Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 9, 2026) - RUA GOLD INC. (TSXV: RUA) (OTCQB: NZAUF) ("RUA GOLD" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an outlook as it outlines the strategy for 2026, including the commencement of drilling at the Glamorgan Project on the North Island and the advancement of the Reefton Project toward permitting on the South Island of New Zealand.
Following the completion of the oversubscribed and upsized financing in January 2026, the Company has approximately C$38 million in available cash and is well-positioned to deliver several key catalysts for shareholders.
Figure 1: A summary of key catalysts planned for 2026
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EXPANDED DRILL PROGRAM ACROSS THE REEFTON PROJECT
The drill program underway across the Reefton Goldfield has two primary objectives:
- Three drill digs are currently operating at the Auld Creek target, continuing step-out drilling with the aim of expanding the existing resource.
- One rig is focused on other highly ranked, prospective targets across the past-producing Reefton Goldfield, with the objective of identifying the next optimal target for low-capital-intensity resource definition - specifically shallow, continuous mineralization.
Work is ongoing with RSC Consulting to complete the updated NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Reefton Project, which is expected to be published by the end of the month. Completion of this report will establish a baseline resource at Auld Creek and support ongoing drill planning aimed at maximising resource growth.
Catalyst: Ongoing exploration updates coming to the market supported by the four drill rig program.
PERMITTING UNDERWAY FOR THE REEFTON PROJECT
RUA GOLD is actively advancing permitting-related activities on the West Coast of New Zealand. The Company has appointed key partners to support environmental studies and the permitting process. These partners bring strong and relevant experience from neighbouring projects, including Endura Mining's Snowy River Project, OceanaGold's Globe Progress reclamation project, and OceanaGold's Wharekirauponga Project on the North Island. Wharekirauponga was the first mine fully permitted under New Zealand's Fast-track process in just 112 days and is currently under construction.
Field visits were completed during December and January, and the Company is targeting submission of a Fast-track referral application in Q1 2026, with a regulatory decision anticipated in Q2 2026. This decision will determine whether the Reefton Project qualifies for the six-month Fast-Track permitting process.
Given the presence of antimony as a by-product at the Reefton Goldfield, and its strategic importance to New Zealand amid global efforts to secure critical minerals, the Company is confident in the project's eligibility for the Fast-track process.
Figure 2: Reefton Project Permitting Timeline
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Engagement with our local Māori stakeholders, Te Runanga o Ngāti Waewae, has been ongoing with respect to exploration activities and future development plans. Ngāti Waewae are strong supporters of the project and will work closely with the Company throughout the Fast-Track permitting process, including assisting with cultural impact assessments. Community and regulatory consultations have commenced and will continue to intensify throughout 2026.
Subject to a successful referral application, the Company is targeting submission of the Fast-Track mining permit application by the end of 2026.
Catalyst: Anticipated inclusion of the Reefton Project in the Fast-Track permitting process in Q2 2026 and submission of a mining permit application in Q4 2026. Throughout 2026, the Company will continue environmental and technical studies in preparation for the mining application.
NEW ZEALAND JOINS THE INTERNATIONAL MINERALS SECURITY PARTNERSHIP
New Zealand has joined the international Minerals Security Partnership to attract investment and strengthen its critical minerals sector, aligning with its Minerals Strategy to double its mineral export value by 2035 and support resilient, sustainable global supply chains.
Ministers Shane Jones and Winston Peters say membership places New Zealand alongside major economies, boosts international relationships, and helps unlock the country's natural resources and innovative technologies to create high-value regional jobs (refer to www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-international-partnership-attract-investment-critical-minerals).
This strategic partnership entered by the New Zealand Government, aligns perfectly with the development strategy that RUA GOLD is currently executing on, further encouraging a positive outcome for Fast-Track permitting for the Reefton Project.
The Minerals Security Partnership includes Australia, Canada, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union among others.
COMMENCEMENT OF DRILLING AT THE GLAMORGAN PROJECT
The Glamorgan Project is located within the highly prospective Hauraki Goldfield on the North Island of New Zealand. The district has historically produced 15Moz gold and 60Moz silver, with active mining operations ongoing today. RUA GOLD's tenements are adjacent to OceanaGold's Wharekirauponga Project, which recently advanced through Fast-Track permitting process in 112 days, and is now under construction.1
Over the past 18-months, RUA GOLD has completed a comprehensive and systematic surface exploration program at the Glamorgan Project. This work has identified geological features extending 3 kilometres north that are geologically analogous to Wharekirauponga. The Company has defined four major gold-arsenic anomalies, each trending approximately 4 kilometres in length.
These results have established a strong pipeline of drill-ready targets and support a well-defined initial 5,000-metre drill program to be executed with two drill rigs over a six-month period.
Catalyst: Drill permit applications have been submitted, and environmental studies are underway. Completion of these studies is expected by the end of February, followed by Māori consultation in March. The Company anticipates receipt of drill permits in Q2 2026.
Figure 3: The Glamorgan Project is located adjacent to the high-grade Wharekirauponga and Waihi gold deposits.
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ABOUT RUA GOLD
RUA GOLD is a well funded exploration company, strategically focused on New Zealand. With decades of expertise, their team has successfully taken major discoveries into producing world-class mines across multiple continents. The team is 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 project, Wharekirauponga.
Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-Looking Information
This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this news 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 New Zealand properties; statements with respect to additional targets; the expectations and timing of permits; the filing of the technical reports of the Reefton and Glamorgan projects; the completion of the PEA; and timing and acceptance of the Reefton Project through the Fast-track permitting process. 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 documents 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.
1 The Company has no interest in, or rights to, any of the adjacent properties mentioned, and exploration results on adjacent properties are not necessarily indicative of mineralization on the Company's properties. Any references to exploration results on adjacent properties are provided for information only and do not imply any certainty of achieving similar results on the Company's properties.
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