Mr. Peter Shippen reports

PARAGON ADVANCED LABS AND SCOUT DISCOVERIES ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT TO SET A NEW STANDARD FOR EXPLORATION SPEED

Paragon Advanced Labs Inc., through Paragon Geochemical Laboratories Inc., has executed a strategic partnership with Scout Discoveries Corp. to establish a sample preparation facility at Scout's northern operations hub in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, co-branded Scout Analytical, Powered by Paragon. The facility integrates local sample preparation with Paragon's ISO-certified analytical capabilities, including a Chrysos PhotonAssay network to compress assay turnaround time and materially improve efficiency across Scout's exploration programs.

Key take-aways:

• New full-scale sample prep facility to be co-branded Scout Analytical, Powered by Paragon, with financing and operations handled by Paragon;
• Local prep, faster assays at scale: this facility bolsters Scout's current sample preparation capabilities in Coeur d'Alene, further removing shipping and long queue bottlenecks;
• Preferred rates plus priority lanes: the facility is open to all third parties, and Paragon will provide preferred rates and Tier 1 priority processing for Scout and its partners;
• Scout Analytical, paired with Paragon's PhotonAssay capabilities, will enable assay turnaround in days instead of weeks, a paradigm shift in exploration speed.

A new standard for exploration speed

The partnership integrates Scout's exploration team, robust drilling fleet and Idaho-based infrastructure with Paragon's industry-leading geochemical expertise, fire assay and network of Chrysos PhotonAssay technology. By establishing localized sample preparation at Scout's northern operations hub, this partnership removes the logistical bottlenecks that have traditionally hindered exploration progress in the emerging Idaho copper belt and adjacent Silver Valley, enabling faster and more efficient project advancement. With Paragon's ISO-certified analytics now built into Scout, the entire exploration process -- including targeting, drilling, logging, core imaging, processing and assaying -- is available to Scout and its partners in a single package.

Key highlights of the partnership:

• Fully vertically integrated: adding another crucial element to Scout's vertically integrated model, enabling Scout and its partners to benefit from a seamless workflow, from drilling through to high-precision, independently validated assay results;
• Priority processing: samples from Scout's exploration projects, along with its partners' projects, will receive Tier 1 priority at the Coeur d'Alene facility, along with access to Scout's core processing ensuring rapid data-driven drilling adjustments;
• Technology-first approach: the facility will feature advanced Orbis crushing and pulverizing systems, with specialized workflows optimized for PhotonAssay -- the fastest, most sustainable gold analysis method in the industry;
• Assay credits: Scout will receive assay credits equal to the sale amount of its currently operated Orbis OM50WM crusher and pulverizer being transferred to Paragon for use in the new prep facility;
• Expansion into Nevada: the agreement includes provisions for Scout to assist Paragon in establishing a reciprocal core-processing facility in Sparks, Nev., further expanding the partnership's geographic footprint and expanding the Paragon facility in Sparks to include core-cutting services.

"This partnership is exactly the kind of strategic move that defines Scout's approach to vertical integration of the discovery process," said Dr. Curtis Johnson, president and chief executive officer of Scout. "By bringing Paragon's world-class lab capabilities and standards directly into our operations, we are not just improving efficiency, we are fundamentally changing the pace of exploration for our own projects and for our partners by cutting weeks off the assay turnaround time. In a competitive market, speed is our greatest asset."

Peter Shippen, chief executive officer of Paragon, added: "Paragon is committed to being where the discovery action is. Coeur d'Alene is a premier mining jurisdiction, and partnering with Scout -- a leader in U.S. exploration -- allows us to deploy our Powered by Paragon model in a way that benefits the entire regional mining community."

The Coeur d'Alene facility is expected to be fully operational by Q1 2026 for Scout and its partners, Paragon, customers and all third parties -- coinciding with the launch of the spring drilling season.

About Paragon Advanced Labs Inc.

Paragon Advanced Labs provides innovative analytical technologies to the global mining industry. By embracing new technology, the company is addressing critical capacity bottlenecks in mineral assaying through the deployment of PhotonAssay technology and complementary analytical solutions. The company delivers faster, more accurate and cost-effective mineral analysis for mining operators worldwide.

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