Equinox Gold advances Minotaur discovery at Valentine

Drilling Extends High Grade Zones at Musselwhite and Advances District Scale Discovery at Valentine

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Equinox Gold Corp. (TSX: EQX, NYSE American: EQX) (“Equinox Gold” or the “Company”) is pleased to provide an exploration update from its Canadian operations, highlighting significant drilling results, and underscoring opportunities for mineral resource growth and mine life extension across the Company’s three Canadian gold mines: Musselwhite and Greenstone in Ontario and Valentine in Newfoundland & Labrador.

Equinox Gold’s global exploration programs are currently active across nine projects, with 45 drill rigs operating across Canada, the United States, Mexico and Nicaragua. The Company has completed approximately 308,000 metres of drilling year-to-date, with 16 rigs operating in Canada, 15 in Mexico and 12 in Nicaragua and two in the United States (increasing to four in the near term). The 2026 global discovery and mineral resource expansion exploration program is supported by a budget of approximately US$155 million and includes approximately 477,000 metres of planned drilling, focused on mineral resource growth, mine-life extension and the advancement of exploration opportunities across the Company’s operating portfolio.

2026 Canada Highlights:

Musselwhite: Drilling along the mine trend continues to intersect gold mineralization and confirms continuity up to two kilometres beyond current operations, supporting future mineral resource growth and mine-life extension, including: 22.9 m @ 10.00 grams per tonne gold (“g/t Au”) (Mine extension – PQ Extension Zone “PQE”)

20.5 m @ 7.31 g/t Au (Mine extension – PQE)

Valentine: Drilling continues to expand mineralization along the mine trend, with potential for mineral resource growth, while advancing the new Minotaur discovery, including: 99.4 m @ 0.98 g/t Au (Frank Zone)

27.3 m @ 2.11 g/t Au (Minotaur)

Greenstone: The first major exploration program since 2020 started in August, targeting underground extensions and near-pit mineral resource growth. Initial drill holes have intersected mineralized intervals in targeted horizons, with assays pending.

Jason Simpson, President of Equinox Gold, commented: “Canada is increasingly becoming the foundation of Equinox Gold’s production and organic growth strategy, with greater than 60% of 2026 gold production from Canadian operations. With three long-life operating mines, significant processing capacity and large, highly prospective, and underexplored land packages, we see substantial opportunity to grow production from assets and infrastructure we already own.

“At Musselwhite, drilling continues to demonstrate high-grade mineralization along the mine trend, up to two kilometres beyond current operations and around the existing mine. Valentine continues to deliver new discoveries and opportunities to grow open-pit mineral resources in what is now being recognized as a new gold district. Greenstone, Equinox Gold’s largest gold production centre, has significant underground and untapped regional exploration potential.