Toronto, Ontario–(Newsfile Corp. – April 1, 2026) — The Dominican Republic’s Ministry of the Environment (MIMARENA) has renewed a drilling permit that allows Unigold to recommence exploration activity on the Neita Sur concession. At the same time, the company improved its financial flexibility after the exercise of 29,884,175 warrants expiring on March 31, 2026, bringing $8,965,253 into the treasury. The combined permit clearance and funding create the conditions to target extensions of the sulphide mineralization encountered in previous campaigns.
The permit renewal covers access to the multi-million ounce Candelones area, where a majority of the endowment is hosted in sulphide material and a smaller but economically attractive oxide component offers near-term development potential. Unigold controls the Neita Sur concession (9,990 Ha) and also holds the 10,902 Ha Neita Norte exploration concession. Under an earn-in agreement completed in early 2026, Barrick Gold can earn up to 60% of Neita Norte by spending a minimum of $12 million over eight years and delivering a pre-feasibility study, and an additional 20% by sole-funding a feasibility study within the subsequent four years.
Table of Contents:
Drilling background and significance
The company’s 2026 program focused on step-out holes designed to expand the known sulphide mineralization envelope. Those holes extended high-grade zones roughly 1,000 metres along strike to the west of the previously optimized open pit. The exploration approach used targeted placements based on structural interpretation west of the pit, and the renewed permit enables follow-up drilling to test both depth and strike continuity.
Notable 2026 intercepts and their context
Among the final step-out results from 2026, a 50-metre offset hole returned a high-grade interval of 16.0 metres averaging 10.78 g/t Au, 68.9 g/t Ag, 0.24% Cu and 2.35% Zn. That high-grade zone is contained within a broader 97.0 metre interval averaging 2.52 g/t Au, 12.1 g/t Ag, 0.12% Cu and 0.63% Zn. A separate drill hole positioned about 50 metres below these results reported an interval of 5.0 metres at 5.89 g/t Au, 2.2 g/t Ag, 0.29% Cu and 2.75% Zn inside a wider 30.0 metre zone averaging 2.31 g/t Au, 2.29 g/t Ag, 0.41% Cu and 0.83% Zn. Reported drill intervals are not necessarily true widths, and future drilling plans will seek to refine geometry and grade continuity.
Project economics and environmental pathway
Unigold previously completed a positive feasibility study for the oxide portion of Candelones (see Q4 2026 study). At a gold price of US$1,650/oz, the oxide project model returned an internal rate of return (IRR) of 44% with an estimated capital requirement of US$36 million. The company intends to advance oxide development while simultaneously exploring options to define and potentially develop the larger sulphide resource. To progress the oxide development route, Unigold will initiate the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) once the Terms of Reference are issued by MIMARENA.
Oxide development versus sulphide exploration
The strategic plan balances shorter-cycle value from the oxide reserve with longer-term upside from the extensive sulphide system. The oxide pathway is oriented toward near-term production, using the feasibility outputs to finalize permitting and financing, while the sulphide campaign aims to expand the resource footprint and improve geological confidence through targeted drilling now enabled by the renewed permit.
Financing, partnerships and next steps
The recent warrant exercises that closed on March 31, 2026 strengthened the company’s cash position with proceeds of $8,965,253, providing working capital to support renewed drilling and ongoing studies. Management emphasizes that the funding and permit are complementary: the permit unlocks field work, while the financing covers program mobilization and technical work. Joseph Hamilton, P.Geo., CEO of Unigold, has reviewed and approved the contents of this announcement and the company will publish further updates as drill programs, ESIA scheduling, and development planning are finalized.
Unigold has operated in the Dominican Republic since 2002 and reports ongoing support from local communities for its exploration and development activities. Interested parties should note that forward-looking statements in this release involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ. For more detailed technical information and company contact details, consult Unigold’s official filings and presentations.
