Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 1, 2026) - DRC Gold Corp. (CSE: DRC) (FSE: 5AT0) (DRC Gold or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an option agreement (Option Agreement) dated August 25, 2026 with Amani Consulting SARL (Amani Consulting), Giro Goldfields SARL (Giro Goldfields) and Mabanga Mining SARL (Mabanga) that supersedes and replaces the binding term sheet among the parties, which the Company announced on February 24, 2026 and which was amended as announced on May 21, 2026. Pursuant to the Option Agreement, DRC Gold has been granted an option to acquire interests in Giro Goldfields from Amani Consulting. Giro Goldfields holds the Giro gold project (Giro Gold Project) and is the intended transferee of Permis d'Exploitation 5110 (the Nizi Gold Project), pursuant to a Contrat de Cession de Permis between Giro Goldfields and the Société minière de Kilo-Moto (SOKIMO). Amani Consulting holds a 65% interest in Giro Goldfields and SOKIMO holds the remaining 35% interest in Giro Goldfields.

Klaus Eckhof, CEO of DRC Gold, states: "We are very pleased that the parties have successfully completed their due diligence and have entered into a detailed Option Agreement. DRC Gold looks forward to receiving the necessary regulatory and shareholder approvals to acquire an initial 55% interest in Giro Goldfields. With a historic JORC 2012 Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resource estimate² of 123.7Mt @ 1.03g/t Au (4.1 Moz contained) for the Kebigada deposit, which is part of the Giro Gold Project, highly prospective untested potential at the Nizi Gold Project, and a strong gold market, we are looking forward to developing these two exciting gold projects, which are located within the world class Kilo Moto Greenstone Belt."

"Our intention is to acquire further gold assets in the northeast of the DRC and advance the Giro Gold Project into production as quickly as possible."

Giro Gold Project:

The Giro Gold Project comprises two exploitation permits, Permis d'Exploitation (PE) 5046 and PE 5049, that cover a surface area of about 497 km² and lie within the Kilo Moto Greenstone Belt in the Haute-Uele Province in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), about 35 km west of the Kibali Mine, a mine which produces more than 600,000 oz gold per annum¹. Note that the information disclosed from the Kibali Mine is not necessarily indicative to the mineralization on the Giro Gold Project.

The Giro Gold Project consists of two main deposits, the Kebigada deposit and the smaller Douze Match deposit, which demonstrate a similar style of mineralisation and structural setting as at the Kibali Deposit. The Kebigada deposit contains a historic JORC 2012 Mineral Resource estimate² of 69.2 Mt at 1.09g/t Au for 2.44 Moz (Indicated) and 54.4 Mt at 0.95g/t Au for 1.67 Moz (Inferred), for a total of 123.7 Mt at 1.03g/t Au for 4.10 Moz contained (at a 0.5g/t Au cut-off grade).

No current mineral resource estimate is disclosed for the Douze Match deposit in this news release.

Please refer to the Company's December 8, 2025 news release for a description and maps of the Giro Gold Project and further information regarding the historic mineral resource estimates, and to the disclosure below regarding the historical estimate.

Historical Estimate Disclosure:

The historic estimate is set out in "Mineral Resource Estimate for the Kebigada Deposit, Haut-Uele Province, DRC" by Arnold van der Heyden (MAusIMM (CP Geo), MAIG), reviewed by Luke A. Burlet (MAIG, APEGGA, BCPEG), H&S Consultants Pty Ltd, dated March 16, 2020, prepared for Amani Gold Limited and disclosed in its ASX announcement of March 19, 2020 (the "H&SC Report").

The author did not visit site, and QAQC data and original field records were not independently reviewed. Key uncertainties include the location/orientation of the Kebigada fault and barren dykes, and ±8m discrepancies between collar elevations and topographic data. The estimate is considered relevant to scale and style of mineralisation but not reliable for current decision-making without further work.

Key parameters:

• 0.5g/t Au cut-off; recoverable MIK estimation; SMU 5m x 5m x 5m; open-pit assumed

• Dry tonnage basis; average density ~2.81 t/m³ (fresh), 1.64 t/m³ (saprolite), 1.62 t/m³ (laterite)

• Classification by estimation search pass, with Indicated restricted to the central deposit area and remaining estimated blocks classified as Inferred

• Based on 243 drill holes totalling 29,358m (29 diamond core, 214 reverse circulation), restricted to ~300m below surface

These 2012 JORC Code categories are similar in principle to equivalent CIM Definition Standards (2014) categories; the qualified person has not confirmed they would be identical if reclassified.

A more recent estimate was referenced in Amani Gold Limited's ASX announcement of March 28, 2023; the Issuer could not obtain the underlying report and does not disclose, use, or rely on that estimate here.

Upgrading the estimate would likely require infill drilling, independent database and QAQC verification, resolution of fault/dyke geometry and collar discrepancies, and an updated pit optimisation.

The qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historic estimate as current, and the Company is not treating it as such.

Nizi Gold Project:

The Nizi Gold Project consists of exploitation licence PE 5110, which covers 113 km² and is located in the Ituri District of the Kilo-Moto Goldfields, some 26.5 km NNE of the regional centre of Bunia and 6.5km north of the nearest village of Nizi.

The Nizi Gold Project includes the King Leopold Gold Mine, which is an abandoned underground gold operation with a focus on up to 7 known major quartz gold veins within a mafic to intermediate volcanic setting on the faulted contact of a dioritic intrusive. The mine was developed underground over a strike of some 600m and to a depth of approximately 160m to 180m and operated intermittently for approximately 12 years between 1913 and 1931. Reports indicate that only two of the known major quartz gold veins have been previously mined. In addition, several other gold prospects have been identified at the project, including the Baluma Gold Oxide Prospect.

Intermittent and limited exploration of the licence area has been conducted since 1931 by SOKIMO and international mining company Ashanti Goldfields Limited, in the form of an aerial geophysics program of the joint venture licence area. SOKIMO, however, secured return of the area under licence PE5110. DRC Gold considers the project to be prospective for significant high-grade and low-grade gold mineralization.

Figure 1: Location of the Nizi Gold Project.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5922/312366_81c5232a44f93aca_001full.jpg

Figure 2: Geology map at Nizi showing extent of known quartz veins and general geology.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5922/312366_81c5232a44f93aca_002full.jpg

Option Agreement:

Pursuant to the Option Agreement, DRC Gold has been granted a first option (First Option) to acquire from Amani Consulting, a 55% registered and beneficial interest in Giro Goldfields by (i) issuing an initial 25 million common shares in the capital of DRC Gold (Shares), which Shares were issued to Vertex Wealth Limited as announced on May 21, 2026; and (ii) issuing an additional 325 million Shares to Amani Consulting or its nominee by the later of (a) the date that the Option Agreement and the transactions contemplated therein have been approved by DRC Gold's shareholders and (b) the date that the CSE provides its acceptance of the Option Agreement and the transactions contemplated therein, provided that such date shall be no later than twelve (12) months from the date of the Option Agreement. Amani Consulting, Giro Goldfields and Mabanga are all arm's length to DRC Gold. Transfer of the 55% registered and beneficial interest in Giro Goldfields will need to comply with all applicable requirements set out in the OHADA Uniform Act on Commercial Companies (AUSCGIE), which requires (i) approval from Giro Goldfields' shareholders including SOKIMO, (ii) amendment of Giro Goldfields' articles of association, (iii) notarial formalities, and (iv) filing with the Trade and Personal Property Credit Register (RCCM).

All Shares that have been and that may be issued pursuant to the Option Agreement as well as any private placement shares that may be issued prior to the exercise in full or termination of the Option Agreement, may not be voted in favour of this transaction.

Upon the full exercise of the First Option via the issuance of the additional 325 million Shares, this transaction will constitute a change of control as defined in Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) Policy 1.3(2) as well as a Fundamental Change subject to CSE Policy 8, and at that time a trading halt will be initiated. The trading halt will remain in effect until after the closing of the transaction. All Shares issued and to be issued pursuant to the Option Agreement will be subject to an escrow agreement as required by CSE policies and Canadian National Policy 46-201.

Mabanga previously agreed to lend and lent funds to SOKIMO (the SOKIMO Loan) and upon the exercise of the First Option by DRC Gold, DRC Gold agrees to (i) assume Mabanga's obligations under the SOKIMO Loan to advance any additional funds to SOKIMO pursuant to the terms of the SOKIMO Loan provided that Mabanga assigns, to DRC Gold, all of Mabanga's rights pursuant to the agreement for the SOKIMO Loan.

On closing of the Option Agreement, Amani Consulting and/or Mabanga have the right to appoint a majority of directors to the DRC Gold board of directors.

Pursuant to the Option Agreement, DRC Gold has been granted certain additional rights to increase its interest in Giro Goldfields, subject to the terms of the agreement.

Closing of the transactions set out in the Option Agreement will be subject to approval by DRC Gold's shareholders and acceptance by the CSE.

QP Statement

Mr. Dylan le Roux (BSc Hons in Earth Science) is an independent consultant of DRC Gold Corp. and a qualified geologist. Mr. le Roux is a registered Professional Natural Scientist (Geological Science) with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP Reg. No. 155814). Mr. le Roux is a qualified person (QP) under NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release.

About DRC Gold Corp.

DRC Gold is a junior exploration company. DRC Gold's management and directors possess over 50 years of collective industry experience and have been very successful in the areas of exploration, financing and developing major mines throughout the world, with a focus on Africa.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

The information in this news release may include certain information and statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward-looking statements. Although DRC Gold Corp. believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, DRC Gold Corp. disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States.

¹ Barrick holds a 45% indirect interest in the Kibali gold mine and Barrick's attributable production for 2024 totalled 309,000 oz. gold; see: https://www.barrick.com/English/operations/kibali/default.aspx.

² Report by H&S Consultants titled "Mineral Resource Estimate for the Kebigada Deposit, Haut-Uele Province, DRC" prepared for Amani Gold Limited and publicly disclosed in their ASX announcement 19 March 2020. See "Historical Estimate Disclosure" below for more information.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/312366

Source: DRC Gold Corp.