During the 37th week of the year (September 11th to September 17th, 2017), at least 27 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Mexican fiscal authorities and Canadian mining companies maintain dialog on delayed tax reimbursements for $360 M. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Canuc released results on phase I of drilling at is San Javier project, while SilvercCrest informed on phase II drill results from the Babicanora vein on its Las Chispas property. In Veracruz, Almadex disclosed results from one more hole from the Norte zone of its El Cobre property. In Durango Golden Minerals is to drill test its Mogotes project. ON MINING, MX Gold is on track to complete plant expansion, and presented results from metallurgical tests at Magistral, in Durango. Mexus Gold and MarMar Holdings announced first dore production at Santa Elena, in Sonora. US Antimony presented an update on its Mexican operations in Guanajuato, Queretaro and Zacatecas. Impact Silver presented drill results from El Paso vein at its Zacualpan property in Estado de Mexico. Starcore presented financial results for the first quarter. ON FINANCING, Silver One, Southern Silver and Defiance Silver opened, extended or closed tranches of financing for $8.25 M. Minera Alamos and Leagold started trading in the US. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT; Silver Bull released high-grade results from underground channel sampling at Sierra Mojada, Coahuila. Capstone announced good drill intercepts at Cozamin, Zacatecas. Americas Silver presented an update on development work at San Rafael in Sinaloa. Oceanus announced an updated mineral resource for El Tigre, in Sonora. Levon finished an infill drilling campaign at Cordero in Chihuahua. Mexican Gold filed at SEDAR the resource estimate for Cerro Las Minas, Veracruz. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Endeavour Silver and Capstone are to share mining concessions in Zacatecas, on an arrangement based in the elevation of mineralization.
ON MEXICO ISSUES
- Mexican fiscal authorities and Canadian mining companies maintain a table of dialog on delayed tax reimbursements for $360 M, according to José Antonio Meade (head of the IRS equivalent agency) and Bill Morneau (Canadian Finance minister). They pointed out at a joint press conference that the situation is to be solved by dialogue and under the legal framework, with the aim to avoid this situation to have an effect on Canadian investment in Mexico. Bill Morneau pointed out that the common objective is to keep Canadian companies taking opportunities in the mining sector; while Meade said that the intention is to create an adequate investment environment for companies to feel at ease, with confidence in Mexico as a country under the rule of law. According to the latter, 40% of Canadian investment in Mexico is on the mining sector.
ON EXPLORATION
- Canuc Resources Corp. released results from the phase I drill program at its San Javier project in Sonora. A total of seven holes have been drilled on the Santa Rosa vein, over 430 m of strike length. The vein has been confirmed an all holes, remaining open in all directions. Drill intercepts include 4.35 m @ 202 g/t Ag, 0.57 g/t Au, 2.7% Pb, 2.6% Zn; 3.32 m @ 326 g/t Ag; 6.0 m @ 1.74 g/t Au; 1.0 m @ > 1,000 g/t Ag, 3.83 g/t Au, 8.2% Pb, 4.3% Zn; 0.80 m @ 270 g/t Ag, 1.79 g/t Au, 2.1% Pb, 0.8% Zn, the last two intercepts in two splays of a new vein. To note is the 43 m intercept of thin quartz and barite stringers containing disseminates and patchy sulfides, including galena and sphalerite. The stockwork is hosted by quartzite, conglomerate and siltstone.
- SilverCrest Metals Inc. released phase II drill results from the Babicanora vein at its Las Chispas property in Sonora. True width intercepts in the Babicanora vein include 3.7 m @ 2.58 g/t Au, 333 g/t Ag; 3.6 m @ 0.14 g/t Au, 267 g/t Ag; 4.8 m @ 4.63 g/t Au, 251 g/t Ag; 0.5 m @ 4.78 g/t Au, 37 g/t Ag; 2.2 m @ 1.91 g/t Au, 139 g/t Ag; 1.9 m @ 0.29 g/t Au, 394 g/t Ag; 2.1 m @ 2.01 g/t Au, 160 g/t Ag. The average estimated true width and grade for 16 drill intercepts of the high-grade footprint is 4.0 m @ 2.88 g/t Au, 275 g/t Ag. The Babicanora vein has been traced on the surface for 3 km, of which SilverCrest has tested only 20% of that strike length.
- Almadex Minerals Ltd. disclosed results from the last hole at the Norte zone, in its El Cobre project in Veracruz. The hole intersected 273.50 m @ 0.59 g/t Au, 0.21% Cu; including 206.7 m @ 0.74 g/t Au, 0.26% Cu;, which in turn include 151.0 m @ 0.88 g/t Au, 0.30% Cu. This hole was drilled between two other mineralized holes to test for continuity.
- Golden Minerals Co. is to start a 1,500 m drilling program at its Mogotes property in Durango, on the third week of September 2017. The plan is to test 1.5 Km of silicification and breccias up to 500 m in width, partially controlled by a fault that juxtaposes Tertiary volcanic rocks with Cretaceous limestone. The zone is highly anomalous in arsenic and antimony, with erratic gold values of up to 1.8 g/t in surface rock samples.
ON MINING
- MX Gold Corp. confirmed being on track for plant expansion on its Magistral tailings project in Durango. Although on a non-43-101 complaint basis, the company estimates 1.2 M tonnes @ 2.06 g/t Au, 3.9 g/t Ag, a recovery rate of 76% Au, 45% Ag at a production rate of 30 K tonnes per year, and a life of project of 3.5 years.
- Mexus Gold US. Along with JV partner MarMar Holdings announced the production of the first dore from its Santa Elena mine in Sonora (not to mistake with First Majestic’s Santa Elena mine, also in Sonora). The ore currently being placed on the heaps averages 2 g/t Au, with an expected recovery rate of 76%. The goal is to bring production to 10,00 tonnes per day (tpd).
- United States Antimony Corp. reported successful production of antimony tri-sulfide per military MIL-A-a59D specification. Additional equipment is being installed to enter the market. SEMARNAT is expected to approve the cyanide circuit at the Puerto Blanco mill in Guanajuato for Los Juarez property (Queretaro) within 30 days. Powder magazines are being built at Soyatal (Queretaro) and a reopening a road at Guadalupe (Zacatecas).
- MX Gold Corp. performed metallurgical tests on samples from backhoe pits at its tailings Magistral project in Durango. The aim of the test was to confirm the results obtained by previous studies. Gold recoveries at the Met-Solve Lab in Surrey, BC, Canada, ranged from 72.4% to 89.9%, silver from 22.7% to 64.9% and copper form 14.9% to 54.4%.
- Impact Silver Corp. disclosed assay results from a drilling on the El Paso vein, at its Zacualpan property in Estado de Mexico (Mexico State). The hole intersected 3.38 m (TW) @ 834 g/t Ag. Including 1.26 m @ 1,448 g/t Ag. A new vein was encountered further down hole, with 1.3 m of core length @ 199 g/t Ag. Other drill holes intersected 1.4 m @ 122 g/t Ag; 1.6 m @ 113 g/t Ag on El Paso vein, and a further down hole 1.58 m core length intercept @ 240 g/t Ag. The El Paso vein passes less than one kilometer from Impact’s Guadalupe mill, and has been traced on the surface for 2.1 Km from El Paso adit, with widths ranging up to 13 m in the El Capulin adit. Better access on the San Felipe workings is to be completed in order to prepare underground drill stations.
- Starcore International Mines Ltd. reported financial results for the first quarter ended July 31, 2017. During the period 3.7 K Oz Au, 15.2 K Oz Ag were produced by milling 69.8 K tonnes of ore @ 1.97 g/t Au, 12.6 g/t Ag, with recoveries of 85.0% Au, 51.2% Ag at a cash cost of US$1,052 per gold equivalent ounce. Cash and short-term investment of CAD$7.4 M at the end of the period (San Martin mine, Queretaro).
ON FINANCING
- Silver One Resources Inc. is to conduct a non-brokered private placement aiming to raise gross proceeds of up to $4 M (Peñasco Quemado, Sonora).
- Minera Alamos Inc. has received approval for OTCQB listing in the United States (La Fortuna, Durango).
- Southern Silver Exploration Corp. extended the final closing of its previously announced brokered private placement until September 29, 2017. In total, the company has closed two tranches for total gross proceeds of $3 M (Cerro Las Minitas, Durango).
- Defiance Silver Corp. announced the closing of the first tranche of $1.25 M of a non-brokered private placement (San Acacio, Zacatecas).
- Leagold Inc. commenced trading on the OTCQX® Best Market in the United States, on September 15th, 2017 (Los Filos, Guerrero).
ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT
- Silver Bull Resources, Inc. released further assay results from channel sampling at its Sierra Mojada project in Coahuila. The channel sampling was continuous over the strike length of an east-west trending high angle structure on old mine workings, with the structure 2 to 3 meters in width in places. The 117 sample program results highlights a zone of sulfide mineralization 160 m below the surface with 94.5 m @ 9.7% Zn, 124 g/t Ag, 1.6% Pb, 0.46% Cu; including 31.5 m @ 22.4% Zn, 134 g/t Ag, 2.0% Pb, 0.2% Cu; 9.0 m @ 10.2% Zn, 21 g/t Ag; 10.5 m @ 432 g/t Ag, 1.1% Zn, 1.2% Cu (Note of editor for clarity.- The samples were not collected across mineralized widths).
- Capstone mining Corp. announced drill results of step-out drilling at its Cozamin mine in Zacatecas. Four holes have been completed near the southern limit of Capstone’s concessions with Endeavour’s concessions (see recent deal details between both companies below), with Highlighted drill intercepts of (estimated true width, “TW”) 14.4 m @ 2.2% Cu, including 6.3 m @ 4.4% Cu; 15.0 m @ 1.0% Cu, 0.4% Zn, 0.1% Pb, 19 g/t Ag; 4.6 m @ 3.0% Cu, 0.5% Zn, nil Pb, 54 g/t Ag. This zone is almost 600 m along strike from Cozamin’s current indicated mineral resource.
- Americas Silver Corp. informed on the Development of the San Rafael project, part of its Cosalá operations in Sinaloa. Development to the southern lobe of the Main Zone began in January, and ore is now mined from two development headings, with two levels being prepared for production. Ore from three additional headings will be added to the stockpile within the next week. The primary ramp to the bulk of the deposit is progressing, with 480 m of advance needed to reach the bottom of the Main Zone. Process plant modifications are progressing, with initial concentrate production from San Rafael expected before the end of September 2017.
- Oceanus Resources Corp. announced an updated mineral resource estimate for its El Tigre property in Sonora. The resource includes two open pit and two underground operations at the El Tigre and Fundadora veins. The open pit operations contain 430 K Oz Au, 14.3 M Oz Ag and 73 K Oz Au, 9.6 M Oz Ag as indicated and inferred resources respectively. The underground resources carry 6 K Oz Au, 1.3 M Oz Ag; 38 K Oz Au, 9.1 M Oz Ag as indicated and inferred resources respectively. The total hard rock resource is 25.9 M tonnes @ 0.52 g/t Au, 19g /t Ag, containing 436 K Oz Au, 15.7 M Oz Ag and 6.6 M tonnes @ 0.52 g/t Au, 89 g/t Ag as indicated and inferred resources respectively. The tailings resource is 939 K tonnes @ 0.27 g/t Au, 78 g/t Ag, containing 8 K Oz Au, 2.3 M Oz Ag; 1 K Oz Au, 254 K Oz Ag as indicated and inferred resources respectively.
- Levon Resources Ltd. completed 5,655 m of core drilling in 18 holes at its Cordero project in Chihuahua. “The 2017 holes were drilled to test for near surface, higher gold grades within multiple rhyolite intrusives that make up the volcanic Cordero Felsic Dome Complex, and higher grade mineralization in contact breccia bodies that could improve a starter open pit configuration in the southwest part of the Resource.” Assays are pending.
- Mexican Gold Corp. filed at SEDAR the technical report on the mineral resource estimate for its Las Minas project in Veracruz. The report states an inferred resource of 719 K Oz AuEq contained in 10.3 M tonnes @ 2.17 AuEq and total measured and indicated resources of 304 K Oz Au in 4.97 M tonnes @ 1.90 g/t AuEq.
ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES
- Endeavour Silver Corp. and Capstone Mining Corp. entered into an agreement under which Endeavour has the right to explore and mine for precious metals above 2,000 m elevation (meters above sea level, or “mas”) on Capstone’s the Toro del Cobre claim, adjacent to Endeavour’s Calicanto concessions in Zacatecas. Endeavour granted Capstone the right to explore and mine for base metals below the elevation of 2,000 m (mas). The deal was done on the understanding of mineralization zonation in the district, with precious metals mineralization over 2,000 m elevation and base metals occurring below that mark (Note of editor.- This type of deal is not common in Mexico, and reveals a “Think outside of the box” attitude by both companies).
- Magellan Gold Corp. and Rose Petroleum PLC signed a definitive and binding stock purchase agreement on Magellan’s acquisition of the mineral processing mill operation in San Dieguito de Arriba, Nayarit. The purchase total consideration is US$1.5 M, consisting of $1.0 M in cash and $500 K in Magellan stock, of which $100 K in cash has already been paid. Magellan has arranged $900 K in irrevocable bridge loans in support of its option to purchase the 200 tpd mill.
- Advance Gold Corp. is to acquire a 100% interest in the Tabasqueña silver mine in Zacatecas. Upon receipt of regulatory approval, Advance will issue Hot Spring Mining, a Mexican based corporation, 1 M common shares. Hot Spring is to retain a 2.5% NSR, of which Advance has the right to buy 1.5% at a rate of CAD$500 K per 0.5%.
- Dyna Resources Mexico, S.A. de C.V. announced that it has received a favorable ruling with the dismissal by a court in Veracruz of Goldgroup Resources Inc.’s amparo trial challenge to the US$48 M damages award previously granted in favor of Dyna.
- Orex Minerals Inc. was made aware that Canasil Resources Inc. has been named in a lawsuit brought by Pan American Silver Corp. with the BC Supreme Court, regarding the mineral claims making up the Sandra Escobar project in Durango. Orex earned 55% ownership on the project from Canasil, interest that could be impacted if Pan American Silver’s claim is proven.
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, the ignimbrites of the Sierra Madre in Chihuahua, near Batopilas. Photo by Jorge Cirett.
