Ms. Eira Thomas reports
NORTH ARROW DRILLS 9 M @1.23 G/T AU AND 7 M @ 1.99 G/T AU AT TARGET A, KRAAIPAN GOLD PROJECT, BOTSWANA
North Arrow Minerals Inc. has released assay results from Rotation 1 reverse circulation (RC) drilling at Target A and completed Rotation 2 RC drilling at targets AE and AF as part of the company's $2.3-million (U.S.) 2026 exploration program at the Kraaipan gold project (Kraaipan) in southern Botswana. Kraaipan is a significantly underexplored, gold-endowed system masked by shallow Kalahari sand cover that represents the direct northern extension of the Archean greenstone terrane hosting Harmony Gold's multimillion-ounce Kalgold mine, 40 kilometres to the south.
Key messages:
- Gold mineralization confirmed along approximately 700 metres of strike at Target A -- bedrock gold intercepts (greater than 0.5 gram per tonne gold) were returned in 12 of 20 RC holes spanning the four grids tested, validating the company's interpreted approximately 700-metre northeast-southwest corridor as a gold-bearing system. In addition, overburden samples from hole KR26-007 returned 29 g/t Au over two m at Grid 1 and KR26-001 returned an overburden sample of 2.13 g/t Au over three m at Grid 4. These overburden samples are interpreted to comprise a variable mix of Kalahari sands and locally derived bedrock material.
- Rotation 2 RC drilling (targets AE and AF) is complete -- 22 RC holes, totalling 1,198 m, have been drilled at targets AE (eight holes, 479 m) and AF (14 holes, 719 m), together with a total of 29 new surface rock samples taken at AF and AE from newly identified exposures of alteration and quartz veining in BIF host rocks. All samples collected have been delivered to ALS Johannesburg with results expected in six to seven weeks.
Chief executive officer commentary
Eira Thomas, chief executive officer of North Arrow, stated: "Rotation 1 drilling at Kraaipan has successfully confirmed that gold mineralization is present along the full [approximately] 700 m of interpreted strike at Target A, the first of our target areas planned for RC drill testing at in 2026. RC drilling returned encouraging, anomalous bedrock gold intercepts in excess of 0.5 g/t in 12 of 20 holes, further supporting broad gold endowment within the target area; this drilling has not provided us with enough data to confidently define the vein orientations controlling the gold mineralization. We intend to undertake further structural mapping and reinterpretation, followed by targeted redrilling at revised azimuths to help lock in structural controls and host lithologies' contacts. With Rotation 2 RC drilling already complete at targets AE and AF and the regionally scoped Rotation 3 commencing this month, we are advancing the program on a steady cadence across multiple high-priority, gold-bearing areas identified in 2025 along this highly prospective, underexplored 60-kilometre-long greenstone belt."
Rotation 1 drilling -- Target A
Rotation 1 was completed between March 3 and March 22, 2026, and comprised 20 angled RC holes totalling 1,103 m across four grids along the interpreted approximately 700-metre NE-SW strike of Target A. Grids 1 to 3 was drilled at a 290-degree azimuth and 60-degree dip; Grid 4 was drilled at a 270-degree azimuth and 60-degree dip. All assay results have been received from ALS Johannesburg.
Rotation 1 summary
The Rotation 1 results suggest that gold mineralization is not continuously present along the overall strike and dip of the mineralized trend at Target A, and additional structural analysis is required as highlighted by the following observations:
- Adjacent holes returned variable results; for example, KR26-006 returned no significant assays despite being located between four mineralized holes at Grid 1, and five of nine holes at Grid 3 returned no significant Au (0.5 g/t Au) despite being drilled in vicinity of KR26-012 (nine m at 1.23 g/t Au).
- An undercut of KR26-012 (KR26-017) failed to repeat the intersection, and current drilling did not establish dip continuity around the flagship KR25-157 (30 m at 1.56 g/t Au, 2025) intercept at Grid 3, although KR26-012 with nine m at 1.23 g/t Au (12 to 21 m) does provide strike continuity.
- Grid 4 did not intersect a bedrock source for the 68.5 g/t Au surface sample, with only one hole returning a narrow one m at 0.79 g/t Au (KR26-001 25 to 26 m). An intercept of three m at 2.13 g/t Au was returned from overburden.
These observations suggest the possibility that gold mineralization may be hosted in a series of shoots with plunge directions that are oblique to the overall strike and dip of the mineralized trend. As outlined below, further work is planned to better constrain the orientation and structural controls on mineralization at Target A as well as the better exposed targets AE and AF, drilled in the recently completed Rotation 2 program.
Rotation 2 drilling -- targets AE and AF (complete)
Rotation 2 RC drilling at targets AE and AF was completed on schedule. A total of 22 holes (1,198 m) were drilled: eight holes (479 m) at Target AE tested an approximately 250 m extent of this south-southwest-north-northeast mineralized trend and 14 holes (719 m, with one hole abandoned) at Target AF across three grids spanning the greater-than-450-metre north-south mineralized trend. Field logging of RC chips confirms quartz veining, weathered sulphides and a host-rock assemblage consistent with that observed in 2025 drilling. An additional 29 surface rock samples were collected along strike at AE and AF, including newly identified parallel structures at Target AE. All RC and surface samples are now at ALS Johannesburg; results are expected in July.
Next steps:
- Rotation 3 will consist of vertical RC drilling targeting new regional opportunities under Kalahari cover identified through geophysical and structural interpretation. Between 40 and 60 shallow holes are planned to test the base of the Kalahari cover and the upper five to 10 m of bedrock. This rotation will be undertaken in two stages, with an initial three-week program starting in mid-June, followed by a second program tentatively planned to start in late July.
- Surface prospecting and soil sampling are under way and focused on areas north of Target AE, infill between Target A and Target AF, and a soil grid south of Target A. The program is expected to be complete by late June.
- Detailed structural mapping and interpretation incorporating results to date and mapping of new outcrop exposures will better constrain the trend and structural controls on mineralization at all three targets tested to date.
- Rotation 4 will consist of follow-up drilling based on results from rotations 1 and 2. This rotation will include core drill holes and options for oriented core are being investigated. Holes will be planned with mapping and drilling data to better constrain the nature, continuity and geometry of the gold mineralization.
About the Kraaipan gold project
The Kraaipan project comprises approximately 724 square kilometres of mineral concessions covering the entire approximately 60-kilometre northern extension of the Kraaipan greenstone belt, a highly prospective Archean greenstone terrain straddling the Botswana-South Africa border. Over 80 per cent of the northern portion of the belt is covered by Kalahari sands, which have seen limited past exploration. The South African portion of the belt hosts numerous mineral occurrences, including Harmony Gold's Kalgold mine, a multimillion-ounce, banded-iron-formation-hosted gold operation located 40 kilometres to the south that has been in continuous production for over 30 years.
North Arrow can earn up to an 80-per-cent interest in the Kraaipan project from Rockman Resources through a first option to earn 60 per cent by investing $5-million (U.S.) over three years ($1-million (U.S.) firm commitment achieved), and a second option, at Rockman's election, to earn an additional 20-per-cent upon completion of a preliminary economic assessment. North Arrow's partner, Rockman Resources, through its operator, Mineral Services, leverages over 25 years of operational experience in Botswana, together with proprietary technologies including high-resolution UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) magnetics, a mobile RC drilling platform optimized for Kalahari conditions and in-house sample preparation.
Sampling, laboratory analyses and quality assurance/quality control
RC and surface rock samples collected in the field were driven to Mineral Services' facility in Gaborone to be sorted and prioritized for assay. Samples were allocated unique random sample numbers, sealed and shipped to ALS's laboratory in Johannesburg, South Africa, using industry-standard chain-of-custody protocols. Following an initial coarse crush (CRU-21), the entire sample is then pulverized (PUL-21) to better than 85 per cent passing a 75-micron screen prior to geochemical analysis. All samples are analyzed for gold by fire assay with an ICP-AES finish, method code Au-ICP22 (50-gram sample). Samples returning gold values over 10 parts per million are subjected to ore-grade check assays using fire assay and a gravimetric finish using method code Au-GRA22 (50-gram sample). Samples are also subjected to lithium borate fusion and acid digestion for whole-rock analysis of major and trace elements by ICP-AES (major elements) and ICP-MS (trace elements); method codes ME-ICP06 and ME-MS81, respectively. In addition, a suite of base metals and other trace elements not included in the ME-MS81 method are analyzed by ICP-AES on four-acid digestion (method code ME-4ACD81).
QA/QC protocols include ALS laboratory's own internal quality assurance controls as well as Rockman's field controls, including the insertion of duplicates and certified reference materials (CRMs), each at a rate of roughly one per 20 samples. QA/QC data are evaluated on receipt for failures, and appropriate action is taken if results for duplicates, CRMs and blanks fall outside allowed tolerances.
About North Arrow Minerals Inc.
North Arrow Minerals is a Vancouver-based exploration company focused on evaluating the Kraaipan gold project. Management and advisers bring significant global exploration and mining experience. North Arrow's exploration programs are conducted under the direction of Dr. John Armstrong, PhD, PGeo (Northwest Territories/Nunavut), president and chief operating officer of North Arrow and a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Dr. Armstrong has reviewed and approves the contents of this press release.
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