Gladiator Metals Corp. (TSX-V: GLAD) (OTCQB: GDTRF) (FSE: ZX7) is pleased to announce results from recent drilling (28 holes for 4,218 m) at Cowley to support resource delineation under Class 3 permit conditions. Drilling intersected significant high-grade copper-gold-silver-molybdenite skarn in all holes.

HIGHLIGHTS:

1. Results continue to intersect significant high grade shallow mineralization, extending mineralization to the NE and up dip to surface. 
2. Significant Molybdenum continues to be intersected, highlighting Molybdenum as an important co-contributor in the future with Molybdenum currently trading at over US $70,000 per tonne¹ 
3. Drilling results include: 
   • CPG-158: 49m @ 1.72% Cu, 0.27 g/t Au, 11.44 g/t Ag & 800 ppm Mo from 74.0m, Incl.:

     40m @ 1.98% Cu, 0.31 g/t Au, 13.29 g/t Ag & 920 ppm Mo from 76.0m,

   • CPG-129D1: 55.5m @ 1.10% Cu, 0.08 g/t Au, 3.66 g/t Ag & 668 ppm Mo from 87.5 m, Incl.:

     18.1m @ 1.97% Cu, 0.19 g/t Au, 7.34 g/t Ag & 1,172 ppm Mo from 108.9m,

   • CPG-153: 72.8m @ 0.62% Cu, 0.07 g/t Au, 4.44 g/t Ag & 1,018 ppm Mo from 57.2m, Incl:

     23.40m @ 1.16% Cu, 0.11 g/t Au, 8.81 g/t Ag & 1,226 ppm Mo

4. Drilling at Cowley expanded from 8,000 metres to more than 14,000 metres, and a second rig to mobilize before the end of August. 

Gladiator CEO Jason Bontempo commented:

“These latest Cowley drill results demonstrate the exceptional near-surface grade, thickness and metal endowment now being confirmed across Cowley, transforming the known Cowley mineralised system into a compelling resource-growth story.

What is particularly exciting is the consistency of the mineralisation being returned from drilling on the Northern limb, with drilling scheduled to commence on the Southern Limb in the coming week, with every hole drilled on the Northern Limb intersecting significant copper-gold-silver-molybdenum skarn which continues to bring high-grade mineralisation to surface.

The Molybdenum component of drilling results has the potential of becoming a highly valuable credit for Cowley.

Multiple holes are returning elevated molybdenum values above 1,000 ppm Mo., with molybdenum currently valued at approximately US$70,000 per tonne.

Drilling plans at Cowley have expanded from an initial 8,000 metres to more than 14,000 metres, and a second rig to mobilize before the end of August to accelerate infill drilling on the Southern Limb.

Gladiator is moving aggressively to unlock Cowley’s scale. We believe Cowley is rapidly emerging as a cornerstone high-grade resource opportunity within the Whitehorse Copper Project and one of the Company’s most important near-term value drivers.”

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SUMMARY

Recently returned assays from Cowley continue to demonstrate the exceptional quality of the near-surface, high-grade mineralization.

Ongoing drilling along the Northern Limb continues to confirm strong continuity, while step-out drilling to the east is successfully extending the mineralized footprint. Importantly, drilling continues to return broad intervals of high-grade copper and molybdenum mineralization, highlighting the potential for Cowley to continue growing in both scale and quality.

Results include:

• CPG-158: 49m @ 1.72% Cu, 0.27 g/t Au, 11.44 g/t Ag & 800 ppm Mo from 74.0m, Incl.:
  • 40m @ 1.98% Cu, 0.31 g/t Au, 13.29 g/t Ag & 920 ppm Mo from 76.0m,
• CPG-129D1: 55.5m @ 1.10% Cu, 0.08 g/t Au, 3.66 g/t Ag & 668 ppm Mo from 87.5 m, Incl.:
  • 18.10m @ 1.97% Cu, 0.19 g/t Au, 7.34 g/t Ag & 1,172 ppm Mo from 108.9m,
• CPG-130: 20.0m @ 1.37% Cu, 0.02 g/t Au, 4.25 g/t Ag & 95 ppm Mo from 71m, and:
  • 9.10m @ 1.23% Cu, 0.06 g/t Au, 3.98 g/t Ag & 411 ppm Mo from 150.90m,
• CPG-153: 72.8m @ 0.62% Cu, 0.07 g/t Au, 4.44 g/t Ag & 1,018 ppm Mo from 57.2m, Incl.:
  • 29.5m @ 0.99% Cu, 0.09 g/t Au, 7.41 g/t Ag & 1,302 ppm Mo from 89m, Incl.:
  • 23.40m @ 1.16% Cu, 0.11 g/t Au, 8.81 g/t Ag & 1,226 ppm Mo from 93.0m
• CPG-143: 20.50m @ 1.33% Cu, 0.01 g/t Au, 3.48 g/t Ag & 40 ppm Mo from 61.50m.
• CPG-131: 47.50m @ 0.52% Cu, 0.02 g/t Au, 1.68 g/t Ag & 510 ppm Mo from 83.50m, Incl.:
  • 8.0m @ 1.11% Cu, 0.02 g/t Au, 1.53 g/t Ag & 86 ppm Mo from 101.0m, and
  • 14.0m @ 0.12% Cu, 0.01 g/t Au, 0.36 g/t Ag & 1,488 ppm Mo from 109.0m, and
  • 6.0m @ 1.06% Cu, 0.03 g/t Au, 4.73 g/t Ag & 123 ppm Mo from 125m.
• CPG-133: 44.80m @ 0.56% Cu, 0.01 g/t Au, 1.33 g/t Ag & 132 ppm Mo from 31.20 m, Incl.:
  • 11.1m @ 1.40% Cu, 0.03 g/t Au, 3.51 g/t Ag & 352 ppm Mo from 50m,
• CPG-134: 31.0m @ 0.46% Cu, 0.03 g/t Au, 2.07 g/t Ag & 319 ppm Mo from 5.0m,
• CPG-144: 33m @ 0.74% Cu, 0.02 g/t Au, 1.65 g/t Ag & 490 ppm Mo from 176m.

Drilling will continue to focus on the north limb, with a planned second rig to be mobilized to Cowley by the end of August to commence infill drilling on the Southern Limb.

COWLEY RESOURCE DELINEATION DRILLING

Drilling commenced at Cowley on 20 April. Gladiator had planned to complete at least 8,000 metres of drilling to support resource delineation. Using a regularly spaced grid, the program will systematically test mineralized zones and support comprehensive resource definition.

The initial priority is to:

• Complete step-out, sectional and infill drilling in areas where high-grade mineralisation may be incorporated into future resource models; and
• Assess near-surface high-grade mineralisation for inclusion in future resource models on both the southern and northern limbs of the deposit. This work is intended to maximize the shallow resource potential in areas where drilling directly above the mineralisation has not previously been possible. This is designed to bring mineralization to surface (where outcropping) or near surface under shallow cover (< 10m).
• Since the resumption of drilling, Gladiator has completed 44 holes for 6,153 metres, with assay results now received for holes (CPG-122-151, 153, 158 & 158D1). Drilling will continue to target high-grade mineralization near surface. Assays for holes CPG-122-128D1 were reported by Gladiator on the 17 June 2026.

Figure 1: Plan map of Cowley over LiDAR hill shade. Current completed drilling at Cowley subject to this release highlighted in yellow with Planned Phase 1 (North Limb remaining) drilling displayed (White Collars). Please note Section Lines showing projection of Figures 2 and 3. Intersections Highlighted in Blue were previously released (June 17 2026).

 Figure 2: Section (10,090) through Cowley (Viewing W). New drill results from Cowley subject to this release highlighted in dark yellow. Refer to Figure 1 above for the location of section.

 Figure 3: Section (10,120) through Cowley (Viewing W). New drill results from Cowley subject to this release highlighted in dark yellow. Refer to Figure 1 above for the location of section.

EXPLORATION STRATEGY – 2026-27

These results are part of Gladiator Metals’ planned fully permitted and fully funded drill program for 2026. The program will continue to focus on accelerating resource definition at Cowley, rapidly expanding the high-grade Cub East discovery.

With a planned fully funded exploration budget of greater than $40 million and > 100,000 metres of drilling planned for 2026 & 2027, Gladiator is poised to complete a very exciting and positive year focused on the drill bit.

Plans are also underway to keep rolling out the geophysical “road map” over the broader belt to continue the highly successful return on investment from gravity followed by IP experienced in 2025, with a doubling of the geophysical budget that led to the new discovery at Cub East in 2025 that recently returned:

• BCG-020: 40m @ 2.01% Cu + 0.72g/t Au + 19.43g/t Ag from 176m
  • Incl. 24m @ 3.03% Cu+ 1.08g/t Au + 28.91g/t Ag from 190m
• BCG-023: 35.9m @ 2.68% Cu, 1.35 g/t Au & 19.55g/t Ag from 172.1m
  • Incl. 22m @ 4.24% Cu, 2.16 g/t Au, & 31.04g/t Ag from 172.1m

Combined with the generation of the Great Southern Target south of Cowley (Figure 4), this ensures that Gladiator maintains a pipeline of high-quality resource opportunities into the future.

Figure 4: Plan map of Black Cub to Cowley over ground gravity, showing completed IP Lines.

Table 1: Recently returned drill assay results from Cowley drill holes (CPG-). Note that the quoted Intersections are reported as interval widths and not true width. True widths of the intersected mineralized skarn system is complex, with different grade distributions present related to the form of the contact between the granodiorite and sedimentary units as well as different vein generations and orientations within the various intervals.

Where core loss is noted in the remarks column, part of the reported interval returned no core. That portion is assigned no value when calculating the weighted average assay result. NSA refers to No Significant Assays Returned.

THE WHITEHORSE COPPER PROJECT

The Whitehorse Copper Project is an advanced-stage high-grade copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), silver (Ag) and gold (Au) skarn exploration project in the Yukon Territory, Canada.

Copper mineralization was first discovered in 1897 on the Whitehorse Copper Belt and comprises over 30 copper-related, primarily skarn occurrences covering an area of 35 km long by 5 km wide on the western margin of Whitehorse City, Yukon.

Exploration and mining development have been carried out intermittently since 1897 with the main production era lasting between 1967 and 1982 where production from primarily the Little Chief deposit totalled 267,500,000 pounds copper, 225,000 ounces of gold and 2,838,000 ounces of silver from 10.5 million tons of mineralized material milled (Watson, 1984). The Whitehorse Copper Project is accessible by numerous access roads and trails located within 2 km of the South Klondike Highway and the Alaska Highway. An extensive network of historical gravel exploration and haul roads exists throughout the project area, providing excellent access to the claim package. Access to existing electric power facilities is available through the main Yukon power grid.

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

• Advanced 35 km long high-grade copper belt.
• Located on western margin of infrastructure rich Whitehorse City, Yukon
• Greater than 45,000 m of drilling planned for 2026, focussed initially on near-term high-grade copper skarn resource prospects including the cornerstone Cowley Prospect, the recently discovered Cub East Prospect and the significant exploration potential surrounding the Cowley and Cub East mineralized systems.
• Later in the year focus will revert to the known mineralized areas adjacent to previous operating mines, including the Chiefs and Arctic Chief-Best Chance trends.
• Targeting to report maiden high-grade copper NI 43-101 compliant inferred resource(s), in 2026 for Cowley on completion of Class 3 delineation drilling.
• The Project area was a previous producer at Little Chief, Arctic Chief, Keewenaw & Black Cub South and other deposits.
• Between 1967-82 Hudson Bay Mining & Smelting mined 10.5 mt at 1.5% Cu plus 0.75 g/t Au (Watson P.H. (1984) The Whitehorse Copper Belt – A Compilation. Yukon Geological Survey, Open File 1984-1).
• Key Institutional Investors – Dynamic, Mackenzie, Macquarie Bank and Orimco.

QA / QC

Drilling completed by Gladiator is irregularly spaced to test parts of the mineralized systems. Holes are directionally surveyed utilising a North Seeking Gyro direction tool. Drill collars are subsequently surveyed utilising a high-accuracy RTK DGPS or DeviSite system. Diamond drilling is usually cased, then cored utilising HTW diameter before reducing at shallow depth in stable ground to NTW diameter drill core.

Mineralized quoted intersections are reported as interval widths and not true width. True widths of the intersected mineralized skarn system are complex, making an estimate of the true width unreliable. This is due to different grade distributions and angle geometries present related to the form or outline of the contact between the granodiorite and sedimentary units as well as different vein paragenesis and orientations within the various intervals. Where possible, drilling is conducted perpendicular to interpreted mineralization.

Upon drilling of diamond core, Gladiator undertakes geological logging, marking up of lineal length of the core, recording core recovery, and Geotech measurements such as RQDs and taking core photographs.

Based on the geological logging, core is then marked up for sampling with a new sampling ticket that matches the submitted sample for analysis at the start of the sample interval, the drill core is then cut in half utilizing a core saw equipped with a diamond saw blade. The core samples are then sent for analysis and the remaining half core retained for future reference. Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) or known blank material is placed within the sampling sequence at a nominal sampling rate of at least 1 in 20 samples to monitor the Laboratory.

Samples are submitted to the Whitehorse-based prep facility of ALS Global Laboratory (Canada). Samples subject to this release were crushed to 70% less than 2mm before pulverizing to better than 85% passing <75 microns. Assay pulps are then transported by ALS to the Vancouver (Langley) facility to be analysed. On occasions where the Whitehorse prep facility has reduced capacity to complete preparation of the samples in a timely manner, samples may be forwarded by ALS Global to their Langley facility for preparation utilising the same method as described above.

Samples were then analysed by ALS method ME-ICP61 (34 Element Aqua Regia with ICP-MS finish), with over limits for Cu analysed by method CU-OG62 (Aqua Regia with ICP-MS finish). Au is analysed by ALS method AU-AA25 (Ore Grade Au 30g Fire Assay AA Finish). As part of this process, Gladiator also captures the required sampling metadata to potentially utilize the core and analysis for any future requirements if deemed acceptable. The QA/QC meets the current required standards under reporting instruments, such as National Instrument 43-101. At this point, Gladiator regards the data collected from this exercise as reliable for the purposes of identifying future exploration targets and may be used to inform future drilling and exploration campaigns.

As part of this process, Gladiator also captures the required sampling metadata to potentially utilize the core and analysis for any future requirements if deemed acceptable. Further drilling will need to be completed by Gladiator at some stage to confirm the reliability or usability of this data in the future including but not limited to twinning of reported mineralization. This may be required as Gladiator may not be able to confirm the accuracy of the stated drill collar location or be able to re-enter the holes to confirm depths and undertake directional surveys, or that the QA/QC might not meet the current required standards under reporting instruments, such as National Instrument 43-101. At this point, the Company is treating the data collected from this exercise as reliable for the purposes of identifying future exploration targets and may be used to inform future drilling and exploration campaigns.

References:

Watson P.H. (1984) The Whitehorse Copper Belt – A Compilation. Yukon Geological Survey, Open File 1984-1.(https://data.geology.gov.yk.ca/Reference/42011#InfoTab)

Tenney D. (1981) – The Whitehorse Copper Belt: Mining, Exploration and Geology (1967-1980). (https://ia800602.us.archive.org/7/items/whitehorsecopper00tenn/whitehorsecopper00tenn.pdf)

Qualified Person

All scientific and technical information in this news release has been prepared or reviewed and approved by Kell Nielsen, the Company’s Vice President Exploration, a “qualified person” as defined by NI 43-101.