Abrasilver Receives RIGI Approval For The Diablillos Project

2026-03-02 07:03:43

(MENAFN- Newsfile Corp) AbraSilver Receives RIGI Approval for the Diablillos Project

March 02, 2026 7:00 AM EST | Source: AbraSilver Resource Corp.

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 2, 2026) - AbraSilver Resource Corp. (TSX: ABRA) (OTCQX: ABBRF) ("AbraSilver" or the "Company") is very pleased to announce that its flagship Diablillos silver-gold project has been formally approved for inclusion under Argentina's Large Investment Incentive Regime ("RIGI"). The approval was confirmed by Argentina's Minister of Economy, Luis Caputo, through his official X account on Friday February 27th. The official government resolution announcing RIGI approval for the Diablillos project is expected later in March.

RIGI is a federal investment framework designed to accelerate large-scale development projects in Argentina by providing long-term fiscal stability along with competitive tax, customs, and foreign-exchange benefits. Both Salta and Catamarca Provinces, where Diablillos is located, have opted into the regime. This RIGI approval substantially increases the project's economics and provides increased certainty as Diablillos moves into its next phase of development.

John Miniotis, President and CEO, commented, "Securing RIGI approval is truly a transformational milestone for Diablillos. We appreciate the strong support from federal authorities throughout this process. Our team, with strategic support from our advisors at Blue Pampa, put in a tremendous amount of work to complete a very thorough submission. We now look forward to receiving EIA approvals from provincial authorities in the near-term as we move Diablillos toward a construction decision later this year."

Next Steps: Definitive Feasibility Study and Construction Decision

The Company continues to advance Diablillos towards a construction decision with several key milestones targeted in the coming months:

Early Works & Construction Readiness: Detailed engineering, procurement planning, and upgrades to existing infrastructure are advancing in parallel to ensure construction readiness. Following receipt of the EIA, the Company intends to initiate early works in a phased and disciplined manner, while continuing to advance project financing. These activities are designed to position Diablillos for a formal final investment and construction decision once customary conditions are satisfied.

About Diablillos

The Diablillos property is located within the Puna region of Argentina, in the southern part of Salta Province along the border with Catamarca Province, approximately 160 km southwest of the city of Salta and 375 km northwest of the city of Catamarca. AbraSilver acquired the property in 2016, which comprises 15 contiguous and overlapping mineral concessions with excellent year-round road access.

Exploration to date has outlined multiple occurrences of silver-gold oxide mineralization at Oculto, JAC, Laderas, and Fantasma, located within a 500 m to 1.5 km distance surrounding the Oculto/JAC epicentre. To date, over 150,000 metres have been drilled on the property, which continues to demonstrate the strong growth potential of shallow, oxide-hosted silver and gold resources. In addition, a large porphyry complex is centered approximately 4 km northeast of Oculto which includes outcropping porphyry intrusions within a major zone of alteration and associated gold rich epithermal mineralization.

Comparatively nearby examples of high sulphidation epithermal deposits include: La Coipa (Chile); Yanacocha (Peru); El Indio (Chile); Lagunas Nortes/Alto Chicama (Peru) Veladero (Argentina); and Filo del Sol (Argentina). The most recent Mineral Resource estimate for Diablillos is shown in Table 1:

Table 1 - Diablillos Mineral Resource Estimate - As of July 21, 2025

	Zone	Category	Tonnes (000 t)	Ag (g/t)	Au (g/t)	AgEq (g/t)	Contained Ag (000 Oz Ag)	Contained Au (000 Oz Ag)	Contained AgEq (000 Oz Ag)
Tank Leach	Oxides	Measured	26,545	119	0.71	183	101,564	604	156,487
Indicated	46,584	56	0.63	114	84,430	948	170,592
Measured &	73,129	79	0.66	139	185,994	1,553	327,078
Indicated
Inferred	9,693	34	0.57	86	10,616	176	26,647
Heap Leach	Oxides	Measured	6,673	16	0.14	25	3,486	30	5,342
Indicated	24,102	12	0.17	23	9,163	133	17,506
Measured &	30,774	13	0.16	23	12,649	162	22,848
Indicated
Inferred	10,024	9	0.20	21	2,811	64	6,850
Total	Oxides	Measured	33,218	98	0.59	152	105,050	634	161,829
Indicated	70,686	41	0.48	83	93,593	1,081	188,098
Measured &	103,904	59	0.51	105	198,643	1,715	349,927
Indicated
Inferred	19,628	21	0.38	53	13,427	241	33,496

Footnotes for Tank Leach Resource:

Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and have not demonstrated economic viability.

The formula for calculating AgEq is as follows: Silver Eq Oz = Silver Oz + Gold Oz x (Gold Price/Silver Price) x (Gold Recovery/Silver Recovery).

The Mineral Resource model was populated using Ordinary Kriging grade estimation within a three-dimensional block model and mineralized zones defined by wireframed solids, which are a combination of lithology and alteration domains. The 1m composite grades were capped where appropriate.

The Mineral Resource is reported inside a conceptual Whittle open pit shell derived using US$ 27.50/oz Ag price, US $2,400/oz Au price, 83% process recovery for Ag, and 87% process recovery for Au.

The constraining open pit optimization parameters used were US $1.94/t mining cost, US $22.96/t processing cost, US $3.32/t G&A cost, and average 51-degree open pit slopes.

The MRE has been categorized in accordance with the CIM Definition Standards (CIM, 2014).

A Net Value per block [NVB] calculation was used to constrain the Mineral Resource, determine the "Benefits = Income-Cost", where, Income = [(Au Selling Price (US$/oz) - Au Selling Cost (USD/Oz)) x (Au grade (g/t)/31.1035)) x Au Recovery (%)] + [(Ag Selling Price (US$/oz) - Ag Selling Cost (USD/Oz)) x (Ag grade (g/t)/31.1035)) x Ag Recovery (%)] and Cost = Mining Cost (US$/t) + Process Cost (US$/t) + Transport Cost (US$/t) + G&A Cost (US$/t) + [Royalty Cost (%) x Income]

The Mineral Resource is sub-horizontal with sub-vertical feeders and a reasonable prospect for eventual economic extraction by open pit and tank leach processing methods.

In-situ bulk density were assigned to each model domain, according to samples averages for each lithology domain, separated by alteration zones and subset by oxidation.

All tonnages reported are dry metric tonnes and ounces of contained gold are troy ounces.

Mining recovery and dilution factors have not been applied to the Mineral Resource estimates.

The Mineral Resource was estimated by Luis Rodrigo Peralta, B.Sc., FAusIMM CP (Geo), Independent Qualified Person under NI 43-101.

Mr. Peralta is not aware of any environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues that could materially affect the potential development of the Mineral Resource.

All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimates. Minor discrepancies may occur due to rounding to appropriate significant figures.

Footnotes for Heap Leach Resource:

Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and have not demonstrated economic viability.

The formula for calculating AgEq is as follows: Silver Eq Oz = Silver Oz + Gold Oz x (Gold Price/Silver Price) x (Gold Recovery/Silver Recovery).

The Mineral Resource is reported inside a conceptual Whittle open pit shell derived using US$ 27.50/oz Ag price, US $2,400/oz Au price, 80% process recovery for Ag, and 58% process recovery for Au.

The constraining open pit optimization parameters used and overall operational cost of US $11.31/t.

The MRE has been categorized in accordance with the CIM Definition Standards (CIM, 2014).

In-situ bulk density were assigned to each model domain, according to samples averages for each lithology domain, separated by alteration zones and subset by oxidation.

All tonnages reported are dry metric tonnes and ounces of contained gold are troy ounces.

Mining recovery and dilution factors have not been applied to the Mineral Resource estimates.

The Mineral Resource was estimated by Mr. Peralta, B.Sc., FAusIMM CP (Geo), Independent Qualified Person under NI 43-101.

All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimates. Minor discrepancies may occur due to rounding to appropriate significant figures.

QA/QC and Core Sampling Protocols

AbraSilver applies industry standard exploration methodologies and techniques, and all drill core samples are collected under the supervision of the Company's geologists in accordance with industry best practices. Drill core is transported from the drill platform to the logging facility where drill data is compared and verified with the core in the trays. Thereafter, it is logged, photographed, and split by diamond saw prior to being sampled. Samples are then bagged, and quality control materials are inserted at regular intervals at site; these include blanks and certified reference materials as well as duplicate core samples which are collected in order to assess sampling precision and reproducibility. Groups of samples are then placed in large bags which are sealed with numbered tags in order to maintain a chain-of-custody during the transport of the samples from the project site to the laboratory.

All samples are received by the ASA (Alex Stewart Argentina) preparation laboratory in Salta, where they are prepared, then the pulp sachet is directly dispatched to its facility in Mendoza, Argentina, where they are analyzed. All samples are analyzed using a multi-element technique consisting of a four-acid digestion followed by ICP/AES detection, and gold is analyzed by 50g Fire Assay with an AAS finish. Silver results greater than 100g/t are re-analyzed using four acid digestion with an ore grade AAS finish.

Qualified Persons

David O'Connor P.Geo., Chief Geologist for AbraSilver, is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, and he has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release.

About AbraSilver

AbraSilver is an advanced-stage exploration company focused on rapidly advancing its 100%-owned Diablillos silver-gold project in the mining-friendly Salta province of Argentina. The current Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource estimate for Diablillos (tank leach-only) consists of 73.1 Mt grading 79 g/t Ag and 0.66 g/t Au, containing approximately 186Moz of silver and 1.6Moz of gold, with significant further upside potential based on recent exploration drilling. The Company is led by an experienced management team and has long-term supportive shareholders. In addition, the Company has an earn-in option and joint venture agreement with Teck on the La Coipita project, located in the San Juan province of Argentina. AbraSilver is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "ABRA" and in the U.S. on the OTCQX under the symbol "ABBRF."

For further information, please visit the AbraSilver Resource website at , our LinkedIn page at AbraSilver Resource Corp., and follow us on X at .

Alternatively, please contact:

John Miniotis, President and CEO
...
Tel: +1 416-306-8334

Cautionary Statements

This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All statements that address future plans, activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur are forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that such statements 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 statements. When considering this forward-looking information, readers should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in the Company's disclosure documents filed with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities on SEDAR+ at . The risk factors and other factors noted in the disclosure documents could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those described in any forward-looking information. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

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

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Source: AbraSilver Resource Corp.

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