VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Coppernico Metals Inc. (TSX: COPR, OTCQB: CPPMF, FSE: 9I3) ("Coppernico" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce that, through its wholly owned private Peruvian subsidiary, Sombrero Minerales SAC, it has commenced a comprehensive field exploration program at the Nioc target area and the Antapampa target within the Sombrero Project in Peru (Figure 1). The program marks the first sustained, systematic evaluation by the Company in these areas, and is designed to refine targets for future drilling within an extensive land position offering multiple large skarn-porphyry discovery opportunities.
Program Overview
The 2025 field campaign includes:
- Soil geochemistry on a grid of 200 metres (m) x 200 m spacing to delineate and vector geochemical anomalies in areas without rock outcrop (Figure 2).
- Channel sampling of key outcrops to assess grade distribution and continuity.
- Geological mapping and rock sampling to characterize lithology, alteration, and structural controls.
The objective is to expand and better define known surface mineralization at Nioc, characterize the geochemical footprint of the larger skarn system, and identify and evaluate new mineralized zones, particularly at Antapampa, to focus exploration toward defining drill ready targets.
Ivan Bebek, Chair and CEO of Coppernico, commented, "The commencement of these programs, along with additional geophysical studies that will follow in the near future, are indicative of our continued, active efforts to refine and further establish a premier pipeline of significant copper-gold targets within our large land position ahead of upcoming drill campaigns.
Sombrero represents one of the most compelling copper-gold exploration opportunities for discovery globally, with analogues to several major mines. Our collaboration and partnerships with local communities and the Peruvian government continue to expand across the region, further supporting the advancement of this exceptional project."
Figure 1: Nioc target area and Antapampa target located north of the Ccascabamba target area within the Sombrero Project
Figure 2: Details of the planned surface work program
Nioc Target Area
At Nioc, surface mapping showcases a garnet-magnetite skarn domain with visible copper oxides and trace sulphides across an envelope of approximately 2 kilometres (km) by 3 km of discontinuously mapped skarn alteration, consistent with a large exoskarn system and directly comparable to alteration observed at the nearby Ccascabamba target area.
Recent surface channel sampling at Nioc outlined multiple, continuous copper-gold intervals (see Company press release dated September 4, 2025). The longest and highest grade composites reported to date include:
- 25SRT032: 93.5 m of 0.87% Cu, 0.19 g/t Au, 0.60 g/t Ag
- 25SRT029: 52 m of 1.06% Cu, 0.19 g/t Au, 1.20 g/t Ag
- 25SRT030: 40 m of 0.96% Cu, 0.13 g/t Au, 0.96 g/t Ag
- 25SRT042: 36 m of 1.10% Cu, 0.32 g/t Au, 3.44 g/t Ag
True widths unknown. All reported as length and density weighted composites, no internal high-grade skipping.
These channels were cut across outcropping garnet-magnetite skarn and demonstrate continuous, near surface mineralization coincident with the broader alteration footprint.
Nioc overlies a prominent induced polarization (IP) chargeability anomaly measuring approximately 1.8 km by 1.4 km (commonly >20 mV/V) and modeled to at least approximately 400 m below surface. The anomaly is spatially aligned with mapped skarn alteration and surface copper-gold occurrences, supporting the potential for significant sulfide mineralization at depth.
Antapampa Target
Located nearly 2 km north of Nioc, Antapampa is an iron skarn occurrence identified through recent target pipeline work. It remains under evaluated and will be advanced through mapping, reconnaissance channel/rock sampling, and soils to establish mineralization style, footprint, and vectors. No IP has been completed over the Antapampa target and magnetic data in this area is coarse and limited.
The Company plans to complete soil grid coverage and conduct systematic channel and rock sampling across prioritized sub-areas at Nioc and Antapampa. It intends to integrate multi-element geochemistry with ongoing mapping and historical IP data to further refine exploration vectors. Based on these results, the team expects to rank targets for potential drill testing, focusing on areas where surface grades, alteration intensity, and IP features appear to coincide. Additional geophysical surveys may be considered to provide greater resolution of subsurface characteristics and guide future exploration efforts.
Tim Kingsley, VP Exploration, commented, "Nioc is a key area comparable to Fierrazo, with relatively strong surface outcrop in comparison to the majority of our targets in our large concession package. Recent rock and channel sampling showcase exceptional surface mineralization, including wide areas of 1% copper, making it the highest grade outcrop documented at Sombrero to date.
We also see significant potential at the nearby Antapampa target, which exhibits an iron-skarn system characterized by outcrops and sub-crops of massive magnetite associated with garnet skarn.
We are very encouraged to be advancing these targets as we continue to strengthen our relationships with the local community by assisting in the application for agricultural grants, providing local employment, and in this way, working to progress long-term community agreements and in turn, permits for future drilling."
Technical Disclosure and Qualified Person
The scientific and technical information contained in this news release was reviewed and approved by Tim Kingsley, M.Sc., CPG, Coppernico's VP of Exploration, who is a "Qualified Person" (as defined in NI 43-101).
Quality Control
Analytical samples were taken by chisel and hammer in continuous horizontal lines, typically samples were composited over up to 2 metre lengths per sample, however this may be reduced to 0.5 metres where lithological or significant mineralogical changes were observed in order to accurately reflect the apparent width of mineralisation. Typical sample weights were 1 kg per metre. Samples were collected in plastic bags and given a unique reference number. Approximately 2-3 kg of material per sample was collected for analysis and sent to the ALS Lab in Lima, Peru for preparation and analysis. Preparation included crushing the sample to 90% < 2mm and pulverizing 1,000 g of crushed material to better than 95% < 106 microns. All samples are assayed using 30 g nominal weight fire assay with atomic absorption finish (Au-AA23) and multi-element using four acid digest ICP-AES/ICP-MS method (ME-MS61). Where MS61 results were greater or near 10,000 ppm Cu, or 10,000 ppm Zn the assays were repeated with ore grade four acid digest method (Cu-OG62). QA/QC programs for 2025 channel samples using internal standard samples, blanks, and duplicates, lab duplicates, lab standards, and lab blanks indicate good overall accuracy and precision.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Ivan Bebek
Chair & CEO
For further information, please contact:
Coppernico Metals Inc.
Phone: +1 778 729 0600
Email: info@coppernicometals.com
Website: www.coppernicometals.com
Twitter: @CoppernicoMetal
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/coppernico-metals/
About Coppernico
Coppernico is a mineral exploration company focused on creating value for shareholders and stakeholders through diligent project evaluation and exploration, in pursuit of the discovery of premier copper-gold deposits in the Americas. The Company's management and technical teams have a successful track record of raising capital, discovery and the monetization of exploration successes. The Company's objective is to become a leading advanced copper and gold explorer, and through its wholly owned private Peruvian subsidiary Sombrero Minerales S.A.C., is currently focused on the Ccascabamba (previously referred to as Sombrero Main) and Nioc target areas within the Sombrero Project in Peru, its flagship project, while regularly reviewing additional premium projects to consider for acquisition.
The Sombrero Project is a land package of approximately 56,400 hectares (564 square kilometres) located in the north-western margins of the world-renowned Andahuaylas-Yauri trend in Peru. It consists of a number of prospective exploration targets characterized by copper-gold skarn and porphyry systems and precious metal epithermal systems. The Company's NI 43-101 technical report, with an effective date of April 17, 2024, and as filed on SEDAR+ on May 23, 2024, focuses on the Ccascabamba and Nioc target areas of the Sombrero Project.
Coppernico Metals Inc. is currently listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "COPR", trades on the OTCQB Venture Market under symbol "CPPMF" and is quoted over the counter by certain dealers in the Unofficial Market of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol "9I3". More information about Coppernico can be found on the Company's profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca).
Cautionary Note
No regulatory organization has approved the contents hereof.
This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "should", "anticipate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions and include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: the interpretation of geological mapping and sampling results, the prospective nature of identified targets for future exploration, the potential of the interpreted mineralized systems, the progress and approval of permits and the Company's drill plans. No certainty can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers should refer to the risks discussed in the Company's 2024 Annual Information Form and other continuous disclosure filings with the Canadian Securities Administrators, available at www.sedarplus.ca. These factors are not, and should not be construed as being, exhaustive. Accordingly, readers should not place heavy reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this new release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Any forward-looking information and the assumptions made with respect thereto speaks only as of the date of this news release. The Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information after the date of this news release to conform such information to actual results or to changes in the Company's expectations except as otherwise required by applicable legislation.
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