VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Liberty Gold Corp. (TSX: LGD; OTCQX: LGDTF) ("Liberty Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to report a significant permitting milestone at its Black Pine Oxide Gold Project ("Black Pine") in southern Idaho, following the State of Idaho's formal commitment to align state permitting timelines with the United States ("U.S.") federal FAST-41 permitting framework ("FAST-41"). FAST-41 is a U.S. federal initiative administered by the U.S. Permitting Council and designed to improve the timeliness, predictability, and transparency of permitting for major infrastructure projects.
"Streamlining Idaho's permitting process for major mining projects like the Black Pine Oxide Gold Project in southern Idaho is about cutting unnecessary red tape while maintaining strong standards. By better aligning our state timelines with federal reviews under the FAST-41 framework, which we recently locked in through a new MOU with the Trump administration, we can eliminate duplicative steps that slow projects down and create uncertainty. A more efficient process lowers costs, supports good-paying jobs, and helps responsible mining move forward without unnecessary delay. Idaho is committed to being a place where natural resource development is handled thoughtfully and efficiently, and where companies know they can invest with confidence," said Idaho Governor Brad Little
- Idaho's decision to formally align state permitting timelines with the FAST-41 framework marks an important advancement in how major mining projects are reviewed in the United States", said Jon Gilligan, President, CEO & Director of Liberty Gold. "Black Pine's acceptance into FAST-41 earlier this year established a coordinated federal permitting pathway and Idaho's participation further strengthens that framework by bringing state and federal agencies onto a single, transparent schedule. This level of coordination improves visibility, reduces permitting risk, and supports a disciplined and efficient environmental review process as Black Pine advances".
On February 19, 2026, Idaho announced a new coordination framework under which key state agencies align their permitting reviews with FAST-41 schedules. The agreement provides for the integration of state permitting actions into the Federal Permitting Dashboard, enhancing transparency and coordination with the National Environmental Policy Act ("NEPA") review process. Of significant note, Black Pine is the first U.S. precious metals mining project where both federal and state agencies are aligned under a single, coordinated permitting framework. Idaho's leadership represents a meaningful step forward in improving certainty, coordination and predictability in the U.S. mine permitting process.
Following its acceptance into FAST-41 on January 20, 2026 (see press release dated January 20, 2026), as only the fourth precious metals mining project to receive "Covered Project" status, the Black Pine Project entered a structured 60-day coordination period with participating federal and state agencies to update and refine the environmental review timetable for Black Pine. Liberty Gold expects the revised permitting schedule for Black Pine to be published to the FAST-41 Permitting Dashboard following completion of this process. Black Pine is the first FAST-41 Covered Project to advance under a fully integrated federal and state permitting schedule.
Black Pine is one of the largest undeveloped oxide gold projects in the Great Basin and benefits from existing infrastructure, a large mineral endowment, and a supportive mining jurisdiction. Liberty Gold continues to advance Black Pine through feasibility-level engineering, environmental baseline studies, and coordinated federal and state permitting activities, under the FAST-41 framework. The Company remains focused on maintaining its critical path discipline across permitting and technical workstreams and will provide further updates as key permitting milestones are achieved.
ABOUT LIBERTY GOLD
Liberty Gold is a U.S. focused gold development company building and advancing a pipeline of gold assets in the Great Basin, one of the world's most productive and mining friendly gold regions. The Company's flagship asset is the 100% owned Black Pine Oxide Gold Project in southern Idaho, a large scale, past-producing run-of-mine heap leach system being advanced through feasibility and permitting toward a modern open-pit mining operation. The Company's strategy is to responsibly develop high quality, long-life gold projects in supportive jurisdictions, led by an experienced team with a track record of discovery, development and delivering long term value.
For more information, visit libertygold.ca or contact:
Susie Bell, Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
Phone: 604-632-4677 or Toll Free 1-877-632-4677
info@libertygold.ca
This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements or information concerning, future financial or operating performance of Liberty Gold and its business, operations, properties and condition; planned de-risking activities at Liberty Gold's mineral properties; federal and state permitting timelines, future updates to the mineral resource, the potential quantity, recoverability and/or grade of minerals; the potential size of a mineralized zone or potential expansion of mineralization; proposed exploration and development of Liberty Gold's exploration property interests; future water rights acquisitions; the results of mineral resource estimates or mineral reserve estimates and preliminary feasibility studies; and the Company's anticipated expenditures.
Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "planned", "expect", "project", "predict", "potential", "targeting", "intends", "believe", 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, timely receipt of governmental or regulatory approvals, including any stock exchange approvals; receipt of a financing on time, obtaining renewals for existing licenses and permits and obtaining required licenses and permits, labour stability, stability in market conditions, availability of equipment, results or timing of any mineral resources, results or timing of any baseline studies, resource conversion, pre-feasibility study, mineral reserves, or feasibility study; the availability of drill rigs, successful resolution of disputes and anticipated costs and expenditures. 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, including, risks related to 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; state and federal permitting processes, 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; the timing or results of the publication of any mineral resources, mineral reserves or feasibility studies; delays in permitting; possible claims against the Company; labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals, financing, timing of 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 for material differences between actual results and previously disclosed material forward-looking information, or as otherwise required by law.
Except for statements of historical fact, information contained herein or incorporated by reference herein constitutes forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. All forward-looking statements and forward-looking information attributable to us is expressly qualified by these cautionary statements.
