Lander West Gold Soil Sampling Programme Commences

First Development Resources plc (AIM: FDR), the Australian-focused exploration company, announces the commencement of its priority soil-sampling programme across Red Handed, Red Hackle and part of the Giles target area at Lander West in the Northern Territory.

The programme will build on historical surface sampling and help assess the wider gold targets. Separately, the Company is planning Phase I, Stage II drilling to follow up the most prospective areas identified by Stage I.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Soil sampling underway: approximately 620 Priority 1 field stations are planned across Red Handed, Red Hackle and part of Giles.
• Wider target assessment: soil assays will be assessed with geology and geophysics to guide future exploration across these target areas.
• Stage I milestone: eight reverse circulation drill holes totalling 1,593 metres have been completed, confirming gold mineralisation in bedrock at Red Handed.
• Next steps: preparations for Stage II drilling are progressing to follow up the most prospective areas identified in Stage I. The drilling programme is independent of the soil results.

Tristan Pottas, Chief Executive Officer, commented:

“Completing Stage I drilling and confirming gold mineralisation in bedrock at Red Handed was an important milestone. The soil programme now underway will extend our surface dataset across three priority target areas.”

“In parallel, we are preparing Stage II drilling to follow up the most prospective Stage I intersections along strike and down dip. The aim will be to identify areas of higher gold grade and greater mineralised thickness, and to test whether the mineralisation is continuous. These separate programmes provide a clear sequence of fieldwork and results as exploration advances.”

SOIL SAMPLING PROGRAMME

FDR’s operational partner, Euro Exploration, has commenced the priority soil programme. Approximately 620 field stations are planned across Red Handed, Red Hackle and part of the Giles target area. Sampling lines cover gaps in historical coverage and areas around interpreted geological structures, magnetic features and previous drilling.

Quality-control samples will be included, bringing the expected laboratory submission to approximately 650 samples.

Laboratory analysis will include gold and associated elements, such as arsenic and antimony. The results will be considered alongside geological and geophysical information to guide subsequent exploration.

Figure 1: Priority soil-sampling stations across Red Handed, Red Hackle and part of the Giles target area.

PHASE I - STAGE II DRILLING

The Company has entered into an agreement with a drilling contractor for Phase I Stage II drilling at Red Handed. The programme will follow up the Stage I results reported in September 2026 and does not depend on the soil results. The drilling method, hole locations, depths and programme size are being finalised. Mobilisation remains subject to contractor availability and operational planning.

Drilling will test along strike and down dip from the more prospective Stage I intersections to assess gold grade, mineralised thickness and continuity. Geological interpretation will also inform the final hole design.

Both the soil sampling and Stage II drilling programmes will be funded from existing cash resources. The Company expects to update the market on the drilling plan and mobilisation schedule once finalised, and on results from each programme when available.

INITIAL PHASE I RESULTS AND RATIONALE

Stage I comprised eight reverse circulation (“RC”) drill holes for 1,593 metres. At Red Handed, hole 26LWR08 intersected 7m @ 0.40 g/t gold from 50m downhole, including 2m @ 0.98 g/t gold. The strongest gold response was in sulphide-bearing dolerite, a useful guide for follow-up drilling.

Historical hole RHB108 returned 16m @ 0.30 g/t gold from 12m downhole, including 2m @ 1.93 g/t gold. It is approximately 834 metres from 26LWR08. Continuity between the intersections has yet to be established; the gaps in surface sampling and drilling warrant further work.

Distribution: This announcement has been notified via a Regulatory Information Service and it is not authorised for distribution into North America or any other jurisdiction where to do so would constitute a violation of the relevant laws or regulations of that jurisdiction.