Disseminated on Behalf of: Dolly Varden Silver Corp.
Shawn Khunkhun, President and CEO of Dolly Varden Silver Corp. (TSXV: DV | NYSE: DVS | FSE: DVQ), highlights the company’s proposed merger with Contango Ore Inc. as a defining step in building a consolidated, high-grade precious metals platform in British Columbia’s Golden Triangle. Through targeted acquisitions and district-scale consolidation, the company is positioning itself to pursue scale, stronger market presence, and a pathway toward mid-tier precious metals production in a stable jurisdiction.
Consolidation strategy and asset quality
Unlike many junior precious metals companies, Dolly Varden is assembling a consolidated, high-grade silver district rather than advancing a single asset in isolation. The company controls multiple past-producing mines in close proximity, enabling a cohesive development strategy with meaningful scale potential. Khunkhun notes that “the combined company is geographically consistent with high-grade precious metals companies,” highlighting the rationale behind Dolly Varden’s proposed merger with Contango Ore. This district-focused approach enhances exploration efficiency, supports future production optionality, and reduces jurisdictional risk. Management believes this strategy differentiates Dolly Varden from peers by creating a platform capable of supporting mid-tier production ambitions rather than remaining a standalone exploration story.
Positioning in the precious metals cycle
With renewed investor focus on precious metals as both an inflation hedge and strategic resource, high-grade silver and gold assets in stable jurisdictions are increasingly scarce. Dolly Varden is positioning itself at this intersection, targeting scale and cash-flow potential through consolidation. The proposed merger with Contango is designed to create a company with meaningful production upside, with Khunkhun stating the goal is “to build North America’s next mid-tier precious metals producer.” Backed by strategic shareholders including Eric Sprott, Hecla Mining, Fidelity, Franklin, and the GDXJ, the combined entity is intended to offer investors leveraged exposure to silver and gold through high-grade deposits with a clear pathway toward a billion-dollar valuation and projected future cash flow.
Consolidating a silver-focused region and upcoming catalysts
Dolly Varden continues to advance aggressively on both exploration and corporate growth fronts. In 2025, the company completed a robust 56,000-metre drill program and acquired three additional past-producing high-grade silver mines in the Golden Triangle. A new NI 43-101 technical report is expected in the first half of the year. In parallel, Contango has launched an 18,000-metre drill program at its Johnson Tract asset. Khunkhun emphasizes execution, noting that the merger brings together “two management teams that have had a history of delivering value to shareholders.” Shareholder approval is targeted for February, with transaction completion expected by March.
Building a mid-tier precious metals producer
As Dolly Varden continues to consolidate high-grade assets and advance large-scale exploration programs, the company is transitioning from a collection of historic mines into a unified growth platform. For investors, the story increasingly centres on scale, execution, and the emergence of a new mid-tier precious metals producer in a premier jurisdiction.
Transcript
Shawn Khunkhun
Dolly Varden Silver is a high-grade silver and gold company in B.C.’s prolific Golden Triangle. We’ve recently announced a proposed merger with Contango Ore. The combined company is geographically consistent with high-grade precious metals companies. We are looking to build North America’s next mid-tier precious metals producer. The Dolly Varden project has the storied Dolly Varden Silver Mine, the Torbrit Mine, which was Canada’s third-largest primary silver producer. Throughout 2025, we acquired three more past-producing high-grade silver mines in the Golden Triangle. We are currently owned by Eric Sprott, Hecla Mining (and) institutions like Fidelity. With the merger with Contango, we’re looking to have a shareholder meeting in February. We’re looking to complete the merger by March. Contango is owned by Franklin. It’s owned by the GDXJ, so what we’re looking to build is a billion-dollar company with $100 million of cash flow.
Dolly will be putting out a new 43-101 in the first half of the year, and we have many drill results from our robust 56,000-metre drill program in 2025. In addition, Contango launched an 18,000-metre drill program at Johnson Track. These are two companies that are coming together with an enhanced market presence, with two management teams that have had a history of delivering value to shareholders, and for any investor that is looking for silver and gold exposure, that’s interested in high-grade deposits in a safe jurisdiction, you can check out Contango Ore, CTGO on the New York Stock Exchange, or Dolly Varden Silver under symbol DVS, also on the New York Stock Exchange and in Canada under symbol DV.
About Dolly Varden Silver Corp.
Dolly Varden Silver Corporation is a mineral exploration company focused on advancing its 100-per-cent held Kitsault Valley Project (which combines the Dolly Varden Project and the Homestake Ridge Project) located in the Golden Triangle of British Columbia, Canada, 25 kilometres by road to tide water.
To learn more about Dolly Varden, visit their website. For the latest updates, follow Dolly Varden on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Telegram, and YouTube.
