The target is about 1.1 kilometres from siliceous sinter outcrop and 200 metres from geochemical anomalies of pathfinder elements (arsenic, antimony, selenium, thallium, mercury and silver) at surface.  Epithermal veins are reportedly outcropping in a riverbank below the current drill hole, and an underlying area of geophysical interest has been identified in MobileMT data as reported on in the Company’s press release dated January 29, 2021.  The target at depth is a strong conductor, which may be a zone of sulphide, capped by a strong resistor, which itself may be a zone of silica-flooding.  The epithermal-type veining encountered in brecciated basalt contains significant amounts of black “pyrobitumen”, which is a pseudo-mineral composed of carbon and derived from hydrocarbon (crude petroleum or related substances).  The pyrobitumen lies as colloform layers within the veins with pyrite/marcasite, quartz, sphalerite and carbonate also in bands.    

Aurania’s Chairman & CEO, Dr. Keith Barron commented, “I consider this discovery of pyrobitumen to be potentially of high significance.  It is rarely documented in epithermal scenarios but perhaps significantly it occurs at gold deposits and occurrences such as McLaughlin in California, Esquel in Argentina, Waiotapu in North Island New Zealand, several Carlin Trend gold mines and in the Witwatersrand of South Africa.  The genetic relationship between gold deposits and hydrocarbon as a transport mechanism in gold systems may be tenuous, but hydrocarbon in geothermal fluids may have scavenged gold much as a carbon-in-pulp system is used in commercial gold recovery in many operating mines to strip gold from pregnant solution.  It has been a mystery for us that we have very high levels of pathfinder elements such as arsenic, antimony, selenium and thallium on surface in the area and yet samples are entirely devoid of gold.  The implication is that a very efficient natural mechanism is stripping hydrothermal fluids of their gold before they get anywhere near the paleosurface.”

The Company plans to report on progress at its other key drill targets and exploration programs in subsequent press releases.

MobileMT Geophysical Survey

The heliborne MobileMT survey is now completed and is being interpreted.  The MobileMT survey was undertaken by MPX Geophysics Ltd. in association with Expert Geophysics Limited, both of Toronto, Canada.

Qualified Person

The geological information contained in this news release has been verified and approved by Jean-Paul Pallier, MSc.  Mr. Pallier is a designated EurGeol by the European Federation of Geologists and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators.

About Aurania

Aurania is a mineral exploration company engaged in the identification, evaluation, acquisition and exploration of mineral property interests, with a focus on precious metals and copper in South America.  Its flagship asset, The Lost Cities – Cutucu Project, is located in the Jurassic Metallogenic Belt in the eastern foothills of the Andes mountain range of southeastern Ecuador.

Information on Aurania and technical reports are available at www.aurania.com and www.sedar.com, as well as on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/auranialtd/, Twitter at  https://twitter.com/auranialtd, and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/aurania-resources-ltd-.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking information that involves substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, most of which are beyond the control of Aurania. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe Aurania’s future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that Aurania or its management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as “believes”, “anticipates”, “expects”, “estimates”, “may”, “could”, “would”, “will”, or “plan”. Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to Aurania, Aurania provides no assurance that actual results will meet management’s expectations. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to Aurania’s objectives, goals or future plans, statements, exploration results, potential mineralization, the corporation’s portfolio, treasury, management team and enhanced capital markets profile, the estimation of mineral resources, exploration, timing of the commencement of operations and estimates of market conditions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, failure to identify mineral resources, failure to convert estimated mineral resources to reserves, the inability to complete a feasibility study which recommends a production decision, the preliminary nature of metallurgical test results, delays in obtaining or failures to obtain required governmental, regulatory, environmental or other project approvals, political risks, inability to fulfill the duty to accommodate indigenous peoples, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, changes in equity markets, inflation, changes in exchange rates, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in the development of projects, capital and operating costs varying significantly from estimates and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, the effects of COVID-19 on the business of the Company including but not limited to the effects of COVID-19 on the price of commodities, capital market conditions, restrictions on labour and international travel and supply chains, and those risks set out in Aurania’s public documents filed on SEDAR. Although Aurania believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Aurania disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.