The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the First Week of May, 2023.

/ gambusinoprospectormexico

Quartz veining hosted in a hydrothermaly-altered intrusive

By Miguel A Heredia

During the 18th week of the year (May 1st to May 7th, 2023), at least 28 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico, and 2 news published by the media, with eleven reporting resources and developments of their properties, six commenting on Mexican issues, four communicating production and financial results, three disclosing deals and corporate issues, three announcing financing issues, two informing on exploration results, and one discussing social issues. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Fortuna Silver reported an illegal blockade at its San Jose mine in Oaxaca. At least 40 companies from Canada and the United States that operate in Mexico expressed their intention to protect themselves after the approval of the reforms to the Mining Law. Chesapeake has initiated legal proceedings against the Dirección General de Minas of Mexico (DGM) with the Federal Court of Administrative Justice in the state of Durango, Mexico in response to the DGM’s cancellation of the San Vicente 3 mineral concession. Radius filed a legal demand with a Federal Mexican Court to obtain title to the Amelia 4 mining concession at its Amalia project in Chihuahua. The Senate of Mexico approved the mining reform that reduces and facilitates the cancellation of concessions. Bendito Resources, Infinitum Copper, Pan American Silver, and Silver Tiger reported the best drilling intercepts in Mexico on the first week of May, 2023. ON EXPLORATION, In Sonora, Infinitum Copper reported results from 6 of 12 drill holes collared at its Adelita project. In Chihuahua, Reyna Silver provided an update on their Batopilas and Guigui projects.  ON MINING, Capstone, Argonaut, and First Majestic reported Q1, 2023 production and financial results for their Mexican operations. Minera Alamos reported full year 2022 production and financial results from its Santana property in Sonora.  ON FINANCING, Sonoro Gold announced it plans to undertake a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of up to CAD $3M (Cerro Caliche project, Sonora). Kootenay announced a private placement for gross proceeds of $4M (Columba project, Chihuahua). First Majestic announced that its Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend payment in the amount of $0.0057 per common share for Q1, 2023. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Xali received the change in soil use permit for its El Oro Tailings project in Mexico State. Bendito Resources presented results from the last 9 of 18 RC holes drilled at its El Alacran project in Sonora. Silver Tiger announced results from its ongoing drill program at its El Tigre project in Sonora. Capstone reported Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources for its Cozamin property in Zacatecas as at January 1, 2023. GR Silver filed a NI 43-101 technical report to provide an updated resource estimate for its Plomosas project in Sinaloa. GoGold released additional results from its ongoing drilling campaign at its Los Ricos South project in Jalisco. Oroco presented a Mineral Resource Estimate as of April 21, 2013 for its Santo Tomas project in Sinaloa. Prime announced an updated Mineral Resource Estimate for its Los Reyes property in Sinaloa. Pan American Silver released results of eighth holes drilled at La Colorada Skarn project in Zacatecas. Minera Alamos announced positive results of an independent Preliminary Economic Assessment for its Cerro de Oro project in Zacatecas. Torex provided the second quarterly update on its Media Luna project in Guerrero. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Bear Creek announced its CEO succession (Mercedes mine, Sonora). GR Silver announced the retirement of its CFO and the appointment of its replacement (Plomosas project, Sinaloa). Tarachi signed a definitive agreement for the sale of Magistral Tailings project in Durango.  ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Almaden completed a social impact assessment relating to its Ixtaca project in Puebla, and underlying mineral claim area.

ON MEXICO ISSUE

  • Fortuna Silver Mines Inc., reported an illegal blockade at its San Jose mine in Oaxaca due to a group of workers did not agree with the estimated amount the Company is to distribute among the workforce as part of the worker´s profit sharing entitlement. Profit sharing is a transparent calculation and is payable in accordance with Mexican legislation.  As a consequence, operations at the mine have been temporarily halted.
  • At least 40 companies from Canada and the United States that operate in Mexico expressed their intention to protect themselves after the approval of the reforms to the Mining Law by the government because they consider that they are violating their rights and that they are being changing the rules of the game. The law firm Von Wobeser y Sierra, anticipated that they will also consider the international arbitration considered as a mechanism to resolve disputes within the framework of the Free Trade Agreement between Mexico, the United States and Canada (T-MEC) and the Trans-Pacific Economic Cooperation Agreement (TPP). The elimination of the concepts of Free Land and First Applicant are the elements that most concern companies because with them the government could “legalize” the non-granting of concessions to private parties, by giving the exploration monopoly to the Mexican Geological Service (SGM). ), warned the Mining Chamber of Mexico (Camimex). Until now, the Canadian mining company Silver Bull Resources presented in March to the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) its intention to claim economic damages for at least USD $178M for the blockade of its Sierra Mojada Project since September 2019. The American Vulcan Materials presented to ICSID a claim for an estimated damage of at least USD 1.9 B against Mexico for the closure and occupation of the Sac-Tun mine (formerly Calica) and the Punta Venado pier in Playa del Carmen. A resolution on this issue is pending since May 2022.
  • Chesapeake Gold Corporation has initiated legal proceedings against the Dirección General de Minas of Mexico (DGM) with the Federal Court of Administrative Justice in the state of Durango, Mexico in response to the DGM’s cancellation of the San Vicente 3 mineral concession, on the basis that the Company did not provide adequate evidence to support the Company’s performance of the exploration work required to maintain the concession. The Company’s legal position, approved by external Mexican legal counsel, is that the work required to maintain the concession was conducted on the property and appropriate evidence was submitted to the DGM to substantiate the work. The San Vicente 3 mineral concession is one of 12 mineral concessions comprising the Metates property, representing 700 hectares of the 4,260 hectares in the Metates project, and encompasses a portion of the Metates mineral resource. The Company intends to vigorously defend its position with respect to the San Vicente 3 mineral concession.
  • Radius Gold Inc., filed a legal demand with a Federal Mexican Court to obtain title to the Amelia 4 mining concession at its Amalia project in Chihuahua. “Radius and project JV partner Pan American Silver Corp. have completed all the requirements, fee payments and surveys for the Amalia 4 application.  The mining authority of Chihuahua has processed and approved the submission without fault and passed the license to the Mexico Mining Directorate proposing title issuance.  The regulated time for the mining authority to comment and request revision has passed and granting of title is a legal requirement under the mining law.  Radius has filed a legal demand to enforce the granting of title.  Radius legal counsel believes the Company has clear legal right to the application and title.  Legal counsel has been successful in obtaining granted concessions in similar situations recently”.
  • The Senate of Mexico approved the mining reform that reduces and facilitates the cancellation of concessions. The legal changes were approved despite Canada’s claim and in an express session in which twenty laws and reforms were endorsed in just five hours.  The senators approved modifications to the Mining, National Water, General Ecological Balance and Environmental Protection laws, and the General for the Prevention and Integral Management of Waste. The reform will allow the government to only grant mining concessions through a public tender and with prior consultation with indigenous peoples, in addition to facilitating the revocation of the license for environmental damage. The reform could generate tensions with the partners of the T-MEC, in particular with Canada, which has already complained in recent days. The Canadian Minister of International Trade, Mary Ng, revealed last Wednesday that she spoke with the Secretary of the Economy of Mexico, Raquel Buenrostro, to express the “concern” of the Canadian government with the then proposed reform of the country’s mining sector, in the that Canadian companies constitute the largest foreign investor.
  • GoGold Resources Inc., Bendito Resources Inc., Infinitum Copper Corp., Pan American Silver Corp., and Silver Tiger Metals Inc., reported the best drilling intercepts in Mexico on the first week of May, 2023. Details are shown in the table below:

ON EXPLORATION

  • Infinitum Copper Corp., reported results from 6 of 12 drill holes collared at its Adelita project in Sonora. Drilling highlights include hole ADD-22-0021 with 0.51% Cu, 0.16 g/t Au, 16 g/t Ag, and 0.6% Zn (1% CuEq) over a true width (TW) of 19.85m, including 0.83% Cu, 0.22 g/t Au, 22 g/t Ag and 0.8% Zn (1.51% CuEq) over a TW of 7.98m, including 0.41% Cu, 0.16 g/t Au, 14 g/t Ag, and 0.5% Zn (0.83% CuEq) over a TW of 8.69m; and hole AD-22-0028 with 0.8% Cu, 0.35 g/t Au, and 19 g/t Ag (1.22% CuEq) over a TW of 48.7m, including 0.85% Cu, 0.31 g/t Au, and 29 g/t Ag (1.34% CuEq) over a TW of 20.38m, including 1.03% Cu, 0.51 g/t Au, and 16 g/t Ag (1.54% CuEq) over a TW of 20.76m. “AD-22-0028 is the only drill hole which has intersected the large and distinct magneto-telluric anomaly on the eastern flank of the Cerro Grande anticline”. The intersection of hole AD-22- 0028 is open to the north, east and west.
  • Reyna Silver Corp., provided an update on their Batopilas and Guigui projects in Chihuahua. At Batopilas, Chihuahua, the company has carried out detailed sampling and structural programs, as well as conducted a detailed AMT geophysics study to outline major structures and features that may control vein control and location of mineralization, as well as to understand the historic ore shots geometry and mineralization surface expressions , including the newly identified gold-bearing structures. The company plans to drill again in the property a minimum of 3,000m once the final combining of the historical data, drill results, and detailed follow-up work is complete. At Guigui project, Chihuahua, the previous Phase 1 and 2 of drilling revealed critical components of an important CRD system. These drill programs identified a 0.5 square km skarn footprint that remains open in all directions. The company recently executed a Natural Source Audio MagnetoTellurics (NSAMT) survey and is waiting for the final interpretation to integrate into the developing drill-target model for the Phase 2 drilling program this year.

ON MINING

  • Capstone Copper Corp., reported Q1, 2023 production and financial results from its Cozamin property in Zacatecas. The company produced 11.65M Lb Cu at a cash cost of 1.72 per Lb Cu produced. Realized copper price was USD $4.17 per Lb.
  • Argonaut Gold Inc., reported production and financial results from their Mexican operations. At La Colorada, Sonora, the company reported that it sold 5,086 Oz Au; a cost of sales of USD $12.7M; a cost of sales per Oz Au sold of USD $2,505; a production cost of USD $8M; a cash and all in sustaining cost per Oz Au sold of USD $2,229 and USD $2,333 respectively. At San Agustin, Durango, it reported that 11,491 Oz Au were sold; a cost of sales of USD $22.7M; a cost of sales per Oz Au sold of USD $1,980; a production cost of USD $17.4M; a cash and all in sustaining cost per Oz Au sold of USD $1,558 and USD $1,627 respectively. At El Castillo, Durango, the company reported that it sold 7,358 Oz Au; a cost of sales of USD $14.5M; a cost of sales per Oz Au sold of USD $1,976; a production cost of USD $8.3M; a cash and all in sustaining cost per Oz Au sold of USD $1,675 in both cases.
  • First Majestic Silver Corp., reported Q1, 2023 production and financial results from their Mexican operations. Figures by mine operation is shown in the table below:
  • Minera Alamos Inc., reported full year 2022 production and financial results from its Santana property in Sonora. The company recovered and sold 11.67K Oz Au and reported revenue s of $21.7M; costs of goods sold of $13.5M for gross profits of $8.18M; net income of $5.6M; cash and cash equivalents of $13.15M; and working capital as of December 31, 2022 of $18.3M.

ON FINANCING

  • Sonoro Gold Corp., announced it plans to undertake a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of up to CAD $3M. The company will use the net proceeds to fund the ongoing development of a proposed heap leach mining operation at its Cerro Caliche project in Sonora.
  • Kootenay Silver Inc., announced a private placement for gross proceeds of $4M. Gross proceeds will be used for working capital requirements and other general corporate purposes (Columba project, Chihuahua).
  • First Majestic Silver Corp., announced that its Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend payment in the amount of USD $0.0057 per common share for Q1, 2023. The first quarter cash dividend will be paid to holders of record of First Majestic’s common shares as of the close of business on May 18, 2023, and will be distributed on or about June 9, 2023.

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Xali Gold Corp., and its partner Sun River Gold Corp., received the change in soil use permit for its El Oro Tailings project in Mexico State. This is the main permit required for the El Oro Tailings project that allows moving out the tailings from the historical deposition site which is within the town of El Oro and to the industrial processing site outside of the town.
  • Bendito Resources Inc., presented results from the last 9 of 18 RC holes totaling 2,031m drilled at its El Alacran project in Sonora as part of the 2023 Phase 1 exploration program focused on demonstrating the southeastward extension of mineralization from the historical resources established at Loma Bonita and Mesa de Plata. Drilling highlights include hole BSS-23-011 with 0.13 g/t Au and 9 g/t Ag (0.24 g/t AuEq) over 33m, including 0.26 g/t Au and 20 g/t Ag (0.5 g/t AuEq) over 3m, plus 0.89 g/t Au and 22 g/t Ag (1,15 g/t AuEq) over 27m, including 1.89 g/t Au and 32 g/t Ag (2.27 g/t AuEq) over 6m, plus 1.32 g/t Au and 36 g/t Ag (1.74 g/t AuEq) over 3m; hole BSS-23-015 with 0.45 g/t Au and 2 g/t Ag (0.48 g/t AuEq) over 24m, including 2.37 g/t Au and 1 g/t Ag (2.39 g/t AuEq) over 3m, plus 0.27 g/t Au and 14 g/t Ag (0.44 g/t AuEq) over 63m, including 0.49 g/t Au and 39 g/t Ag (0.94 g/t AuEq) over 15m, plus 0.11 g/t Au and 17 g/t Ag (0.31 g/t AuEq) over 52.5m, including 0.21 g/t Au and 42 g/t Ag (0.71 g/t AuEq) over 7.5m; hole BSS-23-016 with 0.31 g/t Au and 11 g/t Ag (0.45 g/t AuEq) over 66m, including 2.26 g/t Au and 4 g/t Ag (2.3 g/t AuEq) over 7.5m, 8.06 g/t Au and 1 g/t Ag (8.07 g/t AgEq) over 1.5m, plus 0.15 g/t Au and 4 g/t Ag (0.2 g/t AuEq) over 19.5m, plus 0.16 g/t Au and 2 g/t Ag (0.19 g/t AuEq) over 12m; and hole BSS-23-018 with 0.16 g/t Au and 4 g/t Ag (0.21 g/t AuEq) over 9m, plus 0.08 g/t Au and 39 g/t Ag (0.53 g/t AuEq) over 93m, including 0.08 g/t Au and 84 g/t Ag (1.07 g/t AuEq) over 7.5m, plus 0.09 g/t Au and 59 g/t Ag (0.79 g/t AuEq) over 15m.
  • Silver Tiger Metals Inc., announced results from its ongoing drill program at its El Tigre project in Sonora. Highlights of the ongoing drilling program include hole ET-23-457 in the Sulphide Zone with 0.11 g/t Au, 297 g/t Ag, 0.28% Cu, 1.4% Pb, and 2.2% Zn (439 g/t AgEq) over 38.7m, including 0.17 g/t Au, 693 g/t Ag, 0.6% Cu, 3% Pb, and 4.6% Zn (987 g/t AgEq) over 15.8m, including 0.15 g/t Au, 1,100 g/t Ag, 0.87% Cu, 5.1% Pb, and 8% Zn (1,581 g/t AgEq) over 6.3m, including 0.13 g/t Au, 1,246 g/t Ag, 1% Cu, 6.4% Pb, and 13.4% Zn (1,949 g/t AgEq) over 3.4m, including 0.15 g/t Au, 1,943 g/t Ag, 1.58% Cu, 7.3% Pb, and 10.9% Zn (2,642 g/t AgEq) over 0.6m. “This hole added an additional 100 metres of down dip extent to east from Hole 428 to 457 and what it was thought was a thin zone of a little over a meter went to almost 39 meters of high grade mineralization.  Step out drilling now continues south”.
  • Capstone Copper Corp., reported Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources for its Cozamin property in Zacatecas as at January 1, 2023. The company announced Probable Mineral Reserves of 10.2M tonnes with grades of 1.6% Cu, 43 g/t Ag, 0.5% Zn, and 0.3% Pb. It also presented Measured + Indicated Resources of 19.7M tonnes with grades of 1.58% Cu, 47 g/t Ag, 1.1% Zn, and 0.4% Pb, and Inferred Resources of 12.3M tonnes with grades of 0.72% Cu, 38 g/t Ag, 2% Zn, and 0.8% Pb. (Mineral Reserve is reported inclusive of Mineral Resource).
  • GR Silver Mining Ltd., filed a NI 43-101 technical report to provide an updated resource estimate for its Plomosas project in Sinaloa as of March 15, 2023. The company reported Indicated Resources of 15M tonnes with grades of 117 g/t Ag, 0.18 g/t Au, 0.4% Pb, 0.6% Zn, and 0.03% Cu (179 g/t AgEq) for a total of 55M Oz Ag, 84.5K Oz Au, 143.4M Lb Pb, 201-6M Lb Zn, and 8.96M Lb Cu (85M Oz AgEq) and Inferred Resources of 9M tonnes with grades of 78 g/t Ag, 0.38 g/t Au, 0.7% Pb, 1% Zn, and 0.03% Cu (171 g/T AgEq) for a total of 22M Oz Ag, 108.2K Oz Au, 143.4M Lb Pb, 203.8M Lb Zn, and 6.7M Lb Cu (49M Oz AgEq).
  • GoGold Resources Inc., released additional results from its ongoing drilling campaign at Eagle Area within its Los Ricos South project in Jalisco. Drilling highlights include hole LRGAG-22-162 with 6.07 g/t Au and 1,064 g/t Ag (20.26 g/t AuEq or 1,519 g/t AgEq) over 31m, including 19.38 g/t Au and 3,922 g/t Ag (71.67 g/t AuEq or 5,375 g/t AgEq) over 8.1m, including 144 g/t Au and 36,319 g/t Ag (628.25 g/t AuEq or 47,119 g/t AgEq) over 0.7m; hole LRGAG-22-147 with 1.06 g/t Au and 41 g/t Ag (1.63 g/t AuEq or 122 g/t AgEq) over 46.6m, including 3.24 g/t Au and 76 g/t Ag (4.25 g/t AuEq or 319 g/t AgEq) over 13.4m, including 24.3 g/t Au and 45 g/t Ag (24.9 g/t AuEq or 1,867 g/t AgEq) over 0.8m; hole LRGAG-22-150 with 6.96 g/t Au and 65 g/t Ag (7.83 g/t AuEq or 587 g/t AgEq) over 11.3m, including 12.02 g/t Au and 100 g/t Ag (13.36 g/t AuEq or 1,002 g/t AgEq) over 6.3m, including 32.1 g/t Au and 157 g/t Ag (34.19 g/t AuEq or 2,564 g/t AgEq) over 1.1m; hole LRGAG-22-158 with 2.19 g/t Au and 138 g/t Ag (4.03 g/t AuEq or 302 g/t AgEq) over 24.6m, including 3.87 g/t Au and 340 g/t Ag (8.41 g/t AuEq or 631 g/t AgQ) over 8.8m, including 13.06 g/t Au and 2,660 g/t Ag (48.52 g/t AuEq or 3,639 g/t AgEq) over 0.8m; and hole LRGAG-22-161 with 2.51 g/t Au and 339 g/t Ag (7.03 g/t AuEq or 527 g/t AgEq) over 33m, including 5.16 g/t Au and 945 g/t Ag (17.76 g/t AuEq or 1,332 g/t AgEq) over 9.6m, including 19.58 g/t Au and 3,665 g/t Ag (68.46 g/t AuEq or 5,134 g/t AgEq) over 1.3m. GoGold continues to work toward an upcoming updated Los Ricos South Mineral Resource and Preliminary Economic Assessment, which is expected to be completed by the end of June, 2023.
  • Oroco Resource Corp., presented a Mineral Resource Estimate as of April 21, 2023 for its Santo Tomas project in Sinaloa. The company reported Indicated Resources of 487.3M tonnes with grades of 0.32% Cu, 0.009% Mo, 0.03 g/t Au, and 2 g/t Ag (0.36% CuEq) for a total of 3.4 B Lb Cu, 91.9M Lb Mo, 392.8K Oz Au, and 32.7M Oz Ag (3.86 B Lb CuEq), and Inferred Resources of 599.9M tonnes with grades of 0.32% Cu, 0.007% Mo, 0.03 g/t Au, and 2 g/t Ag (0.36% CuEq) for a total of 4.17 B Lb Cu, 95.6M Lb Mo, 500.6K Oz Au, and 38.5M Oz Ag (4.69 B Lb CuEq). Oroco believes Santo Tomas has a substantial resource that is exposed at or near surface and has robust potential to support a large, low-cost open-pit mining operation. “The MRE confirms the high potential of the project, which remains open to the north and south, with clear potential for further expansion of the resource and further conversion of MRE Inferred resources to an Indicated resource classification”. 
  • Prime Mining Corp., announced an updated Mineral Resource Estimate for its Los Reyes property in Sinaloa. The company reported in the Mill Category a total of 16.6M tonnes of Indicated Resources with grades of 1.66 g/t Au and 60 g/t Ag (2.44 g/t AuEq) for a total of 888K Oz Au and 32.18M Oz Ag (1.3M Oz AuEq) contained, and Inferred Resources of 10.8M tonnes of 1.18 g/t Au and 47 g/t Ag (1.79 g(/t AuEq) for a total of 411K Oz Au and 16.39M Oz Ag (623K Oz AuEq) contained. In the Heap Leach Category Prime reported a total of 10.5M tonnes of Inferred Resources with grades of 0.37 g/t Au and 9 g/t Ag (0.49 g/t AuEq) for a total of 125K Oz Au and 3.08M Oz Ag (165K Oz AuEq), and Inferred Resources of 7.3M tones of 0.37 g/t Au and 8 g/t Ag (0.47 g/t AuEq) for a total of 86K Oz Au and 1.9M Oz Ag (111K Oz AuEq). Indicated Resources (Mill + Heap Leach) are 27.2M tonnes of 1.16 g/t Au and 40 g/t Ag (1.68 g/t AuEq) for a total of 1.01M Oz Au and 35.5M Oz Ag (1.47M Oz AuEq) and Inferred Resources (Mill + Heap Leach) of 18.1M tonnes of 0.85 g/t Au and 31 g/t Ag (1.26 g/t AuEq) for a total of 497K Oz Au and 18.3M Oz Ag (734K Oz AuEq).
  • Pan American Silver Corp., released results of eighth holes drilled at La Colorada Skarn project in Zacatecas. Drilling highlights include hole D-96-10-22 with 391 g/t Ag, 0.13% Cu, 10.8% Pb, and 8.5% Zn over 64.3m, including 914 g/t Ag, 0.19% Cu, 25.2% Pb, and 16.7% Zn over 23.25m, plus 154 g/t Ag, 0.03% Cu, 2.2% Pb, and 0.9% Zn over 22.75m, plus 27 g/t Ag, 0.23% Cu, 2.5% Pb, and 5% Zn over 13.3m, plus 37 g(/t Ag, 0.14% Cu, 1.1% Pb, and 6.4% Zn over 135.7m; hole D-96-12-23 with 233 g/t Ag, 0.1% Cu, 6.6% Pb, and 7.3% Zn over 109.55m, including 487 g/t Ag, 0.15% Cu, 15.5% Pb, and 10.1% Zn over 44.7m, plus 54 g/t Ag, 0.03% Cu, 1.3% Pb, and 2.6% Zn over 18m; hole D-96-09-22 with 106 g/t Ag, 0.03% Cu, 1.3% Pb, and 2.6% Zn over 5m, plus 123 g/t Ag, 0.11% Cu, 3.5%Pb, and 8.6% Zn over 21.2m, plus 162 g/t Ag, 0.05% Cu, 3.5% Pb, and 3.5% Zn over 26.95m, plus 98 g/t Ag, 0.07% Cu, 0.8% Pb, and 4% Zn over 72.6m; hole D-98-11-22 with 165 g/t Ag, 0.12% Cu, 4.4% Pb, and 9.3% Zn over 17.05m, plus 134 g/t Ag, 0.05% Cu, 5.3% Pb, and 6.9% Zn over 6.4m, plus 56 g/t Ag, 0.05% Cu, 1.6% Pb, and 4.2% Zn over 9.90m, plus 152 g/t Ag, 0.02% Cu, 0.9% Pb, and 2.8% Zn over 20.5m, plus 79 g/t Ag, 0.06% Cu, 0.6% Pb, and 1.9% Zn over 14.55m; hole U-138-22 with 122 g/t Ag, 0.08% Cu, 2.7% Pb, and 5.3% Zn over 4.05m, plus 193 g/t Ag, 0.15% Cu, 10.8% Pb, and 9.3% Zn over 71.35m, including 231 g/t Ag, 0.17% Cu, 13-1% Pb, and 11% Zn over 57.95m, plus 49 g/t Ag, 0.14% Cu, 0.4% Pb, and 1.1% Zn over 40.3m; hole U-112-22 with 80 g/t Ag, 0.03% Cu, 1.3% Pb, and 1.2% Zn over 15.25m, plus 141 g/t Ag, 0.06% Cu, 5.8% Pb, and 5.5% Zn over 53.15m, including 243 g/t Ag, 0.08% Cu, 11.3% Pb, and 8.3% Zn over 15.15m, plus 66 g/t Ag, 0.07% Cu, 0.6% Pb, and 3.5% Zn over 14.7m, plus 25 g/t Ag, 0.08% Cu, 1.7% Pb, and 3.8% Zn over 32.95m; and hole D-93-06-23 with 304 g/t Ag, 0.17% Cu, 4.7% Pb, and 2.5% Zn over 21.45m, plus 17 g/t Ag, 0.07% Cu, 1.7% Pb, and 3.8% Zn over 5.05m, plus 40 g/t Ag, 0.02% Cu, 2.7% Pb, and 3.5% Zn over 31.2m, plus 27g/t Ag, 0.1% Cu, 2.9% Pb, and 4.7% Zn over 143.3m, plus 22 g/t Ag, 0.06% Cu, 3.7% Pb, and 5.9% Zn over 5.1m, plus 49 g/t Ag, 0.25% Cu, 1.5% Pb, and 4.4% Zn over 74.2m.
  • Minera Alamos Inc., announced positive results of an independent Preliminary Economic Assessment for its Cerro de Oro project in Zacatecas. In April, 2023 it also completed the documentation necessary to formally proceed with the Cerro de Oro permitting process. “Discussions continue with a number of interested lending partners to provide the modest capital funding requirements for the development of the Cerro de Oro mine”.
  • Torex Gold Resources Inc., provided the second quarterly update on its Media Luna project in Guerrero. The Media Luna project continues to track overall schedule and budget. “At quarter-end, the project was 24% complete across engineering, procurement, underground development, and surface construction. With no major changes to the project execution plan, first concentrate production remains on track for late 2024, with commercial production still anticipated in early 2025. At quarter end, 34% of upfront project expenditures had been committed, including 22% incurred. The level of spending on the project is expected to increase throughout the remainder of the year, with total project expenditures of USD $390M to USD $440M guided in 2023.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Bear Creek Mining Corporation announced its CEO succession after the previous one decided to retire from such position. This appointment will be effective on June 5, 2023 (Mercedes mine, Sonora).
  • GR Silver Mining Ltd., announced the retirement of its CFO and the appointment of its replacement effective immediately (Plomosas project, Sinaloa).
  • Tarachi Gold Corp., signed a definitive agreement dated May 2, 2023 with Compañía Minera de Atocha S.A. de C.V., for the sale of Magistral Tailings project in Durango. The company expects to receive USD $5.7M as follow: USD $2.5M on or before closing; USD $0.5 of the USD $1M currently held in Canadian escrow account will be released to Tarachi on or before closing; The remaining USD $500K in the escrow account will be released to Tarachi when Atocha concludes negotiations with the Ejido Magistral, or after 12 months, whichever occurs first; USD $500K will be paid to Tarachi six months from closing, less any contingency costs, if any, that arise after closing that were incurred by Tarachi but not identified during due diligence. US$500K will be paid to Tarachi when 50% of the tailings located on the Magistral Project have been mined, sold and/or processed or after the first complete calendar year of operation at the Magistral Project, whichever occurs first; USD $500K will be paid to Tarachi when 100% of the Magistral Tailings have been mined, sold and/or processed or after the second complete calendar year of operation at the Magistral Project, whichever occurs first; the amount of value-added tax currently owing as that tax benefit is realized by Atocha during operations and product sales from the Magistral Project will be paid to Tarachi, estimated to total approximately USD $650K. Tarachi anticipates the tax benefit will be realized by Atocha and paid to Tarachi within the first year of commercial operations at the Magistral Project.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Almaden Minerals Ltd., completed a social impact assessment  (SIA) relating to its Ixtaca project in Puebla, and underlying mineral claim area, and the completion of a human rights impact assessment (HRIA) that examines the potential impacts that could be caused if the Ixtaca project is developed in a manner consistent with the Ixtaca Feasibility Study. “The SIA concluded that there were no elements identified that would justify the cancellation of the concessions so long as the necessary social management measures were in place to avoid, mitigate or compensate for the potential negative impacts and amplify the positive ones. The HRIA represents a much more significant and holistic study than the SIA, as it aims to predict, identify, characterize, and assess the potential positive and negative impacts that the Ixtaca project could have during its lifespan on the human rights of both indigenous and non-indigenous communities located within its areas of influence and on other identified project stakeholders. In the event potential impacts are identified, the HRIA proposes strategies to amplify the positive and mitigate or compensate for the negative”.

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, quartz veining hosted in a hydrothermally-altered intrusive in a project in Sonora, Mexico.  Photo by Miguel A Heredia.

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