Kootenay Reports Results from Nine Holes in Ongoing Columba Drill Program /* Style Definitions */ span.prnews_span { font-size:8pt; font-family:"Arial"; color:black; } a.prnews_a { color:blue; } li.prnews_li { font-size:8pt; font-family:"Arial"; color:black; } p.prnews_p { font-size:0.62em; font-family:"Arial"; color:black; margin:0in; } .prngen3{ PADDING-RIGHT:0.17em; PADDING-LEFT:0.17em; VERTICAL-ALIGN: MIDDLE; TEXT-ALIGN: CENTER; BORDER-TOP:black 1pt; BORDER-RIGHT:black 1pt; BORDER-BOTTOM:black 1pt; BORDER-LEFT:black 1pt } .prngen4{ PADDING-RIGHT:0.17em; PADDING-LEFT:0.17em; VERTICAL-ALIGN: BOTTOM; TEXT-ALIGN: RIGHT; BORDER-TOP:black 1pt; BORDER-RIGHT:black 1pt; BORDER-BOTTOM:black 1pt; BORDER-LEFT:black 1pt } .prngen6{ PADDING-RIGHT:0.17em; PADDING-LEFT:0.17em; VERTICAL-ALIGN: MIDDLE; TEXT-ALIGN: CENTER; BORDER-TOP:black 1pt; BORDER-RIGHT:black 1pt; BORDER-BOTTOM:black 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT:black 1pt } .prngen7{ PADDING-RIGHT:0.17em; PADDING-LEFT:0.17em; VERTICAL-ALIGN: BOTTOM; TEXT-ALIGN: RIGHT; BORDER-TOP:black 1pt; BORDER-RIGHT:black 1pt; BORDER-BOTTOM:black 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT:black 1pt } .prngen2{ PADDING-RIGHT:0.17em; PADDING-LEFT:0.17em; VERTICAL-ALIGN: MIDDLE; TEXT-ALIGN: CENTER; BORDER-TOP:black 0.5pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT:black 1pt; BORDER-BOTTOM:black 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT:black 1pt } .prngen5{ PADDING-RIGHT:0.17em; PADDING-LEFT:0.17em; VERTICAL-ALIGN: BOTTOM; BORDER-TOP:black 1pt; BORDER-RIGHT:black 1pt; BORDER-BOTTOM:black 1pt; BORDER-LEFT:black 1pt } .prngen8{ PADDING-RIGHT:0.17em; PADDING-LEFT:0.17em; VERTICAL-ALIGN: BOTTOM; BORDER-TOP:black 1pt; BORDER-RIGHT:black 1pt; BORDER-BOTTOM:black 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT:black 1pt } .prngen9{ PADDING-RIGHT:0.17em; PADDING-LEFT:0.17em; BORDER-TOP:black 1pt; BORDER-RIGHT:black 1pt; BORDER-BOTTOM:black 1pt; BORDER-LEFT:black 1pt } .prnml4{ MARGIN-TOP:0em; MARGIN-RIGHT:0em; MARGIN-BOTTOM:0em; MARGIN-LEFT:0.33em !IMPORTANT } .prnbcc{ BORDER-COLLAPSE: COLLAPSE } Canada NewsWire VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 8, 2026 /CNW/ - Kootenay Silver Inc. (TSXV: KTN) (OTCQX: KOOYF) (the "Company" or "Kootenay") is pleased to announce additional assay results from nine drill holes completed as part of its staged 50,000-meter drill program at Columba High Grade Silver Project in Chihuahua, Mexico. Drilling is focused on the expansion of the known resource bodies that remain open in all directions. The extensive Columba vein system currently hosts an inferred Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") totaling 54.1 Moz of silver based on 5.92 Mt at a grade of 284 gpt. (see News Release June 17, 2025). This release presents highlights from ongoing systematic step-out and extension drilling at Columba. The results contained herein include four holes targeting D Vein and five holes targeting the sub-parallel B2/Lupe Vein System. These holes are testing extensions of known mineralized structures at a nominal 100m spacing. The Company is currently experiencing much longer than usual assay turnaround times for results from the laboratory. Highlights include: D Vein Trend – All holes on D Vein represent aggressive extension drilling, targeting intercepts ~100 meters beneath the existing known extents of mineralization. The vein remains open at depth and along strike. On cross section the deeper holes show the dip of the veins 'flatten'. That is consistent with structural measurements at surface that predict these areas will be tighter (compression zones) and not as strongly mineralized. Whereas the areas the vein dip steepens the zones will be more open (extensional) and thus more strongly mineralized. It is expected this pattern will repeat itself in the down dip direction (deeper). Links to D Vein Cross Sections, Plan Map, and Long Section. CDH-25-225 Hangingwall (blind) vein system shows some high grades, roughly 100m above Main D Vein target zone includes7.0 meters (4.97m estimated true width "etw") grading 186 ppm Ag, 0.1% Pb and 3.8% Zn from 405 meters downholeIncludes 2.0 meters (1.42m etw) grading 573 gpt Ag. 0.2% Pb and 12.7% Zn Includes 1.0 meter (0.71m etw) grading 1,040 gpt Ag, 0.3% Pb and 21% ZnD Vein interval12.9 meters (9.16m etw) meters averaging of 87 gpt Ag, 0.3% Pb and 1.5% ZnSub interval 1.9 meters (1.35m etw) grading 157 gpt Ag, 1.3% Pb and 4.8% Zn.About 75 meters vertically deeper than CDH-25-198 grading 65 gpt Ag and 3% Pb+Zn over 9.25 meters (6.10 m etw). See news release dated May 5, 2025.CDH-25-22314.83 meters (8.75m etw) grading 135 gpt Ag, 0.1% Pb and 1.1% Zn.Includes 4.5 meters (2.66m etw) of 232 gpt Ag, 0.4% Pb and 1.6% Zn.About 100 meters vertically deeper than CDH-25-199 grading 16.5 meters (5.78m etw) of 691 gpt Ag and 4.62% Pb+Zn with 5.5 meters (1.93m. etw) of 1,725 gpt Ag and 11.6% Pb+Zn. See news release dated May 5, 2025.Wide open to depth and along strike.Lupe-B2 Trend – Southeasterly extension of the F Vein trend, Lupe/B2 Veins are hosted within a broad corridor of veining oriented to the east-southeast. This corridor of veins is showing excel