Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 13, 2026) - Auro Metals Inc. (TSXV: AURO) (OTCQB: AURFF) ("Auro" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce the assay results of the final five drill holes from the 2026 Phase I Drill Program at the Santa Barbara Gold-Copper Project (the "Project") located in the Zamora-Chinchipe Province in southeastern Ecuador. This is the sixth batch from Phase I which comprised 22 drillholes (DSB-54 to DSB-75) totaling 11,047 metres ("m").

The 20,000m - Phase II Drill Program is already underway with four drill rigs. The first four holes (DSB-76 to DSB-79) totaling 3,104m, have been completed and assays are pending. Phase II will increase step-out drilling and drilling designed to fill in the gaps between known zones of the deposit, including DSB-79, a 400m step-out northeast of DSB-74. An additional three drill rigs are currently being mobilized to site.

The Company has also hired China Railway Construction Company - 14 to construct a new 50-person permanent camp and core shack. These facilities are expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

SUMMARY OF DRILL RESULTS

As outlined in Figure 1, the five holes were drilled at the north portion of the southern area of the known mineralization ("Santa Barbara South"), which is currently believed to be the core area of the known porphyry mineralized system. Drillholes DSB-71, DSB-72 and DSB-75 are infill/step-out holes, returning higher grade and confirming continuity of gold-copper mineralization. Drillholes DSB-73 and DSB-74 are step-out holes, which have extended the previously drilled DSB-63 by almost 200m to the east. Highlights are as follows:

In-fill/step-out holes:

• Drillhole DSB-71 intersected 301.4m grading 0.78 grams per tonne ("g/t") gold ("Au") and 0.10% copper ("Cu") from 123.1m to 424.5m, including 89.5m grading 1.20 g/t Au and 0.15% Cu from 333.0m to 422.5m.
• Drillhole DSB-72 intersected 32.0m grading 0.53 g/t Au and 0.06% Cu from 9.0m to 41.0m, and 311m grading 0.58 g/t Au and 0.11% Cu from 88.5m to 399.5m at the end of hole.
• Drillhole DSB-75 intersected 322.46m grading 0.56 g/t Au and 0.10% Cu from 10.54m to 333.0m, including 95.1m grading 1.0 g/t Au and 0.12% Cu from 13.7m to 108.8m.

Step-out holes:

• Drillhole DSB-73 intersected 394.4m grading 0.73 g/t Au and 0.10% Cu from 8.0m to 402.4m at the end of hole, including 51.0m grading 1.0 g/t Au and 0.11% Cu from 23.0m to 74.0m and 141.15m grading 1.01 g/t Au and 0.11% Cu from 138.7m to 279.85m.
• Drillhole DSB-74 intersected 572.47m grading 0.60 g/t Au and 0.10% Cu from 72.53m to 645.0m. The assay results for the remaining 211.95m drill cores from 645.0m to 856.95m are pending.

Assay results for the five holes are listed in Table 1, Phase I drill hole specifications in Table 2, and drill hole locations are shown in Figure 1.

Notes:

1. Drill location, altitude, azimuth, and dip of drillholes are provided in Table 2.
2. Drill intercept is core length, and grade is length weighted. True width of mineralization is unknown.
3. A cut-off of 0.2 g/t Au is applied for calculation of drill intercept.
4. Calculation of gold equivalent ("AuEq") is defined as AuEq (g/t) = Au (g/t) + Cu (%) x 0.259, based on a gold price of US$3,200/oz, and copper price of US$12,000/t metal, assuming average processing recoveries of 85.5% Au and 19.6% Cu. It is the Company's view that all elements in the metal equivalent calculations have a reasonable potential to be recovered and sold. Rounding may cause minor discrepancies in the AuEq column.
5. *Intercept of DSB-74 is from the first 645m drill core samples starting from surface. The assay results of the remaining 211.95m drill core till the end of hole are pending.

Figure 1: Plan view of drillholes

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DESCRIPTION OF HOLES

Hole DSB-71 was drilled in the central portion of Santa Barbara South to test the continuity of mineralization intersected in historical holes DSB-05, DSB-16 and DSB-19. The hole was completed at a depth of 745m and intersected 301.4m (from 123.1m to 424.5m) grading 0.78 g/t Au and 0.10% Cu (Figure 2), including 89.5m (from 333.0m to 422.5m) grading 1.2 g/t Au and 0.15% Cu. Further down the hole, weaker mineralization continues intermittently until the end of hole. The results of this hole indicate that mineralization continues in the wide gap between the historical holes and is consistent with neighboring drill results.

Lithology of the first 74.5m in hole DSB-71 is post-mineralization conglomerate which discordantly sits on volcanoclastic sediments with ferruginous staining and coating on fractures, likely close to paleosurface. From 84m to 450m, rock type is dominated by diorite porphyry intercalated with intervals of volcano-sediments and basaltic andesite (Figure 3).

Figure 2: Section A-A'

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Figure 3: Core photo of DSB-71, Box 147, from 418.09m to 420.76m, mineralized basaltic andesite cut by quartz veining.

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Hole DSB-72 is an infill hole between hole DSB-66 and hole DSB-69 and intersected 32.0m (from 9.0m to 41.0m) grading 0.53 g/t Au and 0.06% Cu, and 311.0m (from 88.5m to 399.5m) grading 0.58 g/t Au and 0.11% Cu (Figure 4). The hole was completed at a depth of 400.90m and mineralization continues at the end of hole. The drill results from this hole demonstrate good continuity of mineralization at Santa Barbara.

Lithology in the hole is dominated by diorite porphyry with intercalated intervals of volcano-sediments (Figure 5) and basaltic andesite which are likely xenolith blocks brought up from depth by the intrusion of diorite porphyry.

Figure 4: Section B-B'

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Figure 5: Core photo of DSB-72, Box 56, from 156.7m to 159.38m, mineralized volcano-sediments cut by quartz veining.

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Hole DSB-73 is a 100m step out from drillhole DSB-63 in the downdip direction. Hole DSB-73 reached a depth of 485.65m intersecting 0.73 g/t Au and 0.10% Cu over 394.4m (from 8.0m to 402.4m) (Figure 6). Rock types intersected in hole DSB-73 included diorite porphyry (Figure 7), hornblende diorite, basaltic andesite and volcano-sediments which are dominant near the end of hole.

Hole DSB-74 is an 80m step-out from DSB-73 intersecting 0.60 g/t Au and 0.10% Cu over 572.47m (from 72.53m to 645.0m) in the upper 645.0m drill cores from surface (Figure 6 and 8). Assay results for cores from 645.0m to 856.95m (the end of hole) are pending. The drill results from DSB-63, DSB-73 and DSB-74 indicate good continuity of mineralization both on strike and down dip directions.

Figure 6: Section C-C'

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Figure 7: Core photo of DSB-73, Box 114, from 321.6m to 324.6m, mineralized diorite porphyry cut by quartz veining.

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Figure 8: Core photo of DSB-74, Box 117, from 336.73m to 339.73m, mineralized basaltic andesite cut by quartz veining.

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Hole DSB-75 is an infill hole which filled the 300m gap between historical holes DSB-06 and DSB-26 in the northern portion of Santa Barbara South (Figures 9 and 10). This hole intersected 0.56 g/t Au and 0.10% Cu over 322.46m (from 10.54m to 333.0m).

Figure 9: Section D-D'

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Figure 10: Core photo of DSB-75, Box 14, from 47.67m to 50.59m, mineralized diorite porphyry cut by quartz veining.

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Notes:

1. Drill collar coordinate system is PSAD56 UTM Zone 17S.
2. Coordinate of drill collar is picked with Real Time Kinematics (RTK) GPS.
3. * Assay results for the last 211.95m till the end of hole are pending.

QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL

All samples in respect of the exploration program at the Project discussed in this news release were shipped in securely-sealed bags by a chartered commercial truck, directly from the field to the sample preparation facilities of SGS in Guayaquil, Ecuador for preparation, and to SGS in Lima, Peru for geochemical analysis. SGS is a global leader in inspection, verification, testing, and certification. It is an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory independent from Auro. All samples go through fire assay (SGS code FAA313) for gold and multi-acid digestion ICP-AES multi-element assay (SGS code ICP40B) for other elements. Certified reference materials, various types of blank samples and duplicate samples are inserted into normal drill core sample sequences prior to delivery to laboratory for preparation and analysis. The overall ratio of quality control samples in sample sequences is approximately 20%.

QUALIFIED PERSON

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Alex Zhang, P. Geo., a Director of the Company, who is a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). The Qualified Person has verified the information disclosed herein, including the sampling, preparation, security and analytical procedures underlying such information, and is not aware of any significant risks and uncertainties that could be expected to affect reliability or confidence in the information discussed herein.

ABOUT AURO METALS INC.

Auro Metals Inc. is a mineral exploration company which holds a 100% interest in the Santa Barbara Gold-Copper Project in the Zamora Copper-Gold Belt of southeastern Ecuador. The Santa Barbara Project is a large-scale porphyry system comprising Indicated resources of 29.8 million tonnes grading 0.73 grams per tonne gold and 0.1% copper containing 697,000 ounces gold and 68 million pounds copper, and Inferred resources of 205.7 million tonnes grading 0.52 grams per tonne gold and 0.09% copper containing 3,418,000 ounces gold and 426 million pounds copper. For more detail, see the Company's mineral resource estimate prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 by SRK Consulting, effective March 23, 2026 which can be found on SEDAR+ and the Company's website.

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 news release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the potential of the Project; the anticipated exploration, drilling, development, and other activities or achievements of the Company including the 20,000 m Phase II drilling program and its scope; mobilization of the three additional drill rigs; completion of the camp and core shack by the end of 2026; the timing of; timing of receipt of permits and regulatory approvals; timing, speed and depth of planned drilling; timing of future assay results, including the pending assays for DSB-74 and DSB-76 to DSB-79; and other future plans, objectives or expectations of the Company. Estimates of mineral reserves and mineral resources are also forward-looking information because they incorporate estimates of future developments including future mineral prices, costs and expenses and the amount of minerals that will be encountered if a property is developed.

Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by words or phrases such as "expects", "is expected", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "assumes", "intends", "strategies", "targets", "goals", "forecasts", "objectives", "budgets", "schedules", "potential" or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions, assumptions, factors and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. The opinions, assumptions, factors and estimates which may prove to be incorrect, include, but are not limited to: the ability of drilling and other exploration activities to accurately predict mineralization; possible variations in mineralization, grade or recovery rates; fluctuations in commodity prices; actual results of current exploration activities; that the Company will be able to obtain and maintain governmental approvals, permits and licenses in connection with its current and planned operations, development and exploration activities, including at the Project; and other exploration, development, operating, financial market and regulatory factors; environmental risks; community and consultation risks; adverse weather conditions; ability to exploit successful discoveries; risks related to contractors and service providers; the current and future social, economic and political conditions in Ecuador.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause such actions, events or results to differ materially from those anticipated. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and accordingly readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements in this news release, except as otherwise required by law.

Additional information in relation to the Company, including the Company's most recent management discussion & analysis, can be obtained under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.aurometals.ca.

CAUTIONARY NOTE TO US INVESTORS

The technical and scientific information contained herein has been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101, which differs from the standards adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Accordingly, the technical and scientific information contained herein, including any estimates of mineral reserves and mineral resources, may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies subject to the disclosure requirements of the SEC.

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Source: Auro Metals Inc.