Kuya Silver Expands Fully-Funded 2026 Drill Program at the Bethania Project to a Record 20,000 Metres Focused on Resource Expansion Opportunities

Toronto, Ontario–(Newsfile Corp. – March 17, 2026) – Kuya Silver Corporation (CSE: KUYA) (OTCQB: KUYAF) (FSE: 6MR1) (the “Company” or “Kuya Silver“) is pleased to announce an expansion of its fully-funded 2026 drill program at the Bethania Silver Project in central Peru designed to unlock value by focusing on delineating mineralized silver vein systems which have been historically underexplored. The program, expected to total approximately 20,000 metres combined underground and surface diamond drilling, would represent the largest drill program ever at the Bethania project.

The surface drill program is planned for approximately 10,000 metres and will focus on priority targets associated with historical artisanal mining areas identified during the Company’s recent regional exploration work, located outside the immediate Bethania mine area (Figure 1 below). These targets represent potential additions to the district-scale mineralized system and may also have potential for future production. Over the coming months Kuya Silver plans to conduct additional work to prioritize targets for the 2026 drill program which may include any of the six previously identified regional silver vein systems (e.g. Carmelitas, Tito PH, Millococha)

The Company also plans to expand on its previously announced underground drilling program to approximately 10,000 metres in 2026 (from 5,000 metres announced previously). Drilling will be conducted from established mine levels and is designed to test extensions of known mineralized structures that remain open along strike and at depth. This approach allows the Company to expand resources adjacent to current mine infrastructure while testing high-priority targets at relatively low cost and improving the geological continuity of the known vein system.

The combined surface and underground programs are expected to improve the geological understanding of the mineralized systems and support the Company’s ongoing efforts to grow resources within the broader Bethania district. Initial results from the underground drilling campaign are expected in Q2 2026 and additional drill results from underground and initial surface drilling results are expected over the second half of 2026.

“Following encouraging surface exploration results across the Bethania property, we are excited to begin the next phase of drilling,” stated Osbaldo Zamora, VP Exploration of Kuya Silver. “By combining surface drilling with underground drilling from existing workings, we are able to efficiently test both district-scale targets and near-mine extensions that could meaningfully expand the project’s resource base.”

David Stein, Kuya Silver’s President and CEO also remarked, “The Company is excited to embark on a much larger drill campaign covering multiple targets across the Bethania district. Given our significant cash position in excess of USD $25 million and expected cash flow from the Bethania mine, this more aggressive exploration strategy should be fully funded from internal sources and can be maintained and expanded over the coming years as we grow our silver mining operations.”

Cannot view this image? Visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5945/288804_334c5f1d74e5d8bf_001.jpg

Figure 1: Bethania historical surface exploration results up to February 2026 showing all sample locations.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5945/288804_334c5f1d74e5d8bf_001full.jpg

Regional (Bethania District) Target Summary

Surface drilling is expected to commence in the coming months following final permitting and logistical preparations. Over the past five plus years, Kuya Silver has consolidated in excess of 4,500 ha surrounding the Bethania mine. Various surface prospecting campaigns over the past several years has identified six different silver vein systems characterized by historical evidence of artisanal mining and outcropping veins with silver-polymetallic mineralization which have been mapped and sampled by Kuya Silver’s geologists. These additional vein systems can be subdivided into three areas located south (Tito PH), west (Carmelitas) and southwest (Millococha) of the Bethania silver mine.

Tito PH

Tito PH is a priority exploration target consisting of one main vein and at least seven additional subparallel veins (Figure 2 below). The main vein has been mapped over approximately 600 metres of strike and may extend up to 1,500 metres, although a 700 metres gap in surface exposure remains to be tested by drilling.

Minor artisanal workings, including two shallow adits and an open stope, occur along the vein cluster. A total of 55 grab samples collected by Kuya Silver geologists returned an arithmetic average grade of 285.7 g/t AgEq* and a maximum value of 2,114.7 g/t AgEq*. The interpreted strike length and high-grade surface samples suggest the system could be comparable in scale to the veins currently mined at Bethania.

Cannot view this image? Visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5945/288804_334c5f1d74e5d8bf_002.jpg

Figure 2. Detailed map showing interpreted veins, grab sample locations, and assays at the Tito PH prospect.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5945/288804_334c5f1d74e5d8bf_002full.jpg

Millococha Oeste

Millococha Oeste is one of the most prospective targets identified within the Bethania land package due to the presence of more than 10 mapped veins with consistently high grades. A total of 40 grab samples collected by Kuya Silver geologists returned an arithmetic average grade of 690.4 g/t AgEq* and a maximum value of 2,652.7 g/t AgEq* (Figure 3 below).

Artisanal workings on Kuya Silver’s claims represent the most significant historic activity outside the Santa Elena concession, but remain relatively shallow and poorly explored, highlighting the potential for additional mineralization at depth.

Cannot view this image? Visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5945/288804_334c5f1d74e5d8bf_003.jpg

Figure 3. Detailed map showing interpreted veins, grab sample locations, and assays at the Millococha prospect.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5945/288804_334c5f1d74e5d8bf_003full.jpg

Carmelitas

The Carmelitas prospect includes three vein clusters within an area of approximately 800 metres, comprising the main Carmelitas artisanal mine as well as the Carmelitas Norte and Carmelitas Este showings (Figure 4 below). A total of 125 grab samples collected by Kuya Silver returned grades up to 1,771.5 g/t Ag and an arithmetic average of 145.2 g/t AgEq*.

Although vein density is lower than at other targets, the prospect remains attractive due to the presence of high-grade mineralization and potential structural connections between the three vein clusters.

*Silver Equivalency (AgEq) was calculated using silver ($85.74 USD/troy oz), gold ($5,177.70 USD/troy oz), copper ($12,815.48 USD/tonne), lead ($1,892.0 USD/tonne) and zinc ($3,286.76 USD/tonne) values, obtained on March 3, 2026 from Kitco, and do not consider metal recovery.

Cannot view this image? Visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5945/288804_334c5f1d74e5d8bf_004.jpg

Figure 4. Detailed map showing interpreted veins, grab sample locations, and assays at the Carmelitas prospect.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5945/288804_334c5f1d74e5d8bf_004full.jpg

Quality Assurance and Quality Control

A total of 940 grab samples (plus QA/QC) were collected in different exploration campaigns from 2021 to 2026. Only 192 samples collected from 2024 to 2026 count with proper QA/QC assessment. The coordinates of the locations of each sample were measured by handheld GPS and the samples dispatched to the ALS Peru S.A. laboratory in Lima for geochemical analysis. The analyses were carried out using the following methods:

  • ME-OG61a – Multi-acid digestion with ICP-AES detection for 33 elements
  • Au-AA23 – Fire assay for gold
  • Ag-OG62 – Four-acid digestion with ICP-AES detection for overlimit silver

All QA/QC standards were acceptable and within two standard deviations of certified values.

As these samples include a mix of early-stage grab, chip, and channel samples and do not include details on vein width, they are not fully representative of total vein mineralization.

National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Osbaldo Zamora, PhD., P.Geo., Vice President Exploration with Kuya Silver Corp. and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

About Kuya Silver Corporation

Kuya Silver is a Canadian‐based, growth-oriented mining company with a focus on silver. Kuya Silver operates the Bethania silver mine in Peru, while developing district-scale silver projects in mining-friendly jurisdictions including Peru and Canada.

Reader Advisory

This news release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking information,” including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs, and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities of the Company. The words “may,” “would,” “could,” “will,” “intend,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “must,” “next,” “propose,” “new,” “potential,” “prospective,” “target,” “future,” “verge,” “favorable,” “implications,” and “ongoing,” and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking information. Investors are cautioned that statements including forward-looking information are not guarantees of future business activities and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Company’s future business activities may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking information as a result of various factors, including but not limited to fluctuations in market prices, successes of the operations of the Company, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market, and business conditions. There can be no assurances that such forward-looking information will prove accurate, and therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of the risks and uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288804

info

Source: Kuya Silver Corporation

Ready to Announce with Confidence?

Send us a message and a member of our TMX Newsfile team will contact you to discuss your needs.

Contact Us