Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. reported a new near-surface copper discovery as well as excellent drill results that confirm thick, high-grade copper over an expansive and growing footprint at the Storm Copper Project on Somerset Island, Nunavut, Canada. The program is being conducted by American West Metals Limited ("American West"), who are the project operator since entering an option agreement with Aston Bay in March 2021. The first batch of assay results from the summer 2023 resource drilling program have been received which includes all drill holes from the 2750N Zone, and five additional drill holes at the 4100N Zone (assays are still pending for the remainder of the 4100N Zone drilling).

Exploration RC drill hole SR23-52 was drilled to a depth of 119m and completed in a largely untested area of significant outcropping chalcocite. The drill hole was designed to test an untested airborne VTEM target in an area with a single, shallow historical drill hole (ST97-06 2.6m core length @ 6.83% Cu from 35.4m), midway between the high-grade 2750N and 2200N Zones. Diamond drill hole SM23-01 was completed for resource infill and QAQC purposes.

The drill hole was completed along section 466200E and designed to scissor 2022 drill hole ST22-02 (57m @ 2.5% Cu from 8m downhole). In April 2023, 2023, the drill hole was completed in the second half of 2023, and the first batch of assay results from The summer 2023 resource drilling program has been received which includes all drill hole from the 2750N zone, and five additional drill holes At the 4100N Zone (assays are still pending for the remaining 4100N Zone drilling). Lightning Ridge discovery comes on the heels of the Thunder Zone discovery earlier this summer.

The drill hole was drilled to a depth of119m and completed in a largely underexplored area of significant outcropping Chalcocite (dark grey) in dense brecciation, veining and faulting (now rubble). The interval is from approximately 62.85m to 78m downhole and contains an average grade of 6.4% Cu between 65m and 73.3m. The first batch of assay Results from the summer 2023 resource drill program have been received which includes All drill holes from the 2750 N Zone, and five additional drill hole at the 4100N Zone.

The drill hole was completed across section 466200E and design to scissor 2022 drill holes ST22-02 (57 m @ 2.5% Cu From 8m downhole). In October 2023, the first batch of assay results of the 2750N Zone, the 4100N Zone drilling program has been received which is received which includes all drill holes for the 2750N Zone, and five additional drill holes in the 4100N Zone.