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Azarga Metals Strengthens Management Team

May 15, 2019 Download PDF

AZARGA METALS CORP. ("Azarga Metals" or the "Company") (TSX-V:AZR) following the Company's annual and general shareholder meeting held May 14, 2019 the Company is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Hopley as the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer and the appointment of Dr. Alexander Yakubchuk as the Company's Vice President, Exploration.

Chairman, Alex Molyneux commented, "Having recently completed the US$3 million investment transaction with Baker Steel Resources Trust, I'm very excited that we are now putting in place a uniquely qualified leadership team to maximise the results from the next phase of exploration at our Unkur Copper-Silver Project."

Michael Hopley is the longest serving director of the Company. He has over 35 years of international experience as a geologist and exploration manager for resource companies in the precious metals and base metal sector. For the past 20 years he has managed a number of publicly traded junior resource companies and held a number of executive and board positions with companies conducting exploration in various parts of the world. Mr. Hopley was most recently President & CEO of Sunridge Gold Corp. which concluded a successful major exploration and development program on the copper-zinc-gold Asmara Project, Eritrea culminating in the sale of the Asmara Project to a large Chinese company in 2016.

Dr. Alexander Yakubchuk brings more than 30 years of operational and executive experience gained in the Former Soviet Union (FSU), including Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Australia, Mongolia, China, Canada, and several European countries. He is currently the Exploration Director of Orsu Metals Corp. (TSX-V:OSU), the holder of the Sergeevskoe gold project in the same area of Russia as the Company's Unkur Project. During 2003-07 he held the position of Exploration Manager for Europe and FSU for Gold Fields. Dr Yakubchuk has previously worked with and consulted companies such as BHP-Billiton, Norilsk Nickel, Goldcorp, Rio Tinto, World Bank and Inco and lectured as an Associate Professor at Lomonosov Moscow State University.

Mr. Hopley and Dr. Yakubchuk have accelerated the planning of the Company's next phase of exploration at Unkur, which is anticipated to include the largest drilling campaign yet performed on the project. The next phase exploration program will be funded via proceeds from the Baker Steel Resources Trust Investment Transaction (see news releases of 14 February 2019, 29 March 2019, 10 April 2019 and 15 April 2019). Azarga Metals expects a significant increase in the mineralized envelope on completion of the second phase of exploration. A further announcement regarding detailed plans for the program and the commencement of drilling will be made once detailed arrangements are finalised.

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Qualified Person

Azarga Metals' President and CEO Michael Hopley, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the exploration information disclosure contained in this Press Release.

About Azarga Metals Corp.

Azarga Metals is a mineral exploration and development company that owns 100% of the Unkur Copper-Silver Project in the Zabaikalsky administrative region in eastern Russia. Unkur is a copper-silver discovery of global significance. On completion of a first phase physical exploration program in 2016-2018, the Company reported an NI43-101 Inferred Resource of 62 million tonnes at 0.53% copper and 38.6g/t silver for the project (see news release 15 October 2018). The Resource remains open in both directions along strike and down-dip.  

AZARGA METALS CORP.

"Michael Hopley"
Michael Hopley, President and Chief Executive Officer

For further information please contact: Doris Meyer, at +1 604 536-2711 ext 6, visit www.azargametals.com , or follow us on Twitter @AzargaMetals. The address of the head office of Azarga Metals is Unit 1 - 15782 Marine Drive, White Rock, BC V4B 1E6, British Columbia, Canada.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement:
This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the Corporation's current expectations and estimates. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "suggest", "indicate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results implied or expressed in such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: the actual results of current planned exploration activities; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans to continue to be refined; possible variations in ore grade or recovery rates; accidents, labor disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing; and fluctuations in metal prices. There may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Corporation disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.