Arizona Sonoran Copper Company Inc. (TSX:ASCU | OTCQX:ASCUF) releases 7 drill holes from the Cactus East, Cactus Mine Project infill drilling program. This new set of assays continue to support the previously defined geological interpretations with thick and high-grade intercepts outlined within the underground Cactus East orebody, immediately to the northeast of the historic Sacaton pit. Infill drilling is targeting 125 ft (38 m) spacing with the goal of generating measured mineral resources (see FIGURES 1-7).

Highlights:

• Thick and high-grade intercepts are consistent with previous wider spaced drilling intercepts and resource model interpretation
• ECE-067: 148.5 ft (45.3 m) @ 2.57% TCu, 2.53% Cu TSol (enriched)
  • Incl. 10 ft (3.0 m) @ 10.53% TCu, 10.13% Cu TSol
• ECE-085: 268.0 ft (81.7 m) @ 1.51% TCu, 1.38% Cu TSol (enriched)
  • Incl. 203.0 ft (61.9 m) @ 1.74% TCu, 1.64% Cu TSol
  • 383.3 ft (116.9 m) @ 0.51% TCu (primary)
• ECE-082: 226.6 ft (69.1 m) @ 1.39% TCu, 1.26% Cu TSol (enriched)
  • Incl. 117.7 ft (35.9 m) @ 1.88% TCu, 1.73% Cu TSol
  • 379.0 ft (115.5 m) @ 0.68% TCu (primary)
• ECE-066: 244.8 ft (74.6 m) @ 1.26% TCu, 1.14% Cu TSol (enriched)
  • 142.4 ft (43.4 m) @ 1.63% TCu, 1.55% Cu TSol (oxide)
• ECE-062: 173.0 ft (52.7m) @ 1.60% TCu, 1.49% Cu TSol (oxide)
  • Incl. 100.6 ft (30.7 m) @ 2.28% TCu, 2.15% Cu TSol
  • 258.0 ft (78.6 m) @ 1.01% TCu, 0.91% Cu TSol (enriched)

Ian McMullan, Arizona Sonoran Chief Operating Officer commented, “Cactus East assay results continue to build upon and support the previously released assays. The high porphyry copper grades with good thicknesses underpin future mine planning and mine design work for a targeted underground bulk mining scenario at Cactus East. As previously mentioned, drills are currently focusing on Parks/Salyer to build out the known mineralization and will return later in the year to complete the measured category drilling.”

Drilling Program Recap

The total infill program inclusive of Cactus East and Cactus West (60,000 ft | 18,290 m) is now over halfway complete. A total of 16 HQ drill holes in the heart of the Cactus East orebody were drilled for a total of 31,817.7 ft (9,700 m). Assays are pending on 2 holes and 5 holes remain to be drilled (10,000 ft | 3,048 m). At Cactus West, 25 holes (16,000 ft | 1877 m) have been designed to infill the upper portions of the planned open pit in addition to what was previously infill drilled on the southern side of the pit (see FIGURE 3). An expansionary drill program (12,000 ft | 3,660 m) is planned to follow the Cactus infill program. Due to the successful drilling results at Parks/Salyer (similar grades with greater thicknesses over a greater area), the two available drill rigs have been prioritized to that discovery. Drilling will resume on Cactus later in the year.

As shown in Table 1, holes ECE-062, ECE-068 and ECE-069 show solid intercepts of higher-grade oxide mineralization adjacent to historic holes S-145, S-146 and S-149 while adjacent holes from this program show continuity of thickness and grade in the underlying enriched zone over 750 ft (230 m) of strike. Drill holes with pending assay results test extensions of this reported mineralization to the northeast and southwest.

Cactus East infill drilling results are consistent with previously drilled results and show thick, high-grade intercepts of both oxide and enriched mineralization. Importantly, the infill drilling continues to support previous geological interpretations and controls on mineralization within the deposit. The mineralization shows grade and mineralization characteristics similar to Parks/Salyer, although it is contained within a more restricted horst fault block structure. These drilling results will provide valuable infill data for localized mine design work.

TABLE 1: Drilling Highlights

Table 2: Drilling details

Quality Assurance / Quality Control

Drilling completed on the project in 2020 and 2021 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 1-7: 

https://arizonasonoran.com/projects/cactus-mine-project/press-release-images/

About Arizona Sonoran Copper Company

ASCU’s objective is to become a mid-tier copper producer with low operating costs, develop the Cactus Project 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 the Company is also exploring on its 100% owned Park Salyer property 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.