Twelve Columns Completed From Leach Metallurgical Testing At The Cactus Project

CASA GRANDE, AZ - Arizona Sonoran Copper Company Inc. reported on the 12 leach columns completed from its column leach metallurgical testing program at the Cactus Project, Arizona. An average soluble copper extraction rate of 87% over 180 days of leaching was achieved from 6 oxide and enriched composite columns from the Parks/Salyer deposit, inclusive of MainSpring. The other 6 columns represent the final Stockpile columns with an average soluble copper extraction rate of 86% over 100 days.

These updated Parks/Salyer extraction results compare well to the soluble copper rates of 92% oxide and 85% enriched, in support of the single pad leach plan as outlined in the 2024 Preliminary Economic Assessment.

Following the recommendation from the 2024 PEA, ASCU has begun to implement the metallurgical program ahead of the H2 2025 Prefeasibility Study. This next program focuses on upgrading the Parks/Salyer deposit metallurgical information. A total of 5 enriched columns, 2 enriched and oxide composites, and 4 primary sulphide (chalcopyrite) columns are planned, all related to conventional heap leaching, as per the 2024 PEA mine plan.

Steve Dixon, Chief Metallurgist, said, “Across the Parks/Salyer, Cactus West and Cactus East deposits, we benefit from similar mineralogies and no deleterious materials as evidenced from four years of metallurgical testing on the three deposits. Test work using standard best practice conditions is ongoing and will continue until we hand off testing to operations, assuming a positive construction decision post-Definitive Feasibility Study. To date, we are encouraged to see the first two columns from the new MainSpring property behaving similarly to Parks/Salyer, as expected. Overall, the Cactus Project oxide and enriched recoveries and leach times perform in line- with other operating mines within Arizona’s copper belt.”