Drilling Commences at Eagle Plains 100% Owned George Lake Critical Metals Project, SaskatchewanCRANBROOK, BRITISH COLUMBIA / ACCESS Newswire / February 2, 2026 / Eagle Plains Resources Ltd. (TSXV:EPL)(OTCQB:EGPLF) ("EPL" or "Eagle Plains") is pleased to announce that crews have been mobilized to complete a 1650m, three-hole diamond drilling program at its 100% owned George Lake Project.The first phase of drilling is designed to intersect the sedimentary exhalative (sedex) stratigraphy that hosts the George Lake deposit, in systematic 200 m step outs (both down-dip and along strike) from historical intersections such as 8.0m of 6.96% Zn, 1.42% Pb, and 5.91 g/t Ag within a broader interval of 47.8m of 4.50% Zn, 0.61% Pb, and 3.49 g/t Ag (DDH GL-08-02). Drill targets have been derived through interpretation of results from geophysical and technical work, paired with advanced modelling to prioritize targets.Mineralization at George Lake is characterized by significant but sub-economic critical metal mineralization over a broad strike length of approximately 8.1 kilometers. The source of this mineralization has never been established, and forms the basis for Eagle Plains' continuing exploration work. The program will be conducted by TerraLogic Exploration Inc. of Cranbrook, BC under the direction of Kerry Bates, MSc., P.Geo., Exploration Manager for Eagle Plains. New Age Drilling Solutions has been contracted to complete diamond drilling activities.See George Lake Drill Plan Map hereChuck Downie, P.Geo., President and CEO of Eagle Plains, commented, "We are excited to initiate the first drill program at the George Lake critical metals project in nearly two decades. By integrating modern geophysics and advanced modelling to refine drill targeting, we hope to be able to identify additional mineralization in the immediate deposit area, as well as test the target stratigraphy outside the area of known mineralization"George Lake is one of the projects included in a formal Exploration Agreement between Eagle Plains and the Ya'thi Néné Lands and Resource Office ("YNLR"), representing the Athabasca Denesułiné First Nations of Hatchet Lake, Black Lake, and Fond du Lac, the Northern Hamlet of Stony Rapids, and the Northern Settlements of Uranium City, Wollaston Lake and Camsell Portage. YNLR will be providing technical support for the program.The project will also be eligible for the Saskatchewan Targeted Mineral Exploration Incentive (TMEI), which may provide funding of up to $150,000.00 towards drilling-related program costs.About the George Lake ProjectThe fully permitted 6868 ha George Lake project is located 280km north of La Ronge, Saskatchewan. The project has excellent access and is located on a recently completed highway connecting Saskatchewan Highway 905 to the community of Wollaston Lake. Eagle Plains holds a 100% interest in claims comprising the property, subject to a 2% royalty held in favour of Summit Royalties Ltd.See George Lake Project Information and Map hereGeorge Lake Project Highlights4,131m of drilling completed in 22 holes at the deposit, with the best drill holes returning 57.9m grading 2.65% Zn and 0.41% Pb (including 13.5m grading 4.36% Zn and 0.76% Pb) (DDH GL08-01) and 47.8m grading 4.03% Zn and 0.44% Pb (including 8.0m grading 6.96% Zn and 01.42% Pb) (DDH GL08-02) (SMAF 64E05 0033);George Lake Deposit comes to surface and has dimensions of approximately 35m width x 150m depth x 800m length, and is open to depth and along strike;Potential for discovery of extensions of existing mineralization and other discrete mineralization elsewhere on the property;George Lake Geophysics SummaryThe George Lake property was covered by the 2022 eastern Wollaston Domain electromagnetic and magnetic high resolution geophysical survey, flown by the Government of Saskatchewan. The 200m line spaced survey was carried out by Geotech Canada Inc. utilizing Geotech's VTEM Max Time-Domain Electromagnetic (TDEM) system. Results from the survey indicate a strong southwest-northeast trending EM conductor that crosses the entire property. The conductor is coincident with the George Lake deposit mineralization and has been only partially drill tested. The survey also located weaker parallel conductor trends north and south of the main conductor, with the northern conductor coincident with the Spence Lake mineralized zone.In 2024, Eagle Plains contracted EarthEx Geophysical Solutions to undertake detailed interpretation of the VTEM survey data to assess the electromagnetic and magnetic response of the George Lake deposit, and identify new exploration targets. EarthEx identified 17 target zones and a magnetic inversion component included as part of the modelling indicates that the contact that hosts the George Lake deposit is near vertical and continuous to depth, providing valuable information for drill targeting.George Lake Exploration TargetThe results from the 2024 geophysical modeling, and the results from historical dr