NorthWest Reports Exploration Target Drill Results Highlighting Expansion Potential at Andesite Breccia TORONTO, Jan. 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NorthWest Copper Corp. (“NorthWest” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: NWST) reports the final drill results from its 2025 exploration at the Company’s 100% owned Kwanika project in British Columbia. The final three holes of the eighteen-hole drill program were focused on areas outside the main Kwanika Central deposit with one hole successfully advancing the Andesite Breccia target and highlighting its potential for expansion to the northwest and at depth. The results were encouraging and will be followed up in a planned 2026 drill program. The first fifteen holes drilled at the Kwanika Central deposit, previously reported as part of the 2025 drill program, have been fully incorporated into geological model. The Company is actively advancing work toward delivering an updated mineral resource in the first quarter of the year. Hole K-25-279 drilled at the Andesite Breccia target, located 600 metres north of the Kwanika Central deposit, was designed to build on a positive historical result from hole K-08-122 which intersected 76.2 metres grading 0.42% Cu and 0.06 g/t Au (0.48% copper equivalent1, “CuEq”). The single follow-up drill hole was completed to determine the direction and continuity of the mineralization. The new hole successfully intersected the interpreted mineralized zone and extended it by approximately 90 metres to the southeast. The hole returned a copper-dominant intercept of 43.6 metres grading 0.17% Cu and 0.03 Au (0.21% CuEq). As part of the broader evaluation of the Andesite Breccia target, it was noted that historical hole K-22-247, located 280 metres north of K-25-279, contained an undisclosed low-grade palladium intersection of 0.17 g/t Pd over 80 metres. While the relationship between this palladium intersection and the Andesite Breccia target is not yet understood, palladium is associated with the higher-grade copper and gold mineralization at the Company’s flagship Kwanika Central deposit. As a result, palladium may represent an additional exploration vector to help guide a planned 2026 drill program aimed at further defining the potential of the Andesite Breccia target, particularly to the northwest and at depth. Paul Olmsted, CEO of NorthWest stated: “These drill holes represent the final three holes reported from our 2025 exploration program at Kwanika. Overall, the program was highly successful in achieving its objectives and very informative as we develop our 2026 drilling strategy. At the Kwanika Central and Pit zones, drilling exceeded expectations by demonstrating continuity of higher-grade2 zones over significant widths. Our exploration targeting and drilling identified the potential and understanding of the Andesite Breccia target. With the 2025 drill results now complete, we remain focused on delivering a higher-quality mineral resource to support the potential for a more capital-efficient and economically compelling combined open pit and underground development plan. This work is expected to be reflected in an updated preliminary economic assessment (“PEA”) planned for mid 2026, that will aim to improve upon the 2023 PEA3.” A plan view of the updated Andesite Breccia target reflecting hole K-25-279, its potential expansion to the northwest, and historical holes is presented in Figure 1. Figure 1: Plan View of Andesite Breccia with K-25-279 and Historical Drill Hole Locations The 2025 drill program also tested the Transfer Target, located approximately 300 metres south of the Kwanika Central deposit. Two holes were completed to evaluate a surface IP chargeability, however, neither hole returned significant assay results. Hole K-25-285 intersected disseminated pyrite mineralization, which is interpreted to be the source of the IP response. Hole K-25-288 intersected a healed fault zone at depth potentially representing an important southeast trending structure, providing valuable geological information to refine future exploration targeting in the area. Geoff Chinn, VP Business Development and Exploration added: “This year’s exploration drilling successfully evaluated both the Andesite Breccia and Transfer targets. Results from the program have upgraded Andesite Breccia Target into a three-dimensional mineralized zone with near-surface potential that remains open towards the northwest and at depth. In contrast, drilling at the Transfer Target, indicated that the IP anomaly was caused by disseminated pyrite, leading to the target being downgraded. With the 2025 drill results incorporated into our geological model, including the three holes in this release, we are defining new exploration targets and look forward to integrating them into an expanded exploration program for 2026 that remains focused on infilling and expanding the Kwanika Central deposit.” Kwanika Exploration Targets and Drill Hole Details On September 2, 2025, NorthWest announ