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Montreal, Québec – February 4, 2026 – TheNewswire - Sama Resources Inc. (“Sama” or the “Company”) (TSXV: SME | OTC: SAMMF), together with its joint venture partner Ivanhoe Electric Inc. (NYSE American: IE | TSX: IE), is pleased to announce the commencement of a discovery-driven regional exploration program for 2026 at the district-scale polymetallic Samapleu-Grata Nickel-Copper Project (the “Project”) in Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa.

The Project includes the polymetallic Samapleu and Grata Deposits, which were the focus of the 2024 Preliminary Economic Assessment (the “2024 PEA Area”) (refer to  Sama’s March 21, 2024 news release ). The Project is a 60/40 joint venture between Ivanhoe Electric and Sama, with Sama acting as the operator (the “Joint Venture”). In addition to a 60% interest at the Project level, Ivanhoe Electric also owns 22.7% of the common shares of Sama.

Building District Scale Through Regional Exploration Targeting Samapleu-Grata Look-alikes

The 2026 exploration program is designed to demonstrate the Project's significant district-scale potential through the discovery of new high-grade polymetallic mineralization, targeting more than 20 high-priority, untested electromagnetic (“EM”) targets ( 2013-2018 Airborne electromagnetic surveys ) with comparable features and scale as the Samapleu and Grata Deposits, distributed throughout the 879 km² land package ( Figure 1 ). The 2026 program will build on the success of the limited 500-meter 2025 regional exploration program, which led to the discovery of the Mossikro Prospect, located 10 kilometers to the south-southwest of the 2024 PEA Area.

Key components of the 2026 program include:

• Approximately 4,500 metres of regional exploration diamond drilling;  

• EM plate modelling of high-priority anomalies from the regional airborne surveys, which could characterize conductive massive sulfide mineralization;  

• Subsequent ground gravity surveys over the high-priority EM plate models to further refine potential massive sulfide zones; and  

• Continuing ongoing updated environmental and social baseline studies within the 2024 PEA Area to support advancement toward a mining permit application (refer to Sama’s May 3, 2024 news release ) 

Drilling is scheduled to commence in early February 2026, initially focusing on high-priority EM targets within the Glanlé (PR-839) and Zoupleu (PR-837) permits. The ground gravity survey, starting in February and scheduled for completion at the end of Q2 2026, will systematically cover all remaining untested EM anomalies across the Project, with follow-up drilling planned for targets showing the strongest combined EM and gravity responses.

Recent discoveries, including new polymetallic mineralization at the Mossikro Prospect (refer to Sama’s September 9, 2025 news release ), demonstrate geophysical signatures, mineralization styles, and host lithologies comparable to the Samapleu and Grata Deposits, providing further validation of the regional exploration model and reinforcing the district-scale potential of the Project. The 2025 Mossikro Prospect discovery was made 10 kilometers to the south-southwest of the 2024 PEA Area, and by targeting an EM anomaly comparable to the Samapleu and Grata Deposits.

Dr. Marc-Antoine Audet, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sama Resources, commented, “ The 2026 exploration program is a pivotal step in unlocking the full district-scale potential of the 879 km 2 Project area and builds on our successful 2025 exploration program. With multiple high-quality targets remaining untested and a proven discovery track record, we are executing a focused regional exploration strategy targeting new high-grade polymetallic discoveries across our vast land package. Importantly, this program also advances the environmental and social baseline work required to position the Project for long-term development and permitting. ”

Environmental and Social Studies Advancing Project Readiness

In parallel with exploration, Sama continues to advance environmental and social baseline studies within the 2024 PEA Area. Field programs completed by SIMPAE, a Côte d’Ivoire-based environmental consulting firm, include:

• Wildlife and vegetation inventories;  

• Surface and groundwater sampling; and  

• Socio-environmental baseline data collection  

These studies were completed in accordance with current national and international standards and are designed to support future permitting and development milestones.

Figure 1: Polymetallic Samapleu-Grata Nickel-Copper Project showing the 2024 PEA Area, prior drilling, past airborne EM results, and mineralized zones.

Click Image To View Full Size

National Instrument 43-101 Disclosures

Core logging and sampling were performed at Sama’s field facilities. Sample preparations are conducted at the Bureau Veritas Mineral Laboratory in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Sample pulps will be delivered to Activation Laboratories Ltd, Ancaster and Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, for assaying. All samples will be assayed for Ni, Cu, Co, Fe, S, Pt, Pd and Au using sodium peroxide fusion ICP for the first five elements and by Fire Assay ICPOES for the last three.

A technical report entitled “NI 43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Samapleu and Grata Deposits Project” with an effective date of March 21, 2024 (the “Technical Report”) with respect to the Samapleu-Grata Nickel-Copper Project was prepared under National Instrument 43-101 and filed on May 3, 2024. The Technical Report includes important information regarding the Mineral Resources and 2024 PEA disclosed in this news release, including the effective date of the Mineral Resource estimate, the key assumptions, parameters, and methods used to estimate the Mineral Resources and other factors that could materially affect the potential development of the Mineral Resources. For readers to fully understand the information in this news release, they should read the Technical Report in its entirety when it is filed on SEDAR, including all qualifications, assumptions, and exclusions that relate to the information to be set out in the Technical Report. The Technical Report is intended to be read as a whole, and sections should not be read or relied upon out of context.

The 2024 PEA is preliminary in nature and includes Inferred Mineral Resources, considered too speculative in nature to be categorized as mineral reserves. Mineral Resources that are not mineral reserves have not demonstrated economic viability.  Additional trenching and/or drilling will be required to convert Inferred Mineral Resources to Indicated or Measured Mineral Resources. There is no certainty that the results of the 2024 PEA will be realized.

The independent Qualified Persons responsible for preparing the Technical Report include Todd McCracken, P. Geo., Bahareh Asi, P. Eng., Kevan Ford, M. Eng., and Jason Van Schie, P. Eng., each from BBA International Inc., Chris Martin, C. Eng., an Independent Consultant, and Wilson Muir, P. Eng. From Knight Piésold Ltd.

All other scientific and technical information contained in this news release not related to the 2024 PEA has been reviewed, verified, and approved by Dr. Marc-Antoine Audet, P.Geo, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Sama, and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Audet is not independent of Sama.

Grant of Stock Options

The Company is also pleased to announce , subject to regulatory acceptance, that it has granted an aggregate total of 815,000 incentive stock options to certain officers, employees and consultants, subject to certain vesting provisions. These options will be exercisable at a price of $0.07 per common share and will expire on February 4, 2036.

About Sama Resources Inc.

Sama is a Canadian-based, growth-oriented resource company focused on exploring the Samapleu nickel-copper project in Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa. The Company is managed by experienced industry professionals with a strong track record of discovery. Sama is committed to advancing the Samapleu-Grata Nickel-Copper Project. Sama’s projects are located approximately 600 km northwest of Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire and are flanked to the west by the Ivorian and Guinean borders. Sama’s projects are located adjacent to the large world-class nickel-cobalt laterite deposits of Sipilou and Foungouesso, forming a 125 km-long new Base Metal Camp in West Africa. Sama owns 40% interest in the Samapleu nickel-copper project in Côte d’Ivoire with its joint venture partner Ivanhoe Electric owning 60%.

For more information, please visit  www.samaresources.com

About Ivanhoe Electric Inc.

Are a United States domiciled minerals exploration company with a focus on developing mines from mineral deposits principally located in the United States. We seek to support American supply chain independence by finding and delivering copper and other critical metals vital to advanced manufacturing, infrastructure development, technology, and national security. We use our powerful Typhoon™ geophysical surveying system, together with advanced data analytics provided by our 94.3% owned subsidiary, Computational Geosciences Inc. (“CGI”), to accelerate and de-risk the mineral exploration process as we seek to discover new deposits of critical metals that may otherwise be undetectable by traditional exploration technologies. We believe the United States is significantly underexplored and has the potential to yield major new discoveries of critical metals. Our mineral exploration efforts focus on copper as well as other metals including nickel, cobalt, platinum group elements, gold and silver. Through the advancement of our portfolio of critical metals exploration projects, headlined by the Santa Cruz Copper Project in Arizona we intend to contribute to domestic supply by developing resources that support industrial and strategic sectors. We also operate a 50/50 joint venture with Saudi Arabian Mining Company ("Maaden") to explore for minerals on ~48,500 km 2 of underexplored Arabian Shield in Saudi Arabia. In 2024, we established an exploration alliance with BHP Mineral Resources Inc. (“BHP”), a subsidiary of BHP Group Limited, to search for critical minerals in the United States.  

Website: www.ivanhoeelectric.com .

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Dr. Marc-Antoine Audet, P. Geo, President and CEO
Tel: (514) 726-4158

Mr. Matt Johnston, Vice President Corporate Development
Tel: (604) 443-3835 or (877) 792-6688, Ext. 5

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain of the statements made and information contained in this news release are "forward-looking statements" or “forward-looking information” within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information, such as “will”, could”, “expect”, “estimate”, “evidence”, “potential”, “appears”, “seems”, “suggest”, are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. These include, without limitation, the ability of the company to convert Mineral Resources to higher categories of confidence or to mineral reserves, the completion of exploration programs and studies, its ability to produce a pre- feasibility study or a feasibility study regarding the project, its ability to execute on its development plans in terms of metallurgy or exploration, the availability of financing for activities, risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results and the estimation of Mineral Resources and Reserves, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits, the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations or justify future activities, metal price fluctuations, environmental and regulatory requirements, availability of permits, escalating costs of remediation and mitigation, risk of title loss or failure to obtain new titles upon expiry, the effects of accidents, equipment breakdowns, labour disputes or other unanticipated difficulties with or interruptions in exploration, the potential for delays in exploration activities, the inherent uncertainty of cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses, commodity price fluctuations, currency fluctuations, expectations and beliefs of management and other risks and uncertainties. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions, the company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this news release.

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