Hercules Metals Appoints Experienced Mining Executive Matthieu Bos as Chairman of the Board

Toronto, December 18, 2025 - Hercules Metals Corp. (TSXV: BIG) (OTCQB: BADEF) (FSE: C0X) ("Hercules" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Matthieu Bos as an independent director of the Company and Chairman of the Board, effective immediately. Mr. Bos succeeds Peter Simeon, who will continue to serve as a director of the Company.

Matthieu Bos is a mining executive and capital markets professional with more than 15 years of experience spanning investment banking, project development, and corporate leadership in the global mining sector. He brings deep expertise in large-scale copper development, financing, and governance, with a career that bridges institutional capital markets and tier-one mine building.

Mr. Bos previously spent eight years with Ivanhoe Mines Ltd., where he served as Executive Vice President, Africa. In this role, Matthieu was a key member of the team that advanced and delivered the world-class Kamoa-Kakula Copper Project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, one of the world's largest and highest-grade copper operations. He was actively involved in securing US$3 billion in equity and debt financings, including strategic investments by Zijin Mining and CITIC Metal. His other responsibilities included capital markets strategy, government engagement, and corporate development, supporting the successful transition of Kamoa-Kakula from development into production.

Prior to Ivanhoe, Mr. Bos was a member of the Metals & Mining Investment Banking team at BMO Capital Markets in London, where he advised mining companies on equity and debt financings, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic transactions across global commodities markets. His time at BMO provided a strong foundation in institutional capital markets, valuation, and governance, working closely with public company management teams and sophisticated resource investors.

Mr. Bos also previously served as a non-executive director of Elemental Altus Royalties Corp., providing board-level oversight of the diversified precious and base metals royalty portfolio, until stepping down in connection with board changes following a strategic investment by Tether Investments S.A. de C.V., prior to the company's merger with EMX Royalty Corporation.

Mr. Bos currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Falcon Energy Materials plc, a critical minerals development company backed by La Mancha Resource Capital LLP. His combined experience as a senior mining executive, former investment banker, and public company chairman positions him to provide strong governance, disciplined capital allocation, and strategic guidance as Hercules continues to advance the Leviathan porphyry copper discovery and evaluate long-term growth opportunities.

Mr. Bos holds an M.Sc. in Resource Engineering (First-Class Honours, Metallurgy) and a B.Sc. in Applied Earth Sciences (Mining Engineering) from Delft University of Technology. in the Netherlands.

Chris Paul, Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Company, commented: "Matthieu's appointment as Chairman significantly strengthens Hercules' board at a critical stage in the Company's evolution. He brings a rare combination of senior mine-building experience, capital markets expertise, and disciplined governance. His direct involvement in advancing large-scale copper projects and securing strategic financing adds meaningful value as we continue to advance Leviathan and position the Company for long-term growth."

Mr. Bos added, "I am pleased to join Hercules as Chairman at an important point in the Company's development. "Hercules has assembled control over a significant new copper district in Idaho. Hercules' discovery has led to the largest North American staking rush in 30 years and has attracted the attention of every major mining company. The clear strategic vision to develop this newly discovered copper belt into a tier one mining district, at a time when the United States is actively encouraging new copper mine developments, is supported by a strong technical team on the ground. I look forward to working closely with the board and management to support disciplined decision-making, and value creation for shareholders."

The Company also announces that it has granted 1,000,000 incentive stock options (the "Options") to Mr. Bos. The Options will vest in 4 equal tranches every six months over a period of 24 months from the date of grant. The Options are exercisable for a period of five years with an exercise price of $0.60 per common share. The Options were granted pursuant to the Company's omnibus incentive plan approved by shareholders of the Company on July 15, 2022.

About Hercules Metals Corp.

Hercules Metals Corp. (TSXV: BIG) (OTCQB: BADEF) (FSE: C0X) is an exploration Company focused on developing America's newest porphyry copper district, in Idaho.

The 100% owned Hercules Project, located northwest of Cambridge, hosts the newly discovered Leviathan porphyry copper system, one of the most important new discoveries in the country to date. The Company is well positioned for growth through continued drilling, supported by a strategic investment from Barrick Mining Corp..

With the potential for significant scale, the Company's management and board of directors aims to deliver value to shareholders through proven discovery success.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. Any securities referred to herein have not and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws of an exemption from such registration is available.

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains certain information that may be deemed "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information includes statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. Forward-looking information contained in this press release may include, without limitation, the expected execution of future exploration programs on the Property; assay results of future drill holes; results of operations, and the expected financial performance of the Company.

Although the Company believes the forward-looking information contained in this news release is reasonable based on information available on the date hereof, by its nature, forward-looking information involves assumptions and known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information.

Examples of such assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, assumptions, risks and uncertainties associated with general economic conditions; the Covid-19 pandemic; adverse industry events; the receipt of required regulatory approvals and the timing of such approvals; that the Company maintains good relationships with the communities in which it operates or proposes to operate, future legislative and regulatory developments in the mining sector; the Company's ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favorable terms; mining industry and markets in Canada and generally; the ability of the Company to implement its business strategies; competition; the risk that any of the assumptions prove not to be valid or reliable, which could result in delays, or cessation in planned work, risks associated with the interpretation of data, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits, the possibility that results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, as well as other assumptions risks and uncertainties applicable to mineral exploration and development activities and to the Company, including as set forth in the Company's public disclosure documents filed on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca.

THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF HERCULES METALS AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE HERCULES METALS MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE 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 press release.

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