Mariposa County Approves Drilling at Fremont Gold Mine
A historic Mariposa County gold property could soon see a new round of exploration after Lode Gold Resources announced this week that it has received county approval for a three-year drilling permit at the Fremont Gold Mine.
The company announced Monday, Aug. 10, that Mariposa County approved its application for an Administrative Use Permit, authorizing surface mineral exploration and drilling on the company’s privately owned patented land at the mine.
The approval clears the way for a drilling program Lode Gold plans to begin during the second half of 2026 as it continues evaluating the potential future development of the property.
According to the company, the upcoming program is expected to include approximately 3,500 to 4,500 meters of drilling. The work is intended to gather geological and engineering information needed for a prefeasibility study targeted for completion in 2027.
Looking Beneath the Surface
The drilling program is about more than determining where additional gold may be located.
Lode Gold says the work will help refine its understanding of the underground mineral system while providing information for mine design and engineering. Planned technical work includes metallurgical testing, geotechnical studies, hydrogeological testing and additional work to classify the property’s mineral resources.
The company has described its current development strategy as focusing on a potential bulk underground mining operation. Earlier this year, Lode Gold said approximately 3,500 meters of drilling was planned in 2026 as part of an accelerated effort to advance the project toward a preliminary feasibility study.
The company has since expanded the anticipated 2026 drilling range to as much as 4,500 meters.
Lode Gold announced in July that it had already selected a drilling contractor for the program. The company said the work will also include reviewing and relogging portions of approximately 43,000 meters of historical drill core from the property.
A New Chapter in a Long Mining Story
The Fremont property sits along California’s historic Mother Lode Belt and encompasses more than 3,000 acres of private patented land claims, according to Lode Gold.
The latest permit is not the first to authorize surface drilling at the property.
When Lode Gold submitted its application to Mariposa County in April, the company said the previous Administrative Use Permit for surface drilling at Fremont had been granted in 2016 and, with modifications, remained in effect through 2019.
The April application was submitted under Mariposa County requirements and applicable state regulations, including California’s Surface Mining and Reclamation Act. At the time, Lode Gold said the county’s review would include environmental review procedures under the California Environmental Quality Act.
Mariposa County lists Administrative Use Permits among the land-use applications handled through its Planning Department.
For a county whose identity and history are closely tied to the California Gold Rush, the newly approved exploration represents another chapter in a mining story that stretches back generations.
Whether the Fremont property ultimately returns to large-scale gold production remains a much longer-term question. For now, the county’s permit allows Lode Gold to take the next step: returning drills to the property and gathering the information needed to determine what a future mine might look like.
Feature Photo: An 1860 engraving depicts the Fremont Mill and vein in Mariposa during California’s early mining era. Mariposa County has now approved a new three-year drilling permit for the Fremont Gold Mine.
Photo Credit: Fremont Mill and vein, Mariposa, 1860. Library of Congress, public domain.