KOOTENAY REPORTS DRILL RESULTS AS 60,000-METER COLUMBA PROGRAM ADVANCES

Kootenay Silver Inc. (KTN) has reported assay results from 42 holes of its 60,000-meter expansion drill program at the Columba High-Grade Silver Project in Chihuahua, Mexico. The company noted that 14 additional holes are currently awaiting assay results. The drilling program, which has completed over 29,700 meters, has expanded the D Vein to more than 1,320 meters of strike and depths of up to 600 meters below surface. These results test systematic 100-meter step-outs from the existing mineral resource, which includes a maiden inferred Mineral Resource Estimate totaling 54.1 million ounces of silver contained in 5.92 million tonnes grading 284 g/t silver.

Significant high-grade intercepts were reported, including 1,580 g/t Ag over 0.3m in hole CDH-26-242 and 816 g/t Ag over 0.4m in hole CDH-26-251. The drilling also identified new blind vein targets in hanging walls and footwalls. Key intercepts from the D Vein include hole CDH-26-253, which returned 6.28m at 274 g/t Ag, 0.1% Pb, 0.2% Zn (3.33m etw) from 422.0m, including 2.40m at 509 g/t Ag (1.27m etw) and 4.0m at 253 g/t Ag (2.12m etw). Hole CDH-26-243 returned 17.0m at 178 g/t Ag, 0.1 g/t Au, 0.1% Pb, 1.2% Zn (3.74m etw) from 435.0m, including 5.50m at 291 g/t Ag, 0.28 g/t Au, 0.1% Pb, 1.9% Zn (1.21m etw). Additionally, hole CDH-26-242 returned 0.3m at 1,580 g/t Ag (0.16m etw) in the hangingwall to the D Vein, while CDH-26-247 returned 3.93m true width at 40 g/t Ag, 0.14% Pb, 0.22% Zn at approximately 1,225m asl, extending the system 600m vertical depth.

Intercepts from the Lupe Vein System were highlighted by hole CDH-26-251, which returned 10.0m at 96 g/t Ag, 0.1% Pb, 0.3% Zn (4.70m etw) from 422.0m, including 0.96m at 520 g/t Ag (0.45m etw) and 3.79m at 230 g/t Ag (1.78m etw). New blind vein and target intercepts included hole CDH-26-248 with 4.0m at 288 g/t Ag, 0.13% Pb, 0.41% Zn (2.0m etw), including 1.0m at 703 g/t Ag, 0.26% Pb, 1.2% Zn (0.5m etw). Hole CDH-26-250 returned 22.0m at 83 g/t Ag (11.44m etw) from 450m, including 2.0m at 265 g/t Ag (1.04m etw). Other notable intercepts included CDH-26-237 with 2.4m at 232 g/t Ag (2.26m etw) in the hangingwall to Lupe, including 1.1m at 476 g/t Ag (1.03m etw), and CDH-26-239 with 11m at 94 g/t Ag (6m etw) and 12m at 111 g/t Ag (6.54m etw) in the footwall to the D Vein, including 2.5m at 265 g/t Ag (1.38m etw).

Gold mineralization was observed in holes CDH-26-242, 243, 244, 245, and 246. Intervals ranged from 0.11 g/t Au over 5.71m to 1.61 g/t Au over 0.66m true width, with associated silver grades ranging from 13 to 291 g/t Ag. Samples were delivered to ALS Minerals in Chihuahua, with pulps sent to ALS Global in Vancouver for analysis. Silver, zinc, lead, and copper were analyzed via ICP four acid digestion, while gold was analyzed using a 30-gram fire assay with AA finish. Quality assurance and control measures included blanks inserted every approximately 100 samples, standards inserted every approximately 25 samples, and field and pulp duplicates taken at an average of 2 per hole.

Geologically, the vein systems have converging orientations, coming within 50m of each other toward the eastern end of the D Vein. Stronger silver grades generally appear below approximately 1,750 meters above sea level, referred to as the "grade line."

"Systematic drilling of known mineralized structures along D and Lupe trends has identified additional hanging-wall and footwall structures blind to surface, representing new potential exploration targets," said Roberto Jordan Balbastro, Senior Geological Engineer.

"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," said James McDonald, President & CEO.