El Mochito Delivers High-Grade Intercepts Including 8.6 Metres at 9.6% Zinc Equivalent in Drilling Subsequent to Recent Resource Update

TORONTO, June 14, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ascendant Resources Inc. (TSX:ASND) (OTCQX:ASDRF) (FRA:2D9) ("Ascendant" or the "Company”) is pleased to announce results from 40 diamond drill holes (12,015 metres) as part of the 2018 exploration and definition drilling program at its El Mochito mine in Honduras. These results come after the release of the Company’s newly reported Mineral Resources and Reserves Estimate and National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report (see press release dated May 28^th, 2018), which almost tripled contained zinc in Mineral Reserves and extended its life of mine to more than 7 years. The drilling is split between step-out (66%) and in-fill (34%) drill holes, and targets extensions of four ore bodies, namely Porvenir, Santa Elena, Port Royal Manto and Esperanza (See Figure 1 and Tables 1 & 2 below). These results continue to support the Company’s goals of increasing tonnage for further Mineral Reserve and Resource growth and identifying higher-grade ore at El Mochito that can quickly be brought into the mine plan.

Key Highlights (true/apparent widths¹) Include:

Step-out Drilling

• DDH 10956 – 1.4m at 35.8% ZnEq², 20.1% Zn, 13.4% Pb and 318 g/t Ag (Porvenir)
• DDH 10958 – 6.3m at 12.6% ZnEq, 6.2% Zn, 5.6% Pb and 125.2 g/t Ag (Santa Elena)
• DDH 10949 – 8.6m at 9.6% ZnEq, 5.7% Zn, 3.4% Pb and 75.8 g/t Ag (Esperanza)
• and – 7.5m at 8.9% ZnEq, 5.5% Zn, 3.3% Pb and 41.4 g/t Ag

Infill Drilling

• DDH 10957 – 17.7m at 9.1% ZnEq, 5.9% Zn, 2.9% Pb and 59.9 g/t Ag (Esperanza)
• DDH 10959 – 14.6m at 9.5% ZnEq, 7.0% Zn, 1.8% Pb and 64.9 g/t Ag (Esperanza)
• DDH 10950 – 4.1m at 15.3% ZnEq, 15.1% Zn, 0.1% Pb and 6.4 g/t Ag (Santa Elena)
• DDH 10902 – 3.9m at 9.9% ZnEq, 8.0% Zn, 0.6% Pb and 101.6 g/t Ag (Port Royal Manto)

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1} Please refer to tables for true/apparent widths which are estimated from actual drilled lengths.
2 ZnEq grades in % represents zinc grade together with the lead and silver grades (zinc equivalent) in terms of zinc using certain metal price, payable metal, and processing recoveries assumptions: Metal prices - Zn$1.21/lb, Pb$1.06/lb, Ag$18.00/oz; processing recoveries - Zn 88.9%, Pb 74.3%, Ag 77.7%.

The newly developed Esperanza Orebody has already contributed significantly towards first and second quarter 2018 production and is expected to continue to do so for at least the next two years without the addition of these new results. The Santa Elena Orebody forms part of the El Mochito production plan in 2019 and beyond, which before these results represented approximately 18% of the Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources. The Porvenir Orebody is newly defined and is part of the Inferred Mineral Resource, and this drilling will form part of its further definition and delineation.

A total of 40,000 metres of exploration & definition drilling is planned at El Mochito for 2018. All orebodies remain open along strike and at depth.

Chris Buncic, President and CEO of Ascendant commented: “We are extremely pleased with these results as the intercepts reported herein continue to demonstrate high-grade mineralization above current mining grades and the newly defined reserve and resource grades. This provides management with even greater confidence in identifying further opportunities for reserve and resource conversion and growth as we continue our aggressive 40,000 metre exploration program in 2018 and remain focused on our long-term goal of increasing head grade to the mill and the value per tonne mined.”

He continued: “Much of the 2017 exploration program was focused on near mine reserve and resource conversion and growth supporting our recent NI 43-101 resource estimate update and the theory new near-mine material can be brought into production quickly, which we were very successful in achieving. These results today also incorporate step-out drilling on regional target Porvenir and have successfully identified significant mineralization warranting further follow up on this target and other regional targets like this with the goal of identifying long-term resource growth opportunities positioning El Mochito well into the future.”

Figure 1: Drill Hole Location Map

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/52a59039-0c13-468e-8069-dc2c213418da

Quality Assurance and Quality Control

Analytical work was carried out by Bureau Veritas Commodities Canada Ltd. (ACME), Vancouver, Canada. Drill core samples were prepared in Bureau Veritas’s laboratory in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Pulp samples were then sent to their analytical Laboratory in Vancouver, Canada. All samples were analyzed for zinc, Lead, copper, iron and silver values determined by method code AR402 atomic absorption spectrometry, and any over limit values were determined using method code FA410. Bureau Veritas has routine quality control procedures which ensure that every batch of 40 prepared samples includes three sample repeats, two commercial standards and blanks. Bureau Veritas is independent from Ascendant. Ascendant used standard QA/QC procedures, when inserting blanks, for the drilling program.

Qualified Persons

The scientific and technical information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Patrick E. Toth, P.Geo., Director Exploration to Ascendant and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

About Ascendant Resources Inc.

Ascendant is a Toronto-based mining company focused on its 100%-owned producing El Mochito zinc, silver and lead mine in west-central Honduras, which has been in production since 1948. After acquiring the mine in December 2016, Ascendant implemented a rigorous optimization program aimed at restoring the historic potential of the El Mochito mine. In 2017, the Company successfully completed the operational turnaround it set out to achieve with sustained production at record levels and profitability restored. The Company now remains focused on cost reduction and further operational improvements to drive robust free cash flow in 2018 and beyond. Ascendant is also focused on expanding and upgrading known resources through extensive exploration work for near-term growth. With a significant land package of 11,000 hectares and an abundance of historical data there are several regional targets providing longer term exploration upside which could lead to further resource growth. The Company is also engaged in the evaluation of producing and development stage mineral resource opportunities, on an ongoing basis. The Company's common shares are principally listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "ASND". For more information on Ascendant Resources, please visit our website at www.ascendantresources.com.

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

For further information please contact:

Katherine Pryde
Director, Communications & Investor Relations
Tel: 888-723-7413
info@ascendantresources.com

Cautionary Notes to US Investors

The information concerning the Company’s mineral properties has been prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 (“NI-43-101”) adopted by the Canadian Securities Administrators. In accordance with NI-43-101, the terms “mineral reserves”, “proven mineral reserve”, “probable mineral reserve”, “mineral resource”, “measured mineral resource”, “indicated mineral resource” and “inferred mineral resource” are defined in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (the “CIM”) Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves adopted by the CIM Council on May 10, 2014. While the terms “mineral resource”, “measured mineral resource”, “indicated mineral resource” and “inferred mineral resource” are recognized and required by NI 43-101, the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (“SEC”) does not recognize them. The reader is cautioned that, except for that portion of mineral resources classified as mineral reserves, mineral resources do not have demonstrated economic value. Inferred mineral resources have a high degree of uncertainty as to their existence and as to whether they can be economically or legally mined. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of any inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Therefore, the reader is cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource exists, that it can be economically or legally mined, or that it will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Likewise, you are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of a measured or indicated mineral resource will ever be upgraded into mineral reserves.

Readers should be aware that the Company’s financial statements (and information derived therefrom) have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board and are subject to Canadian auditing and auditor independence standards. IFRS differs in some respects from United States generally accepted accounting principles and thus the Company’s financial statements (and information derived therefrom) may not be comparable to those of United States companies.

Forward Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All information contained in this news release, other than statements of current and historical fact, is forward-looking information. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "budget", "guidance", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "strategy", "target", "intends", "objective", "goal", "understands", "anticipates" and "believes" (and variations of these or similar words) and statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "should", "might" "occur" or "be achieved" or "will be taken" (and variations of these or similar expressions). Forward-looking information is also identifiable in statements of currently occurring matters which may continue in the future, such as "providing the Company with", "is currently", "allows/allowing for", "will advance" or "continues to" or other statements that may be stated in the present tense with future implications. All of the forward-looking information in this news release is qualified by this cautionary note.

Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding the improvements of grades in 2018, the potential for ore bodies to be significantly larger than anticipated, the potential for larger source of feed and the potential to expand resources and grades. Forward-looking information is not, and cannot be, a guarantee of future results or events. Forward-looking information is based on, among other things, opinions, assumptions, estimates and analyses that, while considered reasonable by Ascendant at the date the forward-looking information is provided, inherently are subject to significant risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other factors that may cause actual results and events to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. The material factors or assumptions that Ascendant identified and were applied by Ascendant in drawing conclusions or making forecasts or projections set out in the forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, the size of the ore bodies, the ability to increase the feed and the ability to expand resources and grades at the Mine, and other events that may affect Ascendant's ability to develop its project; and no significant and continuing adverse changes in general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets.

The risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information may include, but are not limited to, risks generally associated with the mining industry, such as economic factors (including future commodity prices, currency fluctuations, energy prices and general cost escalation), uncertainties related to the development and operation of Ascendant's projects, dependence on key personnel and employee and union relations, risks related to political or social unrest or change, rights and title claims, operational risks and hazards, including unanticipated environmental, industrial and geological events and developments and the inability to insure against all risks, failure of plant, equipment, processes, transportation and other infrastructure to operate as anticipated, compliance with government and environmental regulations, including permitting requirements and anti-bribery legislation, volatile financial markets that may affect Ascendant's ability to obtain additional financing on acceptable terms, the failure to obtain required approvals or clearances from government authorities on a timely basis, uncertainties related to the geology, continuity, grade and estimates of mineral reserves and resources, and the potential for variations in grade and recovery rates, uncertain costs of reclamation activities, tax refunds, hedging transactions, as well as the risks discussed in Ascendant's most recent Annual Information Form on file with the Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities and available at www.sedar.com.

Should one or more risk, uncertainty, contingency, or other factor materialize, or should any factor or assumption prove incorrect, actual results could vary materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Accordingly, the reader should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Ascendant does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information after the date of this news release or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.