Sterling Metals Corp. (TSXV:SAG)(OTCQB:SAGGF) is excited to announce the initiation of its 2026 drill campaign at the Soo Copper Project, located just an hour's drive north of Sault Ste Marie, near Batchawana Bay, Ontario. The program is set to cover a minimum of 20,000 metres, with the winter phase targeting larger scale objectives both along strike and beneath the MEPS discovery area.
The upcoming drill program aims to systematically delineate the MEPS Discovery area and assess additional targets identified from surface copper occurrences and geophysical analyses. Recent drilling results have showcased a strong correlation between resistivity lows, favorable structural trends, and copper mineralization, further validated through physical property tests conducted on drill core. The significant resistivity low linked to the MEPS Discovery, alongside the resistivity lows associated with the 2026 targets, indicates the possibility of an expansive system exceeding the findings of 2025.
Mathew Wilson, CEO and Director, expressed, "Our team believes that last year's findings only scratched the surface. The grade, rock type, geophysics, and our extensive 30km copper system, in conjunction with the Midcontinent Rift, highlight the substantial potential we are navigating. Our 2026 focus is to ascertain the scope of this system efficiently, capitalizing on year-round access and robust infrastructure. This unique timing and location create a prime opportunity for what could evolve into a significant copper discovery, and we are eager for what lies ahead."
Figure 1: Near surface resistivity low associated with the area of bornite mineralization discovered to date at the MEPS Discovery.
Figure 2: ZTEM inversions completed in late 2025 indicate larger areas of low resistivity coinciding with copper mineralization beneath the MEPS discovery, outcrops, and soils at Mamainse Mountain.
Sterling is aware of the assay delays and is actively collaborating with the laboratory to address the backlog of outstanding holes and enhance turnaround times moving forward. The Company remains dedicated to offering updates as results become available.
For investors looking for insights, an updated presentation can be found on the Company's website: Sterling Metals Investor Presentation.
Jeremy Niemi, P.Geo., Senior Vice President of Exploration and Evaluation for Sterling Metals, has reviewed and approved the technical information provided in this announcement.
The Soo Copper Project's location, just 20 minutes off the Trans-Canada Highway, one hour north of Sault Ste. Marie, and 20km from rail and deep-water access, positions it strategically for development. With near-surface copper—one of the most vital critical metals—paired with gold, and the project now evidencing both scale and quality, Sterling anticipates that Soo Copper could evolve into a nationally significant asset. Prime Minister Carney's recent designation of copper as one of Canada’s first five strategic assets underscores the importance of this discovery and its potential to emerge as a key project of national interest.
Sterling Metals is committed to mineral exploration focused on large-scale, high-grade Canadian opportunities. The Company is advancing the 25,000-hectare Soo Copper Project in Ontario, which boasts past production and multiple breccia and porphyry targets located near robust infrastructure, alongside the 29,000-hectare Adeline Project in Labrador that encompasses an entire sediment-hosted copper belt with significant silver credits. Both projects indicate potential for significant new copper discoveries, highlighting Sterling's dedication to pioneering exploration in Canada’s mineral-rich landscape.
Sterling Metals acknowledges that its exploration activities within the Soo Copper project occur on the traditional lands of the Batchewana, Garden River, and Michipicoten First Nations of the North Shore of Lake Superior. The Company respects the longstanding and diverse relationships that Indigenous Peoples have with the land and is committed to engaging in a respectful, transparent, and inclusive manner.
For further information, please reach out to:
Sterling Metals Corp.
Mathew Wilson, CEO and Director
Tel: (416) 643-3887
Email: info@sterlingmetals.ca
Website: www.sterlingmetals.ca
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, characterized by terms such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "would", "potential", "proposed", and other similar expressions. These statements are predictions based on management's opinions and estimates at the time of release, subject to various risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially. For further details on risks and uncertainties, refer to the Company’s Management's Discussion and Analysis. The Company is not obligated to update forward-looking information unless required by law, and readers should not place undue reliance on such information.