Ridgeline Minerals Expands Copper-Gold Porphyry Targets with Infill IP Survey at the Big Blue Project, Nevada

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Ridgeline Minerals (TSXV: RDG) (OTCQB: RDGMF) has announced results from its Phase II induced polarization (IP) geophysical survey at the Big Blue copper-gold project in Elko County, Nevada. The December 2024 survey added eight line-kilometers across three high-priority IP lines in the Delker Mine area, complementing the original twenty-eight line-km survey from August 2024.

The survey revealed a significant 2.0 km long by 1.0 km wide chargeability high beneath the Delker trend, interpreted as a potential blind porphyry source. The area includes the historical Skarn Hill and Delker mines, which produced 94,434 pounds of copper at 6.2% grade in 1916-1917.

A maiden drill program of 2,000 meters is scheduled to begin March 3, 2025. The program will target two primary areas: the down-dip extension of high-grade copper-bearing skarn mineralization at the Delker Mine area, and the core of the Delker chargeability anomaly to test for a blind porphyry copper-gold source.

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2025) - Ridgeline Minerals Corp. (TSXV: RDG) (OTCQB: RDGMF) (FSE: 0GC0) ("Ridgeline" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of its Phase II, induced polarization ("IP") geophysical survey at the Big Blue ("Big Blue") porphyry copper ("Cu") - gold ("Au") project in Elko County, Nevada. The pole-dipole infill survey was collected in December 2024 by Moombarriga Geoscience and consisted of an additional eight line-kilometer ("line-km") survey across three high-priority IP lines in the Delker Mine area to complement the original twenty-eight line-km survey collected in August 2024.

Summary of today's press release by Ridgeline CEO Chad Peters,

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The Phase II survey infilled lines between the Skarn Hill and Delker mines, which historically produced 94,434 pounds of copper at an average grade of 6.2% between 1916-1917 ¹ from near surface, high-grade, Cu-bearing skarn. The mines overlie an approximately 2.0 km long by 1.0 km wide chargeability high, which is interpreted as the potential blind porphyry source to the high-grade Cu Skarn previously mined across the Delker trend (Figure 1). Merlin Geophysics oversaw data processing and subsequent interpretation of the raw IP data with highlights of the survey below.

Michael Harp, Ridgeline's Vice President, Exploration, commented, "The Phase II infill results have expanded the kilometer-scale chargeability high underpinning the Delker Mine trend, which we interpret as the porphyry source to the high-grade copper skarn at surface. We also observe a continuous resistivity anomaly located directly adjacent to the inferred porphyry target that exhibits a strong vertical control and is interpreted as zones of upwelling fluids during porphyry emplacement. These fluids are an indicator of a strong hydrothermal system at depth and a likely contributor to the pervasive skarn alteration and copper mineralization that was historically mined across the Delker trend."

Michael Harp continues: "We are fully permitted and bonded for our maiden drill program, which is scheduled to begin in early March. The initial core holes will test for the continuation of high-grade copper skarn and porphyry dikes beneath the historical mine workings followed by a direct test of the chargeability high with the goal of identifying a porphyry copper-gold system at depth."

IP Survey Highlights
IP Line 71500N to 72900N highlights a kilometer-scale chargeability and coincident resistivity anomaly located directly down-dip of the Skarn Hill and Delker Mines (Figure 1)

• Chargeability: The chargeability high measures roughly 2km long by 1 km wide and is interpreted as the potential porphyry source to Cu-Au mineralization along the greater Delker Mine trend
  • Chargeability values in the core of the anomaly consistently average 20-25 Millivolts per volt ("mV/V"), which is consistent with chargeability values observed in the productive horizons of many known porphyry systems (Figure 2 & Figure 3)

• Resistivity: The highest priority resistivity anomaly is a subvertical feature that extends across the entire Delker trend and averages between 150-350 ohm.m (highs of up to 500 ohm.m)
  • This anomaly exhibits a bias to the western margin of the dike swarm, which is interpreted as emanating from the Delker porphyry/chargeability anomaly at depth (Figure 3 & Figure 4)
    
    
• Resistivity values between 100-500 ohm.m is considered relatively low compared to the background values of unaltered host rocks at Big Blue, suggesting the presence of a significant alteration cell beneath the Delker trend
  • Decreased resistivity may be explained by pervasive alteration and subsequent sulfide deposition within both carbonate and QFP dike host rocks during porphyry emplacement

Maiden Drill Program
Drill planning for an initial 2,000-meter core program is in progress with an anticipated start date of March 3, 2025. The Company intends to drill test two primary targets in the maiden drill program including:

1. Drill down-dip of outcropping high-grade Cu-bearing skarn mineralization in the Delker Mine area to transect the QFP dike swarm (genetic link to deeper porphyry source) and coincident resistivity anomaly
2. Drill the core of the Delker chargeability anomaly to test for the blind porphyry Cu-Au source to the QFP dikes and high-grade skarn observed at surface

Figure 1: Plan view map showing IP chargeability sections for the thirty-six line-km IP survey completed in August and December 2024. Note multiple porphyry anomalies (dash pink) at the Delker and Ohio targets

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https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7298/237793_5f35eaab44c7a9b4_002full.jpg

Figure 2: Interpretive X-Section of IP line 71500N showing a 1km-wide chargeability high (avg. 20-25 mV/V) interpreted as the potential porphyry source to the Delker Mine trend. Note high-grade Cu rock chips at surface at the historical Skarn Hill mine

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https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7298/237793_5f35eaab44c7a9b4_003full.jpg

Figure 3: Interpretive X-Section of IP line 72000N showing continuation of the strong chargeability high (20-25 mV/V) to the north of Skarn Hill. Note the strong resistivity anomaly flanking both sides of the QFP dike swarm, which is interpreted as upwelling Cu-rich fluids during porphyry emplacement

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7298/237793_5f35eaab44c7a9b4_004full.jpg

To view X-Section of IP line 72425N click HERE

Figure 4: Interpretive X-Section of IP line 72900N showing a modest chargeability high (8-10 mV/V) at depth with a coincident and very strong resistivity high directly beneath the Delker Mine

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QAQC Procedures
Samples are submitted to American Assay Laboratories (AAL) of Sparks, Nevada, which is a certified and accredited laboratory, independent of the Company. Independent check samples are shipped to Paragon Geochemical Labs (PAL) of Sparks, Nevada. Samples are prepared using industry-standard prep methods and analysed using FA-PB30-ICP (Au; 30 g fire assay) and ICP-5AM48 (48 element Suite; 0.5 g 5-acid digestion/ICP-MS) methods. AAL also undertakes its own internal coarse and pulp duplicate analysis to ensure proper sample preparation and equipment calibration. Ridgeline's QA/QC program includes regular insertion of CRM standards, duplicates, and blanks into the sample stream with a stringent review of all results completed by the Company's Qualified Person, Michael T. Harp, Vice President, Exploration.

Technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Michael T. Harp, CPG. the Company's Vice President, Exploration, who is Ridgeline's Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 and responsible for technical matters of this release.

Big Blue Project
Big Blue is located in Elko County, Nevada, approximately seventy-five kilometers ("km") southeast of the city of Elko, NV. The Project includes the past producing Delker Mine, which historically produced 94,434 pounds of copper at an average grade of 6.2% between 1916-1917 ¹ from structurally controlled skarn deposits outcropping between the Delker and Skarn Hill mines. The property shares its southern boundary with Reyna Silver's Medicine Springs Ag-Pb-Zn Carbonate Replacement ("CRD") project and had seen limited modern exploration in over a century until Ridgeline staked the property in 2023. The primary target at Big Blue is porphyry-skarn Cu-Au ± Ag-Mo mineralization, with potential to discover polymetallic, carbonate replacement deposit (CRD) style mineralization as the system zones outward over 6+ kilometers of untested strike towards the Medicine Springs project. This target model is analogous to the Butte Valley porphyry Cu-Au system, which is inferred to be the source of CRD mineralization at the Company's nearby Selena project. Big Blue is 100% owned by the Company and is comprised of a total of 50 square kilometers of highly prospective exploration ground that will benefit from Ridgeline's systematic approach to discovery (view Ridgeline's Corporate Deck HERE).

About Ridgeline Minerals Corp.
Ridgeline Minerals is a discovery focused precious and base metal explorer with a proven management team and a 200 km² exploration portfolio across seven projects in Nevada, USA. The Company is a hybrid explorer with a mix of 100%-owned exploration assets (Big Blue, Atlas, Bell Creek & Coyote) as well as two earn-in exploration agreements with Nevada Gold Mines at its Swift and Black Ridge projects and a third earn-in with South32 at its Selena project. More information about Ridgeline can be found at www.ridgelineminerals.com.

On behalf of the Board
"Chad Peters"
President & CEO

Further Information:
Chad Peters, P.Geo.
President, CEO & Director
Ridgeline Minerals Corp.
+1 775 304 9773
cpeters@ridgelineminerals.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service 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 Note regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "Forward-Looking Information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-Looking Information includes, but is not limited to, the potential benefits of the Earn-In Agreement (including the Proposed Work Program, Year 1) and the transactions contemplated thereby (collectively the "Earn-In Transaction"). The words "potential", "anticipate", "meaningful", "discovery", "forecast", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "plan", "historical", "historic" and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify Forward-Looking Information. Forward-Looking Information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by the Forward-Looking Information. In preparing the Forward-Looking Information in this news release, Ridgeline has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, assumptions that TSX Venture Exchange approval will be granted in a timely manner subject only to standard conditions; that all conditions precedent to the Earn-In will be satisfied in a timely manner; the current objectives concerning the Project and the Company's other projects can be achieved and that its other corporate activities will proceed as expected; that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner; and that all requisite information will be available in a timely manner. Forward-Looking Information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Ridgeline to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the Forward-Looking Information. Such risks and other factors include, among others, risks related to dependence on key personnel; risks related to unforeseen delays; risks related to historical data that has not been verified by the Company; as well as those factors discussed in Ridgeline's public disclosure record. Although Ridgeline has attempted to identify important factors that could affect Ridgeline and may cause actual actions, events, or results to differ materially from those described in Forward-Looking Information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that Forward-Looking 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. In addition, this news release contains information about adjacent properties on which Ridgeline has no right to explore or mine. Readers are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on the Company's properties. Except as required by law, Ridgeline does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to Forward-Looking Information contained in this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Sources
¹Delker Mine Historic Production (Page 57): Smith, R.M., 1976, Mineral resources of Elko County, Nevada: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 76-56, 201 p.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237793

FAQ

What are the key findings of Ridgeline Minerals' (RDGMF) Phase II IP survey at Big Blue?

The survey revealed a 2.0 km long by 1.0 km wide chargeability high beneath the Delker trend, with chargeability values of 20-25 mV/V, consistent with known porphyry systems.

When will Ridgeline Minerals (RDGMF) begin its maiden drill program at Big Blue?

The maiden drill program is scheduled to begin on March 3, 2025, with an initial 2,000-meter core program planned.

What was the historical copper production at the Delker Mine on RDGMF's Big Blue property?

The Delker Mine historically produced 94,434 pounds of copper at an average grade of 6.2% between 1916-1917.

What are the main targets for RDGMF's upcoming drill program at Big Blue?

The program will target the down-dip extension of copper-bearing skarn mineralization at the Delker Mine area and the core of the Delker chargeability anomaly to test for a porphyry copper-gold source.

Where is Ridgeline Minerals' (RDGMF) Big Blue project located?

The Big Blue project is located in Elko County, Nevada, approximately 75 kilometers southeast of the city of Elko.