By Jorge Cirett

During the 49^th week of the year (December 6^th to December 12^th, 2021), at least 20 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. To note, four companies posted exploration advances on their properties, there were no mining related news, two released financing news, one more settled a debt with shares and one more qualified to trade on the OTCQB; two companies released resource estimates, one posted on drilling results from an advanced property and one more provided an update on ramping up mining activities. One company changed its name and one more is to create a spin-off company for its remaining exploration projects. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Sonora, Guerrero and Oaxaca can become poles of mining activity. Camimex asked the president to ease the grip on the issuance of mining concessions, as it is to strangle the industry. The Zacatecas Mining Cluster inaugurated Quantum City. The national employment service increased the jobs offered in the mining industry. ON EXPLORATION, In Sonora, Heliostar Metals commenced drilling at Cumaro; Tocvan Ventures is trenching at Pilar. In Sinaloa, Vizsla Silver released drilling results from the Napoleon deposit at Panuco. In Guerrero, Pantera Silver received a drill permit for Nuevo Taxco. ON MINING, no relevant news. ON FINANCING, Guanajuato Silver and Prismo Metals announced or closed financing rounds for C$9.52 M and $2 M respectively. Aloro Mining is to settle a $211 K debt with shares. Sierra Madre Gold and Silver qualified for trading at the OTCQB in the USA. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Discovery Silver filed the technical report with updated mineral resources at Cordero. Fabled Silver released drill results at Santa Maria. GoGold presented the initial mineral resource estimate on four deposits at Los Ricos North project, and current resources at Los Ricos Sur and the Parral tailings projects. Minera Alamos updated on ramping up of mining at Santana. Oroco Resources released its first drilling results from drilling the Santo Tomás deposit in Sinaloa.  ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Advance Gold changed its name to Advance Lithium Corp., and Solaris Resources intends to transfer its non-core assets to a subsidiary company. Prime Meridian Resources optioned the La Verde Grande project in Sonora, for which is to forward US400 K in cash and US$8 M in shares in staged payments. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, no relevant news.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

• According to a note by Mexico Business News, Sonora, Guerrero and Oaxaca are to be poles of mining exploration in the coming years.
• Camimex (Cámara Minera de México) asked the AMLO presidency to grant new mining concessions, as the lack of issuance of titles is to result in a shortage of mines in the future due to the lack of exploration. Mexico has seen its standing on the Fraser Institute report to fall from the 29 to the 42 position from 2018 to 2020.
• The Zacatecas Mining Cluster inaugurated its Mining Center in Quantum City, to forward research, innovation and technological development in the State’s mining industry.
• The Servicio Nacional de Empleo (National Employment Service) increased its jobs offer in the mining industry.

ON EXPLORATION

• Vizsla Silver Corp. released results from twenty one drill holes targeting the Napoleon vein resource area, at Panuco, Sinaloa. The Napoleon vein measures approximately 1,000 m by 3.86 m in width, to a depth of 400 m, averaging 148 gpt Ag, 2.90 gpt Au, 0.46% Pb, 1.44% Zn (453 gpt AgEq), while the greater Napoleon vein resource area (including the previous one) measures 1,820 m by an average of 3.36 m in width to a depth of 300 m, averaging 142 gpt Ag, 2.62 gpt Au, 0.46% Pb, 1.39% Zn (421 gpt AgEq). Highlighted true width intercepts comprise 5.76 m @ 0.81 gpt Au, 56 gpt Ag, 0.8% Pb, 2.5% Zn; 1.21 m @ 2.25 gpt Au, 26 gpt Ag; 10.69 m @ 1.21 gpt Au, 220 gpt Ag, 0.4% Pb, 0.8% Zn; 1.74 m @ 0.29 gpt Au, 206 gpt Ag; 1.63 m @ 2.69 gpt Au, 34 gpt Ag, 0.2% Pb, 2.2% Zn; 2.52 m @ 0.54 gpt Au, 156 gpt Ag; 1.14 m @ 4.75 gpt Au, 128 gpt Ag, 1.2% Pb, 2.5% Zn; 2.90 m @ 0.76 gpt Au, 210 gpt Ag, 2.2% Pb, 1.8% Zn.
• Heliostar Metals Ltd. commenced a drill program at its Cumaro project in Sonora. The drill program will focus on the Verde, Basaitegui and Palmita vein corridors. The Verde target comprises three veins with 530 m strike length 0.5 to 5.0 m in width, where previous surface sampling has returned 5.0 m @ 10.3 gpt Au, 168 gpt Ag; 5.9 m @ 2.65 gpt Au, 105 gpt Ag; 3.0 m @ 4.68 gpt Au, 61 gpt Ag; 1.75 m @ 11.5 gpt Au, 125 gpt Ag. At the Basaitegui target vein textures indicate a shallower part of the system is exposed and the vein at depth is to be tested. At the 1.7 km long Palmita target the mineralization system is also interpreted as shallow and the aim is to intercept the vein at depth.
• Pantera Silver Corp. received a drill permit from the government for its Nuevo Taxco project in Guerrero. The maiden drill program is focused on priority targets within 135 ha area historically prepared for drilling by Impact Silver. This area hosts over 21 veins with “substantial width” and mapped lengths of 150 to 350 m, remaining open along strike and depth.
• Tocvan Ventures Corp. updated on the trenching program at the Pilar project in Sonora. “Trenching is currently underway with four trenches completed to date at 4-Trench, North Hill and Main Zone targets”. At the Main zone the plan is to test an area where surface sampling has returned 10 m @ 2.5 gpt Au, 27 gpt Ag.

ON MINING

• No relevant news.

ON FINANCING

• Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd. closed the second and final tranche of its non-brokered private placement offering, for gross proceeds of C$9.52 M (El Cubo, Guanajuato).
• Prismo Metals Inc. announced a non-brokered private placement intended to raise gross proceeds of up to $2 M (Los Pavitos, Sonora).
• Aloro Mining Corp. intends to settle a debt for $211.2 K to various insiders of the company with 3.84 M shares (Los Venados, Sonora).
• Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd. announced it has qualified for trading on the OTCQB Venture Market in the United States operated by the OTC Markets Group Inc. (Tepic and La Tigra projects, Nayarit).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

• Discovery Silver Corp. filed the technical report with the update of mineral resources for the Cordero project in Chihuahua. The NI-43-101 report for the preliminary economic assessment (PEA) for Cordero will be filed within 45 days of November 30, 2021.
• Fabled Silver Gold Corp. released results from one more hole at Santa Maria in Chihuahua. Nine core length intervals 1.5 to 3.0 m in width returned up to 0.16 gpt Au, 66 gpt Ag.
• GoGold Resources Inc. released its initial mineral resource estimate for the Los Ricos North project in Jalisco, and updated the mineral reserve at the Parral tailings operation. Oxide indicated mineral from the El Favor, Casados, La Trini and Mololoa deposits adds up to 14.5 M tonnes @ 0.37 gpt Au, 100 gpt Ag, and inferred mineral resources of 15.0 m tonnes @ 0.28 gpt Au, 95 gpt Ag, containing 171 K Oz Au, 46.5 M Oz Ag and 136 K Oz Au, 44.1 M Oz Ag respectively. At El Orito sulfide zone there are 7.8 M tonnes @ 0.06 gpt Au, 28 gpt Ag, 0.11% Cu, 0.88% Pb, 1.33% Zn as indicated resources, and 5.5 M tonnes @ 0.06 gpt Au, 28 gpt Ag, 0.12% Cu, 0.74% Pb, 1.20% Zn as inferred resources, containing 15 K Oz Au, 7 M Oz Ag, 19 M Lb Cu, 151 M Lb, Pb, 229 M Lb Zn and 11 K Oz Au, 4.9 M Oz Ag, 15 M Lb Cu, 90 M Lb Pb, 146 M Lb Zn respectively, for a grand total of 334 K Oz Au, 93.5 M Oz Ag, 34 M Lb Cu, 241 M Lb Pb, 375 M Lb Zn. At the neighboring Los Ricos Sur project, the company holds 385 K Oz Au, 49.9 M Oz Ag in measured, indicated and inferred resources. At the Parral tailing project proven and probable mineral reserves are 12.8 M tonnes @ 0.35 gpt Au, 32.6 gpt Ag, containing 144 K Oz Au, 13.4 M Oz Ag.
• Minera Alamos Inc. provided an update on the ramping-up of mining at Santana, in Sonora. Over 7,300 Oz Au have been placed on the leach pad, while cumulative gold recovery from ore under leach for more than 30 days his approaching 70%. “Mining and crushing activities at the project site continue to progress as operating experience is gained and the available Nicho Norte starter pit operating areas increase”.
• Oroco Resources Corp. released results from drilling at its Santo Tomas project in Sinaloa. The eight holes completed so far in the North zone and drilling continues, whilst results for the first three holes have been received. Copper grades are comparable to historical grades and confirm the 2009 gradeshell model of Cu > 0.3%, with chalcopyrite and bornite disseminations and veinlets with sparse pyrite. “Sulphide mineralization in the main intersections on the North Zone are hosted in strongly potassic-altered volcanic and intrusive rocks with an overprint of phyllic alteration”. Highlighted core-length intervals comprise 255.0 m @ 0.39% Cu, 100 ppm Mo, 45 ppb Au; 280.1 m @ 0.38% Cu, 120 ppm Mo, 25 ppb Au; 25.5 m @ 0.29% Cu, 150 ppm Mo, 20 ppb Au; 14.3 m @ 0.50 % Cu, 80 ppm Mo, 26 ppb Au; 207.7 m @ 0.39% Cu, 140 ppm Mo, 19 ppb Au; 76.2 m @ 0.18% Cu, 20 ppm Mo, 7 ppb Au.
• Prime Mining Corp. updated on exploration at its Los Reyes project in Sinaloa. Exploration results during the Q3 2021 include the discovery of Au-Ag mineralization in San Miguel East pit-constrained resource, in addition to near surface mineralization at Las Primas, additional high-grade results at Guadalupe East and strike and depth potential of the Zapote-Tahonitas mineralized structure. The planned phase two drilling program is to comprise 250 new holes and a minimum of 50,000 m.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

• Advance Gold Corp. changed its name to Advance Lithium Corp. (Tabasqueña, Zacatecas).
• Solaris Resources Inc. intends to transfer its non-core assets in Ecuador, Peru, Chile and Mexico, into a newly incorporated subsidiary named Solaris Exploration Inc., while Solaris Resources focuses on the Warintza project in Ecuador (La Verde (60%), Michoacan).
• Prime Meridian Resources Corp. executed a letter of intent (LOI) to purchase up to 100% interest in La Verde Grande 2,493 ha project in Sonora. “The Company’s plan is to fast-track the exploration and development of the seven currently known Cu-Zn-Ag-Au skarn zones, while evaluating in parallel, the significant opportunity for the discovery of copper porphyry mineralization proximal to those skarn zones”. PMR will make cash payments of US$400 K and payments in shares of US$8 M to acquire up to 100% indirect ownership of the La Verde project, subject to a 2% royalty. Upon completing the US$400 K payment, PMR will have earned 5% indirect ownership of the La Verde project, and further 45% indirect ownership upon issuance of 25 M shares @ CA$0.15 per share. PMR will acquire further 25% indirect interest by issuing an additional US$3 M in shares before the first anniversary. A final 25% indirect interest will be earned by issuing US$2 M in shares before the second anniversary. Of the 2% royalty, 1% can be bought by US$1.0 M.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

• No relevant news.

On the image below: X marks the spot. Mafic dike on granitic intrusive rock in Sonora. Picture by Jorge Cirett.