IG ASIA Drilling Intersects Medium-To High-Grade Cumo Intervals In 6 Of 10 Drill Holes At The Uzhnaya Ploshchad Prospect, Pribrezhniy Project, Kazakhstan

(MENAFN- GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) CHARLESTOWN, Saint Kitts and Nevis, April 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IG ASIA LLC (“IG Asia” or the“Company”), a private company based in Nevis, is pleased to report encouraging results from its delineation drilling program at the Uzhnaya Ploshchad (“Southern Area”) Prospect. The prospect is located within the broader Pribrezhniy project license area in the Republic of Kazakhstan and represents part of a clustered porphyry copper system situated outside the known Pribrezhniy Copper Deposit.

Uzhnaya Ploshchad is located approximately 5–10 km east of the depleted Kounrad Cu/Au/Mo mine, which historically hosted a pre-mining resource of 800 Mt at 0.62% Cu (Fig. 1). (At Kounrad, Central Asia Metals Ltd owns an (SX-EW) plant recovering copper from old waste dumps. The operation is known for its low-cost, highly-profitable production.)

The 10-hole infill and delineation drilling program, conducted between February and March 2026, was aimed at confirming the continuity of previously identified mineralization at Uzhnaya Ploshchad, while also defining higher-grade zones similar to those intersected in drill hole UPL2402 (50 m @ 1.16% CuEq), completed in the fall of 2024.

DRILL PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

• Hole UPL2609: 1% CuEq over 77m (19–96m) and 0.38% CuEq over 83m (130–213m)
• Hole UPL2610: 0.36% CuEq over 249m (entire hole), including 166.5m @ 0.41% Cu & 203 ppm Mo (0.51% CuEq)
• Hole UPL2606: 0.28% Cu over 197.3m (entire hole, 0.39% CuEq), including 95.5m @ 0.33% Cu & 368 ppm Mo (0.52% CuEq)
• Hole UPL2601: 0.26% Cu over 166.3m (entire hole, 0.29% CuEq), including 104m @ 0.33% Cu & 81 ppm Mo (0.37% CuEq)
  

Figure 1: Prospective areas located within Kounrad-Pribrezhniy trend. The Pribrezhniy Project license area is shown in green.

EXPLORATION HIGHLIGHTS

• The Feb-Mar 2026 exploration drilling program focused on evaluating the potential for additional copper-molybdenum +/- gold and silver porphyry mineralization within the Uzhnaya Ploshchad Prospect. The program involved drilling ten holes (Table 1), totalling 1,607 meters, to test the continuity of Cu/Mo +/-Au mineralization identified during first-pass 2024-2025 drilling campaigns. The drilling results indicate the presence of Cu/Mo +/-Au & Ag mineralization, grading ≥0.25% Cu across 6 out of 10 drill holes. The mineralization is hosted in hydrothermal, magmatic, and tourmaline breccias, and granodiorite and quartz diorite porphyries. Several higher-grade intersections were identified, providing strong support for further exploration programs to further define the intersected mineralization and to discover additional mineral systems. These findings indicate an excellent opportunity for expanding the already identified resources within the Pribrezhniy Project License.
• Drilling identified significant (up to mineralized intervals grading from 0.25% to 0.79% Cu and 45-397ppm Mo (0.27%-1% CuEq)
• The oxide zone ranges from 19 to 40 meters in thickness from the surface and is underlain by a copper sulfide zone hosted within hydrothermally altered breccias, granodiorite, and quartz diorite porphyries.
• The mineralized system remains open to the north, south and west with further drilling planned to test and confirm extensions in these directions.
  

Table 1: Diamond drill holes register from Feb-Mar 2026 exploration program

HOLE_ID	Dip	Depth, m
UPL2601	90	166.3
UPL2602	90	64.3
UPL2603	90	62.8
UPL2604	90	64
UPL2605	90	64.3
UPL2606	90	199.3
UPL2607	90	199.4
UPL2608	90	235
UPL2609	90	301.3
UPL2610	90	250.3
Total		1607

A total of 706.2 meters of mineralized intercepts grading ≥0.25% Cu were recorded in six of the ten drill holes completed during the Q1 2026 program, with an average grade of 0.49% CuEq (Table 2). The remaining four drill holes-UPL2602, UPL2603, UPL2604, and UPL2605-did not intersect significant near-surface copper mineralization but marginal grades in oxide over selected intervals which will be incorporated in program-wide copper diagnostic leach testwork.

Figure. 2: DH UPL2609 @ 1.18%Cu & 805ppm Mo. Hydrothermal breccia supported by predominantly fine grained quartz diorite or strongly silicified unit's angular to sub-angular clasts diorite clasts. Matrix is dominantly biotite-mafic minerals later replaced by massive chalcopyrite or cemented by chalcopyrite.

Table 2: Summary of drill results and mineralized intervals from Uzhnaya Ploshchad areas, 6 holes

DH ID	Mineralization type	From	To	Interval, m	Cu, %	Mo, ppm	CuEq, %	Lithology	Alteration
UPL2601		0	166.3	166.3	0.26	58	0.29
Including	Oxide	0	36	36	0.12	N/A	0.12	Granodiorite	FeOx, sericite-silica-biotite
Including	Sulfide	49	153	104	0.33	81	0.37	Quartz diorite porphyry, breccia	Biotite-chlorite-sericite
DH2606		1	199.3	198.3	0.28	217	0.39
Including	Oxide	1	34.5	33.5	0.46	N/A	0.46	Quartz diorite porphyry	FeOx, sericite-silica-biotite
Including	Sulfide	34.5	130	95.5	0.33	368	0.52	Breccia	Biotite-silica-chlorite
DH2607		1	199.4	198.4	0.12	23	0.13
including	Oxide	1	32	31	0.27	N/A	0.27	Granodiorite porphyry	FeOx, chlorite-sericite
Including	Sulfide	32	48.7	16.7	0.25	45	0.26	Granodiorite porphyry	Biotite-chlorite-sericite
DH2608		0	235	235	0.18	53	0.21
Including	Oxide	0	40.3	40.3	0.11	N/A	0.11	Granodiorite, breccia	FeOx, sericite-tourmaline
Including	Sulfide	70	151	81	0.31	113	0.37	Granodiorite porphyry	Biotite-chlorite-sericite
DH2609		1	301.3	300.3	0.34	166	0.43
Including	Oxide	1	19	18	0.34	N/A	0.34	Quartz diorite, breccia	Fe/Cu/Mn oxides, argyllic
Including	Sulfide	19	96	77	0.79	397	1	Hydrothermal breccia, granodiorite porphyry	Biotite-kfs-chlorite
Including	Sulfide	130	213	83	0.31	135	0.38	Hydrothermal breccia	Kfs-silica-chlorite
DH2610		1.3	250.3	249	0.29	140	0.36
Including	Oxide	1.3	21	19.7	0.17	N/A	0.17	Quartz diorite, breccia	Fe/Cu oxides
Including	Sulfide	21	187.5	166.5	0.41	203	0.51	Breccia	Biotite-kfs-silica-chlorite
N/A	Mo grades are not applicable within oxide mineralization zones.

*Copper equivalent (CuEq) is determined using an LME metal price for Mar 26, 2026, of USD 12,321 per ton for copper and USD 63,961 per ton of molybdenum (Live Molybdenum Price & Charts | CommodityPriceAPI ), based on the following formula: CuEq % = Cu % + 5.19 X Mo %. Molybdenum is not recoverable from oxide mineralization processed by SX-EW. CuEq grades reported for oxide intervals therefore reflect copper only; the molybdenum contribution to CuEq applies to sulfide intervals only where conventional flotation recovery is anticipated.

Selective high-grade copper intervals returned up to 147 ppb Au and 11 g/t Ag; however, due to the irregular distribution of gold assays and a 2 ppm lower detection limit for silver, these values were not included in the current copper equivalent grade calculation.

Figure 3: 2024-2026 Diamond drilling results at Uzhnaya Ploshchad

QA/QC MEASURES

• Drill core from Uzhnaya Ploshchad was sawn and sampled at the Project base camp then shipped to SGS laboratory, in Balkhash Kazakhstan, located 30km from the project camp site, where the samples were weighed (before and after drying), dried at 105^oC, crushed (75% passing 2mm), pulverized (85% 75 μm 500g), homogenized and analysed using an ICP-OES package (Sodium peroxide fusion) analysis for determination of 30 elements. Selective samples from high-grade copper intervals were sent for additional gold Fire Assays (30g, AAS finish 5-10000ppb detection limit).
• IGA had routine quality control procedures which ensured that every drillhole batch included five percent of standard certified reference materials (Oreas CRMs) specially selected for porphyry copper-molybdenum deposits of high, medium and low grades for Cu and Mo. Five percent of blank samples (verified barren granite) to control the samples' processing quality and three percent field duplicates (1/4 of core).
• Result of 2026 drilling program - 931 samples were analysed, including 818 routine samples, 39 blanks, 48 CRMs, 26 field duplicates.
• The core duplicates from high grade zones will be assayed to assess the Cu and Mo grade variability.
• SGS laboratory has its own quality control system which ensured the insertion of blanks, CRMs and duplicates. All analytical results and certificates from SGS are stored in the IGA digital database.
  

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

• In October 2024 IG Asia acquired a 75% majority interest in the Balkhash-Saryshagan Partnership (“The Pribrezhniy Project” or“Project”) from Rio Tinto International Holdings Limited. The Project is located in the most prolific porphyry mineral belt in the Republic of Kazakhstan containing several large copper, gold and molybdenum porphyry deposits such as Aktogay @ 0.37% Cu), Aidarly @ 0.38% Cu), Kounrad (800Mt @ 0.62% Cu), and Koksay (736Mt @ 0.42% CuEq). (Fig. 4).
  
• The Project license area (Fig. 1) covers 754 km²of exploration ground with the exploration stage of the license being valid until February 2029. During the Exploration Phase of the license IGA will, working in concert with our JV Partner, produce a feasibility study on the currently defined resources on the large Pribrezhniy Cu/Mo Porphyry system while concurrently advancing four additional prospects within the JV, three within the Pribrezhniy Project license area named“NE Kounrad”,“Prikounrandskiy”,“Uzhnaya Ploshchad” and the 67 sq“Shabigon” License area, an exclave located 120 km to the West from the Pribrezhniy License area. The Shabigon Prospect (Figs. 4,5 & 6) represents an additional Cu porphyry system. These four areas were outlined as prospective for the occurrence of porphyry copper deposits during Soviet exploration programs conducted in the 1950s and 1970s. Most porphyry-type occurrences have been poorly studied through sparse drilling to depths of 200-300 meters or have only been studied at the surface by soil sampling, trenching, and shallow map drilling through post mineralisation alluvial cover.
  
• The Project area hosts the Pribrezhniy Cu/Mo porphyry system with a currently defined mineral inventory of 1.38Bt @ 0.37% CuEq., comprising 4.17Mt of copper and 185,000t of molybdenum contained 'in-situ'. The geology of Pribrezhniy comprises typical A, B, and D veins in a porphyry system, encompassing high grade (~0.7% Cu) breccia zones and alteration hosted by monzogranite porphyry and tonalite. The alluvial cover at the Pribrezhniy Deposit is up to 70m thick resulting in a“blind” mineral system, which limits the utility of surface geochemical prospecting.
  
• The Pribrezhniy Deposit is located at the eastern end of the Kounrad group of copper + Mo +/- Au deposits and boasts excellent mining infrastructure with access to power, water, a dual line railway and an existing smelter and processing plant with excess capacity (Fig. 5).
  

Figure 4: Large Porphyry copper ±Mo/Au systems in South Central Kazakhstan

Figure 5: Infrastructure in the district

OTHER AREAS, SHABIGON

• According to the Soviet data, porphyry type mineralization and alteration was identified at Shabigon prospect during several exploration programs conducted between 1950s and 1970s. A total of 19 Diamond drill holes were completed during that time that intersected low grade Cu/Mo mineralization in medium intensity phyllic and argillic alteration zones. One hole, DH C6 intersected higher grade (0.9% Cu) over a 27 meters interval.
• During recon visits, the porphyry style mineralization was confirmed by IG Asia geologists in several trenches with copper oxide debris observed around the area of the historical hole C-6. Also, it was noted that an extensive area to the W and NW of the Shabigon prospect is covered by loose quaternary sediments up to 5m thick which may conceal underlying porphyry type mineralization (Fig. 6).

Figure 6: Shabigon historical drill holes' locations on geology map

NEXT STEPS

At the beginning of April 2026, the company intends to resume its exploration program which will include:

• Continued delineation and infill diamond core drilling at the Uzhnaya Ploshchad to fully outline oxide and shallow sulphide resources.
• Additional copper diagnostic leach assaying to demarcate oxide sub-type, transitional and sulphide mineralization boundaries prior to selecting samples for detailed leach testwork.
• New targets generation at Shabigon, by applying shallow RC drilling up to 100m deep through the younger, post-mineralized alluvial/colluvial cover.
• Hydrogeological studies within the Pribrezhniy Cu porphyry deposit (CPS) open pit battery area as part of ongoing Pre-feasibility work.
  

MANAGEMENT COMMENTS:

“These results from our second-pass drill campaign at Uzhnaya Ploshchad are outstanding. The intercepts confirm long, continuous intervals of exceptional copper and molybdenum grades within tourmaline breccias - a hallmark of high-energy porphyry hydrothermal systems - surrounded by a broad halo of oxide and sulfide mineralization that remains open and largely unexplored.

Uzhnaya Ploshchad is a new“greenfield” discovery within our Balkhash contract area, which also hosts our Pribrezhniy copper-molybdenum deposit. As an oxide system located away from the alluvial fan at Pribrezhniy, Uzhnaya Ploshchad represents an attractive near-term development opportunity enabling our Balkhash contract area to deliver early production while advancing the Pribrezhniy Deposit, one of the most significant copper resources in Central Asia.

Our IG Team has a strong track record of discovery - from the Svetloye high sulfidation epithermal gold and Malmyzh copper-gold porphyry deposits in the Russian Far East, to brownfield successes at the Trixie gold mine in Utah's East Tintic District and the Durmin gold deposit in Khabarovsk Krai. Uzhnaya Ploshchad adds another genuine discovery to that record, and I am very proud of the professionalism and dedication our Team brings to every project. They truly exemplify our corporate motto, Excellentium Prosperitus.

I look forward to advancing this discovery through exploration and into development - for the benefit of our IG Team, our partners at Tau Ken Samruk, and the nation and peoples of the Republic of Kazakhstan.”

Thomas E. Bowens
Founder and Executive Director, IG Asia LLC​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

QUALIFIED PERSON

Volodymyr Buchynskyy, P. Geo, Vice President Exploration of IG Asia LLC and a“qualified person” within the meaning of NI 43-101 has prepared, validated and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this press release. During the exploration program from February to March 2026, Mr. Buchynskyy has visited the Pribrezhniy camp and spent 19 days by observing drill sites, overseeing the drilling, core logging, sawing and sampling procedures.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Stephanie Ashton, VP of Business Development: ...

Volodymyr Buchynskyy, VP of Exploration:...

For more information see the company's website:

About IG Asia

IG Asia is a privately held exploration and development company advancing its core Pribrezhniy Project in Kazakhstan, which it acquired from Rio Tinto International Holdings Limited in 2024. The company began operations in 2021 with a focus on copper, gold, and molybdenum, targeting world-class opportunities in the mineral-rich Balkhash region of Kazakhstan.

Founded by Thomas E. Bowens, IG Asia was established to capitalize on the vast mineral discovery potential of Kazakhstan and the opportunities presented by the country's modernized and attractive foreign investment framework. The company draws on the proven track record of IG Global Group, whose team delivered successful greenfield discoveries at the Svetloye gold and Malmyzh copper-gold porphyry systems in the Russian Far East, as well as brownfield discoveries at the Trixie gold mine in Utah's historic East Tintic District and the Durmin gold deposit in Khabarovsk Krai, Russia. This depth of exploration and development experience across complex jurisdictions is a core strategic advantage in IG Asia's ability to execute in the region.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking information or statements (collectively,“forward-looking statements”), including those identified by the expressions“anticipate,”“believe,”“plan,”“estimate,”“expect,”“intend,”“may,”“should,” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and expectations and are based on assumptions and information currently available to the Company. They are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict, including the continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market, or business conditions. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements.

Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by applicable law.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

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