By Miguel A Heredia
During the 25th week of the year (June 18th to June 24th, 2018), at least 23 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico, with eight informing on exploration results, eight communicating deals and corporate issues, five announcing financing rounds, one reporting on resources and development, and one running leaching tests. ON MEXICO ISSUES, no relevant news. ON EXPLORATION, In Sonora, Millrock reported trench results from its La Navidad project. In Chihuahua, Ethos Gold filed a draft NI 43-101 technical report for its la Purisima project. In Coahuila, Discovery Metals reported sampling results from its Puerto Rico project. In Sinaloa, Chesapeake released exploration results from its Yarely project and Riverside reported exploration results from its La Silla project. In Zacatecas, Excellon commenced a drill program at its Miguel Auza project while Defiance defined a significant anomaly at its San Acacio project. ON MINING, Mexus Gold provided and update on progress from its 8 Brothers/370 gold project in Sonora. ON FINANCING, Aura Silver announced the extension of 3.5M warrants. Harvest Gold closed a second tranche of a non-brokered private placement for CDN$149,600. Maverix entered in a revolving credit agreement to borrow up to US$50M. Prize amended terms of a non-brokered private placement to raise money for $6.5M. Starcore completed a private placement for CDN$3M. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Sierra Metals announced PEA results for its Cusi Mine in Chihuahua. Minera Alamos provided an update on its Guadalupe de Los Reyes project in Sinaloa. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Coeur signed a definitive agreement with Evrim to option the Sarape property in Sonora. Avino and Consolidated Zinc announced management changes, and Colibri and Torex reported results from its annual general meeting of shareholders. Marlin, Gold Reign, and Sailfish entered in a definite arrangement agreement regarding a combination business. Equinox announced a spin-out of its copper assets to create Solaris Copper. Valterra entered into an option agreement to acquire the Los Reyes Cu-Au project in Chihuahua.
ON MEXICO ISSUES
- No relevant news.
ON EXPLORATION
- Millrock Resources Inc., reported trench results from its La Navidad project in Sonora. Significant results are 7m of 0.64 g/t Au; 8m of 0.5 g/t Au, 16m of 0.59 g/t Au; 4.5m of 1.63 g/t Au; 2m of 6.5 g/t Au, 1.3m of 5.26 g/t Au; and 1.5m of 4.5 g/t Au. Its partner Centerra Gold is funding the exploration program at La Navidad and has authorized an extension of the drilling program from 1,650m in 7 holes to 2,900m in 17 holes.
- Ethos Gold Corp., filed a draft NI 43-101 technical report for its la Purisima project in Chihuahua. The mineralization target consists of low sulphidation epithermal veins which have been traced for over a N-S strike length of over 1.5km in length. The company signed a property access agreement to commence mapping and sampling work with 389 samples collected to date of which 189 have been already submitted to the lab for assays.
- Discovery Metals Corp., reported sampling results from its Puerto Rico project in Coahuila. 293 channel samples were collected at the Zaragoza mine, of which 83 were from manto mineralization and returned an average grade of 129 g/t Ag, 4.3% Pb, 7.6% Zn, and 0.12% Cu.
- Riverside Resources Inc., presented geochemical results of 52 samples collected at its La Silla project in Sinaloa. Significant results from the rock chip and channel samples are 1m of 2.1 g/t Au and 27 g/t Ag; 1m of 9.4 g/t Au and 196 g/t Ag; and 1m of 19.9 g/t Au and 200 g/t Ag.
- Chesapeake Gold Corp., released exploration results, including phase 1 drilling from its Yarely project in Sinaloa. At Loretos prospect, the drill target is a blind skarn-porphyry system indicated by a significant chargeability anomaly. Significant results are 213m of 0.11% Cu, including 64m of 0.17% Cu. At the Central prospect, one of the two holes drilled intersected several 3 to 6m wide structures returning silver values ranging from 11 to 30 g/t. At Lucy prospect, two holes tested skarn/carbonate replacement manto mineralization. Drilling results returned 22m of 0.33 g/t Au and 1.5 % Zn; and 25m of 0.6 g/t Au, 22 g/t Ag, 0.25% Cu, and 1.6% Zn. At Sundae prospect, the company has identified a 3km long high level-low sulphidation epithermal system that runs for over 3km along strike, with individual structures varying from 1-5m in width. A preliminary geophysical survey showed a continuity of the vein host structures to over 500m depth. At Los Mimbres prospect, skarn and hornfels boulders with Cu and Pb sulphide mineralization were recently discovered adding a new target within the Yarely project. Mineralization identified at Los Mimbres is similar to that encountered at Metates. Stream sediment, soil, rock geochemistry and geological mapping are underway to advance this target to the drill stage.
- Excellon Resources Inc., commenced a 3,000m drill program at its Miguel Auza project in Zacatecas to test targets generated from surface mapping, IP surveying, and structural work conducted since mid-2017 at El Cobre, Abejas, Carmen-Lechuzas, and Lomo de Las Minas prospects. Highlights from the surface sampling are 2.3 g/t Au and 667 g/t Ag at Lomo de Las Minas. Results up to 2.9 g/t Au and 300 g/t Ag were sampled at Carmen and El Cobre confirming mineralization in veins at both targets. Mineralization at Miguel Auza is hosted in epithermal quartz veins similar to those found at Fresnillo mining district.
- Defiance Silver Corp., defined a significant geophysical anomaly at its San Acacio project in Zacatecas employing Atomic Energy Resonance Imaging (AERI) technology. The AERI identified a pipe shaped anomaly which measures 400m in width, 300m in length, and is open at depth. The AERI anomaly is coincident with a recently delineated IP target, and will be drill tested in the near future.
ON MINING
- Mexus Gold US., provided and update on progress from its 8 Brothers /370 gold project in Sonora. The company has completed the crushing and loading of ore into the VAT leaching tank to run tests and expects to commence the leaching when tests are completed in the next days.
ON FINANCING
- Aura Silver Resources, announced its intentions to extend the expiration date of 3.5M warrants from July 9, 2018 to July 9, 2020. The exercise price remains unchanged at $0.05 (Taviche, Oaxaca)
- Harvest Gold Corporation, closed a second tranche for CDN$149,600 for a total of CAD$479,600 gross proceeds raised in the non-brokered private placement. Gross proceeds will be used to explore its Cerro Cascaron project in Chihuahua.
- Maverix Metals Inc., entered into a 3 years revolving credit agreement with two bank institutions to borrow up to US$50M. The credit can be extendable through mutual agreement between the involved parties (La Colorada, Zacatecas)
- Prize Mining Corporation, amended terms of a non-brokered private placement to raise money for $6.5M (Manto Negro, Coahuila).
- Starcore International Mines Ltd., completed a private placement of secured bonds for CAD$3M (San Martin, Queretaro)
ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT
- Sierra Metals Inc., announced PEA results for its Cusi Mine in Chihuahua. Highlights include an after-tax NPV of $92.2M USD at an 8% discount rate, a 9 years mine life based on existing mineral resource estimate, and a life of mine silver production of 30 M Oz. The company also reported Mineral Resource Estimate as at February 12, 2018. Total measured mineral resources are 362K tonnes @ 225g/t Ag, 0.55% Pb, 0.68% Zn, and 0.13g/t Au. Total indicated resources are 4.2M tonnes @ 217g/t Ag, 0.64% Pb, 0.66% Zn, and 0.21 g/t Au. Total inferred resources are 1.63M tonnes @ 158 g/t Ag, 0.54% Pb, 0.84% Zn, and 0.16 g/t Au.
- Minera Alamos Inc., provided an update on its Guadalupe de los Reyes project in Sinaloa. The company commenced the mapping of the Mariposa- Zapote structure to evaluate extensions that have not been drilled and could be target areas to expand the resource. The company also collected metallurgical samples and are being prepared for Au leaching studies. It also commenced engineering studies to establish locations and preliminary designs for Au heap leaching facilities.
ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES
- Coeur Mining Inc., signed a definitive agreement with Evrim Resources Corp., to option the Sarape property in Sonora. Coeur will have the exclusive right to acquire up to an 80% interest in the property by spending up to $16M USD on exploration, making staged cash payments of up to $2.5M USD, and completing a NI 43-101 compliant FS on a minimum measured and indicated resource estimate of 1M Oz AuEq, all within a ten-year period.
- Marlin Gold Mining Ltd., Golden Reign Resources Ltd., and Sailfish Royalty Corp., have extended the previously announced LOI to June 29, 2018 to enter in a definitive arrangement agreement regarding a business combination of the Golden´s San Albino-Murra property in Nicaragua and Marlin´s La Trinidad property, México.
- Equinox Gold Corp., announced plans to transfer all of its copper assets into a newly incorporated company named Solaris Copper Inc. (La Verde, Michoacan).
- Valterra Resource Corporation, entered into an agreement to acquire the Los Reyes Cu-Au project in Chihuahua. Valterra may acquire a 100% interest, subject to a 2% royalty to a third party, by making staged payments totaling US$4M over a period of 5 years. Target consists of a +800m long Cu-Au rich skarn developed in the contact between a Tertiary-age granodiorite intrusive and Cretaceous-age limestones and shales.
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 above, phyllic alteration in a porphyry copper system in Jalisco, Mexico. Photo by Miguel A Heredia.