Economic study demonstrates scale, grade, long life, growth potential and robust financial returns

Green Bay Copper-Gold Project, Canada
Preliminary Economic Assessment and Mineral Resource Update 

KEY POINTS

• Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA)¹ into the restart of production at the Green Bay Ming Mine Copper-Gold Project demonstrates a robust large-scale, multi-decade operation
• FireFly’s study establishes Green Bay’s potential as one of the best undeveloped copper projects in the world based on its high-grade Resource, production profile, growth outlook and superior financial returns
  
• FireFly is in a strong financial position comprising existing cash and liquid investments of A$183m², anticipated equity raise proceeds of up to A$190m, and abundant scope to support a conventional debt component 
  
• The PEA considered two production scenarios: a 1.8Mtpa (4,800tpd) base case and a larger 4.6Mtpa (12,500tpd) alternative, with key results as follows:
• 1.8Mtpa (4,800tpd) base case
  • After tax Net Present Value (NPV_7%) of ~A$2.2B and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 41% over an initial ~32 year mine life
  • Annual projected average production of 50kt copper equivalent (CuEq) metal over a 14-year period at steady state after ramp up to peak at 60kt of CuEq metal per annum
  • ~A$290M post-tax annual free cash flow over a 15-year period (LOM ~A$5.4B post-tax)
  • C1 Cash Costs³ of US$2.05/lb CuEq in the lower quartile (US$1.17/lb Cu net of by-product credits)
  • Rapid payback of just 1.9 years
  • Released from further Environment Assessment; All environmental permits received to commence select early works
  • Low Initial capital is estimated at A$513M⁴ (net of refundable Canadian tax credits of ~A$58M)
• 4.6Mtpa (12,500tpd) alternative
  • After tax NPV_7% of ~A$3.0B and IRR of 39% over an initial ~22 year mine life
  • Annual projected average production of ~90kt CuEq metal over an 11-year period at steady state after ramp up including 6 years where annual production averages ~100kt CuEq. Production is expected to peak at ~106kt of CuEq metal per annum
  • ~A$550M post-tax annual free cash flow over the same 11-year period (LOM - ~A$6.5B post-tax)
  • C1 Cash Costs of US$1.84/lb CuEq in the lower quartile (US$1.02/lb CuEq net of by-product credits)
  • Rapid payback of ~3.7 years
  • Expansion capital is estimated at A$476M⁵ (net of refundable Canadian tax credits of A$53M), expected to be mostly funded from cash flow from the 1.8Mtpa base case
• Based on the strong economics defined in the PEA, work has now commenced to rapidly progress the Feasibility Study, which is expected to be delivered in Q1 2027 and is targeted to support a Final Investment Decision (FID) and construction in H1 2027
• Regulatory approvals have been received to commence early works prior to FID. This will fast-track construction timelines on the 1.8Mtpa case with potential for first concentrate production in mid-2029
• The Green Bay Copper-Gold Project is now underpinned by a revised independent Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) that stands at 60.2Mt @ 2.4% CuEq in the Measured and Indicated (M&I) Resource categories and a further 23.5Mt @ 2.5% CuEq of Inferred Mineral Resources
• The high-grade core zone (Core Zone) now stands at 18.1Mt @ 4.3% CuEq in M&I plus a further 7.0Mt @ 4.4% CuEq in Inferred Mineral Resource, and remains open
• Importantly, 77% of the Ming Mine Mineral Resource is in the higher-confidence M&I category
• Growth remains central to the FireFly strategy. Continued expansion of the upper mine level high-grade Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) and Core Zone has the potential to significantly extend high-grade production beyond peak years and further enhance project economics earlier in the mine life. Six drill rigs continue underground focused on immediate high-grade extensions for further Resource growth
• The mineralisation at Ming remains open at depth with a large conductive geophysical anomaly beyond the deepest drillhole that returned 49m @ 6.1% CuEq (See ASX announcement dated 16 October 2025)
• On a district scale, drilling has commenced on several high-priority historical VMS copper and gold mine targets that sit within only 5km of the Ming Mine. It is anticipated that a maiden Resource will be established at the first target in the coming quarter. Furthermore, surface exploration continues regionally with three rigs on numerous surface VMS targets
  
  

Equity Raising

• FireFly is undertaking a A$180 million (before costs) equity raising at an issue price of A$1.78 (C$1.76) per share via a single-tranche ASX institutional placement and Canadian bought deal financing (See ASX Announcement dated 25 August 2026 titled ‘FireFly Bolsters Funding for Project Development and Growth’)
• FireFly also intends to undertake a non-underwritten Share Purchase Plan to raise up to an additional A$10m (before costs) (See ASX Announcement dated 25 August 2026 titled ‘FireFly Bolsters Funding for Project Development and Growth’)
• The raising, combined with ~A$183 million⁶ of existing cash reserves and liquid investments and initial advice that the debt carrying capacity of the 1.8Mtpa base case scenario could support commercial debt in excess of US$350 million (A$500 million), puts FireFly in a strong financial position, particularly when viewed against the estimated initial project capital cost of A$513 million⁷
  
  

FireFly Managing Director Steve Parsons said: “The findings of the economic study prove that Green Bay is one of the best undeveloped copper projects in the world based on a range of key metrics, ranging from scale and production profile through to financial returns and growth.

“The base case of 50,000t a year generates strong returns and we have a clear pathway to double that. And that is before allowing for the growth we aim to unlock through our ongoing drilling programs in the high-grade areas of the mine and the highly prospective regional exploration program now cranking up.

“The project simply ticks every box and is clearly poised to generate outstanding returns for all our stakeholders. The highly enviable nature of Green Bay is reflected in the fact that we have just launched a A$180m share placement across the ASX and TSX exchanges.

“Once in production, Green Bay has the potential to be one of the biggest copper mines in the world outside those owned by the multi-nationals and diversified mining giants. This means FireFly offers investors virtually pure copper exposure via an asset with genuine world-scale in a tier-one location.

“Our scale, our concentrated copper exposure and our outstanding growth outlook is a very rare combination in global markets. It is unique on the ASX. FireFly offers concentrated exposure to high-grade copper production in a tier-one location with ongoing growth potential”.

PERTH, Australia and TORONTO, Canada, Aug. 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FireFly Metals Ltd (ASX, TSX: FFM) is pleased to announce the results of the Green Bay Ming Mine Preliminary Economic Assessment / Scoping Study (PEA) and an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for the Green Bay Ming Mine Copper-Gold Project (Project).

The results of the PEA demonstrate that the Project is a large-scale, long-life copper-gold project that combines high-grade mineralisation, robust economics, and a substantial Resource endowment to deliver sustained and substantial production over multiple decades.

Two compelling development considerations are presented in the PEA, one contemplating a base case processing 1.8 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) and a larger scale 4.6Mtpa operation case. Both scenarios returned positive and robust economic results.

The study has only taken into account the Ming Deposit Mineral Resource Estimate and does not include anything outside of the immediate Ming area such as Little Deer or any of the other regional targets and historical copper-gold VMS mines that still remain to be drill tested by FireFly such as Rambler, East mine, Main mine, Tilt Cove or Nugget Pond. These areas will be targeted for additional growth throughout 2026/27.

The PEA is based on a high quality and robust Mineral Resource Estimate with the 1.8Mtpa case supported by 79% in the higher confidence Measured and Indicated (M&I) Mineral Resource categories over the 32-year life of mine, including 89% over the first 10 years. The 4.6Mtpa case is underpinned by 80% M&I over the life of mine plan.

Given the overwhelmingly positive results from the PEA study, the Company will now work towards completing Feasibility level analysis targeted to be completed in Q1 2027 and followed by a Final Investment Decision (FID) shortly thereafter.

Discount rate and commodity prices

The Project economics were estimated using conservative commodity price assumptions that are materially below prevailing spot market prices as at 18 August 2026 (Spot Price)⁸. The study utilised:

• copper price of US$5.00/lb, 24% below current Spot Price of US$6.60/lb;
• gold price of US$3,500/oz, 19% below the Spot Price of US$4,335/oz; and
• silver price of US$44/oz, 30% below the Spot Price of US$63/oz.
  
  

A discount rate of 7% was applied in the NPV analysis, which has a material impact on the valuation of a long-life, multi-decade project.

Globally recognised technical services consultants generated the capital and operating costs based on known similar industry benchmarking costs.

Appropriate contingencies have been applied to all capital cost estimates.

Green Bay Mining & Processing Operations

The PEA was prepared with contributions by sector leading independent consultants including Ausenco, Stantec, Knight Piésold, Entech Mining, WSP, T Engineering, Egis Canada and Gemtec.

Detailed review of numerous mining methods was completed as part of the PEA. Industry-standard Long Hole Open Stoping (LHOS) with paste backfill was selected as the preferred mining method for both the 1.8Mtpa (4,800tpd) base case and the alternate 4.6Mtpa (12,500tpd) option. Utilising a combination of transverse LHOS and longitudinal LHOS provided the best economic outcomes by balancing productivity levels and minimising dilution.

Haulage options for the operations differed between the two scenarios presented in the PEA. The 1.8Mtpa (4,800tpd) base case utilised truck haulage over the life of mine. A bypass decline around the narrower sections of the historic decline has been factored into the cost estimates. This allows larger 63t trucks to be used. Simulation of truck haulage conducted by external contractors on the design demonstrated that it is feasible for the mine to produce 1.8Mtpa via trucking.

The 4.6Mtpa (12,500tpd) case requires a haulage shaft to achieve the upscaled productivity. A 7.6m diameter shaft is envisioned that can hoist 12,500tpd. A geotechnical hole completed by the Company in the proposed shaft position shows exceptional ground conditions. Costing estimates included in the PEA for the 4.6Mtpa case have been provided by world-leading Canadian shaft specialists Redpath Mining.

Detailed analysis of mine ventilation has been conducted by specialist consultants BBE Group. Two exhaust raise bores have been factored into the mine design. Vent simulations show these provide sufficient volumes of air for the entire Life of Mine (LOM) in both scenarios.

Development of the mine is significantly fast-tracked with lower upfront capital expenditure, leveraging more than A$250M of existing site infrastructure, including over 20km of accessible underground development.

Extensive metallurgical testwork completed at SGS Lakefield in Canada shows the ore-grade material has favourable physical properties (strength, grindability, abrasiveness etc.) and is amenable to high recoveries of copper and precious metals via industry standard processes as demonstrated by the previous operation.

The proposed processing plant utilises a standard simple flow sheet to extract copper and precious metals into a concentrate. Comminution is achieved through a standard jaw crusher followed by a Semi Autogenous Grinding (SAG) mill and a Ball Mill. Two stage flotation (rougher and cleaner) provide exceptional recoveries and production of a high-grade concentrate for shipping (21-28% Cu, 6-12g/t Au). Precious metal recovery is further enhanced by the collection of a pyrite tail from the cleaner flotation which is leached and a doré produced on site. Based on a combination of test work and historical performance, recoveries are anticipated to be >98% for copper and >80% on precious metals (gold and silver). There are no deleterious elements in the concentrate. The concentrate will be shipped from a port located ~6km from the mine.

The mill has been designed by Ausenco in a modular fashion allowing for future growth and expansion. To expand from 1.8Mtpa to 4.6Mtpa requires a simple twinning of the circuit and installation of additional crushing capacity at the front-end of the process.

Approximately 55% of the tailings will be used in the paste backfill and stored underground whilst providing geotechnical stability to allow for total extraction of the mineralisation. The remainder of the tailings will report to a new Tailings Management Facility (TMF) that has been designed to international standards by Knight Piésold. The TMF capacity is sufficient for LOM production for both scenarios. Further TMF expansion options are available should the LOM continue to grow with future mine extensions.

Copper Marketing & Concentrate

Ocean Partners UK Ltd. (OP) were engaged to provide specialist marketing advice regarding maximising value generated by the Green Bay concentrate.

For the 1.8Mtpa (4,800tpd) base case the Project is expected to produce 3,723kt of copper concentrate (dry) that equates to ~132kt per annum over the LOM. Based on concentrate test work, the projected average concentrate grades are 24.5% Copper, 6g/t gold and 54g/t silver.

A portion of the gold is captured in the cleaner flotation pyrite tail and leached on-site. Gold grades are locally higher early in the mine plan and correlate with VMS mill feed.

The concentrate is regarded as a clean, medium-grade copper-gold concentrate.

OP forecast a strong market for the high-quality concentrate produced by Green Bay. With smelting capacity currently exceeding mine supply, OP see negative treatment and refining charges (TCRC) continuing to at least 2030 and costs remaining below US$30/dmt until 2036.

OP note that the proximity of Newfoundland and Labrador to European shipping routes and Canadian smelters make these facilities the logical options for maximising concentrate value. However, the Company will continue to engage with Asian trading groups who remain keen to secure the concentrate.

The Company has not committed to any offtake agreements and is considering potential pre-payments as a non-dilutive funding opportunity.

Resource Growth

The Ming Deposit August 2026 MRE (Table 1) was prepared in accordance with the JORC Code (2012 Edition) and NI 43-101 by independent consultants, WSP Canada Inc.

The combined MRE (Table 3) for the Green Bay project has grown to 60.2Mt @ 2.4% CuEq in M&I and 23.5Mt @ 2.5% CuEq in Inferred. All additions come from the Ming Deposit with no change to the Little Deer MRE (Table 2).

The Ming Deposit Mineral Resource has grown to 57.3Mt @ 2.4% CuEq in M&I and 17.3Mt @ 2.8% CuEq in Inferred. Infill drilling completed at Ming resulted in the M&I increasing by 21% since the previous updates. Copper equivalent grade also increased by 22% driven primarily by infill drilling of the high-grade core and high-grade VMS zones. 

The high-grade core and VMS now totals 18.1Mt @ 4.3% CuEq in M&I plus 7.0Mt @ 4.4% CuEq in Inferred. This zone drives the high production years in the mine schedule and remains open with the deepest hole into the deposit intersecting 49.0m @ 6.1% CuEq.

Ming Deposit Mineral Resource Estimate

Table 1: August 2026 Mineral Resource Estimate for the Ming Deposit.

Little Deer Mineral Resource Estimate

Table 2: Little Deer Mineral Resource Estimate as at November 2025. Note that this MRE remains unchanged from the previous MRE.

GREEN BAY TOTAL MINERAL RESOURCE ESTIMATE

Table 3: Green Bay total Mineral Resource Estimate.

1. FireFly Metals Ltd Mineral Resource Estimates for the Green Bay Copper-Gold Project, incorporating the Ming Deposit and Little Deer Complex, are prepared and reported in accordance with the JORC Code 2012 and NI 43-101.
2. Mineral Resources have been reported at a 1.0% copper cut-off grade.
3. Metal equivalents for the Mineral Resource Estimates have been calculated at a copper price of US$10,626/t, gold price of US$3,587/oz and silver price of US$50.22/oz. Metallurgical recoveries have been set at 95% for copper and 85% for both gold and silver. These assumptions are made of the basis of historical production at the Ming Mine and additional metallurgical test work. Copper equivalent was calculated based on the formula: CuEq(%) = Cu(%) + (Au(g/t) x 0.97106) + (Ag(g/t) x 0.01360).
4. Totals may vary due to rounding.
   
   

Ongoing Resource Growth and Regional Discovery Exploration

Growth and exploration remain a pivotal component of the FireFly strategy at Green Bay. Extensions and discoveries of additional high-grade VMS mineralisation have the potential to have a material positive impact on the mine plans outlined in the PEA (Figure 1). Six underground drill rigs will remain underground focusing on step out high-grade VMS growth, infill for high grade M&I resource conversion as well as down plunge extensions and potential shallow up dip extensions.

The Company anticipates releasing its maiden Ore Reserve estimate with its next Mineral Resource Estimate update which, along with the DFS, the Company plans to complete in Q1 2027.

In addition, the Company is currently drill testing several high-priority shallow historical VMS copper and gold mines that sit within 5km of the Ming Mine. It is anticipated that a maiden Resource will be established on the first target prior to the Q1 DFS.

Furthermore, surface exploration will continue with three rigs on surface exploring the numerous geochemical and geophysical targets generated since acquisition across the Ming district, Rambler regional, Tilt Cove regional and Little Deer regional areas.

Environmental, Community and Early Works

As previously announced, the Company has satisfied the initial conditions of Environmental Assessment (EA) for the 1.8Mtpa base case which is a significant regulatory milestone in the Canadian permitting framework and should accommodate a faster route to first production. Regulatory approval has been received to commence select early works prior to FID. This includes seasonal works, camp construction and other critical surface infrastructure upgrades. All permits required for full construction are expected before the end of Q2 2027.

The commencement of early works in addition to utilising current funds to secure select long-lead time items is expected to fast track the construction timeframe, with first concentrate production anticipated to be in mid-2029.

The Company has received strong support from the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Federal Canadian government who have recognised the importance of critical minerals to the supply chain and broader economy. The conditional release from further Environmental Assessment was granted in 45 days. To date, the Company has received approximately C$1 million in grants from the Federal and Provincial governments to accelerate studies and early-stage exploration. Further funding applications have been submitted to the Canadian Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund now subsumed by the expanded mandate of the federal First and Last Mile Fund.

The local community is aligned with the Company’s mine start up strategy, as demonstrated by the overwhelmingly positive response during the consultation process for the Environmental Assessment. There are many advantages to operating in the Baie Verte district, including low-cost hydro-electric power, port access, sealed roads and a nearby skilled workforce.

Project Funding

Given the high quality of the Green Bay Copper Gold Project and the strong technical and economic fundamentals underpinning the 1.8Mtpa base case operation, the Project’s debt carrying capacity is considered to be high.

FireFly has appointed BurnVoir Corporate Finance Limited (Burnvoir) as its project debt advisor and they have provided initial advice that, based on the 1.8Mtpa base case, the Project has an indicative debt carrying capacity in excess of US$350 million (A$500 million).⁹

With A$183.4 million¹⁰ of existing cash reserves and liquid investments, anticipated proceeds of A$180 million (before costs) from the equity raising announced by the Company on 25 August 2026¹¹ and up to A$10 million from the Share Purchase Plan (before costs), and initial advice that the debt carrying capacity of the 1.8Mtpa base case scenario could support debt of in excess of US$350 million (A$500 million), the Company believes it has a strong funding position and the financial capacity to develop the Project.

The Company has commenced a formal financing process with banks, offtake customers, export credit agencies and other commercial entities regarding project finance. Credit approved commitments are targeted shortly after completion of the Feasibility Study, allowing the FireFly Board to consider a Final Investment Decision, leading to the start of construction in the second quarter of 2027. Formal engagement with project financiers has been very positive to date, including the provision of conditional non-binding indicative terms for potential project financing from potential offtake partners and tier 1 banks.¹²

FireFly has formed the view that there is a reasonable basis to believe that requisite future funding for the 1.8Mtpa base case development of the Project will be available when required. The grounds on which this reasonable basis is established include:

• Outstanding financial metrics of the PEA including an unleveraged payback period of less than two years and a low capital intensity for a copper project of this scale.
• The Company has a strong track record of successfully raising equity funds as and when required to further the exploration and development of the Project.
• Global debt finance availability (as evidenced above) for high-quality copper projects remains robust.
• FireFly has a current market capitalisation of ~A$1.5 billion and no debt. The Project is located in Newfoundland and Labrador, one of the world's premier mining jurisdictions, with established infrastructure, access to power, a skilled workforce and a long history of mining operations. Importantly, Green Bay is not a greenfields discovery requiring major infrastructure development. The project hosts a high-grade copper-gold resource with significant existing underground development and processing infrastructure from previous operations, substantially reducing both development risk and upfront capital requirements compared with many new copper projects competing for funding.
• The Company has an uncomplicated and clean corporate and capital structure. FireFly owns 100% of the Project.
• The FireFly management team has extensive experience in mine development, financing and operations in the resources industry.
  
  

No assurance can be given that any such additional financing will be available when required or that, if available, it will be available on terms acceptable to the Company or its shareholders. Debt finance, if available on terms acceptable to the Company, may involve restrictions on financing and operating activities.

The 4.6Mtpa alternative scenario will mostly be funded from cash flows from the 1.8Mtpa base case.

Government Incentives

The Company, together with its external tax advisors, has undertaken a preliminary assessment of Canadian government incentives and tax credits that may be available for the Project.

The Clean Technology Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit (CTM-ITC) provides a refundable tax credit of up to 30% of eligible new depreciable property acquired and used by companies engaged in the extraction and processing of qualifying critical minerals. Based on this preliminary assessment, approximately A$194 million¹³ (~C$190 million) of the Project’s estimated initial capital costs included in the PEA may qualify for the CTM-ITC, resulting in a potential refundable investment tax credit of approximately A$58 million¹³ (~C$57 million). This incentive has been incorporated into the PEA cash flow model.

In addition to the CTM-ITC, the Company intends to evaluate and pursue other federal and provincial funding programmes, grants, tax incentives and strategic support initiatives that may be available for the Project. While no assurance can be provided that any additional funding or incentives will be secured, the Company believes there may be opportunities to further enhance Project economics through participation in eligible government support programmes.

2026 & 2027 Forward Work Plans

FireFly Metals is progressing a clear and well-defined pathway to advance the Green Bay Ming Mine Project towards a construction decision. Key workstreams over the coming period include:

• Resource growth and conversion drilling at Ming Mine – continued drilling at the Ming Mine to grow and upgrade the resource base, supporting mine life extension and confidence in the production schedule.
• Near mine maiden Resource drilling – the Company is currently drill testing a number of high-priority shallow historical VMS copper and gold mines that sit within 5km of the Ming Mine. A maiden Resource is anticipated to be established on the first target prior to the Q1 2027.
• District scale exploration and discovery drilling – surface exploration will continue with three drill rigs on surface exploring numerous geochemical and geophysical targets generated since acquisition across the Ming mine, Rambler regional, Tilt Cove regional and Little Deer regional areas.
• Feasibility Study – completion and publication of the Feasibility Studies in Q1 2027, including declaration of a maiden Ore Reserve.
• Early works programme – continued early works to advance site readiness ahead of a final construction decision.
• Construction permit applications – progressing the regulatory approvals and permits required to support construction, building on the Project's existing conditional Environmental Assessment release.
• Project financing – continuing discussions with potential financing partners on project-level debt, offtake and other financing arrangements to finalise a financing package to support construction.
  
  

Together, subject to successful completion of feasibility studies, these workstreams position FireFly to advance Green Bay through to a construction-ready state, underpinned by continued Resource growth, a de-risked permitting pathway, and a financing strategy designed to support development while managing dilution to shareholders.

Figure 1: Copper Equivalent Metal Payable tonnes produced over multiple decades for both the 1.8Mtpa scenario (yellow) and 4.6Mtpa option (blue). Note that the payable metal production profile declines once the VMS production ceases. The VMS zone remains open and any extensions to the mineralisation will extend the higher-grade production periods in the mine. The Footwall zone also remains open which may lead to future mine life extensions.

Figure 2: Isometric image of the Ming deposit showing the August 2026 MRE update block for the Ming Mine coloured by grade. The Ming MRE now stands at 57.3Mt @ 2.4% CuEq in M&I plus 17.3Mt @ 2.8% CuEq in Inferred. Note that the high-grade Core Zone makes up 18.1Mt @ 4.3% CuEq in M&I plus 7.0Mt @ 4.4% CuEq in Inferred (image shows +5% CuEq PINK, + 3% CuEq RED).

Figure 3: CY 2025 Copper production from mines in Canada and Australia with the projected steady-state production from the Green Bay Project as outlined in the PEA. The 4.6Mtpa case shown in the PEA is projected to be one of the largest projects in both Canada and Australia. Actual production from Green Bay in 2022 under previous ownership is also shown. Please refer to Appendix C for further details on peer comparisons.

Figure 4: Mined ore tonnes per annum shown by Mineral Resource category for the 1.8Mtpa (4,800tpd) base case. The mine plan is underpinned by a high confidence Mineral Resource Estimate, with 89% of the first 10 years of the mine plan in the Measured and Indicated categories and 79% for the overall LOM mine plan. Please note that this only shows the Resource category for ore mined and does not include dilution and waste.

Figure 5: Mined ore tonnes per annum shown by Mineral Resource category for the 4.6Mtpa (12,500tpd) case. The mine plan is underpinned by a high confidence Mineral Resource Estimate, with 83% of the first 8 years of the mine plan is in the Measured and Indicated categories and 80% for the overall LOM mine plan. Please note that this only shows the Resource category for ore mined and does not include dilution and waste.

Figure 6: Green Bay Growth and Development Timeline. Please note that all timeframes are indicative and may be subject to change without notice.

Table 4 is a summary of the key commodity price assumptions, production data and cost information for both the 1.8Mtpa (4,800tpd) case and the 4.6Mtpa (12,500tpd) option. Table 5 presents a summary of the financial analysis of both scenarios.

Table 4: Summary of key metrics from the Green Bay Ming Mine PEA.

Table 5: Financial analysis of the PEA scenarios with PEA metal price assumptions and Spot Prices as at 18 August 2026 (Cu: US$6.60/lb, Au: US$4,335/oz, Ag: US$63/oz).

This announcement has been approved for release by the Board of Directors.

Contact Information

TECHNICAL REPORT

A technical report supporting the PEA and updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Ming Deposit being reported in this announcement will be filed on SEDAR+ within 45 days.

ABOUT FIREFLY METALS

FireFly Metals Ltd (ASX, TSX: FFM) is an emerging copper-gold company focused on growing the high-grade Green Bay Copper-Gold Project in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The project is advancing towards development, with a Preliminary Economic Assessment showing the potential for a high-grade, low-cost and long-life operation with a pathway to produce 100kt of copper per annum.

The Green Bay Copper-Gold Project is underpinned by 60.2Mt of Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources at 2.43% for 1,464Kt copper equivalent (CuEq) and 23.5Mt of Inferred Mineral Resources at 2.51% for 592Kt CuEq, prepared and disclosed in accordance with the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (JORC Code 2012) and Canadian National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101).

The Company has a clear strategy to continue growing the Green Bay Copper-Gold Project through resource expansion, new discoveries and advancement towards development.

Further information regarding FireFly Metals Ltd is available on the ASX platform (ASX: FFM) or the Company’s website www.fireflymetals.com.au or SEDAR+ www.sedarplus.ca.

COMPLIANCE STATEMENTS

Technical Disclosure

The PEA was managed and compiled by Ausenco, who also completed the process plant design, site infrastructure, and overall economic analysis. WSP Canada Inc. prepared the Mineral Resource Estimate and all related geological and data verification work. Underground mine design was completed by Entech Mining Ltd., with T Engineering designing the paste backfill system. Knight Piésold Ltd. designed the tailings management facility and site-wide water management infrastructure. Road infrastructure and closure cost estimates were prepared by GEMTEC Consulting Engineers and Scientists Limited, with Stantec Consulting Ltd. leading environmental studies and permitting, and Egis Canada Limited completing site geochemical analysis.

The PEA is preliminary in nature and includes Inferred Mineral Resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorised as Ore Reserves. There is no certainty that the results of the PEA will be realised.

The PEA has been prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) and meets the criteria of a Scoping Study under the JORC Code (2012 Edition).

Mineral Resource Estimates and Exploration Results
Mineral Resource Estimates and Exploration Results are reported in accordance with the JORC Code 2012 and NI 43-101.

Metal Equivalents for Mineral Resource Estimates
Metal equivalents for the Mineral Resource Estimates have been calculated at a copper price of US$10,626/t, gold price of US$3,587/oz and silver price of US$50.22/oz. Individual Mineral Resource grades for the metals are set out in Appendix A of this announcement.

Metallurgical factors have been applied to the metal equivalent calculation. Copper recovery used was 95%. Historical production at the Ming Mine has a documented copper recovery of ~96%. Precious metal (gold and silver) metallurgical recovery was assumed at 85% based on historical recoveries achieved at the Ming Mine in addition to historical metallurgical test work to increase precious metal recoveries.

In the opinion of the Company, all elements included in the metal equivalent calculation have a reasonable potential to be recovered and sold based on current market conditions, metallurgical test work, the Company’s operational experience and, where relevant, historical performance achieved at the Green Bay project whilst in operation.

Copper equivalents for the Mineral Resource Estimates were calculated based on the formula:

CuEq(%) = Cu(%) + (Au(g/t) x 0.97106) + (Ag(g/t) x 0.01360).

Metal Equivalents for Exploration Results
Metal equivalents for previously reported Exploration Results have been calculated at a copper price of US$8,750/t, gold price of US$2,500/oz, silver price of US$25/oz and zinc price of US$2,500/t. Individual grades for the metals are set out in the ASX announcements in which the Exploration Results were first reported by the Company.

Metallurgical factors have been applied to the metal equivalent calculation. Copper recovery used was 95%. Historical production at the Ming Mine has a documented copper recovery of ~96%. Precious metal (gold and silver) metallurgical recovery was assumed at 85% based on historical recoveries achieved at the Ming Mine in addition to historical metallurgical test work to increase recoveries. Zinc recovery is applied at 50% based on historical processing and potential upgrades to the mineral processing facility.

In the opinion of the Company, all elements included in the metal equivalent calculation have a reasonable potential to be recovered and sold based on current market conditions, metallurgical test work, the Company’s operational experience and, where relevant, historical performance achieved at the Green Bay project whilst in operation.

Copper equivalents for the Exploration Results were calculated based on the formula:

CuEq(%) = Cu(%) + (Au(g/t) x 0.82190) + (Ag(g/t) x 0.00822) + (Zn(%) x 0.15038)

Mineral Resource Estimate – Little Deer
The Mineral Resource Estimate for Little Deer referred to in this announcement was first reported in the Company’s ASX announcement dated 29 October 2024, titled ‘Resource Increases 42% to 1.2Mt of contained metal at 2% Copper Eq’ and is also set out in the Technical Report for the Little Deer Copper Project, titled ‘Technical Report and Updated Mineral Resource Estimate of the Little Deer Complex Copper Deposits, Newfoundland, Canada’ with an effective date of 26 June 2024, available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in the original announcement and that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the Mineral Resource Estimate continue to apply and have not materially changed.

Exploration Results
Previously reported Exploration Results at the Green Bay Copper-Gold Project referred to in this announcement were first reported in accordance with ASX Listing Rule 5.7 in FireFly’s ASX announcements dated 31 August 2023, 11 December 2023, 16 January 2024, 4 March 2024, 21 March 2024, 29 April 2024, 19 June 2024, 22 August 2024, 3 September 2024, 16 September 2024, 3 October 2024, 10 December 2024, 12 February 2025, 25 March 2025, 7 May 2025, 15 May 2025, 17 July 2025, 24 July 2025, 9 October 2025, 16 October 2025, 27 October 2025, 8 April 2026, 2 July 2026, 3 August 2026, and as may be otherwise cross-referenced in this announcement.

Original Announcements
Other than the updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Ming Deposit being reported in this announcement, FireFly confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in the original announcements referred to or cross-referenced in this announcement and that, in the case of the Mineral Resource Estimate for Little Deer, all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in the original announcements continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company confirms that the form and context in which the Competent Persons’ and Qualified Persons’ findings are presented have not been materially modified from the original market announcements.

Financial Information
Financial Information included in this announcement is unaudited and has not been reviewed by the Company’s external auditor.

Qualified Person Statements

Mr Augustine Simbanegavi, P.Eng., Vice President of Operations at FireFly Metals inc., and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this news release.

Mr Augustine Simbanegavi is a Professional Engineer registered with Professional Engineers and Geoscientists Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as a Fellow and Chartered Professional of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

Mr Simbanegavi is a full-time employee of, and holds securities in, the Company. Mr Simbanegavi has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation, type of deposit, style of mining and processing under consideration and to the activity being undertaken to qualify as a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101. Mr Simbanegavi has reviewed the contents of this announcement and consents to the inclusion in this announcement of all matters based on his information in the form and context in which they appear.

Additionally, a team of independent Qualified Persons (as such term is defined under NI 43-101) (as outlined in the Table below) are responsible for the 2026 MRE and PEA and have reviewed the scientific and technical disclosure, and verified the data in this press release, including:

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This announcement may contain certain forward-looking statements and projections, including statements regarding FireFly’s plans, forecasts and projections with respect to its mineral properties and programs. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as ‘may’, ‘might’, ‘could’, ‘would’, ‘will’, ‘expect’, ‘intend’, ‘believe’, ‘forecast’, ‘milestone’, ‘objective’, ‘predict’, ‘plan’, ‘scheduled’, ‘estimate’, ‘anticipate’, ‘continue’, or other similar words and may include, without limitation, statements regarding plans, strategies and objectives.

Although the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement reflect management’s current beliefs based upon information currently available to management and based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, such forward-looking statements and projections are estimates only and should not be relied upon. They are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, which may include changes in commodity prices, foreign exchange fluctuations, economic, social and political conditions, and changes to applicable regulation, and those risks outlined in the Company’s public disclosures.

The forward-looking statements and projections are inherently uncertain and may therefore differ materially from results ultimately achieved. For example, there can be no assurance that FireFly will be able to confirm the presence of Mineral Resources or Ore Reserves, that FireFly’s plans for development of its mineral properties will proceed, that any mineralisation will prove to be economic, or that a mine will be successfully developed on any of FireFly’s mineral properties. The performance of FireFly may be influenced by a number of factors which are outside of the control of the Company, its directors, officers, employees and contractors. The Company does not make any representations and provides no warranties concerning the accuracy of any forward-looking statements or projections, and disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or projections based on new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable laws.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT

The Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) referred to in this announcement has been undertaken to assess the viability of the Green Bay Ming Mine Copper-Gold Project (Project). It is a preliminary technical and economic study of the potential viability of the Project. It is based on low-level technical and economic assessments (with a margin of error of +/- 15-30%) that are not sufficient to support the estimation of Ore Reserves. Further exploration and evaluation work and appropriate studies are required before FireFly Metals Limited (FireFly or the Company) will be in a position to estimate any Ore Reserves or to provide any assurance of an economic development case.

Approximately 79% of the potential life of mine production is from Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources and 21% is from Inferred Mineral Resources for the 1.8Mtpa base case. Approximately 80% of the potential life of mine production is from Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources and 20% is from Inferred Mineral Resources for the 4.6Mtpa option. There is a low level of geological confidence associated with Inferred Mineral Resources and there is no certainty that further exploration work will result in the determination of Indicated Mineral Resources or that the production target itself will be realised.

The PEA is based on the material assumptions outlined in this announcement. These include assumptions about the availability of funding. While the Company considers all of the material assumptions to be based on reasonable grounds, there is no certainty that they will prove to be correct or that the range of outcomes indicated by the PEA will be achieved.

To achieve the range of outcomes indicated in the PEA, funding for the initial capital costs in the order of A$571 million for the 1.8Mtpa base case, or A$605 million for the 4.6Mtpa option will likely be required. Investors should note that there is no certainty that the Company will be able to raise that amount of funding when needed. It is also possible that such funding may only be available on terms that may be dilutive to or otherwise affect the value of the Company's existing shares. It is also possible that the Company could pursue other value realisation strategies such as a sale, partial sale or joint venture of the Project. If it does, this could materially reduce the Company's proportionate ownership of the Project.

Given the uncertainties involved, investors should not make any investment decisions based solely on the results of the PEA.

All values and forecasts in this PEA are approximate and rounded.

¹ The PEA meets the requirements of a Scoping Study as defined by the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (JORC Code 2012).
² Cash and liquid investments (unaudited) at 31 July 2026.
³ C1 cash Costs comprise mining costs, processing costs, mine-level G&A, and off-site charges.
⁴ Includes potential Canadian refundable Clean Technology Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit (CTM-ITC). The CTM-ITC estimate is based on a preliminary assessment of expenditure estimated in the PEA and current legislative requirements. The availability, timing and value of any tax credits or incentives are subject to final project design, execution and satisfaction of applicable legislative eligibility requirements. There is no assurance that the full benefit of the CTM-ITC or other incentives will be realised.
⁵ Refer to note 3.
⁶ Refer to note 1.
⁷ Refer to note 4.
⁸ Spot prices as at 18 August 2026.
⁹ Based on a rate of 1 AUD = 0.7 USD.
¹⁰ Refer to note 1.
¹¹ Refer ASX announcement on 25 August 2026.
¹² The Company does not consider the identity of the project financiers to be information that a reasonable person would expect to have a material effect on the price of value of the Company’s securities as the proposals are currently non-binding and conditional. The Company confirms that this announcement contains all material information relevant to assessing the impact of the proposals and is not misleading by omission. The potential offtake partner and tier 1 banks are all of sufficient market capitalisation and creditworthiness to finance the Project in their own right, or in a syndicate of investors.
¹³ Base on an implied CAD:AUD exchange rate of 1.02
¹⁴ Refer to note 3.
¹⁵ C3 Cash Costs comprise mining costs, processing costs, mine-level G&A, and off-site charges, royalty, sustaining costs and closure costs.
¹⁶ Includes potential Canadian refundable Clean Technology Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit (CTM-ITC) totalling approximately A$58 million. The CTM-ITC estimate is based on a preliminary assessment of the expenditure estimated in the PEA and current legislative requirements. The availability, timing and value of any tax credits or other incentives remain subject to final project design, execution and satisfaction of applicable legislative eligibility requirements. There can be no assurance that the full benefit of such CTM-ITC or incentives will be realised.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/74834016-315e-464a-af9d-8fb8b031da5a
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c19687a1-09a1-445c-a118-e3e149db8ca7
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/989d27b4-a7ff-419b-8d7d-a91a960bd64b
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3307bc4b-b4ea-4a32-8a0f-1f19e0953a55
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/496055de-463a-4482-b895-168f0368ef59
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/67c555da-adf8-4640-b68c-c3b4046bbba5