Gladiator Metals Discovers High-Grade Copper-Gold at Arctic Chief Prospect

• Gladiator Metals has intersected multiple high-grade copper-gold skarn zones at its Arctic Chief prospect, with standout results including 14m @ 0.82% Cu plus 2.06 g/t Au from 55m depth.
• The company completed an 11-hole, 2,695m drilling program that identified four shallow, sub-parallel magnetite-copper-gold skarn bodies, all remaining open in multiple directions.
• Recent gravity survey data supports geological continuity across the 2-kilometer Arctic Chief Trend, linking previously explored areas including Arctic Chief, Best Chance, and Grafter prospects.
• The Arctic Chief discovery sits within the established Whitehorse Copper Belt, located just 12km north of the historic Little Chief deposit that produced 267.5 million pounds of copper historically.
• Gladiator plans to continue expanding drilling as part of its fully funded 2025 exploration program, targeting 29,000m of total drilling across the Whitehorse Copper Project.

Gladiator Metals Corp (TSX-V: GLAD, OTC: GDTRF, FSE: ZX7) is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on advancing high-grade copper, molybdenum, silver, and gold projects in the Yukon Territory. The company's flagship asset is the Whitehorse Copper Project, an advanced-stage exploration project covering a 35km-long copper belt on the western margin of Whitehorse City. With backing from institutional investors including Dynamic, Mackenzie, Macquarie Bank, and Orimco, Gladiator is targeting the delivery of maiden NI 43-101 compliant resources by Q2 2026.

Significant Drilling Results at Arctic Chief

Gladiator's recent drilling campaign at the Arctic Chief prospect has yielded some of the company's most significant gold values to date. The 11-hole program, totaling 2,694.76 meters, was designed to confirm near-surface, high-grade copper and gold mineralization observed at surface and test exploration upside potential.

The standout intercept came from hole ACG-012D4, which returned 25m @ 0.59% Cu plus 1.24 g/t Au and 4.59 g/t Ag from 44m depth. Within this broader zone, the company intersected 14m @ 0.82% Cu plus 2.06 g/t Au and 7.39 g/t Ag from 55m, including a higher-grade section of 6m @ 1.11% Cu plus 4.06 g/t Au and 13.23 g/t Ag from 63m.

Additional significant results include hole ACG-012D1, which returned 6.00m @ 2.16% Cu plus 2.13 g/t Au and 21.4 g/t Ag from 95m, and a second intercept of 3.70m @ 1.96% Cu plus 5.22 g/t Au and 5.17 g/t Ag from 111.3m depth.

Hole ACG-011D1 delivered 22.1m @ 0.76% Cu plus 0.51 g/t Au and 5.98 g/t Ag from 202.41m, including higher-grade zones of 5.59m @ 1.65% Cu plus 0.67 g/t Au and 14.45 g/t Ag, and 3.50m @ 1.35% Cu plus 1.88 g/t Au and 8.99 g/t Ag.

CEO Jason Bontempo emphasized the significance of the gold values encountered in the recent drilling program.

"Initial drilling at the Arctic Chief trend has returned some of the most significant gold values returned by Gladiator to date within the Whitehorse Copper Project, with gold assays being returned up to 5.22 g/t Au, coincident with copper and silver mineralization."

The CEO highlighted the near-surface nature and exploration potential of the discovery:

"These multiple, underexplored magnetite-copper-gold skarn bodies are close to surface and open in all directions."

Bontempo also placed the Arctic Chief results in broader context, noting their relationship to both recent discoveries and historical production in the area:

"These results at Arctic Chief, when viewed in conjunction with results returned from the Best Chance prospect last month (~1.4km to the north), highlight the underexplored, near surface resource potential of this emerging mineralized corridor. The Arctic Chief Trend is only 12km north of the historical Little Chief deposit where previous production delivered 267,500,000 pounds copper, 225,000 ounces of gold and 2,838,000 ounces of silver from 10.5 million tons of mineralized material milled."

Geological Setting & Exploration Framework

The Arctic Chief prospect is situated within the broader Arctic Chief Trend, a 2.5-kilometer-long corridor that forms part of the company's 35-kilometer Whitehorse Copper Belt. Recent drilling has identified four shallow, sub-parallel zones of magnetite-copper-gold skarn mineralization, with all intercepts reported from vertical depths of less than 150 meters.

The geological continuity of the trend has been supported by both surface mapping and a recently completed gravity survey conducted in May 2025. Aurora Geosciences completed ground-based gravity surveys covering the Arctic Chief Trend, designed to assist in target definition and support drill hole planning. The survey identified a broadly north-south oriented, 2-kilometer-long trend of elevated density response linking historically explored areas within the Arctic Chief Trend.

This higher-density trend connects historical exploration areas and workings including Arctic Chief, Best Chance, and Grafter, suggesting these areas may form part of a larger connected mineralized system. The gravity survey utilized variations in Earth's gravitational field to identify subsurface density variations, as copper skarn mineralization in the Whitehorse district demonstrates significantly higher density than surrounding country rock.

Arctic Chief Trend Integration with Best Chance Results

The Arctic Chief results complement recent high-grade intercepts obtained 1.4 kilometers to the north at the Best Chance prospect. Best Chance drilling returned notable results including 77.25m @ 0.70% Cu from 2.75m plus 0.04 g/t Au and 7.18 g/t Ag, with a higher-grade zone of 18m @ 1.10% Cu plus 0.06 g/t Au and 12.04 g/t Ag from 28m depth.

Additional Best Chance results included 13.38m @ 0.85% Cu from 7.62m plus 0.03 g/t Au, 4.46 g/t Ag, and 33 ppm Mo, containing 9.38m @ 1.00% Cu plus 0.02 g/t Au, 2.89 g/t Ag, and 46 ppm Mo from the same depth. A particularly high-grade intercept came from hole ACG-008D1, which returned 2.59m @ 3.95% Cu from 8.66m plus 0.08 g/t Au, 19.15 g/t Ag, and 10 ppm Mo.

The combination of Arctic Chief and Best Chance results suggests an emerging discovery within the broader Whitehorse Copper Project, with mineralization style consistent with high-grade copper-gold-magnetite skarn mineralization previously mined in the district.

Historical Context & Production Background

The Whitehorse Copper Belt has a extensive history of copper mineralization discovery and production dating back to 1897. The belt comprises over 30 copper-related, primarily skarn occurrences covering an area of 35 kilometers long by 5 kilometers wide on the western margin of Whitehorse City.

The main production era lasted between 1967 and 1982, when Hudson Bay Mining & Smelting operated primarily the Little Chief deposit. Historical production from this operation totaled 267,500,000 pounds of copper, 225,000 ounces of gold, and 2,838,000 ounces of silver from 10.5 million tons of mineralized material milled, representing an average grade of approximately 1.5% copper and 0.75 g/t gold.

This historical production provides important context for evaluating the current exploration results, as the Arctic Chief Trend is located just 12 kilometers north of the Little Chief deposit and exhibits similar geological characteristics and mineralization styles.

2025 Exploration Strategy & Drilling Program

Gladiator's current drilling at Arctic Chief forms part of a comprehensive 29,000-meter drill program targeting high-grade copper skarns throughout the Whitehorse Copper Belt, scheduled for completion by the end of Q4 2025. The program encompasses two primary objectives: advancing the Cowley Park project to resource definition and expansion, and conducting exploration drilling across multiple prospects including the Chiefs Trend, Best Chance, Arctic Chief, and Cub Trend.

Bontempo outlined the company's expansion plans:

"The geological continuity of the >2km long Arctic Chief mineralized trend has been mapped on surface and is supported by recently returned gravity datasets. Gladiator will be expanding drilling in the target area as part of its fully funded 2025 exploration program."

The drilling program will be supported by planned geophysical programs including Induced Polarization, Electromagnetic, and Gravity surveys to help refine drill targeting in prospect areas and highlight undiscovered areas of exploration potential. To date in 2025, Gladiator has completed more than 14,000 meters at the cornerstone Cowley Park project and more than 3,000 meters at the Chiefs Trend and Arctic Chief Trend.

Infrastructure & Accessibility Advantages

The Whitehorse Copper Project benefits from significant infrastructure advantages, being located within 2 kilometers of the South Klondike Highway and Alaska Highway. An extensive network of historical gravel exploration and haul roads provides excellent access throughout the project area, while access to existing electric power facilities is available through the main Yukon power grid.

These infrastructure advantages reduce both exploration costs and potential future development costs, providing economic benefits compared to more remote exploration projects. The proximity to Whitehorse City also facilitates access to skilled labor, services, and supplies necessary for exploration and potential future development activities.

For Investors

Gladiator Metals has demonstrated significant exploration success at its Arctic Chief prospect, with high-grade copper-gold intercepts indicating potential for a substantial discovery within the established Whitehorse Copper Belt. The combination of near-surface, high-grade mineralization, favorable infrastructure, historical production context, and a fully funded exploration program positions the company for continued advancement of its copper-gold assets. The identification of multiple parallel mineralized zones open in all directions, supported by geophysical data and geological continuity across a 2-kilometer trend, suggests considerable exploration upside potential. Investors should monitor the company's progress toward its targeted maiden NI 43-101 compliant resource estimate in Q2 2026 and results from the ongoing 29,000-meter drilling program across the broader Whitehorse Copper Project.