Aura Announces Q4 2023 Production Results, 7% above Q3 2023

ROAD TOWN, British Virgin Islands, Jan. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aura Minerals Inc. (TSX: ORA, B3: AURA33 and OTCQX: ORAAF) (“Aura” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce Q4 2023 preliminary production results from the Company’s four operating mines: Aranzazu Mine, EPP Mines (Apoena Operation), San Andres Mine (Minosa Operation), and Almas Mine. Total production in Q4 2023 reached 69,194 gold equivalent ounces (“GEO”)¹, a 7% increase compared to Q3 2023 as a result of improved operating performance at three mines, Apoena (EPP), Minosa (San Andrés) and Almas. When compared to the same period last year, production increased by 2% mainly due to Almas achieving commercial production in August 2023.

Total production for 2023 reached 235,856 GEO at current prices, within the range of the Q3 2023 MD&A Consolidated Production Guidance of between 231,000 – 253,000 GEO for 2023.

Q4 2023 Highlights

• At Aranzazu, production was 26,532 GEO. Production was 2% lower compared to Q3 2023 and 1% above Q4 2022 at constant prices, due to mine sequencing and in line with the Company’s Guidance.
• At Apoena (EPP), production was 15,217 GEO, 36% higher in Q4 2023 compared to the previous quarter as the high-grade Ernesto pit was accessed and a lower volume of existing low-grade stockpiles were processed. Despite this increase, production was still influenced by the adverse impact of rains during Q3 2023. Aura anticipates mining to continue in Ernesto during Q1 2024 with improving production rates. Compared to Q4 2022, production decreased 43% when record production was achieved as a result of the beginning of accessing phase II in the Ernesto pit.
• At Minosa (San Andres), production was 17,854 GEO for the quarter, representing a 2% increase compared to the previous quarter and an increase of 47% over Q4 2022. This represents the fourth quarterly increase in production in a row, due to the higher stacked tonnage resulting from the upgrade in the stacking system in Q3 2023.
• At Almas, production was 9,591 GEO, representing the first full quarter of production. Despite the lower volume than expected in the quarter, mine performance improved by 93% between October and December, with 584 thousand tons moved in October, 731 thousand tons in November and 1,128 thousand tons in December, achieving stable performance levels as expected in 2024.