Arizona Sonoran Intersects 621 ft of 2.0% Total Copper at Parks/Salyer Infill Drilling within 872.5 ft of 1.64% CuT of Continuous Mineralization

Rhea-AI Summary

Arizona Sonoran Copper Company Inc. (ASCUF) reports 60% completion of its 105,000 ft infill drilling program at the Parks/Salyer deposit, near its Cactus Mine Project. A total of 27 holes have been drilled out of 46 planned, with assays for 15 holes confirming strong mineralization. Key results include ECP-108 with 872.5 ft at 1.64% CuT, and ECP-107 with 1,188.9 ft at 0.68% CuT. The drilling aims to upgrade the resource from inferred to indicated status, which will support future reserve definitions in the Preliminary Feasibility Study (PFS) expected late 2023 or early 2024.

Positive

• 60% completion of 105,000 ft drilling program, indicating progress.
• High-grade mineralization confirmed with significant intercepts like 872.5 ft @ 1.64% CuT.
• Drilling aims to upgrade inferred resource to indicated category, benefiting future PFS.

Negative

• None.

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. & TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Arizona Sonoran Copper Company Inc. (TSX:ASCU | OTCQX:ASCUF) (“ASCU” or the “Company”) today announces 60% completion of its 105,000 ft (32,000 m) infill to indicated drilling program at Parks/Salyer (“P/S"), located ~1.3 mi (2 km) southwest of the Company’s Cactus Mine Project (see FIGURES 1-10). A total of 27 holes have now been drilled out of an anticipated 46 holes, with assays received to date for 15 holes, including the five reported in this release.

The program continues to support the tenor of mineralization while reducing drill spacing from 500 ft (150 m) to 250 ft (76 m) centres, suitable to upgrade the resource from the inferred category to the indicated category. Drilling has been staged to infill areas closest to the inferred high-grade core initially, before expanding out towards the west.

Highlights:

• ECP-108 grade thickness surpasses the prior best intercept on the property
  • ECP-108: 872.5 ft (265.9 m) @ 1.64% CuT of continuous mineralization, including:
    • 621.0 ft (189.3 m) @ 2.00% CuT, 1.58% Cu TSol, 0.013% Mo (enriched)
    • Incl. 108.0 ft (32.9 m) @ 2.58% CuT, 2.45% Cu TSol, 0.009% Mo
    • 251.5 ft (76.7 m) @ 0.73% CuT, 0.019% Mo (primary)
• ECP-107: 1,188.9 ft (362.4 m) @ 0.68% CuT of continuous mineralization, including:
  • 489.5 ft (149.2 m) @ 1.19% CuT, 1.13% Cu TSol, 0.013% Mo (enriched)
  • Incl. 139.3 ft (42.5 m) @ 2.42% CuT, 2.39% Cu TSol, 0.010% Mo
  • 699.4 ft (213.2 m) @ 0.33% CuT, 0.012% Mo (primary)
• ECP-110: 762.2 ft (232.3 m) @ 0.90% CuT of continuous mineralization, including:
  • 419.0 ft (127.7 m) @ 1.15% CuT, 1.01% Cu TSol, 0.005% Mo (enriched)
  • 343.2 ft (104.6 m) @ 0.58 % CuT, 0.011% Mo (primary)
• ECP-111: 443.0 ft (135.0 m) @ 0.78% CuT, 0.71% Cu TSol, 0.035% Mo (enriched)

NOTE: True widths are not known

George Ogilvie, Arizona Sonoran President and CEO commented, “This drilling continues to demonstrate the consistency of copper grade and thickness, in both the leachable and primary sulphide mineralization and within the high-grade core of the Parks/Salyer deposit. Two drills will finish the remaining 40% of the drill program this quarter, while a third drill rig will move to the NE Extension to conduct exploration holes. This infill drilling will allow us to upgrade the Parks/Salyer resource from its current inferred category to an indicated category, that can then be fed into our re-scoped PFS in late 2023, early 2024.”

Exploration Drilling Program Recap

The current 105,000 ft (32,000 m) drilling program is reducing drill spacings to 250 ft, aimed at upgrading the mineral resource category to indicated in support of the potential definition of maiden reserves in the upcoming PFS. To date the drilling of 27 infill core holes (59,289 ft | 18,071 m) has defined a high-grade zone within the eastern half of the deposit, which is currently being pursued westward with the remainder of the drilling, as demonstrated by the grade/thickness map of completed drilling.

Chalcocite and covellite are the dominant copper species in the enriched mineralization, replacing primary pyrite and chalcopyrite in their original depositional habits, such as veins, breccia fillings, voids and disseminations. These replacements styles, shown in FIGURES 1-10, are representative of our enriched mineral zone. Chalcocite also tends to build on itself, resulting in zones of higher-grade mineralization where the enrichment fluids had time and opportunity to continue the secondary enrichment process.

TABLE 1: Parks/Salyer Drilling Highlights

Hole Id	Zone	Feet			Metres			CuT %	TSol %	Mo %
		From	To	Length	From	To	Length
ECP-107	enriched	835.6	849.3	13.7	254.7	258.9	4.2	1.02	1.01	0.019
	enriched	992.0	1481.5	489.5	302.4	451.6	149.2	1.19	1.13	0.013
	including	992.0	1131.3	139.3	302.4	344.8	42.5	2.42	2.39	0.010
	and	1161.5	1207.0	45.5	354.0	367.9	13.9	1.39	1.35	0.016
	primary	1481.5	2180.9	699.4	451.6	664.7	213.2	0.33	0.03	0.012
	including	1730.0	1780.0	50.0	527.3	542.5	15.2	0.50	0.04	0.018
	and	1808.9	1846.3	37.4	551.4	562.8	11.4	0.50	0.02	0.026
	and	1951.0	1969.4	18.4	594.7	600.3	5.6	0.63	0.03	0.015
	and	2050.0	2112.1	62.1	624.8	643.8	18.9	0.79	0.05	0.024
	and	2148.8	2173.0	24.2	655.0	662.3	7.4	0.59	0.04	0.014
ECP-108	enriched	1085.0	1706.0	621.0	330.7	520.0	189.3	2.00	1.58	0.013
	including	1097.0	1205.0	108.0	334.4	367.3	32.9	2.58	2.43	0.009
	and	1305.0	1415.0	110.0	397.8	431.3	33.5	2.47	2.01	0.011
	and	1445.0	1475.0	30.0	440.4	449.6	9.1	2.82	2.38	0.010
	primary	1706.0	1957.5	251.5	520.0	596.6	76.7	0.73	0.11	0.019
	including	1716.0	1759.0	43.0	523.0	536.1	13.1	0.91	0.12	0.013
ECP-109	oxide	718.0	776.3	58.3	218.8	236.6	17.8	0.39	0.37	0.007
	oxide	826.7	990.6	163.9	252.0	301.9	50.0	0.37	0.32	0.007
	including	826.7	862.0	35.3	252.0	262.7	10.8	0.61	0.56	0.013
	and	952.0	990.6	38.6	290.2	301.9	11.8	0.54	0.50	0.003
	enriched	1011.5	1027.0	15.5	308.3	313.0	4.7	0.96	0.90	0.008
	enriched	1111.5	1357.0	245.5	338.8	413.6	74.8	0.86	0.84	0.021
	including	1111.5	1131.0	19.5	338.8	344.7	5.9	1.67	1.58	0.014
	and	1191.0	1257.2	66.2	363.0	383.2	20.2	1.18	1.15	0.018
	primary	1357.0	2160.0	803.0	413.6	658.4	244.8	0.39	0.07	0.015
	including	1446.0	1527.5	81.5	440.7	465.6	24.8	0.55	0.19	0.025
	and	1636.0	1669.0	33.0	498.7	508.7	10.1	0.55	0.22	0.030
ECP-110	enriched	1113.0	1532.0	419.0	339.2	467.0	127.7	1.15	1.01	0.005
	including	1115.6	1215.0	99.4	340.0	370.3	30.3	1.95	1.90	0.003
	and	1430.0	1450.0	20.0	435.9	442.0	6.1	1.64	1.42	0.008
	primary	1532.0	1875.2	343.2	467.0	571.6	104.6	0.58	0.07	0.011
	including	1572.0	1602.0	30.0	479.1	488.3	9.1	0.99	0.09	0.027
	and	1652.0	1682.0	30.0	503.5	512.7	9.1	0.82	0.17	0.018
ECP-111	oxide	1026.3	1267.0	240.7	312.8	386.2	73.4	0.49	0.43	0.024
	including	1036.0	1066.0	30.0	315.8	324.9	9.1	0.90	0.56	0.019
	and	1109.0	1111.7	2.7	338.0	338.8	0.8	7.31	6.49	0.041
	and	1237.0	1267.0	30.0	377.0	386.2	9.1	0.75	0.71	0.018
	enriched	1287.0	1730.0	443.0	392.3	527.3	135.0	0.78	0.71	0.035
	including	1347.0	1434.0	87.0	410.6	437.1	26.5	1.46	1.45	0.056
	and	1472.7	1527.0	54.3	448.9	465.4	16.6	1.18	1.13	0.035
	primary	1730.0	2136.0	406.0	527.3	651.1	123.7	0.25	0.03	0.009
	including	2034.7	2062.0	27.3	620.2	628.5	8.3	0.47	0.05	0.010

1. Intervals are presented in core length and are drilled with very near vertical dip angles.
2. Drill assays assume a mineralized cut-off grade of 0.5% CuT reflecting the potential for heap leaching of underground material in the case of Oxide and Enriched or in the case of Primary material to provide typical average grades. Holes were terminated below the basement fault.
3. Some intercepts in the western exploration holes assumed a mineralized cut-off grade of 0.1% CuT to provide typical average grades of the tenor of mineralization.
4. Assay results are not capped. Intercepts are aggregated within geological confines of major mineral zones.
5. True widths are not known.

Table 2: Drilling details

Hole	Easting (m)	Northing (m)	Elevation (ft)	TD (ft)	Azimuth	Dip
ECP-107	421686.5	3644929.8	1371.1	2207.0	0.0	-90.0
ECP-108	421995.0	3644939.2	1375.6	1957.5	0.0	-90.0
ECP-109	421694.7	3645013.2	1373.4	2233.0	0.0	-90.0
ECP-110	422063.0	3644900.5	1375.2	1910.5	0.0	-90.0
ECP-111	421693.6	3645191.4	1378.5	2335.5	0.0	-90.0

Quality Assurance / Quality Control

Drilling completed on the project between 2020 and 2022 was supervised by on-site ASCU personnel who prepared core samples for assay and implemented a full QA/QC program using blanks, standards, and duplicates to monitor analytical accuracy and precision. The samples were sealed on site and shipped to Skyline Laboratories in Tucson AZ for analysis. Skyline’s quality control system complies with global certifications for Quality ISO9001:2008.

Technical aspects of this news release have been reviewed and verified by Allan Schappert – CPG #11758, who is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101– Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

Links from the Press Release
Figures 1-10: https://arizonasonoran.com/projects/exploration/maps-and-figures/

Neither the TSX nor the regulating authority has approved or disproved the information contained in this press release.

About Arizona Sonoran Copper Company (www.arizonasonoran.com | www.cactusmine.com)

ASCU’s objective is to become a mid-tier copper producer with low operating costs and to develop the Cactus and Parks/Salyer Projects that could generate robust returns for investors and provide a long term sustainable and responsible operation for the community and all stakeholders. The Company's principal asset is a 100% interest in the Cactus Project (former ASARCO, Sacaton mine) which is situated on private land in an infrastructure-rich area of Arizona. Contiguous to the Cactus Project is the Company’s 100%-owned Parks/Salyer deposit that could allow for a phased expansion of the Cactus Mine once it becomes a producing asset. The Company is led by an executive management team and Board which have a long-standing track record of successful project delivery in North America complemented by global capital markets expertise.

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of ASCU to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could affect the outcome include, among others: future prices and the supply of metals; the results of drilling; inability to raise the money necessary to incur the expenditures required to retain and advance the properties; environmental liabilities (known and unknown); general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; results of exploration programs; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; political instability, terrorism, insurrection or war; or delays in obtaining governmental approvals, projected cash operating costs, failure to obtain regulatory or shareholder approvals.

Although ASCU has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and ASCU disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230117005452/en/

Alison Dwoskin, Director, Investor Relations

647-233-4348

adwoskin@arizonasonoran.com

George Ogilvie, President, CEO and Director

416-723-0458

gogilvie@arizonasonoran.com

Source: Arizona Sonoran Copper Company Inc.

FAQ

What is the status of Arizona Sonoran Copper's drilling program at Parks/Salyer?

The drilling program is 60% complete, with 27 out of 46 holes drilled.

What are the key findings from the latest drilling results for ASCUF?

Key findings include ECP-108 with 872.5 ft at 1.64% CuT and ECP-107 with 1,188.9 ft at 0.68% CuT.

When is the Preliminary Feasibility Study (PFS) for Arizona Sonoran Copper expected?

The PFS is expected to be released in late 2023 or early 2024.

What is the objective of the infill drilling program for Arizona Sonoran Copper?

The objective is to upgrade the mineral resource from inferred to indicated status.

How many holes have been drilled in the Parks/Salyer deposit's drilling program?

A total of 27 holes have been drilled so far.