Hercules Metals Engages Equity Exploration Consultants and Commences 2026 Exploration Campaign on Hercules Property in Western Idaho IP Survey Underway to Further Evaluate New MT Targets for Porphyry-Style Mineralization
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Hercules Metals Engages Equity Exploration
Consultants and Commences 2026 Exploration
Campaign on Hercules Property in Western Idaho
IP Survey Underway to Further Evaluate New MT Targets for
Porphyry-Style Mineralization
Toronto, Ontario / February 19, 2026 – Hercules Metals Corp. (TSXV: BIG) (OTCQB:
BADEF) (FSE: C0X) (“Hercules” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the signing of
a letter of engagement with Equity Exploration Consultants Ltd. (“Equity”) to manage drilling
operations at the companies’ Hercules Property in western Idaho (the “Property”).
Equity is a senior geological consulting firm, based in Vancouver, BC, with nearly forty years
experience managing large, complex drill programs for both junior and major mining
companies across North America (“Equity”).
Equity’s expert geologists and senior exploration managers will work alongside Hercules’
existing technical team to expand operational capacity at the project, improve drilling
efficiency, increase production, reduce sampling and analytical turnaround times, and
provide greater flexibility to scale up drilling operations while accelerating the delivery of
results to market.
Chris Paul, CEO and Director of Hercules Metals, commented, “We are pleased to
welcome Equity to the Hercules team as we expand our overall operational capacity, extend
our exploration season, and position the project to support additional drill rigs. Equity’s
involvement is expected to enhance sampling and assay turnaround, while providing our
technical group with greater flexibility to focus on geological targeting and improved data
workflows. Together, these initiatives are intended to sharpen our exploration execution,
increase drilling productivity, and support a stronger and more consistent flow of results as
we advance into an important growth phase for the Company in 2026.”
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Reconnaissance Induced Polarization Survey
Hercules has engaged Simcoe Geoscience Ltd. (“ Simcoe”) to conduct a reconnaissance
scale 2D induced polarization (“ IP”) survey over prospective targets identified by a two-
phase magnetotelluric (“ MT”) survey carried out across the project in 2025. The program
will evaluate chargeability responses associated with strong conductivity anomalies at the
“Pegasus” and “Hook” targets.
Conductivity in porphyry systems generally increases in areas characterized by strong
shallow porphyry alteration, interconnected sulfide veining, or massive sulfide replacement,
which can be associated with shallow hypogene enrichment zones or large skarn systems.
Chargeability is distinct from conductivity and is more typically linked to disseminated sulfide
mineralization, representing broader mineralized shells around porphyry copper systems.
Utilizing both datasets, rather than relying on either in isolation, increases confidence in
geological interpretation and drill targeting, particularly as the integrated results may help
distinguish between a potential mineralized core and the outer pyrite shell of a system.
The first phase reconnaissance survey has been designed with long lines, approximately
3.5-4.5 km in length, to maximum depth of investigation, with 100 m dipole spacing to
maintain shallow data resolution. The actual depth of investigation at both targets will be
dependent on the conductivity of their near surface geology.
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Figure 1: Planned initial reconnaissance IP lines (pink) overlaid on an MT conductivity slice 800 m below surface.
The stippled pattern outlines areas of younger geological cover, including zones of younger silver-lead-zinc
mineralization. Anomalous Mo-in-soil results within an erosional window through the younger cover are shown
as blue squares.
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Discussion of New MT Anomalies
A two-phase MT survey completed in 2025 defined several new targets that are planned for
drill testing during the upcoming 2026 exploration campaign. The first phase covered the
entire Hercules Property at 1,000 m spacing and successfully imaged the Leviathan
porphyry center, previously discovered through blind drilling in 2023, at the northern end of
a broad 6-kilometer-long corridor. A second phase of higher resolution surveying within this
anomalous trend outlined several discrete, vertically extensive conductive targets. The
following sections describe two of those targets, which are currently being evaluated with IP
geophysics to collect additional chargeability data in advance of initial drill testing.
Pegasus
The Pegasus MT anomaly is concealed beneath post-mineral basalt cover, in an area that
has never before been explored. A geologically constrained inversion model shows the
presence of a cylindrical shaped conductive feature, which may be consistent with an as yet
undiscovered porphyry center along trend, representing a compelling target for 2026 drill
testing.
The target’s prospectivity is further supported by nearby skarn mineralization located
immediately to the east on the adjacent Cuddy Mountain property held by Scout
Discoveries1.
All necessary permits, including approval from the Idaho Department of Lands, have been
received, enabling drill testing of the Pegasus target in 2026.
1 This news release contains information about adjacent properties on which Hercules has no right to explore or mine. Readers are
cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on the Company’s properties.
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Figure 2: North-south cross section, looking west, at a constrained MT conductivity inversion over the new
Pegasus target. Anomalous conductivity patterns share a similar geometry and orientation to that of the Leviathan
porphyry center along trend to the north, indicated by the outlines interpreted above. New IP chargeability data
will further refine 2026 drill targeting.
Hook MT Anomaly
The Hook is a lower tenor conductivity target that occurs within a separate subparallel
conductivity trend to the Leviathan corridor described above. At surface, the Hook target is
largely obscured by landslide cover. Despite this, anomalous copper and molybdenum in
both soil and rock sampling suggest the potential for mineralization below landslide cover.
A single float rock sample collected during a non-selective 2024 lithogeochemical sampling
program revealed the presence of quartz-veined porphyry in the immediate vicinity of the
Hook target. The sample was entirely oxidized, but carried anomalous molybdenum (48
ppm), which could be consistent with porphyry leach capping, under which conditions
molybdenum is generally immobile. The exact source of the float is unknown, however its
angular character and preservation suggest a proximal origin, reinforcing the potential for a
nearby porphyry center.
While less intense than other conductivity anomalies on the Property, it may signal the
presence of a different style of porphyry alteration and mineralization, or a different erosional
level than that of Leviathan. The target lies along trend from anomalous chargeability shown
on maps published by Scout Discoveries near to the Railroad target on their adjacent Cuddy
Mountain property1.
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A second-year categorical exclusion permit application with the United States Forest Service
(“USFS”) has successfully completed NEPA review, which will likely allow for drill testing of
the Hook target in 2026, as the Company continues to evaluate the potential for additional
concealed porphyry systems throughout this underexplored portion of the Property.
Figure 3: Silicified and quartz veined porphyry sampled above the Hook target during non-selective
lithogeochemical grid sampling in 2024. The sample shows complete oxidation of sulfide minerals, but with
anomalous molybdenum (48 ppm), which may be consistent with leach capping of shallow porphyry alteration.
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Figure 4: East-west cross section, looking north, at a constrained MT conductivity inversion, showing Leviathan
and the new Footwall MT anomaly (left) and the new Hook target (right). Chargeability response from a 2023 IP
survey over the Leviathan is displayed (hotter colours are stronger chargeability), while a new IP survey is
currently in progress over the Hook target. Although muted, the conductivity response at the Hook target is
strongly elevated relative to the background response throughout the district and warrants IP evaluation for
potential disseminated sulfide mineralization.
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 country to date. The Company is well positioned for growth through continued drilling,
supported by a strategic investment from Barrick Mining Corporation.
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With the potential for significant scale, the Company’s management and board of directors
aims to deliver value to shareholders through proven discovery success.
For further information please contact:
Chris Paul
CEO & Director
Telephone +1 (604) 670-5527
Email: [email protected]
Dillon Hume
VP, Exploration
Telephone: +1 (604) 283-2043
Email: [email protected]
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,