NorthWest Copper posts significant intercept of 36.0 metres of 0.80% copper and 3.21 g/t gold (3.67% CuEq) at Kwanika Project, British Columbia

NorthWest Copper Corp. [TSXV: NWST] reported standout assay results from the fourth drill hole of its 2025 drilling program at the 100%-owned Kwanika project, British Columbia. Drill hole K-25-280 successfully intersected both the Pit and Central copper-gold zones, highlighted by an exceptional intercept of 36 metres grading 0.80% Cu, 3.21 g/t Au (3.67% copper equivalent, CuEq) in the Central Zone. This drill hole returned results that exceeded expectations in both grade and thickness.

Paul Olmsted, CEO, commented: “This hole is an outstanding result and once again builds on the consistently strong results reported to date from the higher-grade copper-gold zones we are targeting at Kwanika. Hole K-25-280 delivered an exceptional intercept grading 3.67% CuEq in the Central Zone, the best result from the 2025 drill program to date.

“These results, combined with historical drill results, strengthen our confidence that we can meaningfully enhance the potential economics in an updated Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) through targeting higher-grade zones. We are also optimistic that results from metallurgical test work, expected in the near-term and aimed at improving copper and gold recoveries, have the potential to further strengthen the next PEA, expected in mid 2026.”

Drill hole K-25-280 achieved two important objectives. The hole advanced our understanding of the Central Zone, expanding the area of high-grade copper-gold mineralization within the core of the system, with thicknesses and gold grades greater than expected. The hole also encountered broad zones of mineralization in the Pit Zone, confirming the location and grade of mineralization and supporting the potential for near-surface open pit mineral resources.

Drill Hole Highlights – Pit Zone: 66 metres of 0.48 % Cu, 0.16 g/t Au (0.64% CuEq) from 116 metres, including 30.0 metres of 0.55 % Cu, 0.22 g/t Au (0.77% CuEq) from 126 metres. Central Zone: 60 metres of 0.67 % Cu, 2.12 g/t Au (2.11% CuEq) from 269 metres, including 12 metres of 0.79 % Cu, 0.58 g/t Au (1.33% CuEq) from 269 metres, and 36 metres of 0.80 % Cu, 3.21 g/t Au (3.67% CuEq) from 285 metres.

The company’s 2025 expanded 6,435-metre drill program is designed to define higher-grade zones within the current mineral resource, with a particular focus on underground targets. The program is focused on zones with grades approximately 150%-250% higher than the grades incorporated in the 2023 PEA. Results to date from the first four holes have met or exceeded these expectations, demonstrating the potential opportunity to improve on the economics of the 2023 PEA. The company expects to release additional results from the remaining fourteen holes over the coming weeks.

Geoff Chinn, VP Business Development and Exploration of NorthWest added: “Hole K-25-280, continues to demonstrate a consistent geometry and continuity of higher-grade zones that will be used to guide and upgrade the current mineral resources by modelling additional geological controls. The Central Zone returned an impressive combined true width estimate of 52 metres across the upper and lower mineralized intervals grading 2.57% CuEq, exceeding our targeted grade range of 1.5-2.5 times the current 1.0% CuEq underground mineral resource. We are also beginning to see consistent metal zonation within the deposit with higher gold grades towards, and parallel to, the western limit of the Central Zone that may enhance the project’s potential and guide future exploration. These results continue to validate both the approach and our geological understanding of the system.”

On April 10, 2025, NorthWest announced a target model for its flagship Kwanika project. This model refines the company’s strategy to focus on three key higher-grade zones: the Pit, Central and Western Zones. These zones host two broad mineralized intervals separated by late dykes and target grades of 1.5% to 2.5% CuEq over combined true thicknesses of 30 to 45 metres, which may support a more selective top-down bulk underground mining method.

The 2025 exploration program is designed to validate, infill and expand on the company’s understanding of the structural controls on the higher-grade copper-gold mineralization within the Target Model. Early results, including those from hole K-25-280 confirm that significant progress is being achieved.

Drilling intersected multiple intervales of near-surface, lower-grade, mineralization surrounding the Pit Zone. This intercept confirms the location and grade of near-surface copper-gold mineralization with attractive grades for potential inclusion in open pit mineral resources, returning 0.49% Cu, 0.18 g/t Au, and 1.38 g/t Ag for 0.66% CuEq over 26.6 metres with an estimated true thickness of 15.6 metres starting at 57.0 metres, and 0.48% Cu, 0.16 g/t Au, and 1.56 g/t Ag for 0.64% CuEq over 66.0 metres with an estimated true thickness of 46.7 m starting at 116.0 metres, including 0.55% Cu, 0.22 g/t Au, and 1.96 g/t Ag for 0.77% CuEq over 30.0 metres with an estimated true thickness of 21.2 metres starting at 126.0 metres.

Below the Pit Zone, the hole intersected and confirmed an outer higher-grade copper interval within the Central Zone, characterized by a relatively high copper to gold ratio consistent with the Target Model expectations, returning 0.58% Cu, 0.28 g/t Au, and 1.73 g/t Ag for 0.85% CuEq over 16.0 metres with an estimated true thickness of 13.9 metres starting at 239.0 metres, including 0.70% Cu, 0.32 g/t Au, and 1.97 g/t Ag for 1.01% CuEq over 6.0 metres with an estimated true thickness of 5.2 metres starting at 239.0 metres.

Further down, the hole intersected a wide mineralized interval within the Central Zone that infills an area poorly defined by low-angle drillholes. The intersection is sub-divided into continuous upper and lower intervals, separated by unmineralized dykes, that have high gold to copper grade ratios, suggesting a lateral metal zonation within the Central Zone. The Central Zone intersection was materially wider than predicted by the Target Model, returning 0.67% Cu, 2.12 g/t Au, and 2.11 g/t Ag for 2.57% CuEq over 60.0 metres with an estimated true thickness of 52.0 metres starting at 259.0 metres, including 0.79% Cu, 0.58 g/t Au, and 3.02 g/t Ag for 1.33% CuEq over 12.0 metres with an estimated true thickness of 10.4 metres starting at 269.0 metres, and 0.80 % Cu, 3.21 g/t Au, and 2.22 g/t Ag for 3.67% CuEq over 36.0 metres with an estimated true width of 31.2 metres starting at 285.0 metres.

Drilling the Central Zone from east to west has returned consistent, representative, continuous mineralized widths and improved the understanding of lateral metal zonation within the deposit that enhances the project’s potential and can guide future exploration.

NorthWest is a copper-gold exploration and development company with a pipeline of advanced and early-stage projects in British Columbia, including Kwanika-Stardust, Lorraine-Top Cat and East Niv.