Stellar AfricaGold Inc. press release

Stellar AfricaGold - 10,000m Auger Drilling Planned To Test 7 Potential Drill Target Areas At The Zuenoula Permit, Cote D'ivoire

2026-06-23

TSXV - TSX Venture Exchange · Gold · Silver · Copper · Lead · Zinc · Canada · Drill Results

(TheNewswire)

| [](http://stellarafricagold.com/) | | |

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Vancouver, BC – June 23, 2026 – TheNewswire - Stellar AfricaGold Inc. (“Stellar” or the “Company”) (TSXV: SPX, TGAT: 6YP and FSX: 6YP) is pleased to announce a 10,000 meter auger drill program at the Stellar-MetalsGrove Joint Venture Zuénoula Gold Project, Cote d’Ivoire.

[]()Highlights

[]()• Joint venture operatorMetalsGrove Mining Ltd. (“MetalsGrove”) has consolidated the exploration targets at the Zuénoula Permit into four principal prospects - Fifty-Five, Central, South East and South West Prospects following ongoing technical review and field verification of multiple gold anomalies.

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A two-rig, two-stage 10,000-meter auger drilling program is planned to test gold anomalous clusters at theFifty-Five, Central and South East Prospects, with mobilisation and commencement targeted for end June.

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Recent soil geochemistry interpretation has defined a total of 7 Potential Drill Targets within the consolidated4 prospects on the permit. These targets will be progressively refined through ongoing infill soil sampling and auger drilling before drilled by Aircore/Reverse Circulation (AC/RC) or diamond drilling (DD) from late 2026.

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Infill soil sampling programs continueacross all four prospects at varying grid spacings,with results continuing to enhance target definition and prioritisation for drill testing.

[]()About theStellar-MetalsGrove Joint Venture Zuénoula Gold Project, Cote d’Ivoire.

[]()The Stellar-MetalsGrove Zuénoula Gold Project is a joint venture exploration project between Stellar’s Ivorian subsidiary Aucrest SARL (“Aucrest”) and MetalsGrove Mining Ltd.’s Ivorian subsidiary MetalsGrove CDI Pty Ltd (MetalsGrove) to advance Stellar’s 395.78 square kilometer early-stage exploration permit called Zuénoula in Côte d’Ivoire (see Figure 2 below). Pursuant to the joint venture agreement MetalsGrove, the project operator, may earn up to a 50% interest in the Zuénoula Gold Project by incurring US$3,000,000 in exploration expenditures andup to an 80% interest in the Zuénoula Gold Project by incurring a total of US$6,000,000 in exploration expenditures. (For further details of the Stellar-MetalsGrove Joint Venture Agreement see Stellar news release December 9, 2025.)

[]()Stellar Management Commentary

[]()Stellar President and CEO J. François Lalonde commented:

"Following extensive soil sampling and target refinement, the joint venture exploration team has consolidated the Zuénoula Permit into four principal prospect areas and are preparing to commence a 10,000-meterauger drilling program across the 7 defined potential drill targets. The program is designed to test the bedrock potential beneath surface gold anomalies and represents a critical step towards AC, RC and diamond drilling later this year.

The definition of seven potential drill targets marks an important milestone in the systematic exploration approach and highlights the growing scale and prospectivity of the Zuénoula Gold Project. Several targets exhibit kilometre-scale strike lengths and remain open to further refinement through ongoing infill soil sampling. With more than 1,700 soil samples currently awaiting assay results, there is significant potential to further expand these targets and discover more targets across the permit.

We look forward to updating shareholders as auger drilling commences and additional soil sampling assay results continue to strengthen the discovery potential at Zuénoula."

MULTIPLE NORTHEAST-TRENDING GOLD ANOMALOUS TRENDS IDENTIFIED

Stellar is pleased to announce the planned commencement of a two-rig, two-stage, 10,000 meter auger drilling programat its Zuénoula Permit in Côte d’Ivoireto test the area’s seven potential drill targets defined from multiple gold anomalies identified through the Company’s systematic soil geochemistry programs.

The joint venture operator has consolidated the exploration targets at the Zuénoula Permit into four principal prospects following ongoing technical review and field verification of multiple gold anomalies identified from completed various surface soil sampling programs to date (Figure 1). The Fifty-Five Prospect now incorporates the original Fifty-Five Prospect and its northeastern extension, while the South East Prospect combines the former Konezra Prospect with the South East Prospect. The Central Prospect and South West Prospect remain unchanged from previous reporting. This refinement provides a clearer framework for exploration targeting and reflects the Company's growing understanding of the distribution and continuity of gold anomalism across the project area.

[](https://www.thenewswire.com/data/tnw/clients/img/0d46dc78442dfa76eb951708aa206df8.png) Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 1. Zuénoula Soil Sampling Progress Across the Four Consolidated Exploration Prospects

A two-rig, two-stage, 10,000 m auger drilling program within the Fifty-Five, Central and South East Prospects has been designed (Figure 2) to test the most significant gold anomalous clusters identified. Stage 1 will comprise approximately 5,000m of drilling on a nominal 400m × 50m drill pattern, followed by Stage 2 infill drilling on a 250m × 25m spacing, subject to the results obtained from the initial phase. Auger drilling is planned to an average depth of approximately five metres to test the mineralisation potential from the upper saprolite horizon. Results from ongoing soil infill programs across all three auger target areas will be incorporated into final drill planning to further refine and optimise drill line locations prior to commencement. The two-rig mobilisation and commencement date is scheduled for end June 2026.

Interpretation of the current soil geochemistry dataset (Figure 1 & Table 1) has increased the definition of potential drill targets to 7(Figure 2), each exhibiting kilometre-scale prospective strike length (Figure 3 and 4). These targets will continue to be refined through ongoing infill soil sampling and auger drilling programs, with the objective of defining coherent bedrock-related mineralisation suitable for follow-up AC/RC or DD from late 2026.

Infill soil sampling continues at varying grid spacings across all four prospects at the Zuénoula Permit. To date, assay results have been received for 1,617 soil samples, while a further 1,755 samplesare awaiting laboratory analysis. An additional 306 samplesare scheduled for collection.

[](https://www.thenewswire.com/data/tnw/clients/img/d9fc2775cc128f277fdfb19ff3860c61.png) Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 2. Planned Auger Drilling Areas and 7 Potential Drill Targets Defined at Zuénoula Permit

[](https://www.thenewswire.com/data/tnw/clients/img/9bf3fbfa25c3470ef1176bde804c1125.png) Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 3. Planned Auger Drilling Areas and Potential Drill Targets Defined

at Fifty-five and Central Prospects

[](https://www.thenewswire.com/data/tnw/clients/img/f0d54e675f4616b20c789e2e4e648705.png) Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 4. Planned Auger Drilling Area and Potential Drill Targets at South East Prospect

Next Phases of Work

The Company has planned the following next phases of exploration programs to advance the identification of new potential drill targets and refine existing potential drill targets for drill testing:

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Auger drilling:

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Auger drilling across 3 Prospects: 10,000 meters in 2 stages.

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Soil Sampling:

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Fifty-Five Prospect NE: 200m*200m (pending sampling)

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South East Prospect: 200m*200m (pending assay results)

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Fifty-Five Prospect: 2000*50m (pending assay results)

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Central Prospect: 2000*50m (pending assay results)

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Five-Five Prospect East: 200*200m (pending assay results)

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South West Prospect: 400m*400m (pending assay results)

[]()Qualified Person

The technical information contained in this release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Robert Perring, a current member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (MAIG) and Exploration Manager of MetalsGrove Mining Limited. Mr. Perring is a Qualified Personunder National Instrument 43-101.

About Stellar Africagold Inc.

Stellar AfricaGold Inc. is a Canadian precious metal exploration company focused on precious metals

in North and West Africa, with active programs in Morocco and Côte d’Ivoire. Stellar’s principal exploration projects are its advancing gold discovery at the Tichka Est Gold Project in Morocco, and its

early-stage exploration Zuénoula Gold Project in Côte d’Ivoire which is operated in Joint Venture with MetalsGrove Mining Ltd subsidiary, MetalsGrove CDI Pty Ltd.

The Company is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange symbol TSX.V: SPX, the Tradegate Exchange TGAT: 6YP and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange FSX: 6YP.

The Company maintains its head office in Vancouver, BC and has a country office in Marrakech, Morocco.

QA/QC

JORC Code, 2012 Edition – Table 1

[]()Section 1-Sampling Techniques and Data

| Criteria | JORCCodeExplanation | Commentary | | Sampling Techniques | -

Nature and quality of sampling (e.g. cut channels, random chips, or specific specialied industry standard measurement tools appropriate to the minerals under investigation, such as downhole gamma sondes, or handheld XRF instruments, etc.) These examples should not be taken as limiting the broad meaning of sampling.

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Include reference to measures taken to ensure sample representivity and the appropriate calibration of any measurement tools or systems used.

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Aspects of the determination ofmineralisation that are Material to the Public Report.

In cases where ‘industry standard’ work has been done, this would be relatively simple (e.g. ‘reverse circulation drilling was used to obtain 1 m samples from which 3 kg was pulverised to produce a 30 g charge for fire assay’). In other cases, more explanation may be required, such as where there is coarse gold that has inherent sampling problems. Unusual commodities or mineralisation types (e.g. submarine nodules) may warrant disclosure of detailed information. | No drilling has been undertaken on Zuénoula PR-750

All soil samples collected on Zuénoula PR-750 have been analysed for gold by fire assay at Bureau Veritas laboratory in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

SOIL SAMPLING STAGES

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Stage 1:Initial, permit-wide, broad-spaced soil sampling on 1000m x 1000m grid

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Stage 2:Gold anomalous clusters and trends defined by multiple anomalous soil samples (+20ppb Au) are then infilled with soil samples collected on 400m x 400m grid

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Stage 3:Coherent gold soil anomalies are then infilled with soil samples collected on 200m x 200m grid

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Stage 4:Higher density 200m x 50m soil sampling to sharpen definition of gold soil anomalies

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Stage 5:Augering and trenching of coherent gold soil anomalies

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Stage 6:Drill testing of gold soil and auger anomalies.

SOIL SAMPLING PROCEDURES

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MGA has contracted the experienced consulting group SEMS Exploration Services (SEMS) to conduct all soil sampling

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Up to four sampling crews may be active at any one time

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The MGA Exploration Manager was onsite at the start of the field program to instruct the sampling crew on the Standard Sampling Procedure required by MGA

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MGA provided SEMS Exploration Services with an Excel table listing the designated sample point locations using WGS-84 UTM zone 29N coordinates

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Each soil sample is collected from within 20 metres of the designated sample point, with the actual sample point then recorded

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At each sample point: 1) the organic rich soil is brushed away, 2) a 40cm deep hole dug and the sample collected by taking a channel-cut along the bottom 20cm of the hole, 3) 1000g of the minus 2mm sieved fraction of each sample is collected from the sample point, 4) gold is determined by fire assay (LDL 2ppb)

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Duplicate samples are collected every 20th sample, certified reference material (CRM) inserted every 20th sample, and blanks inserted every 20th sample.

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Samples are stored at the secure SEMS field compound in Zuénoula prior to transport to Bureau Veritas in Abidjan of gold analysis. | | Drilling Techniques | -

Drill type (e.g. core, reverse circulation, open-hole hammer, rotary air blast, auger, Bangka, sonic, etc.) and details (e.g. corediameter,tripleorstandard tube,depthofdiamond tails, face-sampling bit or other type, whether core is oriented and if so, by what method, etc). | -

No drilling has been undertaken. | | DrillSample Recovery | -

Method of recording and assessing core and chip sample recoveries and results assessed.

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Measures taken to maximise sample recovery and ensure representative nature of the samples.

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Whether a relationship exists between sample recovery and grade,andwhether samplebias may have occurred due to preferential loss/gain of fine/coarsematerial. | -

No drilling has been undertaken. | | Logging | -

Whether core and chip samples have been geologically and geotechnicallyloggedtolevel of detail to support appropriate Mineral Resource estimation, miningstudiesandmetallurgical studies.

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Whether loggingisqualitativeor quantitative in nature. Core (or costean, channel, etc.) photography.

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Thetotallengthandpercentage oftherelevantintersections logged. | -

No drilling has been undertaken

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Soil samples are comprehensively logged for a range of parameters including colour, soil horizon, sample weight, slope, dominant grain size (clay, silt, sand), general topography, residual or transported, proximity to artisanal workings, other ground disturbances such as field plowing, and general land use (grassland, plantation, crop, etc.). | | Sub-samplingTechniques and Sample Preparation | -

Ifcore,whethercutorsawnand whether quarter, half or all core taken.

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Ifnon-core,whetherriffled,tube sampled, rotary split, etc. and whether sampled wet or dry.

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For all sample types, the nature, quality and appropriateness of the sample preparation technique.

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Quality control procedures adopted for all sub-sampling stagestomaximise representivity of samples.

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Measures taken to ensure that thesamplingisrepresentativeof the in-situ material collected, including, for instance, results for field duplicate/second-half sampling.

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Whethersample sizes are appropriate to the grain size of the material being sampled. | -

No drilling has been undertaken

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No sub-sampling of the 1000g soil samples is undertaken prior to the sample arriving at Bureau Veritas laboratory

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At Bureau Veritas, the entire 1000g sample is pulped prior to the laboratory taking a 50g split for lead collection fire assay determination of gold concentration. | | Quality of AssayData and Laboratory Tests | -

The nature, quality and appropriateness of the assaying andlaboratoryproceduresused and whether the technique is considered partial or total.

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Forgeophysical tools, spectrometers, handheld XRF instruments,etc.,theparameters used in determining the analysis, including instrument make and model, reading times, calibrationfactorsapplied,and

theirderivation,etc.

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Nature of quality control procedures adopted (e.g. standards, blanks, duplicates, externallaboratorychecks)and whether acceptable levels of accuracy (i.e. lack of bias) and precision have been established. | -

Bureau Veritas is an internationally accredited assay laboratory located in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

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Assay results for all samples presented in the announcement were determined by fire assay (Lab Code: FE450, LDL 2ppb), which is a total gold extraction method for analysis.

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The lower detection limit (LDL) of 2ppb is considered appropriate for greenfields, early stage, exploration soil sampling

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Fire assay gold is considered one of the most reliable assay techniques for gold analyses. | | Verification ofSampling and Assaying | -

The verification of significant intersections by either independent or alternative company personnel.

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Theuseoftwinnedholes.

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Documentationofprimarydata, data entry procedures, data verification, data storage (physical and electronic) protocols.

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Discussanyadjustmentstoassay data. | FIRE ASSAY ANALYSIS

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All samples have been analysed for gold by fire assay at Bureau Veritas laboratory in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire

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The 1000g -2mm sample collected in the field is analysed for gold by fire assay (Lab Code: FE450, LDL 2ppb)

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At the laboratory, the 1000g -2mm sample is dried and pulverised to 85% passing 75 microns.

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This sample pulp is then mixed with a combination of chemical reagents, which when heated to high temperatures results in the formation of a lead button and slag. The lead button that contains the precious metals (including gold) is cupelled at high temperature. The lead is adsorbed by the cupel leaving behind a bead that contains the precious metals.

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The bead is acid digested and analysed by AAS, with a lower detection limit of 2ppb Au | | Locationof DataPoints | -

Accuracy and qualityof surveys used to locate drillholes (collar and down-hole surveys), trenches, mine workings and other locations used in Mineral Resource estimation.

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Specification of the grid system used.

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Quality and adequacy of topographic control. | -

A handheld GPS is used to locate the soil data positions, with a +/-5m vertical and horizontal accuracy

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Sample locations (UTM WGS-84 zone 29N) and sample descriptions are noted on a standard form in the field and entered on a computer.

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GPS measurements of sample positions are sufficiently accurate for exploration targeting gold systems. | | Data Spacingand Distribution | -

Data spacing for reporting Exploration Results.

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Whether the data spacing and distribution is sufficient to establish the degree of geologicalandgradecontinuity appropriate for the Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimation procedure(s) and classifications applied.

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Whethersamplecompositing hasbeenapplied. | -

An 1,000m x 1,000m offset grid pattern has been adopted for the entire permit area, excluding areas of irrigated sugar cane and villages.

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Broad-spaced soil sampling (1000m by 1000m) and low level gold fire assay analysis (LDL 2ppb) is considered an effective technique for identifying and delimiting gold anomalous clusters and trends, which are then followed up with higher density sampling at 400m 400m, 200m x 200m, and in some areas 200m x 50m, as the next phases of sampling ahead of trenching, augering, and drill testing of coherent gold soil anomalies. | | Orientation of data in relation to geologicalal structure | -

Whether the orientation of sampling achieves unbiased sampling of possible structures and the extent to which this is known, considering the deposit type.

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If the relationship between the drilling orientation and the orientation of key mineralised structures is considered to have introduced a sampling bias, this should be assessed and reported if material. | -

The sample location configuration has been deliberately planned to avoid directional bias. | | Sample security | -

The measures taken to ensure sample security. | -

1000g of -2mm sieved fraction of soil samples are collected in plastic bags, assigned individual sample numbers and transported to the secure SEMS compound in Zuénoula

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Samples have been analysed by fire assay at Bureau Veritas in Côte d’Ivoire and were personally transported to the laboratory by a senior member of the MetalsGrove Abidjan-based exploration team. | | Auditsor Reviews | -

The results of any audits or reviews of sampling techniques and data. | -

The sampling and assay techniques adopted by MetalsGrove has been effectively used in the Vavoua-Kounahiri district, and more widely in Cte d’Ivoire, to define drill targets and it is considered an effective initial approach for defining gold anomalous lithogeochemical trends. |

[]()Section 2 - Reporting of Exploration Results

(Criteria listed in the preceding section also apply to this section.)

| Criteria | JORCCodeExplanation | Commentary | | Mineral Tenement and Land TenureStatus | -

Type, reference name/number, location and ownership, including agreements or material issues with third parties such as joint ventures, partnerships, overriding royalties, native title interests, historical sites, wilderness or national park and environmental settings.

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The security of the tenure held at the time of reporting, along with any known impediments to obtaining a licence to operate in the area. | -