Mr. Brian Thurston reports

COPPER QUEST COMPLETES AI-DRIVEN ANALYSIS AT KITIMAT & IDENTIFIES LARGE CONCEALED CONDUCTIVE TARGET

Copper Quest Exploration Inc. has completed its AI-driven (artificial intelligence) geological analysis at its 100-per-cent-owned Kitimat copper-gold project in northwestern British Columbia, confirming a large conductive anomaly consistent with a buried porphyry centre.

Brian Thurston, chief executive officer of Copper Quest, stated: "The completion of our AI-driven analysis marks a significant step forward at Kitimat. The AI generation of this very large conductive anomaly, positioned along a structural magnetic boundary in fertile arc volcanics, could very easily represent a concealed intrusive porphyry centre. The historical mineralization drilled nearby delivered significant near-surface copper-gold intercepts that remain open and conforms with our geologic interpretation that those intercepts may represent the outer expression of a much larger porphyry system, perhaps of the AI-generated anomaly now observed."

Copper Quest announced its strategic partnership with U.S.-based Exploration Technologies Inc. (ExploreTech) on Dec. 1, 2025, to deploy generative artificial intelligence across its project portfolio, beginning with the Kitimat copper-gold project in British Columbia. Using the ExplorTech platform, historical information from the Kitimat project was integrated and reprocessed, including historical diamond drilling (including 2010 Jeannette copper-gold zone drilling), government airborne magnetics, VTEM (versatile time-domain electromagnetic) conductivity data, structural and lithological interpretations, 2025 field observations and alteration mapping, as well as soil and rock geochemistry. The platform integrated this historical information into a unified probabilistic 3-D geological framework while the AI system generated thousands of subsurface geological scenarios, ranking probability clusters for concealed intrusive centres and sulphide-rich alteration zones.

Dr. Alex Miltenberger, PhD, chief executive officer of ExploreTech, commented: "Our generative AI platform evaluates thousands of geological and geophysical permutations to identify the highest-probability mineralized centres. At Kitimat, the integrated magnetic, VTEM, drilling and geological data sets produce a coherent target architecture consistent with buried intrusive-related mineralization. This platform has been successfully applied on multiple porphyry systems worldwide and we look forward to supporting Copper Quest as they advance this project toward drill confirmation."

AI modelling has identified a large, buried conductive body measuring approximately 1.5 kilometres by 1.5 kilometres in lateral extent. The anomaly demonstrates strong vertical continuity to at least one kilometre depth -- the maximum limit of the analysis -- and begins just 50 metres below surface, concealed beneath sedimentary cover. The conductor is situated within a pronounced magnetic gradient/dipole corridor, with a spatial relationship suggestive of an intrusive contact or alteration boundary. It also lies in proximity to documented volcanic-hosted sulphide mineralization.

The geological setting -- Lower Jurassic Hazelton group volcanics intruded by Coast Plutonic rocks -- further supports the exploration model. Collectively, these characteristics are interpreted by the company as indicative of a concealed, sulphide-rich hydrothermal centre. Permitting has been initiated for a 2026 induced polarization survey followed by a diamond drill program to test this compelling target.

These AI results have materially refined and strengthened Copper Quest's theory that the project area hosts a large hydrothermal copper-gold porphyry system. ExploreTech's modelling supports the geologic interpretation that the 2010 drilling at the Jeannette zone may represent a peripheral expression of a larger concealed intrusive centre, represented by the AI interpreted kilometre-scale conductive anomaly.

The Kitimat project hosts significant historical copper-gold drill intersections, mostly completed by Decade Resources Ltd. in 2010 at the Jeannette zone. Notable intervals include 117.07 metres grading 0.54 per cent copper and 1.03 grams per tonne gold (hole J-7), 103.65 metres grading 0.55 per cent copper and 1.00 g/t Au (hole J-1), 107.01 m grading 0.45 per cent Cu and 0.80 g/t Au (hole J-2) and 112.20 m grading 0.33 per cent Cu and 0.41 g/t Au (hole J-8).

Infrastructure advantage

The Kitimat project is supported by outstanding infrastructure that meaningfully strengthens its development potential. The property benefits from established road access by historic logging and exploration roads, proximity to rail infrastructure, access to high-voltage hydroelectric power, and deepwater port facilities at Kitimat. Located just 10 kilometres from the city within a stable, mining-friendly jurisdiction, the project is exceptionally well positioned. Collectively, this infrastructure base has the potential to materially enhance project economics in the event of a discovery.

Qualified person

Brian G. Thurston, PGeo, the company's president and chief executive officer and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release.

Copper -- global supply deficit and critical metal

Global copper demand is accelerating at an unprecedented pace, fuelled by electrification, electric vehicles, renewable energy deployment, expanding data centres, AI infrastructure and large-scale grid modernization. At the same time, the industry faces mounting constraints while ore grades at existing mines continue to decline, new discoveries become increasingly rare, permitting timelines are lengthening, and meaningful supply deficits are projected over the coming decade.

In this environment, advancing new copper discoveries in stable, mining-friendly jurisdictions such as Canada and the United States has become essential to Western energy security and long-term economic growth. Copper Quest is strategically positioned to help deliver the next generation of North American copper discoveries.

About Copper Quest Exploration Inc.

The company's landholdings comprise eight projects that span over 46,000 hectares in great mining jurisdictions of Canada and the United States. Copper Quest is committed to building shareholder value through acquisitions, discovery-driven exploration and responsible development of its North American portfolio of assets. The company's common shares are principally listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange under the symbol CQX.

Copper Quest has a 100-per-cent interest in the past-producing Alpine gold mine, located approximately 20 kilometres northeast of the city of Nelson, B.C., spanning 4,611.49 hectares with a 2018 NI 43-101 historical inferred resource of 268,000 tonnes, estimated using a cut-off grade of 5.0 g/t Au and an average grade of 16.52 g/t Au, that represents an inferred resource of 142,000 ounces of gold (McCuaig and Giroux, 2018). Apart from the Alpine mine itself, the property hosts four other less explored significant vein systems, including the past-producing King Solomon vein workings, the Black Prince and the Cold Blow vein system, and the Gold Crown vein system. Note: The company has not yet completed sufficient work to verify the 2018 historic inferred resource results.

Copper Quest has a 100-per-cent interest in the road-accessible Stars porphyry copper-molybdenum property, spanning 9,693 hectares in central British Columbia's Bulkley porphyry belt, with Tana zone discovery drill intersection highlights of 0.466 per cent Cu over 195.07 m in drill hole DD18SS004 from 23.47 m, 0.200 per cent Cu over 396.67 m in drill hole DD18SS010 from 29.37 m and 0.205 per cent Cu over 207.27 m in drill hole DD18SS015 from 163.98 m. This highly prospective, approximately five-kilometre-by-2.5-kilometre annular magnetic anomaly is interpreted to represent an altered monzonite intrusion and surrounding hornfels.

Copper Quest has a 100-per-cent interest in the road-accessible Kitimat copper-gold property, spanning 2,954 hectares within the Skeena mining division of northwestern British Columbia, located northwest of the deepwater port community of Kitimat, B.C. The property benefits from exceptional infrastructure, being within 10 km of tidewater, 1.5 km of rail and six km of high-voltage hydroelectric transmission lines. Exploration on the Kitimat property dates to the late 1960s, with the most significant historical work conducted by Decade Resources Ltd. (2010), which completed 16 diamond drill holes totalling 4,437.5 metres in the Jeannette copper-gold zone, and drill intersection highlights of 1.03 g/t Au and 0.54 per cent Cu over 117.07 m in hole J-7 from 1.52 m, 1.00 g/t Au and 0.55 per cent Cu over 103.65 m in hole J-1 from 9.15 m, 0.80 g/t Au and 0.45 per cent Cu over 107.01 m in hole J-2 from 6.10 m, and 0.41 g/t Au and 0.33 per cent Cu over 112.20 m in hole J-8 from 11.89 m.

Copper Quest has a 100-per-cent interest in the Nekash copper-gold project, a porphyry exploration opportunity located in Lemhi county, Idaho, United States, along the prolific Idaho-Montana porphyry copper belt, which hosts world-class systems such as Butte and Cumo. The project is fully road accessible by maintained U.S. highways and forest service roads and consists of 70 unpatented federal lode claims covering 585 hectares. Copper Quest has an option to earn 100-per-cent interest in the past-producing, road-accessible Auxer gold mine, spanning 1,087 hectares, located in Bonner county, Idaho, United States. This orogenic gold opportunity is positioned along one of the region's most significant structural corridors located within the prolific Hope fault system. Historical exploration has demonstrated exceptional gold grades, with the 1936 Platts report documenting up to 21.0 g/t Au in surface samples and underground workings showing consistent mineralization over 4.3-metre widths averaging 9.42 g/t Au at an 18-metre depth.

Copper Quest has a 100-per-cent interest in the road-accessible Stellar property, spanning 5,389 hectares in British Columbia's Bulkley porphyry belt, contiguous to the Stars property. Copper Quest has a 100-per-cent interest in the Thane project, located in the Quesnel terrane of Northern British Columbia, spanning over 20,658 hectares with 10 priority targets identified, demonstrating significant copper and precious metal mineralization potential.

Copper Quest has an earn-in option of up to 80 per cent and joint venture agreement on the road-accessible Rip porphyry copper-molybdenum project, spanning 4,700 hectares located in the Bulkley porphyry belt in central British Columbia.

We seek Safe Harbor.