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 Strong hypogene enrichment intersected in first 220 m step-out; subsequent drilling designed to extend continuity southward, toward a
1
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
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:
o 1.5% Cu and 8.9 g/t Ag over 81 m,
o Within a larger interval of 127 m of 1.1% Cu and 7.0 g/t Ag,
o 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.
2
• 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 / September 17, 2025 – Hercules Metals Corp. (“Hercules” or the
“Company”) (TSX-V: BIG) (OTCQB: BADEF) (F RA: C0X) 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.
3
“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.
4
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’).
5
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 drilli ng and intensifies to form a broad circular bu llseye
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.
6
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, B ritish
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
7
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) (FWB: 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: [email protected]
Greg DiTomaso
Investor Relations
Telephone: +1 (647) 243-4074
Email: [email protected]
8
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 a nd
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 expressi ons, 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 reg ulatory