VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 18, 2026 /CNW/ – Coast Copper Corp. (“Coast Copper” or “the Company”); (TSXV: COCO) is pleased to announce new results from a 14 square kilometer (“km²“) Audio Magneto Telluric (“AMT“) geophysical survey at its Copper Kettle property (the “Property“), located within the Island Copper Belt on northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia (“BC“). The Company has expanded the Property through staking, now covering more than 5,225 hectares (“ha“), and completed an extensive technical review of the Northwest Zone (“NW Zone“), an important yet historically underexplored porphyry Copper (“Cu“)-Molybdenum (“Mo“) occurrence forming the northwestern end member of the productive Island Copper Cluster (“ICC“), hosting BHP’s former Island Copper Mine¹,2 (see Figure 1).
Adam Travis, CEO, stated: “Earlier drilling only explored peripheral skarn-style mineralization, leaving much of the larger porphyry potential untested. The AMT survey reveals a significant underlying intrusion beneath zones where many holes terminating in mineralization. Our plan for 2026 is to push the project forward with a detailed Induced Polarization survey followed by drilling. There are clear parallels between the NW Zone at Copper Kettle and the historic Island Copper Mine (referenced in C.I.M Special Volume 462), and we’re eager to elevate this property to flagship status alongside our brownfield Empire Mine project which is also located on northern Vancouver Island.”
NW Zone – Large, Open Porphyry System
On northern Vancouver Island, a 50 kilometer (“km“) east-west trending corridor hosts a series of Early Jurassic mineralized copper-gold (“Au“)-molybdenum porphyry systems. At its western end, Coast Copper owns the Knob Hill NW property which abuts Northisle Copper and Gold Inc.’s Hushamu and Red Dog properties1. At the eastern end, Coast Copper owns the Copper Kettle property, adjacent to BHP’s Island Copper Mine Lease. The Copper Kettle property hosts the NW Zone², one of the six genetically related Jurassic calc-alkaline porphyry systems which form the ICC. The ICC occupies a 10 km long structural-magnetic anomaly with the NW Zone, which is the only member located outside BHP’s Island Copper Mining Lease. The Island Copper Mine is the only cluster member mined to date (1971 – 1995) which produced approximately 345 million tonnes with average grades of 0.41% Cu, 0.017% Mo, 0.19 g/t Au, and 1.4 g/t silver (“Ag“), along with significant rhenium3 making it Canada’s second largest copper mine at the time of production.
All six systems feature multiphase rhyodacite porphyry intrusions and characteristic alteration zones. The NW Zone is characterized by:
- A strong central magnetic high interpreted as a magnetite-rich potassic core;
- Surrounding chargeability anomalies indicating a pyrite halo; and
- Coincident Cu-Mo soil anomalies and peripheral skarn mineralization.
From 1983 to 1989, BHP drilled 31 diamond holes (9,072 meters (“m“)) and 10 percussion holes (789.5 m), outlining a buried system 1.8 km long and 800 m wide. Seventeen drillholes returned significant copper and molybdenum values; nine of which ended in mineralization, confirming this system remains open to depth4.
Some historical drill intercepts include4:
- Hole E-64: 277.4 m @ 0.20% Cu and 0.018% Mo (0.30% CuEq5) from 18.3 m;
- Hole E-69: 91.5 m @ 0.57% Cu and 0.017% Mo (0.66% CuEq5) from 155.4 m, with skarn bands up to 2.93% Cu over 3 m from 228.6 m; final assay 0.24% Cu and 0.047% Mo (0.50% CuEq5) over 3 m; and
- Hole W-6: 332.8 m @ 0.15% Cu and 0.036% Mo (0.35% CuEq5) from 106 m.
These findings are based on original BHP records and internal logs, compiled and reported according to NI 43-101 standards.
2025 Coast Copper Surface Field Work Expands Target Area4
Recent fieldwork expanded historical anomalies:
- Confirmed an untested 800 m × 400 m Cu-in-soil anomaly (>200 parts per million (“ppm“) Cu; peaks at 1,800 ppm) north of historical drill sites;
- Collected rock samples assaying up to 2.21%, 2.09%, and 1.86% Cu across a 5 km west-northwest stretch; and
- Discovered a new polymetallic skarn target, with assays reaching 0.46% Cu, 0.66 g/t Au, 55 g/t Ag, 7.53% Pb, and 5.96% Zn; soils contained up to 2,842 ppm Cu.
These results indicate significant untested lateral and depth potential, largely hidden beneath glacial cover.
December 2025 AMT Survey Highlights (see Figure 2)
The 54-station AMT survey (spaced at 500 m) spanning 14 km² revealed:
- A shallow conductive layer linked to known Cu-Mo mineralization within sediments;
- A larger resistive body under historic drilling, interpreted as a possible intrusive source; and
- Evidence that past drilling in the 1980s only addressed a limited portion of the broader system.
Results integrated with the 2012 Geoscience BC magnetic survey uphold the hypothesis of a sizable, mostly untested intrusive complex beneath the NW Zone.
Next Steps
Following these findings, Coast Copper is intending to conduct a 25 km detailed Induced Polarization survey and plans a conditional 10-site diamond drill program right beside BHP’s historic Island Copper mine.
Qualified Persons
The technical information contained in this news release has been prepared, reviewed, and approved by Wade Barnes, P.Geo. (BC), Coast Copper’s geological consultant and a Qualified Person within the context of the Canadian Securities Administrators’ NI 43-101; Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.
About Coast Copper Corp.
Coast Copper’s flagship projects are the Copper Kettle post-discovery Cu-Au-Mo project located in the Island Copper Cluster on northern Vancouver Island, the former producing Cu-Au Empire mine also located on northern Vancouver Island and the former producing Emerald and Virginia Silver mines located near the Huckleberry mine and Smithers in northern B.C. Coast has an additional 18 projects in B.C. that are available for acquisition, partnering or option that are strategically located in seven advanced mining camps that include the Toodoggone, Golden Triangle Anyox, Goliath Resources (Golddigger), Babine, Bralorne and Sullivan camps providing exposure and leverage to millions of dollars being spent on neighboring properties. Coast Copper’s strategy is to optimize the value of each mineral property within our portfolio through a combination of prospect generation and discovery focused, high-impact exploration while minimizing share dilution through active deal-making.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors:
“Adam Travis”
Adam Travis, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Cautionary Notes in News Release and/or Maps
- This news release may contain information about adjacent properties on which Coast Copper has no right to explore or mine. Investors are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on the Company’s properties.
- Perello J.A., Fleming J.A., O’Kane K.P., Burt P.D., Clarke G.A., Himes M.D. and Reeves A.T. (1995) Porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum deposits in the Island Copper Cluster, northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia: CIM Special Volume 46, Part 2, p. 214-238.
- Island Copper Minfile Record Summary, Minfile No 092L158, retrieved from ARIS website.
- Coast Copper news release NR25-05 dated September 8, 2025 titled: “Coast Copper Completes Historical Compilation, Conducts Field Programs and Consolidates Copper Kettle Property, Island Copper Belt Northern Vancouver Island.”
- Copper Equivalent (CuEq) shown in Tables for drill intercepts are calculated on the basis of US$ 4.50/lb for Cu and US$ 25/lb for Mo, with 100% metallurgical recoveries assumed. The formula is: CuEq. = Cu % + (Mo grade in % x (Mo recovery / Cu recovery) x [Mo price] / [Cu price]). The assays have not been capped. The reported intervals represent drill intercepts, and insufficient data are available at this time to state the true thickness of the mineralized intervals.
- Historical information, maps or figures contained in this release regarding the Property or adjacent properties cannot be relied upon as the Company’s QP, as defined under NI-43-101 has not prepared nor verified the historical information.
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 release.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
Certain information contained or incorporated by reference in this press release, including any information regarding the proposed Transaction, private placement, board and management changes, as to our strategy, projects, plans or future financial or operating performance, constitutes “forward-looking statements.” All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Coast Copper, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, geological and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Although Coast Copper believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not a guarantee of future performance. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include but are not limited to: fluctuations in market prices, exploration and exploitation successes, continued availability of capital and financing, changes in national and local government legislation, taxation, controls, regulations, expropriation or nationalization of property and general political, economic, market or business conditions. Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can affect our actual results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, us. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release, or incorporated by reference, are qualified by these cautionary statements. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
