(via TheNewswire)
July 8, 2026 – TheNewswire - Vancouver, British Columbia - Andina Copper Corporation (TSX-V: ANDC | FSE: FIR | OTCQB: PMMCF) is pleased to report diamond drill assay results from drillholes PIU12 and PIU13 at the newly generated and previously undrilled Piuquenes North target in San Juan, Argentina ( refer 28 May 2026 News Release ). Drilling was designed to test a large, discrete MT (magneto-telluric) geophysical target delineated in the Company’s 2026 geophysical survey program.
HIGHLIGHTS
468m @ 0.50% Cu, 0.30 g/t Au, 3.04 g/t Ag from 700m;
Including 164m at 0.70% Cu, 0.44 g/t Au, 4.19 g/t Ag from 924m;
An intense quartz vein stockwork is developed within a potassic altered early mineral porphyry phase. Chalcopyrite and bornite occur in porphyry M, A and B quartz veins and disseminations, consistent with a high temperature potassic porphyry core.
Piuquenes is now confirmed to host multiple porphyry centres, comprising the Piuquenes North discovery, and the previously reported Piuquenes Central and Piuquenes East systems, all of which lie immediately adjacent (to the north) of Aldebaran Resources Inc. (ALDE.TSXV) Altar copper-gold porphyry project.
Andina Copper’s President and CEO Joseph van den Elsen commented:
“We are extremely pleased with the results received from our first drillholes at Piuquenes North. High-grade Cu-Au values from PIU13 confirm a new discovery, proximate to the high-grade, near surface Cu-Au mineralization at Piuquenes Central. Significantly, only a fraction of the large geophysical anomaly at Piuquenes North has been tested, and we are now designing the next phase of drilling to expand on what is potentially a significant new porphyry discovery along the emerging San Juan Miocene belt.
Since January 2025 we have rapidly advanced the Piuquenes project and to date have drilled three porphyry centres immediately adjacent to the north of the Altar copper-gold porphyry project (Aldebaran Resources Inc. (ALDE.TSXV)). Other large porphyry copper projects in the San Juan Miocene porphyry belt include, El Pachón (Glencore), approximately 30km to the south, the operating Los Pelambres copper mine (60% Antofagasta plc) in Chile, and Los Azules (McEwen Copper) 50km to the northeast.”
Figure 1: District scale cross section A–A’ looking southeast, showing Piuquenes Central drilling and the Piuquenes North discovery (PIU13) within the deep low resistivity MT anomaly. Drillholes are projected to the section plane; intervals are downhole lengths, uncorrected.
Geology and Mineralization – Drillhole PIU13
PIU13 was drilled at an azimuth of 050 degrees and a dip of minus 70 degrees to a final depth of 1,235m. The hole collared in andesitic volcanic host rocks and, from approximately 664m downhole, intersected a broad, mineralized multiphase porphyry system extending continuously to approximately 1,168m. The intrusive complex comprises pre mineral, early mineral and intermineral porphyry phases, all affected by potassic alteration (secondary potassium feldspar, biotite and magnetite), locally overprinted by sericite and chlorite alteration.
Copper-gold mineralization occurs throughout all porphyry phases as chalcopyrite and bornite hosted in M, A and B type quartz veins and as disseminations within the potassic altered intrusive. The highest-grade interval is associated with the early mineral porphyry between approximately 914m and 1,045m downhole, while the underlying intermineral porphyry continues to host consistent copper and gold mineralization at lower grades.
The low-resistivity MT anomaly targeted by PIU12 and PIU13 has been demonstrated to correspond with a broad, mineralized multiphase copper-gold porphyry system. PIU13 returned 468m grading 0.50% Cu, 0.30 g/t Au and 3.04 g/t Ag from 700m (see Table 2). The porphyry system remains open to the north, north-northeast and at depth.
Geology and Mineralization – Drillhole PIU12
PIU12 was drilled at 255 degrees azimuth and minus 70 degrees inclination to a final depth of 987.35m. The hole intersected andesitic volcanic host rocks for the first 832m, with dikes and apophyses of the pre mineral porphyry throughout, before entering the main body of the pre mineral porphyry, which shows moderate potassic alteration overprinted by sericite and chlorite and carries M, A and B type quartz veinlets with pyrite, chalcopyrite and trace bornite. PIU12 confirms that the porphyry system extends laterally at Piuquenes North. Assay results returned 14m @ 0.38% Cu, 0.12 g/t Au and 1.81 g/t Ag from 864m, including 8m @ 0.46% Cu, 0.15 g/t Au and 2.35 g/t Ag ( refer Table 2 ). The modest tenor and pre mineral porphyry host are interpreted to represent the periphery of the mineralized system, supporting the interpreted upside immediately to the north. The final depth of 987.35m reported here reflects the verified drilling contractor and geological log records and supersedes the 992.60m stated in the Company’s 28 May 2026 News Release.
Figure 2: Plan view of the Piuquenes district at the 2,500m RL slice of the MT resistivity model, approximately the level of the deepest drilling at Piuquenes North, showing PIU12 and PIU13 within the low resistivity anomaly and the Piuquenes Central and East drilling. Drillhole traces and intercepts are projected to plan. Intervals are downhole lengths, uncorrected.
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Figure 3: PIU13 core photographs from within the 164m high grade interval (924–1088m downhole; 0.70% Cu, 0.44 g/t Au, 4.19 g/t Ag), showing sheeted and stockwork A and B type quartz veins with chalcopyrite and bornite, and potassic (K feldspar–biotite) alteration in the early mineral and intermineral porphyry phases. Copper and gold values shown are individual 2m sample assays at the depths indicated. Qz = quartz, Cpy = chalcopyrite, Bn = bornite, Kfs = K feldspar, Bt = biotite, Mag = magnetite.
The Piuquenes District
Work completed since 2024 has established Piuquenes as a cluster of copper-gold porphyry centres located immediately south of the Altar porphyry cluster (Aldebaran Resources Inc. (ALDE.TSXV)), within the Miocene porphyry belt of San Juan Province, Argentina, approximately 190km west of the city of San Juan. The Project now comprises three recognized porphyry systems: the newly discovered Piuquenes North system reported in this News Release, together with the previously identified Piuquenes East and Piuquenes Central copper-gold porphyry systems. References to the Piuquenes East and Piuquenes Central targets are based on the Company's previous public disclosure, supported by geological mapping, geochemical sampling and geophysical surveys. Other significant porphyry copper deposits and projects in the region include El Pachón (Glencore), located approximately 30km to the south, the Los Pelambres copper mine (60% Antofagasta plc) in Chile immediately across the international border, and Los Azules (McEwen Copper), approximately 50km to the northeast. Mineralization on adjacent or nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization at Piuquenes.
Geophysics and Untested Potential
The deep low resistivity MT anomaly at Piuquenes North, which measures approximately 800m by 700m and extends to depth, was the primary geophysical target tested by PIU12 and PIU13. The assay results from PIU13 confirm that copper and gold bearing sulphide mineralization is present within the targeted volume. The two holes tested only a portion of the anomaly, which remains largely untested at depth and along strike.
The Company is planning to conduct measurements of resistivity and chargeability on representative core to refine the geophysical interpretation.
Next Steps
The Company will integrate final assay results with updated geological logging into a refined three-dimensional geological model for Piuquenes North. This integrated dataset will be used to finalize the design of a follow-up drill programme targeting the down-dip and along-strike extensions of the newly identified porphyry system, with priority given to testing the north-northeast continuation and the untested depth extent of the MT anomaly.
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ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Joseph van den Elsen
President & Chief Executive Officer
joseph@andinacopper.com
Jordan Webster
VP Technical Communications
jordan@andinacopper.com
QUALIFIED PERSON
Gustavo Zulliger, a consultant of Andina Copper Corp and a “qualified person” (“QP”) within the definition of that term in National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. Gustavo Zulliger is a Certified Professional Geologist at the American Institute of Professional Geologists (CP AIPG CPG 11165).
QAQC
Drill holes PIU12 and PIU13 were collared using a PQ drill bit and subsequently reduced to HQ and then NQ diameter as drilling progressed. Drill core was extracted from the core barrels by the drilling contractor under the supervision of Andina Copper personnel and placed in labelled core boxes with appropriate depth markers.
At the Piuquenes field camp, the core was geologically logged, photographed, and checked for recovery by Company geologists. Sample intervals, two metres in length, were defined and marked for cutting prior to the core boxes being secured and transported by Company personnel to the Company’s core processing facility in Barreal, San Juan Province, Argentina.
At the Barreal facility, the core was cut using a diamond saw. One half of the core was placed in sealed sample bags for analysis while the remaining half was retained for reference and stored at the Company’s secure core storage facility in Barreal.
Samples were assigned unique reference numbers, weighed, and transported to the ALS Minerals sample preparation facility in Mendoza, Argentina, an independent and accredited laboratory. Prepared pulps were then forwarded to the ALS laboratory in Lima, Peru for analysis. Gold was analysed by 30 g fire assay with atomic absorption finish (Au AA23), copper by four acid digestion with ore grade atomic absorption finish (Cu OG62), and multi element analyses by ICP MS (ME MS61).
The Company implemented a quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) program that included the insertion of certified reference materials, blanks, and duplicates at regular intervals within the sample stream. Results from the QA/QC program indicate that the analytical data are reliable and suitable for reporting.
Table 1: Drill Collar Parameters – Piuquenes North (WGS84, UTM Zone 19S)
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Table 2: Significant Drill Intercepts – Piuquenes North
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Note 1: The 468m @ 0.50% Cu, 0.30 g/t Au interval is constrained to a maximum of 10m <0.2% Cu.
Note 2: Interval widths are measured downhole and uncorrected. They do not necessarily represent true widths of mineralization.
ABOUT ANDINA COPPER
Andina Copper Corporation is a unique South America focused copper explorer listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV:ANDC), Frankfurt (FSE:FIR), and OTC (OTCQB:PMMCF) exchanges. The Company holds two significant discoveries along the world’s premier copper producing Andean porphyry belt in Colombia and Argentina, and a compelling copper gold target in the prolific copper production district of the Coastal Cordillera of Chile.
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENT
This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed “forward looking statements”. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that Andina Copper expects to occur, are forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words “expects” and similar expressions, or that events or conditions “will” or “may” occur. These statements are subject to various risks. Although Andina Copper believes the expectations expressed in such forward looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are no guarantee of future performance, and actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements.
Neither the TSXV nor the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
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