Aztec Minerals Shareholder Update: Review of 2025 Highlights and Outlook for 2026

(TheNewswire)

Vancouver, Canada – TheNewswire - January 5, 2026 - Aztec Minerals Corp.(AZT: TSX-V, OTCQB: AZZTF) (“Aztec” or the“Company”) provides shareholders with thefollowing review of its 2025 exploration & corporate highlightsand its outlook for 2026.  Aztec’s core assets include a 85.0% JVinterest in the historic Tombstone silver-gold district insoutheastern Arizona and a 100% interest in the prospective CervantesPorphyry Gold-Copper Property in Sonora, Mexico.

Simon Dyakowski, President & CEO of Aztec,commented, “2025 was a foundational year for the Company as weadvanced both of our precious metal discovery projects, highlighted bythe drilling of the highest-grade silver and gold intercepts everdiscovered by Aztec at the Tombstone Project.  On the corporate side,we raised $13.6 million in two equity financings and increased ourownership of the Tombstone JV from 77.7% to 85.0%.  At the TombstoneProject in southeastern Arizona, we started the year by reporting thehighest-grade silver intersection drilled by Aztec and closed 2025 byreporting the highest-grade gold intersection discovered, to date. In the second quarter, we significantly increased our land position,by nearly 50%, through staking an additional 31 claims.  Mid-year,the Tombstone JV initiated its largest ever drill program, which wasrecently expanded from an originally planned 5,000 meters to a minimumof 8,500 meters, and is planned to continue into 2026.  The programof both reverse circulation drilling of the shallow, gold-silver oxidetargets and now the first ever core drilling of CRD style targets isongoing with additional analytical results pending.  At the CervantesPorphyry Gold-Copper Property in Sonora Mexico, we conductedreconnaissance outcrop sampling and geological mapping of severaltargets as we look to advance the project with further exploration in2026.  As silver and gold prices trade at all time highs, Aztec ispositioned to create substantial shareholder value in 2026 withcontinued advancement at each of our precious metals discoveryprojects.”

Tombstone Project 2025Highlights

• Reported highest grade silver intersected at theProperty by Aztec to date: 

  • High grade Silver Intersection of 7,269 gpt AgEq (233.7 opt AgEq – 3,669gpt Ag, 44.7 gpt Au) over 1.52 m, within a zone of 569 gpt AgEq (18.3opt AgEq – 290 gpt Ag, 3.48 gpt Au) over 25.8 m 

  • The intercept was in TR24-16 in the South Extension ofthe Contention pit and intersected multiple zones of oxide Ag-Aumineralization including 106.4m of 147.9 gpt AgEq (1.85 gpt AuEq – 0.90 gpt Au and 76.2 gptAg) 

  • The TR24-16 high grade intercept is located along thegeneral Contention Pit trend 439 m SSW from the prior high-gradeintercept in TC23-01 (3,477 gpt silver and 0.12 gpt gold (3,485.1 gptAgEq) over 1.52  

• Discovered high-grade mineralization in first pass drilling of the Westside Target Area: 

  • Drillhole TR24-13 intersected 24.4m of 106.24 gpt AgEq within a broader zone of 85.4m averaging 47.31 gpt AgEq at shallow depth 

  • The first pass test of the Westside Target Areaconfirmed significant silver-gold oxide mineralization intersectionsfor the geologically diverse, modeled targets 

  • The Westside Target Area demonstrates potential forshallow silver-gold oxide mineralization like that of the adjacentContention Target Area 

    • Please see news release datedJanuary 22, 2025 

    • Please see news release datedJanuary 28, 2025 

• Expanded Property Land Position by46.7%: 

  • Staked 31 new unpatented lode mining claims totaling211 hectares (522 acres), increasing the overall Tombstone Project JVland package by 46.7% from 452 hectares to 663 hectares (1,639acres). 

    • Please see news release dated May20, 2025 

• Commenced 5,000-meter RC and Coredrilling program, subsequently increased to a minimum of 8,500meters: 

  • Aztec reported strong initial results and expanded andextended into 2026 including the first core drilling of CRD styletargets below the oxide silver-gold target area: 

    • Drillhole TR25-03 intersected 6.08m of 456.6 gpt AgEq within a broader zone of 50.3m averaging 89.7 gpt AgEq at shallow depth 

    • Drillhole TC25-02 which intersected 62.5m at 40.7 gpt AgEq (19.4 gpt Ag and0.24 gpt Au) 

    • Drillhole TR25-06 intersected 3.04m of 2149.5 gpt AgEq within a broader zone of 28.9m averaging 250.2 gpt AgEq at shallow depth 

    • Drillhole TR25-05 intersected 4.6m of 590 gpt AgEqwithin a broader zone of 47.1mof 0.55 gpt Au and 36.4 gpt Ag (85.5 gpt AgEq) at shallow depth 

      • Please see news releases dated June11, August 14, September 23, and December 4, 2025 

  • Drilled Highest Grade GoldIntersection to-date by Aztec 

    • Drillhole TR25-17 intersected a broad zone of 36.5m averaging 8.14 gpt Auand 49.67 gpt Ag from 9.1 m depth including 4.6m averaging 58.5 gpt Auand 158.0 gpt Ag from 16.7m depth at a previously untested area ofnorthern portion of the ContentionTarget 

      • Please see news release datedNovember 4, 202 

• Aztec’s drilling over 2020-2025 has been successfulin drill testing significant gold-silver mineralization whichremains open in alldirections(please see summarynews releases dated February 19, 2025, July 5, 2023, December 7, 2021,and January 12, 2021) 

Cervantes Project 2025Highlights

• Conducted a surface exploration program in preparationfor potential future drilling that produced strong results: 

  • Expanded the known extent of the California Au-Cuporphyry system another 0.5 kms to the east 

  • Found and confirmed new prospects with porphyry relatedmineralization with results of up to 15.6 gpt Au, 177.3 gpt Ag, and8,062 ppm Cu in theadjoining target areas of Brasil, Estrella, California East,California North, and Purisima East.  

    • Please see news release dated August6, 2025 

• Drilling in the 2022-2023 programs intercepted strongmineralization at the California Zone,California Norte and Jasper targets. 

• The California Zone of near surface, oxide gold mineralization wassuccessfully expanded in every direction and to depth, and is approaching the adjacent California Nortemineralized target 

• California Zone Drill Highlights Include:  

  • 137m @ 1.49 gpT Au incl 51.7m @ 3.42gpT Au in CAL22-005 

  • 165m @ 1.00 gpT Au incl 24.4m @ 4.25gpT Au in CAL22-004 

  • 152m @ 0.87 gpT Au, incl 33.5m @ 2.05gpT Au in CAL22-012 

• Our first drill campaign seven years ago successfullyand partially outlined an oxide gold cap to a significant new porphyrygold (copper) discovery at the California zonewith drill intercepts up to 160 meters long grading 0.77 gpt gold (hole18CER010). 

  • Please see summary news releasedated March 7, 2024 

Corporate Highlights 2025

• Closed an over subscribed private placement of $3.6million in May 

• Closed an over subscribed bought deal private placementof $10.0 million in October 

• Increased ownership of Tombstone Project JV to 85.0%from 77.7%. 

Tombstone 2026 Outlook

• Additional analytical results from the ongoing RC andCore drilling programs are pending release early in Q1 2026 

• Continued drilling campaign targeting furtherexpansions of high-grade shallow gold and silver around and below theContention open pit and Westside target area, in preparation for amaiden resource estimate 

• Continued drill testing of the CRD potential atTombstone, subject to ongoing program results and funding 

Cervantes 2026 Outlook

• Continue surface exploration the Cervantes projectduring the first half of 2026 in preparation for potential continuedstep out and exploration drilling. 

• Potential 2026 drill program at Cervantes to continuestepping out the shallow near surface gold oxide mineralized zone atthe California target, and additional targets. 

New Opportunities

• Seek and review potential additional opportunities insafe jurisdictions within the Americas where our focus will be onprojects with high quality bulk tonnage gold+/-copper+/-silverpotential. 

Allen David Heyl, B.Sc., CPG., isthe Qualified Person and Vice President of Exploration at AztecMinerals Corp. who reviewed and approved the technical disclosures inthis news release.

“Simon Dyakowski”

Simon Dyakowski, ChiefExecutive Officer

Aztec Minerals Corp.

About Aztec Minerals – Aztec is a mineral exploration company focused ontwo emerging discoveries in North America. The Cervantes project is anemerging porphyry gold-copper discovery in Sonora, Mexico. TheTombstone project is an emerging gold-silver discovery with high gradeCRD silver-lead-zinc potential in southern Arizona. Aztec’s sharestrade on the TSX-V stock exchange (symbol AZT) and on the OTCQB(symbol AZZTF).

Contact Information - For more information, pleasecontact:

Simon Dyakowski, President & CEO, Director

Tel: (604) 685-9770
Fax: (604) 685-9744
Email: info@aztecminerals.com

Website: www.aztecminerals.com

Neither TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (asthat term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) acceptsresponsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. No stockexchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority hasapproved or disapproved the information contained herein.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release contains “forward?lookinginformation or statements” within the meaning of applicablesecurities laws, which may include, without limitation, completing ongoing and planned work, statements relating toadvancing the Tombstone Project, drill and sampling results includingadditional potential work and results therefrom, the Company’s plansfor its Tombstone Project, potential for further expansion of themineralization at the Tombstone Project, expected results andoutcomes, the technical, financial and business prospects of theCompany, its project and other matters.All statements in this news release, other thanstatements of historical facts, that address events or developmentsthat the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements.Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in suchforward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, suchstatements are not guarantees of future performance and actual resultsmay differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements.Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptionsregarding present and future business strategies and the environmentin which the Company will operate in the future, including the priceof metals, the ability to achieve its goals, that general business andeconomic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, thatfinancing will be available if and when needed and on reasonableterms. Such forward-looking information reflectsthe Company’s views with respect to future events and is subject torisks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation ofexploration results, risks related to the inherent uncertainty ofexploration and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costsand expenses, and those filed under theCompany’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materiallyfrom those in forward looking statements include, but are not limitedto, continued availability of capital and financing and generaleconomic, market or business conditions, adverse weather or climateconditions, failure to maintain or obtain all necessary governmentpermits, approvals and authorizations, failure to obtain or maintaincommunity acceptance (including First Nations), decrease in the priceof gold, silver and other metals, increase in costs, litigation, andfailure of counterparties to perform their contractualobligations. The Company does not undertake toupdate forward?looking statements or forward?looking information,except as required by law.

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