Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 28, 2026) - Rua Gold Inc. (TSX: RUA) (NZX: RGI) (OTCQX: NZAUF) (FSE: X9R) ("RUA GOLD" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the election of Richard Thomas as an independent director of the Company.
Mr. Thomas is a highly experienced mining executive with more than 35 years in the mining industry. He has held senior leadership positions throughout his career, most recently serving as Chief Operating Officer and co-founder of Aris Mining. His expertise spans mine development, technical services, project execution, and business strategy, with a strong track record of improving production, extending mine life, and enhancing safety performance. A qualified Mining Engineer, Mr. Thomas has led operations and large-scale projects across Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
Mr. Thomas' extensive operational and development experience, together with his understanding of the opportunities within RUA GOLD's growth strategy, will provide valuable guidance to the Board as the Company advances its corporate and exploration objectives.
Oliver Lennox-King, Chair of RUA GOLD, commented "I am pleased to welcome Richard to the RUA GOLD Board as an independent director. He brings significant technical expertise and extensive project development experience, which will be of substantial benefit to the Company as we advance the prefeasibility study currently underway on the Reefton Gold Project."
The Company also announces that Paul Criddle and Mario Vetro did not stand for re-election to the Board of Directors. RUA GOLD would like to thank both Mr. Criddle and Mr. Vetro for their years of dedicated service as independent directors, and for their valuable capital markets and technical support during their tenure as directors.
AGM Voting Results
RUA GOLD also announces the voting results from its Annual General Meeting held on May 28, 2026 (the "AGSM"). Shareholders voted in favour of all items of business presented at the AGSM, as detailed below.
A total of 114,934,427 shares were represented at the AGSM, representing 64.91% of the Company's issued and outstanding shares.
| Nominee Director | Votes For | % Votes For | Votes Withheld | # Votes Withheld |
| Robert Eckford | 69,404,166 | 99.94% | 43,525 | 0.06% |
| Simon Henderson | 69,404,061 | 99.94% | 43,630 | 0.06% |
| Oliver Lennox-King | 69,423,995 | 99.97% | 23,696 | 0.03% |
| Tyron Breytenbach | 49,394,478 | 71.18% | 20,000,613 | 28.82% |
| Brian Rodan | 60,060,471 | 86.55% | 9,334,620 | 13.45% |
| Richard Thomas | 69,351,566 | 99.94% | 43,525 | 0.06% |
At the AGSM, the Shareholders of the Company also approved:
| Description of the Matter | Votes For | % Votes For | Votes Withheld | % Votes Withheld |
| 74,573,484 | 99.96% | 29,876 | 0.04% |
| Description of the Matter | Votes For | % Votes For | Votes Against | % Votes Against |
| 53,287,733 | 76.73% | 16,159,958 | 23.27% |
| 51,857,724 | 74.67% | 17,589,967 | 25.33% |
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(1).
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(2). 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.
RUA GOLD Contact
| New Zealand Simon Delander VP Risk Stakeholder Regulatory Affairs Email: sdelander@RUAGOLD.com Website: www.RUAGOLD.com | Canada Robert Eckford Chief Executive Officer Email: reckford@RUAGOLD.com |
This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this news 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, without limitation: the result of the Company's Fast-Track application; the timing and results of a preliminary economic assessment or pre-feasibility study; the timing and result of any mining permit application; and the Company's strategies, expectations, planned operations or future actions, including but not limited to the Company's proposed underground mine operations at its Auld Creek prospect. 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 assumptions, beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made, which include but are not limited to: to the accuracy of the Company's current mineral resource estimates; that there will be no material adverse change affecting the Company or its properties; the duration and effect of global and local inflation; geo-political uncertainties on the Company's workforce, business, operations and financial condition; the expected trends in mineral prices, inflation and currency exchange rates; that all required approvals and permits will be obtained for the Company's business and operations on acceptable terms including for underground mining at Auld Creek; that there will be no significant disruptions affecting the Company's operations and such other assumptions herein. 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.
1. Technical Report on the Reefton Project, New Zealand, with an effective date of February 27, 2026 available under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.
2. Christie, A., Simpson, M., Barker, R., and Braithwaite, R. 2019. Exploration for epithermal Au-Ag deposits in New Zealand: history and strategy. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, 62:1, 414-441. NI 43-101 Technical Report, Waihi District Pre-feasibility Study, New Zealand. OceanaGold Corporation, Report Date: December 11, 2024.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/299330
Source: Rua Gold Inc.
