NexMetals Reports 72% Increase in Selebi Main Mineral Resource of 32.47 Mt @ 1.53% Cu, 0.98% Ni Inferred, Selebi North Mineral Resource Estimate Pending
New drilling in the Flexure Zone accounts for 91% of the resource tonnage increase, while Selebi North remains outside the estimate.
Sentiment and the balance of points
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Rhea-AI Summary
NexMetals Mining (NEXM) increased its Selebi Main inferred mineral resource estimate to 32.47 million tonnes, approximately 72% above the 2024 estimate. Effective September 28, 2026, the estimate grades 1.53% copper, 0.98% nickel and 0.05% cobalt. Contained copper rose 55% to 495,400 tonnes and contained nickel rose 91% to 316,800 tonnes. Cobalt is included for the first time, at 16,200 contained tonnes; total copper equivalent is 1,772 million pounds.
New Flexure Zone drilling accounts for 91% of the tonnage increase. Copper grade declined from 1.69%, while nickel grade increased from 0.88%. Selebi North's updated estimate remains pending and is excluded, as is step-out drilling completed after the data cutoff. NexMetals expects Selebi North results in the near term and will provide next-step guidance after completion. Cash was approximately $10.5 million at September 30.
How this balance works
Rhea-AI gives every point it takes from this document a weight. Minor counts 1, Moderate 3 and Major 9, so one Major point outweighs several Minor ones. The bar adds up the weights on each side, and when neither side holds more than 65% of the total the balance reads Mixed.
It reads the document as published, with the same rules for every company, and it does not look at what the market expected or at how the stock traded, so a point can be objectively good on a day the stock falls.
Rhea-AI Sentiment measures something else, the tone of the wording.
Positive
- Major pointInferred resource tonnage increased approximately 72% to 32.47 million tonnes from 18.89 million tonnes in 2024.
- Minor pointContained copper increased 55% to 495,400 tonnes from 319,200 tonnes in 2024.
- Minor pointContained nickel increased 91% to 316,800 tonnes from 165,500 tonnes in 2024.
- Minor pointNickel grade increased to 0.98% from 0.88% in the 2024 estimate.
- Minor pointCobalt entered the resource estimate for the first time, with 16,200 contained tonnes at 0.05%.
4 minor points
- Minor pointFlexure Zone drilling accounts for 91% of the resource tonnage increase.
- Minor pointPost-cutoff step-out drilling intersected thick, high-grade massive sulphide mineralization beyond the estimate.
- Minor pointMetallurgical results demonstrated separate copper and nickel concentrates meeting commercial smelter specifications.
- Minor pointApproximately $10.5 million cash at September 30 supports the next phase of work, NexMetals said.
Negative
- Minor pointCopper grade declined to 1.53% from 1.69% in the 2024 estimate.
- Minor pointSelebi North's updated estimate remains pending and is excluded from the announced resource figures.
News Explained
The completed Selebi Main estimate is an inferred resource, not a reserve; it does not establish demonstrated economic viability, and there is no guarantee that any of it will convert to a reserve.
Key Figures
- Mineral resource tonnage
- 32.47 Mt
- 2026 Selebi Main MRE, Inferred category
- Copper grade
- 1.53%
- 2026 Selebi Main MRE, Inferred category
- Nickel grade
- 0.98%
- 2026 Selebi Main MRE, Inferred category
- Contained copper
- 495.4 kt
- 2026 Selebi Main MRE
- Contained nickel
- 316.8 kt
- 2026 Selebi Main MRE
- Copper equivalent
- 1,772 Mlbs CuEq
- 2026 Selebi Main MRE
- Resource tonnage increase
- 72%
- Compared with the Selebi Main portion of the 2024 MRE
Historical Context
-
Flexure Zone drilling returned 11.15 metres grading 7.65% CuEq ahead of the resource update.
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
Key Terms
net smelter return technical
ni 43-101 regulatory
ordinary kriging technical
icp-aes technical
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
Updated Selebi Main mineral resource estimate establishes 495,400 contained tonnes of copper and 316,800 contained tonnes of nickel establishing 1.77 billion pounds of copper equivalent in the Inferred category
Selebi North estimate remains in progress and is not included in today's results
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 1, 2026) - NexMetals Mining Corp. (TSXV: NEXM) (NASDAQ: NEXM) (the "Company" or "NexMetals") is pleased to announce an updated Mineral Resource Estimate for Selebi Main (the "2026 Selebi Main MRE"), one of the deposits at its past-producing Selebi copper-nickel-cobalt mine in Botswana. The estimate was completed by The MSA Group ("MSA") of Johannesburg, South Africa. The 2026 Selebi Main MRE increases total Mineral Resource tonnage by approximately
Highlights:
72% Growth in the 2026 Selebi Main MRE. The 2026 Selebi Main MRE increased to 32.47 million tonnes, grading1.53% copper and0.97% nickel compared with 18.89 million tonnes grading1.69% copper and0.88% nickel in the 2024 MRE, with substantial increases in contained copper and nickel, including:55% increase in contained copper to 495,400 tonnes, from 319,200 tonnes in 2024.91% Increase in contained nickel to 316,800 tonnes, from 165,500 tonnes in 2024.- Cobalt is now included in the 2026 Selebi Main MRE, adding a third reported metal to the mineral resource estimate.
- Resource tonnage growth:
91% of the increase is attributable to new drilling in the Flexure Zone.
- Updated technical inputs. The 2026 Selebi Main MRE reflects updated metal price assumptions of US
$5.10 /lb Copper and US$9.10 /lb nickel and incorporates previously reported metallurgical results demonstrating the ability to produce separate, clean copper and nickel concentrates that meet commercial smelter specifications.
- Further growth potential. Recent step-out drilling completed after the mineral resource cut-off date intersected thick, high-grade massive sulphide mineralization. Those results are not included in the 2026 Selebi Main MRE.
Next Steps:
- Selebi North Mineral Resource Estimate is Nearing Completion. The Selebi North Mineral Resource Estimate is being finalized and will be reported once complete. Together with the 2026 Selebi Main MRE announced today, it will provide a more comprehensive view of the mineral resource and overall scale of the Selebi Mines.
Sean Whiteford, CEO of the Company, commented: "The updated Selebi Main estimate is a major milestone for NexMetals. Resource growth, driven primarily by new drilling in the Flexure Zone, exceeded our expectations and provides a stronger foundation for the next phase of technical work. Given the scale of the increase, we are reporting the Selebi Main Mineral Resource Estimate while MSA completes its work on Selebi North, which is not included in today's figures. Consistent with Selebi Main, our drilling at Selebi North has been highly successful, delivering significant intercepts down plunge and beyond Selebi North's 2024 mineral resource envelope. These results support our expectation of growth in the Selebi North resource, and we are optimistic that its forthcoming estimate will further demonstrate the size and scale of the Selebi Mines.
"Selebi Main also remains open beyond the limits of this estimate. Step-out drilling completed after the resource cut-off date has intersected thick, high-grade massive sulphide mineralization. Our data driven approach of using BHEM to guide our drilling has been tremendously successful and supports further growth potential both in down-dip and down-plunge directions. We continue to maintain a strong treasury position, with an approximate cash balance of
2026 Selebi Main Mineral Resource Estimate as of September 28, 2026
| Tonnage | Grade | Contained Metal | |||||||
| Classification | Deposit | (Mt) | Cu (%) | Ni (%) | Co (%) | Cu (kt) | Ni (kt) | Co (kt) | Total (Mlbs CuEq) |
| Inferred | Selebi Main Upper Zone | 23.52 | 1.61 | 1.05 | 0.05 | 377.9 | 247.5 | 12.8 | 1,365 |
| Selebi Main Lower Zone | 8.95 | 1.31 | 0.77 | 0.04 | 117.4 | 69.4 | 3.4 | 407 | |
| Total | 32.47 | 1.53 | 0.98 | 0.05 | 495.4 | 316.8 | 16.2 | 1,772 | |
Notes:
- All tabulated data have been rounded and as a result minor computational errors may occur.
- Mineral Resources, which are not Mineral Reserves, have no demonstrated economic viability. There is no guarantee that all or any part of the Mineral Resource will be converted into a Mineral Reserve. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by geology, environment, permitting, legal title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues.
- kt = thousand tonnes, Mt = Million tonnes, Mlbs = million pounds
- The 2026 MRE has been prepared in accordance with the CIM Definition Standards (2014) and CIM Best Practice Guidelines (2019) with a data cut-off of September 21, 2026, and an effective date of September 28, 2026.
- Mineral Resources are reported at a cut-off value of US
$75 /t NSR (Net Smelter Return) defined as received value of final metal recovered minus off-site costs, and a minimum thickness of 1.5 metres. - Mineral Resources are estimated using long-term prices of US
$9.10 /lb Ni, US$5.10 /lb Cu, US$20.00 /lb Co. The same metal prices were used in NSR calculations. - Mineral Resources are estimated using nickel, copper and cobalt recoveries of
55.6% ,96.1% , and60.2% , respectively, derived from metallurgical studies which consider a two-concentrate scenario. - Payabilities and off-site treatment and refining costs were derived from an independent marketing study commissioned by NexMetals.
- Bulk density has been estimated in the block model based on an extensive data set of measurements taken from drillhole cores. The average density is 3.51 t/m3 for the Upper vein and 3.38 t/m3 for the Lower vein.
- Mineral Resources are reported using NSR values which assume mining costs of US
$47.60 /tonne, concentrate processing costs of US$20.00 /tonne and G&A of US$5.50 /tonne. - Areas depleted or sterilized by mining were removed from the mineral resource as well as an interpreted dyke.
- There are no Mineral Reserves.
- Copper equivalent is calculated using the formula CuEq =(Cu%*96.4+Ni%*87.0+Co%*132.7)/96.4.
The table reports Selebi Main only. The updated Selebi North mineral resource estimate is pending and is not included. Totals may not add up due to rounding.

Figure 1: Long section of Selebi Mines highlighting the 2026 Selebi Main MRE.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7759/316876_1e7e046e24cf58b4_002full.jpg
Mineral Resource Data and Quality Control
The historical sampling data collected by the previous owner and operator, BCL Limited ("BCL") included Ni and Cu assays and selective Co assays. The historical data was verified by NEXM through drilling of new holes between historical holes, which intersected mineralization in the expected position, and a twin intercept from a wedge from one BCL surface hole. The data compared within reasonable limits given the variability of the mineralization.
The geological database used in the MRE comprises sixty-nine (69) historical (BCL) surface drillholes and 38 NEXM drillholes, including the extension of 6 BCL drillholes, and 171 underground drillholes drilled by BCL during mining operations that were selected by MSA from a larger underground drilling dataset to be representative of the mineralization in and close to the mined-out areas.
The BCL assays were completed at the BCL Phikwe Laboratory. At the time of preparation and analysis, the BCL-owned laboratory was not independent of the operator and accredited only for high grade matte analyses, but not for exploration grade analyses. Ni and Cu were analysed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Relative density measurements were obtained by water immersion method.
The NexMetals drill core was logged, photographed and marked for sampling in nominal lengths of one metre. The core samples were cut in half longitudinally using a rotating diamond saw. The core samples were given a unique sample reference number, bagged and despatched to ALS Laboratories Ltd. in Johannesburg, South Africa for analysis (SANAS Accredited Testing Laboratory, No. T0387). Samples were analysed for Ni, Cu, and Co using a peroxide fusion preparation and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) finish (ME-ICP81). Analyses for Pt, Pd, and Au were by fire assay (30 g nominal sample weight) with an ICP-AES finish (PGMICP23), also by ALS. Ag was analysed using a 4-acid digest and ICP-AES finish (ME-ICP61). Specific gravity measurements were also completed by ALS on pulps of selected samples.
The NexMetals drilling was subjected to a comprehensive programme of quality assurance and quality control by NexMetals, independent of the laboratories' own QAQC measures, including certified reference materials (
Mineral Resource Estimate
The 2026 Selebi Main MRE was completed by The MSA Group in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The Mineral Resource was estimated using the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Best Practice Guidelines and is reported in accordance with the 2014 CIM Definition Standards, which have been incorporated by reference into National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101").
The deposit can be described as a metamorphosed magmatic nickel-copper sulphide deposit. Mineralization at Selebi Main comprises massive, semi-massive and disseminated sulphides contained within a unit of amphibolite that is surrounded by undifferentiated quartzo-feldspathic and mafic gneisses. Two mineralized zones have been interpreted, known as the Upper Vein and the Lower Vein, which are separated by barren gneiss. The Upper Vein is generally the most continuous, whereas the Lower Vein is not developed over the entire area of the Upper Vein. The veins reach thicknesses of up to 35 metres and can narrow to 10's of cm and pinch out locally. The veins have an average true thickness of approximately 7 metres for each vein. The deposit is broadly tabular with a strike length of between 1,500 m in the shallower areas to 2,500 m at depth and NEXM drilling intersected nickel-copper sulphides at depths of up to approximately 1,950 m below surface. Stoping has depleted the Mineral Resource from near surface to between 800 m and 1,000 m below surface. The deposit dips to the southwest at an average of 40 degrees, however, local dip variability was commonly experienced in the prior mining areas.
Cobalt and silver occur within the nickel-copper sulphide mineralization, with sufficient cobalt data to include in the MRE; however silver assays are not available over much of the Mineral Resource extent and have not been included in the MRE. Minor concentrations of platinum and palladium occur within the nickel-copper sulphide mineralization for which economic potential has not been established and, similarly to silver, platinum and palladium assays do not cover the full extent of the Mineral Resource. Sulphide mineralogy is primarily pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and pentlandite.
All recent exploration at the project, since the closure of the mine, was completed by NEXM in 2022 and 2023, and from 2025 to 2026 and is ongoing. All prior exploration work of relevance to the MRE was completed by the previous operator, BCL Ltd (BCL) up until 2016. The drilling completed since the 2024 MRE allowed for refinement of the previous interpretation and extension to the previously defined resource area. The cut-off date for inclusion of data in this MRE is 21 September 2026.
Geological modelling was undertaken in Datamine Studio RM utilising implicit vein modelling. Upper and Lower veins were coded into the surface and underground drillhole data based on thickness, lithology and grade. Vein intercepts were selected based on an approximate threshold Net Smelter Return (NSR) value of US
The Mineral Resource was reported using am NSR grade above US
Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of mineral resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues. There is no certainty that any mineral resources will be converted into mineral reserves. The quantity and grade of reported Inferred resources in the 2026 Selebi Main MRE are uncertain in nature, there has been insufficient exploration to define these Inferred resources as an Indicated or Measured mineral resource, and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in upgrading them to an Indicated or Measured mineral resource category.
Qualified Persons
Mr. J.C. Witley (BSc Hons, MSc (Eng.)) is a geologist with more than 35 years' experience in base and precious metals exploration and mining as well as Mineral Resource evaluation and reporting. He is Head of Mineral Resources for The MSA Group (an independent consulting company), is registered as Pr.Sci.Nat. with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP) and is a Fellow of the Geological Society of South Africa (GSSA). Mr. Witley has the appropriate relevant qualifications and experience to be considered a "Qualified Person" for the style and type of mineralization and activity being undertaken as defined in NI 43-101 and is considered independent of NexMetals pursuant to NI 43-101. Mr. Witley has reviewed and approved the technical and scientific information within this news release pertaining to the Mineral Resource Estimate.
Verification included a site visit by the QP to inspect historical mineralized core, observe existing infrastructure on surface and underground, examine mineralization in underground drives, and verify several surface drillhole collar locations (both historical and recent). The mineralization in several holes was inspected by the QP together with the sample assay results to verify the magnitude of the mineralization copper and nickel grades. In addition, a selection of samples collected by NexMetals have been verified against independently accessed assay certificates, and a random selection of historical database results have been compared against digital records.
The scientific and technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Sharon Taylor, V.P. Geophysics of the Company, MSc, P.Geo, who is a "qualified person" for the purposes of NI 43-101.
Technical Report
The 2026 Selebi Main MRE will be supported by a NI 43-101 Technical Report to be filed within 45 days of this news release.
SRC Swiss Resource Capital AG Engagement
NexMetals has engaged SRC Swiss Resource Capital AG ("SRC") to provide digital, translation, news and communications services in Europe (the "Services"). Under the terms of the engagement agreement (the "Agreement"), NexMetals has agreed to pay SRC a fee of CHF 5,000 per month out of its working capital for a six-month term until March 1, 2026, continuing month-to-month thereafter. SRC's CEO is Marc Ollinger and has an address at Poststr. 1, CH-9100 Herisau, Switzerland. SRC is at arm's length to NexMetals, has no interest, directly or indirectly, in NexMetals or its securities (or any right or intent to acquire such an interest), and has no other relationship with NexMetals, except pursuant to the Agreement. The Agreement is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.
About NexMetals Mining Corp.
NexMetals Mining Corp. is a TSX.V and NASDAQ listed mineral exploration and development company focused on redeveloping the past-producing Selebi and Selkirk copper-nickel-cobalt-platinum group element mines in Botswana. At Selebi, NexMetals has confirmed the scale of mineralization is larger than historical estimates, supported by NI 43-101- and Regulation S-K 1300-compliant resource estimates, with ongoing down-hole geophysics, drilling, and metallurgical programs aimed at expanding resources and supporting future economic studies. The Company is led by an experienced management and technical team with a proven track record in global mineral projects, emphasizing disciplined execution, transparent governance, and long-term stakeholder value creation.
For further information about NexMetals Mining Corp., please contact:
Sean Whiteford
CEO
info@nexmetalsmining.com
1-866-794-NEXM (6396)
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Neither the TSX Venture Exchange and its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) nor the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States federal securities laws and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking information") based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. For the purposes of this release, forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, the filing of a Technical Report prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 on SEDAR+ and EDGAR within 45 days of this news release; the growth and corresponding completion and reporting of the updated Selebi North mineral resource estimate; the expectation that the combined Selebi Main and Selebi North estimates will provide a more complete picture of the Selebi Mines mineral resources; further growth potential from step-out drilling completed after the resource cut-off date, including thick, high-grade massive sulphide mineralization extending beyond the updated resource envelope; Selebi's development potential, the ability to produce separate, clean copper and nickel concentrates meeting commercial smelter specifications, and remaining upside potential; the Company continuing to advance the Selebi Project through drilling and further technical work; and the Company providing guidance on next steps following completion of the Selebi North estimate. The forward-looking information in this news release is based on certain key assumptions, including, but not limited to, assumed metal prices and recoverability; the ability of the Company to produce separate, clean copper and nickel concentrates meeting commercial smelter specifications; the continued availability of qualified personnel to complete pending technical work; MSA completing the Selebi North mineral resource estimate in the ordinary course without material delays; the Company's ability to file the Technical Report on SEDAR+ and EDGAR within the required 45-day period; the absence of material adverse changes to applicable laws, regulations or permitting requirements in Botswana; and the Company having sufficient working capital to fund its planned exploration and development activities. The forward-looking statements in this news release, by their nature, necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, potential delays in the completion and reporting of the Selebi North mineral resource estimate by MSA; the risk that the Technical Report may not be filed within the stated 45-day period; capital and operating costs varying significantly from estimates; the preliminary nature of drilling and metallurgical test results; the risk that step-out drilling results completed after the resource cut-off date may not translate into additional mineral resources upon further evaluation; payabilities of metals varying from expectations; the ability of exploration results to predict mineralization; the risk that the Company will not be able to expand or enhance its current mineral resource estimates; the ability of the Company to implement its drilling, geoscience and metallurgical work on its properties and work plans generally; prefeasibility or the feasibility of mine production; delays in obtaining or failures to obtain required governmental, environmental or other project approvals; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future; changes in equity markets; inflation; fluctuations in commodity prices; delays in the development of projects; the other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry; and those risks set out in the Company's filings with the SEC on EDGAR (www.sec.gov) and public disclosure record on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca), in each case, under the Company's issuer profile. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.

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FAQ
AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
How much did NexMetals' Selebi Main mineral resource increase?
Selebi Main's inferred resource increased approximately 72% to 32.47 million tonnes, compared with 18.89 million tonnes in the 2024 estimate. Contained copper increased 55% to 495,400 tonnes, while contained nickel increased 91% to 316,800 tonnes.
When will NexMetals report the updated Selebi North resource estimate?
NexMetals expects to report the updated Selebi North estimate in the near term, following completion of the ongoing work. Selebi North is not included in the announced Selebi Main figures. Guidance on next steps will follow completion of the Selebi North estimate.
What price and recovery assumptions underpin NexMetals' Selebi Main resource estimate?
The estimate uses metal prices of US$5.10 per pound of copper, US$9.10 per pound of nickel and US$20.00 per pound of cobalt. Assumed recoveries are 96.1% for copper, 55.6% for nickel and 60.2% for cobalt, based on a two-concentrate scenario. Resources are reported above a US$75-per-tonne net smelter return cutoff, meaning recovered metal value minus off-site costs, with a minimum thickness of 1.5 metres.
Does NexMetals' updated Selebi Main estimate include silver, platinum or palladium?
Silver, platinum and palladium are not included in the updated resource estimate. Assay coverage for these metals does not extend across the full resource. Economic potential has not been established for the minor platinum and palladium concentrations.