Equinox Copper Corp. Commences Production at Aura

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Feb. 4, 2013) - Equinox Copper Corp. (TSX VENTURE:EQX) (Equinox) announces that it has commenced shipping copper oxides to the Enami processing facility in Copiapo, Chile. Equinox currently has stockpiled 25 dump truck loads of oxide copper and continues to produce at a rate of approximately 10 loads per week. Each dump truck load is estimated at 16 tons. Equinox regards the Aura project as a mining exploration project. The mode of exploration is to initially open up and explore the various copper mantos by mechanical trenching. If copper mineralization is found to continue, then a face is established and an adit tunnel is established to drive on the copper manto until the manto is no longer mineralized. If copper mineralization persists, Equinox plans to stope the mineralization and also drive multiple tunnels to access the copper mineralization at depth. This copper mineralization is stockpiled as direct shipping copper oxide for shipment to the Enami processing facility in Copiapo. Now that shipments of copper oxide have commenced, Equinox anticipates shipments to continue on a regular basis as long as the exploration continues to locate and produce copper mineralization. Equinox will initially ship copper oxides to Enami and anticipates the eventual shipment of copper sulfides to the same facility as mining exploration continues.

At present, Equinox has located a total of 6 distinct copper mantos on the Aura leases. Grab sampling from these mantos has returned total copper values ranging from 0.88% to 9.68% copper and oxide copper values ranging from 0.56% to 9.62% copper. Complete sampling details can be found in the Equinox News Release dated November 20, 2012 available under the Company's profile on SEDAR. Exploration is currently focused on the Maragrita Zone on one of the three West Mantos.

Equinox will take a random grab sample from each dump truck load and send the samples to an independent laboratory as a check against the production records from Enami.

About Equinox Copper Corp.

Equinox Copper Corp. is a publicly traded corporation listed on the TSX-Venture Exchange (TSX VENTURE:EQX) and is engaged in mineral exploration and development in the United States and Chile. The major focus is on copper exploration properties in the Southwest United States where management has extensive experience and a proven track record of discovery. To find out more about Equinox visit its website at www.EquinoxExploration.com.

R. Tim Henneberry, P Geo., on the Advisory Board of Equinox, is the Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 who has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Equinox Copper Corp.

Roy Fuller, Director

Forward-Looking Statement

This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to: statements with respect to the effect and estimated timeline of the drilling and assay results on the Company; the estimation of mineral reserves and mineral resources; the timing and amount of estimated future exploration; costs of exploration; capital expenditures; success of exploration activities; permitting time lines and permitting; government regulation of mining operations; potential future expansion of the PFNP; environmental risks; unanticipated reclamation expenses; and title disputes or claims. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, including the likelihood of commercial mining and possible future financings are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include: unsuccessful exploration results; changes in metals prices; changes in the availability of funding for mineral exploration; unanticipated changes in key management personnel and general economic conditions. Mining is an inherently risky business. Accordingly the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on the Company and the risks and challenges of its business, investors should review the Company's annual filings that are available at www.sedar.com.