Auro Metals (TSXV:AURO) Intersects 496m Gold-Copper Zone as Santa Barbara Drilling Advances
Highlights
- Auro Metals intersected 496.5m grading 0.76 g/t gold and 0.12% copper in drillhole DSB-61.
- DSB-61 included 212.5m grading 1.12 g/t gold and 0.14% copper.
- Three of four newly reported holes returned wide mineralised intervals from surface or near-surface.
- Auro has completed 22 holes in its 2026 Phase I program, with assays reported for 14 holes and eight still pending.
- The Santa Barbara Project is a large-scale porphyry system with Indicated resources of 29.8 million tonnes grading 0.73 g/t gold and 0.10% copper containing 697,000 ounces gold and 68 million pounds copper.
- The project also hosts Inferred resources of 205.7 million tonnes grading 0.52 g/t gold and 0.09% copper containing 3.418 million ounces gold and 426 million pounds copper.
Auro Metals Inc.
(TSXV:AURO)
(OTCQB:AURFF) has added another series of wide gold-copper intercepts at its 100%-owned Santa Barbara Project in southeastern Ecuador, led by nearly 500m of continuous mineralisation from drillhole DSB-61. The latest results come from four holes drilled at Santa Barbara South, the area currently considered the core of the known porphyry mineralisation system.
DSB-61 Delivers the Standout Intercept
Drillhole DSB-61 returned 496.5m grading 0.76 g/t gold and 0.12% copper from 88.5m to 585.0m. Within the broader interval, drilling intersected 212.5m grading 1.12 g/t gold and 0.14% copper from 117.0m to 329.5m.
The hole also returned 10.65m grading 0.59 g/t gold and 0.08% copper from 709.95m to the end of the hole.
Auro noted that the gold grade across the 496.5m interval was approximately 46% above the grade of the inferred resource in its Mineral Resource Estimate, while the 212.5m section carried a gold grade approximately 115% higher.
Wide Mineralisation Continues Across Santa Barbara South
The latest batch also included DSB-67, which intersected 380m grading 0.71 g/t gold and 0.10% copper from 76.5m, immediately below overburden conglomerate.
Meanwhile, DSB-66 returned 287m grading 0.51 g/t gold and 0.08% copper from surface.
Three of the four reported holes intersected wide mineralisation beginning from surface or near-surface. The holes were designed to test continuity between historical intercepts while also examining extensions up-dip, down-dip and at depth.
Drilling Builds on a Multi-Million-Ounce Resource
Santa Barbara covers 55.3 sq km across six licences in Ecuadors Zamora Copper-Gold Belt. Its 2026 Mineral Resource Estimate includes 29.8 million tonnes of Indicated resources grading 0.73 g/t gold and 0.10% copper, containing 697,000 ounces of gold and 68.1 million pounds of copper.
Inferred resources total 205.7 million tonnes grading 0.52 g/t gold and 0.09% copper, containing 3.418 million ounces of gold and 425.8 million pounds of copper.
The resource remains open in all directions and at depth.
More Assays Ahead as Four Rigs Keep Turning
Auro has completed 22 drill holes since beginning its 2026 Phase I program. Assay results have now been reported for 14 holes, while results from another eight holes remain pending.
The Phase I campaign forms part of a planned 10,000m infill drilling program, with four rigs operating at the project. Beyond the current resource area, Santa Barbara also contains numerous untested targets.
The project sits about 10km south of Silvercorp Metals Condor Project, 36km south of Lundin Golds FDN Mine and 56km south of the Mirador Mine.
Auros shares also began trading on the OTCQB Venture Market under the ticker AURFF on July 29, 2026, alongside the companys existing TSX Venture Exchange listing under AURO.
AURO shares last traded at CAD 1.27, up around 5.8% on August 19, 2026.
