Sterling Metals Expands MEPS Discovery Confirming 400m of East-West Strike

TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / February 27, 2026 / Sterling Metals Corp. (TSXV:SAG)(OTCQB:SAGGF) ("Sterling" or the "Company") is pleased to report additional assay results from its expanded and completed 2025 drilling program at the Soo Copper Project ("Soo Copper" or the "Project") located near Batchewana Bay, Ontario. Results from 6 additional drill holes continue to expand the copper mineralized footprint, while further defining and extending the high-grade bornite zone. Assays remain pending for the final 5 holes drilled within the core of the MEPS discovery area.

Highlights:

• Systematic step-out and infill drilling within the MEPS zone confirms continuous copper mineralization from surface across approximately 400m of east-west strike, centered on discovery hole MEPS-25-02 and remains open (see Figure 1 and 2).

• A 30m expansion of the high-grade bornite zone in MEPS-25-18, highlighted by the highest-grade individual copper sample intersected to date of 38.9% Cu over 0.3m in MEPS-25-18 at 227.4m (see Figure 2) that is included within a high grade bornite-rich interval grading 24m of 2.05% CuEq and also within a broader 237.2m interval grading 0.5% CuEq.

• New high-grade zone associated with the GFP felsic porphyry dykes and adjacent magnetite veining at shallow depths in holes MEPS-25-14, 15 and 16, including a highlighted interval in MEPS-25-16 of 13.55m grading 2.04% CuEq from 96.35m depth within a larger interval of 177.3m of 0.4% CuEq and a broader interval of 419.9m of 0.3%CuEq.

• Magnetite veins associated with early GFP felsic dykes remain the dominant hosts of the highest-grade copper sulphide mineralization observed to date, with later felsic porphyry dykes and alteration events hosting lower grade copper mineralization, supporting the interpretation that this discovery zone is situated above a large, multi-stage porphyry-style copper system.

Jeremy Niemi, SVP Exploration and Development, commented, "We are very excited about these wide intervals of copper from surface and, importantly, the systematic expansion of the high-grade bornite zone by 150 metres around the discovery hole MEPS-25-02. Each step-out hole has successfully extended the zone either laterally or vertically, demonstrating strong continuity of the high-grade core within a much broader copper system. The mineralization remains open in most directions, and we are beginning to see clear structural and grade trends emerging that will guide our 2026 resource-focused drilling."

High-Grade Copper Zone Continues to Develop

In addition to establishing a broad, continuous zone of copper mineralization from surface, results from new drill hole intervals continue to identify and expand the high-grade bornite zone first recognized in MEPS-25-02. Step-out drilling has now systematically extended this zone in multiple directions and increased confidence in the continuity and scale of the high-grade zone which the Company anticipates will come to surface.

Hole MEPS-25-14 extended the bornite mineralization approximately 50m east of MEPS-25-02. Follow-up hole MEPS-25-15 stepped a further 30m east, bringing the eastern expansion to 80m from the discovery hole. Hole MEPS-25-16, drilled beneath MEPS-25-15, extended the bornite zone approximately 40m vertically, demonstrating depth continuity within the high-grade domain. Hole MEPS-25-17 then pushed the eastern extent another 40m, expanding bornite mineralization to approximately 120m east of MEPS-25-02.

To the west, MEPS-25-18 intersected high-grade bornite mineralization approximately 30m beyond MEPS-25-02, confirming expansion in that direction and bringing the total newly defined east-west strike extension of the bornite zone to approximately 150m.

Importantly, these step-outs demonstrate not only lateral continuity but also vertical development of the high-grade bornite core within a much broader, near-surface envelope of chalcopyrite-dominant copper mineralization. The bornite mineralization remains open along strike and at depth and is a key focus for the planned 2026 drill program.

Figure 1. Plan Map of newly released holes and 2025 drilling program at Soo Copper.

Figure 2. Plan Map of newly released holes from 2025 drilling of the MEPS Zone.

Figure 3. Massive bornite mineralization in MEPS-25-18 at 227.4m grading 38.9% Cu, 0.71 g/t Au, 196 g/t Ag and 23 ppm Mo

Figure 4. Chalcopyrite and bornite mineralization in MEPS-25-18 at 225.0m grading 10.5% Cu, 0.395 gpt Au, 64.4 gpt Ag and 53ppm Mo

Figure 5. Bornite and chalcopyrite mineralization in MEPS-25-14 at 96.2m grading 5.76% Cu, 1.11 g/t Au, 51.4 g/t Ag and 632 ppm Mo

Table 1. Significant Assay Intervals