West Red Lake Gold Intercepts 84.3 g/t Au over 1m, 14.4 g/t Au over 5.5m and 24.4 g/t Au over 1.5m at Rowan VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- West Red Lake Gold Mines Ltd. (“West Red Lake Gold” or “WRLG” or the “Company”) (TSXV: WRLG) (OTCQB: WRLGF) is pleased to announce drill results from its fully funded infill and conversion drilling program at the 100% owned Rowan Project located in the Red Lake Mining District of Northwestern Ontario, Canada. Shane Williams, President & CEO, stated, “We continue to view Rowan as a key piece in our vision for creating a district-scale hub and spoke operation in Red Lake and the assay results received to date from the current drilling program are further reinforcing our confidence in this high-grade satellite deposit. While the current drill program at Rowan is focused on infill to prepare for the upcoming planned Pre-Feasibility Study, our Geology team sees excellent potential for continuing to expand this deposit along strike and at depth. Red Lake gold systems have deep roots and we believe the vein system at Rowan will continue to grow with additional drilling. West Red Lake is fortuitous to have a portfolio of 100% owned quality assets in a premier jurisdiction that will support our vision of becoming a 100,000 ounce per year gold producer in Red Lake by 2028.” The results featured in this new release are focused on the high-grade Rowan vein system and are in addition to the intercepts recently announced on January 29, 2026 which highlighted 141.5 grams per tonne (“g/t”) gold (“Au”) over 1 metre (“m”), 55.8 g/t Au over 1m and 28.5 g/t Au over 1m. A total of thirty-eight (38) holes for approximately 6,300m were completed at Rowan in the current drilling program. Fire assay gold results have been reported for fourteen (14) holes. Results are pending for nineteen (19) holes with five (5) holes currently being logged and prepared for sample shipment. ROWAN DRILLING HIGHLIGHTS: Hole RLG-25-198 Intersected Vein 006b footwall with 1m @ 84.3 grams per tonne gold (“g/t Au”), from 67.35m to 68.35m. This high-grade intercept was complimented by visible gold spatially associated with quartz veining and strong silicification (Figure 1). Figure 1. Multiple instances of visible gold in hole RLG-25-198 associated with pyrrhotite and pyrite within a sheared smoky quartz vein. Drill core is HQ (63.5mm) diameter. Hole RLG-25-201 Intersected Vein 006b with 5.5m @ 14.42 g/t Au, from 102.25m to 107.75m; Including 2m @ 32.93 g/t Au, from 105.75m to 107.75m. This high-grade intercept was complimented by visible gold spatially associated with quartz veining and strong silicification (Figure 2). Figure 2. Multiple instances of visible gold in hole RLG-25-201 within a sheared smoky quartz vein. Drill core is HQ (63.5mm) diameter. Hole RLG-25-200 Intersected Vein 018 hangingwall with 1.5m @ 24.44 g/t Au, from 116.4m to 117.9m; Including 0.5m @ 70.3 g/t Au, from 116.9m to 117.4m. This high-grade intercept was complimented by visible gold spatially associated with quartz veining and strong silicification (Figure 3). Figure 3. Multiple instances of visible gold in hole RLG-25-200 within a sheared smoky quartz vein. Drill core is HQ (63.5mm) diameter. Hole RLG-25-196 Intersected an unmodeled vein with 2m @ 16.05 g/t Au, from 113.15m to 115.15m; Including 1m @ 31.8 g/t Au, from 113.15m to 114.15m. This high-grade intercept was complimented by visible gold spatially associated with quartz veining and strong silicification (Figure 4). Figure 4. Multiple instances of visible gold in hole RLG-25-196 associated with pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite within a sheared smoky quartz vein. Drill core is HQ (63.5mm) diameter. TABLE 1. Significant intercepts (>1 g/t Au) from drilling at Rowan Deposit. Hole IDTargetVeinFrom (m)To (m)Length (m)*Au (g/t)VGRLG-25-194RowanV004 (fw)230.50232.502.001.99XAND V001244.50245.501.006.15 RLG-25-195RowanNAAssays Pending RLG-25-196RowanUnmodeled34.5040.506.001.27 ANDRowanV006b70.0072.002.003.68 Incl.70.0071.001.006.26 ANDRowanV006b (fw)78.0083.005.002.03 Incl.80.0081.001.008.59 ANDRowanUnmodeled103.00104.001.003.37 ANDRowanUnmodeled113.15115.152.0016.05XIncl.113.15114.151.0031.80XANDRowanV004 (hw)126.00127.001.002.16 ANDRowanV004129.00133.004.001.93 Incl.129.00130.001.006.84 ANDRowanV001 (hw)165.15166.151.001.27XANDRowanV001174.50175.501.002.23 RLG-25-197RowanUnmodeled11.5013.502.001.61 ANDRowanV013 (fw)46.5047.601.102.09 ANDRowanV018 (hw)54.5055.501.002.83 ANDRowanV006b91.4092.401.0013.45XRLG-25-198RowanV006b63.5064.501.001.22 ANDRowanV006b (fw)67.3568.351.0084.30XANDRowanUnmodeled115.20118.253.051.73 ANDRowanV004 (fw)136.65137.500.857.02 RLG-25-199RowanV01890.5592.351.8012.39 Incl.90.5591.601.0520.80 ANDRowanV01899.50100.501.001.31 RLG-25-200RowanV01390.5092.001.508.58 Incl.91.5092.000.5025.00 ANDRowanV013 (fw)95.8097.501.708.88XIncl.97.0097.500.5028.90XANDRowanV018 (hw)116.40117.901.5024.44 Incl.116.90117.400.5070.30 ANDRowanV004122.50124.502.001.6