Thick, High-Grade, Surface Enrichment Zone Extends at La Verde

Hot Chili Limited (HCH) has reported additional drilling results from its La Verde porphyry copper-gold project, led by reverse circulation hole DKP063. This hole intersected 398 meters grading 0.45% CuEq from surface, which includes a 62-meter interval grading 0.91% CuEq starting at 20 meters depth. Within that 62-meter section, there are sub-intervals of 12 meters grading 1.00% CuEq from 20 meters and 34 meters grading 1.00% CuEq from 42 meters; these are not additive.

Other significant intercepts include DKP075, which returned a partial 132 meters grading 0.57% CuEq from 24 meters, including 42 meters grading 0.70% CuEq from 96 meters, with assays still outstanding for the remaining 177 meters. DKP064 returned 126 meters grading 0.45% CuEq from 54 meters, including 26 meters grading 0.70% CuEq from 108 meters, plus a second interval of 74 meters grading 0.35% CuEq from 276 meters.

Final deeper assays for DKD060 revealed an additional 123.1 meters grading 0.30% CuEq from 642.1 meters, including 2.3 meters grading 4.56% Cu from 655.5 meters, extending mineralization to 765.2 meters downhole. The results also feature DKP059 with 42 meters grading 0.25% CuEq, and DKP061 with 28 meters grading 0.27% CuEq plus 40 meters grading 0.40% CuEq. Assays from 22 drillholes remain pending, comprising two diamond, one diamond tail, and 19 RC holes.

Hot Chili Limited (HCH) is not a grassroots micro-cap explorer; it holds a Costa Fuego Preliminary Feasibility Study (PFS), an existing mineral resource, and a pre-resource La Verde satellite project. The company’s share price has already re-rated substantially, rising from $0.69 in September 2025 to a 52-week high of $2.05 in June 2026, and trading recently at $1.70. The market has been pricing in La Verde continuity and the potential for a future maiden resource for many months.

This release is considered solid but incremental, providing near-surface high-grade confirmation, a gap-fill hole, and deeper marginal continuity. It does not materially exceed the best prior results. While DKP063 is a good result, DKD039 and DKD044 already established large near-surface and high-grade potential. The announcement delivers no maiden resource, no PFS integration outcome, and no metallurgical breakthrough.

A modest positive drift in the share price is plausible because the result is good and the flow of headline intercepts continues.

Hot Chili Limited (HHLKF) is listed on the ASX and TSXV, with an OTCQX ticker. The company’s core asset is the Costa Fuego copper-gold project located in Chile’s coastal Atacama region. Existing resources at Costa Fuego include 798 Mt indicated at 0.45% CuEq, plus 203 Mt inferred. The project’s pre-feasibility study (PFS) economics show a post-tax NPV of US$1.20 billion, a post-tax IRR of 19%, a payback period of 4.5 years, and start-up capital of US$1.27 billion.

La Verde is a pre-resource copper-gold porphyry discovery located about 30 km south of the planned central processing hub. Additionally, Huasco Water is an 80%-owned seawater and desalination business intended to supply Costa Fuego.

Financially, the company reported a FY2025 net loss of A$11.6 million, with cash of A$5.19 million at 30 June 2025. A subsequent A$40 million placement and a US$15 million royalty amendment improved the cash position to A$25 million at 30 June 2026, with no debt reported. Prior-period financials are provided for context only and are not part of this drill release.