23 December 2025

Rome Resources plc

("Rome Resources", the "Company")

Start of next drilling phase targeting deep zone intercepts

and operational progress review of 2025

Rome Resources plc (AIM: RMR), the DRC-focused tin and copper explorer, is pleased to announce the commencement of the next phase of drilling operations at its Bisie North project in the Democratic Republic of Congo ("DRC"), located just 8 km from the world-class Alphamin Mpama tin mine complex, together with an operational progress review of 2025.   

Forward Drilling Programme

Following a successful fundraise in November 2025, the Company is now launching a focused drilling campaign at Bisie North. This campaign is aimed at testing deeper mineralisation beneath areas defined by the announced maiden Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE").  The helicopter, drilling crew and required equipment is now on-site, with initial drilling underway at the Mont Agoma prospect using two drill rigs. This is expected to be followed by the drill rigs moving the short distance to the Kalayi prospect.

Key elements of the forward drilling campaign include:

·    Targeting a number of key exploration targets, with an aggregate in-house estimate of between 53 and 144 kt of potential contained tin across both prospects.

·    At Mont Agoma, drilling will target two main areas:

o  Extending the strike of the Mont Agoma East zone; and

o  Testing grades in the deeper Mont Agoma Western zone, where strong copper grades are anticipated to give way to higher tin grades at depth.  

·    At Kalayi, drilling will target extensions beneath existing high grade tin intercepts with the expectation, consistent with Alphamin's Bisie Mpama Mine results, that the thinner high-grade intercepts may widen at depth while retaining a high grade. 

·    A total of approximately 2,000 metres of drilling is planned across 6 to 8 holes, with the programme anticipated to complete towards the end of the first quarter of 2026. 

·    Following the receipt of core assays, the Company intends to update the MRE to incorporate additional intercepts from this drilling campaign.

Exploratory discussions continue with a number of parties active in the region to assess potential strategic pathways for value creation following the proposed publication of an updated MRE.

2025 Operational Review

Following the Company's admission to trading on AIM in July 2024 and the strategic investment by Stanvic Mining, Rome Resources completed a diamond drilling campaign across the Bisie North Project.  A total of 5,143 metres of drill core were recovered from the Kalayi and Mont Agoma Prospects in that campaign. 

This campaign focused on defining tin mineralisation at Kalayi and understanding the structure within the approximately 200-metre-wide polymetallic system at Mont Agoma. Resulting tin, copper, zinc and silver assays were incorporated into the Company's geological model and the maiden MRE, prepared by The MSA Group (Pty) Ltd.

The maiden MRE, derived from shallow drilling over a limited portion of the licence area, delivered the following tonnages, and provides a robust foundation for testing significantly greater potential at depth:

Drilling to date has generally extended to only ~220-250 metres depth and across a relatively small fraction of the prospective licence area, leaving substantial scope for further discovery both at depth and along strike.

A new near-surface tin zone, Mont Agoma East, intersected in one of the final holes of the 2025 campaign, was not included in the maiden MRE as it formed a single data point but now represents a promising and priority target within the current drilling campaign.

During the year, metallurgical work was also commissioned to assess processing routes to economically recover the significant copper resource sitting above the tin zones at Mont Agoma.  Phase one of this work is nearing completion, with results expected in due course.

Paul Barrett, Chief Executive Officer of Rome Resources, said:

"2025 has been a very active year, culminating in the publication of our first Mineral Resource Estimate, which confirmed Bisie North as a large, multi-metallic system. Importantly, the maiden MRE highlights how little of the system has been tested to date and where the key opportunities lie as we move deeper.

We are now embarking on the next phase of drilling at Mont Agoma and Kalayi with a focus on testing deeper intercepts where we believe there is potential for higher tin grades to emerge, consistent with regional analogues.

We were deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Mark Gasson last month. However, he would have been pleased to know that our dedicated and experienced in-country team has ensured continuity of operations. 

Shareholder value growth remains the core objective of the business and our approach to this is to maximise the share of investor funds going into the ground. We look forward to building on the progress made in 2025 and advancing the Bisie North project through 2026."

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Qualified Person Statement

Dr Deon Vermaakt is a consultant of Rome Resources plc, a qualified geologist and a registered Professional Natural Scientist (Geological Science) with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP Reg. No. 400074/03). Dr Vermaakt is a qualified person (QP) under NI 43-101 and as defined by the AIM Note for Mining, Oil and Gas Companies and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release.

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