Metal Energy Secures Option on NIV Copper-Gold Property in British Columbia's Toodoggone District

• Metal Energy has entered into an option agreement to acquire an 80% interest in the NIV copper-gold porphyry project, spanning over 12,500 hectares in British Columbia's Toodoggone District
• The property displays soil geochemical anomalies for copper (over 300 ppm), gold (over 200 ppb), and molybdenum (over 12 ppm) across a 3.7-kilometre strike length, with coincident induced polarisation and magnetic anomalies
• Drilling permits are in place, with a maiden drill programme planned for 2026
• Charlie Greig has been appointed Chief Executive Officer, with Alex Walcott and Dr. Roy Greig joining as technical advisers
• The company can earn its 80% interest through staged payments totalling $1.5 million to $1.8 million and $20 million in exploration expenditures by December 2030

Metal Energy Corp. (TSXV: MERG) (OTCQB: MEEEF) is a Canadian exploration company focused on critical metals projects. The company's portfolio includes the Manibridge nickel-copper-cobalt-PGE project in Manitoba (85% owned) and the Highland Valley copper-molybdenum-silver-gold-rhenium project in British Columbia (100% owned). With the NIV property addition, Metal Energy holds three projects in Canadian jurisdictions.

NIV Property Option Agreement and Transaction Terms

Metal Energy has acquired the NIV property rights through an assignment agreement with Standard Ore Corp., transferring an underlying option agreement dated September 24, 2025. Under the terms, Metal Energy can earn an 80% undivided interest in the NIV and West NIV exploration properties in north central British Columbia. Standard Ore retains no interests in the transaction.

The payment structure includes $100,000 upon TSX Venture Exchange acceptance, $200,000 within 60 days, and $300,000 in common shares by December 31, 2025. The property vendor may elect to receive subsequent payments in cash or shares: between $300,000 and $400,000 due December 2027, and between $900,000 and $1.1 million due December 2030, depending on the payment method selected.

Exploration expenditure requirements total $20 million over five years: $2.5 million annually from 2026 through 2029, and $10 million by December 31, 2030. The transaction constitutes a related party transaction under TSX Venture Exchange policies, though the company qualified for exemptions from formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements as the fair market value did not exceed 25% of market capitalisation.

Project Characteristics and Exploration Target

The NIV property covers two claim blocks totalling over 12,500 hectares, located approximately 32 kilometres south of Centerra Gold's Kemess mine complex. Exploration work between 2016 and 2024 identified soil geochemical anomalies with copper concentrations exceeding 300 ppm, gold values above 200 ppb, and molybdenum readings surpassing 12 ppm across a 3.7-kilometre strike length. Geological mapping identified porphyry dykes and alteration systems associated with the soil anomalies.

Induced polarisation surveys identified chargeability and resistivity anomalies that coincide with the geochemical anomalies and local magnetic highs. Additional geophysical surveys and geochronology studies have been completed on the property. The property has not been drill tested, with the maiden drill programme scheduled for 2026.

The property lies within the Toodoggone District, which hosts porphyry and epithermal deposits including Centerra Gold's Kemess deposits, Amarc Resources' Aurora discovery, and TDG Gold's Aurora West. Northwest Copper's adjacent East NIV project, first staked in 2018, reported a drill intersection of 0.56% copper equivalent over 81.6 metres (including 1.02% copper equivalent over 14.8 metres) in 2021. Greig and Walcott privately funded and advanced the NIV property for over 10 years prior to this transaction.

Leadership Appointments

Charlie Greig has been appointed Chief Executive Officer. Greig has over 40 years of exploration experience, including roles in the GT Gold Saddle North copper-gold porphyry and Saddle South gold-silver discoveries. His experience includes work on projects such as La India, Wolverine, Alamo Dorado, Bisha, and Brucejack. Most recently, Greig served as technical adviser for American Eagle Gold's NAK copper-gold porphyry project in partnership with Teck Resources and South32.

Greig stated: "NIV combines everything one looks for in a copper-gold porphyry property: the right geology with extensive alteration, multiple coincident geochemical and geophysical anomalies, and close proximity to infrastructure. We are fully permitted, have high-priority defined targets, and couldn't be more excited to begin drilling. I look forward to showing investors why Alex and I believe NIV could be another jewel in the Toodoggone."

Alex Walcott and Dr. Roy Greig have been appointed technical advisers. Walcott has over 25 years of mineral exploration experience and, through Peter E. Walcott & Associates Limited, contributed to work at GT Gold's Saddle project, Amarc Resources' Aurora discovery, and Northwest Copper's East NIV discovery. Dr. Roy Greig served as Vice President of Exploration at Amarc Resources and participated in defining the target that became the Aurora discovery. His experience includes mapping work on Saddle, Brucejack, and Filo del Sol. His PhD dissertation focused on the Laramide porphyry copper province in the southwestern United States.

Next Steps

Metal Energy plans to commence drilling at NIV in 2026. The programme will focus on testing anomalies identified through soil geochemistry, induced polarisation, and magnetic surveys. The company must complete $2.5 million in exploration expenditures by December 31, 2026, as part of the option agreement requirements.