WARREN, ID / ACCESS Newswire / February 18, 2026 / Sidney Resources Corporation (OTCID:SDRC) ("Sidney" or the "Company") today outlined its strategic priorities and operational objectives for 2026, reinforcing the Company's core focus on advancing high-grade underground gold projects toward production, resource definition, and economic validation, while leveraging critical-minerals initiatives and advanced mining technologies as complementary growth drivers.

The Company's 2026 roadmap prioritizes gold-focused underground development, test-scale monetization, and progression toward compliant technical milestones, supported by disciplined asset development and selective participation in federal grant programs and proprietary technology commercialization. This balanced approach is designed to advance near-term gold value creation while positioning the Company for longer-term strategic opportunities in critical minerals and environmentally responsible mining solutions.

Lucky Ben Gold Operations, Underground Progress & Revenue Position

Sidney Resources Corporation continues to make measured progress on the gold side of its operations, with a primary focus on disciplined underground advancement, test-scale production validation, and responsible monetization pathways at the Lucky Ben project.

The Company has completed and continues to evaluate small-scale test milling and concentrate production, generating gold-bearing material suitable for metallurgical confirmation and process optimization. Limited non-commercial test sales of gold concentrate and/or dore-equivalent material have been conducted periodically to validate recovery, logistics, and settlement processes. These activities are intended to de-risk future production scenarios rather than serve as a primary revenue driver at this stage.

As underground development, drilling, and sampling advance in 2026, Sidney Resources expects to refine its production pathways and evaluate the transition from test-scale activity to structured small-scale commercial operations, subject to technical results, permitting considerations, and market conditions.

Management's strategy remains centered on a revenue-first development discipline, prioritizing early operational cash flow where technically and operationally justified, while avoiding the excessive dilution often associated with premature large-scale mine builds. This approach aligns with the Company's broader objective of protecting shareholder value while advancing its assets toward sustainable, long-term production.

To view the Company's latest underground progress at the Lucky Ben project, click here for the most recent video update.

Lucky Ben Project - Advancement Toward MRE & Bankability

In 2026, the Company will initiate a structured underground exploration and development program at the Lucky Ben vein system designed to support a compliant Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) and advance the project toward bankability.

Planned activities include:

• Driving a new exploration drift approximately 30 feet below the historic Lucky Ben tunnel. The downward ramp is complete and the drift to the vein intercept is under construction.

• The Company is approximately 70 feet from the projected vein intercept, at which point lateral drifting will commence along the structure to facilitate systematic channel sampling, detailed geological mapping, and test milling. The resulting data set will support development of the forthcoming Mineral Resource Estimate.

• The projected vein intercept is estimated to occur approximately 200 feet west of the historic stopes, which historically produced high-grade, free-milling gold. Detailed geological mapping and structural analysis are currently underway to refine the target location and confirm spatial continuity. Targeted intercept of the historic stope area structure is anticipated in mid-to-late Q2, subject to normal operational progress and ground conditions.

• Establishment of underground drill bays approximately 50 feet south of the vein to support a targeted core-drilling campaign intersecting the down-dip extension at multiple vertical levels.

• The planned underground core drilling program will utilize strategically positioned drill bays to test the down-dip extension of the vein at multiple elevations. Continuous core recovery will enable detailed structural logging, geotechnical assessment, and assay sampling to evaluate grade continuity and thickness. All recovered core will be processed through a dedicated core facility, where it will be logged, photographed, sampled, and secured under strict chain-of-custody protocols to support preparation of a compliant Mineral Resource Estimate.

• Subject to drilling results, assay turnaround times, and ongoing geological evaluation, the Company is targeting completion of its initial Mineral Resource Estimate in late Q4 2026 or Q1 2027.

Recovered HQ/NQ core will be logged and sampled under strict QA/QC protocols. The resulting dataset is intended to support an industry-standard MRE, forming the technical foundation for a future Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) or equivalent study.

This phased program is designed to transition Lucky Ben from exploration-stage potential into a technically substantiated, financeable underground gold project.

Walla Walla Mine Properties - Operations Plan Development

Sidney Resources will initiate preparation of a formal operations plan for the Walla Walla Mine properties, integrating historical geological data, prior exploration results, and modern development concepts. The phased plan will assess diamond drilling, detailed vein mapping, and production feasibility.

Historical results from 3^rd party studies incorporated into planning include:

• 1992 fire assay and amalgamation testing indicating calculated head grades up to 8.40 oz/ton gold, with high free-gold recovery (6.41 oz/ton via amalgamation)

• Table test concentrates yielding up to 34.51 oz/ton gold and 39.16 oz/ton silver

• 2010 diamond drilling intersecting coarse-fraction gold values up to 13.913 oz/ton gold over a true width of 3.74 feet

• Link to full geological reports: https://sidneyresources.com/projects/walla-walla-project/

Development planning will emphasize modular processing compatibility, environmental remediation alignment, and DOE/DoD supply-chain synergies to support scalable advancement of this high-grade gold vein system.

Strategic Asset Acquisitions & District-Scale Development

The Company plans to finance the acquisition of at least one additional strategic asset and advance development of approximately 7,600 acres of newly staked claims, completed in November 2025. This district-scale position complements adjacent staking activity by prominent industry participants and underscores the Company's conviction in the regional mineral potential.

Department of Energy Grant Advancement & Facility Expansion

Sidney Resources plans to allocate capital toward advancing two U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant initiatives focused on critical-minerals remediation and recovery. These efforts include continued participation in Environmental Mining Remediation Technology and AI Initiative (EMRTAI) discussions, tribal-support initiatives, and pilot-scale operational development.

In parallel, the Company intends to support a $25-$50 million DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) grant application by funding pilot-scale mill upgrades, modular processing enhancements, and operational improvements designed to achieve Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7-8 milestones. These upgrades will incorporate environmental performance improvements, workforce training, and redundant backup and failover systems to enhance reliability and minimize downtime during expansion phases.

Acceleration of Patented Laser Spallation Technology

Sidney Resources will continue advancing the commercialization of its utility-patented laser spallation mining technology, developed in collaboration with Colorado School of Mines. The Company views this technology as a potential step-change in selective rock removal with reduced environmental impact.

The technology is being positioned for integration with DOE-supported initiatives and, subject to future conditions, may be evaluated for separation into a standalone entity ("NewCo") for potential shareholder distribution in conjunction with a future uplisting strategy.

Strategic Merger Due Diligence & Integration Planning

The Company remains engaged in active merger and strategic combination discussions with regional, national, and international counterparties. These efforts include legal, technical, and financial due diligence, as well as preliminary integration planning aligned with U.S. critical-minerals supply-chain priorities involving the Department of Energy, Department of Defense, and related national-security stakeholders.

Rare Earth & Critical Minerals Production Scaling

Sidney Resources plans to fund continued scaling of REE concentrate production, building on gravity-separation results that have achieved concentrate grades exceeding 30%. Planned activities include logistics and qualification support for off-take discussions with a multi-billion-dollar industrial partner and the shipment of approximately 20,000 pounds of material to a Department of Defense-sponsored laboratory facility near Houston.

Additional processing initiatives will evaluate polymetallic recovery opportunities-including platinum-group metals (PGMs), tungsten, and precious metals-from both primary ore sources and historical tailings.

About Sidney Resources Corporation

Sidney Resources Corporation (OTCID:SDRC) is a U.S.-based mineral exploration and development company primarily focused on high-grade gold exploration and underground development, with additional exposure to silver, tungsten, platinum group metals (PGMs), and select rare earth element (REE) opportunities within Idaho's historic Warren Mining District.

The Company controls over 4,000 acres of patented and unpatented mineral rights and expanded its district-scale footprint through an additional 7,600 acres comprising 371 newly staked mining claims, targeting both historically productive gold-bearing systems and REE-prospective pegmatites.

Recent metallurgical and processing work has demonstrated successful gravity concentration, smelting, and physical recovery of polymetallic material, including confirmed recovery of platinum group metals. Sidney Resources is advancing scalable, modular processing pathways while continuing to develop responsible mining and bioremediation technologies designed to support long-term, environmentally conscious operations and disciplined asset advancement.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding future events, the Company's ability to raise capital, operational progress, development plans, and future financial performance.

These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as they involve risks and uncertainties that are, in some cases, beyond the Company's control.

Any forward-looking statements reflect the current views of Sidney Resources Corporation with respect to future events and are subject to assumptions and risks relating to, among other things, operations, results of operations, growth strategy, liquidity, regulatory approvals, permitting, market conditions, and financing. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

For a discussion of risk factors and uncertainties, please refer to the Company's public disclosures and filings with OTC Markets Group Inc., which are available through commercial document retrieval services and on the OTC Markets website.

For additional information regarding Sidney Resources Corporation, including its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives, please visit the Company's website.

For Further Information, Please Contact

Dan Hally
Chief Operating Officer
Sidney Resources Corporation

Phone: 509-552-9858
Email: dan@sdrccorp.com
Website:https://sidneyresources.com/

SOURCE: Sidney Resources Corp.