Kootenay Silver Inc. has reported new assay results from expansion drilling at its Columba High-Grade Silver Project in Chihuahua, Mexico, extending the D Vein strike length to approximately 1,320 metres and depths of up to 600 metres below surface.

The company is advancing a staged 60,000-metre drill program at the project, having completed over 29,700 metres to date. Results from 42 holes have now been reported, with 14 additional holes currently awaiting assays. The first half of the 2026 program relies on systematic 100-metre step-outs from existing mineral resource limits, which remain open in multiple directions.

Drilling highlights from the central D Vein area include hole CDH-26-253, which intersected 6.28 metres grading 274 grams per tonne (g/t) silver, 0.1% lead, and 0.2% zinc from 422.0 metres downhole, including a 2.40-metre interval grading 509 g/t silver. Another hole, CDH-26-243, returned 17.0 metres grading 178 g/t silver, 0.1 g/t gold, 0.1% lead, and 1.2% zinc from 435.0 metres downhole.

Systematic work along the D and Lupe trends has also identified hanging-wall and footwall structures blind to surface, representing new exploration targets. Hole CDH-26-248 returned a 1.0-metre interval grading 703 g/t silver and 1.46% combined lead and zinc within a broader 4.0-metre zone grading 288 g/t silver. Furthermore, deep drilling demonstrates that the mineralized system remains strong and open at depth, with hole CDH-24-247 extending the system to a vertical depth of 600 metres from surface.

“Systematic drilling has substantially advanced our understanding of not only the D Vein. Results continue to demonstrate the scale and complexity of the mineralized system at Columba. With this phase of drilling on D Vein now largely complete, our focus is shifting to expansion drilling on other priority veins, including Lupe/B2, J and La Preciosa. The next drill hole release is expected soon and will be from the high-priority Lupe/B2 system which is adjacent to and converges with the D vein.”

— James McDonald, President & CEO

Kootenay is fully funded through the completion of the ongoing 60,000-metre exploration drill campaign. In addition, the company holds a 24-year surface access agreement covering all mineralized areas drilled to date at Columba, permitting both exploration and exploitation activities.

Read the full announcement: KOOTENAY REPORTS DRILL RESULTS AS 60,000-METER COLUMBA PROGRAM ADVANCES