Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 7, 2026) - Rua Gold Inc. (TSX: RUA) (NZX: RGI) (OTCQX: NZAUF) (FSE: X9R) ("RUA GOLD" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on recent drilling and surface sampling results from its regional exploration program across the Reefton Project on the South Island of New Zealand.

Highlights: 

• The Supreme resource, previously explored by OceanaGold as a potential satellite pit to Globe Progress mine, hosts an Inferred Mineral Resource of 1.46Mt @ 1.96g/t, containing 92koz Au⁽¹⁾. These step-out holes indicate the potential for a high grade shoot. 

• This broad step out increases down-plunge extent of the Supreme resource from 250m to 400m and extending mineralization to approximately 230m depth, with the system remaining open to the south-southwest.

•  Highlighted assay results from Supreme SPDDH003: 0.9m @ 26.9g/t Au from 178m in hole

•  Highlighted assay results from Caledonian CLDDH005: 4.0m @ 6.9g/t Au from 265m, including 1m @ 11.5 g/t Au

•  All Caledonian drill holes intersected the host quartz structure, with three out of six holes returning significant mineralization, demonstrating the coherence and extent of the target zone.

•  Mineralization has been intersected 186m below historical workings at Caledonian, further highlighting untapped depth potential of the Reefton deposits and validating RUA’s exploration strategy.

The Company's CEO Robert Eckford commented: "These results continue to demonstrate the broader potential of the Reefton Goldfield. While Auld Creek remains our primary development focus, recent success at Supreme and Caledonian highlights the strength of our regional exploration strategy and the scale of opportunity across the district.

We continue to hit high-grade intercepts while step-out drilling has nearly doubled the strike extent of known mineralization and extended the system to depth at Supreme. With further robust geochemical results from Supreme, together with encouraging results from Caledonian, we believe the scale, grade and repeatability can support meaningful resource growth across the district.

This is precisely what we aim to achieve through our regional exploration program—expanding beyond our core assets, validating new targets, and demonstrating that Reefton is a district-scale opportunity for RUA GOLD."

Figure 1: Overview of the Reefton Goldfield.

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SUPREME EXPLORATION UPDATE

The updated 2026 NI 43-101 technical report outlines an Inferred Mineral Resource at Supreme of 1.46Mt @ 1.96g/t Au, containing 92koz Au⁽²⁾. This estimate does not yet incorporate recent drilling results, indicating clear potential for resource growth.

Results from SPDDH002, along with mineralized quartz zones intersected in SPDDH003 and SPDDH004, confirm that the Supreme system remains open at depth and along strike. Soil geochemistry also indicates potential extensions to the north.

Drill Results Summary:

• SPDDH001 intersected the targeted structure, confirming continuity of the mineralised system despite returning narrow, lower-grade intervals. These results support the interpretation of discrete high-grade shoots within a broader mineralised corridor.

• SPDDH002 returned 3.1m @ 3.2g/t Au from 202m and 7.0m @ 1.2g/t Au from 230m, demonstrating the presence of both high-grade intervals and broader zones of sulphide-hosted mineralization typical of large hydrothermal systems. Shear-hosted deposits like Supreme have the potential to host significant volumes and high grades.

• SPDDH003 confirms that high-grade gold at Supreme is not a one-off hit but is associated with a broader mineralized corridor that is open at depth. As well as significantly increasing the down plunge extent of mineralization at Supreme, the hole returned 0.9m 26.9g/t Au from 178m, the second-highest intercept ever recorded at the prospect, within a wider zone of quartz veining and arsenopyrite mineralization (Figure 4).

• SPDDH004 intersected a low-grade shear zone, returning 5.4m @ 0.15g/t Au from 168.5m.

Figure 2: Cross section looking east showing the down plunge extent of Supreme mineralisation

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Figure 3 - View looking north at the Supreme deposit showing 2025 resource extension drilling

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Figure 4 - Photo of the high-grade intercept in hole SPDDH003

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The 2025 drilling program confirms that Supreme hosts a coherent structural system capable of supporting both broad mineralised zones and discrete high-grade shoots. Future work will focus on testing extensions to the north, along strike, and at depth, as well as identifying parallel structures.

A broader regional study is also underway to better understand the structural controls within the north-south trending mineralised corridor. This study will assist the technical team when planning more aggressive step outs that target multi-million-ounce deposits in the Reefton area.

CALEDONIAN EXPLORATION UPDATE

At Caledonian, RUA GOLD completed 1,579m of diamond drilling designed to test extensions beneath the historic mine. The program successfully extended the known mineralised system approximately 170m below historical workings and across a 270m strike length, confirming that gold mineralisation continues well beyond the limits of the old mine.

Drilling consistently intersected the targeted quartz reef structure, with geological logging confirming the presence of shearing, quartz veining, and arsenopyrite-bearing mineralization. These results demonstrate that Caledonian is a coherent mineralised system with strong potential for further growth down-plunge and along strike.

Drill Results Summary:

• CLDDH003 returned 3m @ 2.66 g/t Au and intersected an arsenopyrite-rich mineralised halo, a style commonly associated with the margins of higher-grade gold shoots. This supports the interpretation that Caledonian is not a narrow isolated vein system, but rather a broader mineralised hydrothermal system with potential for higher-grade zones to occur adjacent to or within these wider sulphide-rich envelopes.

• CLDDH004 intersected two discrete high-grade gold intervals of 1.0m @ 6.17 g/t Au from 158.0m and 1.0m @ 6.96 g/t Au from 162.0m, reinforcing the continuity of mineralisation. The hole intersected, with the close spacing of the intervals suggesting a structurally complex mineralised zone rather than a single isolated vein.

• CLDDH005 was the standout hole, returning 4.0m @ 6.9 g/t Au from 265.0m (Figure 5). Mineralisation persists 170m beneath the historic mine workings and remains open at depth, intersecting. Importantly, the strongest mineralisation is associated with a structurally complex zone of metasediments, quartz veining/stockwork, graphitic alteration and abundant arsenopyrite (Figure 6).

Figure 5 - Diamond drill core from CLDDH005 showing significant intervals of quartz veining and sulphide intervals

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Figure 6 - Long section view of Caledonian Drilling

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Figure 7: Caledonian cross section

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The program has also generated valuable structural data, which will be incorporated into a 3D geological model together alongside aeromagnetic data to refine targeting for future drilling. Once this reinterpretation is complete, RUA GOLD will reassess Caledonian and determine the most effective next phase of drilling.

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⁽³⁾.

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 ⁽⁴⁾. Glamorgan is adjacent to OceanaGold Corporation's biggest gold mining project, Wharekirauponga.

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

All core samples sent for laboratory analysis was HQ sized, ½ core sampled to lithological changes. Control samples (certified standards and uncertified blanks), along duplicates, are inserted at a target 5% insertion rate. Results are assessed for accuracy, precision, and contamination on an ongoing basis. 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: a ~50 g sent for laboratory analysis, and the reject returned to RGL for pXRF analysis and storage. Pulverized rock-chip samples were analyzed for gold (Au) by 50-g fire assay with AAS finish at SGS Waihi (SGS Code FAA505); and for antimony (Sb) by Sodium Peroxide Fusion Analysis by ICP-MS at SGS Waihi.

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, including the next drilling phase at Supreme and Caledonian, the timing of the exploration program at the Reefton Project, and the result of the exploration programs. 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 and the war in the Middle East; 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 1: Location of Supreme drill holes from RUA program

Note: True thickness/widths of the mineralization are unknown.

Table 2: Location of Caledonia drill holes from RUA program

Note: True thickness/widths of the mineralization are unknown.

Table 3: Significant drilling intercepts at Supreme, full mineralized zone composites.

Note: True thickness/widths of the mineralization are unknown.

Table 4: Significant drilling intercepts at Caledonia, full mineralized zone composites.

Note: True thickness/widths of the mineralization are unknown.

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Source: Rua Gold Inc.