Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - February 12, 2026) - Metalero Mining Corp. (TSXV: MLO) ("Metalero" or the "Company") is pleased to announce additional results from its recently completed Ionic Leach soil geochemical survey at the Cantin Target, part of the Company's road accessible flagship Benson Project, located in the prolific Quesnel Trough of central British Columbia (Figure 1).
"The results from our 2-week follow-up sampling campaign at Cantin have expanded and refined our previously defined copper and gold anomalies which cover >23 km2 (combined) and remain open in several directions. We now see two discrete soil anomalies, each of which correlate with the QUEST Artificial-Intelligence targets which drew us to Benson in the first place," stated Rob L'Heureux, President & CEO of Metalero Mining. "And considering these Cantin anomalies represent less than 15% of the Benson Project area, we are excited to explore the other target areas while moving Cantin ahead to our maiden drill campaign."
Both the copper and gold soil analyses at Cantin show two distinct anomalies overlying the strong magnetic signature from airborne geophysical surveys. The Cantin Northwest anomaly (> 8km2) includes approximately 135 samples which show the anomaly could extend to the northeast, northwest or southwest directions (Figures 2 and 3). The Cantin Southeast anomaly (> 15km2) comprises roughly 260 samples and shows the potential to still be open to the south and northeast.
The two 2025 Ionic Leach programs, conducted in the spring and fall of 2025, were designed to evaluate and refine copper-gold targets across the underexplored Cantin area, where historical exploration and recent Geoscience BC Artificial-Intelligence (AI) work has indicated strong potential for porphyry-style mineralization known as the QUEST targets. A total of 835 soil samples have been collected at the Cantin, Sundberg, and Chiaz targets with a 100-metre sample spacing and sample lines 500 to 1,500 metres apart.
Figure 1. Map of BC showing Benson, known porphyry Cu-Au occurrences, and some of the major, recent projects and mines all within the Quesnel Trough. Benson is host to known mineralization associated with porphyry systems which have not been systematically explored since the early 1990s.
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Figure 2. Two discrete copper-in-soil anomalies (yellow outlines) covering >8 km2 (Cantin Northwest) and >15 km2 (Cantin Southeast) at the Cantin Target, Benson Project. These soil anomalies are centred on the AI-driven targets identified by Geoscience BC (QUEST), overlap regional magnetic highs, and remain open in several directions. The 1300 ppb Cu limit represents the 80th percentile for all Ionic Leach sampling conducted by MLO at Benson to date (n=835).
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Figure 3. Two discrete gold-in-soil anomalies (white outlines) covering >7 km2 (Cantin Northwest) and > 14km2 (Cantin Southeast) at the Cantin Target, Benson Project. These soil anomalies are centred on the AI-driven targets identified by Geoscience BC (QUEST), overlap regional magnetic highs, and remain open in several directions. The 0.71 ppb Au limit represents the 80th percentile for all Ionic Leach sampling conducted by MLO at Benson to date (n=835).
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Corporate Undertakings
Metalero is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement which will consist of up to 3,000,000 common shares (the "Shares") at a price of $0.15 per Share for total gross proceeds of $450,000 (the "Offering"). The net proceeds from the Offering are intended to fund ongoing exploration and development activities on the Company's mineral properties and for general working capital purposes. The Offering is subject to regulatory approval, including that of the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance.
The Company has granted a total of 2,300,000 incentive stock options to certain officers, directors and consultants of the Company. Each stock option is exercisable at a price of $0.15 per common share for a period of five years from the date of grant, subject to the terms of the Company's 10% rolling stock option plan and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange.
QAQC Procedures
Sample preparation and analysis for the Benson soil survey was completed at the ALS Global facility in Vancouver, BC. A non-biased 50g nominal soil sample was collected from the entire field sample without drying or screening. The Ionic Leach method was used to analyze samples for 61 elements. This procedure is defined by static sodium cyanide leach using ammonium chloride, citric acid, and EDTA, with the leachant buffered to an alkaline pH of 8.5. A secure chain of custody procedure was maintained in storing and transporting samples.
Benson Project Background
The Benson Project is strategically located in the Quesnel Trough, one of Canada's most important mineral belts. The Quesnel Trough is a Triassic/Jurassic-age belt of volcano-sedimentary and intrusive rocks which hosts >360 alkalic copper-gold porphyry occurrences and deposits. The >1,500 km long Quesnel Trough runs through the middle of BC stretching from the US to the Yukon Territory. It hosts several types of gold deposits and numerous major mines which produce copper and gold as well as variable amounts of silver.
High profile and long-lived mines in the Quesnel Trough include Highland Valley, Mt Milligan, New Afton, and Kemess which are complemented by recent exploration work including Woodjam, MPD, Kwanika, and the extensive staking by Australian mining giant, the Fortescue Group.
The Benson Project lies close to infrastructure and is traversed by Highway 26 and a vast network of logging roads allowing for ready access to all parts of the Property and capital-efficient exploration. The large land package covers 5 different target areas illuminated by recent Artificial-Intelligence ("AI") work by Geoscience BC (Mitchinson et al., Geoscience BC Report 2022-07). This AI study incorporated a wide variety of historical datasets including geophysics, geology, sampling information, and drilling data (where present) to identify high potential ("porphyry-like") anomalies with similarities to known porphyry deposits elsewhere in the belt. Even the limited historical exploration at Benson has identified numerous gold and copper surface geochemical anomalies while modest, historical drill programs have intersected skarn and epithermal gold and silver mineralization, which are both intrusive-related styles of mineralization and are commonly associated with porphyry systems.
About Metalero Mining Corp.
Metalero Mining Corp. is a Canadian-based junior exploration company focused on copper and gold projects in the Americas. Its 173 square kilometre, road-accessible Benson Project serves as Metalero's flagship and is host to five prospects containing gold and copper within porphyry-related mineralized systems.
Qualified Person The technical content of this news release pertaining to the Benson Project was reviewed and approved by Michael Dufresne, M.Sc, P.Geol., P.Geo., a non-independent qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
NEITHER 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 RELEASE.
Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain certain "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws including, without limitation, the timing, nature, scope and details regarding the Company's exploration plans and results. Such statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, its projects, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "expect", "believe", "plan", "anticipate", "estimate", "scheduled", "forecast", "predict" and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. These statements reflect the Company's current expectations regarding future events, performance and results and speak only as of the date of this release.
Forward-looking statements in this press release are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. These include, but are not limited to, structure and terms of the Offering, the anticipated closing date(s) of the Offering, the intended use of proceeds of the Offerings, and approval of the Offerings by the TSX-V, risks associated with the mining industry in general, the exploration and development of mineral properties, the Company's ability to obtain necessary financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. All forward looking information contained in this press release is given as of the date hereof and is based upon the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management as at the date hereof. Other factors which could materially affect such forward-looking information are described in the risk factors in the Company's most recent annual management's discussion and analysis which is available on the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Metalero disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
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