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

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Diatreme breccia

By Miguel A Heredia

During the 40th week of the year (October 02nd to October 08th, 2023), at least 20 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico, and 6 news published by the media, with nine commenting on Mexican issues, five disclosing deals and corporate issues, four reporting resources and developments of their properties, four informing on exploration results, two announcing financing issues, and two reporting production results. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Pan American suspended temporarily operations at its Colorada Mine in Zacatecas due to security concern. Grupo México declared that the Sonora River was successfully remedied, while the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) presented a document stating that the presence of contaminating elements persists in the Sonora River basin after the Grupo Mexico spill in August 2014. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, that in about 15 days he hopes to have a proposal for action on the notorious case of a chemical spill from a mine owned by the giant Grupo México into a river in the north of the country in 2014. Mine Workers Union of Peñasquito Mine in Zacatecas, the Mexico´s largest gold mine, accepted operator Newmont Corp´s proposal to end a 4 month stop on Thursday night, October 5, 2023. Gold and silver mining companies listed in the United States and Canada stock markets suffered the decline in precious metals in the international market, due to the strength of the dollar, among other reasons. Chesapeake and Defiance Silver reported the best drilling intercepts in Mexico on the first week of October, 2023. ON EXPLORATION, In Coahuila, Monumental reported final results of its maiden drilling program at its Jemi heavy rare earth element project. In Sinaloa, Chesapeake reported a new gold discovery at its Lucy project. In Zacatecas, Radius provided an update of its drilling program at its Tropico project. In Oaxaca, Vortex excavated manually six trenches, totalling 188m and collected 117 samples at its Riqueza Minera project.  ON MINING, Fortuna reported Q3, 2023 production results from its San Jose Mine, Oaxaca. Guanajuato Silver provided an operations update of their four silver producing mines (El Cubo, Valenciana, and San Ignacio Mines in Guanajuato, and Topia Mine in Durango). ON FINANCING, Excellon completed the extension of the maturity date of its 5.75% secured convertible debentures from July 30, 2023 to July 31, 2024 (La Negra Mine, Queretaro).  Bear Creek closed its previously announced bought deal financing for gross proceeds of CAD $9.5M (Mercedes Mine, Sonora). ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Defiance announced that new sampling of historical drill holes has identified high grade mineralization in wide widths in previously unrecognized zones at the San Acacio project area in Zacatecas. Heliostar reported 80.4% average gold recovery from seven composites representative of the High Grade Panel at its Ana Paula project in Guerrero. Minera Alamos reported maiden Mineral Resource Estimate for its Santana project, Sonora. Tocvan identified several target areas through its due diligence field work completes at its Pilar project in Sonora.    ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Impact Silver announced that its shares are now trading in the USA on the OTCQB market (Zacualpan project, State of Mexico). Sierra Madre reported that its common shares are now eligible for electronic clearing and settlement through the Depository Trust Company (DTC) in the United States (La Guitarra Mine, State of Mexico). Goldgroup announced the appointment of its new CEO (Cerro Prieto Mine, Sonora). Orex signed a non-binding letter of intent to acquire 100% of the Valenciana property in Zacatecas. Radius completed the issuance of 500K common shares to Bruce Smith (Tropico project, Zacatecas).  ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, No relevant news.

ON MEXICO ISSUE

  • Pan American Silver Corp., suspended temporarily operations at its Colorada Mine in Zacatecas due to security concern. The company experienced an armed robbery of two trailers of concentrate. Fortunately, there were no physical injuries to the personnel. Pan American decided to suspend operations, project work, and exploration at La Colorada to protect the safety and security of the personnel.
  • Grupo México S.A.B. de C.V., declared that the Sonora River was successfully remedied, while the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) presented a document stating that the presence of contaminating elements persists in the Sonora River basin after the Grupo Mexico spill in August 2014. In a statement, Grupo México pointed out that “The supposed findings of the sampling presented last week lack any causal link with the event that occurred in 2014. They fail to point out other current sources of contamination such as illegal mining, the discharge of untreated blackberries and the prolonged accumulation of residues of agricultural fertilizers and insecticides. The results released in recent days contradict those that CONAGUA and COFEPRIS have made public over time, which are supported by laboratories accredited by the Mexican Accreditation Entity (EMA) and endorsed by various institutions.” Grupo México argues that for five years after the accident, water monitoring was carried out in 35 sampling stations and 33 wells, in addition to bio-monitoring that included analyzes of exposure to metals, plant toxicity, genetics in invertebrates and flora. The document presented by the mining company states that “scientific evidence supports that the remediation of the Sonora River is recognized as successful and fully in accordance with the law,” and that the Sonora River region has been affected by continuous disinformation campaigns, arising with Political purposes.
  • President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, that in about 15 days he hopes to have a proposal for action on the notorious case of a chemical spill from a mine owned by the giant Grupo México into a river in the north of the country in 2014. Last week, the environmental authority presented an opinion in which it concluded that the firm’s remediation efforts had not been sufficient and that the Sonora River continued to show the presence of contaminants nine years after the incident. On Wednesday, however, tycoon Germán Larrea’s company said the remediation was “successful.” At the time, the company was fined and had to create a trust to repair the damages. The president added that it seemed that the resources had not only been insufficient but also that their use had not been transparent.
  • Mine Workers Union of Peñasquito Mine in Zacatecas, the Mexico´s largest gold mine, accepted operator Newmont Corp´s proposal to end a 4 month stop on Thursday night, October 5, 2023. Mine Workers Union stated in a statement that as part of the agreement, workers at the Peñasquito mine will receive 8% more pay for each shift, and the increase will be retroactive to August 1, 2023. Each of the around 2,000 unionized workers will also receive an equal share of a total of MXN $152M (USD $8.3 M). The dispute over profit sharing related to 2022 will be decided by Mexico’s tax agency, while workers will receive 10% of profits for 2023 as long as the company makes a net profit in its income, according to the statement.
  • Gold and silver mining companies listed in the United States and Canada stock markets suffered the decline in precious metals in the international market, due to the strength of the dollar, among other reasons. The shares of the Mexican mining company Industrias Peñoles fell almost 5% this Monday, losing MXP $3,975M in capitalization on the Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV). In fact, the session hit a one-year low. Peñoles shares fell 4.87%, to MXP $195.45 each, making it the second station that lost the most in the session on the BMV. Its Fresnillo subsidiary listed on the London Stock Exchange lost 2.94%, to 5.35 pounds per share. Earlier in the day, Peñoles’ stock on the BMV reached a minimum of MXP $190.40, its lowest level since September 30, 2022. The American companies Newmont and Royal Gold fell 3.82 and 3.25%, in that order, on Wall Street, while the Canadian companies Wheaton Precious Metals and Pan American Silver fell 3.92 and 5.25%, respectively, on the Toronto Stock Exchange. In Mexico, the other three mining companies listed on the Stock Exchange (Grupo México, Compañía Minera Autlán and Frisco) did not present losses in their shares, because their income depends to a lesser extent on precious metals.
  • Chesapeake Gold Corp., and Defiance Silver Corp., reported the best drilling intercepts in Mexico on the first week of October, 2023. Details are shown in the table below:

ON EXPLORATION Monumental Minerals Corp., reported final results of its maiden drilling program at its Jemi heavy rare earth element (REE) project in Coahuila, which commenced on the Veladora North and South prospect areas. “Of the 2000 m drilled, 186 m of core (124 samples) returned anomalous REE concentrations. These samples contained total rare earth oxides (TREO1) results greater than 500 parts per million (ppm), with a maximum of 2018 ppm, and a mean and standard deviation of 717 and 282 ppm (respectively). Heavy rare earth oxides (HREO2) are also highest in these samples with a maximum of 517 ppm, and a mean and standard deviation of 164 ppm and 98 ppm (respectively). Anomalous TREO1 and HREO2 values were observed in every drill hole except JV-23-08 and JV-23-10”. Table below shows La Veladora significant assay results:

  • Chesapeake Gold Corp., reported a new gold discovery at its Lucy project, Sinaloa. The company completed 14 holes in the 2023 campaign for a total of approximately 1,710 m drilled. Drilling highlights include hole LU23-06 with 6.11 g/t Au over 24m; hole LU23-09 with 2.57 g/t Au over 30m, including 3.12 g/t Au over 24m; hole LU23-10 with 1.95 g/t Au over 21m, including 3.3 g/t Au over 9m; and hole LU23-13 with 3.95 g/t Au over 24m, including 5.44 g/t Au over 12m.
  • Radius Gold Inc., provided an update of its drilling program at its Tropico project, Zacatecas. As previously reported, hole TDD-001 planned for 300m to intercept Tropico target, encountered difficult ground conditions at 56m in a large brecciated fault zone. “This hole intercepted from 19m to 56m, intense altered clay, silicification, variable zones of hydrothermal breccia and sets of stockwork veinlets with banded silica veins.  Assay results from 18 samples returned 29m at 0.34 g/t gold from 24m downhole with the final sample returning 0.6 g/t Au. Diamond drill hole TDD-002 was collared 25m west of TDD-001 and drilled at -55° directly under TDD- 001 using larger diameter PQ core. The hole is still in progress. Below 25m of soil cover the hole intersected a 45m zone of epithermal alteration (similar to TDD-001) with clay, variable silicification, brecciation and zones of veinlets with occasional banded vein textures”. “Diamond drill hole TDD-003 was collared on the west of the Tropico breccia and drilled east at -65° to scissor holes 1 and 2 at depth. TDD-003 was collared in silicified crackle breccia and has to date intersected 80m of variably clay altered, silicified, and brecciated sediment. Significantly at 69m depth the hole intersected a 13m zone of white banded massive epithermal veining and breccia. The hole is still in progress”.
  • Vortex Metals Inc., reported that it is focused on the Rhyolite Dome area at its Riqueza Minera project in Oaxaca, and has moved westward toward the copper-bearing gossans of the Laminas zone, which may represent a Cu-rich stringer zone in the footwall of a VMS deposit. The company has excavated manually six trenches, totalling 188m, in which has identified broad exposures of iron- and manganese-rich exhalite horizons, silicified rhyolite flows and altered metasediments. Vortex has collected 117 samples and sampling results are anticipated to arrive in October.

ON MINING

  • Fortuna Silver Mines Inc., reported Q3, 2023 production results from its San Jose Mine in Oaxaca. The company milled 247,542 tonnes of 189 g/t Ag and 1.14 g/t Au with metallurgical recoveries of 91.31% and 90.71% respectively, to produce 8,205 Oz Au and 1.37M Oz Ag. The San Jose Mine plans to deliver annual silver production within the guidance range of between 5.3 to 5.8M Oz Ag.
  • Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd., provided an operations update of their four silver producing mines: El Cubo, Valenciana, and San Ignacio Mines in Guanajuato, and Topia Mine in Durango. “Since commercial restart at Valenciana Mine Complex in January 2023, steady production improvements, aided by the refurbishment of both the Cata shaft and a new underground locomotive system, have enabled the company to achieve production at the Cata Mill averaging over 20,000 tonnes per month from material sourced from Valenciana and San Ignacio”. “El Cubo operation is now milling at the rate of approximately 22,000 tonnes per month; this rate represents approximately half of the total capacity at the mill”. “The Company, in conjunction with the Secretaría Del Trabajo (the Federal Ministry of Labour), have been working to improve safety and security conditions at the mine in response to the unfortunate fatality that occurred in August 2023”. “The mineralized systems currently being mined at Topia are extraordinarily high grade yet are associated with higher extraction costs because of the narrow nature of the vein structures. With the goal of improving profitability at Topia, the Company intends to dramatically transform its operations through the exclusive use of local mine contactors”. The Company now anticipates that full year AgEq 2023 production will range from 3.4M to 3.6M Oz.

ON FINANCING

  • Excellon Resources Inc., completed the extension of the maturity date of its 5.75% secured convertible debentures from July 30, 2023 to July 31, 2024. In consideration for the extension, the company has issued 6,888,458 common shares of the company priced at CAD $0.156 per common share to the holders of the debentures in satisfaction of an extension fee in an amount equal to 6% of the aggregate principal amount of the debentures at the time of announcement (La Negra Mine, Queretaro).
  • Bear Creek Mining Corporation closed its previously announced bought deal financing. The company issued a total of 27.2M units at a price of CAD $0.35 per unit for gross proceeds of CAD $9.5M. Each unit is comprised of one common share of the company and one common share purchase warrant of the company. Each warrant will be exercisable to acquire one common share at an exercise price of CAD $0.42 per warrant share until October 5, 2028. Net proceeds will be used to support additional development work at its Mercedes Mine in Sonora, to expand on recent positive underground drill results, and for general working capital purposes, including CADS $3M intended to be used to reduce Mercedes ´trade payables to a normalized level over the next two quarters.

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Defiance Silver Corp., announced that new sampling of historical drill holes has identified high grade mineralization in wide widths in previously unrecognized zones at the San Acacio project area in Zacatecas. Significant drill intercepts were encountered in holes SAD-15-05 with 98 g/t Ag, 0.1 g/t Au, 0.01% Pb, and 0.03% Zn (107 g/t AgEq) over 1m, plus 91 g/t Ag, 0.15 g/t Au, 0.08% Pb, and 0.3% Zn (114 g/t AgEq) over 4.65m, including 308 g/t Ag, 0.06 g/t Au, 0.05% Pb, and 0.2% Zn (319 g/t AgEq) over 0.85m, plus 153 g/t Ag, 0.02 g/t Au, 0.05% Pb, and 0.1% Zn (161 g/t AgEq) over 2.72m; hole SAD-15-07 with 235 g/t Ag, 0.3 g/t Au, 0.07% Pb, and 0.16% Zn (267 g/t AgEq) over 1.12m, 89 g/t Ag, 0.16 g/t Au, 0.13% Pb, and 0.51% Zn (123 g/t AgEq) over 3.77m, including 283 g/t Ag, 0.26 g/t Au, 0.12% Pb, and 0.52% Zn (324 g/t AgEq) over 0.84m; hole SAD-17-14 with 129 g/t Ag, 0.25 g/t Au, 0.06% Pb, and 0.18% Zn (157 g/t AgEq) over 6.83m, including 319 g/t Ag, 0.59 g/t Au, 0.08% Pb, and 0.22% Zn (376 g/t AgEq) over 2.3m, including 1,180 g/t Ag, 2.23 g/t Au, 0.07% Pb, and 0.18% Zn (1,369 g/t AgEq) over 0.35m; hole SAD-17-15 with 155 g/t Ag, 0.02g/t Au, 0.06% Pb, and 0.14% Zn (162 g/t AgEq) over 36.7m, including 200 g/t Ag, 0.02g/t Au, 0.07% Pb, and 0.19% Zn (210 g/t AgEq) over 16.85m, including 279 g/t Ag, 0.03 g/t Au, 0.12% Pb, and 0.32% Zn (296 g/t AgEq) over 6.81m, including 595 g/t Ag, 0.07g/t Au, 0.27% Pb, and 0.65% Zn (629 g/t AgEq) over 2.82m; including 854 g/t Ag, 0.06g/t Au, 0.28% Pb, and 0.27% Zn (876 g/t AgEq) over 1.38m, including 285 g/t Ag, 0.02g/t Au, 0.05% Pb, and 0.17% Zn (294 g/t AgEq) over 3.18m, including 138 g/t Ag, 0.02g/t Au, 0.07% Pb, and 0.11% Zn (145 g/t AgEq) over 15m, including 228 g/t Ag, 0.03g/t Au, 0.14% Pb, and 0.19% Zn (241 g/t AgEq) over 6.59m, including 435 g/t Ag, 0.06g/t Au, 0.28% Pb, and 0.37% Zn (460 g/t AgEq) over 3m; and hole SAD-17-16 with 192 g/t Ag, 0.1g/t Au, 0.02% Pb, and 0.05% Zn (202 g/t AgEq) over 2.31m, including  810 g/t Ag, 0.44 g/t Au, 0.07% Pb, and 0.1% Zn (851 g/t AgEq) over 0.35m.
  • Heliostar Metals Ltd., reported 80.4% average gold recovery from seven composites representative of the High Grade Panel at its Ana Paula project in Guerrero. Metallurgical process is based on a conventional 75 micron grind size and Carbon-in-Leach (CIL) flowsheet. Highlights of the metallurgical testwork include that gold recoveries range from 74.6 – 88.1% for these samples; gravity testwork suggests that greater than 31% of the gold may be gravity recoverable; and it confirms the company’s interpretation that recoveries from high-grade gold mineralization can utilize simpler, lower cost, conventional milling processes.
  • Minera Alamos Inc., reported maiden Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for its Santana project, Sonora. The table below shows the MRE by zone for the Santana project:
  • Tocvan Ventures Corp., identified several high priority target areas with historic workings and silicified breccias through its due diligence field work completes at its Pilar project in Sonora. Surface samples collected during due diligence of the area have been sent to the lab and assays are pending.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Impact Silver Corp., announced that its shares are now trading in the USA on the OTCQB market under the symbol “ISVLF”. The Company’s shares also continue to trade in Canada on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol “IPT” (Zacualpan project, State of Mexico).
  • Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd., reported that its common shares are now eligible for electronic clearing and settlement through the Depository Trust Company (DTC) in the United States. Sierra Madre’s shares started trading on the OTCQX® Best Market this summer (La Guitarra Mine, State of Mexico).
  • Goldgroup Mining Inc., announced the appointment of its new CEO, effective October 1, 2023. The previous Interim CEO, will continue as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer.  (Cerro Prieto Mine, Sonora).
  • Orex Minerals Inc., signed a non-binding letter of intent (LOI) with Exploraciones El Cairo S.R.L. de C.V., to acquire 100% of the Valenciana property in Zacatecas. Since the LOI is non-binding, the negotiation of a definitive agreement is underway at this time, and such definitive agreement is expected to include a four months due diligence period, scaled option payments, and an area of influence and a 2% NSR on the original concessions, plus a 0.5% NSR on adjacent properties obtained from third party concession holders within the area of influence. “The Valenciana Property hosts high-grade epithermal gold and silver veins, with base metals of lead and zinc, in Cretaceous sedimentary units and Tertiary rhyolitic and monzonitic intrusive rocks. It is located on the Mesa Central within the prolific “Silver Trend” of Mexico”.
  • Radius Gold Inc., completed the issuance of 500K common shares at a deemed price of $0.24 per share, for a total deemed value of $120K to Bruce Smith, in part for his ongoing leadership as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer (Tropico project, Zacatecas).

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • No relevant news.

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, diatreme breccia related to a flow banded rhyolite dome in a locality in Durango, Mexico. Photo by Miguel A Heredia.

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Third Week of September, 2023

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Galena-sphalerite-Ag sulfosalts in a quartz vein

By Miguel A Heredia

During the 38th week of the year (September 18th to September 24th, 2023), at least 18 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico, and 4 news published by the media, with ten disclosing deals and corporate issues, three commenting on Mexican issues, three announcing financing issues, two reporting resources and development of their properties, two informing on exploration results, and two discussing social issues. ON MEXICO ISSUES, According to El Financiero, there has been a 69% increase in the number of suspended projects during the López Obrador administration. According to information from the US Geological Survey, there are 82 lithium deposits in 18 states of the Republic, which can represent 1.7 million tons. ON EXPLORATION, In Chihuahua, Southern Empire received permitting from the Mexico´s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) for 30 drill hole sites at its Centauro project.  In Zacatecas, Radius provided an update on drilling at its Tropico project.  ON MINING, no relevant news.  ON FINANCING, Equinox announced and completed a bought deal offering of convertible senior notes (Mina Los Filos, Guerrero). Excellon announced debenture restructuring to reduce the outstanding principal amount to CAD $7.5M (La Negra Mine, Queretaro). ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Golden Tag announced the commencement of a 7,000m drilling campaign at its La Parrilla Mine Complex in Durango. Tocvan provided an update on the acquisition of Pilar project in Sonora and outlined target areas for the next phase of drilling. Silver Valley provided a corporate update on its MexiCan lithium-potassium projects located in Zacatecas-San Luis Potosi. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Luca Mining announced the appointment of its Director of Corporate Development (Tahuehueto project, Durango). Santacruz reported fatality at its Zimapan Mine, Hidalgo. GR Silver reported results from its annual general meeting of shareholders (Plomosas project, Sinaloa). Sierra Metals placed Cusi Mine in Chihuahua on care and maintenance and initiated sale process. Radius announced that it proposes to issue 500K common shares of the company to Bruce Smith (Tropico project, Zacatecas). Angel Wing announced the consolidation of its common shares (La Reyna project, Nayarit). Bear Creek announced results from its special meeting of shareholders (Mercedes Mine, Sonora). Colibri announced the retirement of its President and CEO, and its replacement (Evelyn project, Sonora). Orex announced a consolidation of its issued and outstanding common shares at a ratio of ten pre-consolidation shares to one post-consolidation share (Coneto project, Sonora). Pan American announced that it will host a conference call to discuss the company´s environmental, social, and governance efforts and development (La Colorada, Zacatecas). Silver Viper announced that it will present a live virtual corporate update hosted by Red Cloud Financial Services on September 28th, 2023 at 2:00 PM ET (La Virginia project, Sonora).  ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, MAG Silver published its second annual sustainability report (Juanicipio, Zacatecas).  Ternium completed the restoration of the Cerro Náhuatl Mine and Jala Station Closure Plan in Coquimatlán, Colima, which covers a period from 2012 to 2022 in which reforestation works and programs were implemented.

ON MEXICO ISSUE

  • According to El Financiero, the mining sector has experienced a series of obstacles set by the current administration. The number of suspended projects stood at 439 in 2018, while the current figure is 837, representing a 69% increase in the number of suspended projects during the López Obrador administration. Likewise, the Fraser Institute of Canada placed Mexico in 37th place out of 83 countries evaluated, a drop of three places compared to 2021 and 17 positions compared to 2010. The sector is worried that the USD $77.2M budget assigned to Mexican Geological Survey (SGM) for 2024 is 95.47% below the USD $1.7 B private companies invested just in exploration. “With this lack of budget for exploration, they are condemning the country and the mining sector, because mining will be halted for another six years. If the modifications to the Mining Law remain as they are, we will witness Mexico’s mining sector entering a clear decline,” said Alfredo Phillips, Vice President, Argonaut Gold, in an interview with El Financiero.  In an interview with Mexico Business News (MBN), Ramón Luna, Director General of Servicios y Proyectos Mineros de Mexico (SPM), acknowledged that SGM has talented geologists and manages the most comprehensive database in Mexico. However, the public body does not match the infrastructure of a private company. “(The reform) would either force the more than 100 exploration companies in the country to work with the SGM or make the latter the only operator. This is not feasible because it lacks the necessary infrastructure,” he added.  Similarly, Raúl García, President of College of Mining Engineers, Metallurgists and Geologists of Mexico (CIMMGM), said that we could see the first impacts of lacking exploration by 2025 and a drop in production within the next five years, if SGM does not maintain the current levels of exploration. According to data from the Secretariat of Economy (SE), in 1Q23, the total foreign direct Investment (FDI) in the mining sector amounted to USD $419M. In contrast, during the same period in 2013, this figure reached USD $2.036 B, reflecting a decline of 79.4%. During Enrique Peña Nieto’s initial five-year term, from 2012 to 2017, the country received mining FDI totaling USD $2.8 B and USD $1.9 B, respectively, representing a decrease of 32.1%. Meanwhile, during the first five years of López Obrador’s administration, covering the period from 2018 to 2023, FDI amounted to USD $1.9 B and USD $419M, marking a significant 78% decrease. However, it is important to note that data for 2023 is not fully available, which means that the percentages provided could vary.
  • According to information from the US Geological Survey, there are 82 lithium deposits in 18 states of the Republic, which can represent 1.7 million tons. A few days ago, Héctor Usla, Economist and Reporter of the El Financiero Newspaper, reported that the 2024 Expenditure Law project plans to allocate MXP $9.77M to Litio para México (LitioMx), the entity created in August 2022, for the exploration, exploitation, benefit and use of lithium found in national territory. This is an amount that allows the administrative operation of the decentralized organization, but that seems insufficient to reliably establish the total amount of probable lithium reserves and initiate exploration and production in the most promising deposits. (Note of the writer.- Are you serious?…Obviously, it would be vastly insufficient to have a budget like that reported above to carry out exploration, exploitation, etc.).

ON EXPLORATION

  • Southern Empire Resources Corp., received permitting from the Mexico´s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) for 30 drill hole sites at its Centauro project in Chihuahua. “The Centauro Gold Project exhibits significant potential to host “Carlin-style” and/or epithermal precious metal mineralization based on extensive brecciation, silicification and argillization of the Tertiary-age Ahuichila Formation conglomerate, a strongly coincident gold (“Au”), arsenic (“As”), antimony (“Sb”), mercury (“Hg”), thallium, silver, barium soil geochemical signature associated with a silicified mesa “cap” covering 2.5 km along the strike of the main zone, outcrops containing arsenopyrite, realgar, orpiment and stibnite, and low to non- anomalous base metal values”. 
  • Radius Gold Inc., provided an update on drilling at its Tropico project in Zacatecas. The initial hole TDD-001 plan for 300m to intersect the Tropico breccia pipe encountered difficult ground conditions and was abandoned at 56m. “The hole from 19m to 56m is intensely altered with clay, silicification, variable zones of hydrothermal breccias and repeated sets of banded silica veins with fine sulphides and stockwork veining. Banded veining had not previously been seen on the property”. “The drill rig has been stepped back from the target an additional 25m and a new hole drilled deeper under hole TDD-001, this time using large diameter PQ sized core and casing which is expected to alleviate the drilling difficulties”.

ON MINING

  • No relevant news.

ON FINANCING

  • Equinox Gold Corp., announced that it has entered into an agreement to buy, on a bought deal basis, 4.75% unsecured convertible senior notes due 2028 in an aggregate principal amount of $150M.  The company has granted the initial purchasers up to an additional $22.5M aggregate principal amount of notes. The notes will be issued at par value.  Later on, the company announced that it had closed its previously announced bought deal offering of $172.5M aggregate principal amount of 4.75% unsecured convertible senior notes due 2028, which includes exercise of the full amount of the option to purchase an additional $22.5M aggregate principal amount of notes Net proceeds will be used for repayment of debt and for general corporate purposes (Mina Los Filos, Guerrero).
  • Excellon Resources Inc., announced debenture restructuring to reduce the outstanding principal amount to CAD $7.5M representing a reduction of CAD $10.4M (58% reduction), and to amend the terms of the remaining debentures to, among other things, further extend the maturity date to August 31, 2026. In exchange for CAD $10.4M aggregate principal amount of the debentures, Excellon to pay CAD $3.5M in equity, 25% interest in Silver City Project, plus additional non-dilutive contingency and royalty payments (La Negra Mine, Queretaro).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Golden Tag Resources Ltd., announced the commencement of a 7,000m drilling campaign at its La Parrilla Mine Complex in Durango. The 7,000m phase 1 drilling program will  focus on infill and step-out drilling in proximity to underground mining infrastructure and existing development in three key areas: a) Rosarios and Cuerpo 340 Veins (3,000 m of drilling to test the east, west and central down-dip extensions; b) Quebradillas Underground (3,000 m of drilling to test the strike and down-dip extensions of three key zones including Cuerpo 460, Norte-Sur, and San Nicolas; and c) San Marcos (1,000 m of drilling to test the extension of San Marcos and Cuerpo 1100 at depth.
  • Tocvan Ventures Corp., provided an update on the acquisition of the Pilar project in Sonora and outlined target areas for the next phase of drilling. The company has exercised notice to Colibri Resources Corp., to purchase the remaining 49%. It also is completing a due diligence expected to finalize in coming weeks to acquire over 21 square-kilometers of land surrounding the Pilar, which contain recent placer activity, historic workings, and prospective geology, indicative that the area is highly prospective for gold and silver. “Tocvan plans to restart field operations at the close of the expansion acquisition to advance new target areas already identified quickly towards drill targeting. Drilling at Pilar and within the new expansion area is planned to total 2,000-meters before year end”.
  • Silver Valley Metals provided a corporate update on its MexiCan lithium-potassium projects located in Zacatecas-San Luis Potosi. Highlights of this project include that significant grades of lithium, potassium sulphate, and boron are located on surface in unconsolidated sediments; the brine potential has not been tested to date; deep basin large aquifer brine potential defined by regional geophysics surveys, remains to be tested; he inferred resource has been tested from surface to an average 5 metres depth; the company anticipates the sediment basin could range from 40m to greater than 100m deep, so the prospect of expanding the sediment resource at depth is substantial; and 12.3M tonnes of Potassium Sulphate and 243K tonnes of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent defined thus far. The company declared that discussions are active and advancing with LitioMX and near-term plans are in place to come together to potentially finalize a partnership agreement.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Luca Mining Corp., announced the appointment of its Director of Corporate Development. The company also granted incentive stock options to its employees and consultants to purchase an aggregate 225K share in the capital stock of the company (Tahuehueto project, Durango).
  • Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd., reported that an employee was fatality injured at its Zimapan Mine, Hidalgo. The fatality was the result of rockfall from a stope face.
  • GR Silver Mining Ltd., reported results from its annual general meeting of shareholders.  Incumbent director Laura Diaz chose not to stand for re-election and was not a nominee (Plomosas project, Sinaloa).
  • Sierra Metals Inc., placed Cusi Mine in Chihuahua on care and maintenance and initiated a process to sell the mine. Ernesto Balarezo Valdez, Sierra Metals’ CEO, stated that “Sierra Metals is transitioning to become a copper-focused mining company, and the planned divestiture of Cusi will allow us to focus on our two key mines, Yauricocha in Peru and Bolivar in Mexico, where we have significant potential to continue growing our copper production”.
  • Radius Gold Inc., announced that it proposes, subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval, to issue 500K common shares of the company to Bruce Smith. The common shares will be issued at a deemed price of $0.24 per share, for a total deemed value of $120K (good for you Bruce!) (Tropico project, Zacatecas).
  • Angel Wing Metals Inc., announced the consolidation of its common shares on the basis of one post- consolidation common share for every two pre-consolidation shares issued and outstanding as of the close of business on September 20, 2023. (La Reyna project, Nayarit).
  • Bear Creek Mining Corporation announced results from its special meeting of shareholders (Mercedes Mine, Sonora).
  • Colibri Resource Corporation announced the retirement of its President and CEO, and its replacement (Evelyn project, Sonora).
  • Orex Minerals Inc., announced a consolidation of its issued and outstanding common shares at a ratio of ten pre-consolidation shares to one post-consolidation share. The reasons for the consolidation are to increase the company’s flexibility and competitiveness in the marketplace and to attract new equity investment in the company  (Coneto project, Sonora).
  • Pan American Silver Corp., announced that it will host a conference call to discuss the company ´s environmental, social, and governance efforts, and development on October 19, 2023 at 11:00 am ET (8:00 am PT) (La Colorada, Zacatecas).
  • Silver Viper Minerals Corp., announced that it will present a live virtual corporate update hosted by Red Cloud Financial Services on September 28th, 2023 at 2:00 PM ET (La Virginia project, Sonora).

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • MAG Silver Corp., published its second annual sustainability report. , which provides a comprehensive overview of the company’s environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) commitments, practices, and performance for the 2022 year. Highlights of the 2022 sustainability report include zero fatalities at the Juanicipio project, Zacatecas or at MAG´s exploration projects; a lost time injury frequency rate of 1.92; over 62,000 hours dedicated to safety training; zero significant environmental incidents at the Juanicipio and other projects; 66% of MAG Silver´s workforce is hired from local communities; over 13 community engagement initiatives across 4 different project streams at the Juanicipio project: health, education, capacity buildings, and microenterprise projects; 38% of Board directors are female, surpassing the 30% target established in MAG´s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy; and Code of Conduct and Social Responsibility Policy refreshed and updated to specifically articulate the importance of engaging with Indigenous communities through meaningful dialogue, cooperation, and deepening of the shared-value approach to local development activities to promote sustainable and lasting economic and social benefits.
  • Ternium completed the restoration of the Cerro Náhuatl Mine and Jala Station Closure Plan in Coquimatlán, Colima, which covers a period from 2012 to 2022 in which reforestation works and programs were implemented. With this project, the forest area was increased by 88 hectares and the area was repopulated with 180 species of native fauna. It is a component of the company’s commitment to sustainability in the communities where it operates, according to a statement.

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, galena, sphalerite, and silver sulfosalts in a quartz vein from an intermediate sulphidation epithermal vein system in Sonora, Mexico Photo by Miguel A Heredia.