Ero Copper intersects 24.6 meters grading 7.56% copper including 7.7 meters grading 15.97% copper in southern extension of the Vermelhos Mine
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Ero Copper Corp
625 Howe Street | Suite 1050 | Vancouver | BC | V6C 2T6 | Canada
APRIL 18, 2019 NR:19-4
Ero Copper intersects 24.6 meters grading 7.56% copper including 7.7 meters grading 15.97%
copper in southern extension of the Vermelhos Mine
Vancouver, British Columbia – Ero Copper Corp. (the “Company”) (TSX: ERO) is pleased to
provide a quarterly update on the ongoing exploration drill programs at its Pilar and Vermelhos
mineral districts, both part of its 99.6% owned Vale do Curaçá Property located in Bahia State,
Brazil, as well the first exploration update on the Company’s 97.6% owned NX Gold Mine located
in Mato Grosso State, Brazil . This update encompasses drill results received for the Company’s
ongoing exploration programs from December 2018 through to the end of March 2019.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Twenty four drill rigs are currently operating throughout the Curaçá Valley, including 11
within the Vermelhos District and 13 within the Pilar District. Three of these drill rigs are
testing high-priority regional exploration targets located within these districts.
• Within the Vermelhos District, where 11 drill rigs are currently operating including eight
focused on long- term exploration , drill results during the period reflect meaningful
increases in both previously modeled thickness and the known extent of mineralization of
the Vermelhos Mine and District. When combined with results of the recently completed
regional airborne geophysical survey and data compilation programs, the results continue
to indicate significant pote ntial for extensions of the Vermelhos Mine along a north-
northeast trending structure that, to-date, has been interpreted to extend over 5.5
kilometers. Vermelhos Mine and District drill results are highlighted by the following
zones (please refer to complete table of results for additional information):
o Southern extension of high-grade mineralization adjacent to existing infrastructure,
including hole FVS -354 that intersected 17.0 meters grading 6.76% copper
including 3.0 meters grading 17.19% copper, and hole FVS-364 that intersected 9.4
meters grading 1.66% copper and 24.6 meters grading 7.56% copper including 7.7
meters grading 15.97% copper. These holes indicate mineralized continuity in areas
previously defined as discrete lenses south of the Sombrero orebody.
o Central expansions of the mineralized thickness of the Toboggan orebody,
highlighted by hole FVS -337 that intersected 23.8 meters grading 8.06% copper
including 8.0 meters grading 9.20% copper and hole FVS-355 that intersected 25.0
meters grading 7.32% copper including 16.0 meters grading 9.67% copper, a 70%
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Ero Copper Corp
625 Howe Street | Suite 1050 | Vancouver | BC | V6C 2T6 | Canada
increase in the modeled thicknesses of the mineralization in the immediate area
surrounding these new results.
o Regionally within the Vermelhos District, exploration drilling below the known
extent of mineralization at Vermelhos West (now referred to as the “N8 Deposit”),
located approximately 1.1 kilometers north of the Vermelhos Mine , demonstrate
continuity of mineralization at depth. Results are highlighted by hole FV-130 that
intersected multiple lenses of mineralization including 17.2 meters grading 1.16%
copper and 15.4 meters grading 1.81% copper.
o While the aforementioned program s remain ongoing, exploration drilling within
the Vermelhos District is now focused on a north-northeast mineralized trend
encompassing the Vermelhos Mine, East Zone, N8 Deposit and several high-
priority regional targets located south and to the north of the Vermelhos Mine – a
combined strike length of approximately 5.5 kilometers.
• Within the Pilar District, where 13 drill rigs are currently operating, including nine focused
on long -term exploration , underground drilling has identified a high -grade zone of
mineralization in the southern portion of the West Limb . In addition, a newly identified
and now digitized historic drill database encompassing 53 drill holes, of which 20 have
been validated under the Company’s quality assurance and quality control (“QA/QC”)
program, has significantly extended the drilled extent of the West Limb . The historic
database was discovered during the Company’s ongoing data digitization program. The
data encompasses an area within the West Limb measuring approximately 300 meters in
length by 275 meters in depth located immediately south of the previously defined resource
model of the West Limb. The 33 remaining historic drill samples are being systematically
reviewed and validated via re-assaying and twin-hole drilling as required. West Limb
results during the period are highlighted by:
o A n ewly identified and digitized historical database resulting in a significant
extension of the drilled extent of the West Limb, highlighted by hole FC3798 that
intersected 11.0 meters grading 1.95% copper and hole FC3837 that intersected
20.0 meters grading 1.23% copper.
o New results drilled by the Company in the southern portion of the West Limb are
highlighted by a cluster of high -grade holes including: FC38157 that intersected
16.7 meters grading 3.31% copper including 3.0 meters grading 7.85% copper and
FC38159 that intersected 10.5 meters grading 4.00% copper including 3.0 meters
grading 8.70% copper . These drill results are significant as they were drilled
approximately 100 meters south of the previousl y defined resource model of the
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Ero Copper Corp
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West Limb zone and approximately 250 meters south of the P1P2W mining area
within the West Limb and within the area of the newly discovered historic database.
In addition to these results, hole FC3482 that intersected 9.0 meters grading 1.82%
copper and hole FC3843 that intersected 6.3 meters grading 2.16% copper were
drilled approximately 250 meters south of the previously defined resource model
of the West Limb zone, and another 150 meters south of the holes highlighted
previously.
• Drilling in the Deepening Extension zone, located in the Pilar Mine , continues to extend
mineralization beyond what was previously believed to be the southern limits of the mine’s
mineral resources at depth. The results are highlighted by hole FC38162 that intersected
13.2 meters grading 1.58% copper including 6.0 meters grading 2.06% copper. These new
results, when combined with previously announced exploration results (see press release
dated December 11, 2018), highlight that the Deepening Extension remains open to depth
and to the south.
• At the Company’s 97.6% owned NX Gold Mine, where six long-term exploration drill rigs
are currently operating, a significant new discovery was made. The new discovery, known
as Santo Antonio, is a new zone of mineralization located between and on-trend of the Bras
and Buracão ve ins. To-date, mineralization has been delineated over approximately 400
meters in strike-length and approximately 200 meters down-dip and remains open to depth.
Development into this new vein has commenced while drilling to confirm the extent of
mineralization remains ongoing. The Santo Antonio discovery is highlighted by drill holes:
o SA13 that intersected 3.0 meters grading 19.38 grams per tonne gold
o SA22 that intersected 3.8 meters grading 19.03 grams per tonne gold
o SA31 that intersected 8.8 meters grading 6.89 grams per tonne gold
Expansions and e xtensions as referenced herein reflect mineralization not captured in the
Company’s mineral resource and mineral reserve models used in the current National Instrument
43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”) compliant mineral resource
and reserves. Currently, 24 drill rigs are operating within the Curaçá Valley and six drill rigs are
operating at the NX Gold Mine.
VERMELHOS DISTRICT
The Vermelhos District is located approximately 80 kilometers to the north of the Pilar Mine and
Caraíba Mill complex and includes the newly constructed high -grade Vermelhos Mine. Drilling
is focused on expansion and new discovery initiatives (including the Vermelhos East Zone) within
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Ero Copper Corp
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and immediately adjacent to the Vermelhos Mine , and on near-mine targets identified during the
Company’s regional airborne survey and subsequent data compilation work. The Vermelhos
system, encompassing the Vermelhos Mine, East Zone and N8 Deposit, is now believed to extend
over 5.5 kilometers in strike length. Eleven drill rigs are currently operating within the District,
including eight focused on long-term exploration.
Vermelhos Main Orebody Expansions
Exploration drilling within the main Vermelhos orebodies continues to target expansions and
extensions of the mineral resource, with a focus during the period on both infill drilling and testing
several electromagnetic (“EM”) anomalies identified during the Company’s systematic and
ongoing bore hole EM programs. Drilling during the period continued to expand and extend the
mineral resource and mineral reserve models of the Vermelhos Mine as set out in the current NI
43-101 compliant technical report.
Thirteen holes drilled during the period highlight both extension and expansion of the previously
modeled southern extent of the mineralization within the Sombrero orebody of the Vermelhos
Mine. Significant results are highlighted by hole FVS-326 that intersected 21.4 meters grading
5.52% copper including 9.2 meters grading 7.64% copper; hole FVS -354 that intersected 17.0
meters grading 6.76% copper including 3.0 meters grading 17.19% copper, and hole FVS-364 that
intersected 9.4 meters grading 1.66% copper and 24.6 meters grading 7.56% copper including 7.7
meters grading 15.97% copper. These holes are significant as this area of the Sombrero orebody
was previously modeled as small discrete lenses at the southern edge of the orebody , rather than
as a more continuous high-grade extension of the mineralization of the Sombrero orebody.
Additionally, nine drill holes were drilled during the period that demonstrate central expansions of
the Toboggan orebody of the Vermelhos Mine. The results are highlighted by hole FVS-337 that
intersected 23.8 meters grading 8.06% copper including 8.0 meters grading 9.20% copper and hole
FVS-355 that intersected 25.0 meters grading 7.32% copper including 16.0 meters grading 9.67%
copper. The mineralized thicknesses of these intercepts are significant as, together, they represent
an approximate 70% increase in the modeled thickness es of the mineralization in the immediate
area surrounding these holes when compared to the current mineral resource and reserve estimate.
Please see Figure 1 for drill collar locations and Figure 2 for a north- south long section of the
Vermelhos Mine including the N8 Deposit and the East Zone.
Sombrero South Expansion
Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Cu (%)
FVS-323 135.5 138.5 3.0 1.06
and 171.8 176.0 4.2 2.03
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Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Cu (%)
FVS-326 121.3 142.7 21.4 5.52
including 130.3 139.5 9.2 7.64
FVS-330 112.9 118.2 5.3 4.72
including 112.9 114.9 2.0 6.66
FVS-335 105.1 120.5 15.5 2.26
and 125.1 135.4 10.4 5.74
including 125.1 132.1 7.0 7.13
and 140.4 143.4 3.0 1.25
FVS-342 86.5 94.4 7.9 3.22
FVS-344 101.5 105.5 4.0 1.43
FVS-346 82.5 88.5 6.0 4.56
and 201.6 206.0 4.4 14.54
FVS-351 149.8 159.2 9.4 1.88
FVS-354 124.6 141.6 17.0 6.76
including 129.1 132.1 3.0 17.19
FVS-356 95.1 100.1 4.9 1.20
FVS-364 108.3 117.7 9.4 1.66
and 134.0 158.6 24.6 7.56
including 143.3 151.0 7.7 15.97
FVS-371 25.1 35.4 10.3 4.10
including 26.1 30.1 4.0 6.71
FVS-375 17.1 39.0 21.9 2.01
including 30.7 33.7 3.0 4.33
and 41.6 45.3 3.7 2.41
NSI indicates no significant intercept, based on cut-off grade of 0.68% copper. Drill holes were drilled from surface.
Holes not included are either pending assay results, have been included in a different section of this press release for
clarity of discussing drill results or were previously included in a prior press release. The length of intercept may not
represent the true width of mineralization. Values may not add up due to rounding. From, to and mineralized intercepts
are rounded to the nearest tenth of a meter.
Toboggan Central Expansion
Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Cu (%)
FVS-320 196.2 200.8 4.5 6.30
FVS-321 217.7 222.2 4.5 9.17
FVS-337 167.7 191.5 23.8 8.06
including 167.7 177.7 8.0 9.20
and 236.9 241.1 4.2 3.55
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Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Cu (%)
FVS-347* 173.3 185.7 12.4 1.97
including 180.8 185.7 4.9 2.74
and 196.6 206.0 9.4 10.47
FVS-355* 180.2 205.2 25.0 7.32
including 189.2 195.2 16.0 9.67
FVS-357* NSI NSI NSI NSI
FVS-366 209.9 217.5 7.5 12.74
including 213.9 217.5 3.5 15.13
and 238.3 242.8 4.5 3.96
FVS-385 71.0 83.9 12.9 3.70
including 73.0 79.0 6.0 4.86
FVS-401 40.1 59.6 19.5 7.76
including 49.1 53.1 4.0 9.97
NSI indicates no significant intercept, based on cut-off grade of 0.68% copper. Drill holes were drilled from surface.
Holes not included are either pending assay results, have been included in a different section of this press release for
clarity of discussing drill results or were previously included in a prior press release. The length of intercept may not
represent the true width of mineralization. Values may not add up due to rounding. From, to and mineralized intercepts
are rounded to the nearest tenth of a meter. (*) indicates a shallower intercept that also intersected the East Zone at
deeper depths, as referenced in the Vermelhos East Zone drill results table.
Vermelhos East Zone Extension
The Vermelhos East Zone discovery ( see press release dated September 25, 2018 for
announcement of the Vermelhos East Zone discovery) is located approximately 100 meters to the
east of mineralization comprising the main Vermelhos Mine orebodies and lies on the eastern side
of an intrusive body. The zone of mineralization, to date, has been delineated from surface copper
oxide mineralization to an interpreted depth of approximately 500 meters below surface.
During the period, result s from 15 drill holes were received th at highlight extensions of the
Vermelhos East Zone, as shown in the following table. These results are highlighted by drill hole
FVS-336 that intersected 5.0 meters grading 2.04% copper, hole FVS -339 that intercepted 5.5
meters at 1.22% copper and hole FVS-362 that intersected 11.1 meters grading 1.75% copper.
These holes continue to demonstrate continuity of the East Zone from surface to a depth of over
500 meters below surface . Drilling to extend the previously announced high-grade near-surface
portion of the East Zone (see press release dated December 11, 2018) is underway. Please see
Figure 1 for collar locations and Figure 2 for a north-south long section including the Vermelhos
East Zone.
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Ero Copper Corp
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Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Cu (%)
FVS-313 152.8 157.9 5.2 0.83
FVS-336 540.6 545.6 5.0 2.04
FVS-339 434.1 439.7 5.5 1.22
FVS-347* 342.7 346.7 4.0 1.09
and 361.7 365.1 3.4 1.17
FVS-349 408.8 417.3 8.6 0.90
and 537.9 540.9 3.0 1.39
and 543.9 548.9 5.0 1.34
FVS-355* 398.7 413.4 14.7 1.72
and 452.7 457.9 5.2 1.72
FVS-357* NSI NSI NSI NSI
FVS-362 458.0 468.0 11.1 1.75
and 476.5 480.2 3.7 1.10
FVS-363 493.3 498.3 5.0 0.98
FVS-366 411.6 417.6 6.0 1.76
FVS-370 324.6 330.0 5.3 2.26
and 333.7 342.3 8.6 1.84
FVS-373 NSI NSI NSI NSI
FVS-374 NSI NSI NSI NSI
FVS-387 460.7 473.0 12.3 1.38
including 468.9 470.9 2.0 3.41
FVS-414** - 6.7 6.7 2.26
and** 23.0 29.9 6.9 3.00
and 119.8 124.0 4.2 0.71
and 133.6 139.3 5.6 3.97
NSI indicates no significant intercept, based on cut-off grade of 0.68% copper. Drill holes were drilled from surface.
Holes not included are either pending assay results, have been included in a different section of this press release for
clarity of discussing drill results or were previously included in a prior press release. T he length of intercept may
not represent the true width of mineralization. Values may not add up due to rounding. From, to and mineralized
intercepts are rounded to the nearest tenth of a meter. (*) indicates a deeper intercept that also intersected the main
Toboggan orebody at shallower depths, as referenced in the Toboggan drill results table. (**) indicates near-surface
intercept that includes oxide or transitional material.
Vermelhos West (N8)
The N8 D eposit, previously referred to as Vermelhos West, lies in the northern part of an
interpreted semi -continuous system , encompassing the Vermelhos Mine, the Vermelhos East
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Zone, the N8 deposit and new regional targets to the south and to the north of the Vermelhos Mine.
Drilling is underway to evaluate continuity and mineralized extent of the system as well as evaluate
the high-priority targets to the south of the mine.
During the period, four holes were drilled to test continuity of mineralization below the previously
defined resource model. Please see Figure 1 for collar locations and Figure 2 for a north -south
long section of the N8 Deposit and Vermelhos East Zone.
Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Cu (%)
FV-130 217.4 223.7 6.3 0.79
and 227.7 241.7 14.0 0.75
and 269.1 286.2 17.2 1.16
and 292.5 307.8 15.4 1.25
and 394.2 399.2 5.0 1.30
and 408.2 416.8 8.6 0.96
and 431.0 438.0 7.0 1.14
FV-131 245.0 249.1 4.2 1.28
and 277.9 282.9 5.0 1.64
and 290.6 295.6 5.0 1.79
and 301.9 309.2 7.4 1.17
and 382.3 387.3 5.0 0.89
and 395.0 402.0 7.0 1.12
FV-132 NSI NSI NSI NSI
FV-133 NSI NSI NSI NSI
NSI indicates no significant intercept, based on cut-off grade of 0.68% copper. Drill holes were drilled from surface.
Holes not included are either pending assay results, have been included in a different section of this press release for
clarity of discussing drill results or were previously included in a prior press release. T he length of intercept may
not represent the true width of mineralization.
PILAR DISTRICT
The Pilar District encompasses the area surrounding the Pilar underground mine, Caraíba M ill
complex and the past producing Pilar open pit and R22 Mines. 13 drill rigs are currently operating
within the District comprised of eight underground drill rigs and five surface drill rigs.
During the period, expansion and extensional drilling continued to focus on the West Limb and
Deepening Extension zones. Four underground and four surface drill rig s are currently
undertaking long -term exploration drilling focused on evaluating the extent of the West Limb