VANCOUVER, BC — July 10, 2026 – Nickel North Exploration Corp. (“Nickel North” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: NNX) is pleased to announce that its 2026 summer field exploration program has officially commenced during the first week of July at the Company’s 100% owned Hawk Ridge Cu-Ni-Co-PGE Sulfide Project in Northern Quebec.
The Hawk Ridge Project encompasses 411 mineral claims covering a total area of 179.67 km² along a highly prospective 50 km long magmatic sulfide belt. Field crews mobilized swiftly, and initial phases of geological mapping, geochemical sampling, and passive seismic geophysics are already well underway across the major known mineralization zones.
Key Exploration Highlights from Early July Operations:
• Surface Soil Geochemical Sampling: The field team has successfully completed 100 surface soil sampling over two high-priority target areas (Figure 1). All samples have been securely bagged and are being transported to Vancouver for immediate portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis to guide ongoing field targeting.
Figure 1 Map shows Rock and Soil Sampling Locations
• Targeted Rock Sampling & New Mineralization Zone Discoveries: Prospecting and bedrock sampling have focused on the North Hopes Advanced, Pio, and Sindler Gamma zones. A new mineralized zone outcropping with strong Cu-Ni mineralization and alteration within the North Hopes Advanced target areas have been discovered by the field crew. The new zone is about 500m long and > 20 m wide which has been mapped and sampled. A total of 35 mineralized rock samples have been dispatched via air cargo to Vancouver for formal assaying.
• Historical Core Relogging & Re-Assaying: A total of 106 mineralized core samples (Figure 3) and 60m unsampled mineralized cores from 4 historical holes from previous drilling campaigns have been systematically relogged and sampled. These historical samples have been shipped via air cargo to Montreal and are being submitted to a local certified commercial laboratory for comprehensive re-assaying.
• Passive Seismic Geophysical Surveys: The geophysics crew has completed 4 lines of Short-Period Receiver Function Technique (SFRT) passive seismic surveying, totaling around 3500 linear meters. The survey lines directly intersect the core mineralized trends and historical aeromagnetic pipe-like anomalies at Pio, Sindler-Gamma, Fold and Bay, and Hopes Advanced Zones. Raw geophysical data will be processed and interpreted over the coming weeks to evaluate deeper structural extensions of the sulfide bodies and the pipe-like magnetic anomalies.
Tony Guo, CEO of Nickel North, commented: “Kicking off our field operations early in the season is a tremendous achievement for the team. By deploying this focused, science-first strategy, we can systematically unlock value across several prominent targets within the broad Hawk Ridge footprint while keeping a sharp eye on our capital expenditure. Moving forward, these incoming datasets—spanning geochemistry, assays, and passive seismic profiles—will directly shape the geometry of our upcoming diamond drilling campaign, which we intend to launch in 2027-2028. Investors can look forward to consistent updates as these results filter back from the labs and contact company late.”
Qualified Person
The technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by John Guo, P.Geo., registered in the province of Quebec, an independent geologist consultant from Eco-Goldex Inc and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, supervised the field work program, reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release.
About Nickel North Exploration Corp.
Nickel North Exploration is a Canada-based exploration company focused on defining a Cu-Ni-Co-PGE mineral resource at its Hawk Ridge Project in Northern Quebec. The Board of Directors, Advisory Committee, and management team are experienced, successful mine finders. The property consists of a 50 km long belt of strong magmatic Cu-Ni-Co-PGE occurrences covering 179.67 km² near tidewater. Quebec is a globally recognized, mining-friendly jurisdiction. Nickel North Exploration is a conscientious corporate citizen that maintains strong, positive relations with local Inuit communities and is deeply committed to sustainable, collaborative mineral development.
In 2021, Nickel North Exploration Corp. was recognized as a key participant in the Critical and Strategic Minerals value chain by Quebec's Ministry of Economics and Innovation (MEI) under the Quebec Plan for the Development of Critical and Strategic Minerals (2020-2025), which aims to stimulate exploration, mining, transformation, and recycling of critical metals.
Further information on the Company is available at www.nnexploration.com.
Per: “Tony Guo”
Tony Guo
Nickel North Exploration Inc.
Tony Guo. P. Geo, Chief Executive Officer (Tel: +1-778-877-5480) E-mail: tonyguo@nnexploration.com
North America IR / PR Jemini Capital
Kevin Shum kevin@jeminicapital.com
Tel: +1 (647) 725-3888 x702
For further information please visit http://www.nnexploration.com
This news release may contain forward-looking information, which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward- looking information in this news release may include, but is not limited to, the Company's objectives, goals or future plans. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, those risks set out in the Company's public documents filed on SEDAR. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames, or at all. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. Neither TSX Venture exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.