Vancouver, BC, December 23, 2024 – Mercado Minerals Ltd. (CSE: MERC) ("Mercado" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the non-brokered private placement announced on December 10, 2024, has been closed. The placement consists of 8,105,000 units of the Company (the “Units”) at a price of C$0.10 per Unit for gross proceeds to the Company of $810,500 (the “Offering”).

Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company (each, a "Common Share") and one half of one Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant is exercisable by the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share (a "Warrant Share") at a price of C$0.15 for a period of 24 months expiring on December 23, 2026.

The Finder’s fees of $18,235 was paid in cash and 147,350 finder’s warrants were issued to certain eligible parties. Each finder’s warrant is exercisable at C$0.15 for a period of 24 months expiring on December 23, 2026.

Insiders subscribed in the Offering for an aggregate of 100,000 Units. The participation by such insider is a “related-party transaction” within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (“MI 61-101”). The Company has relied on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 in respect of related party participation in the Offering as neither the fair market value (as determined under MI 61-101) of the subject matter of, nor the fair market value of the consideration for, the transaction, insofar as it involved the related parties, exceeded 25% of the Company’s market capitalization (as determined under MI 61-101).

All securities issued with respect to the Offering will be subject to a hold period expiring on April 24, 2025.

Proceeds from the Offering will be allocated towards several initiatives, including the generation of new project acquisitions, investor relations programs, and general corporate working capital.

The Company does not anticipate proceeding with further tranches of the Offering.

About Mercado Minerals Ltd.

Mercado Minerals Ltd. is a mineral exploration company dedicated to identifying and acquiring silver-focused projects in the Americas. The Company’s mission is to generate value through disciplined exploration and strategic acquisitions in the precious metals space.

For further information, contact:

Daniel Rodriguez

CEO & Director

Phone: (604) 353-4080

Email: drodriguez@mercadominerals.com

John Fraser

VP Business Development & Director

Phone: (604) 838-7677

Email: jfraser@mercadominerals.com

Forward-Looking Statement (Safe Harbor Statement):

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "anticipate," "plan," "continue," "expect," "estimate," "objective," "may," "will," "project," "should," "predict," "potential" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking statements concerning the Company’s exploration plans. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements because the Company cannot provide assurance that they will prove correct. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include conditions in equity financing markets, and receipt of regulatory and shareholder approvals. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and, except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.