Bunker Hill Produces First Concentrate on Schedule for Shipment to Trail Smelter

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First concentrate production is a major milestone in the restart of the USA’s newest silver-zinc-lead mine

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KELLOGG, Idaho and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bunker Hill Mining Corp. (“Bunker Hill” or the “Company”) (TSX: BNKR | OTCQB: BHLL) is pleased to announce the production of concentrate from the new Bunker Hill Mine in Idaho’s prolific Silver Valley.

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This will be the first product shipped in 45 years from a mine that produced 165 Moz of silver and 4.5 Mt of base metals before it closed in 1981, after failing to meet the world-leading US environmental laws passed in the 1970s, resulting in the loss of 2,000 local jobs. It marks a pivotal milestone for both the Silver Valley community and the business following six years of careful redevelopment, infrastructure modernization, permitting, financing, and underground rehabilitation by the revitalized Company under its new management team.

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“This is a defining moment for both the new Bunker Hill and the communities of Kellogg and Wardner,” said Sam Ash, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Although we are just starting the ramp-up to commercial production – expected by the end of 2026, and a lot of work remains to be done to bring our processing system to its maximum efficiency, we are now firmly back in business, employing world-class local labour, and supplying these critical metals safely into the US domestic supply chain at a vital time for our country.”

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“Over the past six years, our team, working with regulators and its many partners, has transformed Bunker Hill from a dormant, unloved asset, lying forgotten in an EPA Superfund Site into a modern mining operation, employing over 200 local staff and capable of feeding its newly built 1800tpd processing facility – the largest and most modern in the Silver Valley.”

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“With our energetic exploration plan focused on bringing more higher-grade silver-lead mineralization into the mine plan, and our expanding technical team already working on ways to expand production to 2500tpd in time, the future is looking very bright for Bunker Hill and its team of dedicated Silver Valley mining professionals.”

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RAMP UP TO COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION IN H2 2026

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The Company expects to be at commercial production – defined as achieving 90 days at >65% of 1800tpd throughput and associated operating stability by the end of 2026.

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It intends to issue its 2027 and 2028 operating guidance to the market at that time.

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EXPLORATION UPDATE

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The Company continues its underground exploration drilling targeting high-grade silver-lead mineralization near existing infrastructure and further refining the understanding of the Cate-8 Vein. 16 core holes have been completed for a total of 5,960 feet, all of which have hit visible galena mineralization within and outside the modeled vein zone.

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An additional 28 drill holes totalling ~14k feet have been planned: 16 from the current station on the 8 Level of the Mine and 12 from a new drill station on the 7 Level to test the up-dip projection of the vein. The holes are planned to provide a drill density adequate for future mineral resource calculation, with the intention of rapidly bringing the Cate-8 Vein into the short-term mine plan and adding to the reserve base.