Gunnison Copper Promotes Robert Winton to Chief Operating Officer

Rhea-AI Summary

Gunnison Copper (OTCQB: GCUMF, TSX: GCU) promoted Robert Winton to Chief Operating Officer effective October 9, 2025. Winton, with more than 25 years of mining experience, guided the Johnson Camp Mine restart from care-and-maintenance to first copper production and commercial sales in 2025.

As COO he will oversee site operations, project development, and upcoming work programs, and continue coordination with Nuton LLC (a Rio Tinto venture) where first copper via advanced bio-leaching is expected later in 2025. The promotion follows Johnson Camp reaching production within one year of breaking ground.

Positive

• Johnson Camp reached first production and commercial sales in 2025
• Mine restarted to production within one year of breaking ground
• Robert Winton has more than 25 years of mining experience
• COO role covers site operations, project development, and work programs
• Ongoing collaboration with Nuton LLC for bio-leaching production in 2025

Negative

• None.

Winton Led the Successful Restart of America's Newest Copper Mine, Johnson Camp, Within One Year of Breaking Ground

Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - October 9, 2025) - Gunnison Copper Corp. (TSX: GCU) (OTCQB: GCUMF) (FSE: 3XS0) ("Gunnison" or the "Company"), America's newest copper producer, is pleased to announce the promotion of Robert Winton to the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective immediately.

Mr. Winton has been with the Company since August 2020, serving as Senior Vice President Operations and General Manager. He has played a pivotal role in transforming the Johnson Camp Mine from care-and-maintenance into a fully operational mine, culminating in first copper production and commercial sales in 2025, establishing Gunnison as a new U.S. copper producer.

"Robert's promotion is a well-deserved recognition of his exceptional leadership and operational expertise," stated Stephen Twyerould, President and Chief Executive Officer of Gunnison Copper. "Under his direction, the team brought the Johnson Camp Mine into production within a year of breaking ground - an extraordinary achievement that reflects his unwavering dedication to operational discipline, safety, and execution excellence. His leadership has been instrumental in embedding a culture of accountability, performance, and safety across our operations."

As Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Winton will oversee all site operations, project development, and integration of upcoming work programs across the Company. He will also continue to advance collaboration with Nuton LLC, a Rio Tinto venture, with first copper production using their advanced bio-leaching technologies expected later this year.

"It's been incredibly rewarding to see the Johnson Camp team deliver America's newest source of copper cathode," said Robert Winton, Chief Operating Officer. "I'm proud of the disciplined foundation we've built and excited to lead Gunnison's next phase of growth as we expand production and help secure America's domestic copper supply."

Mr. Winton brings more than 25 years of experience in mining operations, technical services, and project execution, having previously held senior operational roles with several North American base-metal producers, including Hudbay Minerals, prior to joining Gunnison Copper.

ABOUT GUNNISON COPPER

Gunnison Copper Corp. is a multi-asset pure-play copper developer and producer that controls the Cochise Mining District (the district), containing 12 known deposits within an 8 km economic radius, in the Southern Arizona Copper Belt.

Its flagship asset, the Gunnison Copper Project, has a Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource containing over 831.6 million tons with a total copper grade of 0.31% (Measured Mineral Resource of 191.3 million tons at 0.37% and Indicated Mineral Resource of 640.2 million tons at 0.29%), and a preliminary economic assessment ("PEA") yielding robust economics including an NPV8% of $1.3Billion, IRR of 20.9%, and payback period of 4.1 years. It is being developed as a conventional operation with open pit mining, heap leach, and SX/EW refinery to produce finished copper cathode on-site with direct rail link.

The PEA is preliminary in nature and includes Inferred Mineral Resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves. There is no certainty that the conclusions reached in the PEA will be realized. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

In addition, Gunnison's Johnson Camp Asset, which is now in production, is fully funded by Nuton LLC, a Rio Tinto Venture, with a production capacity of up to 25 million lbs of finished copper cathode annually.

Other significant deposits controlled by Gunnison in the district, with potential to be economic satellite feeder deposits for Gunnison Project infrastructure, include Strong and Harris, South Star, and eight other deposits.

For additional information on the Gunnison Project, including the PEA and mineral resource estimate, please refer to the Company's technical report entitled "Gunnison Project NI 43-101 Technical Report Preliminary Economic Assessment" dated effective November 1, 2024 and available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Dr. Stephen Twyerould, Fellow of AUSIMM, President and CEO of the Company is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Dr. Twyerould has reviewed and is responsible for the technical information contained in this news release.

For more information on Gunnison, please visit our website at www.GunnisonCopper.com.

For further information regarding this press release, please contact:

Gunnison Copper Corp.
Concord Place, Suite 300, 2999 North 44^th Street, Phoenix, AZ, 85018

Melissa Mackie
T: 647.533.4536
E: info@GunnisonCopper.com 
www.GunnisonCopper.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" concerning anticipated developments and events that may occur in the future. Forward-looking information contained in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to: (i) the intention to deploy the Nuton® technology at the Johnson Camp mine and future production therefrom; (ii) the continued funding of the stage 2 work program by Nuton; (iii) the details and expected results of the stage two work program; (iv) timelines for future production and production capacity from the Company's mineral projects; (v) details of the expected economic impact of the Gunnison Project; (vi) the results of the preliminary economic assessment on the Gunnison Project; (vii) the benefits of Mr. Winton's appointment; (viii) securing America's domestic copper supply; and (ix) the exploration and development of the Company's mineral projects.

In certain cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "occur" or "be achieved" suggesting future outcomes, or other expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, intentions or statements about future events or performance. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, Nuton will continue to fund the stage 2 work program, the availability of financing to continue as a going concern and implement the Company's operational plans, the estimation of mineral resources, the realization of resource and reserve estimates, copper and other metal prices, the timing and amount of future development expenditures, the estimation of initial and sustaining capital requirements, the estimation of labour and operating costs (including the price of acid), the availability of labour, material and acid supply, receipt of and compliance with necessary regulatory approvals and permits, the estimation of insurance coverage, and assumptions with respect to currency fluctuations, environmental risks, title disputes or claims, and other similar matters. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect.

Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include risks related to the Company not obtaining adequate financing to continue operations, Nuton failing to continue to fund the stage 2 work program, the breach of debt covenants, risks inherent in the construction and operation of mineral deposits, including risks relating to changes in project parameters as plans continue to be redefined including the possibility that mining operations may not be sustained at the Gunnison Copper Project, risks related to the delay in approval of work plans, variations in mineral resources and reserves, grade or recovery rates, risks relating to the ability to access infrastructure, risks relating to changes in copper and other commodity prices and the worldwide demand for and supply of copper and related products, risks related to increased competition in the market for copper and related products, risks related to current global financial conditions, risks related to current global financial conditions on the Company's business, uncertainties inherent in the estimation of mineral resources, access and supply risks, risks related to the ability to access acid supply on commercially reasonable terms, reliance on key personnel, operational risks inherent in the conduct of mining activities, including the risk of accidents, labour disputes, increases in capital and operating costs and the risk of delays or increased costs that might be encountered during the construction or mining process, regulatory risks including the risk that permits may not be obtained in a timely fashion or at all, financing, capitalization and liquidity risks, risks related to disputes concerning property titles and interests, environmental risks and the additional risks identified in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's reports and filings with applicable Canadian securities regulators.

Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information is made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/269901

FAQ

Who is Robert Winton and what is his new role at GCUMF?

Robert Winton was promoted to Chief Operating Officer at GCUMF effective October 9, 2025.

What operational milestone did Gunnison Copper achieve at Johnson Camp in 2025?

Johnson Camp reached first copper production and commercial sales in 2025 after restarting from care-and-maintenance.

How quickly did Johnson Camp move to production under Winton's leadership for GCUMF?

The Johnson Camp Mine entered production within one year of breaking ground.

What responsibilities will the new GCUMF COO oversee?

As COO he will oversee all site operations, project development, and integration of work programs.

What is the status of the Nuton LLC bio-leaching collaboration for GCUMF?

Gunnison will continue collaboration with Nuton LLC, with first copper via bio-leaching expected later in 2025.

What relevant experience does GCUMF's new COO bring?

Winton brings 25+ years in mining operations, technical services, and project execution, including roles at Hudbay Minerals.