Nickel North recovers Hawk Ridge soil samples from 2022

Dr. Tony Guo reports NICKEL NORTH WILL ASSAY 205 SOIL SAMPLES FROM HAWK RIDGE CU-NI NICKEL PROJECT WHICH HAD DISCOVERY OF STRONG COBALT, NICKEL, & COPPER ANOMALIES BY XRF ANALYSIS PREVIOUSLY Nickel North Exploration Corp. has recovered 205 soil samples from the soil samples collected in the 2022 field season and only tested by hand-held XRF (X-ray fluorescence) analyzer. These soil samples were collected in the company's 2022 fieldwork program at its Hawk Ridge nickel/copper/cobalt/platinum group element project. The soil sampling program covered the five previously defined mineralization targets involving an area of approxinmately 25 square kilometres. The soil samples were collected based on the grid from 100 metres by 100 metres to 300 metres by 300 metres depending on the known mineralization, structure features and topographies. The XRF testing results of these soil samples confirmed and expanded the previously defined nickel/copper and PGE mineralization targeting areas; more importantly, it identified two new strong cobalt anomalies in the two targeting areas: Lucille zone and Falco 7 zone. The company now would like to further study these soil samples by ICP-MS in the certified Agat Laboratories in Canada and will integrate together with other rock sample data and process and model these data sets to generate more drilling or exploration targets for the 2026 working season. Highlights of the soil samples testing with XRF analyzer: Total 381 soil samples were tested by a hand-held XRF analyzer by a certified operator. Strong nickel-/copper-in-soil anomalies have confirmed in all five previously defined mineralization target area. Nickel in soil anomalies is up to 1,731 parts per million (or 0.17 per cent nickel) from soil sample 789542 at the area between the Hope Advance Main and Hope Advance North zones. Copper in soil anomalies is up to 10,429 parts per million (or 1.05 per cent copper) from soil sample 789388 at undrilled high-grade strong sulphide mineralized target area in the Falco 7 zone. Strong cobalt-in-soil anomalies have been discovered in the mineralization target areas, including Falco 7, Lucille and Hope Advance. Cobalt in soil anomalies is up to 570 to 1,669 parts per million (or 0.057 per cent to 0.17 per cent cobalt) from soil samples 514334, 514335 and 514337 at the Lucille zone area; cobalt in soil anomalies is also up to 187 parts per million to 305 parts per million from soil samples 514254, 514255 and 514312 at the Falco 7 zone's northwestern area, which has not been reported previously. A high-grade massive sulphide area up to 100 metres by 200 metres at the Falco 7 zone northwest with strong nickel/copper in soil anomalies, next to strong cobalt-in-soil anomalies in an area that has not been drilled previously, which may be related to the mafic-ultramafic intrusion centre and need more exploration work in the next exploration program. Very strong and high-grade cobalt-in-soil anomalies at Lucille zone area in the southern section of Hawk Ridge project may be associated to the volcanogenic pyrite or pyrrhotite and will be the priority target to work in the 2023 working season. Dr. Tony Guo, chief executive officer and president of the company, commented: "We are pleased to have these soil samples assayed using ICP-MS by the certified lab in Canada, which will allow us to further study and expand five previously defined copper/nickel-sulphide-mineralized zones in our flagship Hawk Ridge project in Quebec, Canada. The high-grade cobalt-in-soil anomalies discovered at Lucille and Falco 7 targets areas, together with other associated geological features, show the high potential for the high-grade sulphide mineralization in these two targets. We will add the new information to our conceptual geological and mineralization models and used to develop priority exploration and drill targets for the 2026 season." Quality assurance/quality control, sampling and analytical procedures Soil samples were taken on a 100-metre-by-100-metre to 300-metre-by-300-metre grids covering an approximately 25-square-kilometre area over five zones of the Hawk Ridge project. In total, 381 soil samples were collected originally and 205 samples were recovered in 2025. Approximately 200 grams to 400 grams of soil were sampled at a depth of approximately 10 to 20 centimetres from surface depending on the surface conditions. Soil samples were primarily targeting the B horizon when appropriate and sampled into labelled craft paper bags. Soil samples were tested by pXRF (portable X-ray fluorescence) for nickel, copper, arsenic, zinc and iron in 2022. Approximately 50 packaged samples (10 soils per poly bag) were put into labelled rice bags for transport. Security tags were added to the rice bags to further increase QA/QC protocol. Rock samples were taken by certificated geologists either on the mineralization zones or based on the lithology types over five defined mineralization zones of the Hawk Ridge Project. In total, 110 rocks samples were collected. Rock samples were analyzed by pXRF for nickel, copper, arsenic, zinc and iron by the certified geologist in the field before shipping to the lab or offices. Six QA/QC samples, including five standards from OREAS and two SiO2 (silicon dioxide) blanks from Olympus have been tested as the references. Qualified person The technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Tony Guo, MMSA, Nickel North Exploration's president and chief executive officer, who is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. About Nickel North Exploration Corp. Nickel North Exploration is a Canada-based exploration company focused on defining a nickel/copper/cobalt/platinum group element mineral resource at its Hawk Ridge project in Northern Quebec. The board of directors, adviser committee and management team are experienced, successful mine finders. The project consists of a 50-kilometre-long belt of strong magmatic copper/nickel/cobalt/platinum group element occurrences covering 179.67 square kilometres. The project is located near tidewater. Quebec is a mining-friendly jurisdiction. Nickel North Exploration is a conscientious corporate citizen that maintains good relations with local Inuit communities and is committed to sustainable development. Nickel North Exploration has been identified as a key player in the critical and strategic minerals value chain by Quebec's Ministry of Economics and Innovation (MEI) in 2021 (Quebec Plan for the Development of Critical and Strategic Minerals 2020-2025), which is part of Quebec's Plan for the Development of Critical and Strategic Metals (QPDCSM) and aims to stimulate the exploration and mining of strategic critical metals and their transformation and recycling. We seek Safe Harbor.