Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2026) - RZOLV Technologies Inc. (TSXV: RZL) (FSE: S711), ("RZOLV" or the "Company"), a clean-technology company developing non-cyanide hydrometallurgical solutions for gold recovery, today announced that it has entered into an operating agreement with Environmental Research and Development ("ERD") to process mineralized material at ERD's patented mine site in Arizona.

Under the terms of the agreement, RZOLV will deploy its proprietary, non-cyanide technology in an agitated tank leach configuration to process mineralized fine material supplied by ERD. Initial operations are expected to be conducted at a nominal throughput of 50 tonnes per day of pre-screened material (minus 2mm). Subject to successful operation and performance validation, the parties intend to increase throughput to approximately 100 tonnes per day.

The primary objective of the operating agreement is to demonstrate the applicability of RZOLV's technology on low-grade material using an agitated tank leach process under representative, on-site operating conditions. The program is designed to evaluate leach behavior, solution management, and operational performance at scale, building on prior laboratory-scale and bulk-scale test work completed by the Company.

Prior Test Work

Extensive laboratory and bulk-scale metallurgical test work conducted on material from the target project has demonstrated that RZOLV™ exhibits gold dissolution kinetics and recovery behavior comparable to conventional cyanide-based systems. Under certain controlled test conditions, RZOLV™ achieved higher dissolved gold concentrations than sodium cyanide when evaluated under identical laboratory parameters.

The past test programs included a 100-tonne bulk sample and lab-scale tests which utilized multiple split samples of oxidized, low-grade material prepared to a particle size of 100% passing 2 mm. Bottle-roll leach tests were conducted under controlled laboratory conditions to directly compare the performance of RZOLV™ against a sodium cyanide reference solution.

The objective of the test work was to assess the relative technical performance of RZOLV™ on this material, with particular emphasis on applications where cyanide use may be constrained, restricted, or less effective due to regulatory, environmental, or metallurgical considerations.

CEO Commentary

"This operating agreement represents an important step in advancing RZOLV from controlled testing into sustained, on-site operations," said Duane Nelson, President and CEO of RZOLV Technologies Inc. "Agitated tank leaching of fine material is a well-understood and widely deployed processing route globally. "Advancing RZOLV's non-cyanide chemistry into an agitated tank leach configuration at an initial scale of approximately 50 tonnes per day is intended to generate additional operational data under representative conditions. Subject to the results of this program, including technical performance, operating costs, and permitting considerations, the Company may evaluate opportunities to increase throughput. There is no assurance that the testing program will demonstrate economic or commercial viability, or that any future expansion would be technically or economically feasible."

Agreement Terms

Under the terms of Operating/Services Agreement, Environmental Research and Development ("ERD") will supply post-screened (minus 2 mm) mineralized material, representing approximately 35% of typical run-of-mine material from its mine site. RZOLV will deploy and oversee the gold processing systems, produce loaded carbon for off-site extraction, and evaluate operational performance. The program is structured to support staged optimization and measured scale-up based on operational data.

ERD will pay RZOLV fifty percent (50%) of gross profits, defined as gross revenues less operating costs. The agreement has an initial two-year term and is subject to the receipt of all required operating permits and regulatory approvals, and to ongoing compliance with applicable laws and regulations, as determined by the State of Arizona.

"We see this collaboration as an opportunity to evaluate an alternative processing technology on our material under real operating conditions," said Steve Scott, President and CEO of Environmental Research and Development. "The phased approach allows both parties to assess performance at a meaningful scale before expanding throughput."

Environmental Containment and Closed-Loop Operation

The proposed agitated tank leach operation will operate within a fully contained, closed-loop process circuit, with all process solutions captured, recycled, and managed on-site throughout the process. No process solutions will be discharged to surface water or groundwater systems during the process.

The chemical system will not exhibit the typical acute toxicity characteristics associated with conventional cyanide-based leaching systems, allowing the operation to be executed under standard industrial handling and containment protocols.

All operational practices will be implemented to align with site environmental controls and applicable regulatory requirements, to demonstrate the practicality of deploying RZOLV™ in contained leaching applications where solution stewardship, environmental risk management, and permitting considerations are critical.

Limitations and Disclaimer

The metallurgical test results reported herein are based on a specific bulk sample and defined test conditions and may not be indicative of performance on other ore types, grades, or operating environments. Comparative cyanidation results were generated at laboratory scale and are provided for reference purposes only. Bulk-scale testing provides indicative data on metallurgical response, solution behavior, and operability; however, additional testing is required to confirm performance consistency and economic applicability at commercial scale. There can be no assurance that results obtained in this test program will be replicated under different conditions or at other sites.

The operating agreement described herein relates to the processing of mineralized material supplied by a third party and does not constitute the disclosure of mineral resources or mineral reserves as defined under National Instrument 43-101. No mineral resource or mineral reserve estimates are being reported in this news release.

Cautionary Note

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

About RZOLV Technologies Inc.

RZOLV Technologies Inc. is a clean-technology company pioneering advanced, water-based, non-cyanide hydrometallurgical solutions designed to redefine metal recovery in a changing global mining landscape. The Company's proprietary RZOLV™ technology targets materials that are increasingly uneconomic, restricted, or inefficient to process using traditional cyanide chemistry, offering a potential pathway to improved recoveries, enhanced environmental performance, and broader permitting flexibility across ores, concentrates, tailings, and secondary materials.

About Environmental Research and Development

Environmental Research and Development ("ERD") is a small-scale gold mining operator in the state of Arizona, operating at a wholly owned and patented mining property. The operation is led by an experienced team of mine operators with practical expertise in small-scale production and site-level operations. The property benefits from a long history of documented gold production dating back to the late 1800s, reflecting the district's established mineral endowment.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the construction, commissioning, operation, objectives, scope, scale, and potential outcomes of an agitated tank leach demonstration facility, the anticipated performance of the RZOLV™ reagent system in such a configuration, the potential applicability of results to other materials or operating environments, and the Company's expectations with respect to future testing programs. Forward-looking information is generally identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "may," "could," "would," "should," or similar expressions.

Readers are cautioned that the demonstration facility referenced herein is intended solely for test and evaluation purposes and does not constitute a commercial production facility. Results obtained from demonstration-scale or pilot-scale operations may not be indicative of performance, recoveries, operating costs, or economic outcomes at commercial scale. There can be no assurance that the testing described will lead to a commercially viable process, sustained operations, or future revenue-generating activities.

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