Gold producer Equinox Gold has announced a new, artificial intelligence (AI) -supported gold discovery at its Valentine mine in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The company confirmed Minotaur Zone, located 8 km northwest of the Valentine mill, as a new discovery, as well as extensive high-grade mineralisation at the Frank Zone, outside of existing mineral resources.

Highlight intercepts from the Minotaur Zone include 2.68 g/t gold over 32 m, 22.10 g/t gold over 6.3 m, 3.12 g/t gold over 63.9 m and 7.50 g/t gold over 12.6 m, while drilling at the Frank Zone returned multiple broad and high-grade intersections.

Equinox Gold CEO Darren Hall said the latest results underlined the scale of the Valentine district. "At the Frank Zone, located outside of current resources we are seeing consistent, high-grade gold mineralisation over broad widths, supporting the potential for a new openpit capable of contributing to both production growth and mine life extension beyond the current 14-year mine plan,” Hall said.

He added that early drilling at the Minotaur discovery had confirmed significant mineralisation well beyond the main Valentine Lake Shear Zone.

“Early drilling at the newly discovered Minotaur Zone also confirms that significant gold mineralisation exists well outside the main Valentine Lake Shear Zone structure. Initial drilling in 2025 defined mineralisation over a 700-m strike length and remaining open in all directions, with step-outs suggesting the potential for the mineralised system to extend over approximately 2 km,” Hall said.

According to the company, surface grab samples at Minotaur have returned grades of up to 650 g/t gold, supported by multiple high-grade drill intercepts over meaningful widths.

“While Minotaur exploration is still at an early stage, the presence of surface grab samples with visible gold grading as high at 650 g/t gold and multiple high-grade drill intercepts over meaningful widths underscores the broader, district-scale potential of the property. Given the significance of this new discovery, we are planning 15 000 to 20 000 m of drilling in the Minotaur Zone in 2026,” Hall said.

With less than 15% of the 320 km² Valentine land package explored to date, he noted that the project had potential to support long-term growth beyond the current mine plan.

AI-DRIVEN TARGETING
Equinox Gold said the Minotaur Zone discovery highlights the benefits of integrating AI with conventional exploration techniques.

The area was initially identified in 2013 through grab samples grading up to 7 g/t gold, but was reprioritised using VRIFY’s AI-powered DORA software, which integrates geochemical, geophysical and structural data. This analysis assigned the area a top-tier prospectivity score and led to the first drilling campaign at the target.

The company said this approach has enabled it to accelerate target generation and enhance exploration success across the Valentine property.

Drilling at Minotaur in 2025 outlined mineralisation over a strike length of about 700 m, which remains open in all directions.

Initial drilling highlights include 2.68 g/t gold over 32 m and 2.67 g/t gold over 18 m in hole MT-25-011, 1.78 g/t gold over 39 m in MT-25-024, and 5.74 g/t gold over 8 m in MT-25-019.

In parallel, drilling at the Frank Zone, immediately southwest of the Leprechaun open pit, continues to extend mineralisation outside of current resources.

The company has delineated a mineralised corridor of more than 1 km in length, supporting the potential development of a new open pit.

Recent results from the zone include 22.10 g/t gold over 6.30 m estimated true width in hole FZ-25-082, 3.12 g/t gold over 63.90 m in FZ-25-095, and 7.50 g/t gold over 12.60 m in FZ-25-083.

Previously reported drilling at Frank returned intersections of 2.43 g/t gold over 172.80 m, 2.12 g/t gold over 95.40 m and 3.08 g/t gold over 48.23 m.

Equinox Gold has planned about 25 000 m of drilling at the Frank Zone in 2026, alongside  the15 000 m to 20 000 m at Minotaur.

Meanwhile, the Valentine mine poured first gold ahead of schedule in September 2025 and reached commercial production in November. The operation is currently ramping up and is expected to achieve design capacity during the second quarter of 2026.

Equinox Gold expects Valentine to produce between 150 000 oz and 200 000 oz of gold in 2026 at all-in sustaining costs of $1 200/oz to $1 300/oz.

Once fully operational, the mine is expected to be the largest gold producer in Atlantic Canada, with average yearly production of 175 000 oz to 200 000 oz over the first 12 years of its 14-year reserve life.