Arizona Mining Inc.(TSX:AZ)(Arizona Mining or the Company) announces the results of five exploration holes from the current drill program focused on expansion of the Taylor Sulfide Zone (TS) and Taylor Deeps Zone (TDS) located on its 100%-owned Hermosa Project in Santa Cruz County, Arizona. The drill holes highlighted in this release are successful step out exploration and infill drill holes highlighting the continued potential for resource growth and increased grades separate from the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) (see Press Release dated April 3, 2017).

In addition to its expanded exploration program with 15 rigs targeting 328,000 feet (100,000 metres) of drilling in 2017 compared to 6 rigs targeting 184,000 feet (56,000 metres) of drilling earlier this year the Company has been focused in the past several months on various activities associated with its ongoing Feasibility Study. This work includes hydrology drilling that has demonstrated ample water availability, condemnation drilling forthe proposed tailings storage facility on its private land, and additional drilling for metallurgical test work.

The drill results continue to significantly expand and infill both the Taylor Sulfide and Taylor Deeps Zones and indicate overall higher zinc, lead and silver grades than the average grade of the PEA, said Chief Operating Officer Don Taylor. It is clear that our expanded drill program continues to not only add size to the ultimate deposit, but more importantly it is delineating higher grade material that should benefit the economics of the project. We continue to focus on the southeastern extension of the Taylor Deeps Zone where the mineralization has increased zinc, lead and silver grades and is also coming closer to the surface. This area has the potential to significantly improve the early development plan for the mine.

HDS-478 is an angle drill hole (azimuth 80 degrees; -75 degrees inclination) located in the northeast corner of the Hardshell claim block (see Figures 1, 2 and 3). The drill hole successfully targeted the eastern extension of the mineralization encountered in previously reported drill hole HDS-435 (for results, see Press Release dated April 20, 2017). HDS-478 intersected two significant mineralized horizons in the Taylor Sulfide Zone with a cumulative thickness of 25 feet (for individual intervals see Table I). Notably, drilling also intersected a significant thickness of high grade zinc-lead-silver mineralization in the Taylor Deeps Zone further east than any previous drilling in this area. The results of HDS-478 extend the Taylor Deeps mineralization approximately 220 feet east of that intersected in HDS-435 and approximately 1,800 feet east of the PEA resource outline. Most notable of the results from HDS-478 are:

  • 5 feet assaying 23.0% zinc; 16.9% lead; and 30.0 ounces per ton (opt) silver (TS)

  • 20 feet assaying 15.6% zinc; 11.3% lead; and 15.9 opt silver (TS)

  • 25 feet assaying 13.1% zinc; 6.9% lead; and 5.3 opt silver (TDS)

HDS-473 is a vertical infill hole located on the Trench claim block, 800 feet west of the PEA resource outline (see Figures 1, 2 and 3). The hole targeted the Taylor Deeps Zone between previously released drill holes HDS-436 and HDS-453. HDS-473 intersected several veins in the overlying volcanics and two mineralized horizons in the Taylor Deeps Zone. The upper mineralized horizon in the Taylor Deeps Zone was comprised of a 19.5-foot-thick interval assaying 24.6% combined zinc-lead and 21.7 opt silver. Notable assays include:

  • 19.5 feet assaying 2.4% zinc; 22.2% lead; and 21.7 opt silver (TDS)

HDS-472 is a near vertical infill hole located on the north central portion of the Hardshell claim block, 700 feet east of the PEA resource outline (see Figures 1, 2 and 3). The hole successfully targeted the Taylor Deeps Zone and the extension of the Taylor Sulfide Zone outside the resource grade shell used for the PEA. HDS-472 intersected lower grade but continuous zinc-lead-silver sulfide intercepts in all three carbonate units in the Taylor Sulfide Zone. In the Taylor Deeps Zone, HDS-472 intersected a 36-foot-thick interval assaying 11.3% combined zinc-lead and 2.0 opt silver. Notable assays include:

  • 78 feet assaying 2.4% zinc; 2.3% lead; and 1.2 opt silver (TS)

  • 36 feet assaying 6.7% zinc; 4.6% lead; 2.0 opt silver; and 0.57% copper (TDS)

HDS-471 is a vertical hole located on the northern boundary of the Hardshell claim block approximately 550 feet east of the Taylor Deeps PEA resource outline (see Figures 1, 2 and 3). The drill hole targeted the extension of the Taylor Sulfide Zone and infilling of the Taylor Deeps Zone between the resource outline and previously released drill hole HDS-453 (for results see Press Release dated July 13, 2017). The drill hole intersected an 11-foot-thick interval of low grade zinc-lead-silver in the Taylor Sulfide mineralization and a 58-foot interval assaying 11.1% zinc-lead and 2.4 opt silver in the Taylor Deeps Zone. Significant assays from HDS-471 include:

  • 58 feet assaying 4.4% zinc; 6.7% lead; and 2.4 opt silver (TDS)

HDS-464 is a vertical drill hole located on the eastern extent of the Hardshell claim block (see Figures 1 and 2). The drill hole targeted the southern extension of the mineralization encountered in previously reported drill hole HDS-435. HDS-464 intersected a 19-foot interval in the Taylor Deeps Zone which extends the mineralization approximately 450 feet south of that intersected in HDS-435 and approximately 1,350 feet east/southeast of the PEA resource outline. Most notable of the results from HDS-464 are:

  • 19 feet assaying 5.3% zinc; 2.5% lead; and 2.8 opt silver (TDS)

For a full list of the Trench Vein, Taylor Sulfide and Taylor Deeps Sulfide mineralized intervals from these holes please refer to Table I.

Table I. Drill Hole Assay Summary

Drill intersections with a combined zinc and lead grade of greater than 9% are highlighted. Sulfide drill intervals from the Taylor Sulfide Zone and Taylor Deeps Sulfide Zone are down-the-hole drill intervals. Vertical drill holes are considered to be within +5% of true width based on the dip of the mineralized stratigraphy at 20-25 degrees. Angle drill holes are considered to be within +10% of true width based on the dip of the mineralized stratigraphy at 20-25 degrees. The exception to this are the intervals noted as veins. It is not possible to determine the true width of the veins based on the drill density and no representation is made here regarding true width of the veins. Zones shown include; Taylor Sulfide Zone (TS); Taylor Deeps Sulfide Zone (TDS) and Trench Vein System (TVS).

Figure 1. Drill Hole Location Map

Figure 2. Plan View of Taylor Deeps with ZnEq Grade Contour