Ongwe Minerals Reports Expansion of Manga Bedrock Anomaly, Increasing Grades and Width to the East, Omatjete Gold Project, Namibia

Highlights:

• Bedrock sampling at Manga indicates eastward continuation of mineralization under thick calcrete cover with the current defined mineralization stretching over 2km.
• Mineralization widens and remains open towards the east, with increasing bedrock assay results underneath thick calcrete cover indicating potential to improve the overall size, quality and economic discovery potential of the Manga prospect.
• Bedrock sampling program extended in order to continue to trace the mineralization eastwards under calcrete cover.
  
  

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ongwe Minerals Inc. (TSXV: OGW) (“Ongwe” or “the Company”) is pleased to report on results from the Manga prospect bedrock drilling program currently ongoing at the Omatjete Gold Project, which is one of Ongwe’s three flagship Namibian gold Projects, namely Omatjete, Khorixas and the Outjo Gold Project.

Fire assay results for bedrock samples from Manga have been received. The assay results received range from background to a highest value of 470ppb with 20 samples over 100ppb (see Figure 3). The mineralization increases in grade and width towards the east with line 13 (most eastern completed line) having mineralization over 80m in width greater than 200ppb.

Bedrock drilling at the Manga gold prospect has now confirmed a well defined, 2km long, in-situ gold anomaly with the rig still active at the eastern extension of the Manga prospect (see Figure 2). Moreover, the bedrock sampling program has revealed that the highest grade soil anomaly does not directly correlate with the highest grade bedrock anomaly and that the in-situ mineralization increases eastward of the main soil anomaly.

Dave Underwood, Ongwe’s CEO commented: "The latest results from the Manga target confirm our expectation that the mineralization continues to the east under thick calcrete cover. The surface soil anomaly dissipates towards the east, however by using the well proven bedrock sampling technique we have been able to define a significant expansion of mineralization at the Manga prospect under cover.

When the Manga surface discovery was first made in late 2024, a series of scout RC holes were drilled across the centre of the anomaly, which intercepted wide, low-grade mineralization. It is now clear that these holes were drilled more than 1km west of the start of higher-grade mineralization.

This is an exciting development, and we’ve decided to extend the bedrock sampling program to keep chasing the mineralization which is hidden under soil & calcrete cover. We will also test blind magnetic targets now that we know there is thick calcrete cover (>10m) in some areas.

As VP Exploration at Osino Resources between 2016 and 2024, we pioneered and successfully used this exploration technique which ultimately resulted in the large-scale Twin Hills gold discovery.

Just like at Manga, there was low grade gold mineralization at surface which disappeared along strike under thick calcrete cover. The larger shoots of higher grade, economic mineralization at Twin Hills were found between 2.5 and 5km along strike using bedrock sampling and detailed magnetics, just like we are doing at Ongwe.”

Figure 1: Regional map illustrating the location of the Manga Target and the Kokoseb Gold Deposit (WIA Gold), highlighting the primary structural control of the Okondeka Fault System.

Manga Bedrock Sampling Program

The bedrock sampling program was started at the beginning of March at the western end of the Manga soil anomaly (see Figure 2). Vertical holes are drilled through the alluvial and calcrete cover to sample the bedrock beneath. Two samples are collected in each hole, a 1m sample of the cover - bedrock transition and a second 1m sample of bedrock.

These samples are initially screened using the Company’s in-house detectORE™ method (see Assay Technique below) and all assays above 20 detectable units are subsequently sent to MSALABS in Omaruru for Fire Assay.

The Manga bedrock sampling program includes 387 holes on 13 lines to date and further lines have been added to follow the mineralization under cover to the east. The calcrete cover increases in thickness from Line 9 heading east with an average thickness of 10m and a maximum thickness of 15m (see Figure 2).

The plan is to keep moving east until we have closed off the mineralization. In addition, we have added two lines to test blind magnetic anomalies to the south of the known Manga mineralization.

Manga Bedrock Sampling Assays

Fire Assay results have been received for all anomalous holes drilled to date with the rig still active at the eastern extension of Manga. The assay results received range from background to a highest value of 470ppb with 20 samples over 100ppb.

The mineralization increases in grade and width towards the east with Line 13 (most eastern completed line) having mineralization over 80m in width greater than 200ppb Au (see Figure 3).

The surface soil anomaly fades rapidly east of Line 12 where the calcrete gets thicker than 10m (see Figure 2), but the bedrock mineralization continues and appears to be getting stronger.

Bedrock sampling has also refined the in-situ anomaly to a much tighter and well-defined zone of mineralization compared to the broadly dispersed surface anomaly. This will make follow up diamond drilling more efficient with the ability to target more precisely.

Figure 2: Manga bedrock sampling collars plotted over the gold in soil heat map.

Figure 3: Manga bedrock sampling assays plotted as a heat map. Blue colours are plotted in detectable units (dU) as reported from the in-house detectORE™ lab (see Assay Technique below) with all other colours plotted in parts per billion (ppb) as reported from the MSALABS using fire assay.

Regional Exploration Update

Ongwe Minerals has three flagship gold projects in Namibia and a dominant land position in the emerging and highly prospective Northwest Damara Gold Belt, comprising the following:

• The Omatjete Gold Project (151,800ha) which contains the Manga prospect, an orogenic gold systems 40km along strike from the recently discovered Kokoseb gold deposit (WIA Gold).
• The Khorixas Gold Project (154,000ha) which includes the Belmont Prospect, an orogenic gold system with a surface footprint of 12km x 6km and numerous high grade rock chips at surface.
• The Outjo Gold Project (46,000 ha) which is along strike from Osino’s Eureka Gold Discovery and occupies a geological setting similar to that of the Eureka Discovery.
  
  

The Company has completed a total of 3,766m of RC bedrock sampling at the Manga prospect, bringing the total RC drilling across the Belmont and Manga prospects to 7,736m. Drilling at Manga is now focused on extending the anomaly to the east under thick calcrete cover.

The Company also has multiple teams in the field collecting regional soil samples on the greater Omatjete Project to the east of Manga. A recently completed structural analysis is being used to prioritize the sampling program on this very large licence package covering 150,000ha. Soil samples are collected on a 200 x 200m grid except over the large granitic bodies.

Assay Technique

The Company utilized the detectORE™ analytical technique, designed to enable the measurement of trace gold concentrations in geological samples using a portable X-Ray Fluorescence (pXRF) instrument. This process overcomes the traditional limitations of gold analysis by pXRF including low gold concentrations and metal peak interference. The method involves leaching 250g of sieved material in a sealed pouch with 500ml of GLIX-20™ lixiviant and a Collector Device (CD). Following a 16-hour tumble in a Maxi Mixer barrel to dissolve the gold, the CD is removed, rinsed, and analyzed for 150 seconds using detectORE™ mode firmware.

This partial analysis technique is managed through pLIMS™ software with strict QAQC protocols to identify relative gold anomalism. The detectORE™ gold technique is designed for rapid on-site assessment and is not used for the formal quantification of gold content or the estimation of Mineral Resources. An extensive orientation program was carried out before putting the detectORE™ methodology into production by comparing soil, calcrete and rock chip sample assays with Aqua Regia and FireICP. The detectORE™ system performed extremely well and identified the same anomalies as the laboratory techniques in all conditions.

As part of the current exploration program, all bedrock samples undergo an initial in-house analysis using the detectORE™ technique. Any samples returning a value equal to or greater than 20 detectable Units (dU) are prioritized for formal verification via Fire Assay at the MSALAB facility in Omaruru, Namibia, which is underway. The Fire Assay procedure involves drying and splitting the sample to 1kg, followed by crushing to 2mm. A 250g sub-sample is then pulverized to 85% passing 75 microns, from which a final 50g aliquot is taken for Fire Assay with an Atomic Absorption (AA) finish.

Quality Assurance / Quality Control

All Ongwe’s sample assay results have been independently monitored through a quality assurance / quality control ("QA/QC") program including the insertion of blind standards, blanks, and field duplicate samples. The Company maintains rigorous monitoring for both in-house and laboratory analyses to ensure data reliability. For the detectORE™ process, which provides rapid on-site assessment of gold anomalism, a Certified Reference Material (CRM) sample is inserted every 15 samples to monitor the performance of the pXRF instrument and the leaching efficiency. For the formal Fire Assay verification conducted at MSALABS, a CRM is inserted every 30 samples. This laboratory procedure involves precise pulverization and a 50g fire assay with an Atomic Absorption (AA) finish to provide formal quantification for prioritized bedrock samples.

About Ongwe Minerals Inc.

Ongwe Minerals Inc. is a Canadian listed gold exploration company focused on the discovery and advancement of new gold systems in Namibia. The Ongwe team, previously with Osino Resources (sold to Shanjin International for CAD$368M), has a history of making and advancing gold discoveries in Namibia, including Osino’s Twin Hills (currently in construction) and Eureka deposits, and the advancement and sale of Auryx Gold’s Otjikoto gold deposit (in production, sold to B2Gold for CAD$180M).

The Company’s current focus is on three promising gold projects in the emerging Northwest Damara gold belt, with a focus on the Omatjete and Khorixas Gold Projects.

The Omatjete Gold Project is strategically located along the regional Okondeka Fault Zone, which also hosts the Kokoseb gold deposit (WIA Gold). Early surface work by Ongwe has led to the discovery of the Manga Gold Prospect which has a 4.5km x 1km footprint of gold in soil and early scout drilling indicating gold in bedrock. This area has significant growth potential and work is ongoing to define the strike extent of the Manga discovery along the Okondeka Fault Zone.

The Khorixas Gold Project is situated just 60km west of Osino's Eureka gold project, adjacent to the northern margin of the Damara Orogenic Belt. Khorixas hosts two large-scale surface discoveries called Belmont and K17. The Belmont prospect has a surface gold footprint of approximately 12 × 6km and lies between the regional scale, basin margin, Khorixas Fault and the Belmont Thrust Zone. Calcrete and grab sampling to date have indicated eighteen target areas.

Qualified Person

Carl Joone, BSc. (Hons) is the President and Co-Founder of Ongwe Minerals Inc. and is a registered Professional Natural Scientist with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (Pr. Sci. Nat. No. 172695) and a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101. Carl has verified all the data disclosed by plotting and verifying against raw data received. Carl has also reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
“Dave Underwood”
Chief Executive Officer

CONTACT INFORMATION
Ongwe Minerals Inc.   Dave Underwood, Chief Executive Officer Email: dave@ongweminerals.com	Ongwe Minerals Inc Carl Joone, President & Co-Founder Email: carl@ongweminerals.com

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Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the use of proceeds from the Company's future plans or prospects of the Company, including prospects for discovery of mineral resources, the results of future exploration programs, and economic recoverability of mineral resources. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to business, market and economic risks, uncertainties and contingencies that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Other factors which could materially affect such forward-looking information are described in the risk factors in the Company's most recent annual management's discussion and analysis which is available on the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

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