Mr. Mathew Wilson reports

STERLING METALS COMMENCES INAUGURAL DRILLING PROGRAM AT COPPER ROAD PROJECT, ONTARIO

Sterling Metals Corp. has commenced its inaugural drill program at the Copper Road project in Ontario. The fully financed, minimum 2,000-metre diamond drill program is scheduled to run until the end of April, targeting multiple high-priority zones. The program aims to test near-surface copper mineralization and its connection to a larger porphyry centre at depth, as identified by extensive field and geophysical studies. Drilling will focus on key targets within the property's central corridor, covering an initial 2.5-kilometre-by-1.5-kilometre-by-1.5-kilometre target area within the broader 30 km wide project. This area hosts significant geophysical anomalies and historically underexplored zones, pointing to the potential for a much larger mineral system at depth.

Mathew Wilson, chief executive officer of Sterling Metals, commented: "Recent political developments have cast a spotlight on Canada's vast but underutilized natural resource potential. With only 1 per cent of the world's copper reserves, we are alarmingly short on what is arguably the most essential metal for the global energy transition. At Sterling, we've been focused on strategically located exploration opportunities to unlock Canada's copper potential, an effort that ultimately led us to the Copper Road project. What makes this project stand out is the rare combination of size and grade potential with unparalleled accessibility: 20 minutes off the Trans-Canada highway, and just one hour north of the United States border. Exploration always carries tremendous risk, but we believe this initial target area within the 30 km wide copper mineral system contains many of the key geological ingredients necessary to find a cornerstone copper asset in Canada."

Highlights

• A minimum 2,000-metre diamond drill program is under way, focusing on four initial high-priority targets in the heart of the project, covering a 2.5 km by 1.5 km by 1.5 km footprint. Drill targets include:
  • Target 1 -- connection between the Jogran porphyry and Richards breccia: This target features a large chargeability anomaly flanked by resistivity lows, linked to a significant ZTEM anomaly at depth. Mineralized historical drilling has come close to the target area but has not ever tested this target.
  • Target 2 -- near-surface mineralization north of the Jorgan porphyry and Richards breccia: The largest chargeability anomaly, coinciding with a resistivity low and an induced magnetization high, connects at depth with an extensive ZTEM resistivity low conduit. At surface, basaltic and mafic volcanic rocks host fracture-filled pyrite (Py) and chalcopyrite (Cpy), presenting a highly prospective opportunity for copper mineralization in an area that remains untested by direct drilling.
  • Target 3 -- additional breccia and porphyry target north of Richards breccia: Located 200 m north of historical drilling in the Richards breccia which intersected 50.17 m at 0.88 per cent Cu (copper) (R2304) and 38.6 m at 1.06 per cent Cu (R2301), a similar resistivity low connecting to the large ZTEM anomaly at depth highlights the potential for high-grade mineralization near surface connecting to the larger ZTEM body at depth.
  • Target 4 -- surface expression area of the large ZTEM anomaly south of the Jogran porphyry: Where the large ZTEM anomaly and the resistivity lows from the Dias survey come to surface are the best soil samples and outcrop on the property discovered to date. Historical drilling by Phelps Dodge in 1967 intercepted three m at 1.4 per cent Cu approximately 150 m from the resistivity low target and with the hole ending in mineralization at 240 m depth -- suggesting strong potential for further mineralization at depth. The recent surface sampling by Sterling has also returned high-grade results, including 15.9 per cent Cu at the Cave showing and 15.44 per cent Cu in an 80-centimetre magnetite G-vein (see press release dated Oct. 29, 2024).
• This systematic drilling approach is designed to confirm and expand upon historical results while unlocking the broader potential of the project.

Receipt of OJEP grant to support critical minerals exploration

Sterling Metals is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the Ontario Junior Exploration Program (OJEP) to support drilling at the Copper Road project. A key focus of OJEP is the exploration of critical minerals -- such as nickel, copper, cobalt and platinum-group elements -- which are essential to Canada's resource and clean energy sectors.

This funding highlights the strategic significance of Copper Road in advancing Ontario's resource sector and reinforces Sterling's commitment to responsible, efficient and high-impact exploration.

Corporate update

In addition, the company announces that it has granted an aggregate of 2.43 million stock options to purchase common shares in the capital of the company exercisable at a price of 40 cents per common share for a period of two years to certain directors, officers, employees and consultants of the company. The common shares issuable upon exercise of the options are subject to a four-month hold period from the original date of grant.

Qualified person

Jeremy Niemi, PGeo, senior vice-president, exploration and evaluation, for Sterling Metals has reviewed and approved the technical information presented herein.

About Sterling Metals Corp.

Sterling Metals is a mineral exploration company focused on large-scale and high-grade Canadian exploration opportunities. The company is advancing the 25,000-hectare Copper Road project in Ontario which has past production, and multiple breccia and porphyry targets strategically located near robust infrastructure and the 29,000-hectare Adeline project in Labrador which covers an entire sediment-hosted copper belt with significant silver credits. Both opportunities have demonstrated potential for important new copper discoveries, underscoring Sterling's commitment to pioneering exploration in mineral-rich Canada.

We seek Safe Harbor.