Arizona Sonoran Drilling Extends Mineralization West of the Modelled Cactus Open Pit

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. & TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–$ASCU #IPO—Arizona Sonoran Copper Company Inc. (TSX:ASCU) (�ASCU” or the “Company”), an emerging US-based copper developer and near-term producer, announces the first set of drilling results from its 8 initial diamond drill holes for over 2,938 m (9,639 ft) along the western periphery of the Cactus West pit. The drilling demonstrates continuous leachable mineralization including extensions outwards from the modelled pit shell by at least 61 m (200 ft). Mineralization from the infill drilling remains open to the west (see FIGURES 1 – 3) and TABLE 1 below.

The 2021 mineral resource conversion drill program was designed to upgrade the current mineral resources at the Cactus West Open Pit and Cactus East Underground, from inferred to indicated and from indicated to measured resources in advance of current ongoing technical studies. Additionally, the program informs mineral resource growth zones for the 2022 expansion drilling program set to begin shortly. A full set of drill highlights may be found in TABLE 1, below.

Drilling Highlights (please see TABLE 1 for full set of drilling results)

1. Leachable material identified extending 61 m (200 ft) west from the modelled open pit
2. ECW-029 0.774 % Cu TSol over 34 m (113 ft) of enriched mineralization
3. ECW-025 0.272% Cu TSol over 108 m (355 ft) of oxide mineralization
4. ECW-022 0.519% Cu TSol over 40 m (130 ft) of enriched mineralization
5. ECW-023 0.695% Cu TSol over 15.3 m (50.3 ft) of enriched mineralization

George Ogilvie, Arizona Sonoran President and CEO stated, “These drilling results are the first of many exciting developments at the Cactus Project. The drill program is designed to target some materials previously viewed as waste by ASARCO, who at that time were processing sulphide-only material through a floatation mill. With ASCU targeting the leachable materials which sit atop the sulphide mineralization for a heap leach operation, the infill to indicated and measured drilling program may positively affect the starter resource base and ultimately the economics of the pit.

He continued, “The first priority at Cactus is mineral resource conversion as we gear up for the upcoming Prefeasibility Study in 2022 with maiden reserves. Shortly, however we will look to Park/ Salyer for pure exploration drilling in conjunction with Cactus Drilling.”

Geological Description

The Cactus West Orebody extends southwesterly at depth under the western highwall of the pit and beneath the bounding West Fault. Oxide and upper enriched ore zones were intersected to the west of the pit wall in 2020 step out drilling and were further targeted by the current infill program. This portion of the drilling traces the NE-SW trend of the high-grade center of the historic Sacaton West orebody. Results from this portion of the current drilling reinforce the positive results from the previous step out drilling in this area. Core drilling continues northward up the western edge of the pit to complete this successful phase of infill drilling. Condemnation hole, ECW-027, was drilled as a sterilization hole to define the ultimate edge of the western pit for infrastructure planning purposes, located 305 m (1,000 ft) west of the open pit.

TABLE 1: Drilling Highlights

Hole		Metres						Feet						TCu		Tsol		Mineralization
		From		To		Length		From		To		Length
ECW-022		163.7		166.1		2.4		537.0		545.0		8.0		0.246		0.205		oxide
		188.1		191.1		3.0		617.0		627.0		10.0		0.333		0.314		enriched
		199.6		203.0		3.4		655.0		666.0		11.0		0.159		0.110		oxide
		206.0		226.2		20.1		676.0		742.0		66.0		0.314		0.283		oxide
		232.3		238.4		6.1		762.0		782.0		20.0		0.319		0.318		oxide
		247.5		250.5		3.0		812.0		822.0		10.0		0.524		0.510		enriched
		281.0		284.1		3.0		922.0		932.0		10.0		0.623		0.586		enriched
		296.3		299.3		3.0		972.0		982.0		10.0		0.192		0.173		oxide
		317.6		357.2		39.6		1042.0		1172.0		130.0		0.552		0.519		enriched
		357.2		397.6		40.4		1172.0		1304.6		132.6		0.199		0.020		primary
ECW-023		156.3		158.2		1.9		512.7		519.0		6.3		0.270		0.203		oxide
		164.3		170.4		6.1		539.1		559.0		19.9		0.115		0.044		oxide
		172.5		175.6		3.1		565.9		576.0		10.1		0.175		0.157		enriched
		194.7		210.0		15.3		638.7		689.0		50.3		0.750		0.695		oxide
		236.5		239.6		3.0		776.0		786.0		10.0		0.284		0.261		oxide
		263.9		294.4		30.6		865.7		966.0		100.3		0.397		0.356		oxide
incl.		270.1		282.2		12.2		886.0		926.0		40.0		0.524		0.489
		294.4		305.3		10.8		966.0		1001.5		35.5		0.461		0.377		enriched
		305.3		425.5		120.2		1001.5		1396.0		394.5		0.385		0.032		primary
incl.		361.5		395.3		33.8		1186.0		1297.0		111.0		0.580		0.038
ECW-024		149.8		206.3		56.5		491.6		677.0		185.4		0.247		0.195		oxide
		206.3		218.5		12.2		677.0		717.0		40.0		0.668		0.607		enriched
		227.7		230.7		3.0		747.0		757.0		10.0		1.275		1.178		enriched
		236.8		252.1		15.2		777.0		827.0		50.0		0.247		0.199		oxide
		252.1		266.7		14.6		827.0		875.0		48.0		0.398		0.363		enriched
ECW-025		176.2		179.7		3.6		578.0		589.7		11.7		0.350		0.311		oxide
		180.2		182.9		2.7		591.1		600.0		8.9		0.114		0.079		oxide
		189.0		297.2		108.2		620.0		975.0		355.0		0.319		0.272		oxide
		297.2		319.8		22.6		975.0		1049.3		74.3		0.238		0.042		primary
ECW-026		145.0		164.3		19.3		475.8		539.0		63.2		0.262		0.226		oxide
		164.3		170.1		5.8		539.0		558.0		19.0		0.653		0.616		enriched
		170.1		200.6		30.5		558.0		658.0		100.0		0.239		0.195		oxide
		203.6		252.4		48.8		668.0		828.0		160.0		0.419		0.271		enriched
incl.		205.3		212.8		7.5		673.4		698.0		24.6		1.136		1.011
		252.4		287.7		35.4		828.0		944.0		116.0		0.422		0.041		primary
ECW-027		306.9		310.6		3.7		1007.0		1019.0		12.0		0.431		0.371		oxide
		316.1		331.3		15.2		1037.0		1087.0		50.0		0.224		0.193		oxide
		353.6		354.6		1.1		1160.0		1163.5		3.5		0.952		0.937		enriched
		360.6		368.5		7.9		1183.0		1209.0		26.0		0.255		0.251		enriched
		377.3		404.5		27.1		1238.0		1327.0		89.0		0.303		0.296		enriched
		404.5		469.4		64.9		1327.0		1540.0		213.0		0.134		0.031		primary
ECW-028		199.9		208.5		8.5		656.0		684.0		28.0		0.293		0.254		oxide
		223.4		226.2		2.7		733.0		742.0		9.0		0.101		0.048		oxide
		231.0		246.3		15.2		758.0		808.0		50.0		0.161		0.138		oxide
		276.8		279.8		3.0		908.0		918.0		10.0		0.174		0.150		enriched
		325.5		331.6		6.1		1068.0		1088.0		20.0		0.884		0.704		enriched
		356.8		359.7		2.9		1170.5		1180.0		9.5		0.180		0.121		enriched
		359.7		396.2		36.6		1180.0		1300.0		120.0		0.181		0.025		primary
ECW-029		141.4		184.9		43.4		464.0		606.5		142.5		0.308		0.266		oxide
		184.9		219.2		34.3		606.5		719.0		112.5		0.815		0.774		enriched
incl.		184.9		200.1		15.2		606.5		656.5		50.0		1.207		1.175
		219.2		240.5		21.3		719.0		789.0		70.0		0.464		0.412		oxide
		240.5		283.2		42.7		789.0		929.0		140.0		0.503		0.409		enriched
		283.2		333.5		50.3		929.0		1094.0		165.0		0.246		0.029		primary

Intervals are presented in core length; are drilled with dip angles between 55 degrees and 75 degrees to target zones for expansion of mineralization. Drill assays assume a mineralized cut-off grade of 0.1% CuT reflecting the potential for heap leaching in the case of Oxide and Enriched material, or to provide typical average grades in the case of Primary material. Most holes were terminated in Primary mineralization. Assay results are not capped. Intercepts are aggregated within geological confines of major mineral zones.

Table 2: Drill details

Hole	Easting		Northing		Elevation		Depth		Azimuth		Dip
ECW-022		388487		63755.44		1442.515		1304.6	90		-45
ECW-023		388549.7		63522.79		1440.507		1396	85		-55
ECW-024		388655.8		63299.22		1440.143		1011	80		-50
ECW-025		388422.3		63084.55		1435.619		1049.3	70		-60
ECW-026		388733.6		63020.49		1436.774		944	70		-55
ECW-027		387759.6		63329.03		1434.005		1540	90		-60
ECW-028		388349.6		63761.94		1441.334		1300	94		-55
ECW-029		388731.2		63020.03		1436.823		1094	70		-80

Quality Assurance / Quality Control

Drilling completed on the project in 2020 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, who is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101– Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

Links from the Press Release

FIGURES 1-3: https://arizonasonoran.com/projects/cactus-mine-project/press-release-images/

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, 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. 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.

Contacts

Alison Dwoskin, Director, Investor Relations

647-233-4348

adwoskin@arizonasonoran.com

George Ogilvie, President, CEO and Director

416-723-0458

gogilvie@arizonasonoran.com