Nord gets Ontario guidance on district-scale processing

Mr. Frank Basa reports NORD PRECIOUS METALS ADVANCES RECOVERY PERMIT APPLICATION WITH MINISTRY GUIDANCE ON DISTRICT-SCALE SILVER PROCESSING Nord Precious Metals Mining Inc. has received formal guidance from the Ontario Ministry of Energy and Mines following its Aug. 28, 2025, presubmission meeting, outlining an expedited pathway for its recovery permit application that includes provisions for processing material from neighbouring silver properties, a development that positions Nord as a potential district-scale processor in North America's most strategic critical minerals jurisdiction. The ministry's written response, received Aug. 29, confirms that toll processing arrangements can be included in the company's application, whereby Nord would process tailings from adjacent properties. This positions the company's Temiskaming testing labs (TTL) facility as the natural processing hub for the entire Cobalt-Gowganda Camp's legacy tailings, a district where 108 underground mines historically produced 600 million ounces of silver. "While others pursue expansion across multiple continents, we're focused on unlocking value from waste streams in North America's richest historic silver district," stated Frank J. Basa, PEng, president and chief executive officer. "The ministry's guidance on toll processing validates our hub-and-spoke model at the regulatory level. In an era where strategic mineral security requires domestic midstream infrastructure, we're demonstrating that substantial value exists in our own industrial heritage." Ministry fast-track process outlined The ministry has invited Nord to submit draft applications for preliminary review, a streamlined process offered to select applicants. The formal submission process, initiated mid-2025 following the proclamation of Part VII amendments to the Ontario Mining Act, will notably not require a closure plan, eliminating what has historically been the most time-consuming element of permit applications. Three revenue streams, one permit The recovery permit application will encompass: Processing of Nord's Castle and Beaver mine legacy tailings (demonstrated grades up to 786,809 grams per tonne silver in gravity concentrates); Recovery of broken mineralized material from Castle's Level 1 stopes identified during trackless conversion; Toll processing arrangements for tailings from adjacent properties, transforming environmental liabilities into cash-generating feedstock. Strategic mineral security through waste recovery The Cobalt-Gowganda camp contains dozens of orphaned tailings deposits from over a century of mining. With TTL as the only permitted processing facility in the district and ministry guidance supporting toll processing arrangements, Nord is positioned to become what industry observers call a waste-to-market operator, aggregating and processing scattered resources that would otherwise remain environmental liabilities. This aligns with North American priorities for securing domestic critical mineral supplies from existing sources rather than waiting 15+ years for new mine development. The company's proven metallurgical process, which produced a 1,000-ounce silver bar and battery-specification cobalt sulphate from initial testing, can be applied across diverse feed sources without significant modification. Technical studies already completed during initial permit applications remain valid, eliminating potential delays. The regulatory framework specifically encourages this type of environmental remediation through mineral recovery. First nations partnership and technical readiness Nord has maintained agreements with three first nations groups for years, ensuring social licence and community support. combined with existing technical studies covering geochemical, hydrogeological and tailings stability assessments, the company enters the permit process with advantages that typically take juniors years to achieve. Near-term execution Formal permit submission to ministry: Q4 2025; Commissioning of the already acquired automated, modular 600-tonne-per-day gravity plant: upon permit receipt; Initial processing target to begin 2026. Nord's district consolidation strategy builds domestic processing capacity using existing infrastructure, proven technology and clear regulatory guidance. The path from permit to production is measured in months, not years, with each phase building on established operations rather than speculative greenfield development. Qualified person The technical information in this news release was approved and prepared under the supervision of Frank J. Basa, PEng (PEO), director of Nord Precious Metals, a qualified person in accordance with National Instrument 43-101. About Nord Precious Metals Mining Inc. Nord Precious Metals Mining operates the only permitted high-grade milling facility in the historic Cobalt camp of Ontario, where the company has established a unique position integrating high-grade silver discovery with strategic metals recovery operations. The company's flagship Castle property encompasses 63 square kilometres of exploration ground and the past-producing Castle mine, complemented by the Castle East discovery where drilling has delineated 7.56 million ounces of silver in inferred resources grading an average of 8,582 grams per tonne Ag (250.2 ounces/tonne) in 27,400 tonnes of material from two sections (1A and 1B) of the Castle East Robinson zone, beginning at a vertical depth of approximately 400 metres. Note that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. Please refer to the Nord Precious Metals press release May 27, 2020, for the resource estimate. Nord's integrated processing strategy leverages the synergistic value of multiple metals. High-grade silver recovery supports the economics of extracting critical minerals including cobalt, nickel and other battery metals, while the company's proprietary Re-2Ox hydrometallurgical process enables production of technical-grade cobalt sulphate and nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) formulations. This multimetal approach, combined with established infrastructure including TTL Laboratories and underground mine access, positions Nord to capitalize on both precious metals markets and the growing demand for battery materials. The company maintains a strategic portfolio of battery metals properties in Northern Quebec through its 35-per-cent ownership in Coniagas Battery Metals Inc. as well as the St. Denis-Sangster lithium project comprising 260 square kilometres of prospective ground near Cochrane, Ont. We seek Safe Harbor.