Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 18, 2026) - Mercado Minerals Ltd. (CSE: MERC) (OTCQB: MRMNF) ("Mercado" or the "Company") announces further drill results from the Copalito Project ("Copalito" or the "Project") from its inaugural 3,000 metre diamond drill program located in Sinaloa, Mexico. Highlight results include 1.20 metres of 34 g/t silver, 3.40 g/t gold, 19.00% lead and 21.00% zinc (1120 g/t silver equivalent¹) within a larger 3.50 metre wide interval of 30 g/t silver, 1.94 g/t gold, 9.47% lead and 14.61% zinc (686 g/t silver equivalent¹) from 124.75 metres.

Highlights

• Drilling at 5 Señores Vein is now complete and expanded the productive strike length to approximately 800 metres and vertical depth to approximately 125 metres. During this drilling, a fault offset of 5 Señores vein was identified to the southeast with approximately 250 metre strike length. Initial drill testing has been completed and assays are pending.

• COP-26-014 at 5 Señores intersected a wide structural zone and returned 24.20 metres of 114 g/t silver, 0.50 g/t gold, 0.13% lead and 0.47% zinc (154 g/t silver equivalent¹) from 22.50 metres
  • Including 7.60 metres of 340 g/t silver, 1.22 g/t gold, 0.34% lead, and 1.18% zinc (434 g/t silver equivalent¹)
  • Including 2.10 metres of 569 g/t silver, 1.43 g/t gold, 0.93% lead, and 3.07% zinc (714 g/t silver equivalent¹)

• Drilling at El Agua has successfully intersected the vein from an aggressive step-out hole targeting a new steeper dipping interpretation of the structure. Mineralization remains open in all directions and provides a new and accretive centre for future focused drill testing.

• COP-26-012 at El Agua intersected 3.50 metres of 30 g/t silver, 1.94 g/t gold, 9.47% lead and 14.61% zinc (686 g/t silver equivalent¹) from 124.75 metres
  • Including 1.20 metres of 34 g/t silver, 3.40 g/t gold, 19.00% lead, and 21.00% zinc (1120 g/t silver equivalent¹)

CEO Comment
Daniel Rodriguez CEO & Director, commented:

"We are really pleased with our progress at Copalito. Drilling at 5 Señores has been able to extend both the strike and depth of the vein while surface work has defined an additional approximate 250 metres of fault offset strike length to the vein. Our first drill holes at El Agua have also returned exciting results that encourage us to focus on this vein during future drill tests. Drilling is ongoing with tests of the El Pilar Vein as well as first tests of the newly discovered and un-drilled Pilar Sur and El Medio veins. In addition to our drilling, we continue the progress of our surface work and are finding evidence of additional new vein mineralization and new soil anomalies that require future follow up.

"We believe that we are well on our way to showing a critical mass of productive vein structures within the Copalito project and look forward to building on these initial drill tests in the future."

Drill holes COP-26-004 to COP-26-015 tested both the 5 Señores and El Agua veins in a series of step out holes along strike and down dip of prior drilling. Infill drill holes COP-26-004 and COP-26-014 returned significant width and grades of mineralization at 5 Señores, while drill holes COP-26-009 and COP-26-010 successfully extended the drilled strike length to the southeast. COP-26-009 returned 6.15 metres of 141 g/t silver, 0.40 g/t gold, 0.17% lead and 0.51% zinc (173 g/t silver equivalent¹) from 83.55 metres, including 2.75 metres of 234 g/t silver, 0.73 g/t gold, 0.30% lead, and 0.86% zinc (293 g/t silver equivalent¹) within a broad structural zone that returned 18.05 metres of 83 g/t silver, 0.26 g/t gold, 0.11% lead and 0.71% zinc (106 g/t silver equivalent¹). Significant assay results from these holes are shown on Table 1, while the locations of the drill holes are shown in Figure 1 and Table 2.

Drill holes COP-26-012 and COP-26-013 tested the El Agua vein stepping out both along strike and to depth from previous drilling. COP-26-012 extended mineralization down dip approximately 65 metres and along strike 80 metres to the southeast from previous drilling. The drill hole intersected a quartz – carbonate – semi – massive sulphide vein that returned 3.50 metres of 30 g/t silver, 1.94 g/t gold, 9.47% lead and 14.61% zinc (686 g/t silver equivalent¹) from 124.75 metres, including 1.20 metres of 34 g/t silver, 3.40 g/t gold, 19.00% lead, and 21.00% zinc (1120 g/t silver equivalent¹).

Table 1 – Significant Drill Hole Intersections^1,2

1 Silver-equivalent values are calculated assuming typical recoveries based on metallurgical studies conducted on analogous epithermal vein deposits and are not necessarily reflective of metallurgy on the property. No metallurgical work has been reported on the property. The recoveries used are 91% silver, 94% gold, 70% lead, and 75% zinc. The silver - equivalent formula is: ((24 * silver (g/t)*0.91 / 31.1035) + (1900 * gold (g/t)*0.94 / 31.1035) + (0.90 * 2204 * lead %*0.7/100) + (1.10 * 2204 * zinc %*0.75/100))*(31.1035 / 24). Metal price assumptions are US$24/oz silver, US$1900/oz gold, US$0.90/lb lead and US$1.10/lb zinc. Numbers may not match due to rounding.

2 All intervals are drilled core lengths. Additional drilling is required to establish true widths.

Figure 1 – 5 Señores Vein and El Agua Vein Drill Hole Plan Map, Copalito Project.

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Figure 2 – 5 Señores Vein Long Section

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Figure 3 – El Agua Vein Long Section

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Table 2 – Drill Collar Location Data

Quality Assurance/Quality Control and Chain of Custody
Where samples were taken, drill core was sawn in half, with one half being sent for analysis and the remaining half kept in the core box for record. Duplicate samples, standard reference materials and blanks were inserted by Mercado personnel at regular intervals into the sample stream. Drill core was sawn and bagged, with bagged samples being grouped into rice bags and secured by a locking security tag with a unique security tag identification number. Sample batches were transported from the logging site in Copalito to a secured courier transport service vehicle provided by ALS Laboratories. The samples were delivered by ALS secured courier to their laboratory in Hermosillo for analysis.

Samples were crushed by ALS to over 70 per cent passing below two millimetres and split using a riffle splitter. Sample splits were then pulverized to over 85 per cent passing below 75 microns. Gold determinations were completed by fire assay with an atomic absorption (AA) finish on a 30 g subsample of the prepared pulp (Au-AA23). Any sample returning over 10 g/t gold was re-analyzed by fire assay with a gravimetric finish on a 50 g subsample (Au-GRA21). In addition, a 34-element analysis was performed on a 0.25 g subsample of the prepared pulps by a four acid digestion followed by an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) finish (ME-ICP61). Samples that returned overlimit values for silver, lead or zinc were finished by Ore Grade analysis (Ag-OG62, Pb-OG62 and/or Zn-OG62).

Qualified Person
The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 (Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects) and was reviewed and approved by Kelson Willms, P.Geo., of Archer, Cathro & Associates (1981) Limited. Mr. Willms is a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101.

About Mercado Minerals Ltd.
Mercado Minerals Ltd. (CSE: MERC) (OTCQB: MRMNF) is a silver-focused exploration company targeting the next world-class discovery in Mexico's emerging Western Silver Belt, part of the prolific Sierra Madre Occidental mining district. With a proven team boasting extensive experience in Mexican exploration, Mercado is actively advancing multiple projects across more than 3,000 hectares. The Company is committed to creating shareholder value through disciplined exploration, strategic growth, and discovery-driven results.

Forward-Looking Statement (Safe Harbor Statement):

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "anticipate," "plan," "continue," "expect," "estimate," "objective," "may," "will," "project," "should," "predict," "potential" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking statements concerning the Company's exploration plans and the intended use of proceeds from the Offering. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements because the Company cannot provide assurance that they will prove correct. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and, except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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Source: Mercado Minerals Ltd.