Rio Grande Resources Reports Gold up to 41.2 g/t and Silver up to 1,435 g/t at Its Winston Project, New MexicoHigh-Grade Samples Returned in a New Previously Unsampled Area of Poverty Creek and Identifies Multiple Structural Trends VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / February 19, 2026 / Rio Grande Resources Ltd. (CSE:RGR)(OTCQB:RGRLF) ("Rio Grande" or the "Company") is pleased to announce assay results from its December 2025 surface sampling campaign (see News Release, December 22, 2025) carried out by Dahrouge Geological Consulting USA Ltd. ("Dahrouge") at the Winston Gold-Silver Project (the "Winston Project" or the "Project") located in the Black Range Mountains of Sierra County, New Mexico. The program returned results (figure 1) from a newly identified and previously unsampled mineralized area within the Poverty Creek area of the Project referred to as the "Poverty Creek Trend." Sampling returned gold values up to 41.2 g/t Au and silver values up to 1,435 g/t Ag, further confirming high-grade precious metal mineralization across multiple structurally controlled zones within the property.Sampling Program OverviewDahrouge completed a reconnaissance surface sampling and mapping program across the Winston claim block. A total of 72 samples were collected, including 11 channel samples from exposed in situ veins and 39 rock chip samples from vein outcrops, subcrops, and historic workings. The program was designed to evaluate structural continuity, identify mineralized trends, and refine priority target areas for follow-up work for potential future drill testing. Sample Highlights Include:WIN-120725-16 - Gold: 29.5 g/t - Silver: 1,435 g/tWIN-120725-17 - Gold: 6.3 g/t - Silver: 605 g/tWIN-120725-18 - Gold: 4.34 g/t - Silver: 303 g/t25-WIN-G-CH - Gold: 9.87 g/t - Silver: 291 g/tFigure 1. Map Illustrating the Locations of high-Grade Samples at Winston. Poverty Creek Trend - Northern Claim BlockThe newly identified Poverty Creek Trend is a northeast-southwest striking mineralized vein system located in the northern portion of the claim block. The trend is defined by mapped quartz vein exposures, historic workings, structural splays, and associated geochemical results. First-pass sampling within the Poverty Creek Trend included eight rock chip samples and one float sample, and confirmed along-strike continuity of mineralized vein material in a previously unsampled area.The area is characterized by:Multiple quartz vein subcrops and prospect pitsA previously unmapped aditA filled shaft along a nearby parallel veinVein material exhibiting dark banded sulphides and vuggy quartz texturesThese new sampling results, when integrated with known mineralization at the past-producing Ivanhoe, Emporia, and Little Granite mines, support the interpretation of a continuous, structurally controlled mineralized corridor extending from the southern portion of the claim block through the newly defined Poverty Creek Trend in the north as shown in figure 2 below.Based on mapped vein orientations, channel results, and the spatial distribution of high-grade rock chip samples, the Company interprets mineralization to extend over an approximate 2.0 kilometre north-south strike length within the Winston claim block. The identification of high-grade gold and silver in the previously unsampled Poverty Creek area expands the known mineralized footprint beyond historically developed zones and confirms the presence of multiple sub-parallel and splay vein systems within a broader structural framework.Figure 2. Illustrates 2KM Strike Length of Mineralization Trend from Ivanhoe/Emporia to Poverty Creek This expanded strike length supports the Company's interpretation of a district-scale, structurally controlled hydrothermal system organized by the Paymaster Fault corridor and associated subsidiary splay Paymaster Fault, the most significant structural feature on the project, associated with historical gold-silver vein deposits.Channel-Defined Corridor (Northwestern Claim Block)In addition to the newly identified Poverty Creek Trend, systematic channel sampling identified another structurally controlled mineralized corridor in the northwestern portion of the claim block. As part of the program, continuous channel samples were collected perpendicular to exposed in situ veins to better represent true vein width and mineralization distribution.Channels C, G, and K (Picture 1 below) returned elevated gold and silver values and are interpreted to define part of a longer mineralized corridor extending toward the southeast end of the property (Figure 2). The spatial alignment of these channels suggests structural continuity along a vein system that remains open for further evaluation.Picture 1. Channel K After Sampling High-Grade Silver Associated with Historic WorkingsRock chip samples 120725-15, 120725-16, 120725-17, and 120725-18 were collected along historic mine workings and previously mapped structures continuing south, illustrated in figure 3 below an