Appointments Add 15 Years of Rio Tinto Technical Study Experience and 35 Years of Idaho Permitting Leadership  BOISE, Idaho, Aug.  03, 2026  (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Idaho Copper Corp. (NYSE:COPR) (&#34;Idaho Copper&#34; or

COPR

Idaho Copper Corp. Appoints Ryan Mauser as Director of Technical Studies and Phillip J. Bandy Ogden as Director, Environmental, Governmental, and Community Affairs

Idaho Copper appoints Rio Tinto veteran and regulatory leader to advance CuMo

<section class="insight" data-version="1">
  <section data-block="information">
    <h3>Information</h3>
    <p>Appointments Add 15 Years of Rio Tinto Technical Study Experience and 35 Years of Idaho Permitting Leadership  BOISE, Idaho, Aug.  03, 2026  (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Idaho Copper Corp. (NYSE:COPR) (&amp;#34;Idaho Copper&amp;#34; or</p>
  </section>

  <section data-block="ai-summary-paragraph">
    <h3>AI Summary</h3>
    <p>Idaho Copper announced two senior hires—one from Rio Tinto and a veteran Idaho regulator—to bolster technical studies and permitting as the CuMo project advances toward an updated PEA and a Prefeasibility Study. The appointments aim to accelerate development, improve regulatory engagement, and de-risk capital decisions, potentially increasing the likelihood of securing approvals and financing as timelines tighten.</p>
  </section>

  <section data-block="ai-summary-bullets">
    <h3>Key Points</h3>
    <ul><li>Idaho Copper names Rio Tinto veteran Ryan Mauser as Director of Technical Studies.</li><li>Phillip J. Bandy Ogden appointed Director, Environmental, Governmental, and Community Affairs.</li><li>Appointments bolster CuMo&#039;s path to updated PEA and Prefeasibility Study.</li><li>CuMo spans 2,640 acres with 126 unpatented, 6 patented claims.</li><li>Management says the hires build capability to drive CuMo development forward.</li></ul>
  </section>

  <section data-block="companies-mentioned">
    <h3>Companies Mentioned</h3>
    <ul><li><strong>Idaho Copper Corp. (COPR)</strong>: Issuer of the press release; leadership changes support CuMo development and PEA/PFS milestones.</li><li><strong>Rio Tinto Group (RIO)</strong>: Former employer of Ryan Mauser; signals access to high-caliber technical leadership for CuMo.</li></ul>
  </section>

  <section data-block="category">
    <h3>Corporate Developments</h3>
    <p>Category: Corporate Developments. The article reports leadership appointments and project-development milestones, signaling potential acceleration of CuMo&#039;s PEA/PFS timeline and permitting strategy, relevant to COPR&#039;s development-led valuation.</p>
  </section>

  <section data-block="market-moving">
    <h3>Market-Moving</h3>
    <ul><li>Rio Tinto veteran appointment strengthens CuMo&#039;s technical study framework.</li><li>Enhanced permitting leadership aims to de-risk regulatory timelines.</li><li>Signals stronger execution capability for CuMo, potentially improving financing prospects.</li></ul>
  </section>

  <section data-block="key-facts">
    <h3>Key Facts</h3>
    <ul><li>Date of release: Aug 3, 2026.</li><li>Company: Idaho Copper Corp. (NYSE: COPR).</li><li>CuMo project located in Boise County, Idaho, spanning 2,640 acres.</li><li>CuMo contains 126 federal unpatented lode mining claims and 6 patented claims.</li><li>Appointments: Ryan Mauser (15 years at Rio Tinto) and Phillip J. Bandy Ogden (35+ years in permitting).</li></ul>
  </section>

  <section data-block="trading-thesis">
    <h3>Trading Thesis</h3>
    <p>Positive near-term catalyst; COPR could rise as PEA/PFS milestones approach over the next 12–18 months.</p>
  </section>
</section>


<link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/styles/gnw_nitf.css"></link><p align="center"><i>Appointments Add 15 Years of Rio Tinto Technical Study Experience and 35 Years of Idaho Permitting Leadership</i></p>  <p align="justify"><strong>BOISE, Idaho, Aug.  03, 2026  (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- </strong>Idaho Copper Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/COPR">COPR</a>) ("Idaho Copper" or the "Company"), a critical minerals developer advancing the flagship CuMo copper-molybdenum-silver project in Idaho, today announced the appointment of Ryan Mauser as Director of Technical Studies, and Phillip J. Bandy Ogden as Director, Environmental, Governmental, and Community Affairs, strengthening the Company’s technical and permitting leadership as it advances CuMo through an updated Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") and toward a Prefeasibility Study ("PFS").</p>  <p><b>Ryan Mauser, Director of Technical Studies</b></p>  <p align="justify">Mr. Mauser joins Idaho Copper following a 15-year career at Rio Tinto, a respected major mining house, most recently as Strategic Advisor to Rio Tinto Copper, including a secondment with the Oyu Tolgoi operation in Mongolia. He previously spent more than a decade at Rio Tinto Kennecott, home to the Bingham Canyon Mine, advancing from Senior Engineer, Strategic Mine Studies to Manager, Integrated Planning &amp; Systems, leading technical evaluation workstreams within Rio Tinto’s Order of Magnitude, Prefeasibility, and Feasibility study frameworks and supporting decisions on capital projects exceeding $100 million. He holds a B.S. in Mining Engineering from Pennsylvania State University and an M.B.A. from the University of Utah.</p>  <p><b>Phillip J. Bandy Ogden, Director, Environmental, Governmental, and Community Affairs</b></p>  <p align="justify">Mr. Bandy Ogden brings more than 35 years of leadership in environmental permitting, regulatory compliance, and government affairs across Idaho’s mining and natural resource sectors. A former senior Idaho state regulator – serving as Deputy Director, Deputy Division Administrator, and Bureau Chief – and a former Mayor of Eagle, Idaho, he has also served as Executive Vice President of Operations for Idaho CuMo Mining Corporation and as Senior Project Manager for Excellon Resources Inc. At Idaho Copper he leads environmental compliance, permitting, and National Environmental Policy Act ("NEPA") strategy for exploration under U.S. Forest Service authorizations and serves as primary liaison to federal, state, and local agencies and surrounding communities. He holds an M.P.A. and a B.S. in Geosciences from Boise State University and an M.S. in Geology from Idaho State University / Boise State University.</p>  <p align="justify"><b>Management Commentary</b></p>  <p align="justify">Andrew Brodkey, Chief Executive Officer of Idaho Copper, commented: "Ryan and Phil bring exactly the capabilities CuMo needs at this stage. Ryan spent 15 years at Rio Tinto building the integrated studies and capital evaluations a project of CuMo’s scale demands – major-mining-house discipline, directly transferable to the PFS program in front of us.</p>  <p align="justify">"Phil has spent more than 35 years at the center of environmental permitting and government affairs in Idaho, including prior work on CuMo itself. Taken together, we’re building the team needed to drive forward CuMo development for the benefit of our shareholders, the American industrial base and ultimately, the people of Idaho."</p>  <p><b>About Idaho Copper Corp.</b></p>  <p align="justify">Idaho Copper Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/COPR">COPR</a>) is a critical minerals developer focused on exploring and developing the CuMo copper-molybdenum-silver project located in Boise County, Idaho. The CuMo project is one of the largest undeveloped copper deposits in the western hemisphere, likely the largest undeveloped molybdenum deposit in the world, and contains significant amounts of silver, rhenium, and tungsten—all considered critical or of strategic importance. The project comprises approximately 2,640 acres and consists of 126 federal unpatented lode mining claims and 6 patented mining claims. To learn more, please visit <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=NSo7nbHPg7Erw3YnAHwePupq2YtdUcqfYk5_V1PCxveoj57Bvrg9QBxu7WduebSWjaXwfFazDKU4ZrfOHId-X8V8TkTo5rfp2FJCmoQ3QnM=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.idaho-copper.com</a>.</p>  <p><b>Safe Harbor Statement</b></p>  <p align="justify">With the exception of historical information contained in this press release, content herein may contain "forward-looking statements" that are made pursuant to the Safe Harbor Provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by using words such as "anticipate," "believe," "plan," "expect," "intend," "will," and similar expressions, but these words are not the exclusive means of identifying forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this release include statements regarding the appointments described herein, the Company’s planned updated Preliminary Economic Assessment and Prefeasibility Study, the Company’s permitting and regulatory activities, and statements relating to expected developments and growth in Idaho Copper’s business. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. In addition, this press release contains time-sensitive information that reflects management’s best analysis only as of the date of this press release. Idaho Copper does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events, information or circumstances that arise after the date of this release. Further information concerning issues that could materially affect financial performance or other forward-looking statements contained in this release can be found in Idaho Copper’s periodic filings with the SEC.</p>  <p><b>Investor Relations Contact:</b><br></br>Lucas A. Zimmerman<br></br>Managing Director<br></br>MZ Group - MZ North America<br></br>(262) 357-2918<br></br><a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=pw90SDaQ6-24Z6eTNTAhd1sLaG3aFmYW52b8bxtj_lyg9aTjFh_-UIYvtd31XRVVUCwb4vyq0_QI-ynaJkIFHnLibCZOW884_tbZcsw66-4=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">COPR@mzgroup.us</a><br></br><a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=AoFE3bJLDrB__l2Hk5A1vVz13Xw5i8LnkRrMVFCFVI_YqnDT7Nj3yihst8gOprT4vIhkUzJes2DZ26vi67ei5A==" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.mzgroup.us</a></p> <img alt="" class="__GNW8366DE3E__IMG" src="https://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/ti?nf=OTgwMjAwMyM3NzU0MTQ5IzUwMDExNjE3NQ=="></img> <br></br><img alt="" src="https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/ZWNiZjNkMGYtNmNlYi00MjhlLWFjNzMtMDk2YWE2Y2VmYmZmLTUwMDExNjE3NS0yMDI2LTA4LTAzLWVu/tiny/Idaho-Copper-Corporation.png" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade"></img><p><a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/20cbca79-c5a5-40a2-955b-7084ca457d42"><img src="https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/20cbca79-c5a5-40a2-955b-7084ca457d42/small/logo-png.png" border="0" width="150" height="72" alt="Primary Logo"></img></a></p>

Idaho Copper announced two senior hires—one from Rio Tinto and a veteran Idaho regulator—to bolster technical studies and permitting as the CuMo project advances toward an updated PEA and a Prefeasibility Study. The appointments aim to accelerate development, improve regulatory engagement, and de-risk capital decisions, potentially increasing the likelihood of securing approvals and financing as timelines tighten.

idaho-copper-corp-appoints-ryan-mauser-as-director-of-technical-studies-and-phillip-j-bandy-ogden-as-director-environmental-governmental-and-community-affairs

News insight

Idaho Copper Corp. Appoints Ryan Mauser as Director of Technical Studies and Phillip J. Bandy Ogden as Director, Environmental, Governmental, and Community Affairs

AI summary

Sentiment rationale

Key facts

Corporate Developments