• KEY MILESTONE DEM APPROVAL - Pacgold has received approval to commence utilisation of the recently relined Pregnant Leach Solution (PLS) pond and commence irrigation of the heap leach dump
• PAD TURNOVER ADVANCING - A large excavator has been mobilised to site and commenced the turnover of approximately 500,000T of original run of mine (ROM) ore on the first lift of the heap leach dump
• DRILLING ADVANCING - 2,700m of RC drilling at the Vertigo pit already completed with initial assay results expected post the Christmas break in mid-January

Pacgold Ltd (ASX: PGO) has announced that it has received approval to commence utilisation of the recently relined Pregnant Leach Solution (PLS) pond and commence irrigation of the heap leach dump at the White Dam Gold Project in South Australia. This is a key milestone in the company's efforts to restart gold production at the recently acquired project. Irrigation and dripper lines are being installed on recently turned over run of mine material on the northern side of the pad this week, and full irrigation is scheduled to begin in the last week of December. Additionally, a large 120T excavator has been mobilised to site and has commenced the turnover of approximately 500,000 tonnes of original run of mine (ROM) ore on the first lift of the heap leach dump. This turnover process aerates, breaks up and exposes ore to irrigation fluid which previously may not have been fully leached, providing a low-cost first pass trial to evaluate the potential for additional recovery of existing stacked ore.The company's exploration activities are also progressing well, with 2,700m of RC drilling already completed at the Vertigo pit. Initial assay results from this drilling are expected in mid-January 2026 after the Christmas break. The initial focus of the 7,000m drilling program is to upgrade Inferred Resources to the Indicated category at the Vertigo pit, enabling an updated Mineral Resource Estimate and supporting the production restart.Pacgold's Managing Director, Matthew Boyes, commented that the approval to utilise the newly relined PLS pond is another key milestone in returning the White Dam operation to full production. He expressed confidence in the excellent team on site and stated that 2026 is shaping up to be an outstanding year for the company on many fronts, from mine production through to exploration in northern Queensland and South Australia.

Pacgold expects to commence full-scale irrigation of the heap leach pad at the White Dam Gold Project before the end of 2025, which will support the restart of gold production at the operation.

Pacgold is focused on advancing the White Dam Gold Project towards production, with a 7,000m drilling program underway to upgrade the Mineral Resource Estimate and support the restart. The company is also progressing exploration activities at its other projects in Queensland and South Australia.