BTU 2025 Highlights and Drilling Plans for Three Projects in 2026

January 14, 2026, Vancouver, BC, Canada – BTU METALS CORP. (“BTU” or the “Company”) (BTU-TSX:V BTUMF-OTC) continues to advance exploration efforts at several of its Ontario properties including geophysics and planned drilling for the newly acquired Dixie East Project in Red Lake, planned drilling at the Hubcap property outside Wawa, Ontario and planned drilling to be undertaken by Kinross on the optioned-out Dixie Halo project adjacent to the new world class Great Bear gold project near Red Lake Ontario.   All planned programs are fully funded by the recent oversubscribed financing.

Highlights from BTU 2025 and 2026 Exploration Program

Dixie Halo, Red Lake Mining District, under earn-in agreement with Kinross (TSX:K)

• Kinross completed 8,200 metres of drilling at BTU’s Dixie Halo property and has confirmed plans to complete its earn-in to 70% of that property.  
• Initial drilling consisted of 14 holes in two areas of the property.
• Drilling in the eastern part of the property outlined numerous areas of alteration favourable for gold mineralization and expanded the understanding of the geology of the TNT area of the property as well as the more northeasterly part of the Dixie Halo property toward the Great Bear property.
• The first drill hole completed by Kinross, BTU-25-001 included an intersection of visible gold (“VG”) that returned an assay interval of 2.65 g/t Au over 0.75 m, and several other holes intersected anomalous gold values and significant alteration. Other intervals in other areas returned values generally in the 0.25 g/t to 1.0 g/t gold over intervals of around 1.0m. The holes were generally widely spaced and one per general target.
• The alteration and mineralization intersected by Kinross in their 2025 drill program were sufficiently encouraging to have Kinross commit to incur significant additional expenditures in the next phase of exploration.
• Under the earn-in and joint venture agreement Kinross committed to spend not less than $2,700,000 in the first three years of the option agreement and a further $2,000,000 to earn its 70% interest in the Dixie Halo option claim group. Kinross expects to start the process of carrying out work to earn the 70% interest shortly.

Dixie East Project, Red Lake Mining District

• The Company will undertake line cutting, an induced polarization-resistivity  survey and  other geophysical surveys this quarter to identify potentially sulphide enriched and altered areas that may be gold bearing and become drill targets that will, provided the Company is able to secure permits in a timely manner, be drill tested in the first half of 2026.
• A historical data compilation of the Property has been completed, which will fast-track exploration targeting on the Property.
• A ‘Plan’ covering the geophysical work and line cutting has been filed with Ontario’s Ministry of Energy and Mines and work should be able to commence by the end of January or early February.
• A permit application for drilling will be filed soon with the Ontario Ministry of Energy and Mines with the expectation being approval will be received in a timely manner and drilling could commence shortly after receipt of the required Early Exploration Permit.

Echum Project, Wawa, Ontario, Sault Ste. Marie Mining District

• Prospecting samples collected at the Echum Project, contiguous to the Alamos Gold Inc. Island Gold Mine District (TSX:AGI), garnered results from trace up to as high as 20 g/t gold 65 g/t silver and 1290 ppm copper* in the Ballard Lake area where historical samples have returned assay values from trace to as high as 109 g/t gold*, 153 g/t gold* and 76 g/t gold*. (* grab and prospecting samples are, by definition, not unbiased and readers should use caution in assessing the importance of such sample results). Historical samples predate the acquisition of the property by the Company and the Qualified Person responsible for the technical disclosure in this release is unable to verify the results or comment on the reliability of the results
• The Company plans to carry out further geochemical and prospecting work as well as line cutting and geophysical surveys on selected potential gold targets in mid to late 2026 to follow-up and identify drill targets.

Hubcap Project, Wawa, Ontario, Sault Ste. Marie Mining District

• Prospecting, sampling and induced polarization-resistivity geophysical programs were completed in Fall 2025 at the Hubcap gold property, a land package that has been assembled over several years in an underexplored part of the very active Wawa area. 
• The Company’s claims are contiguous to Red Pine Resources Exploration Inc. (RPX.V) and include the historic Centennial gold mine, named for its initial operations around 1900, more than 125 years ago and less than 40 years after Canada became a country.
• The Company has identified strong east west to southeast northwest shear zones and mineralized quartz vein systems that appear to be cut by or rotated into an alteration and mineralization trend that is more north south to northeast southwest that appears to be the extension from the Red Pine War Eagle gold discovery. The War Eagle gold mineralization is located within 700 metres of the southern boundary of the Red Pine Wawa project boundary.
• Specific drill targets have been identified, and the project is permitted for initial drilling.
• Drill program details will be provided once the program commences

“With Kinross advancing our Dixie Halo project with further drilling, and BTU preparing to drill at both Dixie East and Hubcap, 2026 is shaping up to be a potentially pivotal year for the Company and our shareholders,” commented Paul Wood, CEO of BTU Metals Corp. “Our portfolio of Ontario gold projects give shareholders exposure in a great jurisdiction to a strong array of opportunities in this surging mining market.”

Qualified Person

Bruce Durham, P. Geo., VP Exploration of the Company is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information in this press release. 

About BTU

BTU Metals Corp. is a junior mining exploration company. BTU’s primary assets are the Dixie Halo Project located in Red Lake, Ontario (optioned to Kinross) immediately adjacent to the Kinross Great Bear Project, the Dixie East project and its gold and critical minerals properties in the active Wawa gold district. The Company continues to look to acquire high quality exploration projects to add to its portfolio for the benefit of its stakeholders. The Company has no debt and minimal property obligations.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
“Paul Wood”
Paul Wood, CEO, Director
pwood@btumetals.com 

BTU Metals Corp.
Telephone: 1-604-683-3995
Toll Free: 1-888-945-4770

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