ROAD TOWN, British Virgin Islands, Dec. 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aura Minerals Inc. (TSX: ORA) (B3: AURA33) (OTCQX: ORAAF) ("Aura” or the "Company”) is pleased to announce encouraging exploration and drilling results from several high-potential projects in Brazil. These include the Pé Quente Project, located 34 km from the Matupá Project's X1 Deposit; near-mine expansion at the Paiol Deposit, part of the Almas Mine; and Aura Carajás, all of which are located in Brazil. These results highlight the Company's ongoing success in advancing its exploration portfolio and reaffirm Aura's commitment to expanding its resource and reserve base, positioning the Company for sustained growth.
Highlights
- Pé Quente Project
- The Pé Quente gold deposit is emerging as one of the most significant disseminated gold systems in granitic environments within the Alta Floresta Gold Province, similar to the X1 Deposit and Serrinhas.
- 6,200m of the planned 7,500m program completed with six high-priority targets identified to date.
- Drilling confirmed historical high-grade gold intercepts previously identified by Graben Mineração SA (refer to press release dated May 22, 2024) in the Nilva zone. In addition, drilling also identified a new zone (Nilva North) which expands the footprint of mineralization along strike to the northeast.
- Significant intercepts include:
- Hole FPQD-0010 (Nilva) 0.96 g/t Au over 132.00m, including 4.05 g/t Au over 3.00m and 4.00 g/t Au over 2.00m.
- Hole FPQD-0020 (Nilva North): 1.18 g/t Au over 63.90m, including 4.14 g/t Au over 8.00m.
- Pé Quente is one of several promising targets surrounding the X1 Deposit within a 50km radius, where Aura has completed a Feasibility Study.
- Paiol Deposit, Almas Mine
- A 13,000m infill and extension drilling campaign confirmed the high-grade ore body's continuity at depth, supporting potential underground mining and adding ounces to the Inferred Mineral Resources below the current pit. Significant intercepts include:
- Hole PAI-004 1.40 g/t Au over 101.10m, including 4.20 g/t Au over 26.65m, 11.20 g/t Au over 7.00m.
- Hole PAI-005 1.30 g/t Au over 49.05m including, 3.70 g/t Au over 13.05m.
- Hole PAI-014 2.8 g/t Au over 19m including 8.2 g/t Au over 3m and 1.5 g/t Au over 3m.
- Further drilling down dip of the ore body is required to delineate underground potential and open a possibility of having underground and open pit mines at the same time in the Paiol deposit.
- Located in one of the world's most prolific gold-producing environment, that in Brazil hosts over 80 million ounces of gold, offering exceptional potential for extending Aura's deposits and making new discoveries.
- A 13,000m infill and extension drilling campaign confirmed the high-grade ore body's continuity at depth, supporting potential underground mining and adding ounces to the Inferred Mineral Resources below the current pit. Significant intercepts include:
- Aura Carajás
- A 22,000m inaugural drilling campaign between 2023 and 2024 confirmed multiple zones of mineralization extending the strike to 8 kilometers between a southern and northwestern trend, which provides an excellent opportunity of different styles of IOCG mineralization to be explored.
- Drilling has delineated semi-massive sulfide zones with higher grades (exceeding 1% Cu) within low (<0.5% Cu) and medium-grade (0.5% to 1% Cu) disseminated mineralized envelopes, with semi-massive and medium-grade zones primarily identified in the southwest zone where drilling density is higher. Significant intercepts include:
- Hole SDE-0053 0.95% Cu over 11.00m, including 1.23% Cu over 7.00m
- Ongoing drilling aims to expand the high-grade semi-massive zones and the mineralized footprint along strike to generate a sizeable maiden mineral resource estimate.
- The Southern Carajás Copper Belt hosts some of the largest IOCG deposits in the region, encompassing over five major copper projects with a combined total of approximately 1.5Bt of copper ore, grading between 0.5% and 3% Cu.
Similarly, the 0.96 g/t Au over 132.00m at Pé Quente is promising, suggesting it could become a mine alongside X1, increasing Matupá's Resources and Reserves in the near future. This could also be combined with potential resources from Serrinhas large-scale IOCG deposits in the region. The higher grades encountered in drilling so far bolster confidence in the project's future value, which we plan to further explore through continued drill testing.
Today's results once again underscore the success of our exploration strategy. The scale and grades we are uncovering across all three projects highlight the transformative potential of these initiatives, strengthening our capacity to achieve substantial reserve and resource growth in the coming years while maintaining a balanced exposure to both gold and copper.”
Pé Quente Project
The Pé Quente Gold Project, located 34 km from the X1 Deposit at Aura's Matupá Project in Mato Grosso, Brazil, offers a significant opportunity to expand resources in the Alta Floresta Gold Province. Spanning 19,593 hectares, the project features gold mineralization linked to intrusion-related deposits controlled by regional structural trends.
Acquired in May 2024, Pé Quente has a historical in situ resource estimate of 257Koz (6.26 million tonnes @ 1.28 g/t Au) (See Aura's press release dated May 22, 2024) based on prior exploration, including 97 drill holes (11,782m). Aura's ongoing 7,500-meter drilling program confirmed and extended known mineralization, strengthening the Company's strategic decision to delay Matupá's construction to optimize the region's potential. Future drill holes will aim to extend mineralization further with up to 200m step outs (Figure 2).
Figure 1: Location of Matupa Project
Figure 2: Nilva and Nilva North Initial Drilling Results Showing High-Grade Intercepts
Table 1: Summary of Drill Results from Nilva and Nilva North Targets at the Pé Quente Project
| Hole | From (m) | To (m) | Interval (m) | Au (g/t) |
| PQFD-001T | 32.15 | 47.45 | 15.30 | 0.91 |
| Incl. | 54.20 | 62.00 | 7.80 | 0.64 |
| And | 128.30 | 146.20 | 17.90 | 0.67 |
| FPQD-0001 | 49.00 | 52.00 | 3.00 | 1.99 |
| FPQD-0003 | 100.00 | 116.00 | 16.00 | 0.73 |
| Incl. | 121.83 | 136.85 | 14.52 | 0.42 |
| FPQD-0004 | 60.85 | 80.00 | 19.15 | 0.61 |
| Incl. | 88.46 | 129.80 | 41.34 | 0.40 |
| Incl. | 142.00 | 144.23 | 2.23 | 1.47 |
| FPQD-0005 | 11.00 | 12.00 | 1.00 | 0.58 |
| And | 108.90 | 110.00 | 1.10 | 1.06 |
| Incl. | 118.00 | 121.00 | 3.00 | 0.53 |
| Incl. | 122.80 | 123.70 | 0.90 | 0.95 |
| Incl. | 124.40 | 142.30 | 17.90 | 0.39 |
| FPQD-0006 | 66.70 | 70.00 | 4.10 | 0.37 |
| Incl. | 108.30 | 113.00 | 4.70 | 0.67 |
| And | 143.00 | 175.00 | 28.00 | 0.76 |
| FPQD-0007 | 1.00 | 5.00 | 4.00 | 0.41 |
| Incl. | 54.20 | 57.00 | 2.80 | 0.55 |
| And | 72.70 | 82.00 | 9.30 | 0.73 |
| Incl. | 129.70 | 208.00 | 78.30 | 0.59 |
| FPQD-0008 | 65.00 | 93.00 | 21.00 | 0.32 |
| Incl. | 99.55 | 126.00 | 26.45 | 0.53 |
| And | 137.00 | 150.00 | 13.00 | 0.65 |
| FPQD-0010 | 85.00 | 217.00 | 132.00 | 0.96 |
| FPQD-0011 | 99.00 | 111.00 | 12.00 | 0.52 |
| And | 117.00 | 124.00 | 7.00 | 0.70 |
| FPQD-0017 | 55.40 | 62.00 | 6.60 | 0.77 |
| Incl. | 80.00 | 92.00 | 12.00 | 0.72 |
| Incl. | 100.00 | 120.00 | 20.00 | 0.34 |
| FPQD-0018 | 50.75 | 57.80 | 7.05 | 0.46 |
| Incl. | 129.60 | 144.60 | 12.60 | 0.57 |
| And | 170.60 | 207.40 | 36.80 | 1.13 |
| FPQD-0020 | 57.00 | 74.00 | 18.10 | 0.75 |
| And | 94.10 | 158.00 | 63.90 | 1.18 |
| PQFD-0013T | 139.00 | 185.70 | 46.70 | 0.85 |
| Incl. | 34.90 | 38.40 | 3.50 | 0.66 |
| And | 181.20 | 215.15 | 33.95 | 1.01 |
Almas - an open pit gold operation located in the state of Tocantins, Brazil, and is wholly-owned by Aura, that consists of three deposits (Paiol, Vira Saia and Cata Funda) and several exploration targets. The Paiol Mine, located in the northernmost part of the Brasília Gold Belt, is hosted within the Riachão do Ouro Greenstone, consisting of ocean-floor volcanic rocks altered by metamorphism, deformation, and hydrothermal activity during the Paleoproterozoic collisional event. This event facilitated the migration of gold-bearing fluids, leading to mineralization.
A total of 34 diamond drill holes, covering 12,989.50 meters, were completed to convert Inferred Mineral Resources to Indicated Mineral Resources. Drilling intersected hydrothermally altered metabasalt characterized by silicification and sulfidation (Py+Po+Aspy), consistent with the modeled ore body. These results, primarily in the central portion of the Paiol Mine, suggest continuity of high-grade mineralization at depth, highlighting the potential for developing an underground mining operation. A summary of the results is provided in Table 2.
Table 2: Summary of Drill Results from the Paiol Deposit
| Hole | From (m) | To (m) | Interval (m) | Au (g/t) |
| PAI-001 | 259.75 | 306.00 | 46.25 | 0.6 |
| 289.00 | 293.00 | 4.00 | 3.40 | |
| 325.55 | 329.35 | 3.80 | 3.20 | |
| PAI-002 | 126.25 | 148.25 | 22.00 | 0.36 |
| 140.25 | 142.25 | 2.00 | 1.00 | |
| 222.85 | 225.85 | 3.00 | 0.48 | |
| 245.40 | 249.40 | 4.00 | 0.41 | |
| 258.40 | 290.75 | 32.35 | 0.30 | |
| 285.05 | 288.05 | 3.00 | 1.00 | |
| 323.00 | 324.00 | 1.00 | 1.30 | |
| 335.00 | 336.00 | 1.00 | 1.60 | |
| 126.25 | 148.25 | 22.00 | 0.36 | |
| 140.25 | 142.25 | 2.00 | 1.00 | |
| 222.85 | 225.85 | 3.00 | 0.48 | |
| PAI-003 | 339.15 | 340.15 | 1.00 | 0.56 |
| 359.15 | 360.15 | 1.00 | 0.83 | |
| 402.85 | 459.55 | 56.70 | 1.00 | |
| 419.60 | 427.60 | 8.00 | 2.60 | |
| PAI-004 | 429.20 | 530.30 | 101.10 | 1.40 |
| 456.55 | 483.20 | 26.65 | 4.20 | |
| 472.20 | 479.20 | 7.00 | 11.20 | |
| PAI-005 | 470.20 | 519.25 | 49.05 | 1.30 |
| 480.90 | 493.95 | 13.05 | 3.70 | |
| PAI-006 | 349.00 | 429.90 | 80.90 | 0.50 |
| 405.60 | 428.60 | 23.00 | 1.20 | |
| 421.60 | 425.60 | 4.00 | 3.40 | |
| PAI-007 | 370.90 | 407.00 | 36.10 | 2.00 |
| 395.90 | 406.00 | 10.10 | 5.90 | |
| PAI-008 | 466.50 | 508.50 | ()[\]\\.,;:\s@\"]+)*)|(\".+\"))@((\[[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}\])|(([a-zA-Z\-0-9]+\.)+[a-zA-Z]{2,}))$/;return b.test(a)}$(document).ready(function(){if(performance.navigation.type==2){location.reload(true)}$("iframe[data-lazy-src]").each(function(b){$(this).attr("src",$(this).attr("data-lazy-src"))});if($(".owl-article-body-images").length){$(".owl-article-body-images").owlCarousel({items:1,loop:true,center:false,dots:false,autoPlay:true,mouseDrag:false,touchDrag:false,pullDrag:false,nav:true})}var a=$("#display_full_text").val();if(a==0){$.ajax({url:"/ajax/set-article-cookie",type:"POST",data:{cmsArticleId:$("#cms_article_id").val()},dataType:"json",success:function(b){},error:function(b,d,c){}})}$(".read-full-article").on("click",function(d){d.preventDefault();var b=$(this).attr("data-cmsArticleId");var c=$(this).attr("data-productId");var f=$(this).attr("data-href");dataLayer.push({event:"paywall_click",paywall_name:"the_manila_times_premium",paywall_id:"paywall_article_"+b});$.ajax({url:"/ajax/set-article-cookie",type:"POST",data:{cmsArticleId:b,productId:c},dataType:"json",success:function(e){window.location.href=$("#BASE_URL").val()+f},error:function(e,h,g){}})});$(".article-embedded-newsletter-form .close-btn").on("click",function(){$(".article-embedded-newsletter-form").fadeOut(1000)})});$(document).on("click",".article-embedded-newsletter-form .newsletter-button",function(){var b=$(".article-embedded-newsletter-form .newsletter_email").val();var d=$("#ga_user_id").val();var c=$("#ga_user_yob").val();var a=$("#ga_user_gender").val();var e=$("#ga_user_country").val();if(validateEmail(b)){$.ajax({url:"/ajax/sendynewsletter",type:"POST",data:{email:b},success:function(f){$(".article-embedded-newsletter-form .nf-message").html(f);$(".article-embedded-newsletter-form .nf-message").addClass("show");setTimeout(function(){$(".article-embedded-newsletter-form .nf-message").removeClass("show");$(".article-embedded-newsletter-form .nf-message").html("")},6000);dataLayer.push({event:"newsletter_sub",user_id:d,product_name:"newsletter",gender:a,yob:c,country:e})},error:function(f,h,g){}})}else{$(".article-embedded-newsletter-form .nf-message").html("Please enter a valid email address.");$(".article-embedded-newsletter-form .nf-message").addClass("show");setTimeout(function(){$(".article-embedded-newsletter-form .nf-message").removeClass("show");$(".article-embedded-newsletter-form .nf-message").html("")},6000)}});$(document).on("click",".article-embedded-newsletter-form .nf-message",function(){$(this).removeClass("show");$(this).html("")});
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