Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 8, 2026) - Rua Gold Inc. (TSX: RUA) (NZX: RGI) (OTCQX: NZAUF) (WKN: A40QYC) ("RUA GOLD" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on its Auld Creek gold-antimony project (the "Auld Creek Project") in Reefton, New Zealand.

RUA GOLD's exploration team has completed 19,600m of drilling, primarily focused on improving the confidence of Mineral Resource and provide detailed data for the geotechnical, hydrological and metallurgical studies supporting the pre-feasibility study ("PFS") required for the Company's Fast-Track Approvals Mining Application. Following the July 2026 announcement¹ that the Auld Creek Project had been accepted as a listed project under New Zealand's Fast-Track Approvals regime, the Company remains on track to execute on its strategy and submit its substantive application in October 2026 and publish the PFS in December 2026^.

Highlights:

• Four drill rigs continue testing the growing resource, which remains open in all directions.

• RUA GOLD’s exploration team has completed 19,600m of resource drilling, exceeding its 19,000m target. 

• Highlighted assay results from drilling at Auld Creek include:

  • ACDDH086: 2.7m @ 23.2 g/t AuEq² (15.4 g/t Au & 3.6% Sb) from 249m

  • ACDDH103: 7.0m @ 9.9 g/t AuEq² (5.7 g/t Au & 2.0% Sb) from 133m

  • ACDDH104: 32.0m @ 2.4 g/t AuEq² (2.1 g/t Au & 0.1% Sb) from 332m

  • ACDDH106: 11.3m @ 5.7 g/t Au (incl 0.8m @ 17.65g/t Au) from 159m 

  • ACDDH107: 1.9m @ 22.7 g/t AuEq² (10.1 g/t Au & 5.8% Sb) from 249.55m

  • ACDDH108: 11.3m @ 6.11 g/t Au from 256m

  • ACDDH111: 4.5m @ 12.6 g/t AuEq² (5.8 g/t Au & 3.1% Sb) from 138m

  • ACDDH112: 2.9m @ 38.8 g/t AuEq² (9.3 g/t Au & 13.7% Sb) from 226m 

  • ACDDH119: 0.6m @ 136.2 g/t AuEq² (82.9 g/t Au & 24.8% Sb) from 237.6m

• Ultra-detailed geological and structural studies have significantly improved the Company’s understanding of the orientation of high-grade mineralized shoots, contributing to a high drill-targeting success rate and improved intercept grades.

• Localised mineralized zones exceeding 20m in width support the potential scale and continuity of the resource. Drilling has also returned exceptionally high individual grades and the first observations of visible gold at the Auld Creek Project.

• Assay results from a further 18 drill holes are pending and will contribute to the updated Mineral Resource estimate anticipated in Q4 2026. 

• The Company remains on track to submit its substantive application under New Zealand’s Fast-Track Approvals regime in October 2026.

Robert Eckford, Chief Executive Officer of RUA GOLD, commented: "These exceptional exploration results are informing the mine plan and reinforcing the significant development potential of the Auld Creek Project. The deposit continues to exceed our expectations and remains open in all directions. Our improved understanding of the orientation of the high-grade mineralized shoots will be crucial as we advance the next phase of drilling. The occurrence of visible gold is particularly encouraging and suggests that grades may improve with depth."

Figure 1: Highlights from recent Auld Creek drilling

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Table 1: Significant intercepts from recent Auld Creek drilling.

AULD CREEK EXPLORATION UPDATE

Recent drilling continues to demonstrate the potential to expand the Auld Creek gold-antimony resource, which extends over 1,000m in length and to a depth of more than over 500m. Following completion of the planned 19,600m drill program, and encouraged by the exceptional results received to date, the Company will continue drilling with four rigs during the fourth quarter of 2026 to test the deposit along strike and at depth.

Drill targeting was guided by detailed structural mapping used to interpret the orientation and plunge of the prospective high-grade mineralized shoots. Stereonet plotting of the dips and strikes within the main Fraternal Fault zone indicates an overall orientation of 186°/84°W. The analysis also indicates that the shears and breccias intersecting the Fraternal Fault are orientated at 354° with a moderate plunge.

Drilling based on these structural guides have demonstrated strong continuity of mineralization along the interpreted orientations and a high success rate in testing planned targets.

Figure 2: Shoot orientations on Fraternal, Auld Creek

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Two features of the recent drilling program are particularly notable:

1. Certain mineralized shoots demonstrate increasing gold and antimony grades, including intervals where visible gold has been observed (Zone 1 - Figure 2).

2. Mineralized widths increase in certain areas, with discrete hanging wall and footwall zones of higher antimony mineralization enveloping a broad zone grading of approximately 2-3 g/t Au (Zone 2 - Figure 2).

Figure 3: High grade Au and Sb from Zone 1, Figure 2.

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The resource drilling program also incorporates the geotechnical, hydrological and metallurgical studies required for the PFS, including rock strength testing, specific gravity and ore zone characterization. This work is substantially complete and will support the Company's forthcoming Fast-Track Approvals application and the filing of the required NI 43-101 technical reports.

Figure 4: Location of active Rua Gold exploration projects

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MANAGEMENT UPDATE

RUA GOLD is also pleased to announce the appointment of Darren Prins as Interim Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary during the planned maternity leave of Zeenat Lokhandwala.

Mr. Prins brings extensive experience in corporate reporting, governance and mergers and acquisitions. Throughout his career, he has held senior financial leadership positions with several publicly listed mining companies, including Timmins Gold, Mayfair Gold and First Mining Gold.

ABOUT RUA GOLD

RUA GOLD is an exploration company, strategically focused on New Zealand. With decades of expertise, our team has successfully turned major discoveries into producing world-class mines in 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 permits, in a district that historically produced over 2Moz of gold grading from 9-50g/t³.

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 silver⁴.

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 National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and Chief Operating Officer and a director of RUA GOLD, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained herein. Mr. Henderson has participated in the geochemical sampling, and mapping programs to verify that they have been conducted in accordance with standard operating procedures. Mr. Henderson has verified the data disclosed by running checks on the location, analytical, and test data underlying the information in the technical disclosure herein.

QA/QC Drill Core

Core samples were sent to SGS Laboratories, Westport for sample preparation. SGS is independent of the Company. Samples were crushed and pulverized to 85% passing 75 µm. The pulverized rock-chips were split into two samples: ~50 g for laboratory analysis, and the reject returned to Rua for pXRF analysis and storage.

Pulverized rock-chip samples were sent to ALS Brisbane to be analyzed for gold (Au) by 50-g fire assay with AAS finish (ALS Code Au-AA26); and for antimony (Sb) with lithium borate fusion sample preparation followed by an X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) instrument finish (ALS Codes: Sb-XRF15b for 0.005-20.0% Sb and Sb-XRF15c for 0.01-80.0% Sb).

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 drill program at the Auld Creek target and the timing and results thereof, the timing or results of PFS, the timing or result of an application for a mine permit, and the expected contributions of Mr. Prins. 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.

Table 2: Location of Auld Creek reported drill holes from RUA program

Table 3: Significant drilling intercepts at Auld Creek, full mineralized zone composites

¹ See Rua Gold news release "RUA GOLD's Auld Creek Project Qualifies for New Zealand's 6-Month Fast-Track Approvals Process" dated July 30, 2026, available on the Company's website at www.ruagold.com and on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca
² Based on the recent Reefton Technical Report, the gold equivalent formula is based on AuEq = Au g/t + 2.15 x Sb% using a Au price of US$3,000/oz, Sb price of US$25,000 per tonne and 85% recovery.
³ Technical Report on the Reefton Project, New Zealand, with an effective date of February 27, 2026 available under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.
⁴ Christie, A., Simpson, M., Barker, R., and Braithwaite, R. 2019. Exploration for epithermal Au-Ag deposits in New Zealand: history and strategy. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, 62:1, 414-441. NI 43-101 Technical Report, Waihi District Pre-feasibility Study, New Zealand. OceanaGold Corporation, Report Date: December 11, 2024.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/313276