VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Miata Metals Corp. (TSXV: MMET) (FSE: 8NQ) (OTCQX: MMETF) (“Miata” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce additional drill results from its ongoing, 25,000 m diamond drilling program at its Sela Creek Gold Project (“Sela Creek” or the “Project”) in Suriname.

The initial 2026 drill results from Puma East establish a significant new gold discovery approximately 3 km southeast of the Company’s increasingly advanced Jons Trend-Big Berg Corridor where ongoing drilling continues to increase confidence in the scale and continuity of the Company’s flagship gold system. The results from Puma East demonstrate that Sela Creek hosts multiple mineralized centres across the Project area.

The first four holes at Puma East intersected broad mineralized intervals containing high-grade gold, while confirming structural controls, alteration, quartz-pyrite veining, and visible gold that closely mirror the geological characteristics of Jons Trend.

Highlights:

New gold discovery established at Puma East, approximately 3 km southeast of the Jons Trend-Big Berg Corridor
First four holes intersected broad mineralized intervals and high-grade gold, highlighted by:
- 26DDH-PME-002 intersected:
  - 17.19 m at 3.14 g/t Au from 67.31 m, including:
    - 7.09 m at 5.64 g/t Au
    - 0.90 m at 22.80 g/t Au
- 26DDH-PME-004 intersected a broad mineralized interval of:
  - 21.64 m at 1.70 g/t Au, including:
    - 7.50 m at 2.04 g/t Au
    - 6.30 m at 2.81 g/t Au
- 26DDH-PME-003 intersected:
  - 4.56 m at 3.39 g/t Au, including
    - 1.49 m at 6.19 g/t
Geological characteristics of Puma East closely mirror those of Jons Trend
Confirms another mineralized centre within the broader Sela Creek area
Two drill rigs remain active at Sela Creek, with several holes pending assays from the Jons Trend – Big Berg corridor

Figure 1. Overview map of Puma Corridor in comparison to Jons Trend -Big Berg Corridor.

“Puma East is an exciting new discovery that demonstrates significant gold mineralization in bedrock exists well beyond the Jons Trend-Big Berg Corridor,” stated Dr. Jacob Verbaas, CEO of Miata. “Based on geological mapping and our drilling to date, we believe there is the potential to unlock a second major corridor of mineralization at the Puma Trend, similar to the Jons Trend-Big Berg corridor. Our drilling in this exciting second discovery area continues while several holes from the first discovery area are pending assays. Our operational momentum is building.”

“Discovering another mineralized system 3 km away that shares many of the same geological characteristics as Jons Trend gives us increased confidence in our exploration model and its ability to identify additional high-priority drill targets across the 14 km artisanal mining trend that extends through the 215 km²Sela Creek Gold Project. Several priority targets are still untested by drilling, and we believe Sela Creek remains in the early stages of demonstrating the full extent of its district-scale gold endowment.”

Figure 2. Plan view of Puma East. Note the location of geological section A-A’ of figure 3. The dashed lines depict fold axis that trend towards 2025 drilling.

Puma East Drilling:

The 2026 drilling at Puma East tested an area where surface work has outlined a 100 m wide zone of shearing and tight, upright folding that both trend northwest-southeast. An anticlinal fold hinge was mapped at surface and continues to 25DDH-SEL-030 that was drilled 300 m along strike and yielded 5.3 m at 8.25 g/t Au from 37.7 m.

Initial 2026 drilling consisted of four holes, 26DDH-PME-001 to 26DDH-PME-004. The holes were drilled to test the main Puma East shear zone and related fold-associated veining, following up on the 2025 drilling that intersected 5.0 m at 0.97 g/t Au (25DDH-SEL-027) and 4.3 m at 2.45 g/t Au (25DDH-SEL-028). The 2025 drilling failed to intersect the mineralized zones at the correct angle. The 2026 drilling, however, was oriented differently and thus successfully intersected steep mineralized shear veins as well as shallower fold-related extension veins.

Hole 26DDH-PME-002 intersected the strongest result from Puma East, intersecting:

17.19 m at 3.14 g/t Au including:
- 7.09 m at 5.64 g/t Au
- 0.90 m at 22.80 g/t Au

The mineralized interval in 26DDH-PME-002 is associated with extensional veining and multiple occurrences of visible gold. PME-002 intersected additional intervals of:

5.80 m at 2.26 g/t Au
5.80 m at 1.31 g/t Au

Hole 26DDH-PME-004 intersected a broad zone of mineralization, intersecting:

21.64 m at 1.70 g/t Au, including:
- 7.50 m at 2.04 g/t Au
- 6.30 m at 2.81 g/t Au

Hole 26DDH-PME-003 intersected a higher-grade shear-hosted interval of:

4.56 m at 3.39 g/t Au, including
- 1.49 m at 6.19 g/t Au

The mineralized zones at Puma East are characterized by strong silica, biotite, and chlorite alteration with localized white mica alteration. Quartz-pyrite-pyrrhotite shear veining occurs parallel to the main foliation direction (NW-SE), while extensional quartz veins occur parallel and oblique to foliation, thickening near fold hinges.

Together, these results establish Puma East as a significant new discovery within the Sela Creek Gold Project area. The similarities in host rock, structural setting, alteration assemblages and vein styles to those observed at Jons Trend and Big Berg suggest Miata is identifying multiple expressions of the same structurally controlled, district-scale system, providing further confidence that additional discoveries remain to be made across the broader Project area.

Figure 3. Cross section of Puma East.

To date in 2026, Miata has completed approximately 12,000 m of drilling across several targets at Sela Creek, including Jons Trend, Big Berg, Puma West, Puma East, Stranger, Cambior, and Golden Hand. Results remain pending for several recently completed holes.

Table 1. Latest Gold Assay Results.
Hole Id	From (m)	To (m)	Intercept (m)	Au (g/t)	Target	true width (m)
26DDH-PME-001	175.95	177.1	1.15	0.60	Puma East	1.1
26DDH-PME-002	30.84	36.64	5.8	2.26	Puma East	5.0
including	31.5	33.56	2.06	3.46		1.8
including	35	36.64	1.64	5.47		1.4
and	54.65	60.45	5.8	1.31		5.0
and	67.31	84.5	17.19	3.14		14.9
including	73.1	80.19	7.09	5.64		6.1
including	73.1	74	0.9	22.80		0.8
and	93	96	3	0.59		2.3
26DDH-PME-003	43.78	48.34	4.56	3.39	Puma East	3.9
including	46.85	48.34	1.49	6.19	Puma East	1.3
26DDH-PME-004	30.84	34	3.16	0.88	Puma East	2.7
including	33	34	1	1.44		0.9
and	89.86	111.5	21.64	1.70		18.7
including	93	100.5	7.5	2.04		6.5
including	102.5	108.8	6.3	2.81		5.5

Table 2. Updated Collar Information.
Hole ID	Easting*	Northing	Elevation (m)	Azimuth**	Dip	Length (m)
26DDH-PME-001	756,891	415,074	108	350	-50	197.80
26DDH-PME-002	756,948	415,041	108	355	-47	201.08
26DDH-PME-003	756,981	415,049	108	348	-48	159.00
26DDH-PME-004	756,916	415,049	108	356	-50	210.07

All drill information is available through this link.

Live Investor Webinar:

Miata will host a live investor webinar to provide shareholders, investors, analysts and other interested parties with an update on the Company’s ongoing exploration program at the Sela Creek Gold Project in Suriname.

During the webinar, members of Miata’s senior management and technical team will discuss the Company’s recent drill results, ongoing 2026 exploration activities, and key priorities for advancing Sela Creek as a district-scale gold system. The presentation will be followed by a live question-and-answer session.

Webinar Details:

Date: Tuesday, July 14^th, 2026
Time: 1:00 pm PT/4:00 pm ET
Registration: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_t4xXJUpeTYunI8LVT7lx5Q

A replay of the webinar will be made available to registered participants following the event.

QAQC

Drill core samples are analyzed for gold at FILAB Suriname, a commercial certified laboratory under ISO 9001:2015. Samples are crushed and pulverized to 85% passing 88 µm prior to analysis using a 50 g fire assay (50 g aliquot) with an Atomic Absorption (AA) finish. For samples that return assay values over 5.0 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, another cut was taken from the original pulp and fire assayed with a gravimetric finish. Samples with coarse visible gold or returning an assay value over 10.0 g/t gold, metallic screen analysis is conducted on the coarse reject material. Miata Metals inserts certified reference standards, as well as blanks and ¼ core duplicates, in the sample sequence for quality control and assurance.

QP Statement

The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Jacob Verbaas, P.Geo., a director of the Company and Qualified Person as defined under the definitions of National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About Miata Metals Corp.

Miata Metals Corp. (TSX.V: MMET) is a Canadian mineral exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange, as well as the OTCQX (OTCQX: MMETF) and Frankfurt (FSE: 8NQ) Exchanges. The Company is focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties. The Company holds a 70% interest in the ~215 km² Sela Creek Gold Project with an option to acquire a full 100% interest, and a 70% beneficial interest in the Nassau Gold Project with an option to acquire 100%. Both exploration properties are located in the greenstone belt of Suriname.

On Behalf of the Board

Dr. Jacob (Jaap) Verbaas, P.Geo | CEO and Director

For Further Information, please contact:

Nikki McEachnie
Director of Investor Relations
nikki@miatametals.com
1-778-486-1500

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information contained herein constitutes “forward-looking information” under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “anticipates”, “anticipated”, “expected”, “intends”, “will” or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results will occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Although management of the Company have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The Company will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws.

Neither the TSX.V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release

Photos accompanying this release can be found at

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Miata Makes Significant New Discovery at Puma with 17.19 m at 3.14 g/t Au, and 21.64 m at 1.70 g/t Au