The Unidad Nacional para la Gestión del Riesgo de Desastres (UNGRD, National Disaster Risk Management Unit) reported at least 273 people dead, 3,824 injured and 377 missing as of August 13, 2026, three days after a magnitude-7.4 earthquake struck the department of Chocó near San José del Palmar, according to agency director David Santiago Tamayo. The quake and its aftershocks damaged infrastructure across Chocó, Risaralda, Caldas and Valle del Cauca, affecting roughly 40,750 families. Collective Mining Ltd. (NASDAQ: CNL) (TSX: CNL), whose Guayabales and San Antonio gold, silver, copper and tungsten exploration projects lie roughly 100 kilometers from the epicenter, said none of its personnel were injured and none of its assets were damaged.

Rather than limit its response to its own project sites, the company said it is directing humanitarian support toward Manizales, the Caldas department capital about 80 kilometers from its Supía, Caldas operations, where it already has partnerships with local organizations. Collective Mining said it has been coordinating directly with municipal authorities, local fire departments and business associations to determine where that support is needed most.

On technical matters, the company will work with the Alcaldía de Manizales (Mayor’s Office of Manizales). Its monetary and in-kind contributions will flow through four organizations already active in the recovery: the Asociación Nacional de Empresarios de Colombia (National Business Association of Colombia, or ANDI), which is coordinating reconstruction planning in the hardest-hit areas; the Caldas chapter of the Cruz Roja Colombiana (Colombian Red Cross) and ProCaldas, a public-private development alliance, both focused on health infrastructure; and the Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia (National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia), which is targeting local school infrastructure.

Collective Mining traces its roots to Continental Gold Inc., the company that developed Colombia’s Buriticá gold mine before Zijin Mining Group (HKEX: 2899) (SSE: 601899) bought it in an all-cash deal valued at $1.4 billion CAD in enterprise value, a transaction that closed in March 2020. The same management group — now led by Executive Chairman Ari Sussman and President Omar Ossma, who served as Continental Gold’s legal vice president — regrouped around Continental Gold’s old playbook, exploring for gold, silver, copper and tungsten at Guayabales and San Antonio, two adjacent Caldas properties inside a district that already hosts 10 permitted, operating mines. Guayabales’ Apollo system, a large gold-silver-copper-tungsten discovery, is the company’s primary exploration target; recent drilling there has centered on extending the high-grade Ramp Zone and testing a newly exposed oxidized zone to the north.

“In moments like this, a coordinated response is essential to effectively reach affected communities. The support of organizations such as Collective Mining strengthens our ability to address immediate needs and support the recovery efforts underway in Manizales,” said Darío Gómez, president of the board of the Cruz Roja Colombiana’s Caldas chapter. “We appreciate their commitment to working alongside local institutions and organizations as the situation continues to evolve.”

“The safety and wellbeing of our people and communities is our first priority. I have been on the ground in Colombia working directly with our team and local stakeholders to lead our response and understand where assistance is most needed,” said Ossma. “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the earthquake. We are mobilizing support through organizations that are positioned to direct assistance where it can have the greatest impact. We will continue to support our employees, their families and the broader community as recovery efforts progress.”

Management, insiders, a strategic investor and family and friends of the founding team own 45.2% of Collective Mining’s outstanding shares, according to the company.

Headline photo: Manizales skyline (Pixabay)

Soma Gold Corp (TSXV: SOMA) (OTC: SMAGF) reported the first drill result and new underground channel sampling from its Escondida Project in Antioquia, Colombia, indicating that the gold-bearing Escondida Vein continues beyond the boundaries of the small underground mine the company has operated since acquiring it in July 2025.

The result is the first from a 21-hole, 2,790-meter Phase 1 drill program that Soma Gold began at Escondida in May 2026 to test the vein’s extent up to 500 meters along strike and 250 meters below the mine’s deepest level. La Escondida Mine has produced mineralized material on a small scale since 2013; Soma Gold has held it for just over a year.

The lead hole, designated EZDDH-26-001, was drilled to intercept the vein 25 meters northeast of the mine’s current workings and about 100 meters below surface, near level 10 of the underground operation. It intersected a 2.7-meter-wide fault zone with strong clay alteration and a 0.65-meter quartz vein hosted in a granodiorite-to-diorite intrusive body, similar in style to the mineralization already mined at Escondida. The composite result was 4.25 g/t Au over 1.85 meters, including a higher-grade section of 12.10 g/t Au over 0.65 meters.

“The first assay results from the Escondida Mine have met our expectations and demonstrated near-mine continuity of the vein,” said Chris Buchanan, Soma Gold’s vice president of exploration. “The vein intersection and tenor of gold mineralization are consistent with mineralized material that has been mined from this area.”

A second hole, EZDDH-26-002, aimed to intercept the vein 50 meters down-dip of the first but was lost to drilling difficulties about 25 meters above the target depth. A third hole, EZDDH-26-003, reached the target zone 50 meters down-dip and 65 meters southwest of the first intercept; its core has been shipped to Actlabs’ Medellín facility and assays are pending. A fourth hole, EZDDH-26-004, has been collared to retest the point the lost hole was meant to reach.

Underground channel sampling, conducted as crews pumped out and rehabilitated the mine’s lowest workings, returned higher grades than the drill hole. Workers collected 29 channels comprising 81 samples from areas developed since the company’s last underground sampling campaign in 2022. Three of the highest-grade results were CHU600005, at 15.40 g/t Au over 1.0 meter, including 38.22 g/t Au over 0.40 meters; CHU600006, at 16.61 g/t Au over 1.0 meter, including 36.72 g/t Au over 0.45 meters; and CHU600008, at 19.24 g/t Au over 1.0 meter, including 38.26 g/t Au over 0.5 meters.

The Escondida Vein has been traced 800 meters along strike to the northeast and about 135 meters down-dip, dipping steeply at 70 to 80 degrees to the northwest. The mine’s previous operator worked 200 meters of that strike length to a vertical depth of 105 meters, developing five-meter levels that are now mostly backfilled. Soma Gold describes the vein’s style, alteration and sulphide mineralization as consistent with an intermediate sulphidation epithermal system.

La Escondida Mine holds a permiso de trabajo de obra (small-scale mining work permit), an environmental permit and an explosives permit, and is developed through two internal winzes feeding a small on-site mill. Soma Gold recently repaired the access road linking the project to an all-season route from Zaragoza or Cáceres, Colombia, making the roughly 90-minute drive to the company’s El Limón mill passable for trucks. The previous operator produced 10 tons per day at a diluted grade of about 9.0 g/t Au from a vein 15 to 65 centimeters thick, accompanied by a wider clay-altered zone that is also variably mineralized. Soma Gold is now extending the mine’s main decline by 10 meters to open four working faces on two new levels, targeting production of 20 to 30 tons per day.

Beyond Escondida, Soma Gold continues exploring across its broader Antioquia land package. At the Cordero Deposit, two surface rigs are testing targets down-dip of the Cordero, Atenas and Cordero Viejo zones, and two underground rigs at the Cordero Mine are focused on infill drilling to support mine planning. Regional teams are also running surface geochemistry programs at the company’s El Bagre and Machuca projects.

Drill core and channel samples are split, tagged and shipped under documented chain of custody to Actlabs Colombia SAS in Rionegro, where pulps are prepared and gold is assayed by fire assay with an atomic-absorption finish; overlimit samples are re-assayed with a gravimetric finish. Pulps are then sent to Actlabs’ laboratory in Ancaster, Ontario, for a 51-element analysis. Soma Gold said its quality-control program includes regularly inserted blanks, duplicates and certified OREAS reference standards, checked against certified values and standard deviations. Buchanan, a professional geologist and the qualified person under National Instrument 43-101, reviewed and approved the technical disclosures in the release.

Soma Gold Corp’s flagship operation, the Cordero Mine, feeds two mills in Antioquia — the El Bagre mill, with a capacity of 450 tons per day, and the El Limón mill, with a capacity of 225 tons per day — for a combined 675 tons per day, permitted for up to 1,400 tons per day. Escondida, the smaller, separately permitted operation Soma Gold acquired in July 2025, has its own small on-site mill and also feeds ore to the El Bagre and El Limón complexes. Internally generated funds are financing the company’s regional exploration program. Soma Gold also holds an exploration property near Tucumã, in Brazil’s Pará state, that it has optioned to Ero Copper Corp (TSX: ERO) (NYSE: ERO).

Quimbaya Gold Inc. (CSE: QIM) (OTCQX: QIMGF) (FSE: K05) has granted 37 Capital Inc. (CSE: JJJ) an exclusive 12-month option to acquire its non-core Berrío gold project in Antioquia, Colombia, for total consideration of up to $3.75 million USD in cash and shares if the option is exercised. The agreement, dated August 18, 2026, is structured so that Quimbaya issues no new shares of its own, receiving cash payments plus an approximately 19.9% equity stake in 37 Capital instead. The company said the option lets it concentrate capital and technical staff on its flagship Tahami Project in the Segovia Gold District, where a drill program is already underway.

Under the option, 37 Capital may exercise at any point over the next 12 months and can acquire the property either by taking a direct transfer of the mining concession and related applications or by buying 100% of Golden Pacifico Exploration S.A.S., the Colombian subsidiary that holds the asset. The $3.75 million USD purchase price is split between a $100,000 USD non-refundable deposit and a further $150,000 USD non-refundable deposit due within six months if the deal has not closed by then — both payments contingent on Quimbaya first arranging the minimum private-placement subscription described below — and, if the option is exercised, 7,600,000 common shares of 37 Capital valued at $760,000 CAD (about $542,857 USD) plus the balance of the price in cash. Completion is subject to exercise of the option and to acceptance by the Canadian Securities Exchange.

The Berrío project, in Puerto Berrío, Antioquia, sits in the Minas del Vapor gold district of the Segovia Gold Belt, roughly 110 kilometers east-northeast of Medellín. It covers about 8,746 hectares in total: a granted concession, contract No. 6822, of 1,218.88 hectares, plus roughly 7,529 hectares under five additional applications filed with Colombia’s Agencia Nacional de Minería (National Mining Agency). At least five small-scale mines already operate immediately south of the property, according to 37 Capital’s own disclosure on the transaction, which also discloses that the ground carries a 2% net smelter returns royalty held by AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE: AU) (JSE: ANG).

37 Capital is funding the acquisition through a concurrent non-brokered private placement of up to 5,000,000 units at $0.10 CAD each, for gross proceeds of up to $500,000 CAD; each unit carries one share and one warrant, with two warrants convertible into one additional share at $0.15 CAD for three years. Quimbaya has agreed to use its best efforts to help arrange at least 3,000,000 of those units, a $300,000 CAD minimum subscription; if that minimum is not raised, 37 Capital will not proceed and the option agreement terminates. A finder’s fee of 1,000,000 37 Capital shares is payable to an arm’s-length party in connection with the transaction.

“This transaction is disciplined capital allocation, we are converting a non-core asset into cash and a retained approximately 19.9% interest, partnering with 37 Capital to put our portfolio to work, without issuing a single Quimbaya share, and putting our full focus on the ground we believe in,” said Alexandre P. Boivin, President and CEO of Quimbaya Gold. “That ground is our Tahami Project in Segovia: a copper-molybdenum-gold porphyry system at Tahami Center, and high-grade gold and silver veins at Tahami South, immediately adjacent to Aris Mining’s producing Segovia operations. Quimbaya is a meaningful mining-rights holder in one of Colombia’s most prolific and actively producing gold districts, and a non-dilutive approach lets us advance it on our own terms. Our next chapter is the first drill results from Tahami Center, which we expect in the third quarter of 2026.”

Tahami lies immediately adjacent to Aris Mining Corporation’s (TSX: ARIS) (NYSE: ARIS) producing Segovia Operations, a wholly owned underground mine and one of the highest-grade gold mines in the world, with a reserve grade of about 10.7 grams per ton. Segovia produced 227,762 ounces of gold in 2025, and Aris Mining has said output should rise to between 265,000 and 300,000 ounces annually following the recent installation of a second processing mill that lifted capacity 50%, to 3,000 tons per day, as Finance Colombia previously reported. Antioquia is Colombia’s top gold-producing department, according to the national Unidad de Planeación Minero Energética (Mining and Energy Planning Unit, or UPME).

If the Berrío option is exercised, Quimbaya said net proceeds would go toward continued exploration at Tahami and general working capital. Ricardo Sierra, Quimbaya’s VP Exploration, is the qualified person under National Instrument 43-101 for the technical disclosure in the transaction.

Collective Mining Ltd. (Collective Mining) (NASDAQ: CNL) (TSX: CNL) has finished the access road to the portal site for its planned exploration adit at the Guayabales Project in the department of Caldas, Colombia, and is moving directly into portal-platform and box-cut construction, the company said August 18, 2026. With permits already secured, Collective Mining said the adit remains on schedule to begin construction in the fourth quarter of 2026, with underground drilling set to start in the first quarter of 2027 at Trap East, a newly identified extension of the company’s Trap system.

The update follows a progress report Collective Mining issued June 17, 2026, when it said engineering, permitting and site preparation for the adit were advancing and named former Ecopetrol projects executive Josué Romanos as vice president of projects (Finance Colombia reported on that update). The company first disclosed plans for the exploration adit on March 11, 2026. The August update also comes about a week after Collective Mining completed the transfer of its US listing from the NYSE American to the Nasdaq Global Select Market, a move it announced in late July and completed August 11 under the unchanged CNL symbol; its Toronto Stock Exchange listing was not affected.

The completed roadway is a 1.8-kilometer switch-back route built by upgrading an existing path connecting the Pan American Highway to the portal site, the company said, clearing the way for box-cut and portal-platform work to begin immediately.

Under Collective Mining’s current timeline, drilling of the Trap East target is scheduled for the first quarter of 2027. Drilling of the Trap Main System is expected to follow in the second half of 2027, once the adit has advanced enough to allow construction of a cross-cut, with drilling of the Plutus target and the Ramp Zone to follow in 2028. The company said the portal location and access-road alignment sit within the area anticipated for future project infrastructure, close to both the Pan American Highway and existing power lines.

“We are excited to begin drilling the Trap System from underground, as we will be able to rapidly test the system from suitable drilling angles while testing for extensions to the mineralization,” said Ari Sussman, Executive Chairman of Collective Mining. “Following a recent detailed review with our geological team, I am confident that Trap has all the potential to develop into a second large-scale precious-metal system at Guayabales.” Sussman said the Trap system’s proximity to both the adit portal and the company’s proposed future mining infrastructure is a key advantage: “Should our underground drilling confirm the system as we expect, Trap would provide a second independent working front alongside Apollo, enhancing mill feed flexibility in a future mining scenario.” He added that he is not ruling out the possibility of discovering yet another mineralized system as the adit advances toward Apollo, given the amount of mineralization already found across Guayabales through limited surface drilling to date.

Ned Jalil, Chief Executive Officer, said the company remains on track to meet its milestones. “Once established, the adit will fundamentally expand the way we can explore Guayabales,” Jalil said. “Underground access will enable us to drill-test Apollo’s Ramp Zone, the Trap System and the Plutus Target over more than a vertical kilometer from optimal orientations that are not available from surface.”

Collective Mining said it is prioritizing local employment and procurement for the early-works program, with much of the current workforce recruited from communities in Caldas. The company said the work is being carried out under its own health and safety standards as well as Colombia’s applicable regulatory requirements.

Mineralization at Trap outcrops at surface and has been drill-tested along a 1.4-kilometer northwest-southeast corridor, extending as much as 900 meters below surface and remaining open along strike and at depth; the planned adit is positioned to intersect the currently known southeastern end of that corridor. According to Collective Mining’s own project disclosures, Trap sits about 3.5 kilometers northeast of the Apollo system; the company first announced a discovery there through grassroots drilling in September 2022. The company currently has one rig testing for mineralization up to 200 meters further northwest than any prior drilling, with initial results expected in late September.

Previously reported drilling at Trap has returned both broad, continuous mineralized intervals and narrower high-grade vein zones, including:

• 632.25 meters at 1.10 g/t AuEq from 172.65 meters, including 51.50 meters at 2.73 g/t AuEq and 46.35 meters at 2.41 g/t AuEq (TRC-7A)
• 646.00 meters at 0.81 g/t AuEq from 19.50 meters, including 301.50 meters at 1.01 g/t AuEq (TRC-2)
• 174.45 meters at 1.19 g/t AuEq from 485.15 meters, including 40.85 meters at 3.76 g/t AuEq (TRC-11)
• 30.00 meters at 4.96 g/t AuEq from 11.85 meters (TRC-14)
• 200.85 meters at 1.06 g/t AuEq from 4.55 meters, including 40.50 meters at 4.01 g/t AuEq (TRC-30)
• 2.80 meters at 234.15 g/t gold from 122.00 meters, including 0.80 meters at 816 g/t gold (TRC-26)
• 1.30 meters at 49.30 g/t gold from 18.15 meters (TRC-25)

AuEq figures are presented as originally reported by the company in its respective press releases.

Collective Mining was founded by the team that developed and sold Continental Gold Inc. to Zijin Mining in an all-cash transaction that closed in March 2020, for approximately $1.4 billion CAD in enterprise value, according to Collective Mining. The company explores for gold, silver, copper and tungsten at two projects in Caldas, both located within an established mining district alongside 10 fully permitted and operating mines, and trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “CNL.” Management, insiders, a strategic investor, and close family and friends own 45.2% of its outstanding shares.

David J. Reading, an independent consultant, is the qualified person for this release under National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and verified the technical information it contains. Reading holds an MSc in economic geology and is a fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and of the Society of Economic Geology.

Collective Mining Ltd. (NYSE American: CNL; TSX: CNL) reported zero lost-time injuries among its direct employees and no environmental non-compliance during 2025, while investing approximately $1.45 million in community programs across its exploration projects in Caldas, Colombia.

The company released its 2025 Sustainability Report on July 22, 2026, covering its environmental, social and safety performance as Collective expanded exploration at the Guayabales and San Antonio projects. During the year, the company completed 62,500 meters of exploration drilling, its largest annual drilling campaign to date.

“The outcomes outlined in our latest sustainability report reflect the company we are building: technically ambitious, locally rooted and disciplined in how we grow.” – Omar Ossma, President, Collective Mining

Improving safety and local employment

Collective reported zero Lost Time Injuries among direct employees during 2025 and a Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR) of 0%. The company also reported zero instances of environmental non-compliance during the year.

Direct employment increased 38% year-over-year as the company expanded its exploration, engineering and social activities. Employees from Caldas represented 81% of the company’s direct workforce at year-end, while women accounted for 35% of direct employment.

The results come as Collective continues to expand exploration around the Apollo system, the centerpiece of its Guayabales Project.

$1.45 million directed toward communities

Collective invested approximately $1.45 million in social programs during 2025. The company said 57.5% of the funding came directly from Collective, while strategic partners contributed the remaining 42.5%.

The programs reached 18,880 beneficiaries across 1,745 families and strengthened the capabilities of 237 community leaders.

The initiatives operate under Collective’s “The Collective Way” framework, which emphasizes long-term partnerships in areas including water access and sanitation, infrastructure, education, agricultural development, technical training and community capacity building.

The company’s community strategy is particularly relevant to its operations in Caldas, where Collective’s exploration activities are located alongside established mining operations.

Exploration expands in 2026

Collective has continued its aggressive exploration campaign into 2026. The company reported in June that it had completed more than 184,000 meters of diamond drilling across the Guayabales and San Antonio projects, including 120,000 meters at Apollo.

The Apollo system has produced further exploration results during the year. On June 29, Collective reported a newly identified tungsten-enriched high-grade subzone approximately 300 meters below surface. Drill hole APC-162 intersected 27.35 meters grading 37.55 grams per tonne gold equivalent, including 1.68% tungsten oxide, 11.62 grams per tonne gold, 54 grams per tonne silver and 0.43% copper.

Collective said in July that it had also secured additional mining titles from Colombia’s National Mining Agency following public hearings in Supía and Marmato. The company said the new titles materially expanded its titled land position and created additional drill-ready targets within and adjacent to the Guayabales project area.

As of March 31, 2026, Collective reported $113.3 million in cash and said it was fully funded for its 2026 exploration program, which calls for up to 100,000 meters of drilling. The company had 13 diamond drill rigs operating across Guayabales.

Management and the path toward development

Ned Jalil became Collective’s chief executive officer in April 2025, while Omar Ossma remained president. Finance Colombia previously reported that the appointment brought a mining executive with more than 25 years of international experience into the company’s leadership as Collective considered the longer-term development potential of Guayabales.

Ossma said the sustainability results reflect the company’s approach as it advances both Guayabales and San Antonio.

“As we advance the Guayabales and San Antonio projects, we remain focused on deepening local partnerships, managing our environmental responsibilities and ensuring that the value created through discovery is inclusive and long-lasting,” Ossma said.

Collective was founded by members of the team that developed and sold Continental Gold Inc. to Zijin Mining Group for approximately $2 billion in enterprise value. The company is exploring for gold, silver, copper and tungsten in Caldas, where Guayabales and San Antonio form the core of its Colombian portfolio.

The company’s flagship Guayabales Project is anchored by the Apollo system, which Collective describes as a bulk-tonnage, high-grade gold-silver-copper-tungsten system. Current exploration priorities include expanding the Ramp Zone, testing the Northern Apollo Oxidized area, drilling the northwestern extension of the Trap target and pursuing additional greenfield targets.

Collective’s 2025 Sustainability Report provides the company’s latest formal account of its safety, environmental and community performance as it moves into a larger 2026 exploration program.

Headline photo : A mural showing artisanal mining in Supía Colombia, where Collective Mining has participated funding of municipal improvement projects.. (Photo by Finance Colombia)

Aris Mining Corporation (TSX: ARIS) (NYSE: ARIS) reported adjusted EBITDA of $179 million USD for the second quarter of 2026, as the Canadian gold producer’s two operating mines in Colombia generated the cash to fund $121 million USD in capital projects during the quarter while leaving the company with a cash balance of $426 million USD as of June 30.

“Aris Mining delivered another strong quarter with our operations generating the cash required to fund more than $120 million of capital investments during the second quarter while maintaining a strong balance sheet.” — Neil Woodyer, Chair & CEO, Aris Mining

The company produced 73,700 ounces of gold in the quarter, consistent with the 74,300 ounces produced in the first quarter, and booked gold revenue of $321 million USD at an average realized price of $4,450 USD per ounce. Adjusted net earnings came in at $96 million USD, or $0.47 USD per share. On a trailing 12-month basis, adjusted EBITDA now stands at $690 million USD, up from $610 million USD one quarter earlier.

First-half production of 148,000 ounces represents a 31% increase over the 113,400 ounces produced in the first half of 2025, as Finance Colombia reported earlier this month, and the company says it remains on track to meet its full-year guidance of 300,000 to 350,000 ounces, with output weighted toward the second half of the year.

“Aris Mining delivered another strong quarter with our operations generating the cash required to fund more than $120 million of capital investments during the second quarter while maintaining a strong balance sheet,” said Neil Woodyer, chair and CEO of Aris Mining.

Segovia Ramps Up Mining Capacity

The Segovia operations in Antioquia produced 64.4 thousand ounces during the quarter, bringing first-half output to 131.0 thousand ounces. The mill processed 202,500 tons at an average gold grade of 10.23 grams per ton, a 15% increase in throughput from the 175,400 tons at 12.41 grams per ton processed in the first quarter, as the operation works toward consistent utilization of the expanded 3,000 tons-per-day processing capacity installed in June 2025.

This graph shows the increasing realized gold price of Aris Mining’s Segovia operations versus its current cost per ounce. Photo provided by Aris Mining.

Total investment at Segovia rose to $31 million USD in the quarter from $17 million USD in the first quarter, funding new ramps and a main underground haulage circuit connecting the El Silencio, Providencia, and Sandra K mines, along with an expanded mining fleet acquired through purchase and leasing arrangements.

Owner-operated mining, which contributed 67% of mill feed, recorded an all-in sustaining cost of $1,767 USD per ounce sold, keeping the first-half figure of $1,623 USD per ounce below the company’s full-year guidance range of $1,700 to $1,800 USD. Material sourced from contract mining partners, which contributed the remaining 33% of mill feed, delivered an all-in sustaining cost sales margin of 46%, above the top end of the full-year guidance range of 35% to 40%. Segovia generated an all-in sustaining cost margin of $157 million USD in the quarter and $356 million USD in the first half.

Marmato on Schedule for First Gold in Q4 2026

The Marmato mine in Caldas produced 9.3 thousand ounces in the quarter, bringing first-half production to 17,100 ounces, with the mill processing 84,600 tons at an average grade of 3.79 grams per ton. Throughput is expected to increase materially once the new 5,000 tons-per-day carbon-in-pulp (CIP) plant is commissioned, with first gold expected in the fourth quarter of 2026.

The SAG and ball mills are on site and mechanical installation is underway, and the underground connection completed earlier this year established direct access between the Bulk Mining Zone and the new process plant area.

As of July 1, 2026, the estimated capital required to achieve first gold from the Marmato CIP plant is approximately $118 million USD. After a final $42 million USD installment expected from Wheaton Precious Metals (TSX: WPM) (NYSE: WPM) in the third quarter, the net funding requirement of approximately $76 million USD will come from the company’s cash balance and operating cash flow.

Aris Mining plans to exit 2026 operating the new plant at approximately 3,000 tons per day, ramping up to approximately 4,000 tons per day by mid-2027 and reaching the full 5,000 tons-per-day design capacity by the end of 2027, following commissioning of the paste backfill plant.

Soto Norte and Toroparu Advance the Growth Pipeline

At the Soto Norte project in Santander, environmental studies and preparation of the environmental license application are nearing completion. The project’s design incorporates a metallurgical process free of cyanide and mercury, and allocates approximately 750 tons per day of processing capacity — over 20% of the project’s planned 3,500 tons-per-day total — to local miners through the company’s contract mining partner program. A prefeasibility study completed in September 2025 outlined average annual gold production of 263,000 ounces in years two through 10, with an after-tax net present value of $2.7 billion USD at a 5% discount rate and a 35% internal rate of return at an assumed gold price of $2,600 USD per ounce.

The adjusted EBITDA by quarter of Aris Mining remains on track with the last two quarters, and larger than Q2 and Q3 of the operations in 2025. Photo provided by Aris Mining.

At the Toroparu project in Guyana, a prefeasibility study remains on schedule for completion in the second half of 2026, supporting a construction decision targeted for early 2027. Pre-construction activities are underway, including construction of the Puruni River bridge, camp expansion, and road improvements, and the project team has grown to 100 employees in the country. A preliminary economic assessment completed in October 2025 outlined average annual gold production of 235,000 ounces, an after-tax net present value of $1.8 billion USD at a 5% discount rate, and a 25% internal rate of return at an assumed gold price of $3,000 USD per ounce. The company continues engagement with the Government of Guyana and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission to obtain the project’s mining license.

Aris Mining’s Segovia and Marmato operations together produced approximately 257,000 ounces of gold in 2025. The company’s expansion projects at the two mines are expected to lift annual production to approximately 500,000 ounces, and its broader portfolio, including Soto Norte and Toroparu, supports a longer-term objective of approximately 1 million ounces of annual gold production.

Headline image description: Second mill at the Segovia Operations. Photo from CNW Group/Aris Mining Corporation.

Organized by CGS Events, the conference is positioned as a dedicated meeting point for mineral exploration and development in Colombia, providing updates on exploration projects, field activities, government policy, and the future of the country’s mining sector.

With Colombia’s mineral resources attracting growing international attention, CGS Colombia 2026 will examine the opportunities and challenges shaping the industry, including exploration strategies, regulatory developments, investment trends, and the advancement of gold and copper projects across the country.

The two-day event will feature discussions, networking opportunities, and insights from companies and professionals involved in Colombia’s exploration ecosystem. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with project developers, technical specialists, investors, and stakeholders working across the mining value chain.

Dates: November 10–11, 2026
Venue: InterContinental Medellín, Medellín, Colombia

For more information and registration details, visit the official event page.

Collective Mining (NYSE American: CNL; TSX: CNL) has secured additional mining titles from Colombia’s Agencia Nacional de Minería (ANM), expanding its titled land position around the Guayabales Project in Caldas and adding new drill-ready exploration targets.

The new titles were granted on July 10, 2026, following a public hearing held in the municipality of Supía on May 21, 2026. They follow earlier title grants issued by the ANM on April 10, 2026, after a public hearing in neighboring Marmato on February 17, 2026.

“With the completion of the titling processes in both municipalities, we have meaningfully consolidated our mineral title holdings and further improved continuity across the Guayabales Project.” – Ari Sussman, Executive Chairman, Collective Mining

The completion of both multi-stage regulatory processes during the second quarter of 2026 gives Collective Mining a more consolidated concession position across its area of influence in Supía and Marmato and supports the company’s continued exploration strategy at Guayabales.

The company said the newly granted titles strengthen its ability to advance exploration activities by securing additional prospective ground along structural trends believed to play an important role in controlling mineralization within the project area.

Expanded land position creates additional exploration flexibility

Collective Mining said the new titles are located within and adjacent to the existing Guayabales Project area, improving long-term flexibility for exploration planning, future infrastructure considerations, and district-scale target generation.

The expanded footprint also provides access to additional drill-ready targets, including areas associated with the Trap target and other prospective zones across the property.

“We are very pleased to see continued strong public support for Collective by local communities, as evidenced by the two successful and well-attended public hearings in Supía and Marmato,” said Ari Sussman, Executive Chairman of Collective Mining.

The company added that it expects the larger titled land package to support future drilling and development decisions as it continues evaluating the project’s mineral potential.

Guayabales advances following surface rights consolidation

Ari Sussman, Executive Chairman of Collective Mining. (Photo: Collective Mining)

The latest title grants follow Collective Mining’s earlier efforts to secure control over the surface rights required for potential future development at Guayabales.

In March 2026, the company completed land acquisitions covering the remaining surface rights needed for a future mining operation.

The Guayabales Project is anchored by the Apollo system, where Collective has reported high-grade gold discoveries and continues an extensive diamond drilling campaign.

The company has completed 184,000 meters of diamond drilling across the Guayabales and San Antonio projects, including 120,000 meters at the Apollo system.

As of March 31, 2026, Collective reported $113.3 million in cash and said it was fully funded for its 2026 exploration program, which includes up to 100,000 meters of drilling. The company currently operates 13 diamond drill rigs across the Guayabales Project.

Collective Mining continues exploration in Caldas

Collective Mining was founded by the team behind Continental Gold, which was acquired by Zijin Mining for approximately $2 billion in enterprise value.

The company explores for gold, silver, copper, and tungsten in Caldas, where its projects are located within an established mining district hosting ten fully permitted and operating mines.

At Guayabales, Collective Mining is focused on expanding the high-grade Ramp Zone, testing the Northern Apollo Oxidized area, drilling the recently granted license covering the northwestern extension of the Trap target, and evaluating additional greenfield exploration targets.

Collective Mining is listed on the NYSE American and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol CNL. Management, insiders, a strategic investor, and close family and friends hold approximately 45.2% of the company’s outstanding shares.

Collective Mining (NYSE American: CNL; TSX: CNL) has advanced engineering and permitting work for its planned exploration adit at the Guayabales Project in Caldas, Colombia, while appointing Josué Romanos as vice president of projects to support the company’s next phase of development.

“The progress on our exploration adit marks an important step in accelerating our understanding of the system from underground and advances the Guayabales Project towards our ultimate goal of production.”
— Ned Jalil, Chief Executive Officer, Collective Mining

The company said construction of the exploration adit is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026. The underground access project is designed to provide a new platform for studying the Apollo system and the broader Guayabales Project, including additional drilling, geotechnical and hydrological studies, and future metallurgical sampling.

Collective Mining first announced the exploration adit plans on March 11, 2026. Since then, the company said it has progressed engineering studies, execution planning, and permitting activities to prepare for construction.

Early preparations have included the construction of an explosives storage facility, which Collective said has been inspected and approved by the relevant authorities.

The adit will support underground drilling activities at Guayabales, where the company is focused on advancing exploration of the Apollo system and the high-grade Ramp Zone. The work is expected to contribute technical information required for future project studies and development decisions.

Alongside the exploration update, Collective Mining announced the appointment of Josué Romanos as vice president of projects, effective immediately.

Romanos brings more than three decades of experience in energy and infrastructure projects in Colombia. He spent more than 15 years at Ecopetrol, Colombia’s state-controlled energy company, most recently serving as general manager of projects, where he oversaw engineering, construction, commissioning, and quality assurance activities across a multi-billion-dollar capital portfolio.

During his time at Ecopetrol, Romanos also participated in the company’s investment committee. Earlier in his career, he held operations and commissioning roles at BP Exploration and PetroSantander on projects in Colombia.

Romanos is a petroleum engineer from Universidad de América and holds a postgraduate specialization in gas engineering from Universidad Industrial de Santander.

Collective Mining said the appointment strengthens its internal project execution capabilities as Guayabales advances through technical studies, permitting, and operational preparation.

Founded by the team behind Continental Gold, which was acquired by Zijin Mining for approximately $2 billion in enterprise value, Collective Mining is exploring gold, silver, copper, and tungsten projects in Caldas.

The company’s Guayabales Project is located within an established mining district and is centered on expanding exploration targets including the Ramp Zone, Hanging Wall Vein Zone, and additional greenfield targets.

Collective Mining is listed on the NYSE American and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol CNL. Management, insiders, strategic investors, and close family and friends hold approximately 45.2% of the company’s outstanding shares.

Drill hole APC-162, collared from Pad 31 and directed to the southwest, cut high-grade mineralization with observable coarse scheelite, chalcopyrite, and sporadic sphalerite and galena, returning 27.35 meters grading 37.55 grams per ton gold equivalent — 1.68% tungsten trioxide (WO3), 11.62 g/t gold, 54 g/t silver, and 0.43% copper — beginning approximately 300 meters below surface.

Figure 1: Section of the Apollo System Highlighting the new Tungsten Enriched Subzone Discovered 300 Meters Below Surface (CNW Group/Collective Mining Ltd.)

The hole was designed as the initial follow-up to test for an up-dip extension of a tungsten-rich interval first intersected in hole APC107-D5, which returned 28.45 meters at 0.80% WO3, 1.63 g/t gold, 13 g/t silver, and 0.12% copper. Together, the two holes define a new tungsten-enriched subzone that begins at approximately 300 meters below surface and is distinct and separate from the upper tungsten-rich zone, which covers the top 100 meters of the Apollo breccia body from surface. The new subzone remains fully open down-dip along the eastern contact margin of the Apollo breccia, with follow-up drilling expected to begin shortly.

“These results reinforce the exceptional scale and depth potential of the Apollo system,” said Ari Sussman, the company’s executive chairman. “The discovery of a new high-grade, tungsten-enriched subzone beginning 300 meters below surface, distinct from and well below the near-surface tungsten zone, demonstrates that Apollo continues to grow in both size and metal endowment with virtually every hole we drill. With 13 rigs turning and a fully funded 2026 program, we are well positioned to continue expanding the Apollo system in multiple directions.”

Figure 2: Plan View of the Apollo System Highlighting Drill Holes Announced in this Release (CNW Group/Collective Mining Ltd.)

A second hole, APC160-D1 — the initial directional hole collared from mother hole APC-160D at Pad 27 and directed north along the breccia’s western margin — extended the breccia body 77 meters to the northwest beyond its current outline at 900 meters below surface, intersecting 28.80 meters at 1.67 g/t gold equivalent. The same hole returned infill mineralization along the western margin, including 116.25 meters at 1.41 g/t gold equivalent from 647 meters below surface — with higher-grade cores of 15.15 meters at 2.36 g/t and 17.35 meters at 4.75 g/t — and 51.05 meters at 1.00 g/t gold equivalent from 800 meters below surface.

“The discovery of a new high-grade, tungsten-enriched subzone beginning 300 meters below surface, distinct from and well below the near-surface tungsten zone, demonstrates that Apollo continues to grow in both size and metal endowment with virtually every hole we drill.” — Ari Sussman, Executive Chairman, Collective Mining

Two further holes, APC-167D and APC-162, were drilled into diorite host rock north of and outside the main breccia body to improve confidence in the lower-grade halo mineralization surrounding it. Both intersected sheeted veinlet mineralization grading better than the company’s existing internal block model, with APC-167D returning 58.00 meters at 1.03 g/t gold equivalent from 418 meters below surface, including 7.15 meters at 3.76 g/t, and APC-162 returning 6.70 meters at 3.90 g/t gold equivalent from 223 meters and 13.00 meters at 6.47 g/t gold equivalent from 264 meters below surface. Four other holes — APC160-D2, APC169-D1, APC169-D2, and APC-173 — were exploratory in nature and did not intersect significant mineralization beyond thin, modestly grading individual veinlets.

Figure 3: Core Photos Under Ultra-Violet Light Illuminating Coarse Scheelite (Tungsten) in Drill Hole APC-162 (CNW Group/Collective Mining Ltd.)

The Apollo system anchors the Guayabales Project, where Collective has been drilling the high-grade Ramp Zone and, in late 2025, announced its 2026 drill campaign. The company first disclosed the high-grade Ramp Zone discovery in October 2024 and has since reported strong metallurgical recovery rates at Apollo.

At the separate San Antonio Project, four exploratory holes — SAC-36, SAC-37, SAC-38, and SAC-39 — were collared from Pad 15 and Pad 16 at the Dollar target, about 700 meters south of the deep porphyry discovery at the Pound target. Modest porphyry-related vein mineralization was encountered in two of the holes. SAC-36 returned 0.90 meters at 962 g/t silver, 0.98 g/t gold, 0.15% copper, and 0.58% zinc from 101.40 meters downhole, plus 2.00 meters at 14.15 g/t gold from 471.35 meters. SAC-39 returned 29.20 meters at 1.28 g/t gold, 11 g/t silver, and 0.30% zinc from 246.30 meters downhole, including 5.95 meters at 3.51 g/t gold and 1.03% zinc. The company said it is evaluating San Antonio to assess its exploration potential and define priority targets ahead of future fieldwork.

To date, Collective has completed 184,000 meters of diamond drilling across the Guayabales and San Antonio projects, including 120,000 meters at the flagship Apollo system. The company reported $113.3 million USD in cash as of March 31, 2026, and said it is fully funded for a 2026 program that envisions up to 100,000 meters of drilling. It currently has 13 diamond drill rigs operating across the Guayabales Project.

Figure 4: Plan View of the Guayabales Project Highlighting the Apollo System (CNW Group/Collective Mining Ltd.)

Gold-equivalent grades are calculated using metal prices of $3,000 USD per ounce of gold, $50 USD per ounce of silver, $5.00 USD per pound of copper, $1.35 USD per pound of zinc, and $90.72 USD per pound of WO3, with assumed recovery rates of 97% for gold, 85% for silver, 95% for copper, 85% for zinc, and 72% for tungsten. The company notes that the zinc recovery assumption is speculative, as limited metallurgical work has been completed to date, and that reported true widths are between 60% and 100% of the total intercept length, with uncut grades.

Collective Mining was founded by the team that developed and sold Continental Gold to Zijin Mining for approximately $2 billion USD in enterprise value. The company explores for gold, silver, copper, and tungsten in Caldas, where its two projects sit within an established mining camp that hosts ten fully permitted and operating mines. Management, insiders, a strategic investor, and close family and friends own 45.2% of the company’s outstanding shares. Collective Mining is listed on the NYSE American and the TSX under the symbol CNL.