Mr. George Ogilvie reports

ARIZONA SONORAN DRILLING EXTENDS PRIMARY MINERALIZATION BY 750 FT (229 M) AROUND THE CACTUS WEST PIT

Arizona Sonoran Copper Company Inc. has released drilling results targeting below the leachable oxides and enriched sulphides, into the untested extents of primary copper mineralization around the Cactus West pit, on the Cactus project in Arizona. Drilling confirms a thick zone of primary sulphide mineralization beneath the Cactus West open-pit mine plan and at least 750 feet (ft) (229 metres) south, 500 ft (152 m) southwest and up to an additional 700 ft (213 m) below the Cactus West mineral resource shell. The program is part of the 2024 Nuton work program sponsored by Nuton LLC, a Rio Tinto venture, as announced Jan. 30, 2024.

A total of five drill holes are reported herein for a total of 8,366 ft (2,550 m). The Nuton-sponsored drill program aims to further delineate the primary mineralization beneath the existing oxides and enriched sulphides at the Cactus West open pit, as outlined in the current mine plan. Additionally, the program seeks to extend exploration efforts to the south and southwest regions. The program follows up on geotechnical hole ECW-150 (see press release dated Jan. 10, 2024), which also encountered a significant primary sulphide interval, extending mineralization by 674 ft (205 m) below the mineral resource shell, within a total interval of 1,416 ft (432 m) at 0.45 per cent CuT (total copper).

Drilling highlights:

• ECW-246: 1,463 ft (446 m) at 0.31 per cent CuT of continuous mineralization:
  • 1,370 ft (418 m) at 0.31 per cent CuT and 0.004 per cent Mo (molybdenum) (primary).
• ECW-243: 987 ft (301 m) at 0.34 per cent CuT of continuous mineralization:
  • 191 ft (58 m) at 0.35 per cent CuT, 0.30 per cent Cu TSol (total soluble copper) and 0.014 per cent Mo (enriched);
  • 796 ft (243 m) at 0.33 per cent CuT and 0.011 per cent Mo (primary).
• ECW-245: 1,033 ft (315 m) at 0.28 per cent CuT of continuous mineralization:
  • 190 ft (58 m) at 0.56 per cent CuT and 0.010 per cent Mo (primary).
• ECW-241: 852 ft (260 m) at 0.38 per cent CuT of continuous mineralization:
  • 316 ft (96 m) at 0.34 per cent CuT, 0.27 per cent Cu TSol and 0.005 per cent Mo (enriched) from 132 m depth;
  • 536 ft (163 m) at 0.39 per cent CuT and 0.019 per cent Mo (primary).

Note: True widths are not known. Hole ECW-246 terminated in primary mineralization and angled at minus-47.5-degree dip; all other holes drilled vertical and terminated in the basement fault.

George Ogilvie, Arizona Sonoran's president and chief executive officer, commented: "While our engineering and geology teams remain focused on the integration of our MainSpring property into our February, 2024, prefeasibility study, our geo teams continue their exemplary low-discovery-cost programs. To date, the discovery cost on our Cactus porphyry is under one cent/pound, and therefore telling us to continue drilling until that cost begins to increase."

He continued: "The Cactus 2024 drilling programs focused on MainSpring infill drilling and expansion drilling at Cactus West. MainSpring presents engineering with the opportunity to improve economics at Parks/Salyer. At Cactus West, the team is targeting below the previously known mineral extents within the primary sulphides for future opportunities and optionality. Cactus infill drilling is returning wide intervals of primary copper mineralization both below the open-pit mine plan and also outside of the current mineral resource shell. While these Cactus West results will not be included in the pending preliminary economic assessment, we see an expanding primary sulphide zone as future optionality on what is already one of the largest development-stage copper assets in the United States today."

Drilling recap

The Cactus West infill and exploration drill program, as announced in the Jan. 30, 2024, work plan press release, and as part of the 2024 Nuton work program, supports the expansion of primary sulphide mineralization, particularly near ECW-150, and is continuing with two drills. The current drilling will not be reflected in the pending preliminary economic assessment.

Previously, most drilling at Cactus West crossed through the oxide and enriched zones prior to terminating in the upper portions of the primary sulphide mineralization. This developed the oxide and enriched copper resources to support a conventional heap-leach project. The current drill program at Cactus West targets the untested extents of primary mineralization by drilling completely through the enriched and primary mineralization zones to the basement fault and stopping in the rock units that compose the basement complex. This drilling is confirming a thick zone of primary mineralization beneath the thinner enrichment zone, typically followed by a barren granitic unit at depth above the basement fault. Though the drill program is in the early stages, it has confirmed that a thick zone of primary mineralization extends beneath the Cactus West pit, as well as at least 750 feet south and 500 feet southwest of the pit. Results to date show primary sulphide copper grade increasing from east to west across the southern side of the pit. Grades are interpreted to increase further on the southwest corner of the pit as the drilling aligns with the historical mine trend, consistent with results previously reported from ECW-150. The program will continue to test the extents of primary mineralization to the south and southwest, as it also works to infill the areas under and immediately adjacent to the Cactus West pit.

The oxide and enriched proven and probable reserve at Cactus West totals 75.5 million tons at 0.26 per cent Cu TSol for 463 million pounds (Mlb) of copper. Within the prefeasibility study, Cactus West contributes approximately 12 million tons annually within the first seven years of production as an open-pit layback. Meanwhile, the Cactus West and East primary sulphide mineral resource estimate consists of 72.9 million tons at 0.34 per cent CuT measured and indicated for 463 Mlb of copper, and 120.4 million tons at 0.34 per cent CuT for 837 Mlb of copper inferred, inclusive of Cactus East (see press release dated Feb. 21, 2024, for notes and disclaimers related to the reserves and resources). The Cactus project over all, inclusive of Parks/Salyer, contains 446 million tons at 0.58 per cent CuT for 5.2 billion pounds measured and indicated, and 224 million tons at 0.472 per cent CuT for 2.2 billion pounds inferred.

Quality assurance/quality control

Drilling completed on the project between 2020 and 2023 was supervised by on-site Arizona Sonoran 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, Ariz., for analysis. Skyline's sample prep, analytical methodologies and quality control system comply with global certifications for quality -- ISO9001: 2008.

Technical aspects of this news release have been reviewed and verified by Allan Schappert, CPG No. 11758, who is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 -- Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About Arizona Sonoran Copper Company Inc.

Arizona Sonoran Copper Company's objective is to become a mid-tier copper producer with low operating costs, and to develop the Cactus and Parks/Salyer projects 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-per-cent 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 is the company's 100-per-cent-owned Parks/Salyer deposit 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 record of successful project delivery in North America, complemented by global capital markets expertise.

We seek Safe Harbor.