Stardust Commissions Updated NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate at Omega Gold Project in Kirkland Lake District of Ontario

Highlights:

• Omega's Updated MRE to incorporate new drilling and higher gold prices, targeting depth and strike extensions at a deposit surrounded by Agnico Eagle, Pan American Silver and Gold Candle.

• Historical 2013 mineral resource estimate outlined 219,800 oz Au Indicated based on 4.92 Mt at 1.39 g/t, and 365,400 oz Au Inferred based on 4.69 Mt at 2.43 g/t, completed at gold prices a fraction of today's levels.

• Approximately 60 additional historical drill holes to be digitized and added to the database, supplementing the existing 184 holes validated.

• Orix Geoscience engaged to complete database compilation, digitization, and validation.

• Omega sits immediately adjacent to assets held by Agnico Eagle, Pan American Silver, and Gold Candle, confirming the district's enduring strategic importance.

• Abitibi-style deposits characteristically grow at depth and along strike, the updated MRE is designed to provide insights to test this potential.

• Updated MRE expected to be completed during summer 2026; along with the McGarry tailings and Kirkland West projects, Omega gives Stardust an enviable land package in a world-class gold district.

Toronto, May 13, 2026 - Stardust Metal (CSE: ZIGY) ("Stardust" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the commencement of database compilation, digitization and validation work for an updated NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") for its 100% owned Omega Project, located on the Cadillac Break near Kirkland Lake, Ontario. The updated MRE is expected to be completed during the summer of 2026.

Stardust Metal on the Cadillac Break - Figure 1

The Omega Project: A Deposit in a World-Class Address

The Omega Project is located on the Larder Lake-Cadillac Break, one of the most prolific gold-bearing structural corridors in the world. The Break has hosted some of Canada's largest gold mines and continues to attract major producers. Omega sits in immediate proximity to assets held by Agnico Eagle, Pan American Silver, and Gold Candle, a neighbourhood that validates the district's geological endowment and underscores the strategic relevance of Stardust's land position. The Kirkland Lake camp has seen accelerating consolidation activity as senior and mid-tier producers seek to build scale along the Break, and the Company believes an updated, well-supported MRE will better position Omega within that competitive landscape.

A well-established characteristic of Abitibi Greenstone Belt deposits is their tendency to remain open, and often to grow materially, both at depth and along strike. The Omega mineralization, which remains open in multiple directions, exhibits the structural and lithological controls typical of high-quality Abitibi lode-gold systems. The updated MRE program has been designed with this expansion potential in mind, incorporating all available drilling to support a modern three-dimensional geological model that can frame future targeting.

Gold Price and New Data

The historical mineral resource estimate was completed in 2013 at gold prices that were a fraction of today's levels. At the time, the estimate outlined 219,800 oz Au Indicated based on 4.92 Mt at 1.39 g/t, and 365,400 oz Au Inferred based on 4.69 Mt at 2.43 g/t.¹

The Company believes the historical estimate remains relevant as it provides an indication of the scale and exploration potential of the Omega Project and forms an important basis for ongoing technical evaluation and exploration work. The historical estimate categories are considered comparable to the current CIM Definition Standards (2014) categories for Measured, Indicated and Inferred mineral resources; however, a qualified person has not completed sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources, and the Company is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources. The Company is not aware of any more recent mineral resource estimates for the Omega Project.

Updating the economic assumptions underpinning the resource model to reflect the current gold price environment alone has the potential to materially affect both the tonnage and grade mineral resources at Omega.

In addition to the gold price uplift, drilling completed in 2022 was not captured in the historical estimate. That work, together with approximately 60 additional historical drill holes not yet digitized, represents a meaningful increment of new geological information. The updated estimate is therefore expected to reflect a more complete picture of Omega's mineralized envelope.

Orix Geoscience has commenced the organization, digitization and validation of historical drilling data for the Omega Project. The scope of work includes:

• Review of historical assessment reports, drill logs and assay certificates

• Preparation of validated datasets suitable for modern 3D geological modelling

• Digitization of approximately 60 historical drill holes not currently included in the database

• Validation of approximately 184 drill holes currently contained within the digital database

Upon completion of this work, an independent qualified person will prepare an updated NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate and technical report for the Omega Project. This will include a re-interpretation of the mineralized envelopes based on historical interpretations augmented by lithological, alteration, and mineralized interval descriptions in the historical drill logs, as well as a re-validated assay database and verified drill hole collar locations where available.

The updated MRE is expected to utilize modern geological modelling techniques and current economic assumptions to better define the scale and continuity of mineralization at Omega and is targeted for completion during summer 2026.

An Enviable Land Package in a World-Class District

Omega is one of three significant project areas that together give Stardust an unusually strong foothold in the Kirkland Lake camp. The McGarry Project hosts the historic Kerr-Addison tailings deposit, approximately 40 million tonnes that Stardust is currently characterising through a sonic drilling program, as well as hard-rock exploration targets along the Cadillac Break. The Kirkland West Project adds further strike exposure along the same geological corridor. Together, Omega, McGarry, and Kirkland West provide Stardust with a diversified, multi-asset platform at a time when the Kirkland Lake camp is attracting renewed attention from major producers and royalty companies alike.

The Company notes that Pan American Silver's recent divestiture of regional assets and continued activity by Agnico Eagle and Gold Candle underscore the strategic value attributed to well-located, well-defined resource assets along the Break. Stardust believes an updated, independently verified mineral resource estimate at Omega will be a meaningful step in realizing that value.

"The Kirkland Lake and Cadillac Break region continues to see increasing consolidation activity as companies seek to build scale and expand strategic resource positions. Given the current gold price environment and the inclusion of drilling completed since the 2013 estimate, we believe the updated MRE has the potential to better reflect the scale and continuity of mineralization at Omega and to position Stardust more competitively within one of Canada's most active gold districts." Janet Meiklejohn, VP Corporate Development for Stardust Metal Corp.

About Stardust Metal

Stardust is a gold exploration company with assets on the world class Cadillac Break and adjacent to Agnico Eagle, Barrick, Pan American and Gold Candle. Its main assets include the McGarry and Omega projects, in addition to its Kirkland West and Goldie projects. McGarry also contains a large historic tailings complex in the Kirkland Lake region.

QP Statement

The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Mynyr Hoxha, P.Geo, VP Exploration at Stardust Metal Corp., a Qualified Person, as defined in "National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects." A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources.

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Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain information in this press release may contain forward-looking statements. This information is based on current expectations that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. Stardust assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements unless and until required by securities laws applicable to Stardust. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in filings by Stardust with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available under Stardust's profile on SEDAR+.

¹ These resources include open pittable as well as underground mineral resources estimated at 0.5 g/t Au cut-off above the 130m elevation above sea-level and 3.0 g/t Au cut-off below 130m elevation (Source AMC Mining Consultants, report number 913006, effective date: 2013). A constant bulk density of 2.8 g/m³ was used. Samples previous to 2011 were excluded from the Indicated Mineral Resource, due to the lack of accurate surveying. Blocks within the modelled mineralized zones which were populated during the three-pass octant search have been classified as Inferred Resources. The Indicated Mineral Resource was selected based on assessing which blocks fell within the 50m x 50m drilling grid. This was further modified visually to allow reasonable continuity of the Indicated Mineral Resource.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/297181