22 August 2025

ECR MINERALS PLC

("ECR Minerals", "ECR" or the "Company")

Appointment of Specialist Bitcoin and Digital Asset Consultant

ECR Minerals plc (LON: ECR), the exploration and development company focused on gold in Australia, is pleased to announce the appointment of Perry Hothi as a specialist consultant adviser to its board of directors (the "Board" or the "Directors"). This appointment follows the adoption by the Company of a Bitcoin and Digital Asset Treasury Management Policy (the "BTC Policy" or the "Policy"), as announced on 7 August 2025.

Perry Hothi is a seasoned technology executive with experience in Bitcoin mining operations, hardware development and large-scale infrastructure optimisation. Over his career, he has served as Chief Technology Officer for Argo Blockchain, leading the technical strategy of that company, where he was involved in maximising mining efficiency through innovative hardware-software integration, operational streamlining, and advanced power-usage optimisation.

He currently works as a blockchain solutions architect for a US point-of-sale solutions provider, where he has contributed to the design and deployment of next-generation Bitcoin mining hardware, energy-management systems and open-source mining solutions aimed at empowering both individuals and enterprises. He has more than a decade of hands-on experience in the Bitcoin mining sector.

Alongside other specialists that ECR has already engaged, Perry will work with the Board on the future implementation of the BTC Policy. 

Nick Tulloch, ECR's Chairman, said: "I am delighted to welcome Perry to the ECR team.  Amid ongoing interest in the digital currency sector, we have been determined from the start to create a Policy that can deliver long term value to our shareholders.  As set out in our announcement of 7 August 2025, ECR's strategy under its BTC Policy is centred on integrating our ambitions to become a physical gold producer - which itself is currently centred on our plans for commercial mining at our Blue Mountain Gold Project in Queensland - with financial technology, as a strategy to complement our core business.  The future implementation of our BTC Policy will require specialist advice and we have been assembling advisers for this.  I will look forward to updating investors as our plans take shape."

Further details of the Company's BTC Policy and the risks associated with the Policy can be found in the Company's announcement made on 7 August 2025. The full Policy is available on the Company's investor relations website at: https://ecrminerals.com/investors/aim-rule-26/.

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ABOUT ECR MINERALS PLC

ECR Minerals is a mineral exploration and development company. ECR's wholly owned Australian subsidiary ECR Minerals (Australia) Pty Ltd ("ECR Australia") has 100% ownership of the Bailieston and Creswick gold projects in central Victoria, Australia, has six licence applications outstanding which includes one licence application lodged in eastern Victoria (Tambo gold project).

ECR also owns 100% of an Australian subsidiary ECR Minerals (Queensland) Pty Ltd which has three approved exploration permits covering 946 km² over a relatively unexplored area in Lolworth Range, Queensland, Australia. The Company has also submitted a license application at Kondaparinga which is approximately 120km² in area and located within the Hodgkinson Gold Province, 80km NW of Mareeba, North Queensland.

Following the sale of the Avoca, Moormbool and Timor gold projects in Victoria, Australia to Fosterville South Exploration Ltd (TSX-V: FSX) and the subsequent spin-out of the Avoca and Timor projects to Leviathan Gold Ltd (TSX-V: LVX), MGA has the right to receive up to A$2 million in payments subject to future resource estimation or production from projects sold to Fosterville South Exploration Limited. 

ECR Australia also has approximately A$75 million of unutilised tax losses incurred during previous operations.

Risks associated with the Company's BTC Policy:

While the Board recognises that the acquisition of digital assets, including Bitcoin ("BTC"), may provide benefits, it also acknowledges the inherent risks associated with such assets. Digital assets, including BTC, are highly volatile as well as speculative in nature and are subject to significant price fluctuations. In addition, it should be noted that a growing number of publicly traded companies have adopted digital asset focused treasury strategies, and this has sometimes resulted in significant volatility in their share price and a dislocation between their market capitalisation and the underlying value of their assets. Consequently, exposure to digital assets such as BTC may, in turn, amongst other matters, compound and increase the volatility of the Company's share price.

To mitigate these risks, the Company intends to allocate no more than 50 per cent. of its free cash flow from gold production operations¹ and surplus cash² held by the Company towards principally the acquisition and holding of BTC, the most liquid digital asset, into treasury.

The Board also acknowledges that the regulatory environment for digital assets remains uncertain and subject to change. This may impact the Company's ability to hold or transact in digital assets, including BTC. There are also risks associated with custody, security, and the accounting treatment of digital assets, any of which may have a material adverse effect on the Company's operations and investor returns.

The Company confirms that the implementation of the Policy does not alter its status under UK financial services law, including the Alterative Investment Fund Managers Regulations 2013.  The Policy is a treasury management initiative only and does not constitute a collective investment undertaking or alternative investment fund. Similarly, the Policy represents a financial strategy decision and does not alter, the Company's core business operations as an exploration and development company focused on gold in Australia. The adoption of the Policy is not intended to result in the Company becoming or being seen as an investing company.

¹ after operating costs, capital expenditure and short-term working capital requirements; and

² taking into account forthcoming capital expenditure and operating costs as well as a benchmark of maintaining 12 months' of working capital.