RUA GOLD Reports Strong Drill Results and Advances Pre-Feasibility Study at the Auld Creek Gold-Antimony Project

Executive Summary

• Rua Gold provided a major exploration and development update on its Auld Creek Gold-Antimony Project, highlighting significant drilling intercepts that demonstrate strong potential to expand the resource over a 1,000-meter strike length and depths exceeding 500 meters.
• The company has completed approximately 10,000 meters of its planned 19,000-meter drill program (collaring the 100th hole) and is advancing geotechnical, hydrogeological, and metallurgical studies to support a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) targeted for completion in Q4 2026.
• The New Zealand Government's Fast-Track Referral Application is under review with a decision expected in July 2026, while regional exploration has expanded to the Alexander River and Big River targets to evaluate a potential future processing hub.

Key Details

• Drilling Intercepts:
• ACDDH072: 2.3m @ 3.5 g/t AuEq (2.9 g/t Au & 0.3% Sb) from 227m
• ACDDH073: 2.7m @ 7.6 g/t AuEq (1.8 g/t Au & 2.7% Sb) from 269m
• ACDDH073: 0.9m @ 6.4 g/t Au from 77m (upper fault)
• ACDDH075: 10.1m @ 2.2 g/t AuEq (2.0 g/t Au & 0.1% Sb) from 331m
• ACDDH076: 0.6m @ 4.4 g/t Au from 317m
• ACDDH078: 2.9m @ 5.6 g/t Au (incl 0.9m @ 15.9 g/t Au) from 194m
• Drill Program Status: 100th drill hole collared; ~10,000m completed of planned 19,000m program; full program completion anticipated by early September 2026.
• PFS & Technical Studies: PFS work commenced late May 2026 with partners Mining One and Pitch Black; geotechnical, hydrogeological, and metallurgical studies underway to inform process flowsheet and mine methodology; ~1,000 kg of resource-grade mineralization shipped to Intertek (Australia) for advanced metallurgical testing; resource model being updated regularly with new drill results; PFS completion targeted for Q4 2026.
• Regulatory & Permitting: Fast-Track Referral Application submitted and under review by NZ Government; decision anticipated July 2026; >30 consultants/advisors supporting environmental, social, and economic studies for permitting; >500 community/stakeholder/regulatory engagements since November 2025.
• Regional Exploration: Fifth drill rig mobilized to Alexander River and Big River gold targets in southern Reefton Goldfield; scout drilling commenced to evaluate 2,500-meter length of surface gold-arsenic-antimony soil geochemical anomalies.
• Technical Parameters: AuEq calculation based on $US3,000/oz Au and $US25,000/t Sb; recovery rates of 97% for gold and 85% for antimony; Equivalency Factor of 2.15 for EqSb; Qualified Person: Simon Henderson CP, AUSIMM (COO & Director); Lab analysis via SGS Laboratories (fire assay for Au, Sodium Peroxide Fusion/ICP-MS for Sb).

Notable Quotes

• Robert Eckford, Chief Executive Officer: "With our Fast-Track Referral Application submitted and the Preliminary Economic Assessment completed, the team has accelerated resource expansion drilling while simultaneously advancing the technical studies required for the PFS. At the halfway point of our planned drilling campaign, we are ahead of schedule and continuing to build confidence in the resource while advancing development planning. We are encouraged by the consistency of the mineralization being intersected and remain focused on delivering the PFS in the fourth quarter of 2026."
• Simon Delander, VP Risk, Stakeholder and Regulatory Affairs: "We have welcomed delegations from central government, regional and district councils to the project area for detailed technical briefings and site visits. Maintaining open dialogue with government agencies and stakeholders is important as we advance permitting activities and continue to refine development plans for Auld Creek."