Pacific Empire Intersects 183.0 Metres of 1.23% CuEq Starting at 9.0 Metres, Including 71.5 Metres of 1.80% CuEq at Trident A Zone, British Columbia

Vancouver, December 15, 2025 - Pacific Empire Minerals Corp. (TSXV: PEMC) ("Pacific Empire", "PEMC" or the "Company"), a copper-gold explorer based in British Columbia, is pleased to announce initial assay results from the upper portion of the first hole of its 2025 winter diamond drilling program at the Trident copper-gold project in north-central British Columbia. These initial results, which represent only the upper portion of Hole DD25-TRI-001, demonstrate broad, near-surface copper-gold mineralization consistent with the interpreted A Zone porphyry system. Assays for the remainder of Hole DD25-TRI-001, together with results from five additional drill holes completed during the 2025 winter program, are pending and represent near-term catalysts to further define the scale, continuity, and grade distribution of mineralization at Trident. Results reported represent the strongest copper-gold mineralization intersected at Trident to date and materially advance the Company's geological understanding and exploration model for a potentially significant porphyry copper-gold system.

Highlights - A Zone (Hole DD25-TRI-001, Upper Portion)

• 183.0 metres grading 1.23% CuEq from 9.0 metres to 192.0 metres in Hole DD25-TRI-001 (0.772% Cu, 0.51 g/t Au, 3.4 g/t Ag), demonstrating broad, near-surface copper-gold mineralization consistent with the interpreted A Zone porphyry system.

• Including 71.5 metres grading 1.80% CuEq from 21.0 metres to 92.5 metres (1.06% Cu, 0.83 g/t Au, 4.6 g/t Ag), representing a higher-grade interval within the broader mineralized zone.

• Including 14.8 metres grading 1.91% CuEq from 22.7 metres to 37.5 metres (1.23% Cu, 0.75 g/t Au, 5.5 g/t Ag), highlighting strong copper-gold-silver grades within the upper portion of the high-grade zone.

• Including several high-grade gold-rich intervals, such as:
  • 0.50 metres grading 4.02% CuEq from 34.1 metres to 34.6 metres (2.10% Cu, 2.16 g/t Au, 12.3 g/t Ag);
  • 1.0 metre grading 2.50% CuEq from 46.0 metres to 47.0 metres (1.65% Cu, 0.94 g/t Au, 6.6 g/t Ag); and
  • 1.25 metres grading 11.01% CuEq from 59.0 metres to 60.25 metres (1.32% Cu, 11.45 g/t Au, 10.9 g/t Ag).

• Additional near-surface mineralization includes 19.1 metres grading 1.61% CuEq from 73.4 metres to 92.5 metres (0.923% Cu, 0.77 g/t Au, 4.6 g/t Ag), including 0.65 metres grading 6.87% CuEq from 80.0 metres to 80.7 metres (2.56% Cu, 4.96 g/t Au, 16.8 g/t Ag).

• Multiple additional mineralized intervals were intersected deeper in the hole, including 26.6 metres grading 1.45% CuEq from 99.9 metres to 126.5 metres (0.929% Cu, 0.57 g/t Au, 4.8 g/t Ag), demonstrating continuity of copper-gold mineralization at depth.

• Reported results represent only the upper portion of Hole DD25-TRI-001; assays for the remainder of the hole are pending.

A total of six diamond drill holes were completed for 2,603 metres across three priority target areas:

• Three holes (DD25-TRI-001, DD25-TRI-005 & DD25-TRI-006) were drilled at the A Zone, following up on historical copper-gold mineralization and new geological modelling.

• Two holes (DD25-TRI-002 & DD25-TRI-003) tested an area 400 metres north of the A Zone, where subsurface geophysical trends suggested potential extensions of the system.

• One hole (DD25-TRI-004) targeted a significant resistivity anomaly identified in the 2024 MobileMT airborne magnetotelluric survey, located in the central part of the property.

"These results materially advance our understanding of Trident and are exactly the type of outcome we were hoping for as we continue to advance the project," said Brad Peters, President and CEO of Pacific Empire. "The A Zone drilling has identified broad intervals of strong copper-gold mineralization from near-surface, including a substantial higher-grade interval, which significantly elevates the exploration potential at Trident. Importantly, our step-out drilling to the north and our test of the large MobileMT resistivity anomaly will provide critical information for the next phase of drilling. The combination of strong copper grades, gold enrichment, potassic alteration and magnetite is a hallmark of well-developed porphyry copper-gold systems in British Columbia, and we believe we are working in the right part of such a system."

Geological context indicates that Hole DD25-TRI-001 intersected potassic-altered, magnetite-bearing porphyritic intrusive rocks hosting copper-gold mineralization, as evidenced by elevated copper and gold values, consistent iron content, and low lead-zinc-arsenic levels within the reported interval. While a single drill hole provides only a limited window into the geometry of the system, the alteration and geochemical characteristics observed are consistent with mineralization associated with a porphyry copper-gold environment. These results support continued follow-up drilling to evaluate the lateral and vertical extent of mineralization at Trident.

From surface to approximately 77 metres depth, Hole DD25-TRI-001 intersected a continuous sequence of monzodiorite and hornblende-feldspar porphyry, characterized by fine- to medium-grained, crowded feldspar-phyric textures. These intrusive rocks display consistent potassic alteration, marked by fine biotite, abundant magnetite, and localized K-feldspar mottling. Copper mineralization occurs primarily as disseminated and fracture-controlled chalcopyrite ± pyrite, with locally observed bornite, indicating locally higher copper intensity, and is commonly associated with narrow quartz-magnetite veinlets. This alteration and mineralization assemblage is characteristic of the central to proximal portions of an alkaline copper-gold porphyry system. Importantly, the recognition of porphyritic intrusive phases-whether mineralized or weakly mineralized-is a critical element in porphyry exploration, as such intrusions define the plumbing architecture of the system and provide key vectors toward higher-grade or more strongly mineralized domains. No major lithological or alteration breaks were observed within this near-surface interval, and a locally higher-grade, gold-bearing veinlet occurs within the broader copper-rich zone, highlighting the potential for gold-enriched domains within the Trident system.

Figure 1 - Southwest-northeast cross section through the A Zone at the Trident copper-gold project, showing diamond drill holes DD25-TRI-001 and DD25-TRI-006 together with selected historical drilling. Assay intervals from DD25-TRI-001 are displayed with copper grades (right side of hole trace) and gold grades (left side of hole trace), highlighting a broad zone of near-surface copper-gold mineralization. Hole DD25-TRI-001 returned 183.0 metres grading 1.23% CuEq, including 71.5 metres grading 1.80% CuEq, from the upper portion of the hole. Lithological interpretation indicates mineralization hosted primarily within hornblende-feldspar porphyry and associated intrusive phases. Assays for deeper portions of DD25-TRI-001 and for DD25-TRI-006 are pending.

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Table 1 - Selected down-hole composite intervals from DD25-TRI-001 demonstrating broad, continuous copper-gold mineralization from near surface to 192.0 metres down hole, including multiple higher-grade internal zones. The results highlight the scale and continuity of mineralization within the Trident porphyry system and provide important context for follow-up drilling.

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Drill intercepts reported herein are based on down-hole lengths. At this stage of exploration, the true thickness and orientation of the mineralized zones are not yet known. Additional drilling and geological modelling will be required to determine the true width of the reported mineralization.

CuEq Calculation

Copper equivalent ("CuEq") values are calculated using the following metal prices: US$5.00/lb copper, US$3,000/oz gold, and US$35.00/oz silver, with assumed metallurgical recoveries of 92% for copper, 88% for gold, and 85% for silver.

The CuEq calculation is intended to express the combined value of copper, gold, and silver mineralization within individual drill intervals on a consistent basis and is provided for illustrative purposes only. No metallurgical testing has been completed at this stage, and the Company cautions that actual recoveries may differ from the assumptions used.

Metal prices used in the CuEq calculation reflect an elevated commodity price environment, are conservative relative to recent spot prices, and are intended solely for comparative purposes.

Figure 2 - Location map showing Pacific Empire Minerals Corp.'s Trident and Pinnacle copper-gold projects in north-central British Columbia, together with selected nearby exploration and mining projects operated by other companies. The map highlights the regional setting of PEMC's land position within the Hogem Ranges and its proximity to known copper-gold systems, including the Kwanika Cu-Au project and the Mt. Milligan mine.

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Table 2 - Collar locations, orientations, and final depths of diamond drill holes completed during the 2025 winter drilling program at the Trident Project. Coordinates are reported in NAD 83, UTM Zone 10N. Drill holes were designed to test mineralization at the A Zone, step-out targets to the north, and a central MobileMT resistivity anomaly.

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Figure 3 - Plan-view IP chargeability slice at approximately 250 metres depth, displayed in NAD 83 UTM Zone 10 coordinates. Warmer colours represent higher chargeability, while cooler colours indicate lower chargeability. The locations of 2025 diamond drill holes are shown for reference, highlighting the spatial relationship between elevated chargeability responses and current drill testing.

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Figure 4 - Plan-view resistivity image from the 2007 Fugro airborne Mag-EM survey, shown as a 56,000 Hz apparent resistivity slice and displayed in NAD 83 UTM Zone 10 coordinates. Warmer colours (pinks to reds) represent areas of higher resistivity, while cooler colours (greens to blues) indicate lower resistivity. The locations of 2025 diamond drill holes are overlain for reference, illustrating the spatial relationship between resistivity patterns and the chargeability responses shown in the preceding figure.

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Challenging Winter Conditions

Drilling during this winter program required significant operational flexibility. Following a period of sustained sub-zero temperatures and snowfall, a rapid shift to warm, wet weather created difficult access conditions, particularly in the central resistivity target area where road surfaces deteriorated quickly. When temperatures again dropped below freezing, sections of the access trail developed hard ice on steep slopes, requiring additional safety measures and rerouting. Despite these challenges, Omineca Drilling maintained excellent productivity and safely completed all planned holes, drilling a total of 2,603 metres, exceeding the originally planned 2,500-metre program.

Ongoing Work

Assays from the remaining holes are pending and will be released once received and reviewed. Results to date are being used to refine geological and geophysical vectors for follow-up drilling. Geological interpretation, 3D modelling, and integration of MobileMT data with drilling results are currently underway.

Strategic Importance

The Trident drill program comes at a time when global copper demand is accelerating due to electrification, grid expansion, and electric vehicle adoption. At the same time, new large-scale copper discoveries have become increasingly rare, underscoring the importance of exploring in proven, mining-friendly jurisdictions such as British Columbia. With gold also consistently present as a by-product credit in the system, Trident has the potential to deliver the combination of size, grade, and precious metals that makes porphyry copper-gold deposits particularly attractive.

Pacific Empire believes the 2025 drill program represents a critical opportunity in the Trident property's 50-year history of exploration. The combination of historical mineralization at the A Zone, overlapping geophysical and geochemical anomalies at the porphyry target, and newly permitted access to never-before-drilled breccia targets creates a unique discovery opportunity. With the 2025 winter drill program now complete and additional assays pending, PEMC is well positioned to advance Trident toward what could be a significant gold-enriched copper porphyry discovery.

Quality Assurance and Quality Control

Quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) procedures included the insertion of certified reference materials, blanks, and preparation duplicates into the sample stream. QA/QC samples were submitted as blind samples to the laboratory. The results indicate acceptable analytical accuracy and precision, with no evidence of significant contamination.

Diamond drill core was recovered using NQ-sized core. Core was logged for lithology, alteration, mineralization, and structure prior to sampling. Samples were collected on nominal 1.5-metre intervals, adjusted as required to respect geological boundaries. All samples consisted of half-core, with the remaining half retained for reference and potential future analysis.

Analytical Procedures

Sample preparation and analysis were conducted by ALS Canada Ltd. at its sample preparation facility in North Vancouver, British Columbia, with analyses performed at ALS laboratories in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Lima, Peru. ALS laboratories are independent of the Company and are ISO/IEC 17025 accredited for the analytical methods employed.

Core samples were prepared using ALS method PREP-31A, which includes crushing and pulverizing to produce a representative pulp. Gold analyses were completed by fire assay with ICP-AES finish (Au-ICP21). Multi-element analyses, including copper and silver, were performed using four-acid digestion with ICP-MS (ME-MS61). High-grade copper samples were re-analyzed using ore-grade four-acid digestion with ICP-AES (Cu-OG62), and over-limit multi-element values were determined using ME-OG62. Sample sizes were consistent with ALS standard preparation protocols.

Marketing Engagement

The Company has engaged Hillside Consulting and Media Inc., a British Columbia-based marketing and investor relations firm, to assist with investor awareness and digital outreach initiatives in support of the Company's exploration activities. The engagement is for a total fee of CAD $45,000, plus applicable taxes. Hillside will provide marketing and communications services designed to enhance the Company's visibility with the investment community. Hillside Consulting and Media Inc. does not have any direct or indirect interest in the Company or its securities.

Other Matters

The latest President's Newsletter, along with updated maps and Corporate Presentation, are now available at www.pemcorp.ca.

About Trident

The Trident property is an early exploration stage property hosting an alkalic porphyry copper-gold-silver prospect with district-scale potential that is accessible by vehicle. The property is located approximately 50 km southeast of the Kwanika deposit owned by Northwest Copper Corp. and 50 km to the northwest of Centerra Gold's Mt. Milligan Mine. The property covers 6,618 hectares endowed with well-established logging roads providing efficient access to support ongoing exploration programs.

In 2022, Pacific Empire acquired a 100% interest in the property in exchange for granting the vendors a 2% net smelter return royalty ("NSR"). One-half (1%) of the 2% NSR which may be purchased for $500,000 by Pacific Empire.

About Pinnacle

The Pinnacle project is located 60 km west of Centerra Gold's Mt. Milligan Copper-Gold Mine and 30 km southeast of NorthWest Copper's Kwanika Copper-Gold Deposit in a proven copper-gold porphyry district. Access to the Pinnacle is by road including a new and expanding network of logging roads and trails throughout the main target areas. This improved access is a significant development and is anticipated to contribute to cost effective drill support and provides additional bedrock exposure.

Qualified Person's Statement

Kristian Whitehead, P.Geo., is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Whitehead is independent of Pacific Empire Minerals Corp. as defined in NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release.

About Pacific Empire

Pacific Empire is a copper exploration company based in Vancouver, British Columbia and trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol PEMC. The Company has a district-scale land position in north-central British Columbia totaling 22,541 hectares.

British Columbia is a "Green" copper jurisdiction with abundant hydroelectric power, access and infrastructure in close proximity to the end market.

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.

Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this news release may involve forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", and "intend", statements that an action or event "may", "might", "could", "should", or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following risks: the need for additional financing; operational risks associated with mineral exploration; fluctuations in commodity prices; title matters; environmental liability claims and insurance; reliance on key personnel; the potential for conflicts of interest among certain officers, directors or promoters with certain other projects; the absence of dividends; competition; dilution; the volatility of our common share price and volume and the additional risks identified the management discussion and analysis section of our interim and most recent annual financial statement or other reports and filings with the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable Canadian securities regulations. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.

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