TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / March 16, 2026 / Sterling Metals Corp. (TSXV:SAG)(OTCQB:SAGGF) ("Sterling" or the "Company") is pleased to report the remaining 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 five additional drill holes continued to expand the copper mineralized footprint, while further defining and extending the high-grade bornite zone discovered in September 2025, revealing a new bornite-covellite zone to the northwest (Figures 1 and 2).

Highlights:

• Drillhole MEPS-25-20 returned 235.5m at 0.5% CuEq from a depth of 85.5m within a broader interval of 346.5m grading 0.39% CuEq from a depth of 1.5m, Including:

  • 56m at 1.0% CuEq from a depth of 194m

  • 32.75m at 1.5% CuEq from a depth of 194m

  • 11.35m at 2.01% CuEq from a depth of 198.65m

• Holes in this release highlight a transition to bornite-covellite mineralization with increasing gold grades hosted by stronger quartz veining in the northwest part of the MEPS Discovery area. Robust quartz veining containing bornite and covellite was discovered 120m from the core of the original discovery bornite zone, where the final 11.95m of MEPS-25-22 graded 1.51% CuEq ending at 364m downhole within a broader interval of 176.95m of 0.4% CuEq from 188m downhole.

• These results indicate that many of the final holes of the 2025 drill program tagged the edge of a newly identified, very high copper tenor style of quartz-sulphide veining and will be a primary focus for follow up drilling in 2026.

• The recent discovery of a Cu-Mo mineralized porphyry stock 1.5km away from MEPS, reported in the press release dated March 1, 2026, provides important evidence that a large porphyry intrusive complex does indeed underlie this central part of our license area. The focus of exploration is now on discovering the most mineralized upper part of this porphyry complex which may underlie the MEPS Discovery area.

• The MEPS Discovery area continues to demonstrate strong lateral continuity with multiple holes intersecting broad zones of copper mineralization across a growing footprint of the system but also important near-surface, high-grade intervals that are now also showing continuity and, in some cases, downward development.

• Drilling is now advancing along the 8km long regional copper corridor with a second drill rig scheduled to mobilize in June as Sterling rapidly expands its testing of this district-scale discovery opportunity.

• Core photos from today's announcement are now available on Sterling's website, click here to view.

Jeremy Niemi, SVP Exploration and Development, commented, "These latest drill results continue to strengthen the story emerging at MEPS. We are seeing broad zones of copper mineralization with increasingly higher-grade intervals, including bornite and covellite mineralization that indicate a strengthening copper system. As we continue to step out and fill in the discovery area, the consistency of mineralization and the evolving mineralogy suggest we are vectoring toward the core of a large copper system. With drilling now advancing along the broader corridor, our focus remains on expanding the footprint of this discovery and unlocking the full scale of the opportunity at Soo Copper."

Mathew Wilson, CEO of Sterling Metals, commented, "Throughout our first 8 months of drilling we have yet to drill a hole that contains zero copper. Our cost advantages, year-round access, partnerships with local communities and First Nations, and clear tier 1 jurisdiction and infrastructure are all elements that will enable us to rapidly move this project ahead as we look to contribute to supplying the clear demand to find, make and use more copper in Canada."

High-Grade Copper Zone Expands and Points to Depth at Northwest

Hole MEPS-25-19 was drilled toward the northwest part of the MEPS Discovery area and intersected a broad zone of continuous copper mineralization with multiple higher-grade intervals (see Table 1). A high-grade interval at approximately 120m depth was followed by a second interval at 261m depth, representing an approximately 35m step-out northwest of the high-grade bornite zone intersected in hole MEPS-25-02. The hole confirms strong continuity of mineralization toward the northwest while demonstrating the presence of multiple higher-grade zones within the overall mineralized zone.

Hole MEPS-25-20 intersected a wide zone of copper mineralization including a high-grade interval located approximately 45m from MEPS-25-19 and 25m west of MEPS-25-02 (see Table 1). This hole confirms the continuity of the high-grade MEPS Discovery area, returning some of the strongest continuous grades observed to date, including intervals of bornite-rich mineralization associated with elevated copper and gold values.

Hole MEPS-25-21, drilled 25m west of MEPS-25-20, intersected a broad interval of copper mineralization and encountered covellite-bornite mineralization near the bottom of the hole (see Table 1). The presence of covellite suggests that a process of hydrothermal upgrading of copper mineralization occurred as a result of multiple copper-mineralizing pulses. This very high tenor copper mineralization appears to be developing with depth towards the underlying ZTEM resistivity anomaly.

Hole MEPS-25-22 intersected the high-grade zone approximately 60m above and northwest of MEPS-25-21, confirming vertical continuity of the high-grade mineralization (see Table 1). Covellite mineralization was again encountered toward the bottom of the hole, further supporting the interpretation of a strengthening copper system with depth.

Hole MEPS-25-23 was drilled toward the east and intersected a broad zone of copper mineralization, demonstrating that the system remains open in that direction. The results expand the footprint of the discovery and support the interpretation of a large and laterally continuous copper system along the emerging MEPS corridor.

Table 1. Significant Assay Intervals