Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2026) - RUA GOLD INC. (TSX: RUA) (NZX: RGI) (OTCQX: NZAUF) ("RUA GOLD" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the filing on SEDAR+ of independent Technical Reports for its Reefton Project ("Reefton Technical Report") on the South Island and Glamorgan Project ("Glamorgan Technical Report") on the North Island of New Zealand.
Highlights: The updated resource profile demonstrates increases in all four MRE prospects. The updated Auld Creek MRE includes an Indicated Mineral Resource of 0.3Mt @ 3.18g/t Au and 12% Sb, containing 31koz of gold and 3kt antimony (54koz AuEq2). Also, an Inferred Resource of 1.25Mt @ 2.0g/t Au and 0.8% Sb, containing 79koz of Au and 10kt of Sb (148koz AuEq2). 19,000 meters of drilling in the next 7 months is focused on expanding the MRE northwards and at depth. · The Company is currently undertaking planning, environmental and social studies to support a Fast-track Referral application in the first quarter of 2026. RUA GOLD will be undertaking a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) study during the first half of 2026 precursor to a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) in the second half of the year.
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The Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") for the Reefton Project included in the Reefton Technical Report provides a strong starter resource to initiate the mine permitting process in New Zealand via the Fast-track1 process on its Auld Creek target while providing the foundation for technical and economic studies. An aggressive 19,000-meter drill program is underway with 4 drill rigs in operation from 2 March 2026.
The Reports, titled "Technical Report on the Reefton Project, New Zealand, Report for NI 43 - 101 on the Reefton Project, New Zealand" and "Technical Report on the Glamorgan Project, Report for NI-43-101 on the Glamorgan Project, New Zealand" respectively, with effective dates of February 27, 2026, are available on SEDAR+ under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.ruagold.com. Each report was prepared by RSC Consulting Ltd. ("RSC") and authored by Abraham Whaanga, BSc, MAusIMM (CP) of RSC, a "qualified person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). RSC and Mr. Whaanga are independent of the Company, as determined in accordance with NI 43-101.
The Company's COO Simon Henderson said, "Since November 2024 drilling has prioritised the Auld Creek gold-antimony project to advance one project toward a mine development phase. With gold-antimony mineralisation outcropping at surface, and continuing unconstrained at depth and along strike northward, Auld Creek presents a compelling opportunity to establish a central processing hub for high grade gold and gold -antimony projects within a 30 km range.
"The 19,000m drill program, and additional regional projects at Alexander, Big River, Golden Treasure and Fiery Cross to be tested in the 2026 year provide both resources and excitement in the exploration team to revitalise the Reefton gold district."
Figure 1: Overview of the Reefton Project Targets
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Table 1: MRE summaries from Reefton Project - NI-43-101 Report
| Resource | Domain | Classification | Tonnes
(Mt) | Au
(g/t) | Contained
Au Ounces
(koz) | Sb (%) | Contained
Sb (kt) | AuEq
(g/t) | Contained
AuEq
(koz) |
| Auld3 | Bonanza | Indicated | 0.04 | 2.26 | 3 | 1.6 | 1 | 5.6 | 6 |
| Inferred | 0.18 | 1.8 | 11 | 0.8 | 1 | 3.6 | 21 |
| Fraternal | Indicated | 0.26 | 3.3 | 28 | 1.1 | 3 | 5.7 | 48 |
| Inferred | 1.07 | 2 | 69 | 0.8 | 9 | 3.7 | 128 |
| Total | Indicated | 0.3 | 3.18 | 31 | 1.2 | 3 | 5.7 | 54 |
| Inferred | 1.25 | 2 | 79 | 0.8 | 10 | 3.7 | 149 |
| Alexander4 | LG McVicar West | Inferred | 0.51 | 3.4 | 56 |
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| HG McVicar West | Inferred | 0.2 | 4.1 | 27 |
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| LG Bull East | Inferred | 0.26 | 1.6 | 13 |
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| HG Bull East | Inferred | 0.06 | 3.7 | 7 |
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| Bruno 1 | Inferred | 0.05 | 5.5 | 9 |
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| Bruno 2 | Inferred | 0.01 | 5.9 | 2 |
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| Loftus-McKay | Inferred | 0.2 | 5.5 | 35 |
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| McVicar East | Inferred | 0.06 | 3.8 | 8 |
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| Total | Inferred | 1.35 | 3.6 | 156 |
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| Big River5 | Shoot 4 Upper | Inferred | 0.25 | 3.41 | 28 |
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| Shoot 4 Lower | Inferred | 0.56 | 2.98 | 53 |
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| Shoot A2 | Inferred | 0.34 | 1.79 | 20 |
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| Total | Inferred | 1.16 | 2.72 | 101 |
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| Supreme6 | Supreme | Inferred | 1.46 | 1.96 | 92 |
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| Total | Inferred | 1.46 | 1.96 | 92 |
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3Notes Auld Creek:- The definitions for Mineral Resources of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum were followed.
- The Mineral Resource is reported at a cut-off of 1.7 g/t AuEq.
- Metal-equivalent grades were calculated using the following prices: USD 3,000/oz Au, and USD 25,000/t Sb and calculated using the formula AuEq = Au g/t + Sb% x 2.15.
- The Mineral Resource was assessed for reasonable prospects of eventual economic extraction by re-blocking to a regular 2.5 mW × 5 mH × 5 mL minimum block dimension, converting to wireframe solids and generating minimum mining units, commensurate with the anticipated smallest mining-unit dimensions for a long-hole stoping operation.
- Totals may vary due to rounding.
4Notes Alexander River:- The definitions for Mineral Resources of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum were followed.
- The Mineral Resource is reported at a cut-off of 1.5 g/t Au.
- The Mineral Resource was assessed for reasonable prospects of eventual economic extraction by re-blocking to a regular 2 mW × 4 mH × 4 mL minimum block dimension, converting to wireframe solids and generating minimum mining units, commensurate with the anticipated smallest mining-unit dimensions for a long-hole stoping operation.
- Totals may vary due to rounding.
5Notes Big River:- The definitions for Mineral Resources of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum were followed.
- The Mineral Resource is reported at a cut-off of 1.5 g/t Au.
- The Mineral Resource was assessed for reasonable prospects of eventual economic extraction by re-blocking to a regular 2 mW × 5 mH × 2.5 mL minimum block dimension, converting to wireframe solids, and generating minimum mining units, commensurate with the anticipated smallest mining-unit dimensions for a long-hole stoping operation.
- Totals may vary due to rounding.
6Notes Supreme:- The definitions for Mineral Resources of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum were followed.
- The Mineral Resource is reported at a cut-off of 1.5 g/t Au.
- The Mineral Resource was assessed for reasonable prospects of eventual economic extraction by re-blocking to a regular 2.5 mW x 2.5 mH x 5 mL minimum block dimension, converting to wireframe solids, and generating minimum mining units, commensurate with the anticipated smallest mining-unit dimensions for a long-hole stoping operation.
- Totals may vary due to rounding.
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Auld Creek 2026 Drill Program
Following the well supported financing in January 2026, an expanded drill program was launched at Auld Creek targeting step out drilling and resource expansion. 19,000 metres of planned drilling is underway across ten drill pads, with the goals of infilling and increasing confidence in the current inferred resource, and extending the current resource, which remains open 400 m to the north and unconstrained at depth.
The 19,000m of drilling will provide detail for the Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) that is planned for H2 2026 ahead of the anticipated mine permit application.
Figure 2: Auld Creek Drill plan to September 2026.
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Preliminary Economic Assessment study partners confirmed
The Company is currently undertaking permitting activities to support a Fast-track Referral application in the first quarter of 2026, in parallel RUA GOLD will be undertaking a PEA study during the first half of 2026 ahead of advancing the study to PFS level in the second half of the year.
The following consultant partners have been awarded work packages:
Processing and tailings
Engineering consultancy Pitch Black Group has been engaged to advise on advancing metallurgical test-work and processing studies for the Auld Creek Project including:
Independent review and optimisation of metallurgical test-work
Assessment of mineral concentrate options
Development of a scoping-level flowsheet
Tailings and waste rock study in partnership with tailings & infrastructure specialist Knight Piesold
Pitch Black Group has extensive global expertise in processing flowsheet development, including for gold and antimony deposits such as Auld Creek.
Underground mining studies
Global mining consultancy Mining One has been engaged to undertake underground mining study with scope covering:
Advancing the mine concept design to PEA level
Development of high level mine plan
Entry, ventilation, surface haul roads and stockpile overview
Mining One will be working on the underground studies closely with Reefton based Terra Firma Mining who will support with local mining context, health and safety and operationalising our early mine plan.
The Company's Vice President Simon Delander said, "Rua Gold is pleased to be able to engage such highly regarded and professional study partners who have strong New Zealand and international experience in designing similar projects, we look forward to advancing Auld Creek to the next stage."
ABOUT RUA GOLD
RUA GOLD is an exploration company, strategically focused on New Zealand. With decades of expertise, our team has successfully taken major discoveries into producing world-class mines across multiple continents. The team is now focused on maximizing the asset potential of RUA GOLD's two highly prospective high-grade gold projects.
The Company controls the Reefton Gold District as the dominant landholder in the Reefton Goldfield on New Zealand's South Island with over 120,000 hectares of tenements, in a district that historically produced over 2Moz of gold grading between 9 and 50g/t.
The Company's Glamorgan Project solidifies RUA GOLD's position as a leading high-grade gold explorer on New Zealand's North Island. This highly prospective project is located within the North Islands' Hauraki district, a region that has produced an impressive 15Moz of gold and 60Moz of silver. Glamorgan is adjacent to OceanaGold Corporation's biggest gold mining development project, Wharekirauponga, which is now fully permitted and under construction.
For further information, please refer to the Company's disclosure record on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Simon Henderson CP, AUSIMM, a qualified person under NI 43-101 and Chief Operating Officer and a director of RUA GOLD, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained herein. Mr. Henderson has verified the data disclosed herein, including sampling, analytical, and test data underlying the information or opinions contained herein, by running checks on the location, analytical, and test data underlying the information or opinions in the technical disclosure herein. Limitations on the underlying data are described in the Reefton Technical Report and such data was independently verified by Abraham Whaanga, BSc, MAusIMM (CP) of RSC. Mr. Henderson has participated in the geochemical sampling, and mapping programs to verify that they have been conducted in accordance with standard operating procedures, and has reviewed the drilling results and procedures undertaken for quality assurance and quality control in a manner consistent with industry practice, and all matters were consistent and accurate according to his professional judgement.
This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this new release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur and specifically include statements regarding: the Company's strategies, expectations, planned operations or future actions, including but not limited to exploration programs at its Reefton and Glamorgan projects and the results thereof, the timing or results of a PEA or PFS, and the timing or result of an application for a mine permit. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements.
Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. A variety of inherent risks, uncertainties and factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control, affect the operations, performance and results of the Company and its business, and could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results expressed or implied by forward looking statements. Some of these risks, uncertainties and factors include: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; risks related to the effects of the Russia-Ukraine war; risks related to climate change; operational risks in exploration, delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration projects or capital expenditures; the actual results of current exploration activities; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; changes in labour costs and other costs and expenses or equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, including but not limited to environmental hazards, flooding or unfavorable operating conditions and losses, insurrection or war, delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing, and commodity prices. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements and reference should also be made to the Company's short form base shelf prospectus dated July 11, 2024, and the documents incorporated by reference therein, filed under its SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca for a description of additional risk factors.
Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.
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Fast-track Approvals Act 2024
For the 43-101 Reefton Technical Report, the AuEq calculation was made using a gold price of $US3,000 per ounce and an antimony price of $US25,000 per tonne. Total gravity/float recoveries of 97% for gold and 85% for antimony were used to calculate the Equivalency Factor at 2.15 for EqSb.
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