Hercules Metals Intersects 81 m of 1.5% Copper Within 346 m of 0.66% Copper in First 2025 Drill Hole Completed at the Leviathan Porphyry System in Idaho

Rhea-AI Summary

Hercules Metals (OTCQB: BADEF) announced significant drilling results from its first completed 2025 drill hole at the Leviathan porphyry copper discovery in Idaho. Drill hole HER-25-02, a 220m step-out, intersected high-grade mineralization of 1.5% Cu and 8.9 g/t Ag over 81m, within a broader zone of 346m grading 0.66% Cu.

The results validate the company's new 3D geological model and demonstrate strong hypogene enrichment at the system's center. A recent magnetotelluric (MT) survey revealed a significant conductivity anomaly extending several kilometers south, forming a 3km-diameter circular "Donut" anomaly. The drilling program is progressing efficiently with over 11,000m completed in thirteen holes, with five more in progress.

Positive

• None.

Negative

• Early-stage exploration with no defined resource estimates yet
• Results from only one drill hole reported, pending results from other completed holes

Strong hypogene enrichment intersected in first 220 m step-out; subsequent drilling designed to extend continuity southward, toward a significantly stronger MT anomaly

• Strong Start to 2025 Drill Campaign - HER-25-02, the first 2025 hole completed to target - a 220 m step-out northeast of 2024 drill hole HER-24-12 - intersected high-grade hypogene enrichment grading:
  • 1.5% Cu and 8.9 g/t Ag over 81 m,
  • Within a larger interval of 127 m of 1.1% Cu and 7.0 g/t Ag,
  • All within a broad 346 m intercept of 0.66% Cu, 3.2 g/t Ag and 78 ppm Mo.

• Drilling Continues to Validate Model, with Hit Rate Increasing - A breakthrough 3D model of the Leviathan porphyry system was completed over the winter, leading to significantly improved drill targeting in 2025. Drillholes are now oriented northwest, perpendicular to the porphyry system, leading to more holes intersecting and growing the Leviathan porphyry system.

• Hypogene Enrichment Better Identified - Hole 25-02 intersected strong bornite-chalcocite hypogene enrichment associated with a potential early mineral porphyry at the centre of the system, with subsequent drilling designed to further extend continuity of the enrichment zone, within and around the early mineral porphyry centre.

• Geophysical Conductivity Intensifying to the South - A new magnetotelluric ("MT") survey recently demonstrated that copper mineralization at Leviathan carries a strong conductivity response which continuously intensifies southward for several kilometres beyond the limit of drilling, hinting at the possibility for additional porphyry centres in the Southern Flats zone.

• Improved Efficiency of 2025 Drill Program - 2025 drilling is progressing efficiently, with over 11,000 m drilled in thirteen (13) completed holes, five (5) in-progress holes, three (3) RC pre-collar holes, and only one (1) short, abandoned hole, (HER-25-01).

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 17, 2025) - Hercules Metals Corp. (TSXV: BIG) (OTCQB: BADEF) (FSE: C0X) ("Hercules" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results from its first completed hole of the 2025 drilling season at its flagship Leviathan porphyry copper discovery on its Hercules Property in western Idaho (the "Property"). A 220 m step-out hole, HER-25-02, intersected high-grade mineralization consisting of 81 m grading 1.5% Cu and 8.9 g/t Ag, within a larger interval of 127 m grading 1.1% Cu and 7 g/t Ag, which sits within a broad zone of 346 m grading 0.66% Cu, 3.2 g/t Ag and 78 ppm Mo. The upper high-grade subintervals are associated with strong bornite-chalcocite hypogene enrichment mineralization at the centre of the system. Hole 25-02 has extended the strike length of the system to 1.3 km, while a series of northwest-oriented fences are now targeting extensions of this high-grade centre along strike to the south, at 200 m spacing.

Table 1: HER-25-02 Highlight Intervals

Hole ID	From (m)	To (m)	Interval (m)	Cu (%)	Ag (g/t)	Mo (ppm)
HER-25-02	316.75	332.23	15.5	1.28	22.8	36
AND	434.34	820.25	385.9	0.61	3.0	77
including	440.44	786.38	345.9	0.66	3.2	78
including	440.44	566.93	126.5	1.10	7.0	45
including	440.44	521.21	80.8	1.49	8.9	41

 

Chris Paul, CEO and Director of Hercules Metals, commented, "The results from the first hole of Hercules' 2025 drill program show not only strong grades unique to the Leviathan porphyry, but also provide evidence that the secondary hypogene enrichment thickens at the centre of the system. These results are a credit in large part to our team's development of the robust 3D geological model this winter, which allowed us to systematically home in on this high-grade centre. Thus far, the model has resulted in a significantly greater understanding of the controls on mineralization, which we expect will translate into further exploration success moving forward. I look forward to providing additional updates over the next several months as results will now continue to come in."

Mr. Paul continued, "As we continue vectoring in on the high-grade center, it appears we're only just beginning to comprehend the scale of this newly-discovered porphyry system. The new Property-wide MT survey announced in August has demonstrated a remarkable correlation with drilled mineralization, which not only provides added confidence in the model, but suggests the potential to extend it upwards of 5 km in total strike length.

"Additionally, porphyry systems occur in clusters, and we're seeing a multitude of evidence for the potential to discover additional centres within a large north-south copper trend on the Hercules Property. With the help of modern advancements in deep-seeking MT geophysical technology, we're able to continue expanding on the large Leviathan system as we work to discover more high-grade results along trend."

Figure 1: Examples of hypogene enrichment at Leviathan. A. Hypogene chalcocite veins and disseminations. B. Covellite (blue, white circle) intergrown and encompassed within thick chalcocite veins and disseminations. C. Covellite (blue, white circle), rimmed by bornite (purple), complexly intergrown with pyrite, indicative of high-sulfidation conditions (hypogene enrichment). D. Covellite (blue) and bornite (purple) veins crosscut by later chalcopyrite veins. All core HQ size.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9425/266778_3a46225744e728d5_002full.jpg

CORE PHOTOS FOR ENTIRE INTERVAL AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING AT:

https://www.herculesmetals.com/hercules/core-photos/

Figure 2: Drill plan showing MT conductivity 800 m below surface. Hotter colours are more conductive. The Leviathan conductivity anomaly extends south below the Southern Flats zone where it swells to over 3 km wide and forms a circular bullseye (northern half shown). Grade bars for copper (orange) and molybdenum (blue) are shown, with emphasis on the reported drill hole, HER-25-02. Also shown is the location of Figure 2's cross-section (A-A'). 

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9425/266778_3a46225744e728d5_003full.jpg

August MT Survey Results and New "Donut" Anomaly

On August 27, 2025, the Company announced the results of a large-scale, ground-based MT survey, which modelled resistivity/conductivity across a >100 square kilometre area to over 6 km depth. The survey revealed a significant new conductivity anomaly which shows remarkable alignment with copper mineralization drilled across over 1.3 kilometres of strike length to date at Leviathan. Interestingly, the Leviathan anomaly continues for several kilometres south from the limit of drilling and intensifies to form a broad circular bullseye target, over 3 km in diameter, termed the "Donut" anomaly, partially shown in Figure 1's drill plan.

While definition drilling of Leviathan progresses on 200 m spaced fences, two in-progress holes have now begun drilling the Donut anomaly, with one hole (HER-25-16) testing the highly conductive (<50 ohm-m) outer ring, and one hole (HER-25-22) testing its inner margins. Drilling of the anomaly will progress to the southwest of HER-25-22, to form a continuous fence across its entire 3 km width.

Figure 3: HER-25-02 cross-section.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9425/266778_3a46225744e728d5_004full.jpg

Technical Drill Hole Summary

HER-25-02 is a 220 m step-out northeast and along strike from 2024 drill hole HER-24-12, which intersected 338 m of 0.47% Cu. HER-25-02 was collared in the hanging wall of the central porphyry complex where it first encountered 15.5 m of 1.3% Cu and 23 g/t Ag in strong bornite-chalcocite mineralization in the hanging wall of a late intermineral porphyry. Upon exiting the late intermineral porphyry, the hole once again entered strong bornite-chalcocite mineralization, centred on an early intermineral porphyry, characterized by crowded quartz phenocrysts and a high density of early halo, A-, and C- type porphyry veins, which graded 1.5% Cu and 8.9 g/t Ag, within a larger interval of 1.1% Cu and 7 g/t Ag over 127 m, all within a broad zone of 346 m grading 0.66% Cu, 3.2 g/t Ag and 78 ppm Mo. Mineralization gradually transitioned outward, in the footwall of the early mineral porphyry, to chalcopyrite-pyrite, and eventually into the footwall pyrite halo of the system, with intense quartz-sericite-pyrite (QSP/phyllic) alteration, where the hole was terminated.

Table 2: HER-25-02 Surveyed Drill Collar Location

Hole ID	Easting	Northing	Elevation	Depth (m)		Azimuth	Dip
HER-25-02	512093.8	4956824.3	1588.2	929.64		314.51	-58.06

 

Sample Analysis and QAQC

All drill core samples were prepped and analyzed at MSA Labs in Langley, British Columbia, an ISO 17025 and ISO 9001 certified laboratory. Samples were dried and crushed to 2 mm, from which a 250 g sub-sample split was then pulverized to 85% passing a 75 micron sieve. Following preparation, assays were determined by the IMS-230 method. A 0.25 g aliquot of the prepared pulp was digested in a 4-acid solution consisting of hydrochloric, nitric, perchloric and hydrofluoric acids. 4-acid is a near total digest and only the most highly resistant minerals are not dissolved. The resulting solution was analyzed via ICP-MS and ICP-ES for 48 elements and was corrected for inter-element spectral interferences. Lower detection limits for this procedure are 0.01 ppm for silver, 0.5 ppm for lead, 2 ppm for zinc, and 0.2 ppm for copper. Mercury is not reported due to volatilization in reaction with hydrofluoric acid and gold is not reported due to the small, 0.25 g aliquot size being insufficient to overcome the nugget effect.

Samples with initial results beyond the upper detection limit of the IMS-230 method were analyzed by procedures ICF-6Ag, ICF-6Cu, ICF-6Pb and ICF-6Zn. The thresholds are 100 ppm for silver, and >1% for copper, lead and zinc.

A 30 g split from the crushed and pulverized samples are being composited into larger 300 g composite samples (consisting of ten continuous samples) and will be analyzed for gold utilizing CPA-Au1 photon assay method. Any material gold results from the composite samples will require additional analytical work for reporting.

MSA Labs employs internal quality control standards, duplicates and blank samples at set frequencies.

Blind certified reference materials (CRMs) and blank samples were systematically inserted by the Company into the sample stream and analyzed as part of the Company's quality assurance/quality control protocol.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved for disclosure by Dillon Hume, P.Geo. and Vice President, Exploration for the Company. Mr. Hume is a "Qualified Person" for Hercules Metals within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About Hercules Metals Corp.

Hercules Metals Corp. (TSXV: BIG) (OTCQB: BADEF) (FSE: C0X) is an exploration Company focused on developing America's newest porphyry copper district, in Idaho.

The 100% owned Hercules Project located northwest of Cambridge, hosts the newly discovered Leviathan porphyry copper system, one of the most important new discoveries in the region to date. The Company is well positioned for growth through continued drilling, supported by a strategic investment from Barrick Mining Corporation.

With the potential for significant scale, the Company's management and board of directors aims to build on its proven track record which includes the discovery and development of numerous precious metals projects worldwide.

For further information, please contact:

Chris Paul
CEO & Director
Telephone: +1 (604) 670-5527
Email: chris@herculesmetals.com

Greg DiTomaso
Investor Relations
Telephone: +1 (647) 243-4074
Email: gditomaso@herculesmetals.com

Dillon Hume
VP, Exploration
Telephone: +1 (604) 283-2043
Email: dhume@herculesmetals.com

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. Any securities referred to herein have not and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws of an exemption from such registration is available.

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains certain information that may be deemed "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information includes statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. Forward-looking information contained in this press release may include, without limitation, the expected execution of future exploration programs on the Property; assay results of future drill holes; results of operations, and the expected financial performance of the Company.

Although the Company believes the forward-looking information contained in this news release is reasonable based on information available on the date hereof, by its nature, forward-looking information involves assumptions and known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information.

Examples of such assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, assumptions, risks and uncertainties associated with general economic conditions; the COVID-19 pandemic; adverse industry events; the receipt of required regulatory approvals and the timing of such approvals; that the Company maintains good relationships with the communities in which it operates or proposes to operate, future legislative and regulatory developments in the mining sector; the Company's ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favorable terms; mining industry and markets in Canada and generally; the ability of the Company to implement its business strategies; competition; the risk that any of the assumptions prove not to be valid or reliable, which could result in delays, or cessation in planned work, risks associated with the interpretation of data, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits, the possibility that results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, as well as other assumptions risks and uncertainties applicable to mineral exploration and development activities and to the Company, including as set forth in the Company's public disclosure documents filed on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca.

THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF HERCULES METALS AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE HERCULES METALS MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS.

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 press release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/266778

FAQ

What were the key copper grades reported in Hercules Metals' (BADEF) latest drill results?

The drill hole HER-25-02 intersected 1.5% Cu and 8.9 g/t Ag over 81m, within a larger interval of 127m grading 1.1% Cu, all contained within a broad 346m zone of 0.66% Cu.

How much has Hercules Metals extended the Leviathan porphyry system in Idaho?

The latest drilling has extended the strike length to 1.3km, with the new MT survey suggesting potential for several kilometers of additional extension southward.

What is the significance of the 'Donut' anomaly discovered by Hercules Metals?

The 'Donut' anomaly is a circular bullseye target over 3km in diameter identified by MT survey, suggesting potential for additional porphyry centers in the Southern Flats zone.

How much drilling has Hercules Metals completed in its 2025 program?

Hercules has completed over 11,000m of drilling in thirteen holes, with five additional holes in progress and three RC pre-collar holes.

What improvements has Hercules Metals made to its drilling program in 2025?

The company developed a new 3D geological model over winter, leading to improved drill targeting with holes now oriented northwest, perpendicular to the porphyry system, resulting in better hit rates.