Yukon Metals Intersects 11.7 g/t Gold Within Extensive Vein System in First Drill Program and Expands Land Package at Star River Property VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yukon Metals Corp. (CSE: YMC, FSE: E770, OTCQB: YMMCF) (“Yukon Metals” or the “Company”) is pleased to report results from a successful 2025 diamond drilling program at the Star River property (“Star River” or the “Property”) located adjacent to the past-producing Ketza mine in the southern Yukon, motivating the acquisition of additional, highly prospective, Stump claims along the same structural corridor. The 2025 drill campaign focused on testing the down-dip and along-strike extensions of gold and silver-bearing veins exposed at surface within the F2, F3 and Saddle zones. Holes successfully correlated geology with geophysical surveys, including electromagnetics, gravimetry and drone magnetics defining a 1-kilometre-long structural mineralized corridor containing multiple exploration targets. Highlights 11.7 grams per tonne (“g/t”) gold (“Au”) over 0.5 metres intersected within metre-scale quartz-ankerite-sulphide veins in the F2 zone (see Figure 3)Gold mineralization ranging from 0.2-4.9 g/t intersected in multiple drill holes*Polymetallic mineralization intersected within the F2 structural corridor, including up to 183 g/t silver (“Ag”), 10.6% lead (“Pb”) and 3% zinc (“Zn”) (see Table 1)*Drone magnetic survey defined a 1-kilometre structural corridor coincident with the F2, F3 and Saddle mineralized zones (see Figure 4)2 kilometres of additional prospective ground acquired along same structural corridor with Stump property addition. *Note that mineralization is from a high-grade, narrow-vein system such that most of the holes only intersect with a meter or so per hole of each targeted vein, while the rest of the hole sought to define deeper system geology. The average concentrations for each hole can be found in Table 1, below. “Results from our first drill program at Star River represent an important step toward defining a district-scale polymetallic vein system within the Ketza district,” commented Jim Coates, CEO of Yukon Metals. “We successfully intersected the targeted vein systems and confirmed the presence of a polymetallic hydrothermal system. The program returned encouraging gold values, including up to 11.7 grams per tonne gold in vein material, and intersected silver-lead mineralization consistent with the surface vein exposures. Based on successful drilling, we acquired the additional Stump claims, expanding the land package to cover multiple mineralized vein systems along a highly prospective structural corridor, while adding an additional silver-lead vein target.” Figure 1- Star River area with highlighted newly acquired Stump claims to the south. Figure 2- View of historic trenching on the Stump claims. Next StepsThe Company is integrating geological, geochemical and geophysical data from the 2025 program to refine the structural model of the F2 corridor and prioritize follow-up work. Future work will focus on testing additional vein splays along the F2 structure, particularly where structural preparation coincides with calcium-rich metasedimentary units interpreted to be favourable hosts for gold mineralization. The newly acquired Stump vein claims represent a priority exploration target. Figure 3- 2025 Star River drill hole locations and inset map showing new Stump claims to the south. Geology and MineralizationDrilling in the F2, F3 and Saddle zones intersected a metasedimentary sequence comprising quartzite and phyllitic metasediments separated by graphitic schist horizons within the Cassiar Platform stratigraphy. Mineralization occurs primarily within brecciated and veined intervals developed in calcium-rich metasedimentary units, indicating that structurally prepared reactive host rocks played an important role in localizing hydrothermal fluid flow. Holes SR25-001, 002, and 003 drilled near the F2 vein showing intersected gold mineralization in massive quartz–ankerite veins containing pyrite and arsenopyrite, returning values of up to 11.7 g/t Au and several veins returning between 1.9-4.9 g/t Au. Multielement analysis indicates a strong Au–As–Fe association, with elevated gold values correlating with Ca-rich host rocks and Ca-dominant geochemical ratios. In addition, a second set of narrow polymetallic veins containing galena returned values of up to 183 g/t Ag and 10.6% Pb. Hole SR25-006 south of the F2 vein area is thought to be separated by an offsetting fault intersected three 1.5-metre-long intervals of elevated zinc between 2.4-3.4% within brecciated and veined intervals hosted in phyllitic and calcareous metasediments. These results together indicate a multiphase polymetallic hydrothermal system within the F2 corridor. Holes SR25-004 and 005 drilled in the Saddle zone primarily intersected fault breccia and gouge material, with portions extremely oxidised. Core recovery was lo