Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 3, 2026) - Visionary Copper and Gold Mines Inc. (TSXV: VCG) (OTCQB: VCGMF) (the "Company" or "Visionary") is pleased to announce that it has commenced the fully funded 2026 Phase 1 exploration program at the 100% owned Pt. Leamington Project (the "Project") located in Central Newfoundland. The Project is accessible by road and trails, approximately 18km and 37km from the towns of Pt. Leamington and Grand Falls-Windsor and 20km from the provincial power grid.

Max Porterfield, President and CEO, stated, "We are excited to drill test high-priority, near surface, targets that our team has outlined." Mr. Porterfield continued, "Each target has the potential to significantly expand the sizable gold, copper, zinc and silver rich mineral resource already defined at Point Leamington."

The 3,000m drill program, the first exploration drilling at the Project in over two decades, will focus on resource expansion, and identifying higher grade zones and strike extensions of the deposit (the "Deposit"), which includes:

• A, pit constrained, Indicated Mineral Resource of 5.0 Mt grading 2.5 g/t AuEq with 402 koz AuEq (comprising 145.7 koz gold, 2.0 Moz silver, 60.0 Mlb copper, 153.5 Mlb zinc and 1.5 Mlb lead);

• A pit constrained Inferred Mineral Resource of 13.7 Mt grading 2.24 g/t AuEq with 986.5 koz AuEq (comprising 354.8 koz gold, 6.2 Moz silver, 110.2 Mlb copper, 527.3 Mlb zinc, 7.0 Mlb lead); and

• An out-of-pit Inferred Mineral Resource of 1.7 Mt grading 3.06 g/t AuEq with 168.5 koz AuEq (comprising 65.4 koz gold, 1.4 Moz Ag, 13.3 Mlb copper, 102.9 Mlb zinc, 2.6 Mlb lead).

(see news release dated October 25, 2021)

Pt. Leamington Deposit Expansion Along Strike to the South

Drilling started on a 300m drill hole testing the extension of the Deposit along strike to the south with two drill holes planned to test key areas with the potential to double the strike extent of the Deposit near surface to nearly 1.2km (Pt Leamington Deposit Plan View with Electromagnetics).

The Deposit's current strike extent is 560m, remaining open to the south. During the last exploration drill program in 2004, the South Zone, highlighted by hole PL-073 which intersected 6.73m of 0.19% Cu, 0.97 g/t Au, 3.58% Zn, 22.74 g/t Ag, was discovered. Borehole pulse electromagnetic ("BPEM") data, modeled from surveys in the southern portion of the deposit and the South Zone supports continuity between them. A hole is planned to test the strike extension 115m along strike from PL-024, the southernmost, near surface hole, in the resource, which intersected 39.62m of 0.20% Cu, 0.70 g/t Au, 0.67% Zn, 10.96 g/t Ag.

In 2007, a modern airborne electromagnetic survey identified a 350m conductive zone immediately to the south of the South Zone, interpreted to be on the horizon that hosts the Deposit. Drill hole PL-029, a shallow 107m hole drilled 35 years before the airborne EM survey, is the closest hole to the conductive zone. This core was not assayed, however logs note copper bearing chalcopyrite in disseminated sulphides intersected 50m down hole, interpreted to represent the favourable Pt. Leamington horizon.

The first hole of the program is testing the center of the conductive body and its potential to be a significant copper, gold, zinc and silver rich extension of the Deposit. This hole will be a ~200m step-out from PL-072, drilled in 2000, which intersected 8.08m of 0.66% Cu, 1.08 g/t Au, 0.44% Zn, 4.76 g/t Ag from 176.7m to 184.78m. Since the airborne EM anomaly was identified in 2007 no exploration drilling has tested this target area.

Emerging Deeper Footwall Horizon and Copper Stringer Zone

Many large VMS systems, like the Ming deposit being of FireFly Metals, include stacking of VMS lenses representing multiple phases of base and precious metal mineralization, hosted at different stratigraphic levels but associated with the main VMS system (Pt. Leamington/Ming

Cross Section). A Lower Footwall Zone (LFZ) has been identified stratigraphically below the Pt. Leamington horizon that hosts the current mineral resource. The LFZ, much of which is not included in the resource, and none of which is included in the pit-constrained resource, has not been defined (Pt. Leamington Deposit Cross Section).

The LFZ has been noted over a strike extent of >500m, remains open to surface, and may extend to depth. It consists of hydrothermally altered felsic volcanic rocks with stringer pyrite and base metal sulphides. Mineral assemblages are comparable to the Point Leamington Main Footwall Zone (MFZ), with grades and thicknesses that support the potential for resource growth and pit expansion. No intersections in the LFZ are contained within the pit shell including PL-004 which intersected 45.72m of 0.50% Cu and PL-055 that returned 36.28m of 0.40% Cu, which are included in the "out of pit" resource (Pt Leamington Cross Section with Pit Shell). The intersections along the Footwall Horizon show excellent potential for significant thickness and grades and the potential for near surface resource growth that could be included in an expanded pit.

Near Surface In-Pit Copper Pt. Leamington Stringer Zone

When Noranda discovered the Pt. Leamington deposit in 1971, the focus was on the copper and zinc mineralization with the gold values noted but not a priority and sampling was more selective due to metal prices. As we advance the Deposit exploration and definition as a potential open pit operation, drill testing of unsampled areas could grow the near surface resource, particularly for copper and gold.

Previous sampling was focused on the massive sulphide mineralization with less sampling of footwall, stringer pyrite, and chalcopyrite mineralization. Three holes in the current program are planned to be drilled across ~150m of strike to test the extent of the mineralization (Pt. Leamington 3D Plan View). Results, if successful, may expand the resource within the pit shell.

Stock Option Grant and Amendments

The Company has granted 1,015,000 stock options to its directors, officers and consultants at an exercise price of $0.80 per share expiring five years from the date of grant. The options are subject to certain vesting requirements.

The Company has also approved the downward re-pricing and extension of 324,167 stock options. Under the proposed amendment: (i) 126,667 stock options will be amended by decreasing the exercise price from $3.11 to $0.80 and the expiry date will be extended from April 22, 2027 to April 22, 2032; (ii) 187,500 stock options will be amended by decreasing the exercise price of $3.15 to $0.80 and the expiry date will be extended from March 27, 2028 to March 27, 2033; and (iii) 10,000 stock options will be amended by decreasing the exercise price of $3.00 to $0.80 and the expiry date will be extended from May 29, 2028 to May 29, 2033. A total of 261,667 stock options being amended are held by insiders of the Company. As a result, the Company will be required to obtain disinterested shareholder approval of the proposed amendments. The amendments are also subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange.

Qualified Person

The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Aaryn Hutchins, P. Geo, a qualified person under NI 43-101. Ms. Hutchins is a consultant of the Company and is independent of the Company.

About Visionary Copper and Gold Mines Inc.

Visionary Copper and Gold Mines Inc. (TSXV: VCG) (OTCQX: VCGMF) is advancing its portfolio of base and precious metals rich deposits located in established Canadian mining jurisdictions. The focus of the portfolio is highlighted by the 100% owned Point Leamington Deposit in Newfoundland, located in one of the richest VMS and Gold Districts in Canada. The Company prepared a pit constrained Indicated Mineral Resource of 5.0 Mt grading 2.5 g/t AuEq for 402 koz AuEq (145.7 koz gold, 60.0 Mlb copper, 153.5 Mlb zinc, 2.0 Moz silver, 1.5 Mlb lead), a pit constrained Inferred Mineral Resource of 13.7 Mt grading 2.24 g/t AuEq for 986.5 koz AuEq (354.8 koz gold, 110.2 Mlb copper, 527.3 Mlb zinc, 6.2 Moz silver, 7.0 Mlb lead) and an out-of-pit Inferred Mineral Resource of 1.7 Mt grading 3.06 g/t AuEq for 168.5 koz AuEq (65.4 koz gold, 13.3 Mlb copper, 102.9 Mlb zinc, 1.4 Moz Ag, 2.6 Mlb lead) (see news release dated October 25, 2021). Additionally, the Company is permitting the Rainbow deposit at its rich VMS Pine Bay Project located near existing infrastructure in the Flin Flon Mining District. The Company prepared an indicated mineral resource on the Rainbow deposit of 3.44 Mt grading 3.59% CuEq for 272.4 Mlb CuEq (238.3 Mlb Cu, 56.9 Mlb Zn, 37.6 koz Au, 692.8 koz Ag, 2.3 Mlb Pb), an inferred mineral resource on the Rainbow deposit of 1.28 Mt grading 2.95% CuEq containing 83.4 Mlb CuEq (72.1 Mlb Cu, 19.5 Mlb Zn, 11.1 koz Au, 222.2 Koz Ag, 0.8 Mlb Pb) and an inferred mineral resource at the Pine Bay deposit of 1.0 Mt grading 2.62% Cu containing 58.1 Mlb Cu (see news release dated July 10, 2023). Additionally, the portfolio includes the Nash Creek Project located in the VMS rich Bathurst Mining District of New Brunswick. A 2018 PEA generates a strong economic return with a pre-tax IRR of 34.1% (25.2% post-tax) and NPV8% of $230 million ($128 million post-tax) at $1.25 Zinc (see news release dated May 14, 2018).

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

Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to future expenditures. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include, among others, completing the private placement financing, the ability to complete the proposed drill program and the timing and amount of expenditures. Except as required under applicable securities laws, Visionary does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement.

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