Geology and exploration: how Kairos Gold looks for gold in Chile

The deposit types we target, the belts we work in, the methods we use in the field, and the rules that govern what we can say about the results.

What type of gold deposits is Kairos Gold exploring for?

Three related styles, all products of the same magmatic-hydrothermal systems that built the Andes.

High-sulphidation epithermal gold-silver

Formed at shallow depth from hot, acidic fluids venting above cooling intrusions. They show intense alteration at surface and carry gold and silver in veins, vein swarms and breccias, frequently with copper. Grades can be very high over narrow widths, which is why Oro Brillante's vein swarms sampled 1.2 to 61.4 g/t gold. Carmona's three alteration systems, covering about 18 km², are the same style at district scale.

Porphyry copper-gold (and molybdenum)

Large, low to medium grade bodies of mineralization around intrusive stocks, mined in bulk. The epithermal veins at surface are often the top of a porphyry system below. Drilling at Oro Brillante defined a 200 to 600 metre wide alteration system with pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite and molybdenite in stockworks, veins and breccias, which the Company interprets as porphyry-style potential at depth. La Fortuna sits squarely in Chile's main porphyry belt.

Skarn

Where intrusion-driven fluids meet carbonate rocks they form skarns, which can host copper, gold and iron. Skarn potential is documented at Las Garillas.

The belts

Chile's deposits line up in north-south belts by age. Las Garillas and Carmona are in the Central Cretaceous-Palaeocene Copper-Gold Belt, along the Vicuña Fault system at its eastern edge. La Fortuna is in the younger Eocene-Miocene Andean Mega Porphyry Copper-Gold-Molybdenum Belt, near Pascua-Lama and El Morro. Read the projects overview for the map.

How we explore: from surface to resource

Geological mapping and geochemical samplingStream sediment, soil and rock sampling map metal anomalies at surface. At Las Garillas, 183 rock samples were collected, 142 returned gold at or above detection, the highest 46.0 g/t.
Geophysics: resistivity and induced polarizationIP responds to sulphide minerals, resistivity to silica-rich alteration. Together they outline drill targets. Kairos ran five lines, 5,800 metres, in early 2024.
Diamond drillingCore drilling on the geophysical and geochemical targets. Core is logged, photographed, sampled and assayed at an accredited laboratory. Phases One and Two totalled 3,003 metres in ten holes.
Modelling and technical reporting3D geological models tie the holes together. A Qualified Person prepares the NI 43-101 technical report that the public disclosure rests on.
Infill drilling and a mineral resource estimateCloser-spaced holes prove continuity. Once confidence is high enough, a Qualified Person can estimate a mineral resource. That is the purpose of Phase Three at Oro Brillante.

What we are allowed to say

All scientific and technical information a Canadian public company publishes, including on its website, must be reviewed and approved by a Qualified Person under NI 43-101. Surface and underground grab samples are selective and do not represent average grades. Historical results are labelled as historical. Drill intervals are drilled lengths unless true width is stated. Planned programs are forward-looking statements. These rules protect investors and they shape every number on this site.

Common questions about gold exploration geology

What is high-sulphidation epithermal gold?

High-sulphidation epithermal gold deposits form at shallow depth from hot, acidic, sulphur-rich fluids released above cooling magma. They produce intense alteration (silica, alunite, clays) and gold-silver mineralization in veins, vein swarms and breccias, often with copper. They are the deposit style at Oro Brillante and across Carmona.

What is porphyry copper-gold mineralization?

Porphyry deposits are large bodies of low to medium grade copper, gold and molybdenum mineralization formed around intrusive stocks. Metals occur in stockworks of veinlets and disseminated sulphides over hundreds of metres. They are mined in bulk at low cost and supply most of the world's copper. La Fortuna sits in Chile's main porphyry belt, and Las Garillas shows porphyry-style potential at depth.

What is a NI 43-101 technical report?

A technical report prepared under Canada's National Instrument 43-101 by a Qualified Person that describes a mineral project, its geology, exploration results and, where applicable, mineral resource estimates. Kairos Gold filed an updated technical report on Las Garillas before its 2026 TSXV listing; it is available on SEDAR+.

What is a mineral resource estimate?

An estimate of the quantity and grade of mineralization that has reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction, classified as inferred, indicated or measured depending on drilling density and confidence. Kairos Gold's Phase Three program at Oro Brillante is designed to support a first mineral resource estimate.

What exploration work has Kairos Gold completed?

Stream sediment, soil and rock sampling since 2019; underground mine-face sampling at Oro Brillante; a 5,800-metre resistivity and IP survey in early 2024; ten diamond drill holes totalling 3,003 metres in 2024 and 2025; 3D geological modelling; an updated NI 43-101 technical report; and, from June 2026, a Phase Three program of ten holes and about 3,100 metres.

Why is Chile important for gold exploration?

Chile is the world's largest copper producer and its Andean metallogenic belts host giant porphyry and epithermal deposits. A mature mining code, secure concession tenure, ports, highways and power, and a large pool of experienced geologists make it one of the most reliable jurisdictions for exploration. Gold-focused exploration in the copper belts is comparatively young, leaving discovery potential near surface.

Exploration glossary

Assay: A laboratory measurement of the concentration of a metal in a sample, reported in grams per tonne (g/t) for gold and silver or percent for copper.
Diamond drilling: Drilling with a diamond-set bit that cuts a solid cylinder of rock (core). The core is logged, split and assayed.
Drill intercept: A length of core reported with its average grade, for example 21.40 m at 3.16 g/t gold. Reported lengths are drilled lengths unless true width is stated.
Epithermal deposit: A deposit formed by hot mineralizing fluids at shallow depth (under about 1 km). High-sulphidation systems form from acidic fluids close to volcanic centres and often carry gold, silver and copper.
Geochemical sampling: Collecting stream sediments, soils or rocks and analysing them for metals to map where mineralization is likely to be near surface.
Hydrothermal alteration: The change in a rock's minerals caused by hot fluids. Alteration zones are visible from surface and mark where mineralizing systems were active.
Induced polarization (IP): A geophysical survey that measures how the ground stores electrical charge. Sulphide minerals, which often accompany gold, give a strong response.
Infill drilling: Drilling between existing holes to confirm that mineralization is continuous, a requirement for estimating a mineral resource.
Mineral resource estimate: A NI 43-101 compliant estimate of the tonnage and grade of mineralization with reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction, prepared by a Qualified Person.
NI 43-101: National Instrument 43-101, the Canadian rule governing how public companies disclose scientific and technical information about mineral projects.
Porphyry deposit: A large, low to medium grade body of copper, gold and often molybdenum mineralization associated with an intrusive stock. Porphyries are the world's largest source of copper.
Qualified Person (QP): A professional geoscientist or engineer with relevant experience who takes responsibility for technical disclosure under NI 43-101.
Resistivity survey: A geophysical survey that maps how well the ground conducts electricity, used with IP to outline alteration and sulphide zones.
Skarn: A deposit formed where hot fluids from an intrusion react with carbonate rocks, often carrying copper, gold and iron.
Vein swarm: A cluster of closely spaced mineralized veins. At Oro Brillante, surface vein swarms graded 1.2 to 61.4 g/t gold.

Qualified Person. The scientific and technical information on this page is drawn from Kairos Gold news releases and technical reports, each of which was reviewed and approved by a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101. Website review by a named Qualified Person is pending; direct technical questions to info@kairosgold.ca. Historical sampling and mining results are historical in nature and have not been independently verified by the Company unless stated in the source release. Surface and underground grab samples are selective by nature and may not represent average grades on the property.

See the methods applied at Las Garillas Investor FAQ