Camino Intercepts High-Grade Copper with 83.5m at 0.94% Cu including 7.1m at 2.13% Cu at Los Chapitos, Peru

The February 17, 2026, news release reports significant drilling results from the Phase 1 diamond drilling campaign at the Los Chapitos copper project in Peru. Key highlights include: - Hole DCH-125 intercepted 83.5m at 0.94% Cu and 10.40 g/t Ag, including a high-grade section of 7.1m at 2.13% Cu. - Hole DCH-129 returned 63.3m at 0.62% Cu and 1.62 g/t Ag. - The Phase 1 program consisted of 8 holes totaling 1,036.25 metres, focused on the Diva Trend corridor (Adriana, Mirador, and Lourdes zones). - Results confirm the continuity of Cu-Ag mineralization along strike and at depth, validating the northwest extension of the upper Jurassic metallogenic belt. - The company is preparing for Phase 2 drilling in March 2026, targeting the Sombrero Blanco zone, subject to permit modifications.

This news is materially positive for several reasons: - Technical Validation: The results from DCH-125 are robust, particularly the 83.5m intercept. This confirms that the Diva Trend is not just sporadic high-grade "pockets" but a continuous mineralized system. - Strategic Partnership: The exploration is being conducted with Nittetsu Mining, a significant Japanese mining house. Their continued involvement and the transition of Los Chapitos into a Joint Venture (JV) provides both technical expertise and financial backing. - Efficiency: The Phase 1 program was relatively small (approx. 1,000m), yet it yielded significant intercepts, suggesting a high discovery rate for current targets. - Continuity: Historical drilling (over 28,000m) had already established a foundation, but these results expand the potential volume of the Adriana/Mirador zones, which is critical for future resource estimates.

However, from a risk-averse perspective, investors should note that Los Chapitos is still in the exploration stage. The primary value driver remains the Puquios project in Chile, which is closer to production.

Camino Minerals is a copper-focused developer with three primary assets: - Puquios (Chile): The flagship project. A 50/50 JV with Nittetsu Mining. It is a construction-ready, permitted heap leach copper project with a PFS showing a 23.4% post-tax IRR and US$142M Capex. - Los Chapitos (Peru): A high-grade Cu-Ag exploration project currently being advanced in a JV with Nittetsu. - Maria Cecilia (Peru): A large copper porphyry target currently in the early drilling stages.