Mercado Minerals Signs LOI to Acquire La Franca within the Zamora Project and Samples 1.00 Metre of 1.53 kg/t Silver and 1.39 g/t Gold

Vancouver, BC, September 18, 2026 – Mercado Minerals Ltd. (CSE: MERC, OTCQB: MRMNF) (“Mercado” or the “Company“) is pleased to announce the signing of a Letter of Intent (“LOI”) to purchase the La Franca concession (“La Franca”) surrounded by Mercado’s Campanillas concession on the Zamora project in Sinaloa, Mexico. Once a Definitive Agreement is signed, it is structured as a three year option agreement to acquire 100% subject to a 2% Net Smelter Return Royalty (“NSR” or “Royalty”). Consolidation of the Campanillas area unlocks 750 metres of mineralized veining that has never been drill tested. High grade silver and gold surface chip sampling results from La Franca returned multiple high-grade intervals, including 1.00 metre of 1.53 kg/t silver and 1.39 g/t gold (1501 g/t AgEq¹) and 0.80 metre of 534 g/t silver and 3.58 g/t gold (757 g/t AgEq).