Sterling Metals Intersects 359.3m of 0.36% CuEq from Near Surface with Multiple Zones of Bornite Across Preserved Porphyry Copper Deposit in its First Drill Hole at the Newly Renamed Soo Copper Project
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Sterling Metals Intersects 359.3m of 0.36% CuEq from Near Surface with
Multiple Zones of Bornite Across Preserved Porphyry Copper Deposit in its First
Drill Hole at the Newly Renamed Soo Copper Project
May 29, 2025 – Toronto, Ontario – Sterling Metals Corp. (TSXV: SAG, OTCQB: SAGGF) (“Sterling” or the
“Company”) is pleased to announce results from the first of four diamond drill holes (MJ-25-01) recently
completed at its newly renamed Soo Copper Project (“ Soo Copper” or the “ Project”), formerly Copper
Road, located in Batchewana Bay, Ontario. The hole has successfully demonstrated a continuous, bulk -
tonnage copper -molybdenum-silver-gold (“Cu-Mo-Ag-Au”) target, called the GFP Porphyry (“ GFP
Porphyry”), highlighting the Project’s significant mineral potential.
Highlights:
• Broad, near-surface zone of high tenor chalcopyrite-bornite copper mineralization starting at 14.3m
(overburden to 13.3m) grading 0.36% Copper Equivalent (CuEq) over 359m including 0.56 % CuEq
over the first 75m of this interval (see Table 1).
• Copper mineralization is associated with a multi-porphyry intrusive complex composed of a newly
discovered well mineralized, early syn -mineral stage felsite porphyry, and two intramineral
porphyries.
• A 130m interval of mafic tuff unit containing large patches of biotite -magnetite-chalcopyrite-
bornite mineralization plus chalcopyrite veining beginning at less than 200m vertical depth grading:
o 0.43% CuEq over 40.4m starting at 249.6m
o 0.56% CuEq over 26.5m starting at 347.0m
o The tuff represents an ideal host rock for mineralization, highly permeable and well -
altered with preserved bornite -rich mineralization suggest ing strong vectoring
potential toward the core of a porphyry center.
• Copper mineralization encountered throughout the entire length of the drill hole.
• Assay results for the remaining three holes are pending and will be released once received.
The Soo Copper Project lies at the intersection of the Midcontinent Rift and the southwestern extension
of Kapuskasking Fault Zone, a highly prospective setting historically known for smaller- scale but high-
grade copper production at the former Tribag and Copper Corp mines , which anchor either end of the
30km long property. Since their respective mine closures in 1974 and 1972, fragmented ownership and
consequent patchwork-type drilling efforts did not encourage the broader scale systematic exploration
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needed to target a large porphyry copper system1. Seeing this opportunity, one year ago Sterling acquired
the Project which one year prior had for the first time seen the consolidation of a contiguous set of mineral
licenses covering the most prospective geology and historical mines and prospects. The Project has since
undergone comprehensive property wide data compilation, geophysic al and geochemical surveys , and
ground based examinations , including historical prospect and drill core re-evaluations, focused on
identifying evidence for a large -scale porphyry copper system, culminating in the first drill hole of this
campaign, which intersected what is believed to be one part of a high -tenor, well- preserved copper
porphyry system. The recently completed maiden drill program saw a total of 1,789 metres drilled in four
diamond drill holes.
Jeremy Niemi, Senior Vice President Exploration and Evaluation stated, “Copper mineralization, primarily
composed of chalcopyrite in both veins and disseminations, extends well above and below the favourable
bornite-bearing, biotite -altered sheared tuff unit. This copper -rich mineralization is also hosted in
surrounding mafic units and felsic porphyry dykes, especially where strong potassic alteration , either as
early biotite or later orthoclase, and A-type veining are present. While the Midcontinent Rift is recognized
as a globally significant copper belt, known for its rich endow ment of magmatic copper- nickel,
sedimentary copper, and native copper deposits, the results of our first drillhole indicate that it also has
the potential to yield a significant porphyry copper deposit. We’re excited to continue exploring and
unlocking the potential of what we believe could be a significant copper system.”
Dr. Neil O’Brien, Technical Advisor, added, “At Soo Copper, we are seeing a well-developed and extensive
bornite-bearing potassic zone that remains largely preserved from surface downward over nearly 400
metres of drilling and remains open . The discovery of this bornite-rich copper zone hosted by biotite -
chlorite altered mafic tuffs that are intruded by a very well veined, early stage felsic porphyry are all critical
to our understanding of the greater tonnage and copper grade potential for this porphyry system that
previous explorers underestimated. This bodes well for any future mineral resource and mine concentrate
products, which could feature high copper tenor and elevated gold content.”
Mathew Wilson, CEO and Director, commented, “Over the past 65 years, this Project has seen small-scale
but high-grade copper production, with much of the historical focus aimed at chasing narrow, high-grade
zones1. We’re fortunate to have a team with deep roots in the region —some of whom have worked on
this property for decades—which has allowed us to advance the project quickly and effectively.
In less than a year since acquisition, we’ve gone from a property centered on a single pencil porphyry
prospect with limited apparent scale to identifying the key ingredients of a much larger and richer
porphyry copper system. With 100% ownership of a 30km hydrothermal copper corridor, we believe now
is the right time to rename the project—marking a new beginning and highlighting its connection to Sault
Ste. Marie, a city of great industry where we hope to have a long and prosperous relationship.
This is just one hole, but in today’s macroeconomic environment, the need for large, bulk-tonnage copper
projects in safe jurisdictions like Canada is more urgent than ever— especially one that starts at surface ,
sits 20 minutes from the TransCanada highway, 4 hours by paved road from Sudbury—a major mining and
smelting center, an hour from a deep-water port, the U.S. border, and the city of Sault Ste. Marie.”
1 Independent Technical Report entitled “Technical Report on the Copper Road Property”, dated April 29, 2024,
prepared by Kelly Malcolm, P.Geo., for Sterling Metals Corp.
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Figure 1. Chalcopyrite and molybdenite mineralization at 44.5m depth grading 3.42% Cu, 2.28% Mo,
0.034 g/t Au and 11.1 g/t Ag in hole MJ-25-01.
Figure 2. Bornite-chalcopyrite mineralization at 264.9m depth in MJ-25-01 grading 2.95% Cu, 0.442 g/t
Au and 24 g/t Ag over 0.6m. Hosted by strongly biotite-chlorite altered mafic tuff volcanics adjacent to
early stage GFP Porphyry.
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Figure 3. Intensely veined and newly discovered, early stage GFP Porphyry at 267m depth grading
0.68% Cu, 0.02% Mo, 0.19 g/t Au and 4.2 g/t Ag. Split NQ core (4.8cm wide).
Important Geological Observations in MJ-25-01
• Copper mineralization, primarily chalcopyrite, observed from bedrock surface to the end of the hole
at 496m depth.
• A well developed and preserved , extensive bornite- bearing potassic zone was intersected from
surface downwards and remains open.
• Bornite mineralization offers high copper tenor with elevated gold grades.
• Multiple stages of copper -mineralized porphyry intrusions were observed including an early syn -
mineralization stage, as well as two intra-mineral stage porphyries.
• Bornite mineralization, adjacent to the GFP syn-mineralization porphyry, was intersected in multiple
zones between 249.0m depth and a fault at 388m.
• Multiple vein styles, typical of porphyry systems, encountered in first hole:
o EB-type: earliest stage, biotite-only
o A-type: early stage, commonly irregular and less continuous; quartz +/- potassium feldspar
with chalcopyrite and bornite.
o B-type: planar and continuous; quartz with molybdenite and/or chalcopyrite.
o M-type: magnetite-rich with chalcopyrite within the potassic alteration zone.
o G-type: magnetite-rich with chalcopyrite within the inner propylitic alteration zone.
• Outward prograde alteration zonation from potassic (early biotite, later orthoclase) to inner propylitic
(epidote) to outer propylitic (chlorite) observed and prograde zonation of vein sulphides from inner
chalcopyrite-bornite to outer chalcopyrite-pyrite.
Inaugural drilling at the Soo Copper Project by the Company focused on robust targets generat ed from
favourable surface geology and copper geochemistry, strong geophysical (3D IP and Resistivity) anomalies
located south and adjacent (within 500m) to core -verified Cu-Mo porphyry mineralization at the Jogran
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porphyry prospect and the Richards Breccia prospect, a porphyry -related copper breccia (see Figure 5).
Results from MJ -25-01 confirm the presence of an extensive porphyry Cu -Mo-Au-Ag mineral system
characterized by a favourable high-tenor copper (bornite) potassic core zone.
The early potassic alteration hosting bornite is developed with in a foliated permeable tuffaceous mafic
volcanic which is cut by strongly veined porphyry dyke s. The bornite- rich tuff unit remains open along
strike and at depth which provides an exciting target for future exploration drilling.
Figure 5. Hole locations from Sterling Metals inaugural drilling at the Soo Copper Project.1
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Figure 6. Cross section showing trace of hole MJ-25-01, mineralization and resistivity from Dias 3D IP
survey in the background which matches porphyry alteration and mineralization.
Table 1. Mineralization intervals from MJ-25-01
Zone Start End Length Cu % Mo% Au g/t Ag g/t CuEq %
Overburden 0 13.3 13.3
No
sample
taken
Entire Hole 13.3 496.0 482.8 0.21 0.008 0.03 1.1 0.28
Including 14.3 373.5 359.3 0.26 0.011 0.05 1.4 0.36
Including 14.3 89.5 75.2 0.38 0.021 0.09 2.4 0.56
Bornite 1 249.6 290.0 40.4 0.36 0.002 0.05 1.9 0.43
Bornite 2 347.0 373.5 26.5 0.47 0.003 0.07 2.0 0.56
Intervals may not represent true widths which are not yet known and capping has not been applied to
grades. CuEq grade calculations for reporting assumes 3 -month average metal prices of US$4.3/lb Cu,
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US$20.6/lb Mo, US$3305/oz Au and US$33/oz Ag and recoveries of 90% Cu, 85% Mo, 70% Au, 60% Ag.
Recoveries used are from recent test work on the Solaris, Warintza Project in Peru which is a similar style
mineralization to Copper Road. See “Mineral Resource Estimate Update - NI 43-101 Technical Report,
Warintza Project, Ecuador” with an effective date of July 1, 2024, and available on SEDAR+ under Solaris
Resources profile.
Table 2. Hole locations, direction and final depths.
Hole ID Easting Northing Elevation Depth (m) Dip Azimuth
MJ-25-01 681157 5212667 421 496 -47 250
MJ-25-02 680744 5212719 474 564 -54 127
MJ-25-03 681125 5212744 421 354 -53 199
CH-25-01 680287 5212436 507 375 -70 0
Figure 7. Location map of the Soo Copper Road Project along the Trans-Canada Highway, 80km north
of Sault Ste. Marie and bridge border crossing to the U.S.
Sampling Procedures – Quality Assurance/Quality Control
Analytical services were provided by Actlabs, which is an independent, CALA - and SCC -accredited
analytical services firm registered to ISO 17025 and ISO 9001 standard. Drill core samples were logged
and split in half with a diamond core saw. Half- core samples were securely stored at the core logging
facility until being delivered to Actlabs North Bay lab by commercial transport. Samples were crushed (<
7 kg) up to 90% passing 2mm (10 mesh), riffle split to 250 g and pulverized by mild steel to 95% passing
105μm (150 mesh). Samples splits underwent a 4 -acid near total digestion followed by a multi- element
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analysis, including base metals, using an ICP method for 35 elements. Selected sample pulps were then
analyzed for gold using a 30 g aliquot mixed with fire assay fluxes and Ag as a collector, placed in a fire
clay crucible, gradually heated to 1060ºC for 60 min, and followed with an AA finish.
Laboratory QA/QC for the ICP analysis was 14% for each batch, including 5 method reagent blanks, 10 in-
house controls, 10 samples duplicates, and 8 certified reference materials. An additional 13% QA/QC was
performed as part of the instrumental analysis to ensure quality in the areas of instrumental drift.
Laboratory quality control for the gold fire assay included two blanks per 42 samples, three sample
duplicates and 2 certified reference materials, one high and one low (QC 7 out of 42 samples). In- house
QA/QC included the systematic insertion of blanks, duplicates, and certified reference materials (CRM).
Sterling Metals acknowledges that its exploration activities are conducted on the traditional lands of the
First Nations and Métis Peoples of the North Shore of Lake Superior. We recognize and respect the
longstanding and diverse relationships Indigenous Peoples have with the land and are committed to
engaging in a manner that is respectful, transparent, and inclusive.
Qualified Person
Jeremy Niemi, P.Geo., Senior Vice President, Exploration and Evaluation for Sterling Metals has reviewed
and approved the technical information presented herein.
About Sterling Metals
Sterling Metals (TSXV: SAG and OTCQB: SAGGF) is a mineral exploration company focused on large scale
and high -grade Canadian exploration opportunities. The Company is advancing the 25,000 -hectare
Copper Road Project in Ontario which has past production, and multiple breccia and porphyry targets
strategically located near robust infrastructure and the 29,000-hectare Adeline Project in Labrador which
covers an entire sediment -hosted co pper belt with significant silver credits. Both opportunities have
demonstrated potential for important new copper discoveries, underscoring Sterling’s commitment to
pioneering exploration in mineral rich Canada.
For more information, please contact:
Sterling Metals Corp.
Mathew Wilson, CEO and Director
Tel: (416) 643-3887
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.sterlingmetals.ca
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