New geotechnical drilling at Warintza is the critical final step before full-scale production

Solaris Resources has resumed drilling at its Warintza copper project in southeastern Ecuador as engineering work advances toward a full Feasibility Study. The current program is focused on gathering geotechnical and hydrogeological information required for mine planning and infrastructure design.

The drilling campaign follows major progress for Warintza, including the release of a Pre-Feasibility Study in November 2025 and technical approval of the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment earlier this year. Together, those milestones have moved the project into an advanced stage of development and provided the framework for the next phase of engineering.

Drilling Program Focused on Mine Planning

The active program is designed to collect data across the proposed mine site and surrounding infrastructure. Engineers and technical consultants will use the results to refine pit wall designs, evaluate ground conditions, and support water management planning.

Hydrogeological analysis is expected to play an important role in determining site-wide water flow patterns and drainage requirements. The work will also contribute to the design of tailings storage facilities and related infrastructure tied to long-term operations.

Warintza is planned as a conventional open-pit mining operation with a low life-of-mine strip ratio of 0.53 to 1. The deposit sits at relatively low elevation and has access to existing regional infrastructure, including roads and power.

Feasibility Study Builds on 2025 PFS

The ongoing Feasibility Study is expanding on the technical foundation established in the 2025 Pre-Feasibility Study, which detailed a large-scale copper operation with strong projected cash flow and a long mine life.

According to the PFS, Warintza contains Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves of 1.3 billion tonnes grading 0.41 per cent copper equivalent. The study outlined average annual copper-equivalent production of more than 300,000 tonnes during the first five years of operation and more than 240,000 tonnes annually over the first 15 years.

The study also projected a post-tax net present value of US$4.6 billion at an 8 per cent discount rate and a post-tax internal rate of return of 26 per cent using a US$4.50/lb copper price.

Solaris Resources has also stated that the 2025 Mineral Resource Estimate increased Measured and Indicated resources by more than three times compared with the previous estimate published in 2024.

District Growth Remains Key Part of Strategy

Alongside engineering and permitting work at Warintza, Solaris Resources continues to evaluate expansion opportunities across the wider district. The company controls a large land package in Ecuador’s southeastern copper belt and continues to view the area as highly prospective for additional mineralization beyond the current reserve base.

The company believes the existing reserve inventory could support an initial mine life of 22 years, with the possibility for further extensions through developing the additional resource base of 4.5 billion tonnes.

Warintza was originally discovered by renowned geologist David Lowell in 2000. Since then, the project has grown into one of the largest undeveloped copper resources in the world.

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