Liberty Star gets Arizona approval for gold exploration at Red Rock Canyon Proactive Tue, November 10, 2026 at 10:01 AM EST 2 min read GC=F -2.14% LBSR -5.19% Liberty Star gets Arizona approval for gold exploration at Red Rock Canyon Proactive uses images sourced from Shutterstock Liberty Star Uranium & Metals Corp. (OTCQB:LBSR) (dba Liberty Star Minerals) has received approval from Arizona regulators to begin surface exploration at its Red Rock Canyon Gold Project, where previous sampling has returned gold grades of up to 107.5 grams per tonne (gpt).
The Arizona State Land Department (ASLD) approved the company's plan, clearing the way for geological mapping, outcrop sampling and panning across a 40-acre area in Cochise County.
The program is designed to help the company identify the source of the high-grade gold and refine targets for potential follow-up drilling.
The 40-acre area has been divided into up to 10 collection zones, allowing field crews to track the origin of individual samples. Crews will collect pan concentrates from the downslope side of mineralized outcrops, while soil samples will be classified and bagged on site before being processed elsewhere.
The work follows earlier exploration at Red Rock Canyon that returned gold assays of up to 107.5 gpt and 60 gpt from channel samples.
A three-dimensional induced polarization and resistivity survey also identified stronger geophysical signatures associated with the gold-bearing veins than in the surrounding rocks, suggesting the mineralization may continue at depth.
"This approval puts our team back on the ground with a clear, state approved plan," said chairman Pete O'Heeron, adding that the next stage is to establish where the high-grade gold is originating and identify potential drill targets.
Vice-president of field operations Jay Crawford said the program would allow the team to systematically examine mineralized outcrops and collect material from below them to trace where the gold is coming from.
The company described the work as low-impact, with no plant removal planned.
Approval from the ASLD is required before geological exploration can take place on Arizona State Trust Land. The department reviews proposed work, including cultural resource protections and site reclamation commitments, before issuing permits.
Liberty Star said the required notifications to begin field work have been completed and it intends to start work immediately.
Hay Mountain Holdings covers approximately 45 square miles within and around the Tombstone Mining District in southeastern Arizona.
The land package also includes the Earp Ridge Copper Project and American Strategic Minerals, with exploration targets for gold, copper, molybdenum and other critical minerals within a broader porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum system.
Liberty Star is pursuing joint venture partnerships to advance its projects.
