Orestone Expands Exploration Across 1,500-Meter Francisca Trend in Argentina

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1. Disclosure for the quote from the John Newell article published on March 16, 2026.

1. For the quoted article (published on March 16, 2026, Orestone Mining Corp. has paid Street Smart, an affiliate of Streetwise Reports, US$3,500.
2. 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.

Investors looking into gold companies are watching the latest exploration program by Orestone Mining Corp. (ORS:TSXV; ORESF; OTC; O2R2:FSE).

Key Takeaways

• Orestone is advancing exploration at the Tom East and Kelly gold zones at its Francisca gold-silver project in Salta Province, Argentina.
• Tom East trenching returned 4.45 g/t gold over 21 meters; a detailed soil grid is now underway to define drill targets.
• Kelly Gold zone rock chips graded 0.37 g/t gold and 2.15 g/t silver over 50 meters, with mineralization open on three sides.
• The Francisca Gold Trend now spans 1,500 meters, backed by an IP chargeability anomaly up to 20 mV/V pointing to a possible buried gold porphyry.
• Four gold zones — North, South, Kelly, and Tom East — show surface mineralization as Orestone gears up for its next drill program.

Trenching and Rock Chips Point to a Growing Mineralized System

David Hottman, Chairman and CEO of Orestone Mining Corp., stated: "Exploration at the Francisca Gold-Silver Project continues to demonstrate the scale and growth potential of this emerging mineralized system. The Tom East discovery, highlighted by trench results of 4.45 g/t gold over 21 meters, reinforces our belief that Francisca hosts a robust and extensive gold system extending along a 1.5-kilometre trend. By integrating modern geological mapping, geochemistry and geophysics, we are efficiently identifying high-quality drill targets while maintaining a disciplined, low-cost exploration strategy. Francisca and our other projects remain well suited for year-round exploration."

On July 20, 2026, Orestone announced the commencement of follow-up exploration at its recently discovered Tom East and Kelly gold zones located along the Francisca Gold Trend — a 23 square kilometer project located approximately 80 kilometers north of Salta. The company is focused on expanding the mineralized footprint of the targets and defining new high-priority drill targets prior to the start of the next drill program.

The trend overs a northwest strike length of 1,500 meters, with an observable gold-silver system in the North, South, Kelly, and Tom East gold zones. These outcropping zones are located within a 500-1,000-meter-wide zone of strongly hornfels altered sediments and are further defined by a 1,700-meter long by 500-700-meter-wide IP (induced polarization) chargeability anomaly of 7.9 mV/V (millivolt/Volt) seemingly related to gold-silver mineralization. According to the press release: " Several large, strong IP chargeability anomalies measuring up to 20 mV/V indicate the potential for a larger buried sulphide mineralized gold porphyry. The oxide gold quartz limonite stock-work trend is associated with quartz feldspar porphyry intrusive dykes and intense sericite clay alteration along a NW trending fault system."

Orestone is a Canadian exploration company, and its portfolio includes exposure to gold, silver, and copper in both Canada and Argentina.

Gold Prices Up 24% Year-Over-Year Despite Falling from January's US$5,500 High

Junior miners and exploration companies hit the ground running this year after gold rallied at a high of US$5,500 per ounce in January. Many companies chose to begin exploration or production amid these highs. While prices have since fallen, and even dipped below US$4,000 in June, rates are still up 24% compared to July 2025, and Gold.org wrote that: "[T]he stage is set for a possible breakout. On the upside, clear catalysts — a worsening economy or renewed geopolitical shock, a shift towards lower interest-rate expectations, or a wave of dip buying — could reignite gold’s momentum and lift it back towards US$4,500/oz or above."

Despite a slight rise in gold prices at the end of last week due to positive U.S. home sale data, rates have dipped again due to the ongoing U.S.-Iran War. Inflationary fears were reignited after Brent crude oil prices rose again after a several-week ceasefire between the two countries lost its stability. According to a July 13, 2026, report by Kitco Newswire, "The Strait of Hormuz situation is best characterized as open transit under active military contest, not a stable shipping environment and not a fully verified closure." At the time of writing, Kitco listed gold prices down to US$4,012 per ounce.

In April, S&P Global wrote, "Gold is expected to remain volatile but structurally supported, with central bank demand and geopolitical risk helping to establish a price floor above recent correction lows."

Despite the volatility of gold, the sector as a whole is only showing signs of improvement. On May 7, 2026, Brian Taylor of Recycling Today said that the World Bank Group has predicted that overall global metals prices will rise by 17% in 2026, which would mark the first overall market increase since 2022.

Expert Calls Orestone a "Unicorn"

¹In a March 16, 2026, contributed technical analyst opinion for Streetwise Reports, John Newell of John Newell & Associates gave Orestone a 'Speculative Buy' rating, noting that the stock had achieved its previous price target of CA$0.15. Newell has set the second target at CA$0.23 and the third target at CA$0.40.

Regarding the company's projects, Newell discussed the Captain target in British Columbia and the Francisca target in Argentina, saying, "Because these projects are located in opposite hemispheres, exploration programs can often advance in one jurisdiction while seasonal conditions slow activity in the other. This creates the potential for more consistent exploration progress and year-round catalysts, something investors often look for in junior discovery stories."

Newell concluded his opinion with this: "With gold and copper markets strengthening and exploration programs advancing, Orestone is a company worth watching in the junior exploration sector."

Later, on June 10, 2026, Ahead of the Herd commented on the company, writing: "I like Francisca because it looks like it could have some serious size to it and management has been involved in the development of several oxide heap leach deposits. I'm looking at Orestone as a unicorn, a junior run by management that has built companies into cash flow and sold them."

Entire Project One Big Catalyst

In a company presentation on June 4, 2026, Hottman called the entire Francisca project a near-term catalyst that investors should be interested in, noting that work can be completed at the project year-round. He called the project a "multi-million-ounce target" and said, "The biggest reason to be a share owner is that you have a dedicated management team with a successful track record. We have a project that could be a game-changer and a tier-one asset." 

In an exclusive statement to Streetwise Reports, Hottman noted his belief that Orestone should be on investors' radars, saying: "Argentina is one of our favorite under-explored geologic regions in the world, and Orestone’s Francisca Gold Silver project is shaping up to be an important discovery that will benefit all stakeholders — local, regional, and beyond."

Ownership & Share Information²

Orestone Mining Corp. has a market cap of CA$7,504,288 million, with 106,993,563 shares outstanding. The company's 52-week range is CA$0.04-CA$0.175. Institutions own 11% of shares, while Management & Insiders own 13%. Strategic Investors own 11%, and the remaining 65% of shares are held by Retail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is a drill target?

A: A drill target is a location that geologists believe has a strong chance of containing valuable mineralization based on geological mapping, rock samples, soil testing, or geophysical surveys. Companies use these studies to decide where to drill next.

Q: What is an IP (Induced Polarization) survey?

A: An Induced Polarization (IP) survey is a geophysical technique that sends an electrical current into the ground to detect rocks that can hold an electrical charge. High chargeability readings can indicate the presence of sulfide minerals, which are often associated with gold, copper, and silver deposits.

Q:  What is a gold porphyry deposit?

A: A gold porphyry deposit is a large mineral system formed by ancient magma beneath the Earth's surface. These deposits can contain gold along with copper and other metals spread over a wide area, making them attractive exploration targets because of their potential size.

Q: What does it mean when mineralization is "open"?

A: When geologists say mineralization is "open," they mean drilling or surface exploration has not yet found the edges of the deposit. This suggests the mineralized zone may continue beyond the areas explored so far, leaving room for future discoveries.

Q: What is trenching in mineral exploration?

A: Trenching involves digging a trench in unconsolidated or soft rock to expose mineralized rock at the surface. It allows geologists to collect continuous samples, map the extent of mineralization, and identify the most promising locations for future drilling.

Q: What is channel sampling in mineral exploration?

A: Channel sampling involves cutting with a saw or chipping out rock with a hammer and chisel in shallow channels across bedrock to expose mineralized rock at the surface. It allows geologists to collect continuous samples, map the extent of mineralization, and identify the most promising locations for future drilling.