Stellar Africagold - District-Scale Soil Sampling Defines Further GOLD Exploration Targets at Zuénoula, Cote D’Ivoire
STELLAR AFRICAGOLD - DISTRICT-SCALE SOIL SAMPLING DEFINES
FURTHER GOLD EXPLORATION TARGETS AT ZUÉNOULA, COTE D’IVOIRE
Vancouver, BC – March 11 , 2026 Stellar AfricaGold Inc. (“Stellar” or the “Company”) provide s the
following update on the exploration progress at the Stellar-MetalsGrove Joint Venture Zuénoula Gold
Project, Cote d’Ivoire.
Highlights
- A second gold exploration target designated as the Fifty-Five Area has been identified by district-scale
soil sampling (1km × 1km) on Zuénoula.
- The Fifty-Five Area, situated 1km north of the Central Area (see News Release February 5, 2026), is
defined by four gold anomalous soil samples over a strike length of 2.4 km. Infill (400 m x 400 m) soil
sampling of a 10 km² area has been completed along the interpreted northeast (NE) structural trend.
Assay results are pending.
- In the Central Area, infill soil sampling on a 400 m × 400 m grid has been completed, with PortablePPB
assay results extending the strike length of the gold anomalous sample cluster to 3.4 km. Assay results
are pending.
- The Central Area infill has been expanded to 20 km² to capture the potential northeast strike extension
of this trend, with this additional 400 m × 400 m infill soil sampling also completed. Assay results are
pending.
- Infill soil sampling of a third area - the South East Corner Area – on a 400 m by 400 m grid has also been
completed to investigate a favourable structural target on the margin of a granite intrusion. Assay results
are pending.
- All Fifty-five Area, Central Area and South East Corner infill soil samples will soon be delivered to Bureau
Veritas laboratory in Abidjan this week for fire assay determination of gold – a total gold extraction
technique. Assay results are expected in mid to late March.
- Coherent gold anomalous zones defined by these fire assay results will be infilled on a 100 m × 50 m grid
as the final stage of soil sampling. This high density of sampling is required for target definition and drill
hole planning.
Stellar-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. subsidiary, MetalsGrove CDI
Pty Ltd (MetalsGrove) to advance Stellar’s 395.78 square kilometer early -stage exploration permit
called Zuénoula in Côte d’Ivoire. 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 and up 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:
“We are pleased with the pace of exploration by MetalsGrove at the Zuénoula Gold Project and with the
early results identifying now three areas of anomalous gold in the soil sampling . This is indeed very
encouraging. I extend our continuing thanks to the MetalsGrove exploration team on this successful
start.”
MetalsGrove Management Commentary
MetalsGrove Managing Director and CEO, Mr Lijun Yang, commented:
“The identification of a second gold target at the Fifty -Five Area highlights the scale and growing
prospectivity of our Zuénoula PR750 permit. With soil sampling already infilled on a 400 m × 400 m grid
and with all assay results pending, we are rapidly advancing this emerging target while continuing to
expand the footprint of gold anomalism at the Central Area.
The recent PortablePPB results from the Central Area have extended the gold anomalous strike length
to 3.4 km and the area of infill sampling increased to 20 km 2 to capture the potential northeastern
extension of this northeast-trending zone of gold anomalism. All infill sampling has been completed. Fire
assay results from MSALabs in Yamoussoukro will provide a more definitive assessment of gold tenor
and support detailed 100 m × 50 m follow-up sampling aimed at planning drill targets.”
Zuénoula Soil Sampling Update
Stellar is pleased to announce is pleased to announce that work on the Zuénoula permit has defined
three exploration target areas that have been infilled with soil samples on 400m × 400m grids (Figure
1). Assay results are pending.
1. The Fifty-five Area: A northeast-trending alignment of three gold anomalous soil samples (11 -
55dU) extends over 2.4km within a 10 km 2 area. Limited fire assay analysis also returned a soil sample
assaying 23ppb Au. Infill sampling (400m x 400m) has been completed, and samples will be transported
to Bureau Veritas in Abidjan for fire assay analysis of all samples this week.
2. The Central Area: A northeast -trending alignment of seven gold anomalous soil samples (11 -
50dU) extends over 3.4km within a 20 km 2 area. Limited fire assay analysis returned soil samples
assaying 49ppb Au (PortablePPB 33 dU) and 49 ppb (PortablePPB 19dU). Infill sampling (400m x 400m)
has been completed, and samples will be transported to Bureau Veritas in Abidjan for fire assay analysis
of all samples this week. A geologist is also currently mapping and collecting rock -chip samples for
analysis.
3. The South East Corner: A favourable structural target located along contact of an interpreted
elliptical granite has been covered by higher density sampling even though broad -spaced 1km x 1km
soil samples did not return anomalous soil assays. Infill sampling (400m x 400m) has been completed,
and samples will be transported to Bureau Veritas in Abidjan for fire assay analysis of all samples this
week.
Figure 1. Zuénoula soil sampling progress and
exploration targets (3) on aeromagnetic image (RTP)
The Fifty -Five Area, located 1km north of the Central Area, is defined by four gold anomalous soil
samples over a strike length at 2.4 km. Infill (400 m x 400 m) soil sampling of a 10 km² area has been
completed along an interpreted northeast (NE) structural trend. All infill soil assay results are pending.
Infill sampling of the initial 13km2 Central Area has been completed on a 400 m × 400 m grid and
PortablePPB assays received (Figure 1). These results further increase the strike -length of the Central
Area gold anomalous cluster (trend) to 3.4km. The Central Area has now been expanded to 20km2 to
cover the NE -strike of this potential gold anomalous trend. Sampling has been completed and assay
results are pending.
Infill soil sampling of the South East Corner Area on a 400 m × 400 m grid to investigate a favourable
structural target located along the margin of an interpreted elliptical granite intruded into mafic
volcanics has also been completed. Assay results are pending.
All Fifty-five Area, Central Area and South East Corner infill soil samples will soon be delivered to
Bureau Veritas in Abidjan for fire assay determination of gold. Coherent gold anomalous zones defined
by these fire assay results will then be used to plan the final stage of infill, with soils collected on a 100m
× 50m grid. This density of sampling is required for target definition and drill hole planning.
About the Zuénoula Gold Project
The Stellar-MetalsGrove Zuénoula Gold Project is a joint venture exploration project between Stellar’s
Ivorian subsidiary Aucrest SARL (“Aucrest”) and MetalsGrove Mining Ltd. subsidiary, MetalsGrove CDI
Pty Ltd (MetalsGrove) to advance Stellar’s 395.78 sq uare kilometer early -stage exploration permit in
Côte d’Ivoire. The Zuénoula permit is strategically situated along the Abujar–Napié gold trend within
the Oumé–Fetekro Birimian greenstone belt in central Côte d’Ivoire, 100km north of the Abujar Gold
Mine and 160 km south of the Napié Gold Deposit.
Figure 2. Geology Map of the Central West Gold Project and Historical Exploration Results1
1 Historical BLEG results sourced from African Gold Limited Annual Report 2023; Historical Auger drilling result sourced fro m Ricca
Resources Limited Financial Report for half year ending 31 December 2021.
QA/QC
JORC Code, 2012 Edition – Table 1
Section 1- Sampling T echniques and Data
Criteria JORC Code Explanation Commentary
Sampling
Techniques
• Nature and quality of sampling (e.g.
cut channels, random chips, or
specific specialized industry standard
measurement tools appropriate to the
minerals under investigation, such as
down hole gamma sondes, or
handheld XRF instruments, etc.) These
examples should not be taken as
limiting the broad meaning of
sampling.
• Include reference to measures taken
to ensure sample representivity and
the appropriate calibration of any
measurement tools or systems used.
• Aspects of the determination of
mineralisation 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 Vavoua
PR-454.
Soil samples collected for Vavoua PR-454
are to be assayed by fire assay at Bureau
Veritas laboratory in Côte d’Ivoire, and
selected samples analyses by PortablePPB
at the SEMS field compound in Zuénoula.
SOIL SAMPLING STAGES
• Stage 1: Initial, permit-wide, broad-
spaced soil sampling on an 800m x 800m
grid
• Stage 2: Gold anomalous clusters and
trends defined by multiple anomalous soil
samples are then infilled with soil
samples collected on 400m x 400m grid.
• Stage 3: Coherent gold soil anomalies are
then infilled with soil samples collected
on a 100m x 50m grid
• All samples are to be analysed by fire
assay at Bureau Veritas laboratory in Côte
d’Ivoire, with selected samples analysed
by PortablePPB at the SEMS compound in
Zuénoula.
• The assay results from this higher-density
sampling (100m x 50m) permit trenching
and drilling to be planned.
SOIL SAMPLING PROCEDURES
• The highly experienced consulting group
SEMS Exploration Services (SEMS) has
been contracted by MGA to conduct the
soil sampling
• Up to 4 sampling crews may be active
• 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
• MGA provided SEMS Exploration Services
with an Excel table listing the designated
sample point locations using WGS-84
UTM zone 29N coordinates
• Each soil sample is collected from within
50 metres of the designated sample point,
with the actual sample point then
recorded
• 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) and with selected
samples also analysed by PortablePPB
(LDL ~6dU )
• Duplicate samples are collected every
20th sample, certified reference material
(CRM) inserted every 20th samples and
blanks inserted every 20th sample
• PortablePPB is a partial gold extraction
technique, whereas fire assay is a total
gold extraction technique
• Samples are processed and stored at the
secure SEMS field compound in
Zuénoula.
Drilling
Techniques
• Drill type (e.g. core, reverse
circulation, open-hole hammer, rotary
air blast, auger, Bangka, sonic, etc.)
and details (e.g. core diameter, triple
or standard tube, depth of diamond tails,
face-sampling bit or other type, whether core
is oriented and if so, by what method, etc).
• No drilling has been undertaken.
Drill Sample
Recovery
• Method of recording and assessing
core and chip sample recoveries and
results assessed.
• Measures taken to maximise sample
recovery and ensure representative
nature of the samples.
• Whether a relationship exists between
sample recovery and grade, and
whether sample bias may have
occurred due to preferential loss/gain
of fine/coarse material.
• No drilling has been undertaken.
Logging • Whether core and chip samples
have been geologically and
geotechnically logged to a level of
detail to support appropriate Mineral
Resource estimation, mining studies
and metallurgical studies.
• Whether logging is qualitative or
quantitative in nature. Core (or
costean, channel, etc.) photography.
• The total length and percentage of
the relevant intersections logged.
• No drilling has been undertaken.
• 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-sampling
Techniques
and Sample
Preparation
• If core, whether cut or sawn and
whether quarter, half or all core
taken.
• If non-core, whether riffled, tube
sampled, rotary split, etc. and
• No drilling has been undertaken.
• The 1000g -2mm soil fraction collected in
the field is riffle split at the SEMS field
compound in Zuénoula into two 500g
sub-samples
whether sampled wet or dry.
• For all sample types, the nature,
quality and appropriateness of the
sample preparation technique.
• Quality control procedures adopted
for all sub-sampling stages to
maximise representivity of samples.
• Measures taken to ensure that the
sampling is representative of the in-
situ material collected, including, for
instance, results for field
duplicate/second-half sampling.
• Whether sample sizes are appropriate
to the grain size of the material being
sampled.
• Selected 500g sub-samples are analysed
by PortablePPB
• All 500g sub-samples are analysed by fire
assay at Bureau Veritas in Abidjan
• The two 500g splits (sub-samples) of the
initial 1000g sample are obtained using a
riffle splitter to ensure adequate mixing of
the 1000g field sample.
Quality of
Assay Data and
Laboratory
Tests
• The nature, quality and
appropriateness of the assaying and
laboratory procedures used and
whether the technique is considered
partial or total.
• For geophysical tools,
spectrometers, handheld XRF
instruments, etc., the parameters
used in determining the analysis,
including instrument make and
model, reading times, calibration
factors applied, and
their derivation, etc.
• Nature of quality control procedures
adopted (e.g. standards, blanks,
duplicates, external laboratory
checks) and whether acceptable
levels of accuracy (i.e. lack of bias)
and precision have been established.
PORTABLE-PPB ANALYSIS
• Selected 500g sub-samples are analysed
using the patented detectORE™ process
developed by Portable PPB Pty Ltd in
Australia
• The process involves a partial extraction
using the safe, non-dangerous GLIX-20®
reagent that is akin to traditional BLEG
(which uses a cyanide leach)
• The 500g samples are added to the
reagent and tumbled for 12 hours, into
which the detectORE™ collector device
had been inserted
• After the bottle roll process has
completed, the collector device is
removed, washed, and dried prior to
reading on a Vanta M (VMR) pXRF loaded
with Evident/Olympus’s detectORE™
mode
• The entire process is managed using
Portable PPB’s Portable Lab Information
Management System (pLIMSTM), which
records all aspects of the sample
throughput, including QAQC and control
of the pXRF via the Application
Programming Interface to
Olympus/Evident’s co-developed
detectORE™ mode.
• Certified Collector Devices (CCDs)
supplied by PortablePPB with known
quantities of gold ranging from 0 -1000
ppb are used to check that the pXRF was
functioning correctly and that the
instrument settings were as intended.
One CCD serves as a blank.
• The pLIMS software confirmed the
instrument settings are correct and the
VMR is operating as expected, controlled
by the pLIMS API and Evident’s
detectORE™ firmware.
Verification of • The verification of significant • The detectORE™ process is checked in
Sampling and
Assaying
intersections by either independent
or alternative company personnel.
• The use of twinned holes.
• Documentation of primary data, data
entry procedures, data verification,
data storage (physical and electronic)
protocols.
• Discuss any adjustments to assay
data.
accordance with PortablePPB’s
recommended processes and
procedures. These include the insertion
of 400g reference materials (RMs).
• The RMs comprise mixtures of
commercial Certified Reference
Materials (CRMs) and barren regolith
material. The RMs are of known, but
uncertified gold concentration and are
used to check that the leach and collect
process has worked as intended during
the 12-hour bottle roll.
• RMs were inserted at a rate of 1 every 44
samples throughout the sample
batches. The RMs were checked against
Portable PPB’s cloud-based database
and passed within the accepted
tolerance ranges for the technique,
currently 20% (3 sigma).
• The pXRF instrument settings are
checked using a range of Certified
Collector Devices, which are used to
confirm the pXRF is operating as
expected. The pXRF spectral files are
reviewed by Portable PPB’s cloud and
SME procedures.
FIRE ASSAY ANALYSIS
• All samples are analysed for gold by fire
at Bureau Veritas laboratory in Cote
d’Ivoire
• The original 1000g -2mm sample
collected in the field is split into two
500g sub-samples using a riffle splitter.
One 500g sub-sample is kept as a
reference sample and may be used for
PortablePPB analysis. The second 500g
sub-sample is used for gold analysis by
fire assay (Lab Code: FE450, LDL 2ppb)
• At the laboratory, the 500g -2mm sub-
sample is dried and pulverised to 85%
passing 75 microns.
• 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.
• The bead is acid digested and analysed
by AAS, with a lower detection limit of
2ppb Au