Drilling at Dumbwa has now established strike over 3.6 kilometres

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Midnight Sun Mining Corp. (TSXV: MMA / OTCQX: MDNGF) (“Midnight Sun” or the “Company”) is pleased to report assay results from 28 holes, totalling 5,247.30 metres (“m”), from its 100% owned Dumbwa Target, located in Solwezi, Zambia. Ongoing drilling continues to significantly extend the mineralized system at Dumbwa along strike.

Highlights of Drilling include:

• DBW-25-021 intercepted 0.89% Cu over 25m. 4 separate mineralized zones were intercepted within the hole.
• DBW-25-030 intercepted 0.46% Cu over 50m, including 1.36% Cu over 6m.
• DBW-25-027 intercepted 0.48% Cu over 21.85m
  
  

Midnight Sun’s COO, Kevin Bonel, states “Similar to the nearby Lumwana Mine, delineating basement-hosted copper systems like Dumbwa requires defining continuous, shallow mineralization along extensive strike at surface, and these latest intercepts continue to do exactly that. Each hit strengthens our confidence in the Dumbwa system and further validates our thesis. Our strategy of methodically delineating Dumbwa in 100 to 200 metre increments along strike has proven to be the right strategy to rapidly reveal the true scale of this copper system. We are advancing quickly, hitting consistent copper mineralization that mirrors what my team encountered as we expanded Lumwana. With drilled strike length now exceeding 3.6 kilometres with exceptional continuity, we are efficiently tracking the system and delineating it with precision. As the strike continues to grow, each step-out makes Dumbwa larger, stronger, and increasingly compelling.”

Table 1 provides assay results and intervals:

Assay results based on four-acid digest, ICP-OES Finish. Intervals listed are based on drilling intervals and therefore are considered relative rather than true widths.

Dumbwa Drill Program Update

The drilling at Dumbwa has now demonstrated 3.6 kilometres of north-south mineralized strike. To date, 122 holes have been completed with 5 holes ongoing and a further 140 holes called for in the immediate plan to test the mineralized corridor over the next 3 kilometres of strike. This represents approximately 25,000 metres of planned drilling.

Samples from an additional 64 drill holes have been submitted for assay, with the remaining samples currently being cut and prepared.

Quality Control/Quality Assurance

Drilling was conducted using a conventional diamond drilling rig and drill core was captured for the entirety of each hole and placed into plastic core trays. All drill holes were cored in PQ until stable ground was achieved and then reduced to HQ size for the remainder of each hole. Sampling was based on visible copper mineralization and sample intervals honoured any important lithological boundaries. Core was then cut in house using a diamond saw and the right half of core was placed into a 200 micron plastic bag, assigned a unique sample number, and recorded into GeoSpark logging system. Samples always remained under the supervision of Midnight Sun staff to maintain chain of custody. All samples were then delivered to SGS Labs located in Kalulushi, Zambia, a fully accredited laboratory. Once received, the samples were sorted, dried, crushed, and pulverized (SGS code PRP90) followed by four-acid digest with ICP-OES finish (SGS Code ICP42S). Copper range of detection is 0.01-10%. Midnight Sun follows an in-house QA/QC program that consisted of a random insertion every 10^th sample of either a coarse blank, fine blank, coarse duplicate, fine duplicate, or Certified Reference Material (standards).

Location of Reported Drill Holes

Note: Projection: WGS84, Zone 35 South

Qualified Person: Darin Labrenz, P.Geo., a consulting geologist for the Company and Qualified Person under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical data and contents of this release.

Stock Option Grant
Pursuant to the Company’s 10% rolling stock option plan, Midnight Sun has granted stock options to purchase an aggregate of 4,560,000 Common Shares of the Company, at an exercise price of $1.50 per share, to certain directors, officers, employees, and consultants. These stock options are fully vested upon issuance and expire five years from the date of issue.

About Midnight Sun

Midnight Sun is rapidly advancing the Solwezi Copper Project, with a focus on our flagship Dumbwa Target. The Project is located near the town of Solwezi in the heart of the Zambia–Congo Copperbelt, the world’s second-largest copper-producing region. This prolific mining district is renowned for hosting multiple major copper deposits, and benefits from excellent infrastructure, an established mining workforce, and a long history of successful production.

The Solwezi Copper Project is surrounded by producing copper mines, including the geologically similar Lumwana Mine just west of our project and First Quantum’s Kansanshi Mine, Africa’s largest copper mining complex, approximately 6 kilometres east of the company’s recently announced Kazhiba Oxide Resource. This highly favourable location highlights the district-scale potential of Midnight Sun’s land package.

The Dumbwa Target hosts a robust 20-kilometre copper-in-soil anomaly, and ongoing drilling has demonstrated strong geological similarities to the nearby Lumwana deposit, underscoring its potential to host a significant copper system.

Led by an experienced geological team with a proven track record of major discoveries in the Zambia–Congo Copperbelt and globally, Midnight Sun’s goal is to delineate Zambia’s next generational copper deposit.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF MIDNIGHT SUN MINING CORP.
Al Fabbro
President & CEO

For Further Information Contact:
Adrian O’Brien
VP Business Development and Communications
Tel: +1 604 809 6890
Em: adrian@midnightsunmining.com 

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 NEWS RELEASE.

This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that are based on expectations, estimates, assumptions, geological theories, and projections as at the date of this news release. The information in this news release about any information herein that is not a historical fact may be “forward looking statements.” Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (which may, but not always, include phrases such as “anticipates”, “expects”, “plans”, “scheduled”, “believed” or “intends” or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results “may” or “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements and are intended to identify forward-looking statements.

Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Such factors include, among others, risks relating to the timing and ability of the Company to obtain and the timing of the approval of relevant regulatory bodies, if at all; risks relating to property interests; risks related to access to the project; risks inherent in mineral exploration, including the fact that any particular phase of exploration may be unsuccessful; the availability of contractors; geo-political risks; the global economic climate; metal prices; environmental risks; political risks; and community and non-governmental actions. Further to this, geological similarities or characteristics are not guarantees or certainties of successful exploration. Neither the Company nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by law.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at 

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e75480fc-4c92-4cf0-aabc-b2a27a744305

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/462b6a8d-9223-4fba-9de8-d922cdc554b2 

Figure 1

Drill hole locations

Figure 2

Strike tracker

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