Sunshine Silver Expands Idaho Mineral Holdings by 60% and Plans 45,000-Metre Drilling Programme

Sunshine Silver Mining & Refining Company (NYSE:SSMR) has expanded its mineral rights holdings in Idaho’s Silver Valley by approximately 14,100 acres, representing a 60% increase.

The acquisition brings the company’s total land position to around 38,000 acres and will support a new multi-year surface exploration programme targeting potential mineral discoveries beyond the existing Sunshine Mine.

Sunshine Silver plans to undertake 45,000 metres of surface drilling across the expanded property, with initial operations expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Exploration to Focus on Three Priority Areas

The drilling programme will initially concentrate on East Sunshine, Rock Creek and Pine Creek.

East Sunshine lies to the east of the existing Sunshine Mine, along the geological trend of known mineralisation. Rock Creek and Pine Creek represent additional exploration targets within the company’s broader land package.

The targets were identified following a reconnaissance programme completed in 2025.

That programme involved 322 person-days of fieldwork and the collection of 128 rock samples and 2,935 soil samples.

The results enabled Sunshine Silver to identify three targets considered ready for drilling.

Expanded Land Position Offers Additional Exploration Opportunities

Chief Executive Officer Heather White said the larger property portfolio provides the company with opportunities to investigate areas that have received relatively little modern exploration.

“We now control some 38,000 acres in one of the most important silver-yielding districts in America. We have identified three drill-ready target areas, extending from the Sunshine Mine across our broader land package. Much of that land position has seen limited modern exploration to date, leaving significant discovery potential beyond the current Sunshine Mine footprint.”

The planned surface programme will assess the mineral potential of these areas. Exploration results will be required to establish whether any discoveries could support future resource estimates or mine development.

Underground Drilling Results Expected in Fourth Quarter

Alongside the surface exploration initiative, Sunshine Silver is continuing its underground in-fill drilling programme at the Sunshine Mine.

The 50,000-metre programme is designed to provide information for a feasibility study planned for 2027 and assess opportunities to expand mineral resources near the existing mine.

The company expects to report results from the underground drilling during the fourth quarter of 2026.

The two programmes will run alongside one another, with underground drilling supporting the planned feasibility study and surface exploration assessing potential discoveries across Sunshine Silver’s expanded Idaho holdings.

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