Ms. Sharyn Alexander reports

SUN SUMMIT IDENTIFIES NEW ZONE OF COPPER MINERALIZATION NEAR CR; COMPLETES EXPANSION DRILL PROGRAM AT BUCK MAIN

Sun Summit Minerals Corp. has released surface sampling results from the summer 2023 exploration program at its flagship Buck project in central British Columbia. The field campaign focused on exploration at several high-priority targets at the Mount Morice and CR areas and resulted in the discovery of a new zone of copper mineralization.

Highlights:

• Strong copper mineralization: Rock samples returned results up to 1 per cent Cu and 3.2 grams per tonne silver, and 0.94 per cent Cu and 4.1 g/t Ag in a new zone that has seen limited exploration. Target areas show strong porphyry-related mineralization and alteration and remain open for expansion.
• Exploration aimed at discovery: Reconnaissance fieldwork included detailed mapping, sampling and prospecting around the Mount Morice and CR target areas.
• Completion of stepout drill program at Buck Main: The drill campaign consisted of 3,736 metres over 13 diamond drill holes in high-priority areas aimed at testing the lateral and vertical extents of mineralization (see June 8, 2023, news release). Assays have been released for the first two holes of the program, and remaining assays are being processed at the lab and will be released as they are received and interpreted.

Sharyn Alexander, Sun Summit's president, stated: "We are very pleased with the results from our initial exploration efforts at CR, as well as follow-up exploration at Mount Morice. Both of these targets have shown notable mineralized occurrences through previous exploration and warrant detailed systematic follow-up. The detailed geological mapping and geochemical sampling will allow us to continue to define these targets and advance them towards the drill-ready stage. The results provide evidence of the project's ongoing potential for expansion and discovery of new mineralized zones."

Exploration program

Extensive surface exploration was conducted in the area of Mount Morice and the newly acquired CR project (see June 1, 2023, news release). This work included detailed geological mapping, sampling and prospecting, with a total of 230 surface samples collected in high-priority areas (203 rock samples, 17 silt samples and 10 soil samples).

Rock sample highlights from the 2023 program include:

• Sample J031024: 1 per cent Cu and 3.2 g/t Ag, rhyolite/andesite breccia with strong silicification and copper oxide alteration;
• Sample J030700: 0.94 per cent Cu and 4.1 g/t Ag, similar to sample J031024, strongly copper-oxidized rhyolite;
• Sample J030681: 0.64 per cent Cu and 8.1 g/t Ag, drusy quartz veins with disseminated chalcopyrite and strong copper oxides in epidote altered rhyolite;
• Sample J030756: 0.39 per cent Cu, 2.1 g/t Ag and 81 g/t molybdenum, hydrothermal breccia with disseminated pyrite plus or minus chalcopyrite-molybdenite and moderate Cu oxides.

Other significant copper results from the 2023 program include:

• Sample J030746: 0.36 per cent Cu;
• Sample J030667: 0.30 per cent Cu;
• Sample J030755: 0.19 per cent Cu;
• Sample J030713: 0.19 per cent Cu;
• Sample J030718: 0.18 per cent Cu;
• Sample J030719: 0.17 per cent Cu.

The Mount Morice target is one of a number of high-priority targets selected for follow-up. This key area is located approximately eight kilometres west of Buck Main on the eastern slopes of Morice Mountain.

Fieldwork at Mount Morice included geological mapping, prospecting and infill silt sampling. Stream sediment samples from eastern drainages on Mount Morice, downslope from the mapped alteration and vein zones, display highly anomalous gold and silver. Samples from 2022 exploration returned results well above background based on regional stream sediment sampling programs, including 0.26 g/t Au and 0.6 g/t Ag (sample F193428), and 0.25 g/t Au and 0.4 g/t Ag (sample F193427). These results, together with results from mapping and previous selective sampling (see March 1, 2023, news release), suggest the potential of a high-level epithermal system peripheral to a porphyry system. The anomalous gold plus silver in silt samples are downstream of widespread propylitic alteration and local zones of strong phyllic alteration with associated quartz stockworks and sulphide-cemented breccias.

The CR area adjoins the Buck project on its western edge and expands the overall property footprint for a contiguous area of 55 mineral claims totalling 52,000 hectares (520 square kilometres). This year represented the first time the CR area was accessed by Sun Summit after its acquisition (see June 1, 2023, news release), and consisted of a first-pass reconnaissance assessment of the geological environment and the known zones of mineralization.

A large induced polarization chargeability anomaly, located in the northern section of CR at the North zone, has seen limited exploration. The anomaly is associated with strong zinc in soils, as well as historic rock samples that have returned values of up to 0.4 g/t Au and 31.7 g/t Ag (sample 3233760).

Previous exploration campaigns in the CR area included soil, rock and silt sampling, airborne and ground geophysics, as well as diamond drilling. The most significant drill intercepts to date are reported from the South zone, and include 68 metres at 0.50 per cent Cu, 0.015 per cent Mo in CR05-03; and 168 metres at 0.37 per cent Cu, 0.017 per cent Mo in CR07-142.

The CR area contains priority targets that warrant detailed systematic follow-up. All known targets show strong porphyry-related mineralization and alteration (distal and proximal assemblages) and are open for expansion.

Drill program completion

The expansion drill program at Buck Main has been completed, consisting of 13 drill holes for 3,736 metres. These holes were targeting new zones of potential high-grade and bulk-tonnage mineralization in previously untested areas, both laterally and at depth. Updated 3-D modelling at Buck Main led to an improved understanding of the geological and structural controls of mineralization, and drill holes were designed to test fault structures and veins that are often associated with high-grade mineralization elsewhere within the Buck Main zone.

Initial drill results indicated significant gold, silver and zinc mineralization extend laterally and at depth, and support the potential for depth extension of bulk-tonnage-style disseminated mineralization being delineated at Buck Main (see Sept. 6, 2023, news release).

The remaining drill holes are being processed for assay and geochemical analysis at the lab. Analytical results will be reported as they become available and undergo quality assurance/quality control.

Quality assurance and quality control

All sample assay results have been monitored through the company's quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program. All sample assay results have been monitored through the company's quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program. Rock, silt and soil samples collected in the field were placed in polyethylene bags (rocks), kraft paper sample bags (soils) and spunbonded polyester fabric bags (silts). UTM co-ordinates of sample locations were recorded using a hand-held Garmin GPS device. For soil samples, sample locations were marked in the field with coloured flagging tape with unique sample number identifiers. Rock grab samples were marked using metal tags with unique coloured flagging tape and unique sample numbers. The samples were brought from the field daily to the company's secure core logging facility in Houston, B.C.

After drying the samples were organized by sample number and type and secured with tamper-proof security seals in rice bags for shipment. Samples were shipped by bonded courier Bandstra Transportation Systems Ltd. to ALS Global preparation facilities in Kamloops, B.C., and then on to the ALS Global analytical laboratory in North Vancouver, B.C., for analysis. ALS Global is registered to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditations for laboratory procedures. Rock silt and soil samples were prepared at the lab using standard analytical preparation procedures, including weighting and screening, and for rocks, crushing, pulverizing and splitting.

Rock samples were analyzed for 33 elements by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry on a 0.25-gram aliquot using a four-acid digestion (method ME-ICP61). Gold was analyzed by fire assay on a 30-gram aliquot with an atomic absorption spectroscopy finish (method Au-AA23). Samples with greater than 10 parts per million (ppm) gold were reanalyzed by fire assay using a gravimetric finish on a 30-gram aliquot. Samples with greater than 100 ppm silver were reanalyzed using an ore-grade four-acid digestion and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy finish. Samples with greater than 10,000 ppm zinc were reanalyzed using an ore-grade four-acid digestion and ICP-AES finish.

Soil and silt samples were analyzed for gold and silver only. Gold was analyzed by fire assay on a 30-gram aliquot with an AAS finish (method Au-AA23). Silver was analyzed using aqua regia digestion followed by an AAS finish (method Ag-AA45).

In addition to ALS Global laboratory QA/QC protocols, Sun Summit implements a rigorous internal QA/QC program that includes the insertion of duplicates, standards and blanks into the sample stream.

National Instrument 43-101 disclosure

This news release has been approved by Sun Summit's vice-president, exploration, Ken MacDonald, PGeo, a qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 -- Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators. He has also verified the data disclosed, including sampling, analytical and test data, underlying the technical information in this news release.

Community engagement

Sun Summit is engaging with first nations on whose territory the Buck project is located and is discussing their interests and identifying contract and work opportunities, as well as opportunities to support community initiatives. The company looks forward to continuing to work with local and regional first nations as the project continues.

About the Buck project

The Buck project is situated in a historic mining district near Houston, B.C., with excellent nearby infrastructure that allows for year-round, road-accessible exploration.

The project is host to the Buck Main intermediate-sulphidation epithermal-related gold-silver-zinc system. Most of the mineralization drilled to date at Buck Main consists of long, continuous zones of disseminated and breccia-hosted, bulk-tonnage-style gold-silver-zinc. Vein-hosted, high-grade mineralization has also been intersected near the centre of Buck Main.

Exploration at the Buck project is focused on investigating the lateral and vertical extent of gold-silver-zinc mineralization at the Buck Main system, and to define additional drill targets across the entire land package through systematic exploration programs.

About Sun Summit Minerals Corp.

Sun Summit Minerals is a mineral exploration company focused on expanding its gold, silver and zinc discovery at its flagship Buck project located in north-central British Columbia.

Sun Summit is committed to environmental and social responsibility, with a focus on accountable development and building respectful and beneficial relationships with indigenous and local communities.

We seek Safe Harbor.