The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the First Week of March, 2022

/ Gambusino Prospector

By Jorge Cirett

During the 9th week of the year (February 28th to March 06th, 2022), at least 26 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. To note, nine companies posted exploration advances on their properties, one released Q4 and full year 2021 reports, one has started to receive a royalty from mining, three announced the opening or closing of private placements, six reported on drilling results or resource estimations and three on deals and corporate issues. ON MEXICO ISSUES, the governor of Zacatecas is fostering the relationship with the Zacatecas Mining Cluster. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Heliostar Metals informed on drilling at Cumaro; Aztec Minerals released RC drilling results at Cervantes; Minaurum Gold presented drilling results from Alamos Silver; Silver Spruce initiated exploration at Diamante; In Chihuahua, Golden Minerals reported results from the last seven holes at Yoquivo. In Estado de Mexico, Xali Gold defined drill targets at El Oro. In Nayarit, Sierra Madre Gold and Silver mobilized a second rig to its Tepic project. In Guerrero, Pantera Silver completed a drilling campaign at Nuevo Taxco. ON MINING, Argonaut Gold presented 2021 production figures for El Castillo-San Agustin and La Colorada. Maverix Metals commenced to receive NSR payments from the Camino Rojo mine. ON FINANCING, Golden Tag, Osisko Development and Zacatecas Silver opened or closed tranches of financing for $1.46 M (Total $3.25 M), $84.8 M and $15 M respectively. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Torex Gold updated the mineral resource estimate at Media Luna in Guerrero. Osisko Development announced 2021 drilling results from Sapuchi and Golfo de Oro, at its San Antonio project in Sonora. Vizsla Silver presented, then retracted and corrected the maiden resource estimate for Panuco, in Sinaloa. Great Panther Mining updated the mineral resource estimate for San Ignacio and the Guanajuato Mine Complex in Guanajuato. Sonoro Gold reported RC drilling results on its Cerro Caliche project in Sonora.  ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Zacatecas Silver is acquiring from Alamos Gold the Esperanza gold deposit in Morelos. Tocvan Ventures updated on exploration activities in Pilar and Picacho, in Sonora. Capstone Mining merge with Mantos Copper Bermuda has been approved in British Columbia. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, no relevant news.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • David Monreal, Zacatecas governor, offered the Zacatecas mining cluster a reinforcing relationship between the state government and the mining industry, for the development of local value chains.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Heliostar Metals Ltd. announced drill intercepts from its Cumaro project in Sonora. Highlighted core-length intervals from the Verde target comprise 1.10 m @ 1.12 gpt Au, 44 gpt Ag; 1.15 m @ 1.48 gpt Au, 29 gpt Ag; 7.0 m @ 0.47 gpt Au, 6 gpt Ag (including 1.50 m @ 1.20 gpt Au, 11 gpt Ag); 2.20 m @ 0.58 gpt Au, 20 gpt Ag; 8.10 m @ 0.71 gpt Au, 14 gpt Ag (including 3.00 m @ 1.42 gpt Au, 17 gpt Ag; 8.30 m @ 0.47 gpt Au, 1 gpt Ag (including 2.00 m @ 1.11 gpt Au, 1 gpt Ag). Assays are pending for five holes on the Verde target, and six holes at the Dos Amigos and Palmita vein corridors. “Drilling is ongoing on targets in the eastern half of the Cumaro property”.
  • Pantera Silver Corp. completed the first stage of exploration drilling at the Nuevo Taxco project, in Guerrero. A total of 692 m were drilled in six holes targeting two of the 21 veins known in the property. Three holes were drilled on each of La Negrilla and El Creston de Maria veins, targeting 100 m along strike and 40 m below La Negrilla mine workings in the first vein, and, disseminated sulfides vein and veinlets on the second one; two previously unknown structures were also intercepted on El Creston de Maria drilling. Results are pending.
  • Aztec Minerals Corp. released results from reverse circulation drilling at its Cervantes project in Sonora. Highlighted hole-length intervals comprise 88.1 m @ 1.1 gpt Au (including 54.88 m @ 1.56 gpt Au and 15.24 m @ 3.96 gpt Au); 108.2 m @ 0.37 gpt Au; 45.7 m @ 0.45 gpt Au; 167.2 m @ 1.00 gpt Au (including 24.4 m @ 4.25 gpt Au); 136.8 m @ 1.49 gpt Au (including 51.68 m @ 3.42 gpt Au); 100.32 m @ 0.75 gpt Au; 12.2 m @ 0.92 gpt Au; 7.6 m @ 0.68 gpt Au; 63.84 m @ 0.42 gpt Au. “The primary focus of the Phase 2 RC drill program at Cervantes is to expand the previously drilled California zone by completing two drill hole fences parallel to and on either side of the 2017-18” previous face.
  • Minaurum Gold Inc. presented drilling results from the final phase II holes drilled in 2021 at its Alamos Silver project in Sonora.  At Minas Nuevas highlighted core-length intervals comprise 9.90 m @ 609 gpt Ag, 0.18% Cu, 0.3% Pb, 0.5% Zn (including 0.90 m @ 1,145 gpt Ag, 0.12% Cu, 1.2% Pb, 2.5% Zn), and 21.70 m @ 93 gpt Ag, 0.1% Cu, 0.2% Pb, 0.2% Zn (including 4.85 m @ 159 gpt Ag, 0.22% Cu, 0.4% Pb, 0.4% Zn); 7.35 m @ 184 gpt Ag, 0.22% Cu, 0.2% Pb, 0.3% Zn (including 4.05 m @ 289 gpt Ag, 0.38% Cu, 0.3% Pb, 0.4% Zn) at San José, and 2.95 m @ 232 gpt Ag, 0.16% Cu, 0.3% Pb, 1.1% Zn; 0.95 m @ 763 gpt Ag, 0.25 gpt Au, 2.14% Cu, 0.2% Pb, 0.2% Zn; 0.45 m @ 399 gpt Ag, 0.53% Cu, 0.9% Pb, 1.7% Zn. “In 2021, Minaurum drilled 9,386.50 m in 22 holes focusing on sizable step-outs at the Ana, Europa, San José, Alessandra, Cotera, and Minas Nuevas vein zones”.  
  • Silver Spruce Resources Inc. initiated geological mapping on the main drilling targets of the Diamante project in Sonora. “Geological features of epithermal low to intermediate sulphidation Ag-Au (Pb-Zn), high sulphidation Au-Cu, and potential porphyry style Au-Cu occur as disseminated, stockwork and vein styles accompanied by phyllic, argillic, advanced argillic and propylitic zones, with nearsurface overprinting by weathering with iron oxide and oxyhydroxide staining, jarosite and relict vuggy silica”.
  • Xali Gold Corp. finalized locations for drill pads at El Oro project in Estado de Mexico. “New drill targets have been identified by using a 3D Leapfrog model and drillholes have been designed to test potential extensions to high-grade gold and silver zones intersected by previous drilling … The project covers 20 veins with past production and more than 57 veins in total, from which approximately 6.4 million ounces of gold and 74 million ounces of silver were reported to have been produced from just two of these veins”.
  • Golden Minerals Co. reported results from the final seven holes of the 21-holes campaign at the Yoquivo project in Chihuahua. Highlighted true width intervals comprise 1.4 m @ 7.14 gpt Au, 2,058 gpt Ag (including 0.5 m @ 19.50 gpt Au, 5,844 gpt Ag); 0.5 m @ 0.59 gpt Au, 89 gpt Ag; 1.2 m @ 1.26 gpt Au, 169 gpt Ag (including 0.10 m @ 10.20 gpt Au, 1,319 gpt Ag); 1.8 m @ 0.60 gpt Au, 64 gpt Ag; 1.1 m @ 0.26 gpt Au, 149 gpt Ag; 0.2 m @ 1.90 gpt Au, 148 gpt Ag. An environmental report has been submitted to carry out a 10,000 m drill program.
  • Mammoth Resources Corp. provided results from three holes drilled at its Tenoriba project in Chihuahua. Highlighted core length intervals comprise 16.5 m @ 0.27 gpt Au, 5 gpt Ag; 22.5 m @ 0.22 gpt Au, 3 gpt Ag; 18.0 m @ 1.21 gpt Au, 1 gpt Ag; 22.5 m @ 0.57 gpt Au, 1 gpt Ag; 13.5 m @ 0.30 gpt Au, 6 gpt Ag; 7.5 m @ 0.22 gpt Au, 1 gpt Ag. “In all holes the mineralization appears to be controlled by irregular sulphide enriched fractures-veinlets with minor quartz and/or alteration clay minerals typical to High Sulphidation mineral systems”.
  • Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd. announced that a second drill rig has been mobilized to its Tepic project in Nayarit. “This second rig is smaller and more portable than the first while maintaining the depth capacity and large core diameter that the Company requires. The decision to mobilize a second rig is a result of the success of the trenching program which has identified several additional drill targets and the superior assay turnaround time at the current laboratory”.

ON MINING

  • Argonaut Gold Inc. presented its Q4 and full-year 2021 report, including figures from its Mexican operations. During the year, at El Castillo-San Agustin in Durango, 37.24 M tonnes were moved, of which 20.16 M tonnes were of ore grading 0.29 gpt Au, producing 116,263 Oz Au, 570.7 K Oz Ag produced at cash cost $991 per Oz AuEq. At La Colorada, in Sonora, 16.22 M tonnes were moved, of which 4.83 M tonnes were ore grading 0.63 gpt Au, producing 64,860 Oz Au, 178.8 K Oz Ag at cash cost $730 per Oz Au. Production guidance for 2022 is 38-45 K Oz Au at El Castillo, 62-70 K Oz Au at San Agustin and 48-55 K Oz Au at La Colorada at cash cost $1,100 to $1,190 per Oz Au.
  • Maverix Metals Inc. informed its expectations on attributable gold equivalent ounces from royalties in diverse projects it has a stake on, including figures from one project in Mexico. Orla Mining’s Camino Rojo mine in Zacatecas has already poured its first gold and declaration of commercial production is expected to be made during the first quarter 2022. Maverix has a 2% NSR on Camino Rojo production.

ON FINANCING

  • Golden Tag Resources Ltd. completed the second and second tranche of the previously announced non-brokered private placement, for aggregate proceeds of $1.46 M, which coupled with the proceeds of the first tranche amount to $3.25 M. The company paid $7 K and issued 28 K finder’s warrants in connection with the last tranche (San Diego, Durango).
  • Osisko Development Corp. closed the first tranche of its previously announced non-brokered private placement, for gross proceeds of US$84.8 M. No commission or finder’s fee will be paid by Osisko (San Antonio, Sonora).
  • Zacatecas Silver Corp. is to complete a brokered private placement for total proceeds of up to $15 M. “Zacatecas Silver intends to use the net proceeds of the offering for the acquisition, exploration and development of the Esperanza Gold Project, exploration of the Zacatecas Properties and for general working capital purposes”.

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Torex Gold Resources Inc. updated the resource estimate on the Media Luna project in Guerrero. Indicated resources stand at 25.4 M tonnes grading 3.24 gpt Au, 32.5 gpt Ag, 1.08% Cu, containing 2.64 M Oz Au, 25.7 M Oz Ag, 602 M Lb Cu (or 4.39 M Oz AuEq), and inferred resources of 6.0 M tonnes @ 2.47 gpt Au, 20.8 gpt Ag, 0.81% Cu, containing 0.48 M Oz Au, 4.0 M Oz Ag, 106 M Lb Cu (or 0.78 M Oz AuEq). Not included in these resources are the 8.0 M tonnes @ 1.52 gpt Au, 34.6 gpt Ag, 1.27 % Cu, containing 0.39 M Oz Au, 8.9 M Oz Ag, 225 M Lb Cu (or 1.02 M Oz AuEq) of inferred resources the EPO mineralization zone, located north of the Media Luna deposit and south of the Balsas River. Exploration infill and step-out holes have been budgeted at $19 M for around 64,000 m of drilling.
  • Osisko Development Corp. announced the final drilling results from the 2021 exploration and category conversion drilling at its San Antonio project in Sonora. A total of 27,900 meters were drilled in 177 holes in 2021, with this news release covering 6,550 m in 33 holes at Golfo de Oro and 8,050 m at Sapuchi. Some of the highlighted core-length intervals comprise 19.5 m @ 0.81 gpt Au; 1.5 m @ 9.59 gpt Au; 21.2 m @ 2.47 gpt Au, 19 gpt Ag (including 1.5 m @ 18.00 gpt Au); 35.65 m @ 0.86 gpt Au; 31.25 m @ 1.45 gpt Au; 42.50 m @ 1.55 gpt Au at Golfo de Oro, and  5.30 m @ 3.58 gpt Au; 14.80 m @ 1.37 gpt Au; 26.65 m @ 0.93 gpt Au; 8.80 m @ 2.49 gpt Au; 40.8 m @ 1.00 gpt Au, 14 gpt Ag; 60.45 m @ 1.06 gpt Au; 22.95 m @ 1.07 gpt Au; 25.45 m @ 1.60 gpt Au; 10.50 m @ 2.39 gpt Au; 78.90 m @ 2.19 gpt Au (Including 3.20 m @ 21.30 gpt Au); 2.35 m @ 8.28 gpt Au; 18.30 m @ 1.41 gpt Au; 20.25 m @ 1.19 gpt Au; 17.90 m @ 1.75 gpt Au; 16.95 m @ 1.22 gpt Au; 13.80 m @ 1.31 gpt Au; 15.95 m @ 1.46 gpt Au; 18.60 m @ 1.18 gpt Au at Sapuchi. Most intervals run also 1 to 5 gpt Ag. “… gold mineralization is characterized by hydrothermal breccia that forms an approximately 3,000 m long east-northeast trending mineralization corridor with the Luz del Cobre copper deposit at the east. The gold mineralization is associated with intense chlorite and carbonate alteration and is intrusion related with host rock”.
  • Vizsla Silver Corp. presented the maiden resource estimate for its Panuco project in Sinaloa. Indicated mineral resources stand at 6.9 M tonnes grading 150 gpt Ag, 1.64 gpt Au, 0.27% Pb, 0.53% Zn (or 370 gpt AgEq), containing 33.2 M Oz Ag, 362.6 K Oz Au, 18 K tonnes Pb, 36 K tonnes Zn (81.6 M Oz AgEq). Inferred mineral resources stand at 5.3 M tonnes grading 156 gpt Ag, 1.51 gpt Au, 0.16% Pb, 0.35% Zn (or 334 gpt AgEq), containing 26.6 M Oz Ag, 256.6 K Oz Au, 8.5 K tonnes Pb, 18.8 K tonnes Zn (56.9 M Oz AgEq). A total of 124,915 m of drilling in 445 holes completed from 2019 to 2021 were utilized to calculate the resource estimate.
  • Vizsla Silver Corp. retracted the maiden resource estimate released on Feb 28, 2022 (see above) on its Panuco project in Sinaloa. “An internal review of the estimate identified a miscalculation made by an independent consultant in the conversion of lead and zinc grades into the silver equivalent calculation. This in-turn lifted lower grade zones above the economic cut-off, adding tonnes to the resource but lowering the overall grade”. The next restatement corrects this. Indicated mineral resources are estimated at 5.0 M tonnes @ 191 gpt Ag, 2.08 gpt Au, 0.26% Pb, 0.50% Zn, containing 30.5 M Oz Ag, 331.1 K Oz Au, 13 K tonnes Pb, 24.6 K tonnes Zn. Inferred resources are estimated at 4.1 M tonnes @ 187 gpt Ag, 1.79 gpt Au, 0.13% Pb, 0.30% Zn, containing 24.7 M Oz Ag, 235.8 K Oz Au.
  • Great Panther Mining Ltd. reported the filing of the technical report on updated mineral resourcesof the Guanajuato Mine Complex and San Ignacio operations in Guanajuato.
  • Sonoro Gold Corp. reported the results of the first 24 holes of its current 10,000 m reverse circulation drilling campaign at its Cerro Caliche project in Sonora. The goal of the program is to increase the size and grade of the oxide gold mineralization. The highlighted hole length intervals comprise 9.14 m @ 1.04 gpt Au; 22.86 m @ 1.55 gpt Au (Including 6 m @ 5.18 gpt Au); 3.05 m @ 19.56 gpt Au (including 1.53 m @ 37.90 gpt Au); 4.57 m @ 2.43 gpt Au; 27.43 m @ 5.36 gpt Au (including 4.57 m @ 7.16 gpt Au, and 4.57 m @ 22.09 gpt Au), 4.57 m @ 2.18 gpt Au.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Zacatecas Silver Corp. entered into a share purchase agreement on February 28, 2022 with Alamos Gold Inc. to acquire the Esperanza project in Morelos (previously known as Cerro Jumil). Esperanza is an advanced project with a measured and indicated resource of 34.35 M tonnes grading 0.98 gpt Au, 8.1 gpt Ag, containing 1,084,000 Oz Au, 8.93 M Oz Ag and inferred resources of 718 K tonnes @ 0.80 gpt Au, 15 gpt Ag, containing 18,000 Oz Au, 347 K Oz Ag. The project has 69,716 m of drilling in 389 holes. Zacatecas Silver is to pay Alamos Gold US$5 M and issue shares for US$10 M, a payment of US$5 M within two months of approval of an environmental impact assessment (MIA, in Spanish), further US$14 M within two months of either completion of a feasibility study (FS) or the announcement on decision of mine construction, and the payment of US$20 M within 6 months of commencement of commercial production. Also a $500 K finder’s fee is to be paid on closing of the transaction. “Alamos is entitled to receive 20% of the silver produced from Esperanza at a cash price of 20% of the prevailing spot silver price, subject to a maximum of 500,000 ounces of silver delivered to Alamos”.
  • Tocvan Ventures Corp. provided an update on its activities. At Pilar, in Sonora, the current phase III diamond drilling is in progress, with 1,200 m completed, results pending. Bulk samples for advanced metallurgy are at the lab, while the company moves towards a maiden resource estimate and bulk test mine. At Picacho, also in Sonora, exploration is commencing.
  • Capstone Mining Corp. announced the Supreme Court of British Columbia approved Capstone and Mantos Copper Bermuda Ltd. to proceed with their merge. Capstone owns the Cozamin mine in Zacatecas, the Pinto Valley mine in Arizona and the Santo Domingo project in Chile. Mantos Blancos owns the Mantos Blancos and Mantoverde (69.99%) mines in Chile.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • No Relevant News.

On the image below: Barite-quartz-hematite vein from a project in the Sonoran desert. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

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