Torr Metals Assays 13.1 g/t Gold in Historical Trenching at Filion, Expands Staking to Encompass 60 km Strike-Length to Gold-Bearing Structure

February 18, 2026 8:30 AM EST | Source: Torr Metals Inc.

Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - February 18, 2026) - Torr Metals Inc. (TSXV: TMET) ("Torr" or the "Company") is pleased to report results from 14 reconnaissance rock grab samples collected in late 2025 from an extensive historical trench network identified through LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), returning assays of up to 13.1 g/t gold (Au) within the Oscar Zone at its 100%-owned 202 km² Filion Gold Project in northern Ontario (Figure 1).

Of the samples collected from outcrop and trench float, six returned >1 g/t Au, including three grading >7 g/t Au over a 140-metre strike length, representing just 16% of the approximately 900-metre total strike extent of trenches originally excavated in the 1930s (Figure 1), the rest of which remain unsampled. Historical records indicate minimal activity in the area since 1948, and although limited drilling is referenced in the broader corridor, no verifiable drill locations or assay results have been identified, leaving the trenched area effectively untested by modern drilling. The historical trenches are road-accessible via legacy exploration trails located 2.3 kilometres north of the Trans-Canada Highway 11 and approximately 37 kilometres northwest of Kapuskasing, the Project's operational base.

The confirmation of high-grade gold mineralization validates historical reports and supports Torr's interpretation of the Filion structural corridor as a significant, underexplored gold-bearing system. These results further demonstrate the strength of the structural architecture controlling gold mineralization and confirm Oscar as a potential bedrock source of one of two significant anomalous soil clusters identified in 2025 (see March 3, 2025 news release). Soil assays from this cluster returned values of up to 1.04 g/t Au, accompanied by elevated arsenic (As), tellurium (Te), tungsten (W), bismuth (Bi), and sulfur (S); a geochemical signature characteristic of regional orogenic gold systems.

To secure the full extent of this interpreted district-scale deformation system, Torr has consolidated and extended the Filion Gold Project to cover the entire ~60 kilometre (km) strike length of the Filion structural corridor. Notably, only an approximate 8% of this corridor has been systematically explored using modern exploration methods, all of which has been carried out by Torr since first staking the project in October 2023.

Highlights:

  • High-Grade Gold Confirms Corridor Potential and Supports Second Gold Target: Results validate the gold-bearing capacity of the Filion structural corridor, support the interpreted source of the 2025 Oscar gold soil anomaly, and materially enhance the prospectivity of the Miller Zone soil anomaly (up to 1.32 g/t Au in soil) located 1.4 km west along the same first-order east-west structural system, which remains untested by documented drilling (Figure 1).
  • Structural Intersections Define High-Priority Targets: The primary targets are defined by east-west oriented linear magnetic anomalies, interpreted to delineate prospective lithological and structural boundaries within multi-kilometre deformation breaks (see Filion West, Central, and East zones; Figure 1). These corridors are locally intersected and disrupted by northeast-southwest structures, creating zones of structural complexity that may have focused strain and hydrothermal fluid flow; representing priority target areas for potential enhanced gold deposition (Figure 1).
  • Integrated Geophysics Strengthens Future Drill Targeting: High magnetic trends define magnetite-bearing stratigraphy and structural corridors, including localized deformation breaks interpreted as potential alteration or structural disruption zones of the high magnetic signature (Filion West, Central, and East targets areas; Figure 1, Figure 2). VLF/EM (Very Low Frequency Electromagnetic) geophysical surveys completed in 2025 delineated conductive features interpreted to represent shear zones, flanking resistive domains that may reflect silica flooding and/or intrusive bodies coincident with or marginal to high-grade surface mineralization, providing additional context for prioritizing drill targets.

"These results continue to highlight Filion's capacity to potentially deliver a meaningful new gold discovery within a highly prospective orogenic gold district held by Torr," stated Malcolm Dorsey, President and CEO of Torr Metals. "High-grade rock grab samples of up to 13.1 g/t gold, coincident with undrilled geophysical and soil anomalies, reinforce the strength and continuity of mineralization at Oscar and along the broader 60-kilometre Filion structural corridor. Importantly, this target is located just 2.3 kilometres from the Trans-Canada Highway, with adjacent rail and power infrastructure, meaning any potential future discovery would benefit from immediate, real-world access."

"Filion provides the Company with significant strategic optionality while our primary focus remains at the Kolos Copper-Gold Project, where our fully funded Phase 2 drill program of up to 6,000 metres is scheduled to test newly defined, highly prospective copper-gold porphyry targets along Highway 5 in Q2 2026. With only a limited portion of the Filion structural corridor systematically evaluated using modern exploration methods, we see clear potential to unlock additional value through disciplined advancement alongside our core copper-gold strategy."

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Figure 1. Regional residual magnetic intensity (RMI) geophysical survey outlining the Filion Gold Project with annotated target areas and location of the Oscar gold occurrence with select 2025 rock grab sample.

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Figure 2. A. Vertical derivative of the 2025 residual magnetic intensity (RMI) ground magnetic survey with annotated interpretations, LiDAR trench outlines, and 2025 rock grab sampling with select results. B.VLF-EM inversion model displaying conductivity depth slice at 50 m. 

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Structural and Regional Interpretation

The Filion structural corridor is interpreted as a first-order east-west (E-W) belt-parallel deformation system, consistent with dominant structural grain observed throughout northern Ontario greenstone belts (Figure 1). Such E-W corridors commonly define major deformation zones, stratigraphic contacts, and iron-formation-bearing packages capable of hosting long-lived gold systems. Within this belt-scale architecture, northeast-southwest (NE-SW) trending structures are interpreted as transverse shear corridors that may localize deformation, create dilational jogs, and enhance hydrothermal fluid flow where they intersect the dominant E-W trend. Torr has identified areas where the magnetic and structural grain transitions from E-W into NE-SW orientations, a geometry commonly associated with structural complexity and enhanced prospectivity.

The highest-grade sampling in the Oscar Zone to date is spatially associated with:

  • Pyrite lenses with trace chalcopyrite associated with quartz veining, silica-sericite, carbonate chlorite, and fuchsite alteration. Native gold is noted in historical records but remains to be verified.
  • Coincident with the margins of a high magnetic anomaly (ground geophysical survey), outlining magnetite-bearing metasediments, metavolcanics, and intermediate intrusions within a large-scale fold structure.
  • Overprinting resistive zones interpreted as silica flooding (alteration), bounded by conductive shear features identified by VLF/EM.

This structural setting, being belt-parallel deformation upgraded by cross-structures, fold complexity, and intrusive interactions is consistent with architectural controls observed throughout regional orogenic gold systems.

2025 VLF/EM Geophysical Survey Highlights

Torr's 2025 VLF/EM survey outlines:

  • Moderate to steeply dipping conductive shear structures, and
  • Adjacent low-conductivity (resistive) domains interpreted as either felsic intrusions (including quartz-feldspar porphyries and diorite bodies) and/or strongly silicified alteration corridors.

In Archean greenstone environments, a resistive silica-flooded core flanked by conductive shear margins may represent:

  • A structurally prepared fluid pathway,
  • Sulphide-bearing alteration zones, and/or
  • Graphitic metasedimentary horizons acting as fluid conduits.

The Company notes that VLF/EM is sensitive to near-surface conductors and additional ground truthing is planned to confirm the bedrock source of conductive responses.

Quality Assurance and Control

Results from samples were analyzed at ALS Global Laboratories (Geochemistry Division) in Thunder Bay, Canada (an ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and ISO 9001:2015 accredited facility). A secure chain of custody is maintained in transporting and storing of all samples. At ALS the samples were digested using Aqua Regia and analyzed via ICP-MS and ICP-AES using a 25g sample aliquot under the ALS code AuME-TL43. The Company follows industry standard procedures for the work carried out on the Filion Project. Due to the reconnaissance nature of the rock sampling the Company relied on the internal quality assurance quality control ("QA/QC") measures of ALS. Torr Metals detected no significant QA/QC issues during review of the data.

Qualified Person

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Michael Dufresne, M.Sc., P.Geol., P.Geo., a consultant to the Company who is a non independent qualified person defined under National Instrument 43-101.

About Torr Metals

Torr Metals, headquartered in Edmonton, AB, is focused on unlocking new copper and gold discovery potential within proven, highly accessible mining districts across Canada, areas with both established infrastructure and a growing need for near-term feed. Torr's 100%-owned, district-scale assets are strategically located for cost-effective, year-round exploration and development. The 275 km² Kolos Copper-Gold Project and strategically option 57 km2 Bertha Property, situated in southern British Columbia's prolific Quesnel Terrane, lies just 30 km southeast of the Highland Valley Copper Mine, Canada's largest open-pit copper operation, and 40 km south of the city of Kamloops directly along Highway 5. In northern Ontario, the 261 km² Filion Gold Project covers a virtually unexplored greenstone belt with high-grade orogenic gold potential. It sits just off the Trans-Canada Highway 11, approximately 42 km from Kapuskasing and 202 km by road from the Timmins mining camp, home to world-class operations like Hollinger, McIntyre, and Dome. To learn more, visit Torr Metals online or view company documents via SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

On behalf of the Board of Directors
Torr Metals Inc.

"Malcolm Dorsey"

Malcolm Dorsey
President, CEO and Director

For further information:
Malcolm Dorsey
Telephone: 236-982-4300
Email: malcolmd@torrmetals.com

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.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the use of proceeds from the Company's recently completed financings, and the future plans or prospects of the Company. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to business, market and economic risks, uncertainties and contingencies that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Other factors which could materially affect such forward-looking information are described in the risk factors in the Company's most recent annual management's discussion and analysis which is available on the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

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Source: Torr Metals Inc.

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