File: '\\swfile\EmailIn\20261008 053709 Attachment EWK NR Oct. 8 2026 FINAL.docx'

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Suite 600 - 890 West Pender Street, Vancouver, BC V6C 1J9

Telephone: 604.669.3143 Fax: 604.669.3107

Email: info@earthworksinc.com Web: www.earthworksinc.com

TSX-V: EWK

OTCQB: EAATF

News Release

October 8, 2026

Earthworks Identifies Prospective Copper Feedstock as Critical Minerals Recycling and Recovery Commercialization Efforts Advance

Vancouver, British Columbia - October 8, 2026 - Earthworks Industries Inc. (TSX-V: EWK, OTCQB: EAATF) ("Earthworks" or the "Company"), a critical minerals recycling and recovery company advancing modular systems designed to recover critical minerals and strengthen Western critical mineral supply chains, is pleased to provide an update on its feedstock sourcing and broader commercialization activities.

Following the recent launch of the Earthworks Critical Minerals Feedstock Network, the Company has identified approximately 550 metric tonnes of prospective copper-bearing feedstock from two potential sources in connection with its planned copper recycling operations.

The prospective sources have provided preliminary commercial quotations to the Company. Based on the information received to date, management believes the identified material warrants further evaluation and may offer attractive economics when considered in conjunction with the equipment configurations and processing methods currently being evaluated by Earthworks.

The prospective feedstock remains subject to further due diligence, including confirmation of material composition and quality, representative sampling and characterization where appropriate, verification of available volumes, transportation and logistics considerations, processing and recovery assumptions, and negotiation of definitive commercial terms.

The approximately 550 metric tonnes identified to date represents prospective feedstock currently under evaluation and is not intended to represent a limit on the potential feedstock available to the Company as Earthworks continues to expand its sourcing activities.

The Company does not intend to disclose the identities of prospective feedstock suppliers, specific pricing information or other commercially sensitive terms while discussions and evaluations remain ongoing.

BUILDING LONG-TERM FEEDSTOCK RELATIONSHIPS

Earthworks' strategy extends beyond individual feedstock transactions. The Company is actively seeking to establish consistent, long-term relationships with holders of materials containing recoverable critical minerals.

Potential sources include compatible end-of-life products and industrial materials, as well as tailings, waste rock and other secondary or legacy material streams where the Company's recycling and recovery platform may be applicable.

The Company believes establishing reliable access to feedstock is an important component of developing commercially viable recycling and recovery operations. Its development strategy is therefore designed around aligning processing capacity with identifiable feedstock, appropriate processing technologies and downstream markets.

ADVANCING THE PATH TO COMMERCIALIZATION

Since completing the acquisition of the Critical Minerals Recycling and Recovery System from Wokaura Art & Innovations Inc. in June 2026, Earthworks has been evaluating a growing range of opportunities that management believes could support and potentially accelerate commercialization and deployment of the Company's critical minerals recycling and recovery platform.

These opportunities include prospective feedstock sources, potential operating locations, processing and material handling equipment, technical and operational expertise, strategic partnerships, service providers, technology relationships, financing and non-dilutive funding opportunities. Earthworks is also evaluating potential downstream markets and commercial relationships for recovered materials as part of its broader commercialization strategy.

Together, these opportunities are being evaluated both individually and in combination, with the objective of assembling an initial operating configuration that aligns available feedstock with appropriate processing equipment, technical capability, infrastructure, capital requirements and downstream markets.

Discussions and evaluations are advancing on multiple fronts as Earthworks works toward finalizing the location, equipment configuration, processing capacity and timing of its initial recycling operations. The Company intends to advance these elements in parallel, with the objective of moving toward initial commercialization and deployment as soon as possible.

INITIAL FOCUS ON COPPER AND RARE EARTHS

Earthworks has identified copper and rare earth permanent magnets as its initial priority recycling and recovery verticals.

The Company's broader Critical Minerals Recycling and Recovery System is being developed as a modular platform capable of addressing multiple categories of valuable and strategically important materials.

Beyond copper and rare earth elements, the platform is intended to support the evaluation and development of recycling and recovery opportunities involving precious metals, battery metals, defense and strategic metals, and other critical minerals from suitable secondary material streams.

This broader platform approach is intended to allow Earthworks to evaluate and pursue additional recovery opportunities as appropriate feedstock, processing technologies, partnerships and commercial markets are identified.

FEEDSTOCK-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT

Earthworks is pursuing a feedstock-driven development strategy under which processing capacity can be established and expanded around identifiable sources of material rather than constructing capacity in advance of establishing the feedstock required to support it.

The identification of approximately 550 metric tonnes of prospective copper-bearing material represents an important step in advancing that strategy.

Earthworks intends to continue identifying and evaluating additional feedstock opportunities while progressing technical validation, equipment selection, site evaluation and commercial relationships in parallel.

The Company's objective is to establish an initial operating platform that can be expanded through additional feedstock relationships, processing capacity and critical mineral recovery opportunities.

INDUSTRY COLLABORATION

Earthworks believes collaboration across the recycling, resource, manufacturing, technology and critical minerals industries can play an important role in developing more resilient domestic supply chains.

Companies and organizations with compatible end-of-life products, industrial materials, tailings, waste rock or other potential critical mineral-bearing feedstock, as well as parties interested in equipment, technology, processing, operating, financing or other strategic partnerships, are invited to contact Earthworks to explore potential opportunities to work with the Company.

MANAGEMENT COMMENTARY

David Atkinson, President and CEO of Earthworks, commented:

"Since completing the acquisition of the Critical Minerals Recycling and Recovery System, our focus has been on translating the platform from strategy into an operating business. Feedstock is one of the most important pieces of that equation, and identifying approximately 550 metric tonnes of prospective copper-bearing material provides us with a meaningful opportunity to advance this work."

"We are encouraged by the preliminary commercial information received to date. There is still work to be completed to validate the material, processing assumptions, economics and commercial terms, but the opportunities identified warrant further due diligence."

"At the same time, we continue to evaluate opportunities involving locations, equipment, technical expertise, partnerships and other components of our operating platform. Our objective is to bring these pieces together efficiently and responsibly so that we can move toward commercialization as soon as possible."

"We see Earthworks as a potential partner to companies and organizations that have critical minerals contained within end-of-life products, industrial materials and legacy material streams, and we welcome conversations with groups interested in working with us to recover these materials and return them to productive use."

BUILDING A SCALABLE CRITICAL MINERALS RECOVERY PLATFORM

Earthworks' longer-term objective is to develop and deploy a scalable network of critical minerals recycling and recovery operations capable of recovering valuable materials already present above ground and returning those materials to productive use.

The Company intends to pursue a disciplined, modular approach under which initial processing capacity can be established around validated feedstock and commercial economics and subsequently expanded as additional supply relationships and recovery opportunities are developed.

Earthworks continues to advance opportunities associated with copper and rare earth permanent magnets while evaluating additional material streams, partnerships and technologies that may complement the Company's Critical Minerals Recycling and Recovery System.

Further updates will be provided as the Company advances feedstock validation, equipment and process evaluation, site selection, strategic relationships and other commercialization activities.

ADDRESSING THE CRITICAL MINERALS SUPPLY GAP

The race to build and power artificial intelligence infrastructure, electrify transportation, modernize defense systems and expand advanced manufacturing has created an unprecedented and accelerating demand for critical minerals, including copper, rare earth elements, lithium, cobalt, nickel, tungsten, titanium and many other materials that form the physical foundation of the 21st-century economy.

The problem is supply.

Refining and processing capacity for many of these materials is heavily concentrated in foreign jurisdictions, most significantly China, creating vulnerabilities in Western supply chains that are no longer theoretical, but active and urgent.

Both Canada and the United States have responded with major policy commitments, including Canada's Critical Minerals Strategy and initiatives under the United States Defense Production Act and CHIPS and Science Act, directed at building domestic supply chain resilience.

Primary mining alone cannot close the supply gap quickly enough. New mine development frequently requires a decade or more to advance from discovery through permitting, financing, construction and production.

This is where recycling and secondary recovery become strategically essential.

Many of the materials required by Western economies already exist above ground in significant quantities within end-of-life electronics, industrial scrap, manufacturing byproducts, legacy mine waste, tailings, waste rock and other previously processed materials.

Urban recycling and secondary recovery can provide a faster, lower-impact and potentially more capital-efficient path to production than greenfield mine development. However, domestic recovery infrastructure across North America remains fragmented and undersupplied, creating a need for modular, deployable and digitally managed recovery capacity.

Through its acquisition of the Critical Minerals Recovery System, Earthworks holds a full-stack platform developed to address that need, beginning with copper and rare earth elements, and the intention to expand into battery metals, precious metals and defense-related materials across Canada and the United States.

ABOUT EARTHWORKS INDUSTRIES INC.

Earthworks Industries Inc. (TSX.V: EWK, OTCQB: EAATF) is a critical minerals recycling and recovery company advancing modular systems designed to recover strategic metals and strengthen Western critical mineral supply chains. The Company is developing scalable recycling and recovery infrastructure to help address the growing need for domestic critical minerals production.

For further information, contact:

Earthworks Industries Inc.

David Atkinson

President/CEO

604-669-3143

Info@earthworksinc.com

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 News Release.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements made in this news release, other than purely historical information, including statements relating to the Company's future plans and objectives or expected results, may include forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the potential availability, suitability, quality, quantity and economics of prospective copper feedstock; the Company's ability to validate and secure feedstock supply; the potential processing and recovery of such material; the development and deployment of the Company's initial copper recycling operations; the selection of equipment, processing methods and operating locations; the potential for opportunities identified by the Company to accelerate commercialization or reduce capital requirements; the development of strategic partnerships, financing, funding and downstream commercial relationships; the potential application of the Critical Minerals Recycling and Recovery System to copper, rare earth elements, precious metals, battery metals, defense and strategic metals and other critical minerals; the expansion of the system into additional locations and material streams; and the Company's objective of contributing to more secure and resilient Western critical mineral supply chains.

Forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions and are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties inherent in the development, financing, construction and operation of recycling and resource recovery projects.

These risks and uncertainties include, among others, the Company's ability to obtain sufficient financing, validate and secure suitable feedstock on commercially acceptable terms, confirm feedstock composition and recoverability, identify and secure an appropriate facility location, procure and commission required equipment, obtain permits and regulatory approvals, enter into strategic partnerships and downstream commercial arrangements, validate anticipated processing performance and economics, and successfully commercialize the Critical Minerals Recycling and Recovery System.

There can be no assurance that the prospective feedstock sources currently being evaluated will result in definitive supply arrangements, that the approximately 550 metric tonnes of prospective feedstock identified will ultimately be available or suitable for processing, or that preliminary commercial indications will be representative of final operating economics.

As a result, actual results may vary materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change.