Updates On The ASCU-led Metallurgical Programs

CASA GRANDE, AZ – Arizona Sonoran Copper Company Inc.(ASCU) reported on the metallurgy and improvements to the TruStone Facility. ASCU continues to improve metallurgical recoveries through ongoing Pre-Feasibility (PFS) and Feasibility Study (FS)-level columns located onsite and in TruStone. The 90-day Stockpile oxide cycle is now complete with 90% recoveries of each column’s head grade. Preliminary results from the Parks/Salyer enriched columns after 160 days are tracking to approximately 80% recovery. Samples for each of the TruStone columns were sent to HydroGeoSense Inc. (“HGS”) and Skyline Lab for sequential copper and total copper analysis. The metallurgical programs are overseen by Dan Johnson, ASCU Projects Director and QP’d by Samuel Engineering.

Dan Johnson, Projects Director, said, “The completed Stockpile oxides recoveries and highly encouraging preliminary Park/Salyer enriched recoveries continue to build on and improve our metallurgical understanding of the Cactus and Parks/Salyer deposits. With the Stockpile oxides performing at ~90% recoveries and Parks/Salyer enriched at ~80%, we see an improvement over the PEA programs after only 60 and 160 days, respectively, in comparison to the Cactus deposit. We note the metallurgy from the two deposits respond quite similarly to the raffinate which should support future economies of scale while conducting mine sequencing and planning for the PFS.”

Refurbishment of the TruStone Facility is near completion. TruStone, a former factory located between the Parks/Salyer and Cactus deposits and accessed by the paved access road will also serve as an auxiliary building to support the future Solvent Extraction/Electrowinning (“SX/EW”) plant, as outlined in the PEA. It now accommodates 12, 20 ft (6 m) columns for PFS and FS-level metallurgical programs with the potential to install an additional three columns and for conversion to 30 ft (9 m) columns, as required an onsite full-scale sample preparation lab with five crusher stations and also serves as a main core storage facility.