KO Gold Inc. (KOG:CSE; KOGDF:OTC) gave updates in a July 7 release on its comprehensive 2026 drilling and exploration activities across its wholly owned exploration permits in the Otago Gold District, South Island, New Zealand.
The company said reverse circulation (RC) drilling at the Smylers Gold Exploration Permit (Smylers EP) is currently advancing according to schedule. Additionally, a series of work programs, including both RC and diamond drilling (DD), are concurrently progressing at the Carrick, Hyde, Glenpark, and Carrick Range permits.
Since the commencement of drilling on May 5, a total of 21 RC holes spanning 1,554.4 meters have been completed at the Smylers EP, the release said. The drilling plan for Smylers EP includes 24 holes targeting the Smylers East and Smylers Main areas. Drilling at the Smylers East target has been concluded, and the drilling rig has now moved to the Smylers Main target for step-out drilling along the significant Hyde-Macraes Shear Zone (HMSZ) corridor. Samples from the RC drilling are being sent for analysis, with initial assay results expected in the third quarter of 2026.
Regarding land access, KO Gold has successfully secured landowner access at the Smylers EP, and negotiations with private landowners at Carrick and Hyde are progressing positively, with full access anticipated within days. Furthermore, a diamond drilling rig has been secured from Eco Drilling for the upcoming core drilling program at the Carrick EP, which is set to begin shortly. Additionally, an exploration program targeting antimony, recognized as a critical mineral in multiple countries, including Canada and the USA, has been initiated at the Carrick EP.
Passive seismic data at the Hyde EP is currently being analyzed by Resource Potentials Pty Ltd of Perth, Western Australia, KO Gold said. This analysis aims to map the depth-to-basement and structural offsets along the western extension of the HMSZ to prioritize drill targets before the drilling rig is mobilized.
"Our 2026 campaign is advancing on multiple fronts with drilling progressing well at our Smylers EP," KO President and Chief Executive Officer Greg Isenor said. "At Smylers East, we are drill testing the eastern extension of the HMSZ, and at Smylers Main, we are testing the continuity and extension of our previous gold intercepts. At Carrick, we will be core drilling to validate high-grade historical gold intersections as a start to identify and validate mineralized shoots. A diamond drill rig has been secured for Carrick, and access arrangements are moving forward."
Isenor continued, "The antimony potential at Carrick has been identified by recent compilation and prospecting, and parallel antimony exploration is underway. The team has built real momentum, and we look forward to delivering our Smylers assay results in the third quarter of 2026."
Exploration Advancing Across Various Sites
KO Gold's drilling operations are conducted by Eco Drilling, a seasoned contractor based in New Zealand, under a comprehensive health, safety, and environmental management system.
At the Smylers site, the current drilling program is dual-focused. It involves drill testing the eastern geochemical anomalies believed to be located on hanging-wall structures of the Hyde-Macraes Shear Zone (HMSZ), as well as conducting step-out drilling along the principal HMSZ corridor. This is aimed at testing the continuity of gold mineralization following significant intersections found in KO Gold's 2021 drilling.
Additionally, concurrent soil geochemical sampling is underway to refine targeting in adjacent untested areas, with 250 soil samples collected so far, KO said.
Over at the Carrick site, the drilling program is designed to twin and validate key historical intersections within the historical Carrick Goldfield. This area, despite its past production, has never been systematically explored with modern techniques or deeper drilling, the release noted.
A structural geology review and field mapping are currently supporting drill planning, and access arrangements with the Department of Conservation (DoC) are progressing. The Mineral Impact Assessment for the permit remains valid through November 2026, and notification of fieldwork commencement has been provided to DoC.
In the Hyde area, liaison with landowners on the eastern side of the permit is advancing positively, and approximately 3 line-kilometers of passive seismic data will aid in target generation along the western extension of the HMSZ, the company said. Five drill holes are planned to test the presence of HMSZ, with exploration drilling now also being carried out by other operators on both the east and west extensions of the Hyde permit.
At Glenpark, targeting of a down-dip northeastern HMSZ extension is being progressed, with drilling planned subject to scheduling and access, KO noted. Meanwhile, over the Carrick Range application area, an initial soil geochemical sampling program has been completed, with samples currently undergoing portable XRF and laboratory analysis to support the technical work plan. Prospecting, sampling, and mapping of gold and antimony showings are ongoing.
Regarding the antimony potential at the Carrick EP, KO Gold has initiated work to assess this through rock-chip sampling and mapping, following the inspection and sampling of the historical Pipe Clay Gully showing, which historically assayed 25% stibnite. This area will be mapped to determine the extent of the mineralization, with drilling planned for the future.
Antimony is increasingly significant as it is recognized as a critical mineral in several countries and is essential in various industries, including defense, energy storage, and semiconductors, the company reported. With China imposing export controls and prices rising sharply, Western countries are intensifying their search for new supplies. While this work on antimony is still in the early stages and no drilling has yet tested the mineralization, it remains secondary to KO Gold's primary focus on gold.
Co. Has Both Scale, Prime Location
1Technical Analyst John Newell of John Newell & Associates provided an analysis in February regarding KO Gold's exploration activities within New Zealand's historic Otago Gold District. Newell observed that KO Gold has transitioned from quietly building its position to making significant technical advancements across its exploration portfolio. He highlighted that the company had secured approximately 400 square kilometers of exploration permits in the district, strategically located along key structural corridors known for existing mining operations and past discoveries. This positioning, according to Newell, offers both scale and prime location within the junior exploration sector.
The Smylers Gold Project, positioned southeast of the Macraes Gold Mine, stands out as a pivotal asset in KO Gold's portfolio, Newell said. This project has been the focus of both historical and recent drilling efforts, which have consistently identified gold mineralization.
Newell pointed out that soil geochemistry work indicates the potential extension of mineralized structures into the less explored Smylers East area. He also noted that over four kilometers of strike length along the Hyde-Macraes Shear Zone had been confirmed.
Recent company developments, such as the completion of financing rounds and the initiation of targeted drilling programs aimed at higher-grade mineralized zones, were also discussed. These efforts, Newell stated, support the view that the structural system at Smylers is more extensive and continuous than previously understood. He concluded, "For investors willing to accept exploration risk in exchange for leveraged exposure to potential discovery, KO Gold Inc. remains a Speculative Buy."
In a market analysis update on April 9, Newell further discussed the broader conditions affecting the junior mining sector and the long-term outlook for precious metals and exploration equities.
He described recent downturns in junior mining shares as typical of bull market corrections, emphasizing that "bull markets do not move in straight lines" and that such volatility often serves to "shake out weak hands."
Despite recent market corrections, Newell said he believed that the fundamental market structure remained intact, suggesting a rebound is likely. He observed that sentiment indicators were showing signs of a heavily washed-out market, indicating that many investors might have exited their positions following the sector's pullback.
Highlighting junior exploration opportunities, Newell pointed to technical setups that were showing early signs of improvement after extended periods of base building.
The Catalyst: An Opportunity in the Gold Market?
Despite recent declines in gold prices influenced by expectations of interest rate hikes, inflation concerns, and stronger dollar and oil prices, some brokerages are maintaining a positive long-term outlook for gold, according to a July 8 Reuters report published by The Economic Times.
On Tuesday, Bank of America adjusted its average gold forecast for 2026 downwards by 14% to US$4,360 an ounce. This revision was attributed to anticipations of a more aggressive stance from the Federal Reserve. Nonetheless, the research bank remains optimistic about gold's prospects, projecting that it could reach US$5,000 an ounce once the Federal Reserve concludes its tightening cycle.
This adjustment by Bank of America follows a similar sentiment expressed by JPMorgan last week, which acknowledged that the risks to its gold forecast were tilted to the downside due to the potential for early interest rate hikes by the U.S. Federal Reserve, the piece said.
However, JPMorgan also continues to hold a long-term bullish view on gold into 2027. Amid these adjustments, spot gold experienced a decline of more than 1% on Wednesday, trading near US$4,060 an ounce. These developments reflect the complex dynamics at play in the gold market, balancing immediate economic policy shifts with enduring value assessments.
Gold prices experienced a notable decline of nearly 1% on Wednesday, influenced by the release of the minutes from the Federal Open Market Committee's (FOMC) meeting held on June 16-17, according to a report by Jaiveer Shekhawat for Investing.com on July 8.
These minutes revealed increasing concerns among policymakers regarding inflation, impacting investor sentiment towards gold. By 2:10 p.m. ET, spot gold had decreased by 1% to US$4,071.61 an ounce, while gold futures saw a sharper fall of 1.8% to US$4,084.15 an ounce.
The minutes from the meeting indicated that FOMC participants generally perceived that the risks to price stability remained high, although the risks associated with achieving maximum employment had slightly diminished, Shekhawat said.
Streetwise Ownership Overview*
KO Gold Inc. (KOG:CSE; KOGDF:OTC)
| Date | Old Symbol | Old Shares | New Symbol | New Shares |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09/28/01 | CUA:CSE | 1 | KOG:CSE | 1 |
| 11/09/98 | PTL:CSE | 3 | CUA:CSE | 1 |
"Participants generally assessed that information received over the intermeeting period suggested that upside risks to price stability remained elevated while downside risks to achieving maximum employment had moderated a bit," the minutes elaborated.
This was the first meeting chaired by Kevin Warsh, and the FOMC unanimously decided to maintain the benchmark federal funds rate within the range of 3.5% to 3.75%. In their statement following the meeting, the officials acknowledged that inflation was still a significant concern and reiterated their commitment to achieving price stability.
Furthermore, the new rate projections unveiled after the meeting indicated a divided outlook among the officials: nine of them predicted at least one quarter-point rate hike within the year, six anticipated at least two hikes, and another nine foresaw no changes or even a possible rate cut.
Notably, Chairman Warsh, who has expressed skepticism about the utility of forward guidance, chose not to provide a rate forecast, according to the report. This stance reflects a cautious approach to monetary policy under his leadership, emphasizing a focus on current economic indicators rather than predictive measures.
Ownership and Share Structure2
About 28% of the company is owned by insiders and management, and the rest is retail.
KO Gold's market cap is CA$3.24 million with 21.59 million shares outstanding. It trades in a 52-week range of CA$0.14 and CA$0.35.
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Important Disclosures:
- KO Gold Inc. is a billboard sponsor of Streetwise Reports and pays SWR a monthly sponsorship fee between US$3,000 and US$6,000.
- As of the date of this article, officers, contractors, shareholders, and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own securities of KO Gold Inc.
- Steve Sobek wrote this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an employee.
- This article does not constitute investment advice and is not a solicitation for any investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her personal financial adviser and perform their own comprehensive investment research. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company.
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1. Disclosure for the quote from the John Newell article published on February 25, 2026
- For the quoted article (published on February 25, 2026), KO Gold has paid Street Smart, an affiliate of Streetwise Reports, US$3,550.
- Author Certification and Compensation: [John Newell of John Newell and Associates] was retained and compensated as an independent contractor by Street Smart for writing this article. Mr. Newell holds a Chartered Investment Management (CIM) designation (2015) and a U.S. Portfolio Manager designation (2015). The recommendations and opinions expressed in this content reflect the personal, independent, and objective views of the author regarding any and all of the companies discussed. No part of the compensation received by the author was, is, or will be directly or indirectly tied to the specific recommendations or views expressed.
John Newell Disclaimer
As always it is important to note that investing in precious metals like silver carries risks, and market conditions can change violently with shock and awe tactics, that we have seen over the past 20 years. Before making any investment decisions, it's advisable consult with a financial advisor if needed. Also the practice of conducting thorough research and to consider your investment goals and risk tolerance.
2. Ownership and Share Structure Information
The information listed above was updated on the date this article was published and was compiled from information from the company and various other data providers.
