During the 30th week of the year (July 24th to July 30th, 2017), with the presentation of second quarter reports, at least 26 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. ON MEXICO ISSUES, gold production decreased 1.7% in 2016 to 4.26 M Oz, but US$2,846 M is to be invested in gold projects between 2017 and 2020. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora Riverside released first phase exploration results at Cecilia; Aztec released historical drilling results on its Cervantes property. In Durango Southern Silver released drilling results from its Cerro Las Minitas project. In Zacatecas Arian Silver commenced an auger drilling program on its lithium projects; Goldcorp updated exploration efforts in the Altiplano; Zenith completed drilling for lithium in the San Juan salt pan, results pending. In Veracruz Almadex released high grade gold-copper results from continuing drilling at El Cobre. ON MINING, Avino Silver, Americas Silver, Coeur, Goldcorp and Agnico Eagle presented production results for the second quarter of 2017. Great Panther applied for a permit on its tailings facility at Topia, in Durango. ON FINANCING, Torex Gold signed an amended agreement on a credit facility for US$400 M; Santacruz closed the first tranche of a non-brokered private placement for $935 K ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Candelaria submitted a MIA (environmental application) on its Caballo Blanco property in Veracruz. Excellon reported high-grade drilling results from its Platosa mine in Durango. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Goldcorp and Evrim reached an agreement on La Pinta 6 concession in Zacatecas.
ON MEXICO ISSUES
- Camimex (Cámara Minera de México) informed 12 companies are to invest US$2,846 M in gold projects between 2017 and 2020 in Mexico, with Torex Gold, Goldcorp and Fresnillo PLC leading the list. Present and coming projects include the expansion of Pan American’s Dolores mine expansion (Durango, 112 M), Argonaut’s San Agustin (Durango, 43 M), Alamos Gold’s La Yaqui (Sonora, 12 M), Torex’s Media Luna (Guerrero, 482 M), Goldcorp’s sulfide leach plant at Peñasquito (Zacatecas, 420 M), Fresnillo’s Orisyvo (Chihuahua, 350 M) and the Fresnillo and Mag Silver’s JV on Juanicipio (Zacatecas, 305 M). In 2016, Mexico produced 4.26 M Oz, a 1.7% reduction on the previous year.
ON EXPLORATION
- Arian Silver Corp. commenced an auger drill program on its lithium projects in Zacatecas. The properties to be auger drilled down to a vertical depth of 20 m are Pozo Hondo, Columpio and Abundancia, to test lithium grades and volumes.
- Almadex Minerals Ltd. released results from its more recent drill hole at the Norte zone of its El Cobre property in Veracruz. From 204.1 m an interval of 431.9 m @ 0.86 g/t Au, 0.27% Cu was intercepted, including 40.45 m @ 1.38 g/t Au, 0.43% Cu; 46.2 m @ 1.04 g/t Au, 0.29% Cu; 70.45 m @ 2.32 g/t Au, 0.59% Cu.
- Aztec Minerals Corp. pretends to drill test its Cervantes property in Sonora by September or October. Results of past drilling by Peñoles on the California target in 1996 include 22.1 m @ 0.21 g/t Au; 23.0 m @ 0.40 g/t Au; 99.4 m @ 0.40 g/t Au (including 29.5 m @ 0.74 g/t Au; 88.1 m @ 0.42 g/t Au (including 16.8 m @ 1.16 g/t Au; 141.1 m @ 0.41 g/t Au (including 40.9 m @ 0.96 g/t Au); 42.6 m @ 0.47 g/t Au. A 50 x 50 m soil survey was completed the previous week on the Jasper copper target, where the IP anomaly of the California target continues. A total of 60 rock chip samples were recently collected at two additional copper oxide locations, and a channel sampling program across the gold soil anomaly will commence shortly on the California target.
- Goldcorp Inc. released an exploration update on the Altiplano around its Peñasquito mine in Zacatecas. Exploration was focused on ground validation of 13 targets identified on the first quarter, as well as regional rock chip and selective leach soil sampling at a 1 km grid spacing near the mine. Biogeochemical sampling of creosote plants is also to be used. A 15,000 m program of reverse circulation (RC) holes to the top of bedrock is to evaluate targets overlain by Tertiary cover in several valleys. Detailed mapping and re-logging of core from the Noche Buena and Santa Rosa projects was carried out.
- Riverside Resources Corp. released results from the first phase of exploration at its Cecilia project in Sonora. The second batch of samples include 8.0 and 9.7 m wide zones at the North Breccia zone averaging 3.90 g/t Au and 1.2 g/t Au respectively. About 400 m SW from the North Breccia zone a fault zone assayed 5.4 g/t Au over 3.0 m. Several priority drill targets have been selected and the process for drill permitting has started. The target is a low sulfidation epithermal mineralization system within and beneath a felsic volcanic flow-dome complex which has been defined in an area of 1,200 x 400 m, and over 400 m of vertical span.
- Southern Silver Exploration Corp. released recent results from its current drilling campaign at Cerro Las Minitas, Durango. The last hole intersected 12.5 m true width (TW) @ 154 g/t Ag, 2.0 g/t Au, 3.2% Pb, 3.9% Zn (including 3.0 m TW @ 329 g/t Ag, 4.6 g/t Au, 7.4% Pb, 7.3% Zn); 9.2 m @ 220 g/t Ag, 0.3% Cu, 3.6% Pb, 5.4% Zn.
- Zenith Minerals Ltd. completed a shallow drilling program at the Zacatecas Lithium project. The 11 auger holes reached a maximum of 27 m of depth at the San Juan salt pans, recovering sediment and brine samples. The brines were within 5 to 15 m of the surface. Drilling results are expected within four weeks.
ON MINING
- Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. reported second quarter 2017 production results from its Avino property in Durango. At the Avino mine 115.5 K tonnes were mined, 117.4 K tonnes milled @ 76 g/t Ag, 0.53 g/t Au, 0.49% Cu, recovering 84% Ag, 69% Au, 89% Cu to produce 241.7 K Oz Ag, 1,384 Oz Au, 1.13 M Lb Cu. At the San Gonzalo mine 21.2 K tonnes were mined, 20.1 K tonne milled @ 277 g/t Ag, 1.19 g/t Au, recovering 81% Ag, 74% Au to produce 144.3 K Oz Ag, 570 Oz Au.
- Americas Silver Corp. provided second quarter 2017 production results, including figures from its Cosalá operations in Sinaloa. At Cosalá 134.8 K tonnes of ore were milled @ 66 g/t Ag to produce 242.5 K Oz Ag, 273.5 K Lb Cu, 1.35 M Lb Pb, 2.9 M Lb Zn, or 564.1 K Oz AgEq at cash cost ($2.43) and AISC ($2.43).
- Coeur Mining Inc. reported second quarter 2017 financial results, including figures from its operations in Mexico. At Palmarejo in Chihuahua 335.8 K tons were mined @ 155 g/t Ag, 2.49 g/t Au, with 335.4 K tons milled and a recovery rate of 87.3% Ag, 91.1% Au to produce 1.45 M Oz Ag, 24,292 Oz Au. Mining rates were 2,600 tons per day (tpd) at Guadalupe and 1,000 tpd at Independencia. Exploration expenses during the quarter were $3.1 M, to accelerate resource expansion and new target definition efforts.
- Goldcorp Inc. released its second quarter 2017 results, without detail on figures from its various operations in several countries, including Mexico. The by-product cash cost per gold ounce was $510 and all-in sustaining cost (AISC) $800 per gold ounce.
- Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. reported second quarter 2017 results, including information on its Mexican operations. At Pinos Altos in Chihuahua 620 K tonnes were processed (6,811 tpd) @ 2.65 g/t Au, to produce 48,196 Oz Au at cash cost $595 per Oz Au and total cash cost of $373 per Oz Au. In late June a new silver flotation circuit was commissioned, and a 10-12% increase in silver recovery is expected. At Creston Mascota, which operates as a satellite operation to Pinos Altos, 596 K tonnes were processed (6,554 tpd) @ 1.17 g/t Au, to produce 12,074 Oz Au at cash cost $610 per Oz Au and total cash cost $550 per Oz Au. Recent drilling of the Bravo and Madrono zones at Creston Mascota has intersected 18.2 m (TW) @ 1.6 g/t Au; 5.4 m @ 10.9 g/t Au; 12.3 m @ 1.7 g/t Au; 10 m @ 1.4 g/t Au; 13.6 m @ 1.4 g/t Au; 13.6 m @ 1.9 g/t Au; 3.5 m @ 4.2 g/t Au; 8.2 m @ 2.5 g/t Au; 5.4 m @ 3.3 g/t Au. At La India in Sonora, 1.33 M tonnes were processed (14,605 tpd) @ 0.65 g/t Au, to produce 24,211 Oz Au at cash cost $617 per Oz Au and total cash cost $552 per Oz Au. The company is evaluating location options to construct additional pad capacity. At the El Barqueño project in Jalisco, 18,200 m of drilling were completed in 55 holes, focusing on the extension of the Azteca-Zapoteca zone, as well as at the Tecolote, San Diego and Olmeca prospects.
- Great Panther Silver Ltd. has resubmitted the permit application in connection with the Phase II Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) at Topia, Durango, and expects a response with 60 days from SEMARNAT. Normal operations will continue using the existing Phase I TSF, although the deposition of dry tailings cannot continue indefinitely and avoidance of disruption cannot be assured.
ON FINANCING
- Torex Gold Resources Inc. signed an amended and restated credit agreement with BNP Paribas, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, ING Capital LLC and SG Americas Securities, in connection with the previously announced secured US$400 M debt facility (Los Guajes-El Limon).
- Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. closed the first tranche of the previously announced non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $935 K (Rosario, Cinco Estrellas in San Luis Potosi).
ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT
- Candelaria Mining Corp. submitted the environmental Impact assessment report (MIA) to SEMARNAT (Mexican environmental authority). The company has already received an exploration permit for a 2,000 m program at the La Paila zone, which holds the current resource. Exploration permits for 7,500 m of drilling on several other areas are under preparation. Additional metallurgical test work, re-design of the conceptual pit, resource update, water supply studies and ore and waste rock characteristic studies are to be advanced.
- Excellon Resources Inc. reported high-grade drilling results from the current program at the Platosa mine in Durango, of which 15,000 m have been completed on 120 drill holes from surface and underground. Relevant intersections include 2.19 m @ 104 g/t Ag, 2.6% Pb, 1.2% Zn; 3.45 m @ 124 g/t Ag, 5.2% Pb, 5.2% Zn; 6.76 m @ 886 g/t Ag, 8.8% Pb, 20.5% Zn; 1.45 m @ 2,995 g/t Ag, 16.4% Pb, 0.9% Zn; 1.06 m @ 1,171 g/t Ag, 9.3% Pb, 2.9% Zn; 3.70 m @ 1,600 g/t Ag, 6.4% Pb, 8.7% Zn; 1.80 m @ 316 g/t Ag, 3.2% Pb, 0.9% Zn; 1.30 m @ 287 g/t Ag, 6.3% Pb, 0.6% Zn; 1.27 m @ 3,574 g/t Ag, 28.2% Pb, 18.7% Zn; 2,10 m @ 1,238 g/t Ag, 5.3% Pb, 2.9% Zn.
ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES
- Goldcorp Inc. reached an agreement with San Marco Resources Inc. to acquire the La Pinta 6 concession, adding 80 Km2 contiguous to Noche Buena, providing early stage targets.
Content like what you have just read can be seen at https://gambusinoprospector.com/ and at LinkedIn’s Mexico Mineral Exploration Group.
On the picture below, kaolin mine in argillitized tuffs in eastern Chihuahua. Photo by Jorge Cirett.
