Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 10, 2026) - Visionary Copper and Gold Mines Inc. (TSXV: VCG) (OTCQB: VCGMF) (the "Company" or "Visionary") is pleased to announce plans for a 20,000-metre Phase 2 diamond drilling program at its 100%-owned Pt. Leamington Project (the "Project") in central Newfoundland at the Gold/Copper/Zinc/Silver Pt. Leamington Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide ("VMS") deposit (the "Deposit"). The program is designed to grow the 2021 Mineral Resource Estimate, convert resource tonnage from inferred to indicated and further define the recently discovered Kraken copper-rich footwall stringer zone. Additionally, Visionary continues to prioritize locating regional exploration targets in the Pt. Leamington VMS camp and this work will be ongoing throughout the upcoming Phase 2 drilling program.

Jason Flight, Vice President of Exploration, commented "Phase 1 drilling expanded our Pt. Leamington massive sulphide system and discovered an important new copper-rich footwall stringer zone called Kraken. Phase 2 will build on these results by further exploring and defining Kraken while also extending the massive sulphide resource and improving portions of its categorisation from inferred to indicated." Mr. Flight continued, "Kraken is particularly compelling because of its position in the footwall of our existing massive sulphide deposit. Further defining Kraken's scale and geometry will allow us to include it in our next Pt. Leamington Mineral Resource Estimate adding to the 5.0 million tonnes indicated and 15.4 million tonnes of inferred resources, in our 2021 estimate."

Phase 1 Results: Pt. Leamington Massive Sulphide Expansion and Kraken Discovery

Phase 1 drilling extended the strike of the Pt. Leamington massive sulphide mineralized system to over 1km and discovered Kraken, a broad copper-rich stringer system in the deposit footwall. The program consisted of 10 holes totalling 3,556 metres and was the first systematic drilling at the Deposit in more than two decades (See Pt. Leamington 3D View with Phase 1 Drilling).

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Phase 1 Drill hole highlights include:

• PL-111: Extended the Pt. Leamington massive sulphide mineralized system to more than 1km of strike, intersecting 2.8m grading 1.20 g/t Au, 9.96 g/t Ag, 0.62% Cu and 1.87% Zn (See news release dated March 2, 2026).
• PL-112: Discovered Kraken footwall copper stringer zone with 75.8m grading 0.45% Cu, including 12.0m grading 1.09% Cu, followed by an additional 23.5m grading 0.43% Cu (See news release dated March 2, 2026).
• PL-115: Returned 52.7m grading 0.30% Cu, including 12.0m grading 0.61% Cu, at Kraken (See news release dated May 13, 2026).
• PL-118: Follow-up drilling of Kraken returned 22.5m grading 0.53% Cu and 41.5m grading 0.39% Cu, including 7.5m grading 0.89% Cu (See news release dated May 13, 2026).

Phase 2 Objectives Include: Resource Growth and Kraken Definition Drilling

• Resource Growth: Expand the massive sulphide resources and also define the new Kraken copper footwall stringer zone and include both in the next Pt. Leamington Mineral Resource Estimate.
• Resource Conversion: Target the conversion of approximately 50% of the 13.7 million tonnes of pit-constrained Inferred Mineral Resources to the Indicated category through infill drilling.
• Resource Definition and Pit Evaluation: Phase 2 drilling will improve the geological understanding of the Pt. Leamington massive sulphide deposit and Kraken footwall copper stringer zone and provide additional data for future resource modelling and evaluation within an appropriately constrained pit shell.
• Regional Exploration: Visionary will continue to outline compelling near-surface opportunities for new volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits that will be tested during the upcoming Phase 2 drilling program.

Phase 2 drill holes will infill and expand the existing Pt. Leamington massive sulphide deposit before continuing into the Kraken copper footwall stringer zone. This approach maximizes the value of each meter drilled by using each hole to contribute to resource conversion, resource growth and continued definition and extension of the Kraken discovery (See Pt. Leamington Deposit 3D View with Planned Phase 2 Drilling).

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The program will target moving 50% of the 13.7 million tonnes in the 2021 pit-constrained inferred Mineral Resource Estimate, of the massive sulphide, to the indicated resource category. It will also test for extensions of the massive sulphides and progressively explore for extensions of the Kraken zone up-dip and along strike. Selected historical holes terminating above Kraken may also be deepened to efficiently provide additional pierce points.

The Kraken zone was discovered after the Pt. Leamington 2021 Mineral Resource Estimate was published and Phase 2 drilling is expected to allow the Kraken zone to be included in the next Mineral Resource Estimate and to establish how it may be mined in an economic pit together with the massive sulphides.

Identifying new volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits along trend in the Pt. Leamington VMS camp continues as an exploration priority for Visionary. Soil sampling and other exploration techniques are being used to identify drilling targets, in addition to our planned Phase 2 drilling program at the Deposit.

Pt. Leamington Mineral Resource: The Starting Point

The Pt. Leamington Mineral Resource Estimate was prepared by P&E Mining Consultants Inc. ("P&E") for Callinex Mines Inc. The NI 43-101 Technical Report had an effective date of August 20, 2021, signing date of December 5, 2023 and was filed on December 18, 2023 and the table below states the mineral resources from the P&E 2021 Technical Report.

Table 1. Pt. Leamington Mineral Resource Estimate. Source: P&E Mining Consultants Inc., NI 43-101 Technical Report - Pt. Leamington Project, Newfoundland, Canada, Report No. 403, effective August 20, 2021 with a signing date of December 5, 2023.

1. Mineral Resources, which are not Mineral Reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability.
2. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing or other relevant issues.
3. The Inferred Mineral Resource has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resource could be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration.
4. Mineral Resources were classified in accordance with CIM Definition Standards (2014) and CIM Best Practices Guidelines (2019).
5. The 2021 Mineral Resource Estimate used C$25/t NSR cut-offs for pit-constrained Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources and C$75/t for out-of-pit Inferred Mineral Resources. Copper-equivalent values were calculated using the following metal prices: Au at US$1,625/oz, Cu at US$3.50/lb, Zn US$1.20/lb, Ag at US$22/oz. Foreign exchange rate of CDN$1.00 = US$0.77. Metallurgical recoveries have been estimated to be 75% gold, 80% copper, 85% zinc and 25% silver. Smelter payables have been estimated to be 85% gold, 90% copper, 85% zinc and 90% silver.

Qualified Person

The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Jason Flight, P. Geo., a "qualified person" under NI 43-101. Mr. Flight is not independent under NI 43-101 as he is Vice President of Exploration for the Company.

About Visionary Copper and Gold Mines Inc.

Visionary Copper and Gold Mines Inc. (TSXV: VCG) (OTCQB: VCGMF) is advancing its portfolio of base and precious metals rich deposits located in established Canadian mining jurisdictions. The focus of the portfolio is highlighted by the 100% owned Pt. Leamington Deposit in Newfoundland, located in one of the richest VMS and Gold Districts in Canada. The Company prepared a pit constrained Indicated Mineral Resource of 5.0 Mt grading 1.42% CuEq for 156.8 Mlb CuEq (145.7 koz gold, 60.0 Mlb copper, 153.5 Mlb zinc, 2.0 Moz silver, 1.5 Mlb lead), a pit constrained Inferred Mineral Resource of 13.7 Mt grading 1.27% CuEq for 384.8 Mlb CuEq (354.8 koz gold, 110.2 Mlb copper, 527.3 Mlb zinc, 6.2 Moz silver, 7.0 Mlb lead) and an out-of-pit Inferred Mineral Resource of 1.7 Mt grading 1.74% CuEq for 65.7 Mlb CuEq (65.4 koz gold, 13.3 Mlb copper, 102.9 Mlb zinc, 1.4 Moz Ag, 2.6 Mlb lead) (see news release dated October 25, 2021). Additionally the Company is permitting the Rainbow deposit at its rich VMS Pine Bay Project located near existing infrastructure in the Flin Flon Mining District. The Company prepared an indicated mineral resource on the Rainbow deposit of 3.44 Mt grading 3.59% CuEq for 272.4 Mlb CuEq (238.3 Mlb Cu, 56.9 Mlb Zn, 37.6 koz Au, 692.8 koz Ag, 2.3 Mlb Pb), an inferred mineral resource on the Rainbow deposit of 1.28 Mt grading 2.95% CuEq containing 83.4 Mlb CuEq (72.1 Mlb Cu, 19.5 Mlb Zn, 11.1 koz Au, 222.2 Koz Ag, 0.8 Mlb Pb) and an inferred mineral resource at the Pine Bay deposit of 1.0 Mt grading 2.62% Cu containing 58.1 Mlb Cu (see news release dated July 10, 2023). Additionally, the portfolio includes the Nash Creek Project located in the VMS rich Bathurst Mining District of New Brunswick. A 2018 PEA generates a strong economic return with a pre-tax IRR of 34.1% (25.2% post-tax) and NPV8% of $230 million ($128 million post-tax) at $1.25 Zinc (see news release dated May 14, 2018).

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to future expenditures. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include, among others, the ability to complete the proposed drill program, additional capital requirements for its work programs and the timing and amount of expenditures. Except as required under applicable securities laws, Visionary does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement.

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