LaFleur Minerals Advances Vertical Integration Strategy at Swanson Gold Deposit

LaFleur Minerals Inc. is advancing its strategy to become a vertically integrated gold mining operation at its Swanson Gold Deposit in Quebec's Abitibi Gold District. The company's executives detailed their progress during an appearance on CEO.CA's Inside the Boardroom podcast, highlighting the company's unique position with existing infrastructure and exploration potential across its substantial land package. The company is exploring approximately 18,304 hectares at Swanson, with potential to expand its land package to follow mineral structures crossing the site.

According to CEO Paul Ténière, two major structures running through Swanson host gold and base metals, presenting significant exploration opportunities. LaFleur's distinctive advantage lies in its existing infrastructure, including drilling equipment on site, a tailings facility, and a 750-metric-ton-capable mill at its nearby Beacon Gold Mill. The company recently closed a fully subscribed equity offering and is exploring additional financing structures as it completes a Preliminary Economic Assessment and prepares to restart its wholly owned mill.

The mill was idled by a previous owner following the post-pandemic gold price decline but is now positioned for reactivation amid gold's record highs. This vertical integration strategy allows LaFleur to control the entire mining process from extraction to processing, potentially reducing costs and increasing operational efficiency. Located in Canada's largest gold producing district, the Swanson Gold Deposit benefits from being in a globally recognized mining jurisdiction with established infrastructure and mining expertise.

The company's initial diamond drilling program has yielded positive returns, supporting the potential for economic mineralization. Additional information about the company's developments is available in their newsroom. The timing appears favorable for LaFleur's development plans, with current gold prices providing strong economic incentives for bringing new production online. The company's approach of leveraging existing infrastructure rather than building from scratch could accelerate its path to production while reducing capital requirements.

As gold continues to demonstrate strength in global markets, vertically integrated operations like LaFleur's could capture more value throughout the production chain. All scientific and technical information has been reviewed and approved by Louis Martin, P.Geo., Exploration Manager and Technical Advisor of the company, who is considered a Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101. The company's progress represents a significant development in the Quebec mining sector, potentially adding new gold production capacity in one of Canada's most established mining districts.