Founders added to GDXJ index, starts drilling at Antino

Executive Summary

• Founders Metals Inc. has been added to the MVIS Global Junior Gold Miners Index (MVGDXJ), triggering passive buying from index-tracking ETFs.
• The company has commenced maiden diamond drilling at Antino North on its Antino gold project in Suriname, with a second rig being mobilized to the area.
• Previous surface work at Antino North identified 10 parallel gold-bearing structures, with channel sampling returning significant high-grade intervals.

Key Details

• Index Inclusion: Added to the MVIS Global Junior Gold Miners Index (MVGDXJ) during the Q1 2026 quarterly review.
• Drilling Commencement: First diamond drill rig is currently active at Antino North.
• Second Rig: A second diamond drill rig is being mobilized to test a multikilometre historical auger gold anomaly in the east of Antino North.
• Surface Results: Channel sampling at Antino North returned 20.0 metres of 2.07 grams per tonne Au (Au), including 7.0 metres of 5.05 g/t Au.
• Exploration Scope: Fieldwork has delineated 10 parallel gold-bearing structures across a four-kilometre area.
• Auger Sampling: Over 4,000 auger samples have been collected to date in 2026.
• Project Context: Antino North is viewed as having the potential to become a second centre of gravity within the company's expanding gold camp in the Guiana Shield.

Notable Quotes

• "Our inclusion in the GDXJ index is a meaningful milestone for Founders and reflects the market's growing recognition of what we are building in the Guiana Shield and brings new passive and institutional capital into the stock." — Colin Padget, President and CEO
• "On the ground, we are equally excited to be now drilling at Antino North... We see Antino North as having the potential to become a second centre of gravity within our expanding gold camp." — Colin Padget, President and CEO