Vizsla Copper drills 2026 diamond program at Palmer VMS in Alaska

Canada NewsWire VANCOUVER, BC, July 20, 2026 /CNW/ -- Vizsla Copper Corp. (TSXV: VCU) (OTCQB: VCUFF) (FRANKFURT: 97E0) (" Vizsla Copper " or the " Company ") is pleased to provide an exploration update from its ongoing drill program at the Company's Palmer Copper-Zinc VMS Project (the " Palmer Project " or " Palmer ") located in Southeast Alaska. The 2026 program is advancing on schedule with two diamond drill rigs currently operating. Initial drilling has intersected thick intervals of semi-massive and massive sulphide mineralization within the South Wall Zone while continuing to refine the Company's understanding of the geological and structural controls on mineralization.

Assay results from the initial drill holes are pending. HIGHLIGHTS      Five drill holes have been completed, totaling 2,242 meters of the planned 10,000 m fully funded program. Thick semi-massive and massive sulphide mineralization intersected in both Zone 1 and Zone 2 of the South Wall Zone.

Zone 1 intersected 49.2 meters (estimated true thickness of 39 meters) of sulphide mineralization, including thick copper-rich and zinc-rich massive sulphide intervals. One additional drill hole is planned within the South Wall Zone before drilling advances to the HG and Waterfall regional exploration targets. Craig Parry, Executive Chairman and CEO, commented: "Our 2026 exploration program has made an excellent start, with drilling progressing safely and on schedule.

These early observations provide us with confidence that we are successfully executing our strategy of expanding known mineralization while testing the significant exploration potential that exists across the broader district. "Palmer is already recognized as a high-grade critical minerals project with district-scale exploration potential. We are committed to maintaining and enhancing relationships across Southeast Alaska, participating in regional events, investing in community initiatives, and providing regular updates as the program advances.

"The 2026 program is designed not only to expand and better define the Palmer Deposit and surrounding prospects, but also to continue advancing the technical, environmental and engineering knowledge required to support future project evaluations." 2026 DRILL PROGRAM PROGRESS The Company's drill program at Palmer continues to progress on schedule and according to the plan outlined in the June 18, 2026, new release. To date, the Company has completed five drill holes, totaling 2,242 meters, as part of its fully funded 10,000-meter 2026 exploration program. Initial drilling has focused on the South Wall Zone, where the 2023 exploration program identified a high-grade copper-rich core within Zone 1.

Two drill holes totaling 750 meters targeted the high-grade Zone 1 and intersected a thick sequence of semi-massive to massive copper-rich (chalcopyrite-pyrite) mineralization. The mineralized interval extended 49.2 meters with 14 meters of massive copper-rich sulphide mineralization with an estimated true thickness of 39.0 and 11.2 meters respectively. A second drill hole successfully intersected the upper portion of the mineralization before entering a highly fractured and faulted area and was terminated early due to drilling difficulties.

A third drill hole targeting the high-grade core downdip is currently in progress. Two drill holes also tested the deeper Zone 2 horizon, providing important geological and structural information that will be incorporated into the updated geological model. Samples from completed drill holes have been submitted for laboratory analysis, with assay results pending.

Figure 1: 2026 South Wall drilling showing the location of CMR26-199 and previous drilling. Figure 2: A higher copper grade section from CMR26-199 showing abundant chalcopyrite mineralization. 1   Figure 3: Copper-rich and zinc-rich massive sulphide mineralization from drill hole CMR26-199. 1 NEXT STEPS Following completion of the South Wall program, drilling will transition to the Company's two highest-priority regional exploration targets, the HG Prospect and the Waterfall Prospect, located between the existing Palmer and AG deposits. Regional exploration will continue throughout the field season and include geological mapping, structural interpretation, high-resolution photogrammetry and target refinement across Mount Henry Clay, Christmas Creek and several additional underexplored areas of the Palmer district.

Follow-up drilling will be completed where warranted. All fieldwork activities and work areas have been reviewed and approved under authorizations from the Department of Natural Resources and the Bureau of Land Management. Beyond advancing the geological understanding of the mineralization, the 2026 program is expected to support the broader technical, environmental and engineering evaluation of the project.

Peter Mercer, Senior Vice President, Alaska, added: "The first phase of drilling has provided valuable geological information that continues to improve our understanding of the Palmer deposit and the structural controls responsible for the high-grade copper mineralization identified in the 2023 exploration program. While we await assay, the evolving geological model is helping prioritize the next phase of drilling within the South Wall Zone and across the broader Palmer district. "At the same time, our team continues to advance the engineering, environmental and technical studies necessary to support the long-term evaluation of the Palmer Project.

This includes engineering studies evaluating alternative approaches for transportation access, port infrastructure, power supply, workforce availability and supporting infrastructure requirements. These studies will continue over the coming years and will form an important component of future technical studies and evaluations." RESPONSIBLE EXPLORATION The Company's exploration activities at the Palmer Project are being conducted under approved State and Federal operating plans. These approvals establish the framework for the Company's multi-year exploration program and authorizes activities including diamond drilling, geological and geophysical surveys, environmental baseline studies, access road maintenance, camp operations and other supporting exploration activities required to responsibly advance the project.

These approvals followed established regulatory review processes, including public notice, comment periods, and agency consultation. The most recent approval from the Department of Natural Resources and associated public record are available through the Alaska Department of Natural Resources. 2024–2028 Five-Year Plan of Operations: https://dnr.alaska.gov/mlw/mining/large-mines/palmer/pdf/apma/J20245690-Plan-of-Ops-Approval-Signed.pdf OUR COMMITMENT Vizsla Copper is committed to conducting all exploration activities with a Safety-First  mindset. Protecting the health and safety of our employees, contractors and neighbouring communities remains the Company's highest priority.

This commitment includes responsible environmental stewardship, rigorous regulatory compliance, and open and timely engagement as the Palmer Project continues to advance. ABOUT VIZSLA COPPER Vizsla Copper is a Cu-Au-Mo focused mineral exploration and development company headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. The Company is primarily focused on its Palmer VMS project in Southeast Alaska, and its Poplar and Woodjam porphyry-related projects in Central and Southern British Columbia.

All of the Company's projects are well situated amongst significant infrastructure. The Company's growth strategy is focused on the exploration and development of the properties within its portfolio in addition to value accretive acquisitions. Vizsla Copper's vision is to be a responsible copper explorer and developer in the stable mining jurisdictions of Alaska and British Columbia, and it is committed to socially responsible exploration and development, working safely, ethically and with integrity.

Vizsla Copper is backed by Inventa Capital Corp., a premier investment group founded in 2017 with the goal of discovering and funding opportunities in the mineral resource sector. Additional information about the Company is available on SEDAR+ ( www.sedarplus.ca ) and the Company's website ( www.vizslacopper.com ). Note Photographs of drill core are provided for illustrative purposes only.

Visual estimates of mineralization are inherently imprecise and may not accurately reflect true grade. Readers are cautioned that photographic representations of mineralization should not be relied upon as a substitute for analytical assay results and do not represent the average grade of any sample interval. Qualified Person and National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure The Company's disclosure of technical or scientific information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Peter Mercer, P.Geo., Senior Vice President, Alaska for Vizsla Copper.

Mr. Mercer is a Qualified Person as defined under the terms of National Instrument 43-101. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation.

"Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including, without limitation, planned exploration activities. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements relating to the Company's exploration plans.

Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the results of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, the anticipated cost of planned exploration activities, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms, that third party contractors, equipment and supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct the Company's planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information and statements also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual events or results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements, including, among others: negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party financing, uncertainty of additional financing, uncertainties associated with mineral resource estimates and the absence of mineral reserves, the limited operating history of the Company, the influence of a large shareholder, aboriginal title and consultation issues, reliance on key management and other personnel, actual results of exploration activities being different than anticipated, changes in exploration programs based upon results, availability of third party contractors, availability of equipment and supplies, failure of equipment to operate as anticipated; accidents, effects of weather and other natural phenomena and other risks associated with the mineral exploration industry, environmental risks, commodity price volatility including fluctuations in copper, gold and molybdenum prices, changes in laws and regulations, community relations and delays in obtaining governmental or other approvals.

Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by 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 forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.

The Company undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking information as a result of new information or events except as required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE Vizsla Copper Corp. View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2026/20/c9556.html Canada Newswire July 20, 2026 - 5:00 AM PDT News by QuoteMedia www.quotemedia.com