Ascendant Amends Terms of Earn-In Agreement at Its Lagoa Salgada Project in Portugal

•   Amendment Extends Deadline to Complete Feasibility Study to June 2023

•   Company Targeting Completion by Q1 2023

TORONTO, July 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ascendant Resources Inc. (TSX: ASND, OTCQB:ASDRF) (“Ascendant” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has amended the terms of the earn-in and call option agreements with Mineral & Financial Investments AG (“M&FI”) to provide the Company an extension to June 22, 2023 to complete the Feasibility Study to earn an 80% interest in the Lagoa Salgada Project (the “Project”), and will only exercise call options further diluting M&FI’s interest, and thereby maintaining the Company’s indirect 80% interest in the Project, after the sooner of 6 months post the date on which the Company increases its ownership of Redcorp to 80% or immediately post Empresa de Desenvolvimento Mineiro S.A.’s election to participate in the Project.

The Company anticipates completing the Feasibility Study by 1Q 2023.

Mark Brennan, Executive Chairman commented: “We are pleased to complete this amendment with our partners. The additional time to complete our Feasibility Study, while not critical, also allows us the flexibility to pursue some of the exciting exploration opportunities we are witnessing at Lagoa Salgada in parallel with completing our infill campaign and feasibility work.”

About Ascendant Resources Inc.
Ascendant is a Toronto-based mining company focused on the exploration and development of the highly prospective Lagoa Salgada VMS project located on the prolific Iberian Pyrite Belt in Portugal. Through focused exploration and aggressive development plans, the Company aims to unlock the inherent potential of the project, maximizing value creation for shareholders.

The Venda Nova deposit at Lagoa Salgada contains over 10.33 million tonnes of Measured and Indicated Resources @ 9.06 % ZnEq and 2.50 million tonnes of Inferred Resources @ 5.93 % ZnEq in the North Zone; and 4.42 million tonnes of Indicated Resources @ 1.50 % CuEq and 10.83 million tonnes of Inferred resources @ 1.35 % CuEq in the South Zone. The deposit demonstrates typical mineralization characteristics of Iberian Pyrite Belt VMS deposits containing zinc, copper, lead, tin, silver and gold. Extensive exploration upside potential lies both near deposit and at prospective step-out targets across the large 7,209ha property concession. The project has also demonstrated compelling economics with scalability for future resource growth as presented in the results of the Preliminary Economic Assessment. Located just 80km from Lisbon, Lagoa Salgada is easily accessible by road and surrounded by exceptional Infrastructure. Ascendant holds a 50% interest in the Lagoa Salgada project through its position in Redcorp – Empreendimentos Mineiros, Lda, (“Redcorp”) and has an earn-in opportunity to increase its interest in the Project to 80%. The Company’s interest in the Lagoa Salgada project offers a low-cost entry to a potentially significant exploration and development opportunity, already demonstrating its mineable scale.

The Company’s common shares are principally listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “ASND”. For more information on Ascendant, please visit our website at www.ascendantresources.com.

Additional information relating to the Company, including the Preliminary Economic Assessment referenced in this news release, is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Forward Looking Information     

This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking information” (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that discusses predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as “expects”, or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, “plans”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “forecasts”, “estimates”, “believes” or “intends” or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results “may” or “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, without limitation, statements regarding the estimated completion date of the Feasibility Study on the Lagoa Salgada Project. In making the forward-looking statements contained in this press release, Ascendant has made certain assumptions, including, but not limited to the Company’s ability to complete the feasibility study by Q1 2023. Although Ascendant believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations of any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release. Except as required by law, Ascendant disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise.

Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking information, including, without limitation, the risks described under the heading “Risks Factors” in the Company’s Annual Information Form dated March 24, 2022 and under the heading “Risks and Uncertainties” in the Company’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 and other risks identified in the Company’s filings with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The risk factors referred to above are not an exhaustive list of the factors that may affect any of the Company’s forward-looking information. The Company’s statements containing forward-looking information are based on the beliefs, expectations and opinions of management on the date the statements are made, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update such forward-looking information if circumstances or management’s beliefs, expectations or opinions should change, other than as required by applicable law. For the reasons set forth above, one should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.