Mr. Kenneth MacLeod reports

SONORO ANNOUNCES METALLURGICAL COLUMN TESTING OF CERRO CALICHE MINERALIZATION RETURNS AVERAGE RECOVERIES OF 74% FOR GOLD

Sonoro Gold Corp.'s column metallurgical test results from the company's Cerro Caliche property in Sonora, Mexico, returned an average recovery rate of 74 per cent for gold.

The testing was conducted at McClelland Laboratories Inc. (MLI) in Sparks, Nev., as part of a detailed scope of work. The material tested consisted of over 4,700 kilograms of mineralized material used to prepare 52 drill core composites totalling 428 lineal metres, derived from 10 85-millimetre-diameter PQ drill holes. Column leach test gold recovery obtained at the 80-per-cent-minus-12.5-millimetre feed size averaged 74 per cent over approximately 90 days.

There were no obvious variations in gold recovery related to ore zone or material type (vein breccia versus stockwork). Cyanide consumption for the 12.5 mm feeds ranged from 0.36 to 0.80 kilogram NaCN/mt (sodium cyanide per metric tonne) and averaged 0.55 kg NaCN/mt.

Key findings are as follows:

• All of Cerro Caliche's 43 variability composites and nine column composites contained little or no sulphur and little or no organic carbon, with no signs of refractory behavior or preg-robbing observed during testing.
• Column testing on nine major composites confirmed heap leach amenability at both minus-50-millimetre and 80-per-cent-minus-12.5-millimetre feed sizes.
• No solution percolation, fines migration or solution channeling problems were encountered with little to no slumping of ore charges occurring during leaching.
• The ore charges did not require agglomeration treatment.
• Head screen analyses showed that the column composites contained between 0.19 gram of gold per tonne and 1.54 g/t Au with an average of 0.58 g/t Au.
• Average silver grade for the column test composites was five grams of silver per tonne and, owing to the low silver grade nature of the composites and low recoveries, silver recovery data are considered semi-quantitative.
• There were no obvious variations in gold recovery related to ore zone or material type (vein breccia versus stock work).
• Cyanide consumptions were low, and good pH control was maintained.
• Finer crushing (from minus 50 mm to 80 per cent minus 12.5 mm) improved gold recovery significantly for approximately one-third of the composites tested.
• The average 74-per-cent gold recovery obtained at the 80-per-cent-minus-12.5-millimetre feed size was approximately 8 per cent higher than the average 66-per-cent recovery from the minus-50-millimetre feed size.

Sonoro's president and chief executive officer Kenneth MacLeod stated: "We are pleased that the average recovery rate obtained from these definitive tests exceeds the projected 72-per-cent recovery rate used in the company's July 26, 2019, NI 43-101 technical report which provided the project's maiden mineral resource estimate. We're also pleased that the tests demonstrate similar positive metallurgical recoveries across the entire resource area."

The recovery results are a critical component of the anticipated updated resource estimate, expected to be announced within the next few weeks. As previously disclosed, the company engaged Micon International Ltd. to complete the updated resource estimate as part of a Preliminary economic assessment (PEA) to be prepared by D.E.N.M. Engineering Ltd. The resource estimate will include all prior and current exploration data up to April, 2021. To date, the company has drilled and assayed results from over 34,500 metres of drilling, including 24,221 metres of new drilling since September, 2020. When combined with historical data, total exploration at Cerro Caliche totals over 47,500 metres within 433 drill holes and 9,704 surface samples.

The mineralization analyzed in the metallurgical tests derived from five major gold mineralized zones at Cerro Caliche, including Japoneses, Cuervos, El Colorado, Cabeza Blanca and Buena Suerte, with both stock work and vein breccia material types. Preliminary information regarding heap leach amenability and sample variability was generated from bottle roll tests as previously reported by the company on March 3, 2021. These results were used in the formulation of the present column leach tests.

The column leach tests were conducted on each of nine composites at a minus-50-millimetre feed size and an 80-per-cent-minus-12.5-millimetre feed size, to determine heap leach amenability and feed size sensitivity. These column test results confirmed all nine composites were amenable to simulated heap leach cyanide treatment. The smaller 80-per-cent-minus-12.5-millimetre feed size produced the best gold recoveries, which ranged from 61.3 per cent to 80.6 per cent and averaged 74 per cent after approximately 90 days, with moderate increases recorded in some of the column tests as the leaching cycle was extended. Gold recoveries obtained at the minus-50-millimetre feed size ranged from 53.6 per cent to 81.5 per cent and averaged 66 per cent after approximately 100 days.

Sonoro's chairman John Darch commented: "These very positive metallurgical test results are a critical milestone as Micon can now finalize Cerro Caliche's updated resource estimate and allow D.E.N.M. to complete the project's PEA. We appreciate our shareholders' patience and ongoing support as we work to transform Sonoro from explorer to developer and finally to gold producer."

The metallurgical tests have determined the heap leach characteristics of the oxide mineralization at Cerro Caliche while quantifying estimated gold and silver recoveries from the various mineralized zones near surface and at depth. These tests also establish the optimal crushing sizes and associated process flow sheet development.

Quality assurance/quality control measures and analytical procedures

The PQ drill cores for metallurgical testing were drilled to normal industry standards, with the cores sequentially placed in four-row plastic core boxes, then kept in secure storage and packed onto wooden pallets prior to shipping to MLI by DHL Couriers.

No QA/QC issues were noted with the results received from the laboratory. MLI maintains accreditation with ISO/IEC (International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission) Standard 17025:2017, for fields of testing that include the fire assay and solution analyses used for the current metallurgical testing program.

Qualified person statement

Stephen Kenwood, PGeo, a director of Sonoro, is a qualified person within the context of National Instrument 43-101, and has read and approved this news release. Readers are cautioned that the presence of mineralization on historic mines adjacent to or on Cerro Caliche is not necessarily indicative of gold mineralization in the concessions held by the company.

About Sonoro Gold Corp.

Sonoro Gold is a publicly listed exploration and development company with a portfolio of exploration-stage precious metal properties in Sonora state, Mexico. The company has highly experienced operational and management teams with proven records for the discovery and development of natural resource deposits.

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