Challenger West Assays Return Grades up to 60g/t Au

Shallow, high-grade mineralisation in floor of existing open pit

HIGHLIGHTS

• 8,065m reverse circulation (RC) Resource upgrade drilling recently completed at Challenger ‘Main', ‘Challenger West' (CW) open pits, and ‘Challenger South-Southwest' (CSSW) and ‘Challenger 3' targets

• Recent Challenger's ‘Main' assays identified new high-grade mineralisation in open pit walls; new Challenger West assays confirm high-grade mineralisation in the pit's floor, and include:

• Assays pending for CSSW and Challenger 3 targets (along strike of ‘Main' and ‘West' pits)

• Challenger DFS underway targeting a viable, simplified ‘baseline' Stage 1 operation to underwrite restart of CGM and maximise Challenger, Tarcoola, Wudinna and Tolmer development optionality

ADELAIDE, AU / ACCESS Newswire / April 21, 2026 / Barton Gold Holdings Limited (ASX:BGD)(OTCQB:BGDFF)(FRA:BGD3) (Barton or Company) is pleased to announce further assay results from recent drilling at its South Australian Challenger Gold Project (Challenger).

Challenger is the site of the Company's fully permitted Central Gawler Mill (CGM). A Definitive Feasibility Study (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.

Barton has recently published assays from the Challenger ‘Main' pit, with grades up to 170 g/t Au confirming the discovery of new zones of high-grade mineralisation in the open pit walls. The latest assays come from the adjacent ‘Challenger West' pit, and confirm high-grade mineralisation in the pit floor in assays up to 60 g/t Au.

Full details can be accessed in the complete announcement on the ASX website or directly by clicking here.

Commenting on the Challenger West assay results, Barton Managing Director Alexander Scanlon said:

"Following the discovery of new mineralised zones grading up to 170 g/t Au at Challenger's main open pit, we are pleased to share new assays confirming high-grade mineralisation in the immediate floor of the Challenger West pit.

"These shallow materials regularly grade between 5 - 20 g/t Au, and up to 60 g/t Au, and can be accessed by simple excavation to supplement other Challenger feed sources and increase the overall grade profile of mill feed materials.

"This kind of on-pit, near-surface mineralisation adjacent to our existing Central Gawler Mill provides ideal low-risk feed to de-risk an operational restart at Challenger. We look forward to sharing further Challenger assays soon."

Authorised by the Managing Director of Barton Gold Holdings Limited.

For further information, please contact:

About Barton Gold

Barton Gold is an ASX, OTCQB and Frankfurt Stock Exchange listed Australian gold developer targeting future gold production of 150,000ozpa with 2.2Moz Au & 3.1Moz Ag JORC Mineral Resources (79.9Mt @ 0.87g/t Au), brownfield mines, and 100% ownership of the region's only gold mill in the renowned Gawler Craton of South Australia.*

Competent Persons Statement & Previously Reported Information

The information in this announcement that relates to the historic Exploration Results and Mineral Resources as listed in the table below is based on, and fairly represents, information and supporting documentation prepared by the Competent Person whose name appears in the same row, who is an employee of or independent consultant to the Company and is a Member or Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM), Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG) or a Recognised Professional Organisation (RPO). Each person named in the table below has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and types of deposits under consideration and to the activity which he has undertaken to quality as a Competent Person as defined in the JORC Code 2012 (JORC).

The information relating to historic Exploration Results and Mineral Resources in this announcement is extracted from the Company's Prospectus dated 14 May 2021 or as otherwise noted, available from the Company's website at www.bartongold.com.au or on the ASX website www.asx.com.au. The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the Exploration Results and Mineral Resource information included in previous announcements and, in the case of estimates of Mineral Resources, that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates, and any production targets and forecast financial information derived from the production targets, continue to apply and have not materially changed. In accordance with ASX Listing Rule 5.19.2, the Company further confirms that the material assumptions underpinning any production targets and the forecast financial information derived therefrom continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company confirms that the form and context in which the applicable Competent Persons' findings are presented have not been materially modified from the previous announcements.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This document may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "expect", "target" and "intend" and statements than an event or result "may", "will", "should", "would", "could", or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions. Forward-looking information is subject to business, legal and economic risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among other things, risks relating to property interests, the global economic climate, commodity prices, sovereign and legal risks, and environmental risks. Forward-looking statements are based upon estimates and opinions at the date the statements are made. Barton undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements for events or circumstances that occur subsequent to such dates or to update or keep current any of the information contained herein. Any estimates or projections as to events that may occur in the future (including projections of revenue, expense, net income and performance) are based upon the best judgment of Barton from information available as of the date of this document. There is no guarantee that any of these estimates or projections will be achieved. Actual results will vary from the projections and such variations may be material. Nothing contained herein is, or shall be relied upon as, a promise or representation as to the past or future. Any reliance placed by the reader on this document, or on any forward-looking statement contained in or referred to in this document will be solely at the readers own risk, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty thereof.

* Refer to Barton Prospectus dated 14 May 2021 and ASX announcement dated 8 September 2025. Total Barton JORC (2012) Mineral Resources include 1,049koz Au (39.7Mt @ 0.82 g/t Au) in Indicated category and 1,186koz Au (40.2Mt @ 0.92 g/t Au) in Inferred category, and 3,070koz Ag (34.5Mt @ 2.80 g/t Ag) in Inferred category as a subset of Tunkillia gold JORC (2012) Mineral Resources.

SOURCE: Barton Gold Holdings Limited

This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 6:39 PM with the headline "Challenger West Assays Return Grades up to 60g/t Au ."