Drilling beyond Lake Opapimiskan.

As Orla continued exploring deeper extensions of the Musselwhite orebody, the geology itself began dictating a new approach.

The mineralization extended below Opapimiskan lake. Exploration development from underground was impractical due to cost and time. This would significantly delay the exploration program. As drilling advanced from the existing side, holes became increasingly deep and less practical. Rather than continuing to pursue the target from an increasingly challenging angle, Musselwhite's exploration team developed a different strategy: approach the mineralization from the surface on the opposite side of the lake.

That decision solved one problem, but created another.

The new drilling locations had no road access, meaning the entire operation would need to be flown in. While drilling to depths of 2,500 metres or more is achievable under conventional conditions, doing so in a fully fly-supported environment would require an entirely different level of planning, engineering and coordination.

This would not be a short campaign. The infrastructure would need to withstand multiple years of operation in northern Ontario while supporting drilling depths approaching 2,800 metres.

Drilling to these depths was only part of the challenge. Success would depend on designing an entire operating system capable of delivering consistent performance in one of Canada's most demanding remote exploration environments.

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‍BEYOND METERS DRILLED, MUSSELWHITE NEEDED A PARTNER WHO COULD:

• Deliver consistent performance at extreme depths exceeding 2,500 metres
• Engineer and manufacture specialized equipment for deep, fly-supported drilling
• Design and sustain large-scale, winterized infrastructure over multiple years
• Execute a fully integrated logistics and maintenance program in a remote environment
• Align teams, processes, and mindset to ensure every element performed without compromise

The new approach proved successful almost immediately. On the very first hole drilled on the north shore of Opapimiskan Lake, Hy-Tech intersected the targeted mineralization, validating Musselwhite's geological model and confirming the decision to approach the deposit from the opposite side.

As the campaign progressed, Hy-Tech continued pushing the limits of fly-supported deep drilling, completing holes beyond 2,500 metres, providing the geological information needed to advance Musselwhite's understanding of the deposit.

The program has contributed to continued exploration success at Musselwhite, including the discovery of additional high-grade gold zones that reinforce the upside potential of the deposit.

Today, Musselwhite is part of Equinox Gold's Canadian portfolio. The exploration work completed during Orla's ownership continues to support the long-term understanding and development of this important gold asset.

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RESULTS AT A GLANCE

• Enabled drilling of deep targets beyond 2,500 metres, supporting expansion of the known mineralization
• Contributed to new high-grade discoveries, reinforcing the upside potential at depth
• Delivered consistent performance in a fully fly-supported environment, across multiple seasons
• Maintained strong operational efficiency at depth, through modified equipment and disciplined execution
• Sustained safe, long-term operations with winterized infrastructure and coordinated logistics