Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 26, 2026) - Zodiac Gold Inc. (TSXV: ZAU) (OTCQB: ZAUIF) (FSE: K19) ("Zodiac Gold" or the "Company"), a West African gold exploration company, is pleased to report positive trenching results that confirm a new priority drill target in its ongoing exploration of the Ben Ben to Youth Camp area at its flagship Todi Gold Project in Liberia.

Trenching Highlights:

• The Company has now successfully delineated a high-priority 700m long and up to 56m wide northwest-trending zone on the Ben Ben North area (Map 1) with potential for extension in both directions as demonstrated in other trenches.

• Following the return of broad intercepts from trenching—including a standout 56m at 0.40 g/t Au with multiple samples above 1g/t Au—Zodiac Gold has immediately mobilized a drill rig to test this target at depth:

• Trench BBT004: 56m at 0.40 g/t Au, including 1m at 1.21 g/t Au, 1m at 1.17 g/t Au, 1m at 1.09 g/t Au and 1m at 1.01 g/t Au (announced on April 20, 2026).

• Trench BBT009: 54m at 0.20 g/t Au.

• Trench BBT010: 26m at 0.28 g/t Au, including 1m at 1.59 g/t Au, and 6m at 0.28 g/t Au.

• Trench BBT012: 21m at 0.26 g/t Au and 30m at 0.22 g/t Au.

The broad mineralized zones identified across previously untested gold-in-soil anomalies substantially enhance the potential for a district-scale gold system along the 16km Arthington to Youth Camp areas, (now referenced as the "Monterra Trend") which already includes the Arthington discovery where 37 of 39 holes drilled intersected gold. Importantly, the trenching results at Ben Ben North are characterized not only by the presence of gold, but by the continuity and scale of the mineralized zones encountered. These wide, continuous zones of mineralization at surface, with higher-grade intervals, are considered highly encouraging at this early stage of exploration because they could represent the upper expression of higher-grade, robust, hydrothermal mineralized system at depth. When combined with adjacent artisanal alluvial gold workings and the broader structural Monterra Trend extending 16km from Arthington to Youth Camp, the results materially strengthen Zodiac Gold's interpretation that it is defining a district-scale gold system across the Todi Gold Project.

The new northwest-trending mineralized zone identified in trenching, with a strike length of 700m within the Monterra Trend, and consists of weathered amphibolite and gneiss units dipping south to southwest, reinforcing the interpretation that Ben Ben North shares the same geological setting as the Ben Ben South area and the Arthington discovery. These host rocks are known to be highly prospective and the extensive, deep-seated shearing of the regional-scale Todi Shear Zone has optimized the interaction of gold-rich fluids with the amphibolite and gneiss package found along the overall 16km trend.

Drilling Continues at Ben Ben South

A second drill rig continues to test the near-surface, shallow-dipping mineralization intersected in the Ben Ben South area, only 300m to the south of Ben Ben North area. Trenching in this area also returned broad mineralized zones, especially in BBT002 (30m at 1.24 g/t Au) and BBT005 (32m at 0.56 g/t Au), and follow-up drilling has confirmed continuity at depth (previously announced on May 13, 2026):

• BDD009 drilled beneath trench BBT002 intersected 17.65m at 0.81 g/t Au in fresh rock from 33m, including 1m at 5.67 g/t Au, 0.65m at 2.74 g/t Au, 1m at 1.33 g/t Au and 1m at 1.15 g/t Au.

• BDD006 drilled beneath trench BBT005 intersected 7.37m at 1.95 g/t Au in the oxide zone from 23.4m, including 2.37m at 3.24 g/t Au and 2m at 2.81 g/t Au.

• BDD005 drilled beneath an artisanal mining pit intersected 14.85m at 1.55 g/t Au in fresh rock from 51.4m, including 0.8m at 13.15 g/t Au, 0.93m at 5.82 g/t Au and 1.05m at 2.22 g/t Au.

Map 1: Trenching Results at the Ben Ben North Area, Todi Gold Project

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7932/298759_2ec58156540d18c1_001full.jpg

David Kol, President and CEO of Zodiac Gold, commented: "Following the announcement of our initial drilling results in the Ben Ben South area, delineating another target with a strike length of 700 metres and widths up to 56 metres provides us with an excellent starting point for drilling in the Ben Ben North area. What is particularly encouraging is the scale and continuity of the mineralization we are seeing at surface. These broad mineralized zones show the potential for a large hydrothermal system and may represent the upper expression of higher-grade mineralization at depth.

"The consistency of mineralization across multiple trenches, combined with higher-grade intervals within the broader envelopes, gives us increasing confidence that we are defining a significant district-scale gold system. With two rigs active and the potential to add a third, our 2026 program is designed to systematically test the Monterra Trend across the 16-kilometre corridor from Arthington to Youth Camp. First holes at Ben Ben North are underway, follow-up drilling continues at Ben Ben South, and complementary drone magnetic and LiDAR data will refine targeting on the remaining drill-ready areas. With steady news flow expected through the balance of the year, we believe the coming months will be a defining period for the Todi Gold Project."

3,600m of trenching and 14,000m of diamond drilling is being completed as part of the Company's 2026 exploration strategy targeting the 16km Monterra Trend from the Arthington discovery to Youth Camp. In addition, a drone-based magnetic and LiDAR survey is underway to further refine drill targeting and support a planned mineral resource estimation for late Q4 2026. Zodiac Gold has now completed 1,787m of trenching in its 2025 and 2026 trenching programs. Notable trench intersections are shown in Table 2.

Table 1: 2025-2026 trench collar data at the Ben Ben target

Table 2: Notable trench intersections at Ben Ben

Note that significant intersections have been determined as intervals above 0.1 g/t Au with a minimum length of 2m and a maximum of 2m of consecutive samples below 0.1 g/t Au. Further exploration is required to confirm the orientation of the mineralized zones and, as such, intervals are sampled lengths rather than true thicknesses.

Sampling and QA/QC Procedures

Following excavation, the walls of the trenches were cleaned and samples were taken at 1m intervals in channels along one wall, with care being taken to avoid contamination between samples. QA/QC procedures included the addition of blank and duplicate samples to the sample sequence, all of which returned acceptable results.

All samples met the standards for chain of custody without the opportunity for third party access from Zodiac Gold's exploration camp to the Liberia Geochemical Services Inc. sample preparation laboratory in Monrovia, Liberia. Each sample was dried and then crushed to 70% passing -2mm and a representative 1kg split was taken by riffle splitting. The split was then pulverized to 85% passing -75 micron and approximately 200g was bagged and labelled, with the remainder being returned to Zodiac Gold. Analysis was performed by 50g fire assay with an atomic absorption finish (method Au-AA26) at the ALS Geochemistry laboratory in Kumasi, Ghana. ALS Geochemistry is independent of Zodiac Gold and is accredited for method Au-AA26.

Qualified Person

Tom Dowrick, Director of Exploration at Zodiac Gold, is a Chartered Geologist of the Geological Society of London and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. He has reviewed and approved the technical and scientific information contained in this release.

About Zodiac Gold

Zodiac Gold Inc. (TSXV: ZAU) (OTCQB: ZAUIF) (FSE: K19) is a West-African gold exploration company focused on its flagship Todi Gold Project in Liberia—an underexplored, politically stable, mining friendly jurisdiction hosting several large-scale gold and iron ore deposits. Strategically positioned along the fertile Todi Shear Zone, Zodiac Gold is developing a district-scale gold opportunity with additional iron ore potential, covering a vast 2,316 km2 land package. The Todi Gold Project has undergone de-risking, showcasing proven gold occurrences at both surface and depth, with five drill-ready targets, of which two have been drilled delivering high-grade gold intercepts.

Forward Looking Information

This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation.

Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections, and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "forecast", "expect", "potential", "project", "target", "schedule", "budget" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's planned exploration programs and drill programs and potential significance of results are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Company's expectations include actual exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital, and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, uninsured risks, regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials, and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events, or results to differ from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause such actions, events, or results to differ materially from those anticipated. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and accordingly readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Neither 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.

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