Aston Bay Reports Significant Copper Intercepts at Storm Project, Highlighting Resource Growth Potential

Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. has reported new copper intercepts at its Storm Project on Somerset Island, Nunavut, highlighting the project's growing potential. The 2025 exploration program, operated by joint venture partner American West Metals, has completed eight diamond drill holes totaling 1,786 meters. These include geotechnical holes that intersected unexpected intervals of visual copper sulfide mineralization near the current resource boundary, suggesting strong potential for resource growth.

Surface gossans aligned with conductivity anomalies from the MobileMT survey further support the project's expanding prospectivity. The discovery of mineralization near existing resource boundaries indicates that the copper system may be more extensive than previously understood, potentially leading to significant resource expansion. This development comes at a critical time when global copper demand continues to rise due to electrification trends and renewable energy infrastructure development.

With 80% of initial development costs now covered through an agreement with Ocean Partners, the project is significantly de-risked, according to CEO Thomas Ullrich. This positions the Storm Copper Project for continued advancement through pre-feasibility work. The financial backing reduces the capital burden on the joint venture partners and enhances the project's economic viability in a competitive mining landscape.

The Storm Project, which hosts the Storm Copper Project and the Seal Zinc Deposit, is part of a 20/80 unincorporated joint venture between Aston Bay and American West Metals Limited and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Tornado Metals Ltd. Under this arrangement, Aston Bay holds a free carried interest until American West makes a decision to mine upon completion of a bankable feasibility study. Further details about the project and the company's exploration efforts can be found on their website at https://astonbayholdings.com.

The combination of new mineralization discoveries, advanced geophysical survey results, and substantial financial backing creates a compelling case for the Storm Project's continued development. These developments are particularly significant given the strategic importance of North American copper resources in supporting domestic supply chains for critical minerals. The project's progression through pre-feasibility work represents an important milestone in bringing new copper production online to meet growing global demand.