Mr. Mathew Wilson reports

STERLING METALS COMMENCES 2026 DRILL CAMPAIGN AT SOO COPPER, ONTARIO

Sterling Metals Corp. has commenced its 2026 drill campaign at the Soo copper project located a one-hour drive north of Sault Ste. Marie, near Batchawana Bay, Ont. The program is planned for a minimum of 20,000 metres with the winter portion of the program aimed at testing the larger-scale targets along strike and below the MEPS discovery area.

The 2026 drill program will focus on systematically delineating the scale of the MEPS discovery area and evaluating additional targets generated from surface copper occurrences and geophysical data. Recent drilling has demonstrated a strong correlation between resistivity lows, favourable structural trends and copper mineralization, which has been reinforced through physical property testing in drill core. The relative scale of the resistivity low associated with the MEPS discovery and the resistivity lows associated with 2026 targets show potential for a much larger system than what was delineated in 2025.

Mathew Wilson, chief executive officer and director, commented: "Across our team, there's a strong sense that last year only revealed the tip of the iceberg. The grade, rock type, geophysics, our 30-kilometre copper system and the association with the Midcontinent rift all speak to the large potential scale we are dealing with. In 2026, our focus will be to determine the extent of this system and doing so as quickly as possible by taking advantage of year-round access and tremendous infrastructure. There has rarely been such an ideal combination of timing and location to pursue what could become a significant copper discovery, and we're excited about what lies ahead."

Sterling is aware of the assay delays and is working closely with the laboratory to resolve the backlog on outstanding holes and improve turnaround times going forward. The company remains committed to providing updates as results are received.

An updated investor presentation is available on the company's website.

Qualified person

Jeremy Niemi, PGeo, senior vice-president, exploration and evaluation, for Sterling Metals, has reviewed and approved the technical information presented herein.

About Sterling Metals Corp.

Sterling Metals is a mineral exploration company focused on large-scale and high-grade Canadian exploration opportunities. The company is advancing the 25,000-hectare Soo copper project in Ontario, which has past production and multiple breccia and porphyry targets strategically located near robust infrastructure, and the 29,000-hectare Adeline project in Labrador, which covers an entire sediment-hosted copper belt with significant silver credits. Both opportunities have demonstrated potential for important new copper discoveries, underscoring Sterling's commitment to pioneering exploration in mineral-rich Canada.

Sterling Metals acknowledges that its exploration activities within the Soo copper project are conducted on the traditional lands of the Batchewana, Garden River and Michipicoten first nations of the North Shore of Lake Superior. It recognizes and respects the long-standing and diverse relationships indigenous peoples have with the land, and are committed to engaging in a manner that is respectful, transparent and inclusive.

We seek Safe Harbor.