NorthWest Announces Target Model at Kwanika with Higher-Grade Zones Over Significant Thicknesses to Support New Strategic Approach

Press Release

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 10, 2025 NorthWest Copper (“ NorthWest ” or the “ Company ”) (TSX-V: NWST) announces a new higher grade target model for Kwanika, which represents the first step in advancing on one of the Company’s strategic initiatives to enhance the value of the existing PEA ¹ on its 100% owned Kwanika-Stardust project through a staged development approach.

A new three-dimensional (3D) target model, available here ( Kwanika Higher-Grade 3D Target Model ), has been developed to improve the understanding of the geometry and continuity of higher-grade zones within the current Mineral Resource at Kwanika. The higher-grade zones are based on an inflection in the gold assay distribution, indicative of a higher-grade sub-population above 1.0g/t. Visual inspection of higher-grade values shows them to be continuous and correlate with 3D zones that define the new target model. Gold values were used as the primary basis for correlations, as it is believed gold is less susceptible to re-mobilization and as such a better indicator of primary mineralizing pathways than copper. The resulting target zones generally form two wide parallel zones that take various turns as they migrate 30 degrees up-plunge from west to east, potentially enhancing previous models.

The 3D target model zones support a target size range between 15 to 30 million tonnes of higher-grade mineralized material mostly from two broad parallel zones with a combined mineralized true width ranging between 30m and 45m at higher grades between 1.5% and 2.5% CuEq ² .

CEO Paul Olmsted stated, “The creation of the target model is a significant step in moving forward on our strategy to focus on higher-grade zones at Kwanika. The target model will provide a base for executing on our planned phased approach with the initial phase focusing on a higher-grade, lower capital cost development project. This is in line with our objective to enhance the value of the current PEA.”

The higher-grade target zones are grouped into three areas based on zone orientations, summarized as follows:

• The Western area has two key parallel zones trending east-west, dipping 47 degrees north, with drill intercept grades between 1.7% and 1.8% CuEq, and true widths estimated between 20m and 24m each (Au_HG_1, Au_HG_2).
• The Central area has two key parallel zones trending north-south, dipping 55 degrees east, with drill intercept grades between 2.2% and 2.5% CuEq, and true widths estimated between 10m and 14m each (Zones Au_HG_4, Au_HG_6).
• The PEA pit area has two key sub-parallel zones trending east-west, variably dipping between 49 and 66 degrees, with drill intercept grades between 1.7% and 2.4% CuEq, and true widths estimated between 11m and 29m each (Au_HG_5, Au_HG_10). In addition, a low-grade zone is interpreted to potentially support open pit mining in this area (Au_LG_8).

Regardless of area, the two parallel higher-grade target zones are separated by up to 20m of unmineralized dykes. Other smaller target zones are also beginning to be identified that require more drilling to define (Au_HG_3, Cu_HG_7, Cu_HG_9).

Drill holes at Kwanika have multiple orientations that complicate the interpretation and reporting of historical results. To help, the Company has created a 3D model available via Seequent Central’s Open Scene with the goal of assisting stakeholders to understand historical drilling in the context of the new target model. The target model was interpreted into distinct higher-grade zones based on position and orientation of mineralization from historical drill holes. Using the current mineral resource drill hole database, the drill holes were intersected with the target model and screened for the more representative, higher-angle intercepts reported in Table 1, representing 52 of a total of 90 drill holes intersecting the target model. The selected drill hole locations are shown in Figure 1 with collar details provided in Table 2.

The higher-grade target model also helps to assess potential next steps. Additional infill and step-out drilling is required to confirm, extend, and enhance the confidence of the higher-grade target zones and planning is underway to define a phased drill program, to achieve a regular 50m drill spacing across some target zones in addition to testing targets beyond the model extents.

VP Business Development and Exploration Geoff Chinn, P. Geo., stated, “The higher-grade targets identified within the current Kwanika mineralization allows the Company to assess opportunities to extend and better define the zones in leading to potential alternative mining methods and an updated PEA. The two broad parallel zones identified represent a combined mineralized true width ranging between 30m and 45m at higher grades between 1.5% and 2.5% CuEq that provide an interesting basis for alternative potential bulk mining methods than the block cave envisioned in the current PEA. In addition, considering the grade-recovery relationship developed during the metallurgical test work used in the current PEA, the potential for enhanced recoveries by flotation alone looks promising for both copper and gold.”

The Company will provide additional updates on its progress in advancing the plan for the coming year.

The target model was developed by Geoff Chinn P.Geo. and checked by comparing the zones to logged geology, reviewing plans and cross-sections, and reviewing core photos. In addition, the target model was peer-reviewed by James Lang Ph.D, P.Geo..

Executive Changes

The Company also announces that Sapan Bedi will be appointed as the Interim CFO and Corporate Secretary of the Company upon the departure of Lauren McDougall, the current CFO and Corporate Secretary, effective on or about April 25, 2025.

The Company would like to welcome Mr. Bedi to the NorthWest team. Mr. Bedi is a seasoned finance professional with over twenty years experience in the mining industry bringing deep expertise across a broad range of financial disciplines supporting exploration, development and large-scale operations. He is a CPA (Colorado, USA) and a CA (India) and has held senior finance roles at Li-Cycle Holdings Corp, IAMGOLD Corporation and Inmet Mining Corporation.

Ms. McDougall will assist the Company to ensure a successful transition of responsibilities prior to her departure. The Company would like to thank Ms. McDougall for her commitment and leadership over the past 4 years and wish her well in her new career opportunity and future endeavours.

Technical aspects of this news release have been reviewed, verified, and approved by Geoff Chinn, P.Geo., VP Business Development and Exploration for NorthWest, who is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Minerals Projects.

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