Grafton Resources introduces the new Silver-Copper-Gold-Antimony Caldera Project in the Ag- Cu-Au-Sb Pedernal District, Valparaiso, Chile
Grafton Resources introduces the new Silver-Copper-Gold-Antimony Caldera Project in the Ag-
Cu-Au-Sb Pedernal District, Valparaiso, Chile.
Vancouver, British Columbia – July 22, 2026 – Grafton Resources Inc. (CSE:GFT; OTCQB: GFTFF;
FSE: K8L0) ("Grafton Resources" or the " Company") is pleased to announce that the Company
has established a new, high-potential Ag-Cu-Au-Sb project called Caldera, in the Pedernal district,
Valparaiso Region, Chile. The Caldera Project (or “ Caldera”) comprises a number of concessions
targeting favourable geology in the Morro Hediondo Caldera region of Petorca.
Highlights
3.8 km of vein trends secured across continuous outcrop, entirely undrilled.
Historical samples grade up to 4.0 g/t Au, >300 g/t Ag and 12.4% Cu in epithermal vein
systems.
Vein systems previously exploited by artisanal miners and zones of strong epithermal
alteration that have never been tested by modern exploration methods.
Campbell Smyth, Chairman of Grafton Resources, commented: "By leveraging proprietary in-
country expertise, Grafton Resources has secured licences over highly prospective vein systems
that are known to host high-grade mineralization but never subjected to systematic modern
exploration. The Project areas sit at low elevation in a mining district that can be accessed and
explored year-round. Grafton Resources geologists have already started work on these concession
areas and results will follow shortly. We are excited to be able to establish a highly prospective
land position on strike from an existing operating mine.”
The Caldera Project – A Consolidated Land Position
The Caldera Project consolidates multiple prospective land positions within the Pedernal district
into a single coherent exploration package:
10 newly staked exploration concessions, totalling 2,100 ha, covering continuous trends
of mineralized vein outcrop and areas with classic epithermal alteration;
The Silver One concessions (San Lorenzo 1-18), the subject of the Company’s letter of
intent with Asesorías e Inversiones Sol SpA (“ AIS”) announced on 17 January 2026 (see
"Silver One Definitive Agreements" below); and
A historic geological database covering the broader district (see "Historic Data
Acquisition" below), which originally informed the concession selection.
In combination, the Caldera Project brings the principal NW-SE vein trend, the parallel NE-SW
trend that hosts the Silver One concessions, and the surrounding alteration targets into a single
project approximately 10 km from the producing El Bronce mine.
The Pedernal District
The Pedernal district lies on the eastern margin of the Morro Hediondo Caldera, a 14-km-
diameter, geologically remarkable circular structure. The area is characterized by a conspicuous
porphyritic ring dike and widespread hydrothermal alteration at its centre. This circular structure,
in the Petorca Municipality of central Chile, is also commonly associated with the genesis of the
historic Au-Cu-Ag El Bronce mine, located 5 km to the southwest.
Figure 1. The Caldera Ag-Cu-Au Project, Regional Geology
Mineralization at El Bronce is largely hosted in a series of high-grade ore shoots within consistently
mineralized epithermal veins. The epithermal vein sets of El Bronce extend almost 8 km in a north-
south trend and is estimated to have contained 25 tonnes of gold, 105 tonnes of silver and 16 000
tonnes of Cu, at grades of 4.8 g/t Au, 20 g/t Ag and 0.3% Cu.1 El Bronce remains in operation.
The Morro Hediondo Caldera hosts several low-sulfidation epithermal vein and alteration
systems, ranging from predominantly gold-bearing veins to veins rich in base metals and silver.
Outside the caldera, such as at El Bronce, gold is the dominant metal. Inside the caldera, such as
in the Pedernal district, silver and copper are the dominant metals.
The New Set of Concessions
Grafton Resources has staked exploration concessions directly from the government, totalling
2,100 Ha, covering continuous trends of mineralized vein outcrop.
The selection of these areas was based on a historic sampling database inherited from the
agreements with AIS in connection with the acquisition of the Silver One concession (see news
release of January 16, 2026). In addition to the samples within the Silver One concession, the
database contains 150 samples from elsewhere in the district, analysed by ICP multi-element, Au
fire assay, and selected base metals by atomic absorption.
Figure 2. Historical Silver results, Caldera Figure 2. Historical Copper results, Caldera
Ninety-two per cent of the samples returned anomalous Cu (>0.1% Cu), 24% exceeded 3.0% Cu,
and the maximum was 12.4% Cu. Silver shows a similar pattern, with 25% of the samples
exceeding 100 ppm Ag. Notably, 12% of the silver assays exceeded the method’s maximum
1 https://portergeo.com.au/database . Porter Geo is a global database maintained by Porter
Geoconsultancy. The El Bronce page draws on information from two 1991 papers:
Camus F, Boric R, Skewes M A, Castelli J C, Reichhard E, Mestre A 1991 - Geologic,
structural, and fluid inclusion studies of El Bronce epithermal vein system, Petorca, central
Chile: in Econ. Geol. v86 pp 1317-1345
Sillitoe, R.H., 1991 - Gold metallogeny of Chile - an introduction: in Econ. Geol. v.86, pp.
1187-1205.
detection limit (100 ppm in some cases, 300 ppm in others), so the true grades of these samples
remain unknown. Few samples were assayed for gold, and the highest values (up to 4.0 g/t Au)
come from the Silver One area.
All anomalous silver samples also returned very high values for antimony (up to 1.22% Sb), arsenic
(up to 7,300 ppm As) and mercury (up to 8,040 ppm Hg) - a typical epithermal low-sulphidation
signature, consistent with the upper levels of the system. The sampling, carried out by AIS, was
done during 2021. Most results are supported by laboratory certificates but lack formal QA/QC
and should be treated as a historical, initial indicator only.
The principal concession block covers 3,100 m of the NW-SE vein trend, along which 13 samples
grade more than 3.0% Cu and seven exceed 100 g/t Ag. The northwestern end of the trend
includes the historic artisanal La Plata mine, where local residents report past production of very
high-grade silver ore. A second block of concessions covers 900 m of a NE-SW trend, interpreted
as a parallel to the Silver One vein system. To the WSW, one concession covers one of the
strongest hydrothermal alteration zones in the caldera. Two further concessions cover the strike
extensions of historic Cu-Ag mines in the north of the district (Los Maquis and La Nueva).
Elevations within the project area range from 1,000 m to 1,800 m above sea level. Access is via
established paved roads from Chincolco and gravel roads from Pedernales, allowing year-round
work.
Silver One Definitive Agreements
The Company, its wholly-owned Chilean subsidiary Grafton Resources Chile SpA (“Grafton Chile”)
and AIS have entered into: (i) a framework agreement dated July 21, 2026 (the “ Framework
Agreement”); (ii) two definitive option agreements dated July 21, 2026 relating to each of the
Silver One concession, and the Silver Two and Silver Three concessions, respectively (the "Option
Agreements"); and (iii) a share consideration agreement dated July 21, 2026 (together with the
Framework Agreement and Option Agreements, the “Silver One Agreements”), which supersede
the letter of intent announced by the Company on January 16, 2026.
Under the revised terms of the Silver One Agreements, the Company has been granted: (i) an
option (the “ Option”) to acquire a 100% interest in the Silver One Property (comprised of the
Silver One, Silver Two and Silver Three concessions) on the following basis:
Cash payments totalling CAD$248,000, to be paid in a first tranche of CAD$148,000 on
signing and a further CAD$100,000 within 24 months of signing;
Share consideration equal in value to CAD$400,000 in aggregate, to be issued in two
tranches of CAD$200,000 on signing and a further CAD$200,000 within 24 months of
signing. The number of shares issued in each tranche is calculated using the closing price
of the Company’s common shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange (“ CSE”) on the
trading day immediately preceding issuance.
The Option remains subject to CSE approval. On exercise of the Option, and assuming that the
Silver Two and Silver Three mining concession applications (pedimentos) are approved, Grafton
Chile will hold a 100% interest in the Silver One Property (which will be consolidated under the
wider Caldera Project).
Historic Data Acquisition
Under an additional information agreement with AIS, a historic geological database covering the
broader Caldera licence area, comprising approximately 150 surface and underground samples
with multi-element assays has been acquired by Grafton Resources. The database was used in the
selection of the concessions described above and it will continue to support target generation
across the consolidated Caldera Project.
Next steps
Grafton Resources has begun a geological reconnaissance of the granted areas. This programme
will resample the historically mineralized sites, extend the sampling coverage to support the
consolidated Caldera Project, and produce preliminary geological models of each occurrence.
Results will be reported as they become available.
Qualified Person
Gilberto Schubert (B.Sc., M.Sc., MBA, M.Sc. Min Ec.), a Qualified Person as defined by National
Instrument 43-101 and geological consultant to the Company, has reviewed and approved the
technical information provided in this news release, including the historical sample database and
the analytical methods used at this time. Mr. Schubert is not independent, as he is a director of
the Company. The QP verified selected laboratory assay certificates against the reported rock
samples. Insufficient work has been done to validate the sampling methodology and the validity
of the historical results presented.
About Grafton Resources
Grafton Resources is a Canadian exploration company listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange
(CSE), focused on the discovery and development of copper and gold assets in the Americas. The
Company is committed to responsible exploration, strong community partnerships, and
generating shareholder value through disciplined project advancement.
On behalf of Grafton Resources.
Campbell Smyth
Chairman
For further information, please contact:
Campbell Smyth
+61403203402
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the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
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