| Oceanagold/Headwater Gold Commence Drilling at TJ Project, Nevada 
 thenewswire.com
 
 Vancouver, British Columbia - TheNewswire - October 22, 2025:   Headwater Gold Inc. (CSE: HWG) (OTCQB: HWAUF) (the "Company" or   "Headwater") is pleased to announce the commencement of drilling on the   TJ project, located in northeastern Nevada. The program is expected to   total approximately 1,500 metres of core drilling, fully funded through   an earn-in agreement with OceanaGold Corporation (TSX: OGC, OTCQX: OCANF) (“OceanaGold”) announced on October 15, 2025.
 
 Highlights:
 
 
 Caleb Stroup, President and CEO of the Company, states: “We   are extremely pleased to be launching the first drill program under  our  recently announced partnership with OceanaGold. Their team brings  deep  technical experience in low-sulfidation epithermal systems and  we’re  excited to collaborate as we advance the TJ project. This marks  the  start of what we expect to be a productive and discovery-driven   exploration partnership across multiple projects in northern Nevada.   With OceanaGold’s support, we can now systematically test the   high-quality vein targets we’ve defined at TJ and move one step closer   to realizing the district-scale potential we see in this system.”  Approximately 1,500 metres of core drilling planned: The drill program is planned to consist of 4 to 6 holes and test multiple epithermal vein targets.  
 
  Fully Funded Program:The   drill program is fully funded by OceanaGold through an option and   earn-in transaction announced October 15, 2025 that includes a US $1M   minimum expenditure commitment by OceanaGold on the TJ project.   
 
  Priority focus on the East Sinter fault target: Test   high-grade epithermal vein targets identified by Headwater’s 2024 RC   scout drilling program. The 2024 program identified widespread   silicification and epithermal veining as well as broad intervals of   anomalous gold mineralization in the hanging wall of the East Sinter   fault. We interpret that initial drilling did not penetrate sufficient  depths to test for potential high-grade veins  
 
  Additional drilling to target major structures in the core of the alteration cell: Structural   targets supported by CSAMT resistivity, geology, and surface   geochemical datasets will be tested along the main structural corridor.   
 
 
 
  Click Image To View Full Size
 
 2025 TJ Drill Program
 
 The 2025 drill program is expected to consist of 1,500 m of core drilling to test two target areas (Figures 1 and 2):
 
 East Sinter Fault Target:  Drilling  will target the down-dip projection of the East Sinter fault,  a major  west-dipping structural zone that hosts widespread epithermal  alteration  capped by a thick silica sinter. The initial reverse  circulation (“RC”)  drill test, completed by Headwater in 2024 ( see news release dated January 16, 2025),   revealed broad intervals of silicification, veining, and anomalous  gold  mineralization in the hanging wall of the East Sinter fault. For   example, RC drillhole TJ24-04 intercepted 123.44 m grading 0.150 g/t Au   including 0.741 g/t Au over 1.52 m. Thin chalcedonic quartz veins   correspond with the highest-grade samples and have distinctive   epithermal vein textures, which together with anomalous epithermal   pathfinder element zonation suggest good potential for fault-hosted   feeder veins deeper in the system. The 2025 drill program will target   the inferred boiling horizon at depths of 150 to 300 m below surface,   along the > 1 km mapped strike extent of the East Sinter fault   (Figure 1). Following completion of a three-hole drill fan beneath the   silica sinter cap (Figure 2), step-out holes 250 m to the north and   south are planned to test for continuation of the mineralized structure   at favorable depths.
 
 Jackpot Fault Target:  The  Jackpot fault bounds the western margin of known silicification  and  veining in the hanging wall of the East Sinter fault (Figure 1).  The  Jackpot fault is characterized by a major, >2 km-long break in  CSAMT  resistivity (Figure 2) that may represent either a splay or  roughly  parallel structure to the East Sinter fault. Historic RC  drilling  encountered difficult conditions in the Jackpot fault zone and  failed to  fully test the structure but returned anomalous gold  mineralization.  The 2025 drill program will first test the fault at  relatively high  elevations to determine the geometry and nature of  alteration localized  along the structure. If successful, an existing  cased hole (TJ24-04) can  be re-entered to effectively test the Jackpot  fault at depth.
 
 About the TJ Project
 
 The TJ project is located on BLM land in a relatively  underexplored  area of northeastern Nevada, approximately 25 km southeast  of the town  of Jackpot. The project area contains indications of a  fully preserved  epithermal system, including a thick and laterally  extensive  accumulation of silica sinter. Epithermal alteration is  localized along  a series of steeply inclined faults that bound a graben  filled with  Miocene-age sedimentary rocks.
 
 Limited historic exploration  on the property included  shallow RC drilling that confirmed the  presence of a broad zone of  high-level epithermal alteration. In 2024,  Headwater completed an  initial round of scout drilling which confirmed  the project has  potential for high-grade epithermal vein-style  mineralization at depth ( see news release dated January 16, 2025).    The follow-up 2025 core drilling program is underway and will test   prospective epithermal structures at depth that were identified during   the 2024 program.
 
 Headwater holds an option to acquire a 100%  undivided  interest in the TJ project, subject to retained royalties  and subject to  OceanaGold’s option to acquire up to 65% of the project  following  certain expenditures and preparation of a Pre-Feasibility  Study within a  designated time frame.
 
 
  Click Image To View Full Size
 
 Figure  2: Interpreted geologic cross  section through A-A’ with Headwater  drillholes showing anomalous Au-Ag  intercepts (continuous zones of  assays greater than 50 ppb Au),  generalized geology and silica  alteration, conceptual vein targets, and  planned drillholes (top  image); and generalized geology and silica  alteration with CSAMT  geophysics apparent resistivity profile (bottom  image).
 
 About Headwater Gold
 
 Headwater Gold Inc. (CSE: HWG, OTCQB: HWAUF) is a  technically-driven  mineral exploration company focused on exploring for  and discovering  high-grade precious metal deposits in the Western USA.   Headwater is  actively exploring one of the world’s most well-endowed,   mining-friendly jurisdictions, with a goal of making world-class   precious metal discoveries.  The Company has a large portfolio of   epithermal vein exploration projects and a technical team with diverse   experience in capital markets and major mining companies.  Headwater is   systematically drill-testing several projects in Nevada and has   strategic earn-in agreements with OceanaGold on its TJ, Jake Creek, and   Hot Creek projects as well as Newmont Corporation on its Spring Peak  and  Lodestar projects.  In August 2022 and September 2024, Newmont and   Centerra Gold Inc. acquired strategic equity interests in the Company,   further strengthening Headwater’s exploration capabilities.
 
 For more information about Headwater, please visit the Company's website at  www.headwatergold.com.
 
 Headwater is part of the NewQuest Capital Group which is a   discovery-driven investment enterprise that builds value through the   incubation and financing of mineral projects and companies.  Further   information about NewQuest can be found on the company website at  www.nqcapitalgroup.com.
 
 On Behalf of the Board of Directors
 
 Caleb Stroup
 
 President and CEO
 
 +1 (775) 409-3197
 
 cstroup@headwatergold.com
 
 For further information, please contact:
 
 Brennan Zerb
 
 Investor Relations Manager
 
 +1 (778) 867-5016
 
 bzerb@headwatergold.com
 
 Qualified Person
 
 The technical information contained in this news release  has been  reviewed and approved by Dr. Gregory Dering, P.Geo (AIPG  CPG-12298), a  “Qualified Person” (“QP”) as defined in National  Instrument 43-101 –  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Dr.  Dering is not  independent by reason of being the Company’s Vice  President of  Exploration.
 
 References
 
 Forward-Looking Statements:
 
 This  news release includes certain  forward-looking statements and  forward-looking information  (collectively, “forward-looking  statements”) within the meaning of  applicable Canadian securities  legislation. All statements, other than  statements of historical fact,  included herein including, without  limitation, statements regarding  future capital expenditures,  exploration activities and the  specifications, targets, results,  analyses, interpretations, benefits,  costs and timing of them, Newmont  and OceanaGold’s anticipated   funding of the earn-in projects and the timing thereof, and the   anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the   Company, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes   that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such   expectations will prove to be correct. Often, but not always,   forward-looking information can be identified by words such as “pro   forma”, “plans”, “expects”, “may”, “should”, “budget”, “scheduled”,   “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, “believes”,   “potential” or variations of such words including negative variations   thereof, and phrases that refer to certain actions, events or results   that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved.   Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks,   uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results,   performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any   future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by  the  forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include,  among  others, risks related to the anticipated business plans and  timing of  future activities of the Company, including the Company’s  exploration  plans and the proposed expenditures for exploration work  thereon, the  ability of the Company to obtain sufficient financing to  fund its  business activities and plans, the risk that Newmont or  OceanaGold will  not elect to obtain any additional prognostic interest  in the earn-in  projects in excess of the minimum commitment, the  ability of the Company  to obtain the required permits, changes in laws,  regulations and  policies affecting mining operations, the Company’s  limited operating  history, currency fluctuations, title disputes or  claims, environmental  issues and liabilities, as well as those factors  discussed under the  heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s prospectus  dated May 26, 2021  and other filings of the Company with the Canadian  Securities  Authorities, copies of which can be found under the  Company’s profile on  the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca.
 
 Readers  are cautioned not to place  undue reliance on forward-looking  statements. The Company undertakes no  obligation to update any of the  forward-looking statements, except as  otherwise required by law.
 
 
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