Higher grades at Segovia drive output and revenue gains

Vancouver-based Aris Mining Corporation (TSX: ARIS; NYSE: ARIS) reported preliminary first-quarter 2026 gold production of 74,300 ounces from its two underground mines in Colombia, representing a 6% increase over the fourth quarter of 2025 and a 36% increase compared to the same period a year earlier.

The company said it sold 74,800 ounces of gold during the quarter at an average realized price exceeding $4,860 USD per ounce, generating gold revenue of more than $360 million USD. That figure marks a 20% increase from Q4 2025 revenue of $301 million USD and more than double the $154 million USD reported in Q1 2025. The company reported a cash balance exceeding $470 million USD as of March 31, 2026, an increase of approximately $80 million USD from the end of the previous quarter.

“We expect Q1 2026 gold revenue to exceed $360 million, a significant increase from $154 million in Q1 2025 and $301 million in Q4 2025, driven by higher gold prices and increased ounces sold.” — Neil Woodyer, Chair and CEO, Aris Mining Corporation

The production gains were concentrated at Aris Mining’s Segovia operation in the department of Antioquia, which produced 66,600 ounces during the quarter, up from 63,100 ounces in Q4 2025 and 47,500 ounces in Q1 2025. The year-over-year increase of 40% at Segovia was driven primarily by a notable improvement in ore grade. The average gold grade processed rose to 12.41 grams per ton from 9.37 grams per ton a year earlier, a 32% increase, while the volume of ore processed increased 5% to 175,000 tons. Recovery rates held at 95.3%, compared to 96.1% in both the prior quarter and Q1 2025.

The higher grades offset a decline in throughput compared to Q4 2025, when the mine processed 201,000 tons at an average grade of 10.10 grams per ton. Aris Mining completed installation of a second mill at Segovia in June 2025, increasing processing capacity by 50% to 3,000 tons per day, and the company has indicated that the ramp-up at the operation is continuing.

At the Marmato mine in the department of Caldas, production totaled 7,800 ounces in Q1 2026, an increase from 6,700 ounces in Q4 2025 and 7,200 ounces in Q1 2025. Marmato processed 77,000 tons of ore at an average grade of 3.53 grams per ton during the quarter, compared to 75,000 tons at 3.12 grams per ton in Q4 2025. Recovery rates at Marmato declined slightly to 89.6% from 90.8% in the prior quarter.

Consolidated Production Summary

Gold production and sales	Q1 2026	Q4 2025	Q1 2025
Segovia (koz)	66.6	63.1	47.5
Marmato (koz)	7.8	6.7	7.2
Total production (koz)	74.3	69.9	54.8
Total sales (koz)	74.8	71.7	54.3

Growth Outlook

Neil Woodyer, the company’s chair and CEO, said production growth in 2026 is expected to be weighted toward the second half of the year. The company is building a new bulk mine and carbon-in-pulp (CIP) processing plant at Marmato, with first gold expected in Q4 2026. At steady state, the expanded Marmato operation is expected to produce approximately 200,000 ounces per year.

Together, the Segovia and Marmato expansions are expected to increase Aris Mining’s annual gold production to approximately 500,000 ounces. The two mines produced a combined 257,000 ounces in 2025.

Beyond its operating mines, Aris Mining is advancing the Soto Norte gold project in the department of Santander, Colombia, where environmental studies are being finalized for submission in Q2 2026 to initiate the licensing process. The company also holds the Toroparu gold project in Guyana, where a prefeasibility study is underway and a construction decision is expected in early 2027. These projects form part of Aris Mining’s longer-term objective of reaching approximately 1 million ounces of annual gold production, though that target includes estimates from a preliminary economic assessment for Toroparu that the company has cautioned are based on inferred mineral resources and are speculative in nature.

The company expects to report full Q1 2026 financial and operating results on or about May 6, 2026. The quarterly results contained in the April 7 announcement are preliminary and may differ from final figures.

Aris Mining is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol ARIS. Company filings are available through SEDAR+ and the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

Activity cools to 2.1% annual expansion.

Economic activity in Colombia expanded at an estimated annual rate of 2.1% during the first quarter of 2026. According to the latest NowCast report issued by the Grupo Cibest, unit of Bancolombia (NYSE: CIB, BVC: BCOLOMBIA), this outcome reflects a loss of momentum compared to the rolling quarter ended in February. That previous period recorded a growth of 2.2%, which was revised downward by 10 basis points from an initial estimate of 2.3%.

The 2.1% growth rate for the quarter indicates a slowdown relative to both the market consensus average of 2.7% and the internal growth forecast of 3.3% held by the bank. On a month-over-month basis, the seasonally adjusted series of the NowCast index posted a 1.3% contraction in March 2026. When compared to March 2025, economic activity grew by 2% year over year, representing a 50-basis-point decline from the 2.5% reading recorded the previous month.

“Overall, these results suggest that the economy is beginning to lose steam, amid multiple sources of uncertainty.” — NowCast Bancolombia Report

Analysis at the sector level reveals a broadly weaker growth profile, with deceleration appearing across most productive areas. Slower momentum was identified in trade, manufacturing, recreation, real estate, and financial services. Manufacturing expansion cooled to 1.0% in March 2026, while financial services recorded marginal growth of 0.6%. The real estate sector maintained a steady growth rate of 1.9%.

Construction and communications were the only sectors to record negative growth during the period. The construction sector saw a significant downturn, contracting by 2.3% in March 2026 after having posted 1.4% growth in February. The information and communications sector contracted by 0.4%, marking its fourth consecutive month in contractionary territory. Conversely, acceleration was noted in public administration, which grew by 5.1%, agriculture at 3.7%, and mining at 0.8%.

The NowCast family of indicators is prepared by Grupo Cibest through the processing and aggregation of transaction data from the bank’s various payment channels. Using advanced quantitative tools, the index provides high-frequency estimates of Colombian productive activity to complement official data from the Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística. The report was authored by Arturo Yesid González Peña, Head of Quantitative and Analytics, and Sebastián Ospina Cuartas, Data Controller.

The report also incorporates data from the Bloomberg platform and FocusEconomics Consensus Forecasts to provide broader economic context. While the national economy remains in expansionary territory, the analysts suggest that the current results indicate the market is losing steam due to various sources of domestic uncertainty.

Arajet seeks to become the dominant low-cost carrier connecting North & South America through its Caribbean hubs in the Dominican Republic.

Dominican airline Arajet has launched a “Hot Sale Colombia” promotion, offering discounted base fares for international travel originating from major Colombian hubs. The campaign targets passengers departing from El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, José María Córdova International Airport in Medellín, and Rafael Núñez International Airport in Cartagena.

The promotional window is scheduled to run from March 16 through March 22, 2026. During this period, the airline is offering base fares starting at $1 USD. These rates apply to international routes within the carrier’s network and are available across all four of the airline’s service tiers: Basic, Classic, Comfort, and Extra.

Agressive fares through Q3 2026

According to the carrier, the travel window for tickets purchased under this promotion extends from April 15, 2026, to September 30, 2026. The availability of these fares is subject to seat capacity on specific flights. The initiative follows the carrier’s broader strategy to increase its market share in the Colombian aviation sector, which is regulated by the Unidad Administrativa Especial de Aeronáutica Civil (Aerocivil) under the Ministerio de Transporte.

Arajet commenced operations in September 2022 and currently maintains its primary hubs at Las Américas International Airport in Santo Domingo and Punta Cana International Airport. The airline utilizes an all-Boeing fleet, consisting of 14 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft (NYSE: BA). The carrier’s network connects the Dominican Republic with various destinations across North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. In 2023, the airline was recognized as the “Best New Airline in the World” at the CAPA Aviation Trust Summit. The airline’s operations are overseen by the Instituto Dominicano de Aviación Civil (IDAC) in its home jurisdiction. Detailed pricing and baggage policies for the current promotion are available through the company’s digital booking platform.

Frontera must pay a $25 million USD breakup fee to Geopark.

Frontera Energy Corporation (TSX: FEC) has entered into a definitive arrangement agreement to divest its Colombian upstream exploration and production (E&P) portfolio to Parex Resources Inc. (TSX: PXT) for a total firm value of approximately $750 million USD. The transaction follows the termination of a previous agreement with GeoPark Limited (NYSE: GPRK). Frontera opted for the Parex proposal after the Calgary-based independent producer offered $525 million USD in equity consideration, a $125 million USD increase over the prior GeoPark bid. As part of the transition, Frontera has paid a $25 million USD breakup fee to GeoPark.

The $525 million USD equity consideration includes an immediate $500 million USD cash payment upon closing and a $25 million USD contingent payment. The latter is dependent on the execution of a contractual amendment or binding agreement to extend the term of the Quifa Association Contract within 12 months.

Beyond the cash equity, Parex will assume $390 million USD in existing Frontera liabilities. This includes $310 million USD in 2028 Senior Unsecured Notes and an $80 million USD prepayment facility with Chevron Products Company, a subsidiary of Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX).

Following the close of the deal, Frontera intends to distribute approximately $470 million USD to its shareholders, which equates to roughly $9.18 CAD per share based on current exchange rates and outstanding share counts. This distribution is subject to shareholder approval and the successful completion of the transaction.

Frontera is retaining its exploration interests in Guyana.

Shift to Infrastructure Focus

Upon completion, Frontera will pivot its corporate strategy to focus exclusively on energy infrastructure. Its remaining portfolio will be anchored by two primary Colombian assets:

• A 35% equity interest in Oleoducto de los Llanos Orientales S.A. (ODL), a critical crude oil pipeline.
• A 99.97% equity interest in Sociedad Portuaria Puerto Bahía, a multipurpose port facility in Cartagena.

The company will also retain its exploration interests in Guyana. Frontera’s infrastructure division generated approximately $77 million USD in distributable cash flow in 2025. Post-transaction, Frontera expects to maintain $50 million USD in cash reserves to fund growth projects, including a potential Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) regasification project in partnership with Ecopetrol S.A. (NYSE: EC; BVC: ECOPETROL).

Orlando Cabrales, CEO of Frontera, noted that Parex is currently the largest independent operator in Colombia and a pre-existing partner in the VIM-1 block, which suggests operational continuity for the assets and employees involved.

The independent members of Frontera’s Board of Directors have unanimously recommended the deal. Major shareholders The Catalyst Capital Group Inc. and Gramercy Funds Management LLC, who collectively hold approximately 53% of Frontera’s outstanding shares, have signed support agreements to vote in favor of the arrangement.

Timeline and Approvals

The transaction is structured as a plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act of British Columbia. It requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the votes cast by Frontera shareholders at a forthcoming special meeting.

The deal is also subject to approval by the Supreme Court of British Columbia and relevant regulatory bodies in both Canada and Colombia. Parex will fund the acquisition through existing cash, credit facilities, and an underwritten financing commitment from Scotiabank (TSX: BNS; NYSE: BNS). Closing is anticipated in the second quarter of 2026.

Citi (NYSE: C) served as the financial advisor to Frontera, while BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. provided a fairness opinion. Legal counsel was provided by Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP and McMillan LLP.

Above photo: Frontera Energy’s Quifa field Meta Colombia. Photo credit: Frontera Energy.

All the strikes in recent weeks have taken place in the Pacific, reflecting Colombia’s role in the drug trade and the feuding between Bogotá and Washington.

Los recientes ataques del ejército estadounidense sugieren un cambio de enfoque geográfico tras las embestidas iniciales en el Caribe e intensifican las rencillas entre Bogotá y Washington.