Mr. Brad Peters reports

PACIFIC EMPIRE REPORTS STRONG MARKET INTEREST AND COMPLETION OF FIRST HOLE AT TRIDENT GOLD-ENRICHED COPPER PROJECT

Pacific Empire Minerals Corp. has seen a surge in trading activity following the commencement of diamond drilling at its 100-per-cent-owned Trident gold-enriched copper project in north-central British Columbia.

On Oct. 20, 2025, Pacific Empire's shares closed at seven cents on 5.9 million shares traded, representing a significant increase in both price and volume compared with recent averages. The strong market response reflects growing investor interest in the company's continuing drill program targeting gold-enriched copper porphyry mineralization within the prolific Hogem batholith region of the Quesnel terrane.

Hole 1 intersects mineralized porphyry intrusion

The first diamond drill hole (DD25TRI001) has been completed to a depth of 503 metres. This drill hole was intended to follow up on historical drilling conducted in 2007, which intersected copper mineralization associated with discrete porphyry dikes.

Visible sulphides and copper mineralization were observed throughout portions of the drill hole and particularly well correlated with hornblende-feldspar porphyry intrusive units.

"The identification of a mineralized porphyry intrusion in our first 2025 drill hole represents an important milestone for Pacific Empire," commented Brad Peters, president and chief executive officer. "It strongly affirms our working hypothesis that gold-enriched copper mineralization at Trident is directly related to monzonite-porphyry intrusions, similar to those that host some of British Columbia's most significant porphyry deposits."

Core from hole 1 is currently being cut and prepared for immediate shipment to ALS Laboratories in North Vancouver for geochemical analysis. Results will be released once assays are received and validated.

Next steps

Hole 2 (DD25TRI002) was recently collared approximately 500 metres north-northeast of hole 1. This hole is designed to test the interpreted north-trending orientation of the mineralized zone and to vector toward the potential core of the porphyry system identified in historical drilling and confirmed by hole 1. This location also coincides with a previously untested chargeability anomaly, providing another compelling target for gold-enriched copper mineralization.

"By drilling from south to north, we are systematically testing the geometry of mineralization observed in 2007," added Mr. Peters. "Each subsequent drill hole provides critical geological information that will assist us in zeroing in on the heart of the system."

Exceptional drilling performance

Pacific Empire is also pleased to acknowledge the outstanding performance of Omineca Drilling Ltd., the company's drilling contractor for the 2025 program. The crew has been averaging over 100 metres of drilling per day, maintaining exceptional production rates and core recovery.

"I'm very impressed with the professionalism and production from the Omineca team," stated Mr. Peters. "Their focus, efficiency and teamwork have been instrumental in keeping the program running smoothly and ahead of schedule."

Timing could not be better

The current exploration success comes at an ideal time for Pacific Empire. Both gold and copper prices remain strong, with forecasts for both metals continuing to trend positively amid global demand for electrification and hard asset investment.

"For over a decade, Pacific Empire has worked to consolidate 100-per-cent ownership of this highly prospective belt," noted Mr. Peters. "It's incredibly rewarding to see everything come together -- favourable markets, a strong technical team and the first tangible signs of a mineralized porphyry system that could represent the discovery we've been working toward for years."

Unlocking untested ground

Although nearly 80 drill holes have been completed at Trident since the 1970s, none have tested the northern porphyry and breccia targets. Historically, access to this area was prevented by the need to cross a creek, which required significant planning and permitting. With Pacific Empire's recently granted multiyear area-based exploration permit, the company is positioned to drill this area for the very first time. This makes the 2025 program a true milestone in the project's history -- opening ground that has long been considered the most prospective but remained completely untested.

Strategic importance

The Trident drill program comes at a time when global copper demand is accelerating due to electrification, grid expansion and electric vehicle adoption. At the same time, new large-scale copper discoveries have become increasingly rare, underscoring the importance of exploring in proven, mining-friendly jurisdictions such as British Columbia. With gold also consistently present as a byproduct credit in the system, Trident has the potential to deliver the combination of size, grade and precious metals that makes porphyry copper-gold deposits particularly attractive.

Pacific Empire believes the 2025 drill program represents a critical opportunity in the Trident property's 50-year history of exploration. The combination of historical mineralization at the A zone, overlapping geophysical and geochemical anomalies at the porphyry target, and newly permitted access to never-before-drilled breccia targets creates a unique discovery opportunity. With drilling scheduled to begin in September, 2025, Pacific Empire is well positioned to advance Trident toward what could be a significant gold-enriched copper porphyry discovery.

Other matters

The latest president's newsletter, along with updated maps and corporate presentation, is available at the Pacific Empire website.

About Trident

The Trident property is an early-exploration-stage property hosting an alkalic porphyry copper-gold-silver prospect with district-scale potential that is accessible by vehicle. The property is located approximately 50 kilometres southeast of the Kwanika deposit owned by Northwest Copper Corp. and 50 km to the northwest of Centerra Gold's Mount Milligan mine. The property covers 6,618 hectares endowed with well-established logging roads providing important efficient access to conduct exploration programs.

In 2022, Pacific Empire acquired a 100-per-cent interest in the property in exchange for granting the vendors a 2-per-cent net smelter return royalty. One-half (1 per cent) of the 2-per-cent NSR may be purchased for $500,000 by Pacific Empire.

About Pinnacle

The Pinnacle project is located 60 km west of Centerra Gold's Mount Milligan copper-gold mine and 30 km southeast of Northwest Copper's Kwanika copper-gold deposit in a proven copper-gold porphyry district. Access to the Pinnacle is by road, including a new and expanding network of logging roads and trails throughout the main target areas. This improved access is a significant development, is anticipated to contribute to cost-effective drill support and provides additional bedrock exposure.

Qualified person's statement

Kristian Whitehead, PGeo, serves as a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, and has reviewed the scientific and technical information in this news release, approving the disclosure herein.

About Pacific Empire Minerals Corp.

Pacific Empire is a copper exploration company based in Vancouver, B.C., and trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol PEMC. The company has a district-scale land position in north-central British Columbia totalling 22,541 hectares.

British Columbia is a green copper jurisdiction with abundant hydroelectric power, access and infrastructure in close proximity to the end market.

We seek Safe Harbor.