“The risk is so low. It’s ridiculous.”
Kimberly Ann is going full throttle to turn the exploration company Lahontan Gold into a gold producer. In an interview with Lyndsay Malchuk of the IIF, the founder and CEO highlighted the opportunities presented by the West Santa Fe project in particular. “People need to pay more attention to West Santa Fe. The risk is so low. It’s ridiculous.” The deposit is located just 13 km from the main Santa Fe project and, in her words, could deliver significant additional resources. Since the material only needs to be transported to the existing infrastructure, development costs are comparatively low. In addition, recent metallurgical studies have improved the gold recovery rate to 81%, further strengthening the project’s economic viability.
“We Will Have a Mine Next Year“
The company’s flagship project remains the Santa Fe project in Nevada. This historic mine in the famous Walker Lane Trend has produced gold in the past and is now set to be brought back into operation. The current estimate shows approximately 1.54 million ounces of gold equivalent in the “indicated” category, as well as an additional 411,000 ounces in the “inferred” category. The average grade is expected to be around 0.93 grams of gold equivalent per ton. The existing infrastructure, extensive historical data sets, and advanced project development give Lahontan a significant time advantage. Particularly attractive is the combination of a comparatively short construction period of just a few months and a clearly defined permitting process. “We will have a mine next year,” Kimberly Ann stated with conviction. The first gold could be mined as early as the fourth quarter of 2027. Given that, the current market valuation of CAD 170 million seems anything but expensive.
Production Costs at Around USD 1,200 Per Ounce
The project’s economics appear strong. According to the preliminary economic assessment, estimated production costs are around USD 1,200 per ounce of gold. Ann highlights the project’s comparatively low risk. The planned investment costs of around USD 135 million are considered manageable in the mining industry, and the payback period is expected to be between 12 and 18 months. This opens up attractive financing opportunities without excessively diluting shareholders. “We are going to print money,” said the CEO.
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Kimberly Ann is personally invested in Lahontan and is confident in the company’s ability to create value for shareholders. She rejects financing models that could burden the company’s future, even if they would be easier to implement in the short term. “I will choose the difficult path to ensure the company is protected,” she emphasized. With expected progress on approvals in the coming quarters and a potential mine start-up as early as next year, Lahontan Gold sees itself on a promising path. For investors, Ann maintains a clear message: “The mining sector is currently the best sector to be in.”
The Fun Factor
Another value driver is the company’s historic heap-leach piles. These are waste rock piles or mounds of ore that have already been mined and crushed from historic gold production. In the case of Santa Fe, approximately 359,000 ounces of gold and 700,000 ounces of silver were produced back then. The piles could therefore contain significant residual precious metal reserves. Today, modern technologies and significantly higher precious metal prices make it possible to potentially recover the remaining metals profitably. For Ann, this potential holds a special appeal: “This is the fun factor of our project.” The existing data from earlier production provides a solid foundation for further expanding the resource base and incorporating additional ounces into future mine plans. According to Ann, the tailings alone could hold ounces worth several hundred million USD. To verify this assumption, the company is launching a 1,700 m drilling program using a sonic drilling rig.
Financing Secured
Financing is also secured. Following the CAD 13.6 million financing round completed in April and additional proceeds from option exercises, the company considers itself fully funded through 2027. This allows all drilling programs to move forward. Concurrently, work is underway on an updated mineral resource estimate, which is scheduled for release in the coming weeks. Building on this, Lahontan plans to update the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA), which is scheduled for completion in September 2026.
Nor should the mentioned investment costs for the construction of the mine, amounting to approximately USD 135 million, cause concern among shareholders. The company has repeatedly emphasized that it intends to finance the majority of the investments through debt. Initial loan terms (term sheets) are already in place for this purpose. Therefore, there is no need to fear significant dilution.
Conclusion: A Price Surge Coming Soon?
While the gold price consolidates between USD 4,400 and USD 4,800, Lahontan may offer an attractive buying opportunity in the sector. The facts and figures clearly point to further price increases. The combination of a resource of around 2 million ounces with potential for more, low production costs, and a possible start of production by the end of 2027 all point to significantly higher prices. The next price jump could be imminent once the new resource estimate is published.
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