Argo Gold Inc. (CSE: ARQ) (OTC: ARBTF) entered into an agreement on February 18, 2026 to acquire a 100% interest in certain mineral claims known as the “Hurdman Silver-Zinc Project”. The Hurdman Silver-Zinc Project is located 120 km north of Timmins, Ontario, totals 2474 hectares covering known mineralization, as well as structural and geophysical targets that are considered prospective for additional silver and zinc mineralization. See Map 1.

The mineral claims are being purchased in exchange for the issuance to the vendors of 1,250,000 common shares of the Company to be issued at a deemed price CAD $12.5 cents per share. The common shares will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day from their date of issuance. Argo is also granting the vendors a small net smelter returns royalty in respect of the mineral claims comprising the Hurdman Silver-Zinc Project.

The Hurdman Silver-Zinc mineralization occurs 450 metres along strike as Silver-Zinc rich semi-massive to massive sulphides, dipping 15 to 25 metres north, within 150 metres of surface. Historical drill widths vary from 1 to 38 metres in true thickness, and the mineralization remains open in all directions. One significant drill intercept is 3.0% zinc and 12.1 g/t silver over 23.6 metres. There are also significant gold intercepts including 48.7 g/t Au over 0.5 metres and 2.5 g/t Au over 4.1 metres. There are numerous untested conductors and structural corridors that may host additional mineralization. Hurdman occurs at the juncture of the Quetico Metasedimentary Belt and the Kapuskasing Structural Zone and is considered to be an Archean Sedex type deposit.

National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure

The technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Michael Guo, who is a “Qualified Person” as defined in National Instrument 43-101. Historical geochemical, drilling results and geological descriptions quoted in this news release are from historical data, previous news releases, a technical report on Hurdman dated March 2018, and from information provided by the Government of Ontario. Management cautions that historical results or discoveries on adjacent or nearby mineral properties are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be achieved on Argo’s mineral properties.

Map 1: Hurdman Silver Zinc Project Mineral Claims and VTEM conductors

About Argo Gold Inc.

Argo Gold is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company, and an oil producer. Information on Argo Gold can be obtained from SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca and on Argo Gold’s website at www.argogold.com.