By Jorge Cirett

During the 3^rd week of the year (January 17^th to January 23^rd, 2022), at least 34 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. To note, seven companies posted exploration advances on their properties, two announced listings on the OTCQB and OTCQX, nine presented quarterly and full year 2021 reports, five reported their 2022 production guidance, one filed the PEA on a tailings project, two filed technical reports on resource estimates and six posted on project development. ON MEXICO ISSUES, BNamericas listed eight properties to be commissioned in 2022-2023 for an investment of US$1.5 billion. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Ranchero Gold released drill results from the Maíz Azul target on the Santa Daniela project; Tocvan Ventures announced trench results from Pilar; Prismo Metals mobilized a crew to explore El Pavito. In Durango, Silver Wolf presented results from surface sampling at Ana Maria. In Sinaloa, Vizsla Silver discovered a fat and juicy low angle vein in the Tajitos zone of its Panuco project. In Zacatecas, Galore resources received the drilling permit for Dos Santos.  In Estado de Mexico, Xali Gold started a drilling application for El Oro. ON MINING, Excellon Resources, Alamos Gold, Avino Silver, First Majestic Silver, Fortuna Silver, McEwen Mining, Capstone Mining, Great Panther, Pan American Silver and Gold Resource presented Q4 and full year 2021 production results. Alamos Gold, Endeavour Silver, Capstone Mining and Torex Gold announced 2022 production guidelines. Tarachi Gold filed the PEA on the Magistral tailings project.   ON FINANCING, Southern Empire and Silver Dollar announced their listings on the OTCQB and OTCQX venture markets respectively. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, GR Silver released drilling results from San Marcial in Sinaloa. Mithril Resources presented metallurgic, surface sampling and drilling results from Copalquin in Durango. Fabled Silver announced results from drilling at its Santa Maria property in Chihuahua. GoGold released results from drilling at El Favor at its Los Ricos North project in Jalisco. Golden Tag announced results from one long hole at San Diego, in Durango. Endeavour Silver filed resource estimates on its Guanaceví and Bolañitos properties in Durango and Jalisco respectively. GoGold Resources filed the resource estimate on Los Ricos North. Barksdale Resources announced assay results from drilling at its San Javier project in Sonora. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, no relevant news. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, no relevant news.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

• Mining projects in development in Mexico for US$1.5 billion (US$1,500 million in Mexican notation). BNamericas listed the following projects: 1.-) Juanicipio in Zacatecas (US$440 M, Fresnillo-Mag Silver) with a six-month delay, is to produce 11.7 M Oz Ag, 43.5 K Oz Au per year. 2.-) Buenavista Zinc in Sonora (US$413 M, Southern Copper) is to start operation in 2023, to produce 100 K tonnes Zinc and 20 K tonnes Cu per year. 3.-) Los Filos expansion in Guerrero (US$213 M, Equinox Gold) is to increase production to 350-400 K Oz Au per year. 4.-) Pilares in Sonora (US$159 M, Southern Copper) is to augment production at La Caridad in 35 K tonnes per year. 5.-) Las Chispas in Sonora (US$138 M, SilverCrest Metals) is to produce 5.2 M Oz Ag, 56 K Oz Au per year. 6.-) La Yaqui Grande in Sonora (US$137 M, Alamos Gold) production is to report 123 K Oz Au per year. 7.-) Tahuehueto in Durango (US$32.2 M, Altaley Mining) aims to produce 16.1 K Oz Au per year, with Pb, Cu, Zn, Ag credits. 8.-) Santana in Sonora (US$7.55 M, Minera Alamos) plans to produce around 30 K Oz Au per year.

ON EXPLORATION

• Ranchero Gold Corp. released drilling results from the Maíz Azul prospect within its 22,300 ha Santa Daniela project in Sonora. Highlighted core-length intervals on three holes comprise 31.50 m @ 4.0 gpt Au (including 12.00 m @ 9.93 gpt Au); 12.00 m @ 0.32 gpt Au; 3.40 m @ 0.27 gpt Au, 21.00 m @ 1.08 gpt Au (including 10.50 m @ 1.68 gpt Au); 1.75 m @ 0.15 gpt Au, 5.90 m @ 0.47 gpt Au, 5.95 m @ 0.28 gpt Au. “Results and analysis are pending for drill hole samples testing the La Cascada target as well as expanding known mineralization at La Colmena. The final holes of the 3000-meter drill program will focus on extending the La Colmena zone eastward …”.
• Silver Wolf Exploration Ltd. presented assay results from 114 surface grab/chip samples on its 2,549 hectares Ana Maria property in Durango. Some of the highlighted grab sample results comprise 74 gpt Ag, 3.4% Pb; 120 gpt Ag, 11.6% Pb; 169 gpt Ag, 11.5% Pb; 150 gpt Ag, 6.0% Pb; 54 gpt Ag, 1.9% Pb, 12.3% Zn; 56 gpt Ag, 1.6% Pb, 21.3% Zn; 53 gpt Ag, 1.9% Pb, 7.8% Zn; 40 gpt Ag, 1.2% Pb, 16.6% Zn; 199 gpt Ag, 20.1% Pb, 1.7% Zn; 247 gpt Ag, 7.3% Pb; 339 gpt Ag, 10.0% Pb, 7.9% Zn; 319 gpt Ag, 8.3% Pb, 5.8% Zn. “In the southern claim, the extremely high-grade zinc and lead mineralization along with the high-grade silver values as well as the recently discovered historical workings indicate the potential for a carbonate replacement deposit”.
• Tocvan Ventures Corp.  announced trench results from its Pilar project in Sonora. Four trenches were dug totaling 80 m in length, with highlighted results comprising 4.9 m @ 0.55 gpt Au, 11 gpt Ag in one trench; 19.5 m @ 0.61 gpt Au, 6 gpt Ag (including 2.7 m @ 3.01 gpt Au, 20 gpt Ag) in the second; 19.8 m @ 0.73 gpt Au, 8 gpt Ag (including 8.6 m @ 1.27 gpt Au, 12 gpt Ag) in the third; 7.0 m @ 0.54 gpt Au, 5 gpt Ag in the fourth trench. “Follow-up metallurgical studies will utilize the surface material extracted from the other three trenches”.
• Galore Resources Inc. received acceptance of its drill permit applications for a 4,000 m diamond drill program at its Dos Santos property in Zacatecas. Crews have been mobilized to start the program that is to test El Alamo and San Jose prospects.
• Prismo Metals Inc. mobilized a crew of geologists to the 5,289 ha El Pavito project in Sonora. “The Company has planned a four to five-month exploration program that will include comprehensive mapping and extensive sampling of the concession to define drill targets”. Two of the three known main targets in the district are within Prismo concessions, with potential for epithermal and orogenic shear-hosted gold mineralization.
• Vizsla Silver Corp. announced the discovery of a new vein with high-grade results from drilling the Tajitos zone at its Panuco project in Sinaloa. The vein with a 35 degree dip returned highlighted true-width intervals of 83.10 m @ 0.78 gpt Au, 117 gpt Ag (including 10.46 m @ 4.06 gpt Au, 452 gpt Ag); 24.34 m @ 2.02 gpt Au, 230 gpt Ag (including 1.80 m @ 17.75 gpt Au, 1,523 gpt Ag); 81.91 m @ 1.00 gpt Au, 142 gpt Ag (including 2.31 m @ 18.04 gpt Au, 2,147 gpt Ag); 1.56 m @ 4.70 gpt Au, 599 gpt Ag; 3.81 m @ 0.59 gpt Au, 158 gpt Ag. “The Copala Vein marks the first discovery of this vein orientation and style made by Vizsla that has not been previously exploited by historical mining”.
• Xali Gold Corp. started a drilling application process for the El Oro project in Estado de México. New drill targets have been delineated by 3D modelling looking for extensions of previous high-grade intercepts in previous drilling. “Some of the higher grades were found in several veins with overlying lower grade disseminated gold near the Mexico-Esperanza Mines border area of the San Rafael vein”.

ON MINING

• Excellon Resources Inc. announced Q4 and annual 2021 production results from the Platosa mine in Durango. During the Q4 period 20,954  tonnes were mined, 21,309 tonnes milled grading 438 gpt Ag, 4.65% Pb, 5.50% Zn, recovering 90.5% Ag, 78.5% Pb, 83.7% Zn, to produce 271.5 K Oz Ag, 1.72 M Lb Pb, 2.17 M Lb Zn (492 K Oz AgEq). For the year, 85,530 tonnes were mined, 86,021 tonnes were milled @ 494 gpt Ag, 5.01% Pb, 6.03% Zn, recovering 89.5% Ag, 80.0% Pb, 79.0% Zn, to produce 1.22 M Oz Ag, 7.61 M Lb Pb, 9.01 M Lb Zn (2.06 M Oz AgEq).
• Alamos Gold Inc. reported fourth quarter and full year 2021 production, including figures from its operations in Mexico. At Mulatos, in Sonora, 23,100 Oz Au were produced in Q4 to complete 121,300 Oz Au during the year. “Combined gold production from the Mulatos District (including La Yaqui Grande) is expected to be between 130,000 and 145,000 ounces in 2022”.
• Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. released its fourth quarter and full year 2021 results from the Avino mine in Durango. During the fourth quarter 103.5 K tonnes were processed @ 56 gpt Ag, 0.86 gpt Au, 0.55% Cu, recovering 89% Ag, 75% Au, 90% Cu, to produce 163.9 K Oz Ag, 2,158 Oz Au, 1.13 M Lb Cu (541.4 K Oz AgEq). For the full year 165.3 K tonnes were processed @ 53 gpt Ag, 0.84 gpt Au, 0.57% Cu, recovering 87% Ag, 75% Au, 88% Cu, to produce 245.4 K Oz Ag, 3,386 Oz Au, 1.87 M Lb Cu (842.4 K Oz AgEq).
• First Majestic Silver Corp. presented its quarterly and full year 2021 production, including figures from its Mexican operations. For the quarter, at San Dimas in Durango 206.7 K tonnes were processed at a rate of 2,247 tonnes per day (tpd) and a grade of 347 gpt Ag, 3.71 gpt Au, recovering 94% Ag, 96% Au to produce 2.17 M Oz Ag, 23,795 Oz Au (4.01 M Oz AgEq);  at Santa Elena in Sonora, 224.5 K tonnes were processed at 2,440 tpd averaging 72 gpt Ag, 2.97 gpt Au, recovering 82% Ag, 92% Au, to produce 426.9 K Oz Ag, 19,810 Oz Au (1.95 M Oz AgEq); at La Encantada in Coahuila, 268.2 K tonnes were processed at 2,916 tpd averaging 117 gpt Ag, 0.02 gpt Au, recovering 75% Ag, 90% Au, to produce 757.6 K Oz Ag, 146 Oz Au. On the year, San Dimas produced 7.65 M Oz Ag, 81,237 Oz Au (13.52 M Oz AgEq); Santa Elena produced 1.95 M Oz Ag, 42,088 Oz Au (5.04 M Oz AgEq), La Encantada produced 3.24 M Oz Ag, 460 Oz Au (3.27 M Oz AgEq).
• Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. reported production results for the fourth quarter and full year 2021, including figures from its operations in Mexico. At San Jose, in Oaxaca, 262.8 K tonnes were milled at a rate of 2,920 tpd, at a grade of 219 gpt Ag, 1.27 gpt Au, recovering 92.8% Ag, 92.2% Au, to produce 1.72 M Oz Ag, 9,929 Oz Au during the quarter, and processing 1.04 M tonnes at a 2964 tpd, averaging 209 gpt Ag, 1.29 gpt Au, with recoveries of 91.7% Ag, 91.3% Au, to produce 6.42 M Oz Ag, 39,406 Oz Au in the year. For 2022 Fortuna aims to produce 5.2-5.8 M Oz Ag, 32-36 K Oz Au at an AISC of $13.7-$16.1 per Oz AgEq. “The Brownfields exploration program budget for 2022 at the San Jose Mine is US$7.4 million, which includes 26,200 meters of diamond drilling …”.
• McEwen Mining Inc. reported production for year 2021, including 540 AuEq Oz Au from residual leaching at El Gallo, in Sinaloa.
• Endeavour Silver Corp. announced its consolidated production guidance for 2022. At Guanaceví in Durango guidance is a mining at a rate of 1,100 to 1,200 tpd to produce 3.8-4.2 M Oz Ag, 4.6-5.2 K Oz Au, whereas at Bolañitos the sought mining rate is 1,000-1,200 tpd to produce 0.4-0.6 M Oz Ag, 21-23 K Oz Au, for a consolidated production of 6.7-7-6 M Oz AgEq at cash cost $9.00-$10.00 and an AISC of $20.00-21.00 per Oz AgEq. Exploration drilling planned in 2022 at Guanceví, Bolañitos, Terronera, Parral and Pitarrilla amounts to 44,000 m with a budget of US$8.7 M.
• Capstone Mining Corp. provided a corporate update and 2022 guidance, including figures from its Mexican operations. During 2021 the Cozamin mine in Zacatecas produced 24.5 K tonnes Cu, for 2022 the guidance is 23-26 K tonnes at a cash cost of $1.10-$1.25 Lb Cu. “Construction of the new paste backfill plant and dry stack tailings facility at Cozamin started in Q4 2021 and completion is expected at year-end 2022”. This facility will allow pumping half of the filtered tailings with cement to be used as backfill, and might permit the extraction of pillars from historic areas of the mine.
• Tarachi Gold Corp. filed the preliminary economic assessment (PEA) for the Magistral tailings project in Durango.
• Great Panther Mining Ltd. reported Q4 and full year 2021 production results, including figures from its Mexican operations. At Topia, in Durango, 14.6 K tonnes were processed @ 301 gpt Ag, 0.74 gpt Au, recovering 91% Ag, 63% Au to produce 128.6 K Oz Ag, 218 Oz Au, 235 tonnes Pb, 406 K tonnes Zn (2,494 Oz AuEq). At the Guanajuato Mine Complex  (GMC) in Guanajuato, 27.8 K tonnes were processed @ 127 gpt Ag, 1.70 gpt Au, recovering 87% Ag, 86% Au, to produce 98.4 K Oz Ag, 1,302 Oz Au (2,460 Oz AuEq). On the year Topia produced 716.5 K Oz Ag, 1,047 Oz Au, 1,385 tonnes Pb, 1,849 tonnes Zn (13,290 Oz AuEq) and the GMC 485.3 K Oz Ag, 6,659 Oz Au (12,369 Oz AuEq). The company is awaiting “ the permits from CONAGUA necessary to extend the tailings dam. Mining activity at the San Ignacio mine has also been suspended while Great Panther continues to proactively engage with CONAGUA in regards of the tailings dam permit and to explore other alternatives to maximize value from the GMC”.
• Pan American Silver Corp. presented preliminary production results for Q4 and full year 2021, including figures from its Mexican operations. At La Colorada in Zacatecas 1.58 M Oz Ag, 800 Oz Au were produced in Q4, and 5.17 M Oz Ag, 2,700 Oz Au in the year. At Dolores in Chihuahua 507 K Oz Ag, 40,100 Oz Au were produced in Q4, and 2.24 M Oz Ag, 160,100 Oz Au in the year.
• Torex Gold Resources Inc. provided 2022 operational guidance for its El Limon Guajes mine in Guerrero. Torex aims to produce $430-470 K Oz Au at total cash cost $695-$735 per Oz Au. The company is to invest $39 M min exploration at Media Luna, ELG Underground, near mine and regional and definition and grade control drilling.
• Gold Resource Corp. presented Q4 and full year 2021 production results for its Don David project in Oaxaca. During the fourth quarter at the Arista mine 135.4 K tonnes were milled @ 1.93 gpt Au, 82 gpt Ag, 0.38% Cu, 2.2% Pb, 4.8% Zn, to produce 6,854 Oz Au, 330.9 K Oz Ag, 413 tonnes Cu, 2,345 tonnes Pb, 5,350 tonnes Zn. During the year 487 K tonnes were milled @ 2.01 gpt Au, 82 gpt Ag, 0.39% Cu, 1.93 % Pb, 4.36% Zn, to produce 26,438 Oz Au, 1.2 M Oz Ag, 1,506 tonnes Cu, 7,544 tonnes Pb, 17,329 tonnes Zn.  

ON FINANCING

• Southern Empire Resources Corp. received approval from its shareholders to be listed on the OTCQB in the United States, and granted 900 K shares to directors, officers and consultants (Pedro, Durango).
• Silver Dollar Resources Inc. reported its shares have qualified to be upgraded from the OTCQB Venture Market to the OTCQX Best Market (La Joya, Durango).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

• GR Silver Mining Ltd. released wide, high-grade results from diamond drilling at the San Marcial area of the Plomosas project in Sinaloa. The drilling focus was to test high-grade mineralization extensions along strike and down-dip from the current mineral resource. Highlighted true-width (TW) intercepts comprise 13.5 m @ 773 gpt Ag, 0.3% Pb, 0.4% Zn (including 4.1 m @ 1,792 gpt Ag, and 5.8 m @ 516 gpt Ag); 2.6 m @ 1 gpt Ag, 1.08 gpt Au; 24.5 m @ 97 gpt Ag, 0.2% Pb, 0.2% Zn (including 1.9 m @ 881 gpt Ag); 17.5 m @ 53 gpt Ag, 0.3% Pb, 0.5% Zn.
• Mithril Resources Ltd. presented metallurgic, surface sampling and drilling results from its Copalquin project in Durango. Metallurgical test work for the El Refugio resource using flotation recovered 94% Au, 88% Ag. High-grade results from samples from workings at Las Brujas, El Peru and Dios Hijo returned up to 0.65 m @ 49.0 gpt Au, 665 gpt Ag; 1.0 m @ 7.93 gpt Au, 366 gpt Ag; 0.8 m @ 10.4 gpt Au, 422 gpt Ag. Highlighted core-length intervals comprise 6.00 m @ 0.84 gpt Au, 117 gpt Ag; 2.00 m @ 5.57 gpt Au, 162 gpt Ag at El Refugio, 4.55 m @ 8.29 gpt Au, 138 gpt Ag; 1.70 m @ 20.2 gpt Au, 298 gpt Ag at El Cometa, 2.0 m @ 1.02 gpt Au, 44 gpt Ag; 1.0 m @ 4.29 gpt Au, 17 gpt Ag; 1.0 m @ 4.47 gpt Au, 7 gpt Ag; 2.0 m @ 1.33 gpt Au, 60 gpt Ag; 1.0 m @ 1.18 gpt Au, 11 gpt Ag; 0.50 m  @ 6.50 gpt Au, 95 gpt Ag; 1.0 m @ 3.61 gpt Au, 22 gpt Ag on the eastern side of El Refugio.
• Fabled Silver Gold Corp. announced results from surface diamond drilling of the upgraded 14,400 m program at its Santa Maria property in Chihuahua. Highlighted core-length intercepts comprise 0.90 m @ 90 gpt Ag, 0.16 gpt Au; 7.80 m @ 164 gpt Ag, 0.51 gpt Au, 0.1% Pb, 0.2% Zn (including 3.90 m @ 295 gpt Ag, 0.65 gpt Au, 0.1% Pb, 0.5% Zn).
• GoGold Resources Inc. announced results for nine holes at El Favor East zone on its Los Ricos North project in Jalisco. Highlighted core-length intercepts comprise 54.0 m @ 0.15 gpt Au, 64 gpt Ag (including 5.3 m @ 0.44 gpt Au, 162 gpt Ag); 11.7 m @ 0.41 gpt Au, 129 gpt Ag; 25.5 m @ 0.07 gpt Au, 60 gpt Ag (including 2.0 m @ 0.24 gpt Au, 499 gpt Ag); 28.3 m @ 0.46 gpt Au, 154 gpt Ag (including 1.4 m @ 5.24 gpt Au, 1,310 gpt Ag); 3.3 m @ 0.70 gpt Au, 262 gpt Ag; 8.3 m @ 0.61 gpt Au, 201 gpt Ag; 10.6 m @ 0.95 gpt Au, 202 gpt Ag; 7.2 m @ 0.27 gpt Au, 61 gpt Ag; 52.0 m @ 0.18 gpt Au, 61 gpt Ag. To date approximately 800 m of El Favor East have been drilled, showing strong mineralization. The holes on this release were not included in the resource estimate released past December.
• Golden Tag Resources Ltd. announced complete results for one drill hole at its San Diego project in Durango. Highlighted core-length intervals comprise 0.50 m @ 329 gpt Ag, 3.7% Pb, 2.7% Zn; 0.95 m @ 623 gpt Ag, 2.2% Pb, 2.5% Zn, 0.17% Cu in the Csplay zone, 0.56 m @ 1,460 gpt Ag, 12.5% Pb, 2.9% Zn, 0.27% Cu; 2.44 m @ 0.13 gpt Au, 104 gpt Ag, 0.7% Pb, 1.2% Zn in the Canta zone, 35.74 m @ 40 gpt Ag, 1.0% Pb, 1.0% Zn (including 7.78 m @ 86 gpt Ag, 2.4% Pb, 2.4% Zn); 322.90 m @ 0.03 gpt Au, 40 gpt Ag, 0.6% Pb, 0.7% Zn (including 27.70 m @ 72 gpt Ag, 1.5% Pb, 1.3% Zn, 0.1% Cu) and 91.60 m @ 60 gpt Ag, 0.7% Pb, 1.1% Zn, 0.13% Cu in the Fernandez zone. “The Fernandez Zone is steeply plunging cigar-shaped structure characterized by green and brown garnet exoskarn and red garnet endoskarn sulphide mineralization (pyrite-pyrrhotite-sphalerite-galena) contained within quartz-sulphide stockwork veins, breccias, and massive sulphide zones which are spatially associated with the contacts of diorite intrusive bodies”.
• Endeavour Silver Corp. filed the technical reports on Guanaceví, in Durango, and Bolañitos, in Guanajuato. The reports cover the updated mineral resources on the properties, which add up to 312.9 K tonnes @ 49 gpt Ag, 2.53 gpt Au, containing 488.2 K Oz Ag, 25,500 Oz Au in mineral reserves, 468. 1 K tonnes @ 159 gpt Ag, 2.27 gpt Au, containing 2.4 M Oz Ag, 34,218 Oz Au in the measured and indicated category and  625.3 K tonnes @ 120 gpt Ag, 2.52 gpt Au, containing 2.41 M Oz Ag, 50,733 Oz Au in inferred resources at Bolañitos; and mineral reserves  of 1.09 M tonnes @ 343 gpt Ag, 0.93 gpt Au, containing 12 M Oz Ag, 32,527 Oz Au (32.53 M Oz AgEq) with measured, indicated and inferred resources of 1.53 M tonnes @ 440 gpt Ag, 1.03 gpt Au, containing 21.6 M Oz Ag, 50,349 Oz Au (25.64 M Oz AgEq) at Guanaceví.
• GoGold Resources Inc. filed the technical report with the resource estimate for Los Ricos North in Jalisco. The resources comprises five deposits with indicated resources of 53.5 M Oz Ag, 186 K Oz Au in oxides and 49 M Oz Ag, 148 K Oz Au, 15 M Lb Cu, 90 M Lb Pb, 258 M Lb Zn in sulfides.
• Barksdale Resources Corp. announced assay results from eight holes from its phase I drilling program at San Javier, in Sonora. Highlighted core-length intervals comprise 6 m @ 0.90% Cu; 18 m @ 0.38% Cu; 39 m @ 0.61% Cu, 27 m @ 0.26% Cu; 12 m @ 0.48% Cu, 33 m @ 0.28% Cu; 12 m @ 0.52% Cu; 27 m @ 0.33% Cu; 13,5 m @ 0.35% Cu; 47 m @ 0.75% Cu; 15 m @ 0.07% Cu, 0.73 gpt Au; 9 m @ 0.02% Cu, 0.41 gpt Au; 9 m @ 0.02% Cu, 0.84 gpt Au; 3 m @ 0.01% Cu, 0.58 gpt Au. “The final results from the drilling program, which are primarily step-out holes to the west and south, are expected to be released within the next few weeks, at which point we can complete our resource estimation for Cerro Verde”.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

• No Relevant News.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

• No Relevant News.

On the image below: Coarsely banded multi-stage quartz-barite epithermal vein in the Sonoran desert. Picture by Jorge Cirett.