024 and 2025, where discrete high-grade intervals show up within wider zones of mineralization. Since the discovery of the Red Star area, the Company has made its delineation a priority given the proximity to the Company's current operations and existing infrastructure. The drill results released in the table below are all reported in drilled thickness and in grams of gold per tonne:

Hole	Target: Red Star	From (m)	To (m)	Drilled Thickness (m)	Gold Assay (gpt)
GC 24-276	Red Star	210.8	224.3	13.5	5.13
including		217.4	219.7	2.3	14.72
including		220.5	222.2	1.7	7.15
including		223.2	224.3	1.1	10.8
GC 24-276	Red Star	237.6	238.5	0.9	4.6
GC 24-276	Red Star	267.3	278.5	11.2	1.79
including		268.1	268.4	0.3	29.15
including		277.7	278.5	0.8	5.9
GC 24-277	Red Star	196.6	216.8	20.2	2.31
including		199	199.9	0.9	24.1
including		201.1	202	0.9	10.4
including		216	216.3	0.3	13.3
GC 24-277	Red Star	220	258.8	38.8	1.95
including		224.9	227.2	2.3	13.87
including		225.4	226	0.6	31.95
including		228.7	232.3	3.6	2.65
including		237.6	237.8	0.2	43.93
including		242.3	242.9	0.6	4.17
including		248.3	248.8	0.5	4.4
GC 25-306	Red Star	44.5	91.4	46.9	1.76
including		46.1	49.4	3.3	6.11
including		51.7	52	0.3	88.6
including		55.8	56.2	0.4	3.5
including		57.4	58.8	1.4	2.67
including		73.7	75.4	1.7	2.09

The Red Star has demonstrated zones of high-grade mineralization within broader zones of lower-grade material (as opposed to having little or no mineralization adjacent to the higher-grade areas). If this scenario holds together these large, mineralized zones could be amenable to a high productivity mining method such as longhole stoping. Additionally, the Red Star area is reasonably close to the existing North Ramp which could reduce the timeline for potential development of this new zone.

The Company made the decision to contract the development of two underground drill stations at the 941-level of the Golden Chest mine to avoid interfering with current mine development. The recently completed drill stations are designed to allow for better oriented drilling to estimate true thickness and shape of the mineralized zones in the Red Star area. Additionally, given the strategic location of the newly developed underground drill stations, IDR expects to be able to target other priority areas north of its existing operations such as the Claggett and Popcorn veins (and others) in the footwall of the Idaho fault.

Idaho Strategic's President and CEO, John Swallow commented, "The Red Star area is a unique prospect at the Golden Chest compared to the typical veins we've mined and explored previously. Traditionally, at the Golden Chest our operations have centered around narrow, high-grade veins within waste rock. The Red Star is unique in that there are broad zones of lower grade mineralization surrounding the higher-grade intercepts. While there is more exploration work warranted from the newly developed underground drill stations, the Red Star discovery is exciting because the broader zones of mineralization could be amenable to higher productivity mining methods.

We have had drills turning all spring and summer - in the Murray Gold Belt to the west, at the Paymaster just south of current development, and underground for the benefit of production near our existing workings. For now, we plan for the underground drill and one surface drill to continue to work at least through the end of the year (with the 3^rd drill leaving soon). The underground drill program from the new drill stations is initially planned to target the Red Star area while the remaining surface drill will continue to focus on resource delineation at the Paymaster as results dictate. There is an amazing amount of work getting done at (and near) the Golden Chest and at the New Jersey Mill. We have 7 geologists on staff, added people at the mill and the mine, and across the board our new folks have added value out of the gate. Overall, this has been an incredibly productive year at IDR and we are not even close to being done."

Qualified Person and QA/QC

IDR's Vice President, Grant A. Brackebusch, P.E. is a qualified person as such term is defined under S-K 1300 and has reviewed and approved the technical information and data included in this press release. Drill core samples from the Golden Chest Mine are analyzed by American Analytical Services, Inc., an ISO 17025-accredited laboratory in Osburn, Idaho, using 30-gram fire assay with a gravimetric finish. The Company's QA/QC program includes the insertion of blanks, certified reference materials, and duplicates to ensure analytical accuracy, with results reviewed by a Qualified Person.

About Idaho Strategic Resources, Inc.

Idaho Strategic Resources (IDR) is an Idaho-based gold producer which also owns the largest rare earth elements land package in the United States. The Company's business plan was established in anticipation of today's volatile geopolitical and macroeconomic environment. IDR finds itself in a unique position as the only publicly traded company with growing gold production and significant blue-sky potential for rare earth elements exploration and development in one Company.

For more information on Idaho Strategic Resources, visit https://idahostrategic.com/presentation/, go to www.idahostrategic.com or call:

Travis Swallow, Investor Relations & Corporate Development
Email: tswallow@idahostrategic.com
Phone: (208) 625-9001

Forward Looking Statements

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor created by such sections. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by forward-looking words such as "intends", "potential", "believe", "plans", "expects", "may", "goal', "assume", "estimate", "anticipate", and "will" or similar words suggesting future outcomes, or other expectations, beliefs, assumptions, intentions, or statements about future events or performance. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of Idaho Strategic Resources as of the date such information is provided and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements of IDR to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information includes the potential for the Red Star area to be amenable to bulk mining methods, the potential for the Red Star to be an economic source of ore, the potential for IDR to drill the Red Star from the newly developed underground drill stations, the potential for better drill orientations to determine the shape of the Red Star mineralization to be achieved from the new underground drill stations, and the potential for targeting of footwall veins such as the Claggett and Popcorn veins from the newly developed underground drill stations. Investors should note that IDR's claim as the largest rare earth elements landholder in the U.S. is based on the Company's internal review of publicly available information regarding the rare earth landholdings of select companies within the U.S., which IDR is aware of. Investors are encouraged not to rely on IDR's claim as the largest rare earth elements landholder in the U.S. while making investment decisions. The forward-looking statement information above, and those following are applicable to both this press release, as well as the links contained within this press release. With respect to the business of Idaho Strategic Resources, these risks and uncertainties include risks relating to widespread pandemics; interpretations or reinterpretations of geologic information; the accuracy of historic estimates; unfavorable exploration results; the uncertainty of regulatory requirements and approvals; fluctuating mineral and commodity prices; the ability to obtain necessary future financing on acceptable terms; the ability to operate the Company's projects; and risks associated with the mining industry such as economic factors, ground conditions, failure of plant, equipment, processes and transportation services to operate as anticipated, environmental risks, possible variations in ore grade or recovery rates, permitting timelines, capital and construction expenditures, and reclamation activities. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such information. Additional information regarding the factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from this forward‐looking information is available in Idaho Strategic Resources filings with the SEC on EDGAR. IDR does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or other such factors which affect this information, except as required by law.

SOURCE: Idaho Strategic Resources, Inc.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

FAQ

What were the key gold drilling results from IDR's Red Star area in September 2025?

The key result was from drill hole GC 24-276, which returned 5.13 gpt gold over 13.5 meters, including 14.72 gpt over 2.3 meters. Other significant results included GC 24-277 with 2.31 gpt over 20.2 meters and GC 25-306 with 1.76 gpt over 46.9 meters.

How is the Red Star mineralization different from IDR's typical Golden Chest mine veins?

Unlike the typical narrow, high-grade veins at Golden Chest, the Red Star area features broad zones of lower-grade mineralization surrounding high-grade intercepts, potentially suitable for high-productivity mining methods like longhole stoping.

What infrastructure improvements has IDR made at the Golden Chest mine's Red Star area?

IDR has completed two new underground drill stations at the 941-level of the Golden Chest mine, allowing for better oriented drilling to estimate true thickness and shape of the mineralized zones.

What is IDR's current drilling plan for the Red Star area?

IDR plans to continue underground drilling from the new drill stations targeting the Red Star area, with one surface drill focusing on resource delineation at the Paymaster through the end of the year.

How close is the Red Star area to IDR's existing mining operations?

The Red Star area is located reasonably close to the existing North Ramp of the Golden Chest mine, which could potentially reduce the timeline for development of this new zone.