Sterling extends core MEPS copper zone to 700m, intercepts 0.81% CuEq over 102m

Western drilling continues to demonstrate the scale and continuity of the expanding 700m core of the MEPS porphyry copper system within the 1.3km mineralized footprint

Western drilling continues to demonstrate the scale and continuity of the expanding 700m core of the MEPS porphyry copper system within the 1.3km mineralized footprint

TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / September 16, 2026 / Sterling Metals Corp. (TSXV:SAG)(OTCQB:SAGGF) ("Sterling" or the "Company") is pleased to report assay results from drill holes SC-26-25 and SC-26-26 at the MEPS Zone (" MEPS "), part of the Company's ongoing 20,000 metre minimum drill program at the Soo Copper Project (" Soo Copper " or the " Project "), near Batchewana Bay, Ontario. The holes were drilled west of the MEPS discovery as part of Sterling's systematic 2026 program to test the scale, continuity and architecture of the broader copper system.

Highlights:

SC-26-26 intersected 397.19m grading 0.37% CuEq from bedrock to the end of the hole, including 200m grading 0.53% CuEq, 101.9m grading 0.81% CuEq and 13.25m grading 1.82% CuEq. The hole was collared approximately 300m west of the core MEPS discovery area.

Drilling has now delineated a 700m geologically continuous zone of significant copper mineralization (the "MEPS Copper Zone") within a broader 1.3km x 600m copper-mineralized footprint. Both remain open for further expansion.

Both drill holes intersected copper-bearing porphyry-style veins hosted within the same potassically altered mafic volcanic and felsic porphyry rocks observed in previous drilling, further demonstrating the continuity of the geological framework across MEPS.

Jeremy Niemi, P.Geo., Senior Vice President, Exploration and Evaluation, commented, "This is an important step-out for the MEPS discovery. Approximately 300 metres west of our initial discovery, we intersected nearly 400 metr