Ascendant Copper fka ACX

[Deep_Digger]

May 31, 2007

Ascendant Copper Corporation announces ongoing exploration progress on its Telimbela Copper Project, located about 56 kilometers northeast of Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Operating under an existing preliminary environmental impact assessment (PEIA) for the property, recent mapping, soils sampling, and channel sampling at Telimbela has generated highly encouraging results in a heretofore largely untested area known as the Northeast Zone. On March 22, 2007, the Company announced results of an initial exploration program in the Northeast Zone that consisted of non-continuous channel rock samples over a distance of approximately 40 meters and averaged 0.8 % copper.

An extension of this earlier outcrop sampling program has now yielded a continuous zone of 98 meters grading 0.52% copper with a high value of 1.93% copper over 2 meters in width. In addition, four hundred meters to the south, another continuous channel rock sampling program has yielded a second zone 58 meters wide grading 0.55% copper. These two zones are contained within a newly delineated soils and rock geochemical anomaly which has grown to 800 by 600 meters in size and remains open to the south. Assay results from the final soils geochemical grid are pending.

Structural mapping of the Northeast Zone indicate that the newly discovered geochemical anomalies may be an extension of the previously identified Central Zone, explored by the Japanese in the early 1970's. In addition to the exploration results reported above for the new Northeast Zone, the Company has also recently conducted some additional outcrop and channel sampling in the Central Zone, which has yielded values of up to 0.35% copper.

Pursuant to existing mining laws and regulations in Ecuador, and in conjunction with Whistler Associates, a final consultation with the community of Telimbela was conducted in order to gain approval of a more comprehensive EIA which would allow more comprehensive exploration including proposed drilling on the concession. The EIA, along with comments incorporated from the public consultation meeting, will be submitted to the Ministry of Energy and Mines in the coming week. A favorable response from the Ministry is expected within 45 days.

Commenting on the results from this exploration program, James Stonehouse, the Company's Vice President of Operations (South America) said, "Ascendant's senior management is highly encouraged by these exploration results. Pending approval of all necessary permits, we anticipate commencement of a first phase drilling program in June of this year."

In 2006 the Company acquired an option to purchase the Telimbela copper-molybdenum property from Ecuador Gold S.A., a subsidiary of EcuaGold Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: EGR). The purchase agreement obligates the Company to complete specified cash payments and exploration commitments over a two-year period commencing July 2006. The Company has the right to acquire 100% of the property upon fulfillment of the terms of the agreement and the granting to Ecuador Gold of a 2% net smelter return royalty on production from the property.

John R. King, the Company's resident exploration and geological expert as well as a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI43-101"), has reviewed the above statements and assay results. Mr. King confirms that quality controls and correct assay procedures were followed by the Company and these geologic observations of the samples are correct. Assaying of the samples was conducted by ALS Chemex Laboratories, an ISO certified laboratory in Lima, Peru.

Ascendant Copper Corporation is a mineral exploration and development company responsibly advancing its Chaucha and Junin copper-molybdenum projects in Ecuador toward a verifiable economic base metal discovery. Ascendant has a solid mineral asset base, a diversified portfolio, proven management, and is committed to becoming a mid-tier copper producer through its joint venture with Antofagasta PLC (LSE:ANTO) on the Chaucha Project and its strategic exploration alliance in Ecuador with Rio Tinto (LSE:RTZ).

To view a map of Ascendant Copper Corporation - Soil Sampling of Northeast Zone and the Layout of Northeast and Central Zones, click the following link: http://www.ccnmatthews.com/docs/acx_maps.pdf



FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Ascendant Copper Corporation
John R. Haigh
Manager of Investor Relations
[phone] or Toll Free: 1-866-907-6047
[phone] (FAX)
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.ascendantcopper.com






Source: CCN Matthews (May 31, 2007 - 9:36 AM EDT)