Auro Metals Inc. has intersected 905.22 metres grading 0.60 grams per tonne gold and 0.12% copper in drillhole DSB-68 at the Santa Barbara Gold-Copper Project in southeastern Ecuador.

The hole is the longest and deepest drilled at the project to date, reaching a depth of 1,282 metres and remaining mineralized at the end of the hole. Auro Metals completed the 22-hole Phase I drill program totaling 11,047.35 metres and has moved straight into a 20,000-metre Phase II campaign using three new rigs capable of depths exceeding 1,000 metres.

Drillhole DSB-68 was collared in the southern part of the porphyry system, known as Santa Barbara South. Two additional holes from the same batch also returned wide intercepts. Drillhole DSB-70 intersected 262.5 metres grading 0.71 g/t gold and 0.10% copper from surface, including 100.45 metres grading 1.01 g/t gold and 0.11% copper. Drillhole DSB-69 returned 103.05 metres grading 0.53 g/t gold and 0.09% copper and a separate 200.55-metre intercept grading 0.59 g/t gold and 0.08% copper.

“This latest batch of drillholes continues to demonstrate the scale and consistency at Santa Barbara. These results, along with the previously reported intercepts, continue to demonstrate that mineralization is open up-dip, down-dip, and at depth,” said Victor Feng, CEO of Auro. “DSB-68 is the longest and deepest hole drilled at Santa Barbara. On a gram by metre basis, it returned the best reportable intercept at the Project to date, including all historical drilling.”

— Victor Feng, CEO of Auro

Auro acquired its 100% interest in the project in May 2026 through the purchase of Santa Barbara Metals Inc. from Silvercorp Metals Inc. and Adventus Mining Corporation. The deposit hosts an independent mineral resource estimate prepared by SRK Consulting with an effective date of March 23, 2026, comprising indicated resources of 29.8 million tonnes grading 0.73 g/t gold and 0.1% copper and inferred resources of 205.7 million tonnes grading 0.52 g/t gold and 0.09% copper.

The company is preparing core samples for initial metallurgical test work covering gravity concentration, comminution, flotation, and cyanide leaching across oxide and sulfide material types. Assay results for the remaining five holes from the Phase I program will be published as they become available, with infill drilling continuing to feed into a future mineral resource update.

Read the full announcement: Auro Intersects 905m Grading 0.60 g/t Gold and 0.12% Copper and Commences 20,000 Metre - Phase II Drill Program at the Santa Barbara Gold-Copper Project, Ecuador