RUA Gold advances pre-feasibility study at Auld Creek gold-antimony project

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 18, 2026) - Rua Gold Inc. (TSX: RUA) (NZX: RGI) (OTCQX: NZAUF) (WKN: A40QYC) (" RUA GOLD " or the " Company ") is pleased to provide an update on exploration and development activities at its Auld Creek Gold-Antimony Project in the Reefton Goldfield, New Zealand. The Company's exploration team continues to advance an extensive resource expansion and technical evaluation program at Auld Creek. Alongside resource growth drilling, detailed geotechnical, hydrogeological and metallurgical studies are underway to support the Company's Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") and planned Fast-Track Mining Application, anticipated in Q4 2026.

Highlights:  Recent drilling continues to demonstrate significant potential to expand the gold-antimony resource over a strike length exceeding 1,000 meters and depths greater than 500 meters.  The Company is on track to complete and incorporate the 19,000-meter drill program and the additional technical studies into the upcoming PFS with completion anticipated in Q4 2026.  Highlighted assay results from drilling at Auld Creek include:  ACDDH072: 2.3m @ 3.5 g/t AuEq 1 (2.9 g/t Au & 0.3% Sb) from 227m  ACDDH073: 2.7m @ 7.6 g/t AuEq 1 (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 1 (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 Au) from 194m  The Company’s 100th drill hole at Auld Creek was collared this week with approximately 10,000 meters of the planned 19,000-meter drill program completed to date.  Geotechnical studies, including rock strength, hydrogeology, specific gravity and rock porosity studies, are advancing to support detailed PFS mine methodology.  Approximately 1,000