The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the First Week of November, 2020.

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Banded quartz vein

By Miguel A Heredia

During the forty five week of the year (November 2nd to October 8th, 2020), at least 28 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico and 1 news published by the media, with ten communicating production and financial results, eight informing on exploration results, five reporting on resources and development of their mine operations, three announcing financial rounds, two disclosing deals and corporate issues and one discussing social issues. ON MEXICO ISSUES, no relevant news.  ON EXPLORATION, In Sonora, Carlyle and its JV partner Riverside received results from the geophysical survey carried out at its Cecilia project. In Chihuahua, Mammoth provided an update of the current activities it is performing at its Tenoriba project and Consolidated revealed exploration plans for its La Chona-Enrique and Potreros gold prospects. In Sinaloa, Brigadier announced that the first five core drill holes collared at its Picachos property have intersected the San Agustin Vein and Oroco announced progress of a 3D IP geophysical survey on its Santo Tomas project.  In Durango, Mithril presented drill results from its Copalquin project. In Jalisco, GoGold released drill results from its Los Ricos Norte project.  ON MINING, Gold Resource, Torex, Premier, Magna Gold, Endeavour Great Panther, First Majestic, Golden Minerals, and Pan American Silver reported Q3, 2020 production and / or financial results from their Mexican operations while Consolidated Zinc announced October 2020 production from its Plomosas mine in Chihuahua.   ON FINANCING, Gatos Silver completed its initial public offering and commencement of trading on the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange (Los Gatos mine, Chihuahua). Orla Mining completed the second tranche drawdown of USD $50M (Camino Rojo project, Zacatecas). Candente announced its intention to complete a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of up to $200K (El Oro project, State of Mexico).  ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, SilverCrest announced new high grade discovery at its Las Chispas project in Sonora. Golden Minerals provided a business summary for the Q3, 2020 period (Rodeo property, Durango). Sonoro Gold announced drill results from its Cerro Caliche project in Sonora. Consolidated Zinc provided an update of its Plomosas operation in Chihuahua. Magna Gold provided a mine performance and operational update from its San Francisco mine in Sonora.  ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Aura announced results from its annual general and special meeting of shareholders (Aranzazu mine, Zacatecas). Defiance announced several appointments to its executive and management team (San Acacio project, Zacatecas). Mammoth reached agreement to extend surface access for two years with one of the two communities at its Tenoriba project in Chihuahua. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Minera Peñasquito continues supporting the communities in their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • No relevant news.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Carlyle Commodities Corp. and it JV partner Riverside Resources Inc., received results from the 3.8 Km-line IP survey in five lines carried out across the Cerro Magallanes at its Cecilia project in Sonora. The IP survey defined resistive anomalies in an area where previous operators drilled 30m of 1.41 g/t Au. Carlyle has refined and detailed drill targets with the IP survey using 50-m dipole spacing. Carlyle and Riverside are expecting results in the upcoming weeks including a drone aeromagnetic survey and a batch of channel samples covering the E-W extension between The San Jose and Central targets.
  • Mammoth Resources Corp., provided an update of the current activities it is performing at its Tenoriba project in Chihuahua. Mammoth is advancing the 3D interpretation of its 2015 IP-Mag survey to enhance the understanding of features that appear to control mineralization intersected in previous drilling campaigns. It is also planning to conduct an additional up to 72 line-km IP-Mag to cover gap areas at El Moreno target where coarse gold nuggets were reported to occur. This additional survey is also planning to cover east and west of the eastern and western most areas covered by the past survey where the trend of the mineralization remains open.
  • Consolidated Zinc Limited revealed exploration plans for its La Chona-Enrique and Potreros gold prospects in Chihuahua. The company has engaged an experienced senior geologist to develop a deeper understanding of the gold mineralization within the regional concessions.
  • Brigadier Gold Limited announced that the first five core drill holes collared at its Picachos property in Sinaloa have intersected the San Agustin Vein up to 180 m below surface. The company has already sent the core samples of the five holes to the lab. Assays will be released upon completion of the analytical work.
  • Oroco Resource Corp., announced that approximately 40% of a 3D IP geophysical survey has been completed on its Santo Tomas project in Sinaloa. The IP survey was designed to cover an area of approximately 10 square kilometers of the property which will encompass the mineralized South Zone, North Zone and exploration targets in the Brasiles Zone. Results to date have shown a strong correlation between chargeability features and the historical drill results in the known sulphide mineralization at the South Zone, represented by a chargeability high and resistivity low response that spans 1Km wide by 1.2km long located below the volcanic and limestone units and above contact with an inferred Laramide batholiths exposed to the south and west of the South Zone. The responses are open at depth and to the east.
  • Mithril Resources Ltd., presented drill results from El Refugio target at its Copalquin project in Durango. The company also has drilled the Cometa target but assays are pending. At El Refugio target, significant drill intercepts were encountered in hole CDH-015 with 4.48 g/t Au and 119 g/t Ag (5.97 g/t AuEq) over 3.85m, including 6.32 g/t Au and 187 g/t Ag (8.66 g/t AuEq over 2.15m; hole CDH-019 with 2.05 g/t Au and 52 g/t Ag (2.71 g/t AuEq) over 3m; hole CDH-020 with 3.07 g/t Au and 94 g/t Ag (4.24 g/t AuEq) over 8.7m, including 7.52 g/t Au and 184 g/t Ag (9.82 g/t AuEq) over 2.9m, including 5.08 g/t Au and 117 g/t Ag (6.55 g/t AuEq) over 1.5m. Holes CDH-022 to 025 also intersected the Refugio Breccia but assay are pending. Mithril also announced that the drill will be moved to test the Los Pinos, Reyes, Constancia and Apolonia targets.
  • GoGold Resources Inc., released drill results from La Trini at its Los Ricos Norte project in Jalisco. Significant drill intercepts were encountered in hole LRGT-20-046 with 1.55 g/t Au and 70 g/t Ag (2.48 g/t AuEq or 186 g/t AgEq) over 17.2m, including 2.1 g/t Au and 109 g/t Ag (3.56 g/t AuEq or 267 g/t AgEq) over 11m; and hole LRGT-20-048 with 0.48 g/t Au and 54 g/t Ag (1.2 g/t AuEq or 90 g/t Ag) over 29.8m, including 1.96 g/t Au and 141 g/t Ag (3.84 g/t AuEq or 288 g/t AgEq) over 4.9m.  

ON MINING

  • Gold Resource Corporation reported Q3, 2020 production results from its Oaxaca Mining Unit in Oaxaca. The company processed 153,531 tonnes to produce 4,728 Oz Au, 324.6K Oz Ag, 943.6K Lb Cu, 4.76M Lb Pb, and 12.2M Lb Zn during Q3, 2020. Through the first three quarters, Gold Resource has processed 415,584 tonnes to produce 13,619 Oz Au, 912.5K Oz Ag, 2.56M Lb Cu, 12.8M Lb Pb, and 31.7M Lb Zn.
  • Torex Gold Resources Inc., announced Q3, 2020 production and financial results from its El Limon-Guajes Mining Complex in Guerrero. The company mined 1.52M of 3.15 g/t Au and processed 1.18M tonnes of 3.83 g/t Au at a metallurgical recovery of 89%. Torex produced 131.8K Oz Au at a cash cost and AISC of USD $633 and USD $877 per Oz respectively, and sold 133K Oz Au. The company reported revenues of USD $256.5M, cost of sales of USD $153.5M for a net income of USD $60.3M. It also reported adjusted net earnings of USD $51.3M, an EBIDTA and adjusted EBIDTA of USD $162.9M and USD $156.2M respectively. As at the end of September, cash position totaled USD $204M.
  • Premier Gold Mines Limited, released Q3, 2020 production and financial results from its Mercedes mine in Sonora. The company milled 117,751 tonnes of 3.37 g/t Au and 32 g/t Ag at metallurgical recoveries of 95.6% and 40.8% respectively to produce 12,183 Oz Au and 49,975 Oz Ag. Cash cost and AISC were USD $608 and USD $885 per Oz Au sold respectively. The company reported gold revenue of USD $20.3M and silver revenue of USD $1.2M (USD $21.5M total).
  • Magna Gold Corp., presented Q3, 2020 production results from its San Francisco mine in Sonora. The company sold 7,473 Oz Au.
  • Endeavour Silver Corp., reported Q3, 2020 consolidated production and financial results from its Mexican operations. The company produced 932.8K Oz Ag and 10K Oz Au at a cash and AISC of USD $3.69 and USD $17.48 per Oz payable Ag respectively. Endeavour reported revenue of USD $35.6M from the sale of 741.3K Oz Ag and 8,997 Oz Au, a cash flow of USD $10.3M before working capital changes, and a net income of USD $0.5M for a cash position of USD $44.9M and working capital of USD $53.8M.
  • Great Panther Mining Limited, released consolidated production results from their Mexican operation in Durango and Guanajuato for the period Q3, 2020. Great Panther mined 65,393 tonnes and milled 65,393 tonnes with a grade of 1.31 g/t Au or 311 g/t AgEq. 
  • First Majestic Silver Corp., announced Q3, 2020 production results from their Mexican operations. Figures for each operation are shown in the table below:

Cash and AISC were USD $2.49 and USD $9.94 per Oz Ag produced respectively. The company reported revenues of USD $125.9M, mine operating earnings of USD $48M, net earnings of USD $30.9M, cash and cash equivalents of USD $232.4M and working capital of USD $266.7M.

  • Golden Minerals Company announced consolidated financial results for the Q3, 2020 period. Golden reported revenue of USD $2.1M and a net operating margin of USD $1.6M related to the lease of its oxide´s plant to Hecla Mining Co., as well as a cash and cash equivalents balance of USD $8.7M.
  • Pan American Silver Corp., presented production and financial results for the period Q3, 2020 from its La Colorada mine in Zacatecas and Dolores mine in Chihuahua. At La Colorada mine in Zacatecas, Pan American produced 1.44M Oz Ag at a cash and AISC cost of USD $6.54 and USD $10.07 per Oz Ag produced respectively. At Dolores mine in Chihuahua, the company produced 871K Oz Ag at a cash and AISC of USD $5.12 and USD $22.92 per Oz Ag produced respectively.
  • Consolidated Zinc Limited reported October 2020 production from its Plomosas mine in Chihuahua. The company produced 216K Lb Pb and 584.2K Lb Zn resulting in sales of approximately USD $820K. Metallurgical recoveries were 72%Zn to Zn concentrates and 39% Pb to Pb concentrates.

ON FINANCING

  • Gatos Silver Inc., completed its initial public offering and commencement of trading on the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “GATO”. Net proceeds will be used to increase Gatos Silver´s ownership in the Los Gatos District, explore and define further mineral resources within the 103,000 Ha of mineral concessions in the Los Gatos District, fund a future production expansion study at Cerro Los Gatos, retire high-cost debt, and for general corporate purposes.
  • Orla Mining Ltd., completed the second tranche drawdown of USD $50M on its previously announced project finance facility (credit facility). The funds will be used to develop its Camino Rojo project in Zacatecas.    To date, USD $75M of the USD $125M credit facility has been drawn. The third and final tranche of US$50 million must be drawn within six months of the second tranche and remains subject to meeting certain conditions precedent.
  • Candente Gold Corp., announced its intention to complete a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of up to $200K. Gross proceeds will be used to advance drill targets on its El Oro property in the State of Mexico, build a cash flowing business platform and gain access to properties with near surface exploration potential and for general working capital purposes.

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • SilverCrest Metals Inc., announced the discovery of the El Muerto zone, a new high grade discovery in the northwest part of the Babicanora Vein at its Las Chispas project in Sonora. The company has drilled 11,350m in 45 holes within El Muerto to expand high grade deeper in the Babicanora area. Highlights include hole EM20-37 with 12.68 g/t Au and 1,724 g/t Ag (2,675 g/t AgEq) over a true width (TW) of 1.5m, and hole EM20-35 with 9.46 g/t Au and 720 g/t Ag (1,430 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 1m. El Muerto has an estimated high-grade footprint of 500m along strike and 100-200m below the current resource in the Babicanora Vein. A weighted average of these drill results is 5.27 g/t Au and 389 g/t Ag (784 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 1.1m. El Muerto will be included in the updated resource that will be issued with the ongoing FS.
  • Golden Minerals Company provided a business summary for the Q3, 2020 period and announced planes for the development of its Rodeo property in Durango. Golden has completed the infill/definition drilling in preparation for projected production in Q1, 2021. It also commenced the installation of a new regrind mill circuit at its Velardeña´s oxide mill to improve recoveries and throughput of ore material projected to come from Rodeo project in 2021.
  • Sonoro Gold Corp., released results from 12 RC holes collared at its Cerro Caliche project in Sonora. Highlights include holes SCR-104 and SCR-106 collared at Japoneses with 1.28 g/t Au over 15.24m and 0.85 g/t Au over 16.76m respectively; holes SCR-096 and SCR-097 collared at Buena Suerte with 0.84 g/t Au over 16.76m and 0.51 g/t Au over 12.19m respectively. The company expects that these results will add ounces to the Cerro Caliche´s existing 201K Oz AuEq inferred resource estimate. Sonoro also drilled PQ core holes to obtain ore material to run metallurgical tests. “Management is expanding its development plans from the previously announced pilot level project to assess the economic viability of a proposed 8,000 ton per day mining operation”.
  • Consolidated Zinc Limited provided an update of its Plomosas operation in Chihuahua. Consolidated has commenced the reimbursement of its processing plant. A ball mill with capacity for 200 tonnes per day was identified, inspected and purchased. It also identified a flotation cells which plans to purchase.
  • Magna Gold Corp., provided a mine performance and operational update from its San Francisco mine in Sonora. The company is focused on establishing its San Francisco mine as a stable and profitable operation. Magna is advancing an underground decline to reach a higher grade vein system by the end of 2020. It also is conducting exploration drilling around its existing pits to expand the mineralized envelope as well as to indentify higher-grade underground mineral resource. Additionally, Magna has been pre-stripping both the San Francisco and La Chicharra open pits, and has been processing lower grade stockpile material and, more recently, fresh ore from the open pits. It has generated operating profit that has been re-invested into the mine. Magna remains on track to bring the San Francisco mine to full-scale operations in 2021.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Aura Minerals Inc., announced results from its annual general and special meeting of shareholders (Aranzazu mine, Zacatecas).
  • Defiance Silver Corp., announced several appointments to its executive and management team including its VP Exploration, VP of Corporate Development and Senior Technical Advisor, and Principal Geologist. The company also granted incentive stock options to certain directors, officers, employees, and consultants.
  • Mammoth Resources Corp., reached agreement to extend surface access for two years with one of the two communities at its Tenoriba project in Chihuahua. The company plans to meet with members of the second community and expects to obtain a similar two years extension agreement enabling Mammoth to advance exploration activities on its Tenoriba project. Meanwhile, the company awaits approval of a drill permit for up to 139 drill sites submitted in August, 2020.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Minera Peñasquito continues supporting the communities in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The company donated 10,000 one-liter gel bottles, 25,000 three-layer face masks, 500 KN95 face masks, and 1,500 plastic face mask.

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, banded quartz from a low sulphidation epithermal vein system in a prospect in Chihuahua, Mexico.  Photo by Miguel A Heredia.

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