Viridian Metals Commences 2026 Diamond Drill Program at the Kraken

OTTAWA, June 09, 2026 - Viridian Metals Inc. (CSE: VRDN) ("Viridian" or the "Company") announces that diamond drilling has commenced at its Kraken Copper-Nickel-Cobalt Project in Labrador, with the first drill now turning on the initial hole of the Company's fully funded 2026 exploration program.

The 2026 program is expected to consist of 50 diamond drill holes designed to systematically infill between widely spaced drill holes completed along the five-kilometre-long Main Zone conductive corridor, where mineralization has been intersected in holes spaced up to one kilometre apart. The program is designed to connect these broad-spaced intercepts into a continuous drill-defined mineralized footprint while testing extensions to previously identified zones of copper-nickel-cobalt sulphide mineralization.

"The start of drilling is a key milestone as we begin the largest drill program to date at Kraken, a program that is expected to double the number of drill holes completed on the project," said Tyrell Sutherland, President and CEO of Viridian Metals. "With sulphide mineralization confirmed over a five-kilometre strike length, the 2026 program is focused on confirming the scale of the Kraken system by linking widely spaced mineralized intercepts and expanding areas where previous drilling encountered significant sulphide accumulations."

_{Figure 1: The first drill of the 2026 program turning at the Kraken Main Zone. The drill is positioned at the base of an extensive gossan that occurs where the sulfide system comes to surface.}

The program will include follow-up drilling on previously reported mineralized intercepts, including areas where drill holes ended in mineralization or terminated before reaching their interpreted target depths. Several copper-rich zones identified during previous drilling campaigns will also be tested as the Company advances its understanding of the broader mineralized system.

The Kraken Project is located approximately 75-kilometres north of Churchill Falls, Labrador, and hosts a magmatic sulfide system extending over more than 35-kilometres within the same intrusive suite that hosts the Voisey's Bay deposit. Drilling to date has confirmed copper-nickel-cobalt sulfide mineralization at or near surface along approximately five-kilometres of the Main Zone conductor. Exploration of the broader system remains in its early stages, with only five of more than 60 conductors larger than the original Voisey's Bay discovery having been drill tested yielding massive sulfides in all cases.

The near-surface nature of mineralization at Kraken allows the Company to utilize a lightweight, man-portable drill that can be relocated between drill sites without helicopter support. The ability to rapidly move the drill by ground crews significantly reduces mobilization costs and enables efficient testing of targets across the project while maintaining a small environmental footprint.

Further updates will be provided as drilling progresses.

For more information on Viridian's upcoming projects please visit: viridianmetals.com

Qualified Person

Tyrell Sutherland, P.Geo (Ontario), President and CEO of Viridian Metals, who is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release.

About Viridian Metals

Viridian Metals is a pioneer and leader in generative metal exploration with a focus on environmental responsibility and ethical practices. Founded with the intention of discovering new critical metals deposits with the potential to transform the metal supply chain. We leverage innovative technologies and methods to enhance efficiency and sustainability in jurisdictions eager to be leaders in supplying the energy transition. Viridian maintains expertise in a range of critical metals with a primary focus on copper, nickel and cobalt in the near term. Our commitment to integrity and transparency fosters strong partnerships with both local and global stakeholders.

For further information, please contact:

Viridian Metals
Tyrell Sutherland
CEO
Telephone: (613) 884-8332
Email: Info@viridianmetals.com

Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Information

This news release contains statements which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of Viridian with respect to future business activities and operating performance.

Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" (or other variations of the foregoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or come to pass. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding: (i) the timing, commencement, scope, design and completion of the planned 2026 drill program at the Kraken Copper-Nickel Project, including the minimum number of holes, targeted depths and the timing of drill mobilization; (ii) the expectation that the 2026 program will connect broad-spaced and tighter-spaced drilling into a continuous drill-defined mineralized footprint along the Main Zone; (iii) the potential to expand mineralization through extension drilling on holes that previously ended in mineralization or stopped short of their interpreted target depths, including holes VKS25-024 and VKS24-003; (iv) the expectation that sulphide accumulations are thicker than originally anticipated and that downhole electromagnetic surveying will assist in vectoring toward such accumulations; (v) the potential for positive future drill results, including assays not yet received; (vi) the business plans and expectations of Viridian; and (vii) expectations for other economic, business and/or competitive factors in respect of Viridian.

Forward-looking information is based on currently available competitive, financial and economic data and operating plans, strategies or beliefs as of the date of this news release, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Viridian to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors may be based on information currently available to Viridian, including information obtained from third-party industry analysts and other third-party sources, and are based on management's current expectations or beliefs. Any and all forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflects management's expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Forward-looking information reflects Viridian's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to it and on assumptions it believes to be not unreasonable in light of all of the circumstances. In some instances, material factors or assumptions are discussed in this news release in connection with statements containing forward-looking information. Such material factors and assumptions include, but are not limited to: the availability of drill rigs, qualified personnel and contractors on the timelines anticipated; the ability to obtain and maintain all required permits, surface access rights and Indigenous and community consents to conduct the planned program; weather, site access and logistical conditions in Labrador remaining consistent with the Company's expectations; the accuracy of the Company's geological models and the Company's interpretations of prior drilling, geophysical surveys and modeled conductor plates; the continued availability of financing and working capital to fund the program through to completion; commodity prices for copper, nickel and cobalt remaining at levels supportive of the program; the absence of material adverse changes in applicable laws, regulations or political conditions; the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East and any actions taken by other countries in response thereto, such as sanctions or export controls; and anticipated and unanticipated costs and other factors referenced in the Company's continuous disclosure record available on SEDAR+, including, but not limited to, those set forth in the Filing Statement under the caption "Risk Factors". Although Viridian has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this news release and, other than as required by law, Viridian disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/24f7f861-8d4b-4ad5-a6d1-e17a1432a07d