Desert Gold Provides Update on Barani East Gold Project Site Development Activities
Desert Gold Provides Update on Barani East
Gold Project Site Development Activities
Surrey, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2026) -
Desert Gold Ventures Inc. (TSXV:
DAU) (FSE: QXR2) (OTCQB: DAUGF) (the "Company")
is pleased to provide an update regarding
ongoing development activities at its fully permitted Barani East gold project in western Mali.
As outlined in prior news releases and supported by the Company's updated Preliminary Economic
Assessment ("PEA"), the Company is advancing the Barani East gold project through a staged
approach focused on infrastructure readiness, risk reduction and disciplined capital deployment. In line
with this approach, the Company has initiated a series of site preparations and infrastructure works that
will be completed in parallel with the manufacturing and delivery of a gravity processing plant and
equipment.
"These activities reflect our disciplined, phased approach to advancing the Barani East oxide gold
project," said Jared Scharf, President and CEO of Desert Gold. "Completing site preparation ahead of
plant delivery and installation will reduce execution risk and support efficient advancement of the project
as we progress. Our main goal is to advance the development timeline to commercial production as
expeditiously as possible."
Site Preparations and Infrastructure Activities
Current and planned activities include civil works and infrastructure development intended to prepare the
site for future plant installation and commissioning. These activities include, but are not limited to:
Site clearing, earthworks, and cut-and-fill activities
Upgrading access roads and construction of internal roads servicing the plant site, ROM pad,
waste areas, water infrastructure
Preparation of the ROM pad and processing plant platforms
Construction of plant foundations and associated structural works
Development of water supply infrastructure, including boreholes, pumping systems, and pipelines
to water storage facilities
Construction of water management structures, including ponds, diversion drains and spillways
Installation of drainage and environmental control measures
Installation of site utilities, security cameras and fencing and lighting
Construction and upgrading of site offices, control room facilities, and camp infrastructure
These works are intended to reduce future construction timelines and support efficient execution of
subsequent development phases.
Figure 1. (A) Final Pit Design for Barani; (B) Proposed Site Layout for Infrastructure (
Taken from recent
PEA published on Jan. 09, 2026
).
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4954/283470_2da86096f44448e6_001full.jpg
Processing Equipment Procurement
The Company has advanced procurement of a modular, gravity-based gold processing plant as part of
its phased development strategy. The selection and configuration of the processing equipment align with
the conceptual development framework evaluated in the Company's most recently completed PEA (see
news release dated November 25, 2025).
The initial processing plant configuration has been designed for a nominal throughput capacity of
approximately 10 tonnes per hour, subject to feed characteristics, commissioning performance and
operating constraints. The modular design allows for future expansion, with the overall circuit
conceptually capable of supporting increased throughput of up to approximately 50 tonnes per hour
under a staged development scenario. This is consistent with the concepts designed in the PEA and it is
management's intention to pursue this expansion strategy. Such expansion will be subject to further
technical evaluation, infrastructure availability and funding.
The processing equipment is currently under manufacture and is expected to be delivered to site
following completion of factory acceptance testing and applicable logistics milestones.
Following installation, initial activities will focus on equipment commissioning, operational readiness,
and metallurgical validation. As outlined in the PEA, gravity gold recoveries of approximately 68% were
achieved during the metallurgical test work conducted as part of the Company's PEA (see PEA filed on
SEDAR+ on January 9, 2026).
Material not recovered during gravity processing is planned to be stockpiled on site for potential future
processing. The PEA contemplates additional downstream processing, including carbon-in-leach
("CIL"), as part of a longer-term development scenario, subject to the availability of infrastructure and
funding. Metallurgical test work referenced in the PEA indicates that CIL processing has the potential to
achieve gold recoveries of up to approximately 92% under laboratory conditions, compared to gravity-
only processing. However, these results are preliminary in nature and may not be representative of
operating-scale performance (see PEA filed on SEDAR+ on January 9, 2026).
Table 1. Conceptual Metallurgical Recovery Assumptions for Barani East.
Processing Stage
Recovery
Basis
Gravity Recovery
~68%
PEA Metallurgical test work
Gravity + CIL (Conceptual)
~92%
PEA Metallurgical test work
Development Strategy
Desert Gold believes this phased development approach provides a practical and disciplined pathway
for advancing the Barani East gold project while maintaining capital efficiency. This strategy is intended
to allow the Company to continue progressing key development activities in a measured manner as
technical work advances and funding options are evaluated. The Company expects to provide updates
to the market as material milestones are achieved.
On Behalf of the Board,
"Jared Scharf"
___________________________
Jared Scharf
President & CEO
Additional Disclosure - Development and Economic Uncertainty
The Company cautions that the decision to advance site development activities and conduct
commissioning and metallurgical testing prior to the definition of Mineral Reserves involves significant
technical and economic uncertainty. As outlined in National Instrument 43-101 Companion Policy 43-
101CP, mineral projects that have not defined Mineral Reserves are considered to have a higher risk of
failure, and there is no assurance that the Project will be demonstrated to be economically viable. Key
risks include, but are not limited to, uncertainties related to metallurgical performance, operating costs,
gold recoveries, scale-up of processing infrastructure, logistics, and the availability of sufficient financing.
There is no certainty that further technical work will result in the declaration of Mineral Reserves or that
any future development scenario would be economically viable.
Qualified Person Statement
The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved
by Ty Magee (M.Sc., P. Geo), a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of
Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Magee is an advisor and consultant to Desert Gold Ventures and is
considered independent of the Company.
About Desert Gold
Desert Gold is a gold exploration company which controls properties in both Mali and Cote d'Ivoire. This
includes the 440km
2
SMSZ Project in western Mali as well as the newly optioned 297km
2
Tiegba gold
project in western Cote d'Ivoire within the prolific Birimian greenstone belt.
Contact
Jared Scharf, President and CEO
phone: +1 (604) 357-4726
www.desertgold.ca
This news release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements entail
various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected
in these forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on current expectations, are subject
to a number of uncertainties and risks, and actual results may differ materially from those contained in
such statements. These uncertainties and risks include, but are not limited to, the strength of the
capital markets, the price of gold; operational, funding, liquidity risks, the degree to which Mineral
Resource estimates are reflective of actual Mineral Resources, the degree to which factors which
would make a mineral deposit commercially viable, and the risks and hazards associated with mining
operations. Risks and uncertainties about the Company's business are more fully discussed in the
company's disclosure materials filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada and available
at
www.sedarplus.ca
and readers are urged to read these materials. The Company assumes no
obligation to update any forward-looking statement or to update the reasons why actual results could
differ from such statements unless required by law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its
regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange)
accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release does not
constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein in the
United States. The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the
United States securities act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States
or to the account or benefit of a U.S. person absent an exemption from the registration requirements
of such act.
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