• Program expanded to a minimum 8,500 meters extended into Q1 2026 

• 34 RC holes have now been drilled  

• 21 holes are pending results as the drilling program continues 

  

Vancouver, Canada – December 4, 2025 – TheNewswire - Aztec Minerals Corp. (AZT: TSX-V, OTCQB: AZZTF) (“Aztec” or the “Company”) announces an update to the ongoing Tombstone Property Reverse Circulation and Core drilling program in Southeastern Arizona.  The 2025 drilling program has now completed 34 RC drill holes, 13 drill holes have been reported (please see new releases dated August 14, September 23, and October 31, 2025).  The drilling program has completed 5,960 meters of RC drilling and 495m of core drilling to date.  The company currently has 21 RC drill holes awaiting geochemical analysis at the Bureau Veritas Laboratory.

 

Drilling Program Expansion

 

The Company also announces that the Tombstone Property JV Management Committee met recently and approved an expansion of the drill program from 7,500 meters to at least 8,500 meters.  The expanded program comprises of 7,000 meters of RC and a minimum of 1,500 meters of core drilling and is now expected to extend into the first quarter of 2026.

 

Analytical Turnaround Time Update

 

Aztec has been advised that sample backlogs and turnaround times for geochemical analysis at the Bureau Veritas laboratory are expected to improve with recent addition of staff and recently completed analysis equipment repair.  The company expects to receive additional analytical results within the next 30 days.

 

Core Drilling Update

 

The core drilling portion of the program has resumed and has currently advanced 282 meters to 465 meters total depth in the drillhole TC25-03 (target TR24-13).  Core drilling is also expected to continue to test to depth the previously identified AMT target under the Bisbee formation in the thick Paleozoic carbonate formations below by re-entering the core drill holes.  Aztec has previously identified several large, strong, conductive bodies, underneath the historic gold-silver district through NSAMT (natural-source audio-frequency magneto-telluric surveys) anomalies1.

 

Figure 1: Tombstone 2025 RC Drilling Plan Completed to Date

 

Click Image To View Full Size

QAQC Statement

 

Drill samples are collected every 1.52 m from RC chips and every 1.52 m from sawing the core drill holes.  The samples are analyzed by Bureau Veritas for gold with a 30-gram sample size using the method FA430 followed by MA300.  Bureau Veritas is independent of the Company and of the Qualified Person.  Over limits, when present, are analyzed by MA370 or FA530.  The company uses quality assurance-quality control as a standard part of its sampling-assaying-assessments in conjunction with its exploration sampling programs.  Samples and their collection are controlled by an industry standard conforming QAQC program including all drill holes containing certified blanks, standards, and duplicates.  The samples are being regularly shipped to and received by the Bureau Veritas Minerals laboratory in Hermosillo, Mexico for geochemical analysis.  The QAQC for the drilling programs has been evaluated and found to have good results.

 

Tombstone Project Overview

 

Aztec Minerals holds a 85.0% interest in the Tombstone Property Joint Venture, which includes most of the original patented mining claims in the main district as well as some recently acquired properties.

 

The main target of the current drilling is to continue testing the shallow, bulk tonnage, potentially heap leachable, mesothermal gold-silver oxide mineralization adjacent and below the previously mined Contention pit by step-out drilling.  Future drilling is expected to focus on follow-up on the current program’s results.  It is anticipated that possible targeting could include strike and dip extensions of the shallow oxide mineralization, and move along those trends deeper into the sulfide zone as historically there was significant production to 300 m depth*2.

 

The Tombstone project is located 100 kilometers (km) southeast of Tucson, Arizona and covers much of the historic Tombstone silver district.  Tombstone is renowned for its high grade, oxidized, silver-gold mesothermal stringer lode veins, hydrothermal breccias and manto CRD orebodies that were mined in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.  The historic silver production in the Tombstone district from 1878 to 1939 was estimated at 32 million ounces and 250,000 ounces of gold*2.

 

The district geology consists of a mix of shallow-level, oxidized Au-Ag and base metal deposits related to CRD and skarns hosted in folded and thrusted sediments, intrusive dikes, and lode veins, and as well the under explored, sulfide versions located below the water table.

 

Host rocks to the mineralization are primarily the clastic sediments of the lowest portion of the Cretaceous Bisbee Formation.  Between 50 and 300 meters (m) in depth, the Bisbee is underlain by approximately two kms thick of the same Paleozoic carbonate formations that host the 110 MT Hermosa-Taylor zinc-lead-silver deposit of South32 located 60 km southwest of Tombstone*3.

 

Aztec believes that the historic silver mines at Tombstone could be related to a much larger mesothermal system with CRD mineralization below the old mines.  Since 2017, Aztec has completed geological mapping, geochemical sampling and geophysical surveying to identify the most prospective areas for Au-Ag mineralization around and below the Contention open pit, and CRD zinc-lead-copper-silver-gold mineralization below the entire district.  Aztec management views the district as highly prospective for the discovery of mesothermal and CRD mineralization.

Summary Tombstone Project Highlights

 

• Well located property on patented (33) and unpatented (73) claims (663 hectares / 1639 acres), covers much of the historic Tombstone silver mining district, great infrastructure, local town, road access, full services, water, power 

• Historic silver district*2produced 32 million ounces of silver and 250,000 ounces of gold from 1878-1939, in high grade, oxidized, silver-gold-lead-zinc-copper vein, breccia and CRD deposits, and small open pit heap leach production in late 1980’s 

• Drilling by Aztec in 2020-24 has demonstrated that the Contention Pit target has significant, shallow. oxidized Au-Ag bulk tonnage mineralization which is open in all directions 

• Multiple other prospective targets in Cretaceous and Paleozoic rocks related to major NW and NNE trending structures hosting porphyritic intrusions crosscutting a possible caldera ring structure 

 

* Aztec has not verified these historic results and is not relying on them.  Aztec has in its possession the historic drill logs, maps and reports but does not have any information on the quality assurance or quality control measures taken in connection with these historical exploration results.

 

Noted References:

1 – “Zonge International, AMT Survey, Tombstone Project, Cochise County, AZ, Data Acquisition and Processing Report, Prepared for Aztec Minerals, 18 May 2020, Zonge Job #20013”

2 – Greeley, Michael N., A Brief History and Review of Ore Grades and Production in the Tombstone Mining District with Emphasis on the Contention Mine Area, June 1984

3 - M3 Engineering and Technology Corp., Hermosa Project N.I. 43-101F1 Pre-Feasibility Study, January 2014

 

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Allen David Heyl, B.Sc., CPG – AIPG No.11277, VP Exploration of Aztec, a Qualified Person under NI43-101. Mr. Heyl supervises the Tombstone exploration programs.  Mr. Heyl has verified the data, which included a review of the sampling, analytical and test methods underlying the data, information and opinions disclosed herein.

  

“Simon Dyakowski”

                               

Simon Dyakowski, Chief Executive Officer

Aztec Minerals Corp.

 

About Aztec Minerals – Aztec is a mineral exploration company focused on two emerging discoveries in North America. The Cervantes project is an emerging porphyry gold-copper discovery in Sonora, Mexico. The Tombstone project is an emerging gold-silver discovery with high grade CRD silver-lead-zinc potential in southern Arizona. Aztec’s shares trade on the TSX-V stock exchange (symbol AZT) and on the OTCQB (symbol AZZTF).

 

Contact Information - For more information, please contact:

Simon Dyakowski, President & CEO, Director

Tel: (604) 685-9770
Fax: (604) 685-9744
Email: info@aztecminerals.com

Website: www.aztecminerals.com

 

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

 

Forward-Looking Statements:

 

This news release contains “forward‐looking information or statements” within the meaning of applicable securities laws, which may include, without limitation, completing ongoing and planned work, statements relating to advancing the Tombstone Project, drill and sampling results including additional potential work and results therefrom, the Company’s plans for its Tombstone Project, potential for further expansion of the mineralization at the Tombstone Project, expected results and outcomes, the technical, financial and business prospects of the Company, its project and other matters. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including the price of metals, the ability to achieve its goals, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms. Such forward-looking information reflects the Company’s views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of exploration results, risks related to the inherent uncertainty of exploration and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses, and those filed under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions, adverse weather or climate conditions, failure to maintain or obtain all necessary government permits, approvals and authorizations, failure to obtain or maintain community acceptance (including First Nations), decrease in the price of gold, silver and other metals, increase in costs, litigation, and failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations. The Company does not undertake to update forward‐looking statements or forward‐looking information, except as required by law.