Liberty Gold Strengthens Development Team to Advance Black Pine Through Feasibility and Permitting

Rhea-AI Summary

Liberty Gold (OTCQX:LGDTF) has announced significant strengthening of its development team with four key appointments to advance its flagship Black Pine Oxide Gold Project in Idaho. The new appointments include Tyler Cole as VP of Project Development, Richard Zaggle as Senior Director of Mining and Metallurgy, Owen Nicholls as Director of Technical Services, and Charles Mumford as Senior Environmental and Permitting Specialist.

The expanded team will focus on delivering crucial milestones over the next 18-24 months, including completing a feasibility study by 2026, advancing metallurgical testing, progressing environmental studies, and establishing operational frameworks. These strategic appointments demonstrate Liberty Gold's commitment to transitioning Black Pine from advanced exploration to feasibility and permitting stages.

Positive

• Appointment of four highly experienced mining professionals with specific expertise in gold heap leach operations
• Strategic timing aligns with project's transition from exploration to development phase
• Clear 18-24 month milestone roadmap with feasibility study targeted for 2026
• New team brings direct experience with regulatory bodies and NEPA framework

Negative

• Extended timeline to feasibility completion (2026) indicates lengthy development period ahead
• Multiple regulatory and permitting hurdles still need to be cleared

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Liberty Gold Corp. (TSX:LGD; OTCQX:LGDTF) (“Liberty Gold” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the appointment of four highly experienced mining professionals to its technical and project development team. These strategic additions reinforce Liberty Gold’s commitment to disciplined execution as the Company advances its flagship Black Pine Oxide Gold Project (“Black Pine”) in Idaho through feasibility-level engineering and permitting.

New Appointments:

• Tyler Cole, MBA, B.Sc. (Mining Eng.) – Vice President, Project Development
  Mr. Cole is a mining executive with 20 years of combined mining and construction experience, including leadership roles in mine engineering, capital project execution, and operational management across both surface and underground operations, with specific expertise in gold heap leach operations. He has held key positions at Kinross Gold, where he served as Manager of Site Capital Projects at the Bald Mountain Mine; at Evolution Mining, as Projects Director at the Red Lake Complex; and most recently at Worley, based in Salt Lake City, as a Portfolio/Senior Project Manager overseeing major infrastructure and site development programs across North America.
  
  Mr. Cole holds a Master of Business Administration from Warwick Business School, (UK), a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering from Montana Tech (USA), and a Diploma in Mining and Mineral Exploration from the British Columbia Institute of Technology (Canada).
  
  At Liberty Gold, Mr. Cole will be accountable for delivery of the Black Pine Feasibility Study and all associated basic and detailed engineering (Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Management Services) activities leading to a construction decision.

• Richard Zaggle, B.Sc., M.Sc., RM-SME – Senior Director, Mining and Metallurgy
  Mr. Zaggle is a multidisciplinary mining professional with 13 years of experience in mine development, process design, and heap leach optimization across large-scale gold operations. He has most recently served as Study Manager at SSR Mining’s Marigold Mine, where he previously held the roles of Process Manager and Chief Metallurgist. He also held senior metallurgical positions at SSR Mining’s Cripple Creek & Victor Mine.
  
  Mr. Zaggle specializes in mine to mill optimization, strategic de-risking of mine plans, metallurgical test work, recovery modeling, and the commissioning and operation of large-scale gold leach facilities. At Liberty Gold, he will lead the development of the Black Pine processing flowsheet, oversee metallurgical and geo-metallurgical integration, and support mine design and feasibility planning in coordination with the broader technical team.

• Owen Nicholls, M.Sc., P.Geo. – Director, Technical Services
  Mr. Nicholls brings 18 years of technical and operational experience spanning greenfields exploration, resource development and mine operations across North and South America, Australia, and Europe. As U.S. Exploration Manager at Equinox Gold, he led the definition of over five million ounces of gold at the Castle Mountain Mine and supported long-term planning and recovery modeling at the Mesquite Mine. In his most recent role as Vice President, Exploration at Argonaut Gold, he oversaw exploration at five operating mines and was responsible for mineral resource and reserve reporting, ore grade control, and reserve reconciliation.
  
  Mr. Nicholls holds an M.Sc. in Economic Geology from the Colorado School of Mines and is a Registered Professional Geologist. At Liberty Gold, he is responsible for the completion of the feasibility-level resource estimate, short-term grade control models, geo-metallurgical modeling, and integration of geotechnical and hydrogeological programs to support permitting and operational readiness at Black Pine.

• Charles Mumford, B.Sc. – Senior Environmental and Permitting Specialist
  Mr. Mumford is an environmental professional with over 10 years of experience managing permitting processes, regulatory compliance, and environmental oversight for mining and infrastructure projects across the western United States and Alaska.
  
  He joins Liberty Gold from SLR Consulting, where he served as an environmental permitting and compliance consultant. He previously worked with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, giving him direct insight into the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”) framework and agency coordination. Mr. Mumford has led baseline environmental studies, managed stakeholder engagement programs, and successfully advanced multiple federal and state permit applications. Mr. Mumford holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Geography from Utah State University. At Liberty Gold, he will lead critical aspects of the Black Pine permitting program, including site environmental compliance, NEPA and state permitting, and coordination with regulatory bodies and community partners.

“These appointments mark an important inflection point for Liberty Gold as we build out a proven owner’s team to transition Black Pine from advanced exploration into feasibility and permitting,” said Jon Gilligan, President and CEO of Liberty Gold. “Each of these leaders brings deep technical expertise, direct gold leach experience and a strong track record of project delivery. Their collective skill set underpins our strategy to de-risk and advance Black Pine as the next high-quality oxide gold project in the Great Basin with clear, achievable milestones.”

Strategic Priorities and Next Steps

The expanded development team will focus on delivering key milestones over the next 18-24 months, including:

• Advancing feasibility-level engineering and mine planning with a targeted completion of the feasibility study in 2026.
• Completing ongoing metallurgical test work and process design optimization to support permitting and capital cost estimates.
• Progressing environmental baseline studies and preparing permitting documentation to maintain permitting momentum.
• Establishing integrated development schedules and operational readiness frameworks to support a future construction decision.
• Enhancing stakeholder engagement and strengthening Liberty Gold’s position as a disciplined, technically credible developer.
  
  

ABOUT LIBERTY GOLD

Liberty Gold is focused on developing open pit oxide deposits in the Great Basin of the United States, home to large-scale gold projects that are ideal for open-pit mining. This region is one of the most prolific gold-producing regions in the world and stretches across Nevada and into Idaho and Utah. The Company is advancing the Black Pine Project in southeastern Idaho, a past-producing, Carlin-style gold system with a large, growing resource and strong economic potential. We know the Great Basin and are driven to advance big gold deposits that can be mined profitably in open-pit scenarios and in an environmentally responsible manner.

For more information, visit libertygold.ca or contact:
Susie Bell, Manager, Investor Relations
Phone: 604-632-4677 or Toll Free 1-877-632-4677
info@libertygold.ca

All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are “forward-looking information” with respect to Liberty Gold within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as “intends”, “seek”, “anticipate”, “plan”, “continue”, “planned”, “expect”, “project”, “predict”, “potential”, “targeting”, “intends”, “believe”, “potential”, and similar expressions, or describes a “goal”, or variation of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “should”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and is based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management at the date the statements are made including, among others, assumptions about future prices of gold and other metal prices, currency exchange rates and interest rates, favourable operating conditions, political stability, obtaining governmental approvals and financing on time, obtaining renewals for existing licenses and permits and obtaining required licenses and permits, labour stability, stability in market conditions, the timing and success of future plans and objectives in the areas of sustainable development, health, safety, environment, community development; successful resolution of disputes and anticipated costs and expenditures and the timing of regulatory approvals. Many assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of Liberty Gold and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct.

Such forward-looking information, involves known and unknown risks, which may cause the actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, the interpretation of results and/or the reliance on technical information provided by third parties as related to the Company’s mineral property interests; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; current economic conditions; future prices of commodities; possible variations in grade or recovery rates; the costs and timing of the development of new deposits; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; the failure of contracted parties to perform; the timing and success of exploration activities generally; delays in permitting; possible claims against the Company; labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals, the completion of exploration as well as those factors discussed in the Annual Information Form of the Company dated March 25, 2025 in the section entitled "Risk Factors", under Liberty Gold’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

Although Liberty Gold has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results, and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Liberty Gold disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws.

FAQ

Who are the new key appointments at Liberty Gold (LGDTF) announced in July 2025?

Liberty Gold appointed four key professionals: Tyler Cole as VP of Project Development, Richard Zaggle as Senior Director of Mining and Metallurgy, Owen Nicholls as Director of Technical Services, and Charles Mumford as Senior Environmental and Permitting Specialist.

When is Liberty Gold (LGDTF) expecting to complete the Black Pine feasibility study?

Liberty Gold is targeting completion of the Black Pine feasibility study in 2026, as part of their 18-24 month milestone timeline.

What is the main purpose of Liberty Gold's new team appointments?

The new appointments are designed to advance the Black Pine Oxide Gold Project through feasibility-level engineering and permitting, transitioning it from advanced exploration to development.

What experience does Tyler Cole bring to Liberty Gold as the new VP of Project Development?

Tyler Cole brings 20 years of combined mining and construction experience, including leadership roles at Kinross Gold, Evolution Mining, and Worley, with specific expertise in gold heap leach operations.

What are the key milestones Liberty Gold plans to achieve in the next 18-24 months?

Key milestones include completing the feasibility study by 2026, advancing metallurgical testing, progressing environmental baseline studies, establishing operational readiness frameworks, and enhancing stakeholder engagement.