• New Mineralized Center: HER-25-25 has intersected alteration and veining consistent with the outer margins of a new porphyry center, with step-out drilling underway to vector towards the causative porphyry intrusion.

• Distinct Style: The style of mineralization is distinct from that at Leviathan, with a greater proportion of quartz vein-hosted mineralization and stronger grades than would typically be observed on the margins of the Leviathan system.

• Increasing Alteration Intensity: Reconnaissance drilling, from east to west at Southern Flats, has systematically vectored from distal propylitic, through phyllic, to outer potassic alteration in HER-25-25, indicating drilling is progressing west toward a new porphyry center.

• Increasing Vein Intensity: Concurrent with the alteration zoning, veining intensity has increased from pyrite-rich D-type veins in the east, to high-temperature early halo and B-type veins carrying copper and molybdenum, in HER-25-25.

• Increasing Chalcopyrite-to-Pyrite Ratios: The ratio of chalcopyrite (copper sulfide) to pyrite (iron sulfide) increases westward into HER-25-25, as well as downhole, coincident with the onset of outer potassic alteration, prior to the hole being stopped by a post-mineral fault zone.

• 200 m Step-Out Underway: A new step-out hole, HER-26-01, is collared 200 m west of HER-25-25 and has reached the top of the target zone where it is now testing for increasing alteration, veining and mineralization.

• Significant Scale Potential: HER-25-25 is the first hole to test the edges of a central <30 ohm-m Southern Flats MT conductivity anomaly, which measures approximately 2.6 km long by 1.3 km wide by 1.2 km deep, highlighting significant exploration potential at the newly discovered zone.

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 26, 2026) - Hercules Metals Corp. (TSXV: BIG) (OTCQB: BADEF) (FSE: C0X) ("Hercules" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that drill hole HER-25-25 ("25-25") has intersected a new zone of mineralization, consistent with the outer margins of a porphyry center, at the Southern Flats zone on its Hercules project in western Idaho (the "Property"). The hole encountered overlapping phyllic and outer potassic alteration, with a unique style of vein-hosted copper mineralization grading:

• 177 m of 0.66% CuEq (0.56% Cu, 92 ppm Mo, 2.2 g/t Ag, 0.031 g/t Au)
• within 271 m of 0.51% CuEq (0.43% Cu, 75 ppm Mo, 2.6 g/t Ag, 0.024 g/t Au)

Due to a strong fault zone, the hole was stopped in encouraging geology, and it was elected to step out 200 m to the west, in the direction of increasing alteration, veining and mineralization. The step-out hole, HER-26-01, is now at the top of the target zone, where it is testing the central axis of a large MT conductivity anomaly, in search of the causative porphyry at Southern Flats. PQ drill rod casing has been pushed significantly deeper in HER-26-01, in preparation for deeper drilling.

HER-25-25 encountered alteration consistent with the outer margins of a porphyry system, characterized by a transition from lower temperature phyllic (quartz-sericite-pyrite) alteration to more proximal, and higher temperature, early biotite (outer potassic) alteration. The gradual onset of potassic alteration is also accompanied by an increasing ratio of chalcopyrite to pyrite.

Copper mineralization occurs with both early halo type and quartz veins. The mineralized quartz veins are distinct from the style of mineralization at Leviathan, where quartz veins typically do not host significant copper. This indicates potential for grades to increase in proportion to the density of quartz veins, which are often highest at the center of a porphyry system.

Figure 1: Drilling to date at Hercules relative to an 800 m depth slice of MT conductivity. Warmer colours are more conductive.

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Figure 2: Cross-section (±250 m, looking toward 340°) showing alteration and mineralization relative to the Southern Flats MT anomaly. HER-26-01 will target the core of the MT anomaly for the potential causative porphyry intrusion and inner potassic alteration.

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Figure 3: HER-26-01 in progress at Southern Flats

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Chris Paul, CEO for Hercules Metals, "Evidence is increasingly compelling for a potential new porphyry discovery at Southern Flats. Reconnaissance drilling continues to vector toward increasingly stronger copper in what appears to be the margins of a new porphyry center. We're excited to advance drilling at tighter spacing as we explore for Southern Flats potential high-grade core."

Table 1: Highlight Intervals

Geological Description and Core Photos

HER-25-25 encountered strong quartz-sericite-pyrite (phyllic) alteration transitioning downhole to increasing early biotite (outer potassic) alteration and chalcopyrite to pyrite ratios.

Late pyrite-rich phyllic alteration and D-type veins overprint the early biotite alteration to the bottom of the hole, consistent with a marginal part of the system, despite the strong grades encountered.

Certain porphyry systems are cored by a more intense zone of inner potassic alteration, characterized by k-feldspar and magnetite, in addition to biotite, which is often accompanied by significantly higher quartz vein densities.

Whole core box and select close-up photographs are shown below to illustrate the alteration, veining, and fine-grained mineralization encountered in HER-25-25.

Figure 4: HER-25-25 - Phyllic altered fragmental volcanic host rock with strongly disseminated chalcopyrite and pyrite.

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Figure 5: HER-25-25 - Early quartz-magnetite-chalcopyrite veinlet (center), cut by a late D vein (lower right) in phyllic altered volcanic host rock.

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Figure 6: HER-25-25 - Dense network of early halo veins and disseminated chalcopyrite-pyrite, cut by B vein with molybdenite along vein walls and chalcopyrite-molybdenite centerline.

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Figure 7: HER-25-25 - Cryptic breccia with B vein clasts.

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Figure 8: HER-25-25 - Thick early halo veins with chalcopyrite mineralization and chalcopyrite C veins infilling centerlines.

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Figure 9: HER-25-25 - Early halo veins with chalcopyrite-pyrite C/D veins infilling centerlines.

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Figure 10: HER-25-25 - 3237.60 ft - 3246.60 ft - Phyllic (quartz-sericite-chlorite) altered volcanic host rock cut by early halo veins, B veins, and late-stage D veins.

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Figure 11: HER-25-25 - 3530.70 ft - 3544.5 ft - Early biotite altered volcanic host rock with variable phyllic overprint, cut by B, C and D veins.

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Figure 12: HER-25-25 - 3595.60 ft - 3608.20 ft - Early biotite altered volcanic host rock with variable phyllic overprint. Increasing density of B veins.

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Surveyed Drill Collar Locations

Table 2: Surveyed collar data for drill holes reported in this release

Pegasus Target

Maiden drilling has commenced at the Pegasus Porphyry Target, approximately 3.6 km southeast of HER-25-25 and HER-26-01. The Pegasus target was identified by a district-scale MT geophysical survey in 2025 that indicates potential for the trend of porphyry intrusions to continue further south from Southern Flats. A first phase of IP surveying was completed over the target in early 2026, with a second phase now underway at both the Pegasus and the separate Hook Target, to further map the distribution of anomalous chargeability at each area. The Pegasus target is located on flat, subdued topography, adjacent to a highway and high-voltage transmission line infrastructure.

Figure 13: Drilling underway at HER-26-02 at the Pegasus Porphyry Target

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Sample Analysis and QAQC

All drill core samples were prepped at MSA Labs in Elko, Nevada and analyzed at MSA Labs in Langley, British Columbia, an ISO 17025 and ISO 9001 certified laboratory. Samples were dried and crushed to 2 mm, from which a 250 g sub-sample split was then pulverized to 85% passing a 75 micron sieve. Following preparation, assays were determined by the IMS-230 method. A 0.25 g aliquot of the prepared pulp was digested in a 4-acid solution consisting of hydrochloric, nitric, perchloric and hydrofluoric acids. 4-acid is a near total digest and only the most highly resistant minerals are not dissolved. The resulting solution was analyzed via ICP-MS and ICP-ES for 48 elements and was corrected for inter-element spectral interferences. Lower detection limits for this procedure are 0.01 ppm for silver, 0.5 ppm for lead, 2 ppm for zinc, and 0.2 ppm for copper. Mercury is not reported due to volatilization in reaction with hydrofluoric acid and gold is not reported due to the small, 0.25 g aliquot size being insufficient to overcome the nugget effect.

Samples with initial results beyond the upper detection limit of the IMS-230 method were analyzed by procedures ICF-6Ag, ICF-6Cu, ICF-6Pb and ICF-6Zn. The thresholds are 100 ppm for silver, and >1% for copper, lead and zinc.

A 50 g split from the crushed and pulverized samples are composited into larger 500 g composite samples (consisting of ten continuous samples) and analyzed for gold utilizing CPA-Au1 photon assay method. Certain material gold results from the composite samples are then selected for re-analysis, by individual sample, as a 30 g fire assay (FAS-111 Method). Gold assays below detection limit are treated as zero values for composite calculations.

MSA Labs employs internal quality control standards, duplicates and blank samples at set frequencies.

Blind certified reference materials (CRMs) and blank samples were systematically inserted by the Company into the sample stream and analyzed as part of the Company's quality assurance/quality control protocol.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved for disclosure by Dillon Hume, P.Geo. and Vice President, Exploration for the Company. Mr. Hume is a "Qualified Person" for Hercules Metals within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About Hercules Metals Corp.

Hercules Metals Corp. (TSXV: BIG) (OTCQB: BADEF) (FSE: C0X) is an exploration Company focused on developing America's newest porphyry copper district, in Idaho.

The 100% owned Hercules Project, located northwest of Cambridge, hosts the newly discovered Leviathan porphyry copper system, one of the most important new discoveries in the country to date. The Company is well positioned for growth through continued drilling, supported by a strategic investment from Barrick Mining Corporation.

With the potential for significant scale, the Company's management and board of directors aims to deliver value to shareholders through proven discovery success.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. Any securities referred to herein have not and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws of an exemption from such registration is available.

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains certain information that may be deemed "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information includes statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. Forward-looking information contained in this press release may include, without limitation, the expected execution of future exploration programs on the Property; assay results of future drill holes; results of operations, and the expected financial performance of the Company.

Although the Company believes the forward-looking information contained in this news release is reasonable based on information available on the date hereof, by its nature, forward-looking information involves assumptions and known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information.

Examples of such assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, assumptions, risks and uncertainties associated with general economic conditions; the Covid-19 pandemic; adverse industry events; the receipt of required regulatory approvals and the timing of such approvals; that the Company maintains good relationships with the communities in which it operates or proposes to operate, future legislative and regulatory developments in the mining sector; the Company's ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favorable terms; mining industry and markets in Canada and generally; the ability of the Company to implement its business strategies; competition; the risk that any of the assumptions prove not to be valid or reliable, which could result in delays, or cessation in planned work, risks associated with the interpretation of data, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits, the possibility that results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, as well as other assumptions risks and uncertainties applicable to mineral exploration and development activities and to the Company, including as set forth in the Company's public disclosure documents filed on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca.

THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF HERCULES METALS AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE HERCULES METALS MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS.

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 press release.

¹ The intervals reported represent drill intercepts and insufficient data are available at this time to state the true thickness of the mineralized intervals.

² Copper equivalent (CuEq) for drill intersections is calculated using a three-year trailing average for each commodity, which equates to US$ 4.20/lb Cu, US$ 2,600/oz Au, US$ 30.50/oz Ag and US$ 21.50/lb Mo, with 80% metallurgical recoveries assumed for all metals. The formula is: CuEq % = Cu % + (0.000512 * Mo ppm) + (0.010591 * Ag g/t) + (0.902879* Au g/t).

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