Trident Intersects 5.73 g/t Au over 15.0m including 9.35 g/t Au over 7.0m and 15.05 g/t Au over 2.0m Below Historical Mining Infrastructure at the Contact Lake Gold Project in Northern Saskatchewan

Vancouver, BC, Jan. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trident Resources Corp. (TSXV: ROCK) (OTCQB: TRDTF) (“Trident” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the results of the remaining six (6) diamond drill holes from the 19-hole 2025 drill program at the Contact Lake Project. These are the final holes to be reported from the 2025 fall program and were designed to test for the down-dip extension of gold mineralization below the historically defined Main Zone of the Bakos Shear Zone, the main host to gold mineralization. Based on the very successful results of the 2025 drill program (6,838m drilled in 19 holes), a fully-funded 10,000m winter 2026 drill program at Contact Lake is underway.

Trident’s Regional Project Location Map:
https://www.tridentresourcescorp.com/projects/contact-lake-gold-project/#&gid=1&pid=1

Highlights:

- The final six holes from Trident’s inaugural drill program at Contact Lake all intersected substantial gold mineralization within, above and below the Bakos Shear zone – the main host of gold at Contact Lake. These holes targeted gold mineralization in areas below the historical mining infrastructure, which highlights the tremendous depth-potential of the orogenic gold system present at Contact Lake.

- Hole CL25017 returned 5.73 g/t gold (Au) over 15.0m from 472.0m including 9.35 g/t Au over 7.0m from 480.0m and 15.05 g/t Au over 2.0m from 481.0m.

- Hole CL25016 returned 2.62 g/t Au over 37.44m from 465.6m including 5.70 g/t gold over 9.0m from 469.8m and 11.53 g/t Au over 2.3m from 476.5m.

- A 2026 winter phase of drilling consisting of approximately 10,000 metres in up to 40 drill holes with two drill rigs has commenced.

Jon Wiesblatt, CEO of Trident Resources, commented: “These results are very important for Trident as they clearly demonstrate the potential to significantly expand gold mineralization at depth, well below the historical mine workings developed by Cameco in the 1990’s. These first few deeper holes illustrate the discovery potential beneath the old infrastructure and reinforce our belief that Contact Lake is a large, robust orogenic gold system with the capacity to evolve into a world-class, high-grade deposit, similar to those at other major greenstone gold camps in Canada. Advancing exploration at depth will remain a key priority for the Company, and these results provide strong validation for the follow-up drilling planned in our ongoing programs at the project.”

Summary of Drilling:

The final six holes were mainly focused on discovering gold mineralization below the existing underground infrastructure in order to prove the depth potential of the orogenic shear-hosted mineralization present at Contact Lake. These types of gold systems commonly persist to great depths, such as SSR’s Seabee Gold Operation, located 85km northeast of Contact Lake, where underground mining operations occurred up to 1.3km below surface. Contact Lake was shut down in 1998 when the gold price was close to USD $300/oz and the limit of mining reached 340 metres vertical depth. Trident believes the Contact Lake gold system has excellent potential to extend well below the limits of the historical mining where there has been effectively no drill testing.

Contact Lake Gold Property Map:
http://www.tridentresourcescorp.com/_resources/maps/contact-lake-property-map.jpg

Analytical results from the 2025 drill program show that high-grade gold is present at shallow depths as well as deeper down. The 2026 winter drill program at Contact Lake will seek to extend recently discovered and historically identified gold zones along strike to the northeast in the BK3 Zone where historically defined resources were left unmined due to the low gold price. Trident will continue to explore and drill test in a systematic manner as the team looks to expand on and discover additional high-grade gold zones.

Contact Lake Drill Collar Location Map:
https://www.tridentresourcescorp.com/_resources/images/Contact-Lake-Gold-Property-20260114.png

Detailed Description of the Drill Holes:

Hole CL25014 (338º azimuth and -62º dip) was collared 414m southeast of the mine portal entrance in an area of sparse historical drilling to target the potential down-dip and lateral extension of gold mineralization in the Main Zone at a vertical depth of 330m, near the lower limits of the mine infrastructure in that area. Two distinct higher-grade zones of mineralization were encountered in the footwall of the Bakos Shear including 5.03 g/t Au over 5.0m (484.0-489.0m down-hole) and 1.24 g/t Au over 23.0m (507.0-530.0m down-hole) including 2.15 g/t over 10.5m (512.5-523.0m). Lower-grade gold mineralization was encountered in the Bakos Shear between 366-400m down-hole depth with a more coherent zone encountered in weakly sheared granodiorite in the footwall of the shear returning 0.86 g/t Au over 19.6m between 450.0-469.6m.

Plan View of the Contact Lake Drilling in Fall of 2025:
http://www.tridentresourcescorp.com/_resources/news/2025-Drill-Plan-Holes-14-to-19.jpg

Hole CL25015 (335º/-67º) was designed to test for the down-dip extension of the southwest Main Zone gold mineralization at a vertical depth of >350m, below the lowermost mine infrastructure. Near the lower extents of the Bakos Shear, a zone grading 1.91 g/t Au over 13.8m (512.2-526.0m down-hole) was intersected with a 1.8m zone grading 12.06 g/t Au (536.8-538.6m) located below in a moderately sheared horizon in the granodiorite host, which continued to a down-hole depth of 567.0m. Below the main sheared horizon, in a weakly sheared granodiorite, a 4.0m zone grading 4.91 g/t Au (575.0-579.0m) was discovered with intermittent isolated multi-gram hits continuing to the terminal hole depth of 659.0m.

Hole CL25016 (338º/-63º) was collared 115m WNW of CL25015 at the outermost southwestern edge of historical drilling to target the southwest, down-dip extension of high-grade gold mineralization in the PO Zone, an ore lens located in the footwall of the Main Zone. This drillhole encountered a broad zone of gold mineralization that extended from the lower portions of the Bakos Shear into the footwall that graded 2.62 g/t Au over 37.4m between 465.6-503.0m. Within this zone, three higher-grade zones were intercepted: 5.70 g/t Au over 9.0m (469.8-478.8m), 10.09 g/t Au over 1.7m (469.8-471.5m) and 11.53 g/t Au over 2.3m (476.5-478.8m).

Hole CL25017 (338º/-63º) was collared 43m southwest of CL25016 to further test for the down-dip extension of historically defined gold mineralization reported in the PO Zone. A broad well-mineralized zone returned 2.61 g/t Au over 48.95m between 467.0-515.95m down-hole depth. Within this broad intercept, higher-grade horizons consisted of: 5.73 g/t Au over 15.0m (472.0-487.0m), 9.35 g/t Au over 7.0m (480.0-487.0m) and 15.05 g/t Au over 2.0m (481.0-483.0m). This mineralized intercept spanned the entire width of the Bakos Shear zone and persisted roughly 15m into the footwall of the structure. Sporadic mineralization continued below this broad horizon to the hole’s terminal depth at 668.0m.

Hole CL25018 (338º/68º) was collared from the same pad as CL25017 at a steeper dip to test for an extension of PO Zone mineralization at a deeper level. This hole intersected different phases of the composite Little Deer Lake pluton, which hosts the Contact Lake deposit, that were not encountered in hole CL25017. Within and below the Bakos Shear zone, a 22.0m continuous zone of mineralization returned 0.90 g/t Au between 491.0-513.0m down-hole depth. Two more narrow higher-grade zones were intercepted within this range that returned 1.72 g/t Au over 3.6m (501.0-504.6m) and 1.89 g/t Au over 4.0m (509.0-513.0m).

Hole CL25019 (338º/-45º) was collared 440m NNW of holes CL25017 and CL25018 at the furthest northwestern edge of the Contact Lake mine site to test the potential for gold mineralization in the footwall of the Bakos Shear Zone. Intermittent narrow <1.5m horizons of gold mineralization were intersected throughout the hole within the weakly sheared granite and granodiorite hosts. The final 1.0m sample at a down-hole depth of 364.0m returned 4.55 g/t Au over 1.0m. 

Table 1: Drill Hole Results at Contact Lake (January, 2026)

Summary of Assay Results for 2025 Drilling
Drill Hole #	From (m)	To (m)	Width (m)	Au (g/t)	Gram-Metre (g-m)
CL25001	41.50	71.00	29.50	0.56	16.60
CL25002	39.26	68.87	29.61	2.49	73.85
including	39.26	41.47	2.21	27.09	59.87
and	94.00	110.00	16.00	0.42	6.78
and	241.00	251.61	10.61	0.47	4.99
CL25003	46.88	53.89	7.01	0.66	4.60
and	69.00	92.00	23.00	7.89	181.46
including	75.00	81.89	6.89	23.86	164.40
and	121.00	164.25	43.25	7.03	304.05
including	155.00	164.25	9.25	30.06	278.07
CL25004	157.45	159.51	2.06	8.37	17.25
CL25005	100.06	106.00	5.94	5.66	33.61
including	100.06	102.50	2.44	11.83	28.86
and	142.00	144.55	2.55	42.95	109.52
CL25006	272.00	287.00	15.00	7.28	109.27
Including	272.00	278.00	6.00	16.69	100.13
including	272.00	275.00	3.00	30.41	91.23
CL25007	329.50	369.00	39.50	4.43	174.84
including	329.50	345.00	15.50	5.76	89.26
Including	329.50	335.50	6.00	9.43	56.60
and	367.00	369.00	2.00	37.31	74.62
CL25008	139.00	145.00	6.00	7.41	44.44
and	155.00	156.35	1.35	6.27	8.46
and	268.00	273.00	5.00	7.74	38.69
and	313.58	316.50	2.92	6.07	17.72
CL25009	85.50	88.33	2.83	9.23	26.11
and	199.00	202.00	3.00	8.49	25.46
and	242.89	245.00	2.11	6.19	13.06
CL25010	188.50	195.28	6.78	4.23	28.71
including	192.00	195.28	3.28	6.72	22.05
CL25011	217.15	218.25	1.10	5.86	6.45
CL25012	133.00	136.37	3.37	2.97	10.01
and	194.00	199.50	5.50	1.76	9.68
including	194.00	195.40	1.40	5.56	7.78
CL25013	77.40	79.00	1.60	4.13	6.61
and	135.00	136.00	1.00	13.20	13.20
and	190.00	194.00	4.00	2.00	8.00
and	193.00	194.00	1.00	5.42	5.42
CL25014	484.00	489.00	5.00	5.03	25.15
and	484.00	486.00	2.00	10.68	21.36
and	507.00	530.00	23.00	1.24	28.52
including	512.50	523.00	10.50	2.15	22.58
and	521.00	523.00	2.00	7.90	15.80
CL25015	512.15	526.00	13.85	1.90	26.32
including	512.15	513.21	1.06	14.95	15.85
including	523.50	526.00	2.50	3.46	8.65
and	536.75	538.60	1.85	12.06	22.31
and	575.00	579.00	4.00	4.91	19.64
CL25016	465.56	503.00	37.44	2.62	98.09
including	469.80	478.80	9.00	5.70	51.30
including	469.80	471.50	1.70	10.09	17.15
and	469.80	488.00	18.20	4.09	74.44
including	476.50	478.80	2.30	11.53	26.52
CL25017	467.00	515.95	48.95	2.61	127.76
including	472.00	494.00	22.00	4.68	102.96
	472.00	487.00	15.00	5.73	85.95
	480.00	487.00	7.00	9.35	65.45
including	481.00	483.00	2.00	15.05	30.10
CL25018	501.00	504.60	3.60	1.72	6.19
and	509.00	513.00	4.00	1.89	7.56
CL25019	364.00	365.00	1.00	4.55	4.55

* Widths are drilled intercepts, true widths have not been determined. Gold values are length-weighted averages.

Figure 2: Cross Section of Contact Lake Drilling (Hole CL25014)
http://www.tridentresourcescorp.com/_resources/news/CL25014.jpg

Figure 3: Cross Section of Contact Lake Drilling (Hole CL25015)
http://www.tridentresourcescorp.com/_resources/news/CL25015.jpg

Figure 4: Cross Section of Contact Lake Drilling (Hole CL25016)
http://www.tridentresourcescorp.com/_resources/news/CL25016.jpg

Figure 5: Cross Section of Contact Lake Drilling (Holes CL25017 and CL25018)
http://www.tridentresourcescorp.com/_resources/news/CL25017-CL25018.jpg

Figure 6: Cross Section of Contact Lake Drilling (Hole CL25019)
http://www.tridentresourcescorp.com/_resources/news/CL25019.jpg

Contact Lake Gold Project Overview:

The Contact Lake Gold Project covers approximately 22,790 hectares and includes the past-producing Contact Lake gold mine, which produced approx. 190,000 ounces of gold at an average head grade of 6.16 g/t Au during active mining operations between 1994 to 1998. At the time of mine closure, the price of gold hovered around $300/oz (USD) and Cameco Corporation reported that substantial gold resources were left unmined. Situated in the highly prospective La Ronge Gold Belt of Saskatchewan, the Contact Lake Property also hosts the Preview SW, Preview North and the North Lake orogenic gold deposits. Along with the Greywacke North deposit (located 40km northeast of Contact Lake), these four deposits are wholly-owned by Trident Resources and host current Mineral Resource Estimates (see news release dated November 24^th, 2025) which does not include any ounces from the past producing Contact Lake target area.

Trident Resources Corp. – News Link

Quality Control:

All drill core is logged, photographed and cut in half with a diamond saw. Half of the core is placed in sealed poly bags with unique identification numbers and transported to ALS Global in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan for analysis, while the other half is archived and stored on site for verification and reference purposes.

At the lab, samples are received and digitally recorded then dried and pulverized into a fine powder. Gold is assayed using a 30g fire assay method and 49 additional elements are analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) utilizing a 4-acid digestion. Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QAQC) samples including field blanks, duplicates and lab-certified standards are inserted in the sample stream at a rate of greater than 10% of all samples submitted to the lab. ALS Global also conducts their own internal QAQC protocol.

Table 2: Drill Hole ID Contact Lake (January, 2026)

Hole ID	Easting	Northing	Azimuth	Dip	Depth(m)	Elevation (m)
CL25001	507933	6141324	336	-45	198	402
CL25002	507933	6141324	339	-55	311	402
CL25003	507941	6141303	360	-45	236	401
CL25004	507940	6141302	0	-55	182	401
CL25005	507943	6141302	339	-55	194	401
CL25006	508006	6141099	350	-55	362	403
CL25007	508005	6141099	349	-67	419	403
CL25008	507985	6141205	339	-60	344	400
CL25009	507961	6141252	339	-58	296	399
CL25010	507940	6141245	339	-48	230	405
CL25011	507941	6141245	339	-56	245	405
CL25012	507891	6141254	341	-45	209	413
CL25013	507891	6141254	341	-55	215	413
CL25014	507851	6140948	338	-62	548	419
CL25015	507679	6140715	335	-67	659	427
CL25016	507570	6140743	338	-63	560	441
CL25017	507546	6140709	338	-63	665	441
CL25018	507545	6140709	338	-68	596	441
CL25019	507384	6141116	338	-45	365	433

              * UTM Zone 13 NAD 83

Qualified Person:

The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 and reviewed and approved by Cornell McDowell, P.Geo., VP Exploration for Trident Resources and the Qualified Person for Trident as defined by NI 43-101.

About Trident Resources Corp.

Trident Resources Corp. is a Canadian public mineral exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange focused on the development, exploration and acquisition of advanced-stage gold and copper exploration projects in Saskatchewan, Canada. The Company is aggressively advancing its 100% owned Contact Lake and Greywacke Lake projects which host significant historical gold resources located within the prospective and underexplored La Ronge Gold Belt, as well as the 100% owned Knife Lake copper project which contains a historical copper resource.

For further information, please contact:

Trident Resources Corp.

Jonathan Wiesblatt, Chief Executive Officer
Email: Jon.Wiesblatt@tridentresourcescorp.com

For further information contact myself or:
Andrew J. Ramcharan, PhD, P.Eng., SVP Corporate Communications


Trident Resources Corp.
Telephone: 647-309-5130
Toll Free: 800-567-8181
Facsimile: 604-687-3119
www.tridentresourcescorp.com


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Forward-Looking Information and Statements:

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that management of the Company expects, are forward-looking statements.  Although management believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements, include market prices, exploration and development successes, regulatory approvals, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Please see the public filings of the Company at www.sedarplus.ca for further information.