CUAI - Copper Intelligence Extensive Drilling Program Continues to Validate Significant Copper System at Butembo, Eastern DRC

NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- COPPER INTELLIGENCE ("the Company") is pleased to provide a comprehensive update on exploration results from its flagship Butembo Copper Project located in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Company considers the results obtained from this maiden drilling campaign to represent a major step forward in unlocking the value of the Butembo Copper Project and further establishing the project as a highly prospective copper discovery within one of the world's premier copper-producing jurisdictions. The Company believes that collectively these results indicate the presence of a substantial copper system with considerable scope for expansion through ongoing drilling and regional exploration.

Results from the maiden diamond drilling campaign continue to demonstrate the presence of a substantial copper mineralising system hosted predominantly within a package of prospective schist sequences, similar to the package that was mined at the Kilembe Copper Mine in neighbouring and adjacent Uganda, that extracted 420,000 tons of copper metal over its life to date. Drilling has consistently intersected broad zones of copper mineralisation across multiple sections of the project area, confirming both the continuity and scale potential of the emerging discovery.

To date, thirteen diamond drill holes and one deep extension hole have been completed, with numerous intersections returning economically significant copper grades over mineable widths. Particularly encouraging is the repeated occurrence of mineralisation within laterally continuous schist-hosted horizons and the recognition of native cuprite within several drill holes, including BCDD001, BCDD006 and BCDD007.

Highlights

• Copper mineralisation intersected in all 13 principal drill holes completed.
• Mineralisation remains open along strike and at depth.
• Schists have been confirmed as the principal host lithology for copper mineralisation.
• Highest-grade intersection returned 7.55 metres at 5.39% Cu from surface in hole BCDD001.
• Broad intervals include:
• 29.1m at 1.28% Cu from 1.0m in BCDD006
• 16.0m at 1.65% Cu from 23.0m in BCDD007
• 12.5m at 1.78% Cu from 35.5m in BCDD011
• 11.1m at 2.75% Cu from 17.9m in BCDD013
• Native cuprite identified in mineralised zones within BCDD001, BCDD006 and BCDD007.
• Mineralisation occurs over a strike length exceeding the current drilling area and remains open.

Geological Interpretation

The Democratic Republic of Congo hosts some of the world's largest and highest-grade copper resources, largely concentrated within the Central African Copperbelt. These deposits are commonly hosted within sedimentary units of the Roan and Kundelungu Groups.

The Butembo Copper Project presents a somewhat different geological setting.

The drilling programme has established that copper mineralisation at Butembo is primarily hosted within a sequence of highly prospective metamorphosed sedimentary schists. These schists display strong structural alterations, and evidence of hydrothermal fluid activity, providing ideal pathways and traps for copper-bearing fluids.

The continuity of mineralisation across numerous drill sections strongly supports a district-scale mineralising event. Significantly, copper occurs consistently within the same schist package, suggesting the presence of a predictable stratigraphic control that may facilitate future resource delineation.

Of particular importance is the recognition of native cuprite, a copper oxide mineral indicative of strong copper enrichment processes. The occurrence of cuprite within holes BCDD001, BCDD006 and BCDD007 demonstrates the intensity of mineralising fluids and provides additional confidence regarding the fertility of the Butembo copper system. We are also considering whether the cuprite might signal areas of significant supergene enrichment.

DRILLHOLE RESULTS

BCDD001
7.55 metres at 5.39% Cu from surface
BCDD001 delivered the strongest copper grades encountered to date, intersecting high-grade mineralisation immediately from surface within intensely mineralised schists. The interval demonstrates exceptional copper tenor and indicates the potential for near-surface mineral resource development. Native cuprite was identified within mineralised zones, highlighting the intensity of copper enrichment.

BCDD002
3.0 metres at 1.89% Cu from 19.71 metres
BCDD002 confirmed down-dip continuity of the mineralised schist package and demonstrated that significant copper grades extend beyond the immediate discovery zone.

BCDD003
5.1 metres at 3.08% Cu from 37.0 metres
A particularly encouraging result that returned one of the highest average grades within the drilling campaign. Mineralisation occurs within strongly altered schists and indicates the potential for higher-grade shoots within the broader copper system.

BCDD004
6.0 metres at 0.74% Cu from 6.0 metres
Successfully intersected the target mineralised horizon and confirmed continuity of the copper-bearing stratigraphy.

BCDD005
5.2 metres at 0.90% Cu from 4.0 metres
Intersected mineralised schists close to surface and further validated the geological model

BCDD006
29.1 metres at 1.28% Cu from 1.0 metre
One of the most significant intersections obtained to date. Mineralisation extends from near-surface through almost the entire length of the hole, demonstrating exceptional thickness and continuity. This intersection highlights the scale potential of the Butembo copper system. Highly visible native cuprite identified within the core

BCDD007
16.0 metres at 1.65% Cu from 23.0 metres
BCDD007 intersected a substantial zone of continuous copper mineralisation hosted within schists. Native cuprite was identified within core samples, reinforcing evidence of a robust mineralising system and significant copper enrichment.

BCDD008
10.0 metres at 0.23% Cu from 16.0 metres
Although lower grade than adjacent holes, BCDD008 confirms the persistence of the mineralised host unit across the broader project area.

BCDD009
The BCDD009 intersections are currently being processed.

BCDD010
7.0 metres at 1.35% Cu from 29.0 metres
Returned strong copper grades and demonstrated ongoing continuity between adjacent drill sections.

BCDD011
12.5 metres at 1.78% Cu from 35.5 metres
One of the first angled holes drilled into the system. The result confirmed that mineralisation extends beyond the limits previously defined by vertical drilling and remains open in multiple directions.

BCDD012
BCDD012 intersected two mineralised zones:

• 1.85 metres at 0.92% Cu from 5.15 metres
• 9.0 metres at 1.17% Cu from 14.0 metres

These results indicate the presence of multiple stacked mineralised horizons within the schist sequence.

BCDD013

• 7.9 metres at 0.24% Cu from 10 metres
• 11.0 metres at 2.75% Cu from 17.9 metres

BCDD013 represents one of the most compelling intersections returned by the programme. The combination of thickness and grade suggests proximity to a highly mineralised portion of the system and supports the potential for significant resource expansion.

BCWDD001B Extension Hole
2.0 metres at 0.97% Cu from 113.65 metres
The deep extension hole successfully demonstrated that copper mineralisation persists at depth and remains open for further testing.

Building Evidence for a LARGE-SCALE Copper System
The drilling completed to date has identified several characteristics commonly associated with significant copper deposits:

• Consistent stratigraphic host horizon.
• Strong structural controls.
• Broad intervals of continuous mineralisation.
• Multiple higher-grade shoots.
• Near-surface mineralisation.
• Evidence of copper enrichment through native cuprite development.
• Persistence of mineralisation from surface to depth.

Looking Ahead
Future ongoing exploration will focus on:

• Extending mineralisation along strike.
• Testing down-dip continuity.
• Defining higher-grade copper shoots.
• Evaluating regional targets generated through geological mapping and geophysics.
• Advancing the project toward an initial S-K 1300COMPLIANT mineral resource estimate under United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) modernized mining disclosure standards.

The company's head of Technical Services and Chief Geologist, Richard Rice, commented:
"The drilling results achieved to date at Butembo have materially exceeded our initial expectations. The consistency of copper mineralisation, the exceptional grades encountered in several holes, and the presence of native cuprite within the mineralised schist package provide compelling evidence that we are dealing with a significant copper system. Particularly impressive are the broad intersections returned in holes BCDD006, BCDD007, BCDD011 and BCDD013, together with the outstanding near-surface grades encountered in BCDD001. We believe Butembo has the potential to emerge as an important new copper project globally, and we look forward to aggressively advancing exploration in the months ahead. Internally we are discussing the possibility that we have discovered a new copper district which links up towards what was mined at Kilembe, some 65km away along the same strike direction. We have an exceptional geological team on the ground and will continue to expand and define what we believe to be a discovery of global significance."

Contact:
Maxine Gordon
[email protected]

SOURCE Copper Intelligence Inc.