Luca Mining Corp. Achieves Full-Year 2025 Production Guidance and Materially Strengthens Balance Sheet

VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Luca Mining Corp. ("Luca" or the "Company") (TSXV: LUCA) (OTCQX: LUCMF) (Frankfurt: Z68) reports payable production results for the three months ended December 31, 2025 and confirms that the Company achieved its revised full-year 2025 production guidance, while materially strengthening its balance sheet over the course of the year.

As at December 31, 2025, Luca increased its cash position to approximately $25.5 million, compared to $15.9 million at the end of the third quarter of 2025 and $10.2 million at December 31, 2024, the increase in the quarter driven by free cash flow from operations. During 2025, the Company also repaid $10.1 million of debt, reducing outstanding principal to $2.5 million at year end, with the remaining balance expected to be fully repaid by mid-2026.

For the full calendar year 2025, Luca delivered total payable production within or above revised guidance ranges for gold, silver, zinc, copper and lead across its two operating mines in Mexico. Production reflected stable operations at Campo Morado and the continued ramp-up of underground mining and processing activities at Tahuehueto.

Exploration Update

During the fourth quarter of 2025, the Company invested approximately $0.8 million in exploration, completing approximately 5,836 metres of drilling. For the full year, exploration drilling totaled approximately 22,855 metres, at a total cost of approximately $3.8 million. Exploration activities were primarily focused on near-mine and resource expansion targets, achieving the objectives of extending mine life and improving production flexibility at the Company's operating assets.

CEO Commentary

"2025 was an important year of execution for Luca," said Dan Barnholden, Chief Executive Officer. "We delivered on our revised production guidance while materially improving our balance sheet through disciplined operations and debt reduction. With a stronger financial position and stable operations across both mines, the Company enters 2026 well positioned to focus on optimization and organic growth."

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Management believes that the reported non-GAAP financial measures will enable certain investors to better evaluate the Company's performance, liquidity, and ability to generate cash flow. These measures do not have any standardized definition under IFRS and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. Other companies may calculate these measures differently.

About Luca Mining Corp.

Luca Mining (TSX-V: LUCA, OTCQX: LUCMF, Frankfurt: Z68) is a diversified Canadian mining company with two 100%-owned producing mines within the prolific Sierra Madre mineralized belt in Mexico which hosts numerous producing and historical mines along its trend. The Company produces gold, copper, zinc, silver and lead from these mines that each have considerable development and resource upside.

The Campo Morado polymetallic VMS mine is an underground operation located in Guerrero State within a 121 square kilometer land package.  It produces copper-zinc-lead concentrates with precious metals credits. It is currently undergoing an optimization program which is already generating significant improvements in recoveries, grades, efficiencies, and cashflows.

The Tahuehueto Mine is a large property of over 100 square kilometres in Durango State.  The project hosts epithermal gold and silver vein-style mineralization.  Tahuehueto is a newly constructed underground mining operation producing primarily gold and silver.  The Company has successfully commissioned its mill and is now in commercial production.

Qualified Person
The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Paul D. Gray, P.Geo., Vice President Exploration at Luca Mining.  Mr. Gray is a Qualified Person for the Company as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors
(signed) "Dan Barnholden"
Dan Barnholden, Chief Executive Officer

For more information, please visit: www.lucamining.com 

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

It should be noted that Luca declared commercial production at Campo Morado prior to completing a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability. Accordingly, readers should be cautioned that Luca's production decision has been made without a comprehensive feasibility study of established reserves such that there is greater risk and uncertainty as to future economic results from the Campo Morado mine and a higher technical risk of failure than would be the case if a feasibility study were completed and relied upon to make a production decision. Luca has completed a preliminary economic assessment ("PEA") mining study on the Campo Morado mine that provides a conceptual life of mine plan and a preliminary economic analysis based on the previously identified mineral resources (see news releases dated November 8, 2017, and April 4, 2018).

Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "Forward-Looking Information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward Looking Information includes, but is not limited to, disclosure regarding the Financings, the anticipated timing of closing thereof and the expected use of proceeds therefrom; and other possible events, conditions or financial performance that are based on assumptions about future economic conditions and courses of action; the timing and costs of future activities on the Company's properties, such as production rates and increases; success of exploration, development and bulk sample processing activities, and timing for processing at its own mineral processing facility on the Tahuehueto project site. In certain cases, Forward-Looking Information can be identified using words and phrases such as "plans," "expects," "scheduled," "estimates," "forecasts," "intends," "anticipates" or variations of such words and phrases. In preparing the Forward-Looking Information in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, that all requisite approvals in respect of the Financings will be received, and all conditions precedent to completion of the Financings will be satisfied, in a timely manner; the Company will be able to raise additional capital as necessary; the current exploration, development, environmental and other objectives concerning the Campo Morado Mine and the Tahuehueto Project can be achieved; the program to improve mining operations at Campo Morado will proceed as planned; the continuity of the price of gold and other metals, economic and political conditions, and operations. Forward-Looking Information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the Forward-Looking Information. There can be no assurance that Forward-Looking Information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. Except as required by law, the Company does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to Forward-Looking Information contained in this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Luca Mining Corp.