Star Metro - Tectonic Metals Launches 40,000 Metre, Five-Rig Drill Program to Advance High-Grade Gold Discoveries and Deliver Maiden Resource at Flat Gold Project, Alaska

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / May 6, 2026 / Tectonic Metals Inc. ("Tectonic" or the "Company") (TSX-V:TECT)(OTCQB:TETOF) today announced the launch of the http://www.tectonicmetals.com/est exploration and drilling campaign in the Company's history at the Flat Gold Project ("Flat") in Alaska. Backed by a ~C$100M treasury, Tectonic is deploying five drill rigs to execute a 40,000 metres ("m") drill program that executes on four pillars of value creation: expansion and growth drilling, maiden resource definition, district-scale regional discovery drilling, and advanced project de-risking and infrastructure expansion.

Initial crews have safely and successfully opened the Flat camp in April 2026 and are rapidly upgrading infrastructure to support drilling operations, which have now officially begun.

Videos, Animations and Presentations - Tectonic Metals Launches 2026 Drill Program:

• Click Here to View Flat Operations and Construction Video

• Click here to view 2026 Drill Program Video and Animation

• Click Here to View 2026 Drill Program Presentation

  Figure 1 Tectonic Metals Launches 2026 Drill Program, Click Here to View Video

Tony Reda, Co-Founder, President & CEO of Tectonic Metals, commented:

"The closing of our C$92 million financing is a powerful endorsement of our ongoing exploration strategy to define a bulk-tonnage, heap leachable gold mining opportunity at Flat and positions Tectonic for another transformational year ahead. We are grateful for the support of our shareholders and recognize the responsibility that comes with it. Rather than resting on our success to date, we are returning to the field earlier than ever to launch the http://www.tectonicmetals.com/est drill program in Tectonic's history.

The 2025 program gave us a glimpse into the potential size and scale of this multi-intrusion gold system and we are confident that our approach in 2026 can build on that success to better define high grade corridors, establish resources within existing discoveries, and, target further district scale discoveries within our vast, yet under-explored land package. Despite our success to date, I firmly believe we are only scratching the surface.

Our objectives for 2026 are clear: expand high-grade mineralization, make new discoveries across the property, deliver a maiden mineral resource at Chicken Mountain in Q1 2027, and begin advancing the project toward development. In parallel, we are making targeted investments in infrastructure to reduce costs, improve safety and efficiency, and position the Company to execute http://www.tectonicmetals.com/er-scale, year-round exploration and development programs in the years ahead."

Peter Kleespies, Vice President of Exploration, commented:

"The 2025 program delivered on every objective and fundamentally expanded our understanding of the Flat system. We drilled 18,373 metres across 125 holes, maintained a 100% drill success rate at Chicken Mountain, and unlocked more high-grade mineralization, including the impressive CMR25-084 which intersected 9.94 g/t Au over 36.58 metres. Beyond Chicken Mountain, we proved even further that multiple intrusion related targets exist at Flat with a transformative drill hole at the Black Creek Intrusion, 6 kms northeast of Chicken Mountain, where hole CMR25-059 returned 4.50 g/t Au over 48.77m from surface.

The 2026 program builds directly on that success across every front. This is the most technically comprehensive campaign we have ever undertaken at Flat, and we believe 2026 will be another momentum building year."

2026 Program Overview: Four Pillars of Value Creation

Drilling is officially underway and will continue through late fall. Supported with a C$100M treasury, the 40,000-metre program (Table 1.0 approximately 30,000m diamond core; 10,000m RC) will drive value across four primary pillars:

Click Here to View Video Summarizing the 2026 Exploration Program

1. Chicken Mountain Expansion & Growth Drilling:

Aggressive step-outs along strike, width and depth, alongside targeted expansion drilling of the higher-grade corridors and potential mining starter-pits. This drilling will build upon the following previously drilled, high-grade intercepts which remain open:

• CMR25-084: 9.95 g/t Au over 36.58 m, including 15.73 g/t Au over 22.86 m

• CMR25-121: 4.05 g/t Au over 30.48 m, including 8.84 g/t Au over 13.72 m

• CMR25-035: 3.00 g/t Au over 41.15 m, including 4.00 g/t Au over 21.34 m

• CMR24-026: 1.22 g/t Au over 65.53 m, including 6.01 g/t Au over 6.10 m

• CMR25-059: 4.50 g/t Au over 48.77 m, including 7.79 g/t Au over 24.38 m

2. Delivering the Maiden Resource at Chicken Mountain

The Chicken Mountain intrusive complex (including the Adit and Alpha Bowl Zones) is the most advanced target and primary focus of the 2026 program.

• 100% Drill Success Rate: 191 holes drilled to date, and 191 holes have hit gold.

• Scale: 3.3 kms of drilled mineralized strike, widths of up to 700 metres and vertical depth exceeding 300 metres while remaining unconstrained and open in all directions.

• Chicken Mountain Footprint: The mapped intrusive host rock and associated geophysical anomaly measures 6.5 km x 5.6 km.

  • Total Intrusion Footprint Area: 6.5 km x 5.6 km = 36.4 square kilometers

  • Currently Drilled Area: 3.3 km x 0.7 km (700 metres) = 2.3 square kilometers

  • Over 93% of the mapped intrusive rock and geophysical anomaly remains untested and completely wide open for new additional discoveries.

• Milestone: Maiden NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate targeted Q1 2027

3. Discovery Drilling at District-Scale Targets & Regional Target Pipeline Growth

A minimum of 5,000 metres is dedicated to testing district-scale, intrusion-related targets across the 99,800-acre property. This extensive regional campaign is supported by foundational geology work designed to unlock the broader potential of the Flat Gold Project:

• Black Creek Intrusion Target (6km away from Chicken Mountain): Aggressive follow-up on the transformative 2025 drill hole (CMR25-059: 4.50 g/t Au over 48.77m); see press release: January 29, 2026.

• Golden Apex & Jam Intrusion Targets: Follow-up drilling on elevated gold grades successfully intersected in 2025

• Untested Intrusion Targets: Inaugural drill testing at the Horseshoe, Caribou and Chicken Mountain East targets

• Foundational Geology and Target Pipeline: Tectonic will systematically advance its robust pipeline of regional drill targets through comprehensive soil sampling and detailed geological mapping. By targeting prospective intrusion margins, hornfels contacts, and structural corridors across underexplored areas, the Company aims to identify, rank, and vector toward new intrusion-related gold discoveries for future drill programs.

4. Advanced Project De-Risking & Engineering Studies

Tectonic is operating with a mine-builder's mindset. To support a five-rig fleet and transition Chicken Mountain toward development, the Company is running critical engineering studies in parallel with strategic infrastructure investments:

• Metallurgy: a total of 15 column tests, including 2-inch crush heap-leach column testing at Chicken Mountain; scoping-level metallurgical studies at Alpha Bowl to continue to evaluate future processing options and efficiencies.

• Geotechnical & Hydrogeological: Initial drilling to generate data for future open-pit and slope stability assessments.

• Environmental & Geochemical: Baseline fisheries and water quality surveys; advanced metal leaching (ML) and acid rock drainage (ARD) characterization to inform future permitting submissions.

Infrastructure Ownership & Camp Expansion:

• Optimizing Drilling Costs and Operation: Strategic investment in camp expansion, heavy equipment, fuel infrastructure, and logistics to reduce per-metre drilling costs, support future year-round operations and even http://www.tectonicmetals.com/er-scale drill programs.

Table 1.0 Drill Program Metrics Overview: 2025 vs. 2026

Click here to view additional presentation details on the 2026 exploration program

About the Flat Gold Project

The Flat Gold Project covers 99,840 acres of predominantly Native-owned land belonging to Doyon, Ltd. ("Doyon"), a leading Alaska Native Regional Corporations and one of Tectonic's http://www.tectonicmetals.com/est shareholders. Flat is located in southwestern Alaska, near one of the world's http://www.tectonicmetals.com/est undeveloped gold deposits, the Donlin Gold Project. The property hosts a 20+ kilometre volcano-plutonic complex with at least six kilometre-scale intrusion targets, five of which have now confirmed gold mineralization. Chicken Mountain, the flagship intrusion, has returned a 100% drill success rate across 191 holes and has been interpreted as a http://www.tectonicmetals.com/e, bulk-tonnage, heap-leachable Reduced Intrusion Related Gold System ("RIRGS") with excellent exploration upside.

Qualified Person  

Tectonic Metals' disclosure of technical or scientific information in this press release has been reviewed, verified and approved by Peter Kleespies, M.Sc., P.Geo., Vice President of Exploration, who is a Qualified Person in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101. 

On behalf of Tectonic Metals Inc., 

Tony Reda 

President and Chief Executive Officer 

For further information about Tectonic Metals Inc. or this news release, please visit our website at www.tectonicmetals.com or contact Investor Relations, toll-free at 1.888.685.8558 or by email at [email protected].

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements, Historical Information and Visual Observations

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements herein that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by words such as "may," "will," "should," "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "intend," "plan," "estimate," "potential," "target," or similar terminology, or that events or conditions "may" or "will" occur.  

Forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the potential for mineralization at Tectonic's projects; the nature, scope, and timing of future exploration activities; the interpretation of geological observations; the possible size or scale of mineralized systems; the receipt of regulatory approvals, and the anticipated benefits of current and future exploration programs.

This release also refers to historical information, including results from past exploration activities and placer production figures. Such historical information has not been independently verified by Tectonic, may not be reliable, and should not be relied upon as current, NI 43-101 compliant data.

In addition, this release contains, detailed geological notes, and descriptive observations such as alteration styles, mineralogy and visible gold. These observations are preliminary in nature, may not be representative of the entire interval or system, and should not be relied upon as a guarantee of mineralized assay results or as the basis for any investment decision. Investors and readers are cautioned that visual estimates, core photographs, and geological descriptions are not substitutes for laboratory assay results and do not demonstrate the economic viability of any mineral deposit.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. They are based on a number of assumptions made as of the date such statements are provided, including, among others: assumptions regarding future gold and other metal prices; currency exchange and interest rates; favourable operating and political conditions; timely receipt of permits and regulatory approvals; availability of labour, equipment, and services; stability of financial and capital markets; availability of financing on acceptable terms; accuracy of exploration data and geological models; and the ability to successfully advance planned exploration programs. Many of these assumptions are beyond the control of Tectonic and may prove to be incorrect.

Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These risks include, without limitation: risks inherent to mineral exploration and development; volatility of commodity prices; changes in laws, regulations, and policies; delays or inability to obtain required approvals and permits; availability of financing; general economic, political, and market conditions; labour disputes and shortages; equipment and supply risks; environmental and social risks; competition; inaccuracies in exploration results or geological interpretations; and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's continuous disclosure filings.

Although management believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date made, there can be no assurance they will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, historical information, or preliminary visual geological observations. Actual results and future events may differ materially from those anticipated. All forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Tectonic disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation 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. 

SOURCE: Tectonic Metals Inc.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

M.Johnson--SMC