PRESS RELEASE

from Barton Gold Holdings Limited (ASX:BGD)

30 June 2026 Quarterly Activities Report

Highlights

Challenger Gold Project, SA (100%)

  • Drilling confirms new high-grade mineralisation up to 170g/t Au in ‘main' pit (read), up to 60g/t Au at Challenger West (read), new open pittable mineralisation at CSSW and Challenger 3 (read)

  • Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) ongoing; existing mill suitable for recommissioning, scenario analyses now underway (read)

  • JORC Mineral Resources Estimate (MRE) update pending; Barton targeting DFS publication during Q1 CY 2027

Tunkillia Gold Project, SA (100%)

  • ‘Phase 2' upgrade drilling yields highest-grade assays to-date from ‘Area 51' zone (read) and southern ‘Area 223' zone (read), indicating potential growth in Resources, open pit and mine life

  • ‘Phase 2' reverse circulation (RC) drilling expanded to ~40,000m following analysis of ‘Phase 1' and ‘Phase 2' results to-date (read), with ~3,000m dual rig diamond drilling (DD) commenced (read)

  • GR Engineering Services (GRES) appointed to lead Pre-feasibility Study (PFS), targeting publication during Q1 CY27 (read)

Tolmer Silver Discovery, SA (100%)

  • ~3,700m follow up drilling completed targeting extensions (read) after preliminary trial yields >100,000 g/t Ag concentrate (read)

Corporate

  • $26m placement led by new substantial shareholders Franklin Templeton and Aegis Financial at modest discount of only ~3.5% to closing price, with only ~11% dilution and <2.5% costs (read)

  • Well positioned with $31.9m cash & strategic diesel reserve

  • New Head of Corporate Affairs & Sustainability appointed (read)

ADELAIDE, AU / ACCESS Newswire / July 27, 2026 / Barton Gold Holdings Ltd (Barton or the Company)

ACN: 633 442 618
ABN: 36 633 442 618

Level 4, 12 Gilles Street
Adelaide SA 5000
T: +61 8 9322 1587
E: contact@bartongold.com.au
www.bartongold.com.au

Stock Codes:

ASX: BGD
OTCQB: BGDFF
FRA: BGD3

Capital Structure+

270.5m Ordinary Shares
15.5m unlisted options

Working Capital

Cash: $31.9 million*
Debt: Nil

+ Refer to ASX announcement dated 16 July 2026 for full details of securities.
* Barton also has a further ~$4.5m cash (not included in this $31.9m) which is posted as security for rehabilitation bank guarantees.

Commenting on the Company's June 2026 quarter, Barton MD Alexander Scanlon said:

"Drilling during the quarter has continued to deliver strong results across our entire gold development portfolio. We are nearing completion of over 70,000m during the past 10 months, with feasibility studies now in full swing.

"Our recent institutional placement has fully funded Barton to deliver these key value-add milestones, as well as to continue evaluating our exciting Tolmer high-grade silver discovery where we recently drill tested extensions.

"We look forward to delivering multiple Resources upgrades and further insights during the balance of 2026."

CHALLENGER GOLD PROJECT | CENTRAL GAWLER MILL (100%)

Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS)

A DFS is underway targeting an initial 3 - 4 year Stage 1 ‘baseline' operation utilising only historical higher-grade tailings from tailings storage facility 1 (TSF1) and limited, near-surface materials without disturbing Challenger's historical high-grade underground mine, its mineralisation or its infrastructure access.

In support of the DFS, Barton has now completed the following programs of work, among others:1

  • A detailed condition assessment of the Central Gawler Mill (CGM) and supporting infrastructure;

  • TSF1 geotechnical and metallurgical drilling, and comminution and metallurgical testwork;2 and

  • Preliminary capital and operating cost estimates (subject to scale and throughput scenario analysis).

These analyses support the conclusions that the CGM is suitable for recommissioning to operations, and that TSF1 materials reprocessing is considered technically feasible and operationally practical.1

The CGM offers a material leverage point for Barton to commence de-risked ‘Stage 1' operations, and also materially enhances the development optionality of Barton's regional assets including Tarcoola Gold Project (Tarcoola), Wudinna Gold Project (Wudinna) and high-grade Tolmer silver prospect (Tolmer), all of which could potentially be processed through the CGM.3

Following the completion of MRE updates and metallurgical analyses based upon recent RD and DD drilling, Barton will complete final scenario analysis to determine the optimal startup and development pathways for the CGM, with a preference for pathways that reduce risk. Barton is targeting DFS publication during Q1 CY27.

Early upgrade drilling successes

During 2025, Barton initiated several programs of work focused on generating options for returning Challenger and the CGM to near-term operations on a relatively low-cost and low-risk basis. The Challenger open pit operated from 2002 to 2004, at a time of low gold prices. Drilling has therefore been targeting 1-2 g/t Au mineralisation on pit extensions to provide a source of lower-risk feed for operations.

A total 8,065m RC drilling and 1,322m DD drilling has recently been completed to upgrade existing JORC (2012) Mineral Resources to ‘Indicated' category, test additional near-surface mineralisation and generate additional geotechnical data and sample materials for metallurgical testwork to support the ongoing DFS analyses.4

Drilling assays have yielded early successes, identifying new areas of high-grade mineralisation up to 170 g/t Au in the Challenger Main open pit wall, and confirming shallow, high-grade mineralisation up to 60 g/t Au in the Challenger West open pit floor.5 Recent significant assay results include:

Hole ID

Target

Interval

Including:

CHB0140

‘Main' pit

9m @ 2.20 g/t Au from 97 metres

1m @ 6.63 g/t Au from 103 metres

CHB0158

‘Main' pit

11m @ 5.67 g/t Au from 24 metres

10m @ 17.7 g/t Au from 40 metres

1m @ 50.9 g/t Au from 27 metres

1m @ 170.7 g/t Au from 43 metres

CHB0159

‘Main' pit

14m @ 1.01 g/t Au from 19 metres

3m @ 4.72 g/t Au from 40 metres

3m @ 2.55 g/t Au from 22 metres

1m @ 11.8 g/t Au from 40 metres

CHB0165

‘Main' pit

3m @ 6.85 g/t Au from 121 metres

1m @ 15.0 g/t Au from 121 metres

CHB0149

‘West' pit

7m @ 2.01 g/t Au from 0m (surface)

1m @ 9.63 g/t Au from 6 metres

CHB0150

‘West' pit

3m @ 20.6 g/t Au from 13 metres

1m @ 59.5 g/t Au from 15 metres

CHB0151

‘West' pit

1m @ 12.5 g/t Au from 28 metres

CHB0152

‘West' pit

1m @ 20.5 g/t Au from 17 metres

Table 1 - Key significant assays from February 2026 Challenger RC drilling5

Drilling in the M3-SEZ area was designed to test and upgrade previously modelled mineralisation in this zone, with the objective to confirm high value mineralisation which could be extracted by way of an open pit cutback.

The latest drilling validates previously modelled mineralisation, and has identified new areas of high-grade mineralisation where it was not previously modelled in assays grading up to 170 g/t Au.6

https://storage.googleapis.com/accesswire/media/1197250/barton-img1-07272026.png

Figure 1 - Challenger ‘Main' open pit plan map showing collar locations for new assays received6

https://storage.googleapis.com/accesswire/media/1197250/barton-img2-07272026.png

Figure 2 - Cross section A (refer to section line in Figure 2) 6

Recent RC and DD drilling has also targeted the ‘Challenger 3' target, located to the northeast (along strike) of Challenger SSW deposit, the Challenger West open pit, and the Challenger Main open pit.

Drilling was designed to extend and upgrade mineralisation, with the objective to confirm high value materials which could be easily extracted to feed the CGM from new open pits.

The assays confirm known mineralisation at Challenger SSW and the Challenger 3 target, supporting a potential new MRE at the Challenger 3 target and increase the confidence of the Challenger SSW MRE.

Key significant new assays received from the CSSW and Challenger 3 open pit targets include:7

Hole ID

Interval

Including:

CBH0180

13m @ 0.71 g/t Au from 62 metres

1m @ 1.44 g/t Au from 71 metres, and

2m @ 1.48 g/t Au from 73 metres

CBH0192

10m @ 1.63 g/t Au from 85 metres

1m @ 9.53 g/t Au from 90 metres

CHB0197

3m @ 5.05 g/t Au from 27 metres

8m @ 1.68 g/t Au from 55 metres

1m @ 7.64 g/t Au from 57 metres

CHB0198

3m @ 3.17 g/t Au from 91 metres

1m @ 7.25 g/t Au from 93 metres

CHB0199

11m @ 0.74 g/t Au from 58 metres

1m @ 2.04 g/t Au from 66 metres

CHB0204

6m @ 4.46 g/t Au from 30 metres

5m @ 1.32 g/t Au from 43 metres

2m @ 12.1 g/t Au from 30 metres

1m @ 3.26 g/t Au from 47 metres

CHB0206

10m @ 1.33 g/t Au from 44 metres

1m @ 5.61 g/t Au from 46 metres

CHB0213

10m @ 2.28 g/t Au from 33 metres

1m @ 9.12 g/t Au from 42 metres

CHB0217

9m @ 0.83 g/t Au from 40 metres

1m @ 1.9 g/t Au from 42 metres

CHB0222

7m @ 3.28 g/t Au from 30 metres

1m @ 16.5 g/t Au from 30 metres

CHB0225

2m @ 5.12 g/t Au from 30 metres

1m @ 9.17g/t Au from 31 metres

CHB0236

6m @ 1.66 g/t Au from 24 metres

1m @ 6.93 g/t Au from 25 metres

Table 2 - Key significant new assays from February 2026 Challenger RC drilling7

https://storage.googleapis.com/accesswire/media/1197250/barton-img3-07272026.png

Figure 3 - New Challenger 3 drilling results in new open pit target mineralisation7

TUNKILLIA GOLD PROJECT (100%)

Pre-feasibility study running in parallel to expanded drilling program

A PFS formally commenced this quarter with GRES appointed to lead this work.8 GRES is a highly regarded Australian engineering consultancy and contractor with global mineral processing expertise. The PFS will build upon Tunkillia's Optimised Scoping Study (OSS) for which outlined a compelling development for ~120,000 gold and ~260,000oz silver production annually, with a rapid project payback profile. At current gold and silver prices, Tunkillia is modelled to produce approximately $1.75 billion operating profit during the first ~27 months alone, paying back up-front development capex ~4x over during this short time.9

Multiple work programs are underway to support the PFS and Mining Lease (ML) application, including ‘Phase 2' drilling programs recently expanded to ~70,000m RC and ~3,000m DD targeting an increased quantity, grade and classification of materials in the ‘S1' and ‘S2' Starter Pits.10 These are scheduled to finish during September. On the basis of expanded drilling, Barton now anticipates publication of the PFS during Q1 CY2027.

Robust assays to-date drive ‘Phase 2' extension

Based upon the modelled economics of Tunkillia's ‘S1' and ‘S2' optimised open pits, a first phase of Tunkillia drilling was designed to prioritise these zones, increase confidence, and target the upgrade of these materials to JORC ‘Indicated' category or, in the case of the highest value ‘S1' pit materials, to JORC ‘Measured' category.11 This ‘Phase 1' drilling was successful, infilling the S1 and S2 pit areas with broad, high-grade intersections.12 A summary of key significant assays received from Phase 1 Tunkillia drilling is included in Table 3 below.12

Hole ID

Interval

Including:

TKB0257

23m @ 2.25 g/t Au from 62 metres

2m @ 5.45 g/t Au from 69 metres, and

1m @ 7.50 g/t Au from 75 metres, and

1m @ 8.90 g/t Au from 81 metres

TKB0268

22m @ 2.43 g/t Au from 100 metres

1m @ 17.6 g/t Au from 107 metres

TKB0269

28m @ 2.60 g/t Au from 129 metres

2m @ 20.9 g/t Au from 144 metres

TKB0282

27m @ 2.68 g/t Au from 60 metres, and

44m @ 3.68 g/t Au from 103 metres

2m @ 38.7 g/t Au from 73 metres

3m @ 23.5 g/t Au from 123 metres, and

1m @ 18.9 g/t Au from 131 metres, and

2m @ 13.2 g/t Au from 136 metres

TKB0285

47m @ 2.67 g/t Au from 97 metres

16m @ 5.03 g/t Au from 126 metres

TKB0292

41m @ 2.21 g/t Au from 47 metres

7m @ 9.61 g/t Au from 47 metres

TKB0301

10m @ 7.37 g/t Au from 65 metres

1m @ 28.8 g/t Au from 67 metres

TKB0306

10m @ 5.03 g/t Au from 152 metres, and

13m @ 3.75 g/t Au from 165 metres

1m @ 43.2 g/t Au from 154 metres

1m @ 37.1 g/t Au from 165 metres

TKB0375

10m @ 5.21 g/t Au from 45 metres

3m @ 9.70 g/t Au from 49 metres

TKB0376

17m @ 2.23 g/t Au from 53 metres

3m @ 8.97 g/t Au from 58 metres

TKB0390

20m @ 2.72 g/t Au from 44 metres

3m @ 9.33 g/t Au from 50 metres

TKB0422

24m @ 4.49 g/t Au from 127 metres, and

22m @ 3.17 g/t Au from 156 metres

1m @ 15.4 g/t Au from 137 metres, and

5m @ 11.5 g/t Au from 143 metres

8m @ 6.89 g/t Au from 157 metres

TKB0434

22m @ 2.58 g/t Au from 68 metres

1m @ 6.3 g/t Au from 73 metres, and

3m @ 9.2 g/t Au from 75 metres

Table 3 - Key significant assays from Tunkillia Phase 1 Mineral Resource upgrade RC drilling12

Phase 2 assays indicate further upside potential

The first assays received from ‘Phase 2' upgrade drilling were from the ‘Area 51' zone, where the May 2025 Optimised Scoping Study (OSS) optimised an open pit with approximately 163,000oz contained gold MRE.13 These first assays have broadly validated existing modelling, and some results are significantly higher-grade than anticipated indicating upside potential both within and along strike of this open pit area.

https://storage.googleapis.com/accesswire/media/1197250/barton-img4-07272026.png

Figure 4 - Cross section 116,300N located at southern end of ‘Area 51' open pit area13

Assays recently received from the southern part of Area 223 (including the ‘S3' and ‘South 1' pit stages, modelled to be mined during the middle and later years of the project's life) infill the existing mineralisation modelled in these areas, with the broadest intersections also yielding some of the highest grades.14

Hole ID

Interval

Including:

TKB0496

5m @ 4.76 g/t Au from 67m depth

1m @ 20.9 g/t Au from 68m depth

TKB0499

13m @ 5.01 g/t Au from 55m depth

3m @ 15.8 g/t Au from 62m depth

TKB0536

3m @ 4.70 g/t Au from 88m depth

17m @ 3.09 g/t Au from 100m depth

1m @ 12.7 g/t Au from 88m depth

1m @ 8.90 g/t Au from 102m depth, and

1m @ 36.9 g/t Au from 108m depth

TKB0570

4m @ 7.60 g/t Au from 95m depth

1m @ 27.2 g/t Au from 95m depth

TKB0572

27m @ 1.89 g/t Au from 33m depth

5m @ 5.55 g/t Au from 49m depth

TKB0573

21m @ 1.65 g/t Au from 93m depth

2m @ 11.67 g/t Au from 102m depth

TKB0574

9m @ 1.76 g/t Au from 124m depth

19m @ 2.87 g/t Au from 137m depth (EOH)

1m @ 6.80 g/t Au from 127m depth

6m @ 7.18 g/t Au from 143m depth

Table 4 - Key significant new assays from Tunkillia Phase 2 Mineral Resource upgrade RC drilling14

Further assays are expected to be reported from this area in due course, with the recently expanded Tunkillia drilling program targeting further extensions and higher-grade mineralisation upside.15 After all results have been received Barton will then prepare comprehensive and representative cross sections of assay results.

TOLMER SILVER DISCOVERY (100%)

During March 2025, Barton announced one of Australia's highest-grade modern silver discoveries ~500m west of its August 2024 Tolmer gold discovery.16 Drilling has identified silver dominant mineralisation hosting peak silver and gold grades up to 17,600 g/t Ag and 51.2 g/t Au (respectively) less than 50m from surface.16

Preliminary analysis produced a >100,000 g/t Ag (~10% silver) concentrate from a simple gravity process without grinding, roasting or chemical reagents. The ability to produce high-grade concentrates could have potential implications for low-cost, high-margin operations if consistent for the mineralisation.17

An expedited 3,677m follow up RC drilling program was completed during the quarter, with results pending.18

https://storage.googleapis.com/accesswire/media/1197250/barton-img5-07272026.png

Figure 5 - Tolmer map w/ Pb background, Ag contours (white), old drilling (black) & new drilling (red)18

Hole ID

Interval

Including:

TBAC130

Silver

Gold

6m @ 4,747 g/t Ag from 46 metres

4m @ 13.2 g/t Au from 48 metres

Silver

Gold

1m @ 17,600 g/t Ag from 46 metres

1m @ 51.2 g/t Au from 48 metres

TBM227

Silver

4m @ 1,417 g/t Ag from 9 metres

Silver

1m @ 3,790 g/t Ag from 9 metres

TBM228

Silver

Gold

14m @ 434 g/t Ag from 46 metres

3m @ 3.25 g/t Au from 54 metres

Silver

Gold

1m @ 3,530 g/t Ag from 54 metres

1m @ 7.50 g/t Au from 54 metres

TBM233

Silver

Gold

3m @ 993 g/t Ag from 55 metres

1m @ 6.86 g/t Au from 55 metres

Silver

2m @ 1,475 g/t Ag from 55 metres

TBM237

Silver

Gold

9m @ 217 g/t Ag from 44 metres

1m @ 7.9 g/t Au from 44 metres

Silver

1m @ 1,100 g/t Ag from 44 metres

TBM238

Silver

Gold

7m @ 648 g/t Ag from 46 metres

5m @ 3.06 g/t Au from 46 metres

Silver

Gold

2m @ 1,720 g/t Ag from 46 metres

1m @ 10.7 g/t Au from 46 metres

TBM245

Silver

Gold

13m @ 142 g/t Ag from 10 metres

5m @ 3.32 g/t Au from 10 metres

Silver

Gold

2m @ 499 g/t Ag from 11 metres

1m @ 13.2 g/t Au from 11 metres

TBM246

Silver

Gold

13m @ 285 g/t Ag from 48 metres

11m @ 3.31 g/t Au from 48 metres

Silver

Gold

1m @ 2,240 g/t Ag from 53 metres

1m @ 22.8 g/t Au from 53 metres

Table 5 - Key ‘western silver zone' intersections from Nov 2024, Jan/Feb and May/Jun 2025 drilling18

KEY CORPORATE UPDATES

Cash

At 31 March 2026 the Company had $31.9m in cash, plus a further $4.5m in interest bearing deposits posted as security for rehabilitation performance bond guarantee facilities.

Exploration and project expenditure during the quarter has been primarily focused on Tunkillia and Challenger MRE upgrade drilling, feasibility programs, and analysis of the emerging Tolmer high-grade silver discovery. A total of $5.7m cash was spent on these combined activities, including project and exploration personnel costs.

During the quarter a total of $184k was paid to related parties, comprising director fees, salaries and superannuation to Directors and their associates.

Full details of Barton's cash movements during the quarter can be found in the Company's Appendix 5B.

$26m institutional placement

A placement to institutional investors was completed during the quarter (Placement) with the initial quantum increased to accommodate additional demand from existing North American investors. A total of 30,470,588 new shares were issued at a price of $0.85 per share to raise $25.9 million (before costs).19

The Placement was fully supported prior to launch by existing institutional investors Franklin Templeton, Aegis Financial, IXIOS and MERK, and closed significantly oversubscribed. Canaccord Genuity (Australia) Limited (Canaccord) and MST Financial Services Pty Ltd (MST) were Lead Managers in conjunction with Barton's equity capital markets initiatives. Barton estimates total costs of the Placement at less than 2.5% of total proceeds.

The Placement further strengthens Barton's high quality institutional register and fully funds key milestones in support of the Company's vision to build South Australia's largest independent gold producer. These include:

  • MRE updates, conversion to Ore Reserves, and a DFS to inform a Final Investment Decision (FID) for a restart of operations at the Challenger Gold Project (Challenger) leveraging Challenger's existing CGM.

  • MRE updates, conversion to Ore Reserves, completion of a PFS and an ML application for Tunkillia.; and

  • Infill and extension drilling, and metallurgical testwork, for Barton's Tolmer silver prospect (Tolmer).

These milestones will underpin the Company's commercial pathway, and discussions for a wide range of available future low dilution funding solutions.

New substantial shareholders

Further to their material support of the Placement, Barton is pleased to welcome each of Franklin Templeton and Aegis Financial as new substantial shareholders of the Company at ~6.8% and ~5.1% (respectively).20

New Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability

Barton is pleased to welcome Sylvia Rapo as its new Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability.21 She brings ~25 years' of South Australian experience in corporate affairs, communications, government relations, media management and sustainability across the private and public sector. Sylvia joins as we enter an exciting new phase for the Company, focused on delivering our vision for large-scale gold production in South Australia.

Strategic diesel reserve

As reported in the Company's 31 March 2026 Quarterly Activities Report, upon the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East Barton acted quickly to procure diesel supplies sufficient for all planned forward work programs. With that situation remaining volatile, Barton has further grown this strategic reserve to >250,000 litres along with its own distribution capabilities, sufficient to meet all budgeted FY27 field programs and site requirements.

CORPORATE PRESENTATIONS & MEDIA

During the quarter, Barton presented at the RRS Gather Round, SMI Panama and RIU Sydney Resources Roundup Conferences. The Company also conducted several media interviews and engagements with existing and new institutional and high net wealth investors.

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