By Jorge Cirett

During the 28^th week of the year (July 6^th to July 12^th, 2020), at least 31 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. Notably, six of those were exploration updates and six more related to financing. ON MEXICO ISSUES, a 12,000 years old ochre mining operation (now submerged) was discovered in the Yucatan peninsula. Avino Silver is the new victim of an illegal blockade. Mining in Mexico has extensive benefits to isolated communities, workers and the government. The Mining Fund rules have been changed, granting more political freedom on its assignment. Mines in the country prepare for production recovery in the second half of 2020.  ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Tarachi Gold is mapping and sampling on its Tarachi concessions, announced the finding of a porphyry copper system. In Sinaloa, Brigadier Gold is now exploring the Picachos property; Vizsla Resources released high-grade results on its Panuco property. In Durango, Canasil is now drilling the Nora project.  ON MINING, Argonaut Gold, Endeavour Silver, Great Panther, and Hecla released production results for the Q2, 2020. The figures presented reveal the extent of the Coronavirus emergency lockdown effects.  ON FINANCING, Aura Resources is aiming to raise up to $1 M. Prospero Silver consolidated its shares on a 10 to 1 basis. Mithril Resources intends to raise A$3.5 M. Solaris Resources is to trade in the TSX Venture Exchange. Advance Gold raised $301 K. Vizsla Resources announced a private placement for C$25 M. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Mexican Gold commenced a 10,000 m drill program at its Las Minas project in Veracruz. GR Silver released more historic drilling results from Plomosas, Sinaloa. GoGold Resources released drilling results from eight more holes at Los Ricos Sur, Jalisco. Golden Minerals is drilling the Rodeo project in Durango. Magna Gold is producing gold from leaching heaps as it prepares to restart mining at the San Francisco mine in Sonora. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Aura Resources is to change its name to Gold79 Mines. Brigadier Gold entered into a LOI with Minera Camargo to option 100% of the Picachos property in Sinaloa. First Mexican Gold changed its name to QcX Gold. Candente Gold informed the due diligence work on Magellan Acquisition assets in Nayarit has been conducted, results pending. Silver Tiger Metals is sampling historic workings on veins north of the El Tigre mine in Sonora. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. Gold Resources, Torex Gold, Fortuna Silver, Fresnillo PLC and Peñoles informed on support activities and investments related to the Coronavirus emergency, community work supplies and/or about the “Day of the Tree”.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

• Researchers discovered 12,000 years old submerged ochre mines in the Yucatan peninsula. Multiple artifacts and evidences of mining were found in this cave system that was above sea level up to 8,000 years ago.
• Avino Silver & Gold Mines reports that members from the Mexican mining union have blocked the entrance to the Avino Mine in Durango. The group (that illegally blockades) includes the company’s unionized workers. As a result of the strike at the site, mining and mill processing operations have been halted.
• Mining in Mexico supports 696 communities in 21 States, and often is the only option to take basic services and jobs to regions far away. The mining sector provides 2.6 percent of the GDP and accounts for 8.2 percent of the industrial output. Salaries at US$779/month (17,521 pesos/month) are 39 percent higher than the national average of $513/month (11,549 pesos/month). There are 379 thousand direct jobs and 2.3 M indirect jobs generated by the industry. Mining paid US$1.91 billion ($43,095 million pesos) in mining concession fees in 2019, and US$7,755 billion ($174,500 million pesos) in taxes in the 2016-2019 period.
• The Mining Fund rules have been changed. The changes in the rules were published in the Diario Oficial de La Federación (Official Gazette), with the aim of speeding the process to deliver benefits to the communities, according to the document. The changes (which were opposed by the mining community because of the increased political control of the funds) include the elimination of necessary cost-benefit assessment of the projects deemed for social infrastructure, discarding also the obligation to establish coordination agreements in the request and delivery of said funds. The Mining Fund distributes part of the 7.0% of royalties and the 0.5% special tax on precious metal exploitation.
• Mines in all the country prepare for a production recovery in the second half of 2020, as all companies have scrambled to operate under health safeguards brought by the Coronavirus pandemic.

ON EXPLORATION

• Advance Gold Corp. provided an update on exploration of its Tabasqueña property in Zacatecas. The exploration that started trying to define epithermal vein mineralization has modified its target to a volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS). A large chargeability anomaly more than 3 km long was defined in a geophysical survey, and subsequent drilling has intersected disseminated sulfides. Drilling of the disseminated sulfides has returned up to 39 ppb Au, 7 ppm Ag, 351 ppm Cu, 54 ppm Pb, 295 ppm Zn.
• Brigadier Gold Ltd. entered into a binding letter of intent with Minera Camargo S.A. de C.V. for an option to acquire 100% interest in the Picachos property in Sinaloa. The area has more than 160 known historic underground workings, a recently identified porphyry copper prospect and drill permits in place. “The largest vein system trends northeasterly for seven kilometers along a major fault zone, and host the past-producing San Agustin underground mine”. Regional stream sediment results from a government survey shows several highly anomalous basins with up to 2.6 ppm Au, 299 ppm Cu, 13.9 ppm Mo, 639 ppm Pb and 1,716 ppm Zn.
• Vizsla Resources Inc. released additional drilling results from the Napoleon vein corridor at the Panuco project in Sinaloa. Highlighted core length drill intercepts comprise 6.0 m @ 66.8 gpt Au, 1,808 gpt Ag (including 3.7 m @ 107.8 gpt Au, 2,889 gpt Ag); 1.78 m @ 2.49 gpt Au, 59 gpt Ag; 3.5 m @ 1.11 gpt Au, 57 gpt Ag; 10.65 m @ 1.34 gpt Au, 134 gpt Ag. The corridor “ hosts two main quartz veins that are separated by some 10 to 20 metres and appears to dip very steeply to sub-vertical. So far it has been mapped along strike for over 2,000 m. Between the two main veins are a series of smaller splay veins with variable orientations, that are related to dilation along the structure under strike slip movement …. Vizsla has an option to acquire 100% of the newly-consolidated 9,386.5 Ha Panuco district in southern Sinaloa, Mexico, near the city of Mazatlán. The option allows for the acquisition of over 75 km of total vein extent, a 500 tpd mill, 35 km of underground mines, tailings facilities, roads, power and permits”.
• Tarachi Gold Corp. updated on field work activities on the concessions known as the Tarachi project, in Sonora. Detailed mapping and sampling on the La Dura and Virginia areas of the southern Jabali concession is near completion. Preliminary field work on the northern concessions of San Javier, Pretoria and Chivitas was also conducted, finding porphyry copper mineralization that is currently being defined. Environmental applications for drilling are ready for submission.
• Canasil Resources Inc. started the drill program to test the Candy vein at its Nora project in Durango. Mineralization at Nora is hosted within structurally-controlled epithermal veins, of which the Candy vein is to be tested in a 500 m stretch.

ON MINING

• Argonaut Gold Inc. announced second quarter production of 31,531 Oz AuEq from its Mexican operations. For the full-year 2020 the company expects to produce 45 K – 50 K Oz AuEq at El Castillo, 62 K – 68 K Oz AuEq at San Agustín (both in Durango) and 53 K – 55 K Oz AuEq at La Colorada (Sonora), for a total production of 160 K – 173 K Oz AuEq in Mexico.
• Endeavour Silver Corp. presented Q2 2010 production figures, which were down 42% because of the Coronavirus pandemic lockdown. On the bright side, significant true width high-grade intercepts were made near current mine workings, like 1.5 m @ 24.3 gpt Au, 3,217 gpt Ag in Bolañitos, Guanajuato, and 10.0 m @3.25 gpt Au, 1,410 gpt Ag at Guanaceví, Durango.
• Great Panther Mining Ltd. released second quarter 2020 production results, with figures from its Mexican operations. At Topia, Durango, 7,781 tonnes were processed @ 352 gpt Ag, 0.87 gpt Au, recovering 92.5% Ag, 54.0% Au to produce 81.4 K Oz Ag, 118 Oz Au, 163 tonnes Pb, 223 tonnes Zn. At the Guanajuato mine complex, Guanajuato, 16,755 tonnes were processed @ 133 gpt Ag, 1.80 gpt Au, recovering 85.4% Ag, 84.7% Au, to produce 61 K Oz Ag, 819 Oz Au.
• Hecla Mining Co. released preliminary production results for the second quarter 2020. At San Sebastian, in Durango, 2 M Oz Ag, 1,331 Oz Au were produced. Mining of oxide material is expected to be completed in the third quarter and milling in the fourth quarter of 2020. The viability of mining the sulfide Hugh Zone continues to be assessed. The mill operated at an average of 528 tpd.

ON FINANCING

• Aura Resources Inc. initiated a non-brokered private placement aiming to raise between $500 K and $1 M (Taviche, Oaxaca).
• Prospero Silver Corp. announced that the previously disclosed proposed consolidation of its shares, on a 10 to 1 basis, should have taken effect on July 7, 2020 (Pachuca East, Hidalgo).
• Mithril Resources Ltd. received firm commitments to raise A$3.5 M through a share placement. Funds are to be used for the maiden drill program at its Coplaquin property in Durango.
• Solaris Resources Inc. announced its common shares have been approved to list on the TSX Venture Exchange, and expects the trading is to be effective on July 13, 2020 (La Verde, Michoacan).
• Advance Gold Corp. closed the previously announced private placement, for gross proceeds of $301 K (Tabasqueña, Zacatecas).
• Vizsla Resources Corp. announced a bought deal private placement with Canaccord Genuity Corp. on behalf of an underwriting syndicate to raise C$25 M (Panuco, Sinaloa).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

• Mexican Gold Mining Corp. announced the commencement of a 10,000 m drill program to test all targets at Las Minas, Veracruz. A focus of the drilling is to expand and upgrade the current resource at El Dorado, follow up a previous 5.2 m pyrite rich quartz vein intersection @ 8.94 gpt Au at Cinco Señores, two high-grade vein trends at the Changarro zone, and the Las Minillas skarn occurrence. Other activities in preparation of the preliminary economic assessment (PEA) include the environmental baseline study, an enhanced metallurgy study and a Lidar digital terrain model.
• GR Silver Mining Ltd. released historic drilling results from the San Juan area at its Plomosas property in Sinaloa. Highlighted true width (tw) intervals comprise 1.5 m @ 2.1 Gpt Au, 8 gpt Ag, 0.8% Pb, 4.1% Zn; 21.8 m @ 1.0 gpt Au, 7 gpt Ag, 1.5% Pb, 1.0% Zn; 2.4 m @ 15.1 gpt Au, 45 gpt Ag, 3.1% Pb, 0.9% Zn; 10.4 m @ 0.7 gpt Au, 7 gpt Ag, 1.6% Pb, 2.3% Zn; 25 m @ 0.3 gpt Au, 26 gpt Ag, 0.6% Pb, 0.8% Zn. These results extend mineralization 600 m on the San Juan system, to a total of 1 km in longitude.
• GoGold Resources Inc. released the assay results from eight diamond drill holes at the Los Ricos South project in Jalisco. The San Juan, Rascadero, and East vein zones were tested, with highlighted results comprising 8.8 m @ 0.23 gpt Au, 44 gpt Ag at San Juan; 41.0 m @ 1.36 gpt Au, 168 gpt Ag (including 4.0 m @ 11.85 gpt Au, 1,295 gpt Ag); 18.4 m @ 5.18 gpt Au, 500 gpt Ag (including 3.2 m @ 26.2 gpt Au, 2,372 gpt Ag); 12.6 m @ 0.70 gpt Au, 111 gpt Ag at Rascadero; 3.0 m @ 0.33 gpt Au, 40 gpt Ag; 6.1 m @ 0.26 gpt Au, 36 gpt Ag at the East vein.
• Golden Minerals Co. has commenced drilling at its Rodeo property in Durango. “The upcoming drill program will expand on the historic drilling campaigns that successfully tested multiple gold-quartz veins and breccias of the Rodeo low sulfidation vein system with encouraging results”. Highlighted historic drills results include 28.44 m @ 3.04 gpt Au, 5 gpt Ag; 25.4 m @ 3.79 gpt Au, 4 gpt Ag; 22.35 m @ 3.28 gpt Au, 17 gpt Ag; 28.45 m @ 4.87 m @ 10 gpt Ag31.2 m @ 5.99 gpt Au, 12 gpt Ag; 19.15 m @ 2.58 gpt Au, 5 gpt Ag; 19.2 m @ 1.93 gpt Au, 6 gpt Ag.
• Magna Gold Corp. provided an operational update on its San Francisco mine in Sonora. “During the first two months of operations, the San Francisco Mine reported sales of US$8.53 million and operating costs of US$3.77 million with an operating margin of US$4.76 million. The Company produced 5,087 ounces of gold and sold 4,977 ounces of gold at an average cost of US$741 per ounce of gold produced and an average cost of $758 per ounce of gold sold. Gold production in May was 2,349 ounces and in June reached 2,738 ounces”. The company intends to complete the pre-feasibility study (PFS) by the end of July, when the processing of new fresh mineralized material is to start. Cash at the end of June at the San Francisco mine was US$8.4 M.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

• Aura Resources Inc. expects to change its name to Gold79 Mines Ltd. following the closing of the Territory Metals acquisition (Taviche, Oaxaca).
• Brigadier Gold Ltd. entered into a binding letter of intent with Minera Camargo S.A. de C.V. for an option to acquire 100% interest in the Picachos property in Sinaloa. To acquire the 3,954 ha property Brigadier has to pay Minera Camargo US$275 K over five years and issue a total of 4 M shares over the same period, and 1 M shares when defining a 350 K Oz Au resource and US$725 K and 1 M shares when a feasibility report is completed, US$2 M upon commercial production commencement and a 2% NSR.
• First Mexican Gold Corp. announced the change name to QcX Gold Corp. has been made effective on July 6, 2020 (Hilda, Sonora).
• Candente Gold Corp. informed its due diligence team conducted the visits to the San Dieguito de Arriba processing plant and the historic El Dorado mine in Nayarit. The due diligence visit is part of the Memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Candente and Magellan Acquisition Corp. “The results of these tests along with recommendations for rehabilitation work and projections of ongoing operating expenses will provide the basis for a cost estimate to return the plant to operational status with feed material from the El Dorado Property.” (El Oro, Estado de México).
• Silver Tiger Metals Inc. commenced underground channel sampling on the high-grade silver veins north of the historic El Tigre mine, in Sonora. “The areas of focus includes the Caleigh vein, the Canon Combination vein (unmined portion of the El Tigre vein), the Protectora vein and the Fundadora vein, all of which are located in the three kilometers of exposed veins at surface north of the historic El Tigre Mine”.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

• Don David Gold Mines (Gold Resources) informed on the actions taken to work under the Coronavirus pandemic emergency at its operations in Oaxaca. The company supports the Mining Fund with US$8.34 M ($187.7 M pesos) and US$533 K ($12 M pesos) for community deals and infrastructure.
• Minera Media Luna (Torex Gold) in coordination with local and State authorities released 300 K tilapia alevins (juvenile fish), with a shared company-authorities investment of $44.4 K ($1 M pesos). Also, $39.2 K ($881,764 pesos) were delivered to help the fishermen to modernize their engines and boats.
• Minera Cuzcatan (Fortuna Silver) announced its plan to plant 13,500 seedlings of native species of the central valleys of Oaxaca in 15 ha of ground. The company has planted already 25,000 seedlings over the last three years on 25 ha.
• Fresnillo PLC made a recount of the activities that the company has done regarding reforestation as years go by. The Bosque Sustentable Porvenir in Durango was established in 977 ha in association with the Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias. In Juanicipio, Zacatecas, 21,596 plants were relocated, and 14.3 ha were re-forested with 6,787 greenhouse seedlings. At La Herradura, in Sonora, 4,975 plants have been relocated in eight ha, and reforested 2 hectares more. Overall, 1.4 M seedlings have been produced since 2003 by the company.
• Industrias Peñoles created in Torreon, Coahuila, the 18 ha Bosque del Centenario in 2001, which is now a green space in the city. The company’s greenhouse produces and donates to the community and its members 80,000 seedlings per year.

Content like what you have just read can be seen at https://gambusinoprospector.com/ and at LinkedIn’s Mexico Mineral Exploration Group.

On the image below:   Vapor whiffs on a cool morning in a hot spring field in Queretaro. Picture by Jorge Cirett.