Avrupa Minerals Announces Initial Mineral Resource Estimate for the Sesmarias Copper/Zinc Project, Portugal
(TheNewswire)
Total Inferred Mineral ResourceEstimate of 6.5 million tonnes grading 2.9% Zn, 1.2% Pb, 0.6% Cu, and35 g/t Ag, or CuEq of 2.2%, or ZnEq of 6.2%.
Several areas identified foradditional drilling, with a short-term goal to double the size of theinitial Mineral Resource Estimate.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – June3, 2026 - TheNewswire – AvrupaMinerals Ltd. (TSXV: AVU) is pleased to announcethe completion of its NI 43-101-compliant, initial Mineral ResourceEstimate (“MRE”) for the Sesmarias Copper/Zinc Project, located inthe northern portion of the Iberian Pyrite Belt (“IPB”) inPortugal. Frank Browning, who is a Qualified Person as defined by NI43-101 and Principal Resource Geologist with SLR Consulting Ltd.(“SLR”), compiled the Sesmarias MRE.
Paul W. Kuhn, President and CEO of Avrupa Minerals,commented, “The Company is excited to be able to provide this firstMRE for Sesmarias. The study supports the vitality of themineralization and provides clear encouragement for prioritizeddrilling in all zones at Sesmarias to potentially increase the size ofthe deposit. Avrupa has initiated the mining license applicationprocess for Sesmarias. The Company will also look for a suitablemining company partner to help advance the project through necessaryphases in an earn-in joint venture.”
The Sesmarias MRE and Avrupa’s next steps for theproject are outlined below. These include drilling to potentiallyexpand the massive sulfide mineralization with the goal of doublingthe size of the deposit, followed by consideration of potential miningoptions.
The following table outlines the Sesmarias MREstatement:
Table 1. Statement of the initial Mineral Resource Estimate for theSesmarias Cu/Zn Project, Portugal.
SLR reported the Sesmarias MRE using a cut-off grade of4.0% Zinc Equivalent (“ZnEq”) in the preceding Mineral ResourceStatement. Technical and economic parameters used in the MRE cut-offgrade calculation are at a preliminary stage of evaluation, andinclude long-term zinc price, royalties to the Portuguese government,operating costs, selling costs, zinc recovery, and zinc payability. Changes in some of these factors, including long-term metal prices,operating and selling costs, and metal recoveries, may materiallyaffect the MRE. While Avrupa has completed only basic metallurgicaltesting on the Sesmarias mineralization, the recovery characteristicsare within the range of early-stage results typical for polymetallicmassive sulfide ores from the IPB. Further testing is necessary toupgrade the understanding of the deposit metallurgicalcharacteristics.
SLR produced the following table to demonstrate thesensitivity of grade and tonnage to lower reporting cutoff grades andis only intended to provide additional context and should not beconsidered Mineral Resources.
Table 2. Sensitivity of grade and tonnage to lower reporting ZnEqcutoff grade.
Following the Sesmarias Mineral Resource Estimate, SLRcompleted an independent assessment of exploration potential atSesmarias. SLR developed a simplifiedgeological framework for the Sesmarias deposit to guide thisassessment. Key aspects include:
Mineralization is mainly hosted within a black shaleunit in a synformal structure, i.e., a U-shaped fold with at least1,700 meters of NNW-SSE strike length, and tilted to thewest.
A spilite unit represents the core of the fold. Sulfidelenses have so far been delineated proximal and sub-parallel to thespilite-black shale contact. This contact has guided the interpretedorientation of mineralized zones and position of drilltargets.
Massive sulfide mineralization is typically located inthe hinge of the fold and variably along strike length in both limbsof the fold. There is a known block of up-faulted massive sulfidemineralization in the Central Zone.
The horizontal and vertical location of the hingetarget is slightly modified, along strike, by post-mineral structuralmovement.
SLR defined the following priority drill targets forfuture testing, shown in Figures 1 and 2.
Material types:
Inferred Resources – infill drill target.
Extensional Targets – potential direct extensions tothe Inferred Mineral Resource.
Conceptual Targets – geologically driven targets inanalogous positions to the massive sulfide lenses defined by theexisting drill grid.
Major extensional targets include:
E1 – NNW down-plunge extension of Central Zonemineralisation
E2 – Extensions to South Zone mineralisation inmultiple directions, including into the interpreted fold hinge thathosts the Central Zone.
Major conceptual targets include:
C1 – NNW down-plunge repeat of Central Zonemineralisation.
C2 – Additional lens on the western limb of thesynform. This position is compar-able to the South Zone.
C3 – Strike repeat of North Zonemineralisation.
C4 – Structural repeat of the mineralised horizon inthe hanging wall of the G1 fault zone.
C5 – Structural repeat of the mineralised horizon inthe hanging wall of the G1 fault zone.
Figure 1. SLRConsulting assessment of exploration potential at Sesmarias.
The map in Figure 2 shows the existing drill coverageat Sesmarias, alongside a summary of Avrupa’s plans for futuredrilling. Drilling, to date, has tested the following along the knownstrike length of mineralization:
Northern Zone – weak to moderate drill density ofeast limb of synform; some testing of west limb and hinge, proximal tothe Central Zone;
Central Zone – moderate drill density of hinge andeast limb of synform; one test of the west limb at the south end ofthe Central Zone.
Southern Zone – mostly weak drill density of westlimb of synform; no testing of hinge or east limb.
Figure 2. SES plan view with simplified exploration ideas topotentially upgrade MRE.
To potentially expand and upgrade the Sesmarias mineralresources, the following drill targeting will be considered.
First priority drilling areas in the Central Zoneinclude:
Expansion and infill drilling, particularly targetingthe synform hinge and west limb, as noted in the red box in Figure 2,between Sections 275 S and 700 S;
Infill drilling between 700 S and 850 S, especiallytargeting the hinge, to upgrade the inferred mineral resource; and
Extensional drilling south of Section 850 S to 1100 S,to test the hinge and mineral potential of the both limbs of thesynform.
Priority targeting in the Northern Zoneincludes:
Locating and testing the hinge and west limb of thesynform as an extension of the Central Zone mineralization, north ofSection 270 S;
Testing for the presence and mineralization of thesynform north of Section 050 N.
Further-on targeting in the Southern Zone should followpotential success in the Central and Northern Zones, as the level ofunderstanding of the geometry of the mineralization in the south islower, at this time. Only the west limb has been tested in pastdrilling campaigns, and that drilling came prior to the presentunderstanding and application of the Sesmarias synform-hostedmineralization model.
The Company intends to enlist the help of a suitablemining partner in an earn-in joint venture to advance the permittingprocess, upgrade the present mineral inventory, leading to thenecessary steps to a mining project decision.
Avrupa Minerals Ltd. is a growth-oriented junior exploration and developmentcompany directed to discovery of valuable mineral deposits, using ahybrid project generator business model. Avrupa is activelyadvancing seven copper-zinc VMS targets and one orogenic gold prospectin central Finland through its partnership with Akkerman ExplorationB.V. thru the Finnish exploration company, Akkerman Finland Oy. Avrupa holds one 100%-owned project in Portugal, the Alvalade VMSProject, and has submitted an application for a mining licensecovering the Sesmarias Cu/Zn massive sulfide showing within theProject area. The Company holds one 49%-owned exploration licensecovering the Slivova Gold Project in Kosovo, optioned to WesternTethyan Resources. Avrupa continues to focus its project generationwork in politically stable and prospective regions of Europe, andlooks to develop new opportunities around the general MediterraneanBasin. The Company is actively seeking new JV partnerships for itsprojects in Finland and Portugal.
For additional information, contact Avrupa Minerals Ltd. at1-604-687-3520 or visit our website at www.avrupaminerals.com.
On behalf of the Board,
Paul W. Kuhn, President & Director
This news release was prepared byCompany management, who take full responsibility for its content. Paul W. Kuhn, President and CEO of Avrupa Minerals, a LicensedProfessional Geologist and a Registered Member of the Society ofMining Engineers, is a Qualified Person as defined by NationalInstrument 43-101 of the Canadian Securities Administrators. He hasreviewed the technical disclosure in this release. Mr. Kuhn, the QP,has not only reviewed, butprepared and supervised the preparation or approval of the scientificand technical content in the news release.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor itsRegulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policiesof the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacyor accuracy of this release.
Copyright (c) 2026 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
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