Visionary outlines regional exploration opportunity on ~30,000 hectare land package at Pt. Leamington

Highlights District-scale land package expanded to ~30,000 hectares , covering the historic "Lewis Lake" area immediately east of the Pt. Leamington Deposit and a felsic volcanic-intrusive complex — geology that previous operators including Noranda, Billiton Exploration Canada Ltd. (now BHP), Altius Resources and Inmet Mining identified as prospective to host a volcanogenic massive sulphide ("VMS") deposit. Lewis Lake VMS thesis : Billiton/Rubicon defined the property target as a felsic volcanic-associated VMS deposit — comparable to other Wild Bight Group deposits including Pt.

Leamington. Drill-confirmed permissive environment for a large VMS deposit : Billiton/Rubicon completed a 15-hole, 2,822 m Phase I diamond drilling program in 2000-2001 across six target areas and concluded that the drilling "established an environment that is permissive to host a large massive sulphide deposit". Multiple high-priority targets remain untested or partially tested , including undrilled Surface EM anomalies, strong off-hole EM conductors, IP Chargeability anomalies and untested airborne EM targets.

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 21, 2026) - Visionary Copper and Gold Mines Inc. (TSXV: VCG) (OTCQB: VCGMF) (the " Company " or " Visionary ") is pleased to announce that the Company has expanded its land package at its 100% owned Pt. Leamington Project (the " Project ") located in central Newfoundland to nearly 30,000 hectares (300 km 2 ). A portion of this newly staked ground covers the area historically referred to in assessment reports as "Lewis Lake," which was explored under a joint venture that included Billiton Exploration Canada Ltd. (now BHP) from 1999 to 2001, as well as adjacent ground previously worked by Noranda, Getty Canadian Metals, White Plains Resources, Altius Resources and Inmet Mining.

Max Porterfield, President & CEO of Visionary, stated, "Expanding our regional land package to ~30,000 hectares gives Visionary control over one of the most thoroughly studied — but most under-drilled — VMS districts in central Newfoundland. Billiton/BHP saw the same thing our team sees today: a felsic volcanic system with all the right ingredients to host a Pt. Leamington-scale, or larger, massive sulphide deposit.

They did excellent work on very prospective ground which leaves us with the opportunity to quickly advance with our proven exploration model." Dr. Stephen Piercey, Professional Geologist and Technical Advisor, added, "The Lewis Lake sequence is within similar rocks of the Wild Bight Group that hosts the Pt. Leamington deposit. Previous drilling by Billiton/Rubicon's drilling intersected sulphide mineralization and related VMS-style alteration coupled with multiple off-hole electromagnetic conductors that remain untested.

These features, and presence in known VMS-hosting rocks of the Wild Bight Group warrant further drilling and testing of the Lewis Lake region." Peter Dimmell, P.Geo., Visionary Director and Technical Advisor, who worked in the Wild Bight Group for Noranda Exploration and was on the drill for the discovery of the Pt. Leamington VMS deposit in 1971, over 50 years ago, commented, "Long after Noranda left the area, Billiton came in and confirmed the regional VMS potential with a 1,100-line-kilometre airborne survey. The survey identified fifteen conductive zones, some of which were drilled, but left behind undrilled priority targets which Visionary can systematically test with modern tools." Regional VMS Opportunity - Lewis Lake The Lewis Lake area lies within the Cambro-Ordovician Dunnage Zone of the Newfoundland Appalachians, specifically the Exploits Subzone, and is underlain by the Wild Bight Group.

The Wild Bight Group is the host stratigraphy for the 100% owned Pt. Leamington VMS deposit ( Pt. Leamington Project Area ).

PT. LEAMINGTON PROJECT CLAIM BOUNDARY WITH HISTORIC DRILL COLLARS To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3408/298362_61ca091b44672bab_001full.jpg Billiton/Rubicon documented that the geology of the Lewis Lake area shares numerous characteristics with the host stratigraphy of the Pt. Leamington deposit, including (2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report, Property Geology, p. 4-5): A prevalence of massive and clastic (brecciated) quartz porphyritic rhyolite and high-level quartz porphyritic intrusive rocks (synvolcanic dyke swarm); Chert and jasper fragments and beds within heterolithic felsic-dominant volcaniclastic horizons; Areas of extensive hematite/magnetite (oxide-facies) volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks within and overlying the quartz porphyritic units - it is unknown if these oxide facies represent hydrothermal alteration or exhalative units and further work is required; An overall stratigraphic succession of footwall mafic volcanic rocks intruded by quartz porphyry, followed overlain by massive/brecciated quartz porphyritic rhyolite and heterolithic felsic-dominant volcaniclastic rocks — a similar stratigraphic sequence to the Pt.

Leamington deposit; and Areas of extensive quartz-sericite (± biotite) plus pyrite alteration "typical of footwall alteration zones" (2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report, p. 5). Between 1999 and early 2001, Billiton/Rubicon completed (2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report, Appendix II - Lewis Lake Project Status Report): A 1,100 line-kilometre Geoterrex airborne EM/Mag survey (1999) that identified 15 conductors or conductive zones across the property; 64.5 km of ground line cutting across seven grids with ground VLF/Mag and TEM (EM37) surveys (2000); 2.5 km of pole-dipole IP survey (2000) and an additional 19.9 km of pole-dipole IP and 34.4 km of ground magnetic surveys (2001); 115 prospecting and rock samples (2000), in addition to 67 samples collected during 1999 (1999 Rubicon Assessment Report, Executive Summary and p. 6-8); and A 15-hole, 2,822 m Phase I diamond drill program testing eight conductors and part of the large pole-dipole IP anomaly (2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report, p. 8-12, Table II). Billiton/Rubicon concluded that this Phase I drilling had "established an environment that is permissive to host a large massive sulphide deposit" but recommended additional drilling of off-hole EM anomalies and untested surface and airborne EM anomalies that had not been tested (2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report, Conclusions and Recommendations, p. 12-14).

No additional exploration was completed by Billiton/Rubicon following Phase I and no exploration drilling has been conducted in the area since. Lewis Lake Target Areas The following target inventory is a few of many opportunities drawn from Billiton/Rubicon's work in the Lewis Lake area: Target Area One - Strong Off-Hole EM Conductors at JEN Grid Billiton/Rubicon drilled four holes (LL2000-01 to LL2000-04) on the JEN grid to test three conductors (2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report, p. 6-7). LL2000-01 (152m) tested a strong shallow conductor and intersected several zones of sulphide-rich argillite and chert within mafic volcanics, potentially like the hanging wall/footwall contact at Pt.

Leamington, from 88.85m to 99.60m, with a best interval of 0.50m of 480 ppm Cu and 460 ppm Zn at 93.20-93.70m (2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report, p. 6 and Table III, p. 12). LL2000-02 (490.7m) tested a strong deep 20-channel EM37 conductor and intersected a 50m sulphide-rich argillite/argillaceous tuff section from 393m to 443m within quartz porphyritic felsic volcanics. Best interval: 1.40m at 185 ppb Au (0.185 g/t Au), 0.84 g/t Ag, 178 ppm Cu, 459 ppm Zn from 392.60m (2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report, Table III, p. 12).

Down-hole EM confirmed the in-hole sulphide source and identified a more highly conductive zone off-hole (2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report, p. 6). LL2000-03 (212m) intersected a 2.0m pyrrhotite-rich section with red-brown patchy sphalerite at 164.30-166.30m (best Table III interval 2.90m at 147 ppm Cu and 249 ppm Zn at 163.40-166.30 m). A down-hole Crone EM survey identified a strong off-hole anomaly at 170m , flagged as a "priority follow-up target for future drilling" (2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report, p. 7 and Table III, p. 12).

LL2000-04 (220m) tested the eastern extension of the same deep conductor but was blocked before down-hole EM could be completed, leaving the strong deep conductor without an adequate explanation in this drill hole (2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report, p. 7). Target Area Two - Strong, Undrilled 20-Channel Conductor at NBOG Grid A single hole, LL2000-05 (100m), was drilled at the north end of the NBOG grid and intersected a 5.25m section of massive, very fine-grained laminated pyrrhotite with chert and jasper from 42.35m to 47.60m (best interval: 3.45m at 0.78 g/t Ag, 137 ppm Cu, 390 ppm Zn from 34.75m) (2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report, p. 7 and Table III, p. 12). A separate strong 20-channel conductor in Northern Bog was proposed for drill testing in the vicinity of an old Noranda hole near 5500N/4000E but could not be drilled in 2000-2001 because of extremely wet bog conditions (2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report, p. 7 and p. 9).

Target Area Three - Multiple Untested Off-Hole EM Conductors at historic Fall Pond West Five holes (LL2000-08 through LL2000-12) were drilled on the Fall Pond West grid. Several intersected variably altered and pyrrhotite/pyrite-mineralized basalts and chert-jasper horizons, with the conductor sources predominantly identified as off-hole by down-hole EM surveys (2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report, p. 8-9 and Table II, p. 9-10): LL2000-09 (143.4m): extensive bleached, pyrrhotite/pyrite-mineralized basalt; strong off-hole EM response at 75m correlating with strongest in-hole alteration; best interval 2.40m at 258 ppm Cu from 70.50m (2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report, p. 8-9 and Table III, p. 12). LL2000-10 (143.7m): chert-jasper section with pyrite/magnetite from 83.40m to 95.80m, with elevated gold values (158 ppb (0.158 g/t Au) and 182 ppb (0.182 g/t Au)) associated with arsenopyrite at/near the upper chert-jasper contact; down-hole EM identified an " off-hole response that is a priority follow-up target" (2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report, p. 9).

LL2000-11 (128 m): lost in a fault zone at 127.30m, with the conductor still off the end of the hole (2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report, p. 9). Target Area Four - Large IP Chargeability Anomaly Target Area One hosts an IP chargeability anomaly that lies on the west edge of a large circular magnetic high (2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report, p. 12-13). Drill hole LL2001-15 tested a limited area of this anomaly (2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report, p. 11-12): LL2001-15 (133.3m) was drilled after an expansion of the IP target through additional 2001 ground geophysics, intersected weakly mineralized quartz/quartz-feldspar porphyry with distinct chlorite-tremolite-biotite zones; best intersection 3.90 m of 341 ppm Cu (2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report, p. 12 and Table III).

A weakly magnetic granodiorite body has been partially mapped within the northern part of the circular magnetic high (2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report, p. 13). Additionally, several chargeability anomalies associated with this larger IP grid remain untested. Target Area Five - Surface Showings at Teddy's Barn Rubicon's 1999 rock sampling discovered the Teddy's Barn showing: disseminated chalcopyrite in strongly chlorite-altered, quartz-phyric felsic rocks cut by mafic dykes, sampled over a 150 m strike length.

Sourced samples include (1999 Rubicon Assessment Report, Tables 2 and 3, p. 7, and Appendix III ICP certificate 365-9233): RMR31262: 459 ppm Cu (chloritic quartz porphyry, trace to 1% chalcopyrite); RMR31263: 676 ppm Cu (quartz porphyry, strongly magnetic, possible native Cu); RMR31264: 535 ppm Cu (silicified quartz porphyry); RMR31266: 381 ppm Cu (pyritic quartz feldspar porphyry, 1-2% pyrite, 1% chalcopyrite); and Adjacent (~150 m to the east) grab samples returned 6,334 ppm Cu and 1,273 ppm Zn (RMR31316) and 2,687 ppm Cu (RMR31317) in banded fine-grained mafic/sedimentary rocks. Future Exploration Plans Visionary's regional exploration program at Lewis Lake is expected to incorporate: A property-wide geological re-interpretation incorporating the 2007 airborne EM/Mag, 2000 ground TEM/Mag/IP and 2001 expanded IP surveys (totalling more than 1,150 line-kilometres of geophysical coverage) together with all historic drill information where data is available; Detailed prospecting, soil geochemistry and ground geophysics over IP chargeability anomalies and untested airborne conductor areas; Modern Borehole Pulse Electromagnetic ("BPEM") surveys on historic Billiton/Rubicon drill holes (LL2000-03, LL2000-09, LL2000-10), if accessible, to vector towards undrilled off-hole conductors; and Drill testing of the untested Northern Bog conductor and the priority off-hole EM anomalies on the JEN and Fall Pond West grids. Further details will be released in a separate news release in the near future.

QA / QC Protocols (Historic Data) Historic Billiton/Rubicon drill core was sampled by saw-cut, with one-half submitted for assay and one-half retained for reference. Samples were prepared and analyzed by Eastern Analytical Ltd., Springdale, Newfoundland (Au by fire assay with AAS finish; multi-element ICP); with whole-rock analyses and check assays performed by ALS Chemex Laboratories (now ALS Global Labs), North Vancouver, British Columbia (2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report, Appendix I, p. 15 and Appendix IV analytical certificates). All historic data discussed in this news release is sourced directly from publicly filed assessment reports lodged with the Geological Survey of Newfoundland and Labrador (Mineral Lands Division), including specifically: 1999 Rubicon Assessment Report - Assessment Report on the Lewis Lake Project, Licenses 5435M (2nd year), 6915M (1st year), Newfoundland (NTS 02E/3, 02E/4, 02E/5 & 02E/6): Prospecting and Rock Sampling , prepared by R. Bob Singh, Project Geologist, Rubicon Minerals Corporation, dated 12 June 2000; 2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report - Assessment Report on the Lewis Lake Project, Licenses 5435M, 6915M, 7206M, Newfoundland NTS 02E/3, 02E/4, 02E/5, 02E/6: Report on Diamond Drilling and Downhole Geophysical Surveys , prepared by Garfield MacVeigh, Project Geologist, Rubicon Minerals Corporation (operator for Billiton Exploration Canada Ltd.), dated 17 April 2001; and 2001 Rubicon-Billiton Assessment Report - Fifth Year Assessment Report on Linecutting, Geochemistry, Geology, Geophysics & Diamond Drilling for Mineral Licences 4782, 4783 & 7774M, New Bay Pond Area, Central Newfoundland, NTS Sheets 2E/04 & 2E/05 , prepared by Dave Barbour, B.Sc., P.Geo., & Rodney A. Churchill, M.Sc., P.Geo., for Altius Resources Inc. and Inmet Mining, February 2001 (regional context only).

Pt. Leamington Project The Pt. Leamington Project is located approximately 37 km by road and trails from the City of Grand Falls-Windsor and approximately 20 km from the provincial power grid.

Pt. Leamington is a felsic-hosted VMS deposit that dips 70 degrees to the west, has a strike length of over 560 m and a maximum thickness of 85 m. Massive sulphides have been intersected to a depth of 360 m below surface from approximately 21,714 m of drilling in 72 holes.

Regional government mapping and lithogeochemical sampling indicates that Pt. Leamington's host volcanic stratigraphy extends beyond the Deposit area. The Deposit hosts a significant gold, copper, zinc, and silver resource, with a pit-constrained Indicated Mineral Resource of 5.0 Mt grading 2.5 g/t AuEq for 402 koz AuEq (145.7 koz gold, 60.0 Mlb copper, 153.5 Mlb zinc, 2.0 Moz silver, 1.5 Mlb lead), a pit-constrained Inferred Mineral Resource of 13.7 Mt grading 2.24 g/t AuEq for 986.5 koz AuEq (354.8 koz gold, 110.2 Mlb copper, 527.3 Mlb zinc, 6.2 Moz silver, 7.0 Mlb lead), and an out-of-pit Inferred Mineral Resource of 1.7 Mt grading 3.06 g/t AuEq for 168.5 koz AuEq (65.4 koz gold, 13.3 Mlb copper, 102.9 Mlb zinc, 1.4 Moz Ag, 2.6 Mlb lead) (see news release dated October 25, 2021).

Qualified Person The technical and scientific information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Aaryn Hutchins, P. Geo, a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Ms. Hutchins is a consultant for the Company and is independent of the Company. Historical information referenced in this news release, including all historic drilling, sampling and geophysical results from the Lewis Lake area, was verified from geological assessment reports filed with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador by previous operators, as specifically cited above.

The reader is cautioned that historical results have not been verified by the current operator beyond review of the publicly filed assessment reports and that historical sampling and analytical procedures may not meet current NI 43-101 standards. Visionary considers the historical data to be reliable for the purposes of describing the regional exploration opportunity and prioritizing follow-up work, but emphasizes that historic mineralized intersections on the regional ground are not currently part of a mineral resource estimate and that there is no guarantee that follow-up exploration will define a mineral resource on the regional targets discussed herein. About Visionary Copper and Gold Mines Inc. Visionary Copper and Gold Mines Inc. (TSXV: VCG) (OTCQB: VCGMF) is advancing its portfolio of base and precious metals rich deposits located in established Canadian mining jurisdictions.

The focus of the portfolio is highlighted by the 100% owned Pt. Leamington Deposit in Newfoundland, located in one of the richest VMS and Gold Districts in Canada. The Company prepared a pit-constrained Indicated Mineral Resource of 5.0 Mt grading 2.5 g/t AuEq for 402 koz AuEq (145.7 koz gold, 60.0 Mlb copper, 153.5 Mlb zinc, 2.0 Moz silver, 1.5 Mlb lead), a pit-constrained Inferred Mineral Resource of 13.7 Mt grading 2.24 g/t AuEq for 986.5 koz AuEq (354.8 koz gold, 110.2 Mlb copper, 527.3 Mlb zinc, 6.2 Moz silver, 7.0 Mlb lead) and an out-of-pit Inferred Mineral Resource of 1.7 Mt grading 3.06 g/t AuEq for 168.5 koz AuEq (65.4 koz gold, 13.3 Mlb copper, 102.9 Mlb zinc, 1.4 Moz Ag, 2.6 Mlb lead) (see news release dated October 25, 2021).

Additionally the Company is permitting the Rainbow deposit at its rich VMS Pine Bay Project located near existing infrastructure in the Flin Flon Mining District. The Company prepared an indicated mineral resource on the Rainbow deposit of 3.44 Mt grading 3.59% CuEq for 272.4 Mlb CuEq (238.3 Mlb Cu, 56.9 Mlb Zn, 37.6 koz Au, 692.8 koz Ag, 2.3 Mlb Pb), an inferred mineral resource on the Rainbow deposit of 1.28 Mt grading 2.95% CuEq containing 83.4 Mlb CuEq (72.1 Mlb Cu, 19.5 Mlb Zn, 11.1 koz Au, 222.2 Koz Ag, 0.8 Mlb Pb) and an inferred mineral resource at the Pine Bay deposit of 1.0 Mt grading 2.62% Cu containing 58.1 Mlb Cu (see news release dated July 10, 2023). Additionally, the portfolio includes the Nash Creek Project located in the VMS rich Bathurst Mining District of New Brunswick.

A 2018 PEA generates a strong economic return with a pre-tax IRR of 34.1% (25.2% post-tax) and NPV8% of $230 million ($128 million post-tax) at $1.25 Zinc (see news release dated May 14, 2018). For additional information, please contact: Visionary Copper and Gold Mines Inc. Max Porterfield, President and Chief Executive Officer Phone: (604) 605-0885 E-mail: info@visionarycoppergold.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information.

These statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to future expenditures, the planning and timing of the exploration program at the Lewis Lake area, the prospectivity of the targets described herein, the ability to confirm the existence of a VMS deposit at Lewis Lake and the potential for the Lewis Lake area to host an economic mineral deposit. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include, among others, the ability to complete the proposed exploration program and the timing and amount of expenditures, receipt of all necessary permits and approvals, availability of qualified personnel and equipment, results of exploration activities, accuracy of historical data, and general market and economic conditions.

The reader is cautioned that historic exploration results, geophysical interpretations and conceptual deposit-type targets discussed herein are not indicative of the presence of an economic mineral deposit on the regional land package. Except as required under applicable securities laws, Visionary does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/298362 Source: Visionary Copper and Gold Mines Inc.