Auro Metals Inc. (TSX-V: AURO) (OTCQB: AURFF), is pleased to announce the assay results of the final five drill holes from the 2026 Phase I Drill Program at the Santa Barbara Gold-Copper Project located in the Zamora-Chinchipe Province in southeastern Ecuador. This is the sixth batch from Phase I which comprised 22 drillholes (DSB-54 to DSB-75) totaling 11,047 metres.

The 20,000m – Phase II Drill Program is already underway with four drill rigs. The first four holes (DSB-76 to DSB-79) totaling 3,104m, have been completed and assays are pending. Phase II will increase step-out drilling and drilling designed to fill in the gaps between known zones of the deposit, including DSB-79, a 400m step-out northeast of DSB-74. An additional three drill rigs are currently being mobilized to site.

The Company has also hired China Railway Construction Company – 14 to construct a new 50-person permanent camp and core shack. These facilities are expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

SUMMARY OF DRILL RESULTS

As outlined in Figure 1, the five holes were drilled at the north portion of the southern area of the known mineralization, which is currently believed to be the core area of the known porphyry mineralized system. Drillholes DSB-71, DSB-72 and DSB-75 are infill/step-out holes, returning higher grade and confirming continuity of gold-copper mineralization. Drillholes DSB-73 and DSB-74 are step-out holes, which have extended the previously drilled DSB-63 by almost 200m to the east. Highlights are as follows:

In-fill/step-out holes:

• Drillhole DSB-71 intersected 301.4m grading 0.78 grams per tonne gold and 0.10% copper from 123.1m to 424.5m, including 89.5m grading 1.20 g/t Au and 0.15% Cu from 333.0m to 422.5m.
• Drillhole DSB-72 intersected 32.0m grading 0.53 g/t Au and 0.06% Cu from 9.0m to 41.0m, and 311m grading 0.58 g/t Au and 0.11% Cu from 88.5m to 399.5m at the end of hole.
• Drillhole DSB-75 intersected 322.46m grading 0.56 g/t Au and 0.10% Cu from 10.54m to 333.0m, including 95.1m grading 1.0 g/t Au and 0.12% Cu from 13.7m to 108.8m.

Step-out holes:

• Drillhole DSB-73 intersected 394.4m grading 0.73 g/t Au and 0.10% Cu from 8.0m to 402.4m at the end of hole, including 51.0m grading 1.0 g/t Au and 0.11% Cu from 23.0m to 74.0m and 141.15m grading 1.01 g/t Au and 0.11% Cu from 138.7m to 279.85m.
• Drillhole DSB-74 intersected 572.47m grading 0.60 g/t Au and 0.10% Cu from 72.53m to 645.0m. The assay results for the remaining 211.95m drill cores from 645.0m to 856.95m are pending.

Assay results for the five holes are listed in Table 1, Phase I drill hole specifications in Table 2, and drill hole locations are shown in Figure 1.

 Notes:

1. Drill location, altitude, azimuth, and dip of drillholes are provided in Table 2.
2. Drill intercept is core length, and grade is length weighted. True width of mineralization is unknown.
3. A cut-off of 0.2 g/t Au is applied for calculation of drill intercept. 
4. Calculation of gold equivalent (“AuEq”) is defined as AuEq (g/t) = Au (g/t) + Cu (%) x 0.259, based on a gold price of US$3,200/oz, and copper price of US$12,000/t metal, assuming average processing recoveries of 85.5% Au and 19.6% Cu. It is the Company’s view that all elements in the metal equivalent calculations have a reasonable potential to be recovered and sold. Rounding may cause minor discrepancies in the AuEq column.
5. *Intercept of DSB-74 is from the first 645m drill core samples starting from surface. The assay results of the remaining 211.95m drill core till the end of hole are pending.

Figure 1: Plan view of drillholes

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DESCRIPTION OF HOLES

Hole DSB-71 was drilled in the central portion of Santa Barbara South to test the continuity of mineralization intersected in historical holes DSB-05, DSB-16 and DSB-19. The hole was completed at a depth of 745m and intersected 301.4m (from 123.1m to 424.5m) grading 0.78 g/t Au and 0.10% Cu (Figure 2), including 89.5m (from 333.0m to 422.5m) grading 1.2 g/t Au and 0.15% Cu. Further down the hole, weaker mineralization continues intermittently until the end of hole. The results of this hole indicate that mineralization continues in the wide gap between the historical holes and is consistent with neighboring drill results.

Lithology of the first 74.5m in hole DSB-71 is post-mineralization conglomerate which discordantly sits on volcanoclastic sediments with ferruginous staining and coating on fractures, likely close to paleosurface. From 84m to 450m, rock type is dominated by diorite porphyry intercalated with intervals of volcano-sediments and basaltic andesite (Figure 3).

Figure 2: Section A-A’

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Figure 3: Core photo of DSB-71, Box 147, from 418.09m to 420.76m, mineralized basaltic andesite cut by quartz veining.

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Hole DSB-72 is an infill hole between hole DSB-66 and hole DSB-69 and intersected 32.0m (from 9.0m to 41.0m) grading 0.53 g/t Au and 0.06% Cu, and 311.0m (from 88.5m to 399.5m) grading 0.58 g/t Au and 0.11% Cu (Figure 4). The hole was completed at a depth of 400.90m and mineralization continues at the end of hole. The drill results from this hole demonstrate good continuity of mineralization at Santa Barbara.

Lithology in the hole is dominated by diorite porphyry with intercalated intervals of volcano-sediments (Figure 5) and basaltic andesite which are likely xenolith blocks brought up from depth by the intrusion of diorite porphyry.

Figure 4: Section B-B’

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Figure 5: Core photo of DSB-72, Box 56, from 156.7m to 159.38m, mineralized volcano-sediments cut by quartz veining.

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Hole DSB-73 is a 100m step out from drillhole DSB-63 in the downdip direction. Hole DSB-73 reached a depth of 485.65m intersecting 0.73 g/t Au and 0.10% Cu over 394.4m (from 8.0m to 402.4m) (Figure 6). Rock types intersected in hole DSB-73 included diorite porphyry (Figure 7), hornblende diorite, basaltic andesite and volcano-sediments which are dominant near the end of hole.

Hole DSB-74 is an 80m step-out from DSB-73 intersecting 0.60 g/t Au and 0.10% Cu over 572.47m (from 72.53m to 645.0m) in the upper 645.0m drill cores from surface (Figure 6 and 8). Assay results for cores from 645.0m to 856.95m (the end of hole) are pending. The drill results from DSB-63, DSB-73 and DSB-74 indicate good continuity of mineralization both on strike and down dip directions.

Figure 6: Section C-C’

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Figure 7: Core photo of DSB-73, Box 114, from 321.6m to 324.6m, mineralized diorite porphyry cut by quartz veining.

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Figure 8: Core photo of DSB-74, Box 117, from 336.73m to 339.73m, mineralized basaltic andesite cut by quartz veining.

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Hole DSB-75 is an infill hole which filled the 300m gap between historical holes DSB-06 and DSB-26 in the northern portion of Santa Barbara South (Figures 9 and 10). This hole intersected 0.56 g/t Au and 0.10% Cu over 322.46m (from 10.54m to 333.0m).

Figure 9: Section D-D’

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Figure 10: Core photo of DSB-75, Box 14, from 47.67m to 50.59m, mineralized diorite porphyry cut by quartz veining.

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 Notes:

1. Drill collar coordinate system is PSAD56 UTM Zone 17S.
2. Coordinate of drill collar is picked with Real Time Kinematics (RTK) GPS.
3. * Assay results for the last 211.95m till the end of hole are pending.

QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL

All samples in respect of the exploration program at the Project discussed in this news release were shipped in securely-sealed bags by a chartered commercial truck, directly from the field to the sample preparation facilities of SGS in Guayaquil, Ecuador for preparation, and to SGS in Lima, Peru for geochemical analysis. SGS is a global leader in inspection, verification, testing, and certification. It is an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory independent from Auro. All samples go through fire assay (SGS code FAA313) for gold and multi-acid digestion ICP-AES multi-element assay (SGS code ICP40B) for other elements. Certified reference materials, various types of blank samples and duplicate samples are inserted into normal drill core sample sequences prior to delivery to laboratory for preparation and analysis. The overall ratio of quality control samples in sample sequences is approximately 20%.

QUALIFIED PERSON

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Alex Zhang, P. Geo., a Director of the Company, who is a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The Qualified Person has verified the information disclosed herein, including the sampling, preparation, security and analytical procedures underlying such information, and is not aware of any significant risks and uncertainties that could be expected to affect reliability or confidence in the information discussed herein.

ABOUT AURO METALS INC.

Auro Metals Inc. is a mineral exploration company which holds a 100% interest in the Santa Barbara Gold-Copper Project in the Zamora Copper-Gold Belt of southeastern Ecuador. The Santa Barbara Project is a large-scale porphyry system comprising Indicated resources of 29.8 million tonnes grading 0.73 grams per tonne gold and 0.1% copper containing 697,000 ounces gold and 68 million pounds copper, and Inferred resources of 205.7 million tonnes grading 0.52 grams per tonne gold and 0.09% copper containing 3,418,000 ounces gold and 426 million pounds copper. For more detail, see the Company’s mineral resource estimate prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 by SRK Consulting, effective March 23, 2026 which can be found on SEDAR+ and the Company’s website.

On Behalf of Auro Metals Inc.
signed “Victor Feng”
Victor Feng, CEO and Director

For further information, please contact:

Victor Feng
CEO and Director
Phone: +1 (604)-336-5919
Email: info@aurometals.ca
www.aurometals.ca