Luca Mining Earns Spot on OTCQX Best 50 with Strong 2025 Showing

VANCOUVER, BC – January 20, 2026 – Luca Mining Corp. (TSXV: LUCA, OTCQX: LUCMF) has secured a coveted spot on the 2026 OTCQX Best 50, an annual ranking of the top-performing companies on the OTCQX Best Market. The Canadian mining company’s inclusion, placing it 14th on the prestigious list, follows a year of significant operational milestones and robust financial performance in 2025.

The OTCQX Best 50 is calculated based on an equal weighting of a company's one-year total return and its average daily dollar volume growth throughout the previous calendar year. For a company like Luca Mining, this recognition serves as a powerful market signal, highlighting not only its stock performance but also growing investor interest and trading liquidity.

A Year of Financial Fortitude and Production Growth

Luca Mining's ascent to the OTCQX Best 50 was underpinned by a transformative 2025. The company successfully met or exceeded its revised production guidance across all five metals—gold, silver, zinc, copper, and lead—from its two 100%-owned mines in Mexico. This operational consistency translated directly into a dramatically strengthened balance sheet.

By the end of 2025, Luca's cash position had swelled to approximately $25.5 million, a significant increase from $10.2 million at the close of 2024. Perhaps more impressively, the company utilized its free cash flow from operations to slash its debt principal from $12.6 million down to just $2.5 million over the same period. This deleveraging, coupled with substantial revenue growth—including a 102% year-over-year increase in Q2 2025 to US$36.8 million—paints a picture of a junior miner hitting its stride.

"We are pleased to announce it has been named to the 2026 OTCQX® Best 50, a ranking of top performing companies traded on the OTCQX Best Market last year," stated Dan Barnholden, Chief Executive Officer, in the official announcement. This accolade validates the company's strategy and its successful execution throughout a pivotal year.

Dual-Mine Success in Mexico's Sierra Madre

The engine behind Luca Mining's financial success is its operational execution at two distinct mining assets located within Mexico's prolific Sierra Madre mineralized belt.

The first, the Tahuehueto Mine in Durango State, celebrated a major milestone by achieving commercial production in March 2025. As a newly constructed underground operation focused on gold and silver, the mine successfully commissioned its mill and has been consistently ramping up throughput. In the second quarter of 2025, Tahuehueto more than doubled its output, averaging 905 tonnes per day and demonstrating a smooth transition into a reliable production asset for the company.

Meanwhile, at the Campo Morado polymetallic mine in Guerrero State, an ongoing optimization program is yielding substantial results. The underground operation, which produces copper, zinc, and lead concentrates with precious metal credits, saw its daily throughput increase significantly. In Q2 2025, the mine milled an average of 2,133 tonnes per day, a 54% increase compared to the same period in 2024. These improvements in recoveries, grades, and efficiencies are directly boosting the mine's cash flow and overall contribution to the company's bottom line.

Combined, the two mines produced 39,154 gold-equivalent ounces in the first half of 2025 alone, a 50% increase over the previous year, demonstrating the powerful synergy of its dual-asset strategy.

Balancing Growth with Calculated Risk

While the market rewards Luca Mining's performance, investors also note the company's transparent approach to its operational risks. A cautionary note in its public disclosures highlights that commercial production at the Campo Morado mine was declared before the completion of a comprehensive feasibility study.

In the mining industry, a feasibility study is the most rigorous level of project analysis, using proven and probable mineral reserves to demonstrate economic and technical viability with a high degree of confidence. By proceeding based on a less-detailed Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA), Luca accepted a greater degree of economic uncertainty and a higher technical risk of failure than is typical for a project entering production.

This strategy, while not uncommon for junior miners aiming to fast-track production and generate cash flow, requires careful management and continuous operational de-risking. The success of the optimization program at Campo Morado to date suggests the company's gamble is paying off, but it remains a key factor for investors to consider when evaluating the company's long-term risk profile.

A Standout in a Strong Mining Sector

Luca Mining's 14th-place ranking on the OTCQX Best 50 is made more notable by the strong presence of its peers. The 2026 list is heavily populated with mining and resource companies, including Ucore Rare Metals, Discovery Silver Corp., and Lundin Gold, which occupy spots in the top 10. This trend suggests a buoyant 2025 for the junior mining sector, where companies with compelling projects and solid execution captured significant investor attention.

The median total return for the 2026 OTCQX Best 50 cohort was an impressive 81% in 2025, underscoring the high-growth environment in which Luca Mining excelled. By securing a top-tier position among such strong performers, the company has firmly established itself as a significant player to watch. As part of its strategy to sustain this momentum, Luca invested approximately $3.8 million in exploration drilling in 2025, aiming to extend the life of its mines and enhance future production flexibility.