East Star Resources Confirms Deep Mineralisation at Verkhuba

East Star Resources Plc (LSE:EST) announced positive drilling results from its Verkhuba Copper Deposit on December 31, 2025, potentially unlocking future growth.

The drilling program targeted both deep resources defined by historical data and shallow areas outside the 2024 resource model, yielding encouraging results that could refine the deposit model.

The drilling successfully intersected deep intervals of zinc-copper mineralisation and identified a shallow extension of mineralisation to the north. These findings support the area of study for the 2026 joint venture with Hong Kong Xinhai Mining Services Limited (“Xinhai”), moving the project closer to development.

Three drill holes tested the deep resources, intersecting significant intervals of zinc-lead and copper mineralisation. Drill hole VU_25_DD_009 showed 17.90m @ 0.66 % Zn and 0.10 % Cu from 307m. This infills the drill spacing in the central deep ore body to approximately 120m, improving resource definition. VU_25_DD_010 confirmed the presence of a fault cutting and displacing the ore body, highlighting the need for further drilling in areas with wider drill spacing.

Four holes were drilled into the shallower resources, with VU_25_DD_011 showing significant mineralisation at 74.50 m containing 2.00m @ 0.93 % Zn, 0.08 % Cu and 0.17 % Pb. Additional geological information is required to fully understand the distribution of mineralisation in these shallow intervals.

Driver Breakdown:

• Deep Resource Confirmation: Drilling validated the thickness and grade of the ore bodies in the central part of the deposit.
• Shallow Extension: Identification of a northern extension of shallow mineralisation opens up potential for resource expansion.
• Joint Venture Synergies: The confirmed area of study with Xinhai sets the stage for future feasibility studies and mining licence applications.

Alex Walker, East Star CEO, commented: “This drill programme was designed to test large distances between drill holes in the deeper part of the resource and a potential northern extension to the shallower part of the resource in the southwest.

“We intersected mineralisation at depth and an additional shallower ore lens, while also finding a continuation of the shallow mineralisation to the north. These are important results for the future study work at Verkhuba and have helped us to confirm the area of study for 2026 with Xinhai, who are farming into the project.

“These advances at Verkhuba will refine the deposit model and continue moving it closer to development. Lenses and stringer veinlets of sulphides logged in the core provide further evidence of massive sulphides at Verkhuba and we plan to test this in 2026 along with drilling the shallower resources with Xinhai to inform the feasibility study and mining licence application.”

East Star's plans for 2026 include further drilling of the shallower resources in partnership with Xinhai, as well as a ground EM survey to explore the potential for undiscovered massive sulphides. These activities are designed to inform the feasibility study and mining licence application, moving the Verkhuba project closer to production.