Mr. Jonathon Deluce reports

ABITIBI METALS ACHIEVES EARLY EXERCISE OF B26 OPTION, SECURING 80% OWNERSHIP OF THE HIGH-GRADE COPPER-GOLD PROJECT IN QUEBEC

Abitibi Metals Corp. has completed the second phase of its option agreement with Soquem Inc. This milestone secures an additional 30-per-cent undivided interest in the high-grade B26 polymetallic deposit, increasing Abitibi's ownership to 80 per cent and positioning the company as the majority owner and operator of the project.

"This milestone marks a pivotal moment for Abitibi Metals Corp.," stated Jonathon Deluce, chief executive officer of the company. "By achieving the early exercise of our option and securing 80-per-cent ownership of the B26 project, we have strengthened our position as majority owner and enhanced our ability to accelerate exploration and development. With a fully funded 40,000-metre drill program under way and a rapidly growing resource base, we are entering an important phase of growth as we work to unlock the full potential of this high-grade copper-gold system in the Abitibi greenstone belt.

"We would also like to sincerely thank Soquem Inc. and recognize their important role in advancing the B26 project prior to Abitibi's involvement," added Mr. Deluce. "Their technical expertise and long-standing presence in Quebec laid an important foundation for the work being carried out today. The complementary strengths between Soquem and Abitibi's Tier 1 technical team create a strong partnership with the potential to unlock the broader opportunity at B26 and across the surrounding region."

A pivotal inflection point for B26

Achieving 80-per-cent ownership represents a significant milestone in the advancement of the B26 project. With majority ownership secured, Abitibi Metals has a clear path for exploration strategy, development planning and long-term project advancement. This milestone comes at a time when drilling at B26 continues to deliver encouraging results, reinforcing the scale and quality of the deposit and strengthening the foundation for the next stage of growth.

Since entering into the option agreement with Soquem in November, 2023, Abitibi has rapidly advanced the project through aggressive exploration, disciplined technical work and sustained investment in resource growth. The early exercise of the option to reach 80 per cent reflects the company's confidence in the scale and long-term potential of the B26 project, and was achieved by completing all the additional earn-in metrics, including exploration expenditures, issuance of 3,793,864 common shares and receiving Soquem's confirmation that all requirements for the 80-per-cent earn-in had been satisfied.

This focused strategy has delivered significant results, including a 124-per-cent increase in the mineral resource estimate in less than three years, materially enhancing the scale and strength of the B26 deposit while further positioning the project as one of the most compelling emerging polymetallic systems in the Abitibi region.

Joint venture structure and project advancement

With the completion of the second phase of the option agreement, the B26 project will be advanced through a joint venture between Abitibi Metals and Soquem, with Abitibi holding an 80-per-cent interest and acting as project operator, and Soquem retaining a 20-per-cent participating interest.

Under the joint venture framework, project activities will be carried out by Abitibi as manager and guided by a joint management committee with representatives from both parties. Exploration programs, technical studies and project budgets will be reviewed and approved through this committee, ensuring collaborative oversight of the project's advancement.

This joint venture structure provides a clear governance framework for advancing the B26 project while maintaining strong alignment between Abitibi and Soquem as the project moves forward through continued exploration, technical evaluation and potential future development.

Abitibi will lead the next phase of work at the project, including the company's largest drilling campaign to date. A fully financed 40,000-metre program is planned for 2026, and is designed to expand the current resource base, increase confidence in key mineralized zones through infill drilling and test additional targets across the broader project area.

In parallel with continuing drilling, Abitibi intends to advance a comprehensive technical program that will include metallurgical optimization, geotechnical and hydrogeological studies, environmental baseline work, and preliminary mine planning. These initiatives are expected to support the continued advancement of the B26 project toward future economic evaluation and permitting milestones.

New corporate presentation

The company is pleased to announce that it has updated its website with a new corporate presentation, which outlines Abitibi Metals' 2026 exploration strategy, key project milestones and development timelines for the B26 project.

Restricted share units and stock options

In accordance with the company's omnibus equity incentive plan, the company has granted a total of 1.05 million incentive stock options to certain directors and officers of the company. The options are exercisable at 85 cents per common share for a period of five years and will vest in line with company policy. The company has granted an aggregate of 1.1 million restricted share units to officers and directors of the company, which will vest equally over three years. Each vested RSU entitles the holder to receive one common share of the company pursuant to the company's omnibus equity incentive plan.

Qualified person

Information contained in this press release was reviewed and approved by Laurent Eustache, Geo, executive vice-president of the company, a qualified person as defined under National Instrument 43-101, responsible for the technical information provided in this news release.

About Abitibi Metals Corp.

Abitibi Metals is a Quebec-focused mineral acquisition and exploration company focused on the development of quality base and precious metal properties that are drill ready with high upside and expansion potential. Abitibi's portfolio of strategic properties provides target-rich diversification with 80 per cent of the high-grade B26 polymetallic deposit, which hosts a resource estimate of 13.0 million tonnes of 2.1 per cent copper equivalent (indicated: 1.19 per cent copper, 1.16 per cent zinc, 0.44 gram per tonne gold and 30.8 g/t silver) and 12.4 Mt of 2.2 per cent CuEq (inferred: 1.60 per cent Cu, 0.16 per cent Zn, 0.67 g/t Au and 8.14 g/t Ag), and the Beschefer gold project, where historical drilling has identified four historical intercepts with a metal factor of over 100 g/t gold highlighted by 55.63 g/t gold over 5.57 metres (BE13-038) and 13.07 g/t gold over 8.75 metres (BE12-014) amongst four modelled zones.

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