Hydrothermal Breccia
By Miguel A Heredia
During the fifty three week of the year (December 28th to January 03rd, 2021), at least 9 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico and 2 news published by the media, with three announcing financial rounds, two disclosing deals and corporate issues, two reporting on resources and development of their mine operations, two commenting Mexican issues, one informing on exploration results, and one discussing social issues. ON MEXICO ISSUES, The economic impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has left in the country has not affected mining companies they grew 50% their market value in the Mexican Stock Exchange. Four mining projects will start operations in Zacatecas in 2021. ON EXPLORATION, In Zacatecas, Advance Gold released drill results from three holes collared at its Tabasquena project. ON MINING, no relevant information. ON FINANCING, Gold Resource declared December 2020 monthly dividend (Arista mine, Oaxaca). Mexican Gold announced a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $1.4M (Las Minas project, Veracruz). Silver Dollar closed a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $560K (La Joya project, Durango). ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, McEwen presented results of a positive Feasibility Study (FS) for its 100% owned Fenix project in Sinaloa. GoGold provided an outlook for 2021 (Los Ricos project, Jalisco). ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Megastar announced results of its 2020 annual general meeting for shareholders (Yautepec property, Oaxaca). GR Silver and Mako amended an agreement in which the first would acquire 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of Marlin Gold Mining Ltd from Mako. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Gold Resource reported a fatality at its Arista mine in Oaxaca.
ON MEXICO ISSUES
- The economic impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has left in the country, has not affected mining companies since they grew 50% their market value in the Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV). For comparison purposes, at the beginning of the year, the stock market value of the four largest mining companies in the country (Grupo Mexico, Industrias Peñoles, Minera Frisco and Autlan) on the BMV was MXP $524.5 billion and currently stands at around MXP $796.5 billion, according to the stock market data. The foregoing contrasts with the general mining panorama, since according to the Mexican Mining Chamber, it is estimated that investment in exploration will register an annual decrease of approximately 25%, thus reaching its worst level in 14 years. The foregoing, according to the agency, is the result of the pandemic, but also of the lack of certainty on the part of the government, higher tax burdens and delays or denial of permits, since 84 mining projects were postponed last year.
- Four mining projects will start operations in Zacatecas in 2021: Camino Rojo, from Orla Mining; Distrito Pinos, from Candelaria Mining, San Nicolás from Teck Resources Limited, and Juanicipio, from Grupo Peñoles.
ON EXPLORATION
- Advance Gold Corp., released drill results from three holes collared at its Tabasquena project in Zacatecas. Significant drill intersects were encountered in hole AGT-18 with 139 g/t Ag over 4.5m, including 240 g/t Ag over 2.3m; hole AGT-19 with 172 g/t Ag over 1.45m, including 383 g(t Ag over 0.8m, and hole AGT-20 with 40 g/t Ag over 1.2m. The drill program will continue to test a 3,500m long continuous high chargeability induced polarization anomaly.
ON MINING
- No relevant information.
ON FINANCING
- Gold Resource Corporation, declared December 2020 monthly dividend and paid one-third of a cent per common share to shareholders (Arista mine, Oaxaca).
- Mexican Gold Mining Corp., announced a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $1.4M (Las Minas project, Veracruz).
- Silver Dollar Resources Inc., closed a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $560K. First Majestic Silver Corp., subscribed for 200,000 shares or $280,000 of the Offering Net proceeds will be used to fund exploration and development work on its projects (La Joya project, Durango).
ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT
- McEwen Mining Inc., announced positive results of a Feasibility Study (FS) of its 100% owned Fenix project in Sinaloa. The FS envisions a 9.5 year mine life, and involves two sceneries. Scenery 1 with an after tax IRR of 28% using $1,500/ Oz Au and $17/ Oz Ag; an after tax NPV (8% discount) of $32M; an after tax payback period of 3.2 years, and an average after tax cash flow per year of full production of $12M. Scenery 2 with an after tax IRR of $55% using $1,900/Oz Au and $25/ Oz Ag; an after tax NPV (8% discount) of $98M; an after tax payback period of 2.8 years and an average after tax cash flow per year of production of $25M. The Fenix FS development involves two phases: Phase 1 (years 1-6) with an average annual gold production of 26K Oz Au, $42M initial capex, and cash and AISC costs of $1,035 and $1,042 per Oz Au produced respectively; and phase 2 (years 7-9.5) with an average annual silver production of 4.2M Oz AgEq, $24M incremental capex in year 6, and cash and AISC costs of $14.20 and $14.28 per Oz AgEq produced respectively. Measured and indicated (M+I) resources for the Fenix project are 10M tonnes of 1.6 g/t Ag and 0.59 g/t Au for a total of 518K Oz Ag and 190K Oz Au, and Inferred resources of 0.1M tonnes of 1.64 g/t Ag and 0.66 g/t Au for a total of 7K Oz Ag and 3K Oz Au. For El Gallo Silver, M+I resources are 4.5M tonnes of 133 g/t Ag and 0.12 g/t Au for a total of 19M Oz Ag and 18K Oz Au, and Inferred resources of 0.1M tonnes of 129 g/t Ag and 0.14 g/t Au for a total of 286K Oz Ag and 0.3K Oz Au. M+I combined resources are 14.5M tonnes of 42 g/t Ag and 0.45 g/t Au for a total of 19.5M Oz Ag and 208K Oz Au and Inferred resources of 0.2M tonnes of 46 g/t Ag and 0.48 g/t Au for a total of 293K Oz Ag and 3K Oz Au. The company also reported proven + probable reserves of 10.1M tonnes for the Fenix project with grades of 1.g g/t Ag and 0.58 g/t Au for a total of 517K Oz Ag and 190K Oz Au; proven + probable reserves of 4.4M tonnes for the El Gallo Silver project with grades of 133 g/t Ag and 0.12 g/t Au for a total of 18.7M Oz Ag and 17K Oz Ag. Proven + probable combined reserves are 14.5M tonnes of 41 g/t Ag and 0.44 g/t Au for a total of 19.2M Oz Ag and 207K Oz Au.
- GoGold Resources Inc., provided an outlook for 2021 and plans to deliver a PEA at Los Ricos South in January; to conduct an aggressive 10,000m drill program at Los Ricos North to test 10 of the more than 100 targets identified to date; and deliver an initial mineral resource at Los Ricos North in the summer of 2021.
ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES
- Megastar Development Corp., announced results of its 2020 annual general meeting for shareholders (Yautepec property, Oaxaca).
- GR Silver Mining Ltd., and Mako Mining Corp., amended an agreement in which the first would acquire 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of Marlin Gold Mining Ltd., and to enter into a definitive agreement on or before December 31, 2020.
ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
- Gold Resource Corporation reported a fatality at its Arista mine in Oaxaca. The incident involved a light vehicle in an unauthorized and inactive area of the Arista underground mine. The Company is working with authorities in an ongoing investigation to establish the exact cause of the accident.
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, a hydrothermal breccia in a prospect in Durango, Mexico. Photo by Miguel A Heredia.