The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Second Week of January, 2020

January 12, 2020 / Gambusino Prospector / Leave a comment

By Jorge Cirett

During the 2^nd week of the year (January 6^th to January 12^th, 2020), at least 34 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. ON MEXICO ISSUES, The IPN is to offer Metallurgy Engineering at the Zacatecas campus. Conagua and Minera Peñasquito reached an agreement to promote the recovery of the Mazapil aquifer in Zacatecas. Some highlights on three major Mexican ore deposits were shared by Camimex: Metates, El Arco and La Verde. The Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador asserted the importance of mining in Mexico. In 2019 three Peñoles, Autlán and Frisco lost US$935 M in value on the stock exchange (BMV). Torex Gold and Leagold increased gold production on its mines in Guerrero. ON EXPLORATION, setting a weekly record, that we hope is a good omen for the industry in Mexico this year, eleven companies reported on exploration programs or results on their projects. In Sonora, Colibri disclosed surface sampling results from the Evelyin project; Tocvan and Colibri reported high Au and Ag values from the Pilar project near Suaqui Grande; Magna Gold released high grade Au results from surface mapping on several targets at the San Judas project. In Chihuahua, Kootenay Silver released high-grade Ag results from its Columba project. Sable Resources released low grade but widespread Au results from the Vinata project. In Sinaloa, Vizsla Resources started drilling at its Pánuco project. In Durango, Gainey Capital has had successful meetings and communication with the local communities at Las Margaritas project. In Jalisco, GoGold Resources released results from five more holes at Los Ricos. In Zacatecas, Pan American Silver is to continue the exploration, initial engineering and metallurgical tests at the La Colorada skarn ore deposit. Advance Gold commenced another drill hole at La Tabasqueña project. Alien Metals is submitting applications to drill its Los Campos and San Celso projects. ON MINING, US Antimony has begun production testing of the cyanide leach circuits at the Puerto Blanco mill in Guanajuato. Hecla Mining, Torex Gold, Leagold Mining and Endeavour Silver presented fourth quarter and full-year 2019 reports. Argonaut Gold informed its El Castillo mine in Durango is to cease operations in 2022. ON FINANCING, Silver Spruce closed the first tranche of a financing round. Agnico Eagle issued warrants in connection with the loan agreement with Orla Mining. Sierra Metals is to repurchase US$30 M of shares. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Prime Mining updated on work at Guadalupe de Los Reyes, in Sinaloa. Sierra Metals updated the mineral resource estimate for the Bolivar mine, in Chihuahua. Discovery Metals released some high-grade results from its current drill program at Cordero, Chihuahua, where it is aiming to enhance the high-grade component of the deposit. Azure Minerals recommenced RC drilling the Loma Bonita gold deposit at its Alacrán project in Sonora. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Goldplay signed a LOI with First Majestic to acquire the Plomosas property in Sinaloa. Goldplay is to change name to GR Silver Mining. Oroco Resource Corp. is now officially the owner of 56.7% net interest (that can be increased to 81%) on the core concessions of the Santo Tomás project in Sinaloa. The company also holds the rights to 77.5% of the concessions surrounding the said core. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. Peñoles to aid on the reactivation of agriculture in Naica. Peñoles organizes a robot building contest in Torreón. Endeavour Silver summarized its sustainability work for 2019.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

The Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN) is to offer the Metallurgy Engineering at its Zacatecas campus. Students are to spend one week of every month gaining experience on local mining units, from the third semester onward.
Conagua (Water Use Agency) and Minera Peñasquito (Newmont Goldcorp) reached an agreement to promote the recovery of the Mazapil aquifer. The agreement was reached in negotiation tables with several parties. The company is to forfeit its rights to extract 5 M cubic meters of water. During 2020 and 2021 Minera Peñasquito will invest 100 M pesos (US$5.25 M) on water access, drainage and cleaning in town, as well to aid on the bettering of irrigation and promotion of water re-usage in agriculture. In 2023 the company will also cede another 4 M cubic meters of water.
Highlights on three giant mining projects in Mexico: Metates, in Durango, holds reserves for 18.3 M Oz Au, 502 M Oz Ag, 4 B Lb Zn. Chesapeake’s 2016 pre-feasibility study (PFS) calls for a capital spending of $3.5 billion for a 90 K tonnes per day (tpd) operation, and a mine life of 27 years producing 445 K Oz Au. Sustained prices over $1,400 per gold ounce would help to kick start the operations. El Arco, in Baja California, is a giant copper deposit owned by Grupo Mexico. The deposit displays reserves of 2,700 M tonnes @ 0.4% Cu, 0.1 gpt Au. The deposit is to be mined by open pit, with concentrator and leaching operations to recover copper by electro winning, and is expected to produce 190 K tonnes Cu and 105 K Oz Au per year, once it is developed. La Verde, in Michoacan, owned by Solaris Resources and Teck, had a preliminary evaluation assessment (PEA) in 2018 with an investment of US$1.16 billion to produce 7.17 M tonnes of concentrate @ 26.7% Cu for 19 years, or 100 K tonnes Cu per year.
The Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador asserted the importance of mining in Mexico, on the strengthening of the country’s economy and the strong employment generation. He pointed that the ministers of environment and health are looking into the Rio Sonora spill (2014) and its consequences on the area inhabitants.
During 2019, mining companies like Industrias Peñoles, Autlán and Minera Frisco lost US$935 M in market cap on the Mexican Stock Exchange (Bolsa Mexicana de Valores, or BMV). The three companies saw a reduction on its operations, same that were reflected on its cash flow (EBITDA) and share price. During the year Peñoles lost US$861.4 M, Autlán US$39.8 M and Frisco US$34 M in value. On the other hand, Grupo Mexico registered an increment of US$4.617 billion on its value for the same period, due to good results on copper extraction and the expansion on its transport branch.
Gold production increased in 2019 for Torex and Leagold in Guerrero. In 2019 Torex produced 454,810 Oz Au at its El Limon-Guajes mine in Guerrero, compared with 354,000 Oz Au produced in 2018. Leagold produced 200,856 Oz Au at its Los Filos mine, in the same region.

ON EXPLORATION

Pan American Silver Corp. is planning to continue the exploration program, initial engineering and more metallurgical tests at the world class skarn mineralization discovered at La Colorada, Zacatecas. The inferred resources stand at 72.5 M tonnes @ 44 gpt Ag, 0.17% Cu, 2.0% Pb, 4.4% Zn, with the deposit open in several directions. In 2020 PAS is to drill 44,000 m to define and expand the inferred resources.
Colibri Resource Corp. disclosed rock chip sample results from its Evelyn project in Sonora. Highlighted results include 0.75 m @ 14.45 gpt Au, 16 gpt Ag; 1.5 m @ 12.45 gpt Au, 3 gpt Ag; 1.5 m @ 8.6 gpt Au, 5 gpt Ag; chip samples @ 22.3 gpt Au, 28 gpt Ag; 40.1 gpt Au; 3.12 gpt Au at the Cerro Rojo corridor and 2.97 gpt Au; 0.5 gpt Au, 0.4 gpt Au, 0.46 gpt Au; 2.74 gpt Au, 73 gpt Ag at the El Sahuaro corridor. Colibri is now planing to pursue a 1,000 m drilling campaign.
Advance Gold Corp. has commenced the second drill hole of the current drilling program at its Tabaqueña project in Zacatecas. This second hole is to test the large IP anomaly that underlies the intersection of 1.70 m @ 9.46 gpt of a previous drilling campaign. The second hole on this campaign was collared 300 north of the location of the first one, with results pending. A second rig is being brought to the site to expedite drilling, now that the IP anomaly has been seen to correspond with a sulphide system.
GoGold Resources Inc. released results from five more drill holes at its Los Ricos project in Jalisco. Highlighted intersections include 22 m @ 0.22 gpt Au, 60 gpt Ag (1.01 gpt AuEq); 16.5 m @ 4.29 gpt Au, 336 gpt Ag (8.77 gpt AuEq); 5.2 m @ 1.10 gpt Au, 67 gpt Ag (2.01 gpt AuEq); 13.5 m @ 0.82 gpt Au, 215 gpt Ag (3.73 gpt AuEq); 17.4 m @ 0.77 gpt Au, 152 gpt Ag (2.80 gpt AuEq), including 6.1 m @ 2.07 gpt Au, 373 gpt Ag (7.05 gpt AuEq), 23.5 m @ 0.17 gpt Au, 43 gpt Ag (0.75 gpt AuEq). The holes were drilled north and south of the historical stopes to test the continuation of the structures.
Gainey Capital Corp, has had successful meetings and communication with the local communities at Las Margaritas project, Durango. “Discussions with State and Federal government representatives have been held to ensure that exploration on the property continues to the benefit of all stakeholders”.
Kootenay Silver Inc. released assay results from seven more drill holes completed at its Columba property in Chihuahua. Highlighted intervals comprise: 11.35 m @ 103 gpt Ag, including 2.28 m @ 405 gpt Ag; 23.0 m @ 60 gpt Ag, including 3.0 m @ 274 gpt Ag, including 1.35 m @ 494 gpt Ag; 7.05 m @ 114 gpt Ag, including 1.0 m @ 547 gpt Ag (the three intercepts in one hole); 10.0 m @ 175 gpt Ag, including 4.63 m @ 301 gpt Ag, including 1.5 m @ 628 gpt Ag; 4.9 m @ 194 gpt Ag, including 0.88 m @ 808 gpt Ag; 39.90 m @ 159 gpt Ag, including 7.45 m @ 650 gpt Ag and 1.15 m @ 919 gpt Ag, and 1.0 m @ 953 gpt Ag, and 1.0 m @ 527 gpt Ag, and 1.0 m @ 860 gpt Ag, and 1.8 m @ 715 gpt Ag. High Ag grades have been intercepted over 700 m of strike length on the F vein, and also 650 m from old workings on the B vein.
Sable Resources Ltd. provided an update on the ongoing drilling campaign at its Vinata property in Chihuahua. Six drill holes have been completed, amounting to 1,753 m of core, with results for 530 samples on the first five holes. Highlighted results comprise 51.3 m @ 0.28 gpt Au, including 30.3 m @ 0.44 gpt Au; 61.8 m @ 0.079 gpt Au, including 12.4 m @ 0.24 gpt Au; 198.25 m @ 0.063 gpt Au, including 8.9 m @ 0.24 gpt Au and 22.1 m @ 0.11 gpt Au; 30.45 m @ 0.035 gpt Au. Low grade gold argillic stratabound alteration in volcanic rocks is open in every direction, except to the East. The drilling program has been increased from 2,000 to 4,000 m to define the limits and grade on the argillic alteration, and also for the existence of a high-grade feeder with more classical epithermal textures.
Tocvan Ventures Corp. and Colibri Resource Corp. reported high Au and Ag values from two new showings that extend known mineralization at its Pilar project in Sonora. Highlighted results comprise 4.3 gpt Au, 172 gpt Ag, 1.1% Pb; 23.7 gpt Au, 116 gpt Ag; 4.4 gpt Au, 44 gpt Ag; 7.5 gpt Au, 42 gpt Ag; 0.5 gpt Au, 323 gpt Ag; 1.4 gpt Au, 2 gpt Ag; 2.2 gpt Au, 15 gpt Ag; 5.6 gpt Au, 84 gpt Ag, 1.7% Pb; 0.7 gpt Au, 20 gpt Ag; 9.3 gpt Au, 76 gpt Ag, 2.2% Pb. The new assays support additional areas to develop and define mineralization east and south east of the main areas that have seen over 17,700 m of drilling.
Alien Metals Ltd. is submitting applications for drill permits at its Los Campos and San Celso projects in Zacatecas. At Los Campos a six hole program that could grow to 47 holes and 3,250 m of drilling is planned. At San Celso a grid based drilling plan has been designed, with a total of up to 30 drill holes for 2,550 m, aiming to start with four to six key holes.
Magna Gold Corp. reported assay results from surface sampling at its San Judas project in Sonora. Several targets have been delineated: Santa Lucia-Las Palomas is a bulk mining target in sheared granite with quartz veins and stockworks, on which samples returned up to 0.5 m @ 26.4 gpt Au, 1.5 m @ 14.6 gpt Au, 0.7 m @ 12.9 gpt Au, 0.8 m @ 7.3 gpt Au, 1.0 m @ 6.14 gpt Au, 0.8 m @ 5.54 gpt Au; At San Martin there is a quartz stockwork in granite and gneiss that opens the possibility to a high volume bulk deposit, in an area 1,250 m x 750 m, on which samples returned up to 1.5 m @ 13.7 gpt Au, 2.0 m @ 9.20 gpt Au, 1.0 m @ 7.12 gpt Au, 1.0 m @ 6.7 gpt Au, 1.0 m @ 6.23 gpt Au, 2.0 m @ 5.16 gpt Au, 1.9 m @ 4.1 gpt Au; Represo Seco displays a high-grade sheeted and brecciated quartz system with three generations of quartz, two meters thick and exposed over 65 m, where samples returned up to 0.5 m @ 7.4 gpt Au, 1.9 m @ 6.0 gpt Au, 1.8 m @ 5.1 gpt Au; Cueva del León hosts argillic altered intrusive felsic rocks, with assays of up to 1.1 m @ 4.99 gpt Au, 1.0 m @ 4.28 gpt Au, 1.2 m @ 2.03 gpt Au, 1.5 m @ 1.9 gpt Au. All the areas are strongly anomalous in Pb (up to 1.45%), Zn (up to 0.35%) and Cu (up to 0.12%).
Vizsla Resources Corp. has started its drilling program at the Pánuco project in Sinaloa. The company plans to drill 14,500 m in 19 prospects, starting with the Vetas Animas corridor. Ten geologists are mapping and sampling in the district at the time being.

ON MINING

United Sates. Antimony Corp. reported that production testing of the cyanide leach circuit at the Puerto Blanco mill in Guanajuato has begun. “The Los Juarez mineralization is disseminated in jasperoid pipes that are present over a strike length of 3.5 kilometers, up to 1 kilometer in width, and are believed to be continuous below 400 meters”. “A global assay” of shallow drilling, sampling and mill testing is @ 1.09 gpt Au, 102 gpt Ag and 0.65% Sb (or 2.6 gpt AuEq), with individual assays of over 1 Oz/t Au, 47 Oz Ag/t and 10% Sb.
Hecla Mining Co. released preliminary results for the fourth quarter 2019, including figures from its Mexican operations. At the San Sebastian mine in Durango, 1.9 M Oz Ag, 15,673 Oz Au were produced during 2019, and 422.4 K Oz Ag, 3,897 Oz Au during the fourth quarter. With the Hugh Zone production included, AgEq production for the year is the same as 2018. The mill operated at an average of 479 tpd in 2019.
Torex Gold Resources Inc. announced 2019 production of 454,810 Oz Au (Q4 2019: 125,150 Oz) at El Limón Guajes mine in Guerrero. During the fourth quarter plant throughput averaged 12,120 tpd, with 1,060 tpd ore mined underground and 16,030 tpd ore mined by open pit, with a pit strip ratio of 7.3:1.
Leagold Mining Corp. reported 2019 production results, including figures from its operations in Mexico. At Los Filos, in Guerrero, quarterly production was 64,028, 44,896, 40,922 and 51,010 Oz Au for the Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4 respectively, adding to 200,856 Oz Au in the year. The Los Filos Expansion Feasibility study was completed during the year, commencing expansion during the third quarter.
Argonaut Gold Inc. informed its mining unit El Castillo, in Durango, is to stop operations in 2022, after 12 year of work. These operations had $900 M of economic impact which includes investments, operation costs and $82 in taxes paid. To date the company has 347 employees and 249 contractors. Starting this month the crushing operations have been decommissioned, impacting on personnel numbers, and another reduction in the labor force will take place in April.
Endeavour Silver Corp. delivered production reports for the fourth quarter and full year 2019. Gold and silver production decreased 27% in the year, to 38,907 Oz Au, 4.02 M Oz Ag. The El Cubo mine suspended mining operations on Q4 2019, as reserves were exhausted. During the first quarter Endeavour plans to update the Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) for Terronera, in Jalisco, and deliver an initial Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) in Parral, Chihuahua.

ON FINANCING

Silver Spruce Resources Inc. closed the first tranche of its non-brokered financing on December 31, 2019, for gross proceeds of $237 K (Pino de Plata, Chihuahua).
Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. announced the issuance of common share purchase warrants in connection with the loan agreement of December 2019 between Agnico and Orla Mining Ltd (Camino Rojo, Zacatecas).
Sierra Metals Inc. announced it has approved a plan to return up to US$30 M to shareholders. Sierra Metals intends to launch a substantial issuer bid pursuant to which the Company will offer to repurchase for cancellation up to US$15 M of its common shares from shareholders for cash (Bolivar and Cusi, Chihuahua).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

Prime Mining Corp. updated on work at is Guadalupe de los Reyes project in Sinaloa, pointing its aim to become a gold producer. The acquisition was completed in August 2019, the due diligence concluded, a team was assembled, and an initial financing of CAD$8.7 M and USD$4.5 M of property payments were made, with only a payment of USD$1.5 M remaining, due October 2021. The long term land access agreement was signed and led to the implementation of 5,000 m of road cut and trenching that aided defining wider and longer structures than anticipated. The project is being evaluated at a mining rate of 4,500 tpd of mineralized material from five to seven pit locations, with Prime aiming to make the initial mining permitting submissions during 2020.
Sierra Metals Inc. updated the mineral resource estimate for its Bolivar mine in Chihuahua. The mineral resource update includes 13,698 m of infill drilling and 41,553 m of exploration drilling, with 11.63 M tonnes @ 0.95% Cu, 18 g/t Ag, and 0.24 g/t Au (or 1.16% CuEq) for a total of 244.3 M Lb Cu, 6.8 M Oz Ag, 90.4 K Oz Au (300.1 M Lb CuEq) as indicated resources, and 16.69 M tonnes @ 0.93% Cu, 17 g/t Ag, 0.30 g/t Au (or 1.16% CuEq) adding to 342.1 M Lb Cu, 9 M Oz Ag, 162.7 K Oz Au (428.1 M Lb CuEq) as inferred resources.
Discovery Metals Corp. announced results from the last four diamond drill holes at the Cordero project in Chihuahua. The program is designed to look for high grade and to test other areas of the 35,000 ha property. Highlighted intervals comprise: In hole 295, 81.82 m @ 63 gpt Ag, 0.35 gpt Au, 0.9% Pb, 0.9% Zn, including 4.1 m @ 517 gpt Ag, 1.32 gpt Au, 7.6% Pb, 5.7% Zn; 68.1 m @ 117 gpt Ag, 1.96 gpt Au, 1.7% Pb, 1.1% Zn, including 34.7 m @ 200 gpt Ag, 3.04 gpt Au, 2.9% Pb, 1.6% Zn, including 3.7 m @ 512 gpt Ag, 21.52 gpt Au, 6.9% Pb, 0.2% Zn; 11.5 m @ 284 gpt Ag, 0.88 gpt Au, 4.1% Pb, 2.8% Zn; In hole 296, 47.1 m @ 71 gpt Ag, 0.45 gpt Au, 1.0% Pb, 1.2% Zn; 61.6 m @ 42 gpt Ag, 0.39 gpt Au, 0.6% Pb, 0.4% Zn; in hole 294, 94.3 m @ 47 gpt Ag, 0.27 gpt Au, 0.7% Pb, 0.6% Zn; 10.8 m @ 93 gpt Ag, 0.46 gpt Au, 1.3% Pb, 1.2% Zn; in hole 293, 59.9 m @ 37 gpt Ag, 0.06 gpt Au, 0.9% Pb, 1.5% Zn; 4.3 m @ 111 gpt Ag, 0.10 gpt Au, 2.2% Pb, 2.9% Zn. “Discovery believes that definition of these veins has the potential to significantly enhance the high-grade component of the deposit”.
Azure Minerals Ltd. recommenced reverse circulation drilling (RC) at its Alacrán project in Sonora. The program is aimed at resource expansion of the Loma Bonita deposit, which currently extends for 600 m, and is up to 200 m in width and up to 100 m in depth. Early drilling is located east of two holes that intersected 47.2 m @ 2.79 gpt Au, 33, gpt Ag and 67.1 m @ 1.56 gpt Au, 23 gpt Ag. Drilling is also planned on Cerro San Simon, where previous drilling has intercepted up to 29.6 m @ 0.56 gpt Au, 27 gpt Ag; 12.6 m @ 0.37 gpt Au, 8 gpt Ag; 63.0 m @ 0.47 gpt Au, 27 gpt Ag.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

Goldplay Exploration Ltd. entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) with First Majestic Silver Corp. to acquire the 8,514 ha Plomosas silver project in Sinaloa. The terms of the transaction are expected to include a $100 K cash payment to First Majestic and a 2% NSR royalty to First Majestic, with 1% of the NSR subject to a buyback option for $1 M, and the issuance of 19.9% of the total issued common shares of Goldplay. In December 2019 Goldplay announced another LOI with Mako Mining Corp. on a significant land position in the region (San Marcial, Sinaloa).
Goldplay Exploration Ltd. announced name change to GR Silver Mining Ltd., effective January 13, 2020 (San Marcial, Sinaloa).
Oroco Resource Corp. registered at the Public Registry of Mining (Registro Público de Minería) the transfer of the seven core concessions of the Santo Tomás copper porphyry project to Xochipala Gold, S.A. de C.V., which is now the registered holder of 100% interest on these concessions. Oroco “holds an irrevocable option to acquire, via the ownership of Altamura Copper Corp., a net 56.7% interest in the collective 1,172.9 ha seven core concessions of the Santo Tomás Project in NW Mexico, and may increase that majority interest up to a net 81.0% interest with project investment of up to CAD$30 million”. The company also holds a 77.5% interest in 7,807.9 ha of mining concessions surrounding the previously mentioned core claims.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Peñoles open to support the reactivation of agriculture in Naica, directly cooperating with the Naica ejido (communal land) by providing the pumping equipment and its maintenance. The water is to be extracted from the Naica mine, in care and maintenance for the last five years.
Peñoles organizes a robot building contest (FIRST robotics competition), supporting more than 1,500 students. The event is to take place in the Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey, on the Torreon Campus.
Endeavour Silver summarized its sustainability work for 2019, which includes: 1) Guanacevi, Bolañitos and El Cubo received the annual “Socially Responsible Company” distinction from CEMEFI (Mexican Philanthropy Center); 2) Ceased operations at the El Cubo Mine in a collaborative manner with the employees, provided a social plan to mitigate risks and addressed community concerns resulting from the suspension of mining operations. 3) Made community donations including a recreational sports facility at El Cubo and partnered with the local Municipal Government to open a cultural community center at Bolañitos. 4) Carried out a Social Impact Study at Parral to identify and address important issues to the local community. 5) Continued to engage with the surrounding communities of the Terronera Project including San Sebastian Del Oeste, San Felipe De Hijar, and Santiago De Pinos, and hosted multiple events and programs during 2019 to which over 1,000 locals attended. 6) Invested in its scholarship program at Guanacevi, Bolañitos and El Cubo, benefitting over 100 students from high school and university levels. 7) The Company planted 52,000 trees to reclaim disturbed ground at all its mines and projects.

Content like what you have just read can be seen at https://gambusinoprospector.com/ and at LinkedIn’s Mexico Mineral Exploration Group.

On the image below: sheeted quartz veining in an orogenic gold system of Oaxaca. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Fourth Week of December, 2019

December 29, 2019 / Gambusino Prospector / Leave a comment

By Jorge Cirett

During the 52^nd week of the year (December 23^rd to December 29^th, 2019), at least 11 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Alamos Gold announced the Esperanza mine in Morelos is to be converted into a touristic attraction once decommissioned. In response to federal government criticism on the daily presidential conference, Grupo Mexico stated it dealt in due time and form with the 2014 leak on the Sonora river. The San Pedro mine decommissioning in San Luis Potosi has erected into a benchmark for the industry. Camimex corrected the federal government statement on how much terrain is concessioned for mining, from 113.8 million hectares (government) to 20.97 million hectares (corrected figure). ON EXPLORATION, Advance Gold informed on the mineralization intersected by the first hole into a chargeability anomaly at the Tabasqueña project in Zacatecas. ON MINING, No relevant news. ON FINANCING, Goldplay issued shares for $48 K to a drilling contractor for services provided. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Consolidated Zinc recommenced definition drilling at its Plomosas mine in Chihuahua. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Dyna Resources announced a favorable final ruling on its legal battle with Goldgroup, which establishes its ownership of the San Jose de Gracia project in Sinaloa. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. Minera Media Luna formalized the delivery of infrastructure works for US$100 K in Cocula, Guerrero. Minera Peñasquito realized a Christmas party on a primary school in Mazapil, Zacatecas.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

Esperanza Silver de México (Alamos Gold), which is developing the Esperanza project in Morelos, announced that once the project accomplishes its mine life it is going to be turned into a thematic park touristic attraction run by local inhabitants. Other touristic sites on former mines highlighted in the news release include the Mineral de Rayas, Mina el Nopal and Mina La Valenciana in Guanajuato.
Grupo México announced that it dealt in due time with the 2014 leak on the Rio Sonora. The announcement was made as response to the remarks made by the head of the Health Secretariat in the morning presidential conference on Monday 23 of December, conference in which he said that Grupo Mexico did not comply with its responsibility towards the region inhabitants. The company stated that the leak of an acidified solution from the Buenavista del Cobre tailings dam was treated strictly under all applicable law, and the operation of the Fideicomiso Río Sonora, under the instructions and supervision of Semarant, Profepa and Cofepris. It was added that there is no scientific proof tying health or environmental damages in the region, with water quality measurements even lower than those made ten or more years before the incident.
The decommissioning of the San Pedro mine in San Luis Potosí by Minera San Xavier has constituted itself into a national and international benchmark on its merits. The Plan Integral, Participativo e Incluyente de Cierre de Mina (Mine Closure Integral Plan) sticks to all regulations by PROFEPA and SEMARNAT. The Mine closure plan is compliant with the instructions of other international regulators, like the EPA in Nevada and California, and as well as the NOM-155-SEMARNAT-2007 that established the environmental protection norms for gold and silver leaching systems.
Camimex informed on a document called “Mitos y Realidades de la Minería” (Myths and Realities of Mining) that 25,221 current mining concessions cover 20 million 970 thousand hectares, or 11% of the Mexican territory. This is contrasted against the Economy Secretariat information presented on one of the Mexican president daily morning conferences, where it was stated that the ground under mining concessions reached 113.8 million hectares between 1998 and 2018. The president said that the granting of concessions is to be halted because the terrain already granted would suffice for thousands of years of work, also assuring that no mining concessions are to be cancelled and that all mining has to be done respecting the environment. According to Camimex there are 596 exploration projects with foreign capital, 99 in production, 50 in development, 439 under review and five in closure. It was also highlighted that 182 protected areas that represent 90.8 million hectares where no mining projects can be developed.

ON EXPLORATION

Advance Gold Corp. informed on the first hole drilled at a big chargeability anomaly at its Tabasqueña project in Zacatecas. An interval of 78 m of disseminated to massive sulfides associated with quartz was intercepted starting at 226 m of depth, and a second interval of 10 m of quartz veins with disseminated sulfides on the hosting andesites at 405 m of depth. .

ON MINING

No Relevant News.

ON FINANCING

Goldplay Exploration Ltd. made a final issuance of shares to a drilling contractor engaged under the shares for services previously announced on May 2019, for services valued at $48 K (San Marcial, Sinaloa).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

Consolidated Zinc Ltd. announced that exploration and delineation drilling has recommenced at its Plomosas project in Chihuahua. Six holes are planned to extend the resource down dip and to the south, and seven holes for the Tres Amigos resource extension.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

Dyna Resources Inc. informed that the 11^th Federal Circuit Collegiate Court in Mexico issued a favorable final ruling that denies the Amparo challenge of Goldgroup Resources Inc., the subsidiary of Goldgroup Mining Inc., ruling that is not subject to further appeals. Dyna states the following four points are a consequence of the ruling: 1) The 2015 USD$48.28 M damages award against Goldgroup Resources Inc. is now final; 2) The lien against the shares of Dyna Mexico owned by Goldgroup Resources Inc. is now fully confirmed, final and enforceable; 3) Ownership of the shares of DynaMéxico currently held by Goldgroup Resources (~20%) are subject to the Lien against Goldroup shares; 4) DynaMexico owns 100% of the San José de Gracia project in Sinaloa.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Minera Media Luna formalized the delivery of infrastructure works valued at $1.93 M pesos (US$100 K) in Cocula, Guerrero. These investments included the rehabilitation of the Nuevo Balsas water deposit, the construction of a wall in Real de Limón and the rehabilitation of the road between Cocula and Nuevo Balsas.
Minera Peñasquito realized a Christmas party on the Ignacio López Rayón primary school in Mazapil, Zacatecas. The “Christmas road” will continue for two more weeks in which toys are to be delivered to children in the communities neighbouring the mine.

Content like what you have just read can be seen at https://gambusinoprospector.com/ and at LinkedIn’s Mexico Mineral Exploration Group.

On the image below: San Felipe mine in Baja California. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Second Week of December, 2019

December 15, 2019 / Gambusino Prospector / Leave a comment

By Jorge Cirett

During the 50^th week of the year (December 9^th to December 15^th, 2019), at least 18 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Bacanora Minerals lithium deposit in Sonora is considered the biggest resource of the metal in the world, according to Francisco Quiroga, Mining sub-secretary. Camimex calls to maintain the competitivity of the mining sector, as it is being threatened by a environmental tax proposal. Newmonts Goldcorp´s Peñasquito mine in Zacatecas is to lift Mexican gold production in 2020, according to BNamericas. Camimex invited the secretary of the environmental agency (SEMARNAT), Victor Manuel Toledo to visit one of the mining units, for him to review what sustainable mining is. He will also be visiting Hermosillo and Ures, meeting with authorities of the municipalities affected by a toxic leak on 2014. ON EXPLORATION, in Chihuahua, Mammoth Resources updated on exploration efforts by partner Centerra at its Tenoriba project; Kootenay Silver released good drilling results on its Columba property. ON MINING, Alamos Gold and Golden Minerals released results for the third quarter 2019. GoGold released results on the year ending in September 2019. ON FINANCING, Advance Gold closed the second tranche of its private placement for gross proceeds of $42 K. Azure Minerals announced the receipt of A$467 K of VAT back taxes (dating to 2016) from the government. Tamino Minerals is planning to become “Pink Current” very soon on the OTC. Odyssey Marine Exploration obtained commitments for up to $4.2 M. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Candelaria Mining released results on 15 new holes from the Mirador mine at the Altagracia project in Oaxaca. Pan American Silver announced an initial resource estimate, on the polymetallic skarn deposit at La Colorada, of 72.5 M tonnes @ 44 gpt Ag, 0.17% Cu, 2.02% Pb, 4.40% Zn, remaining open in most directions, and containing over 100 M Oz Ag. Defiance Silver updated on exploration efforts at its San Acacio project in Zacatecas and at its Tepal project in Michoacán. Prime Mining released surface road cut and trench assays from its Guadalupe de los Reyes project in Sinaloa. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Tamino Minerals has signed a LOI on the Ofelia property, in Sonora. Discovery Metals informed Eric Sprott now owns 21% interest in the company. Newmont Goldcorp announced a deal with the Cedros community on water resources. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. A mining gathering was held in Banamichi, Sonora. The Asociación de Mineros de Sonora celebrated its 40^th anniversary. The first “Comité de Desarrollo Regional para las Zonas Mineras” was created in Sonora, to recommend the use of the Mining Fund in certain infrastructure projects in mining areas. Dr. Vagón, Grupo Mexico’s health itinerant clinic was at La Junta, and soon to be moved to the nearby Ciudad Cuauhtémoc, both in Chihuahua. The Consorcio Minero Benito Juárez and the Fundación Bécalos Televisa delivered 120 scholarships to excellency students. A fair was held in Tayoltita, Durango, to bring awareness of the mining work and environment to inhabitants and family members of mine workers. Minera Media Luna is showing a strong support for education in Guerrero, with shcolarships, internships and support to local schools. The Sonora miners association (AMSAC) signed an agreement with the Consejo Regulador del Bacanora, to source agave saplings on its greenhouses to the agave growers. The Mexican gray wolf has left the list of extinct species in the wild, moving to the category of species on extinction risk.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

The lithium deposit in Sonora is the major project of its type in the World, according to Francisco Quiroga, Sub-Secretary of Mining, on an interview by a journalist known country wide. He cautioned on not hurrying up to celebrate, as the lithium still has to be extracted, and be metallurgically separated of the other minerals present in the ore (In this project, unlike other, lithium is contained in a clay). This project is assumed to have 243 M tonnes of lithium, surpassing the Thacker Pass deposit in Nevada, the second lithium deposit, with reserves of 179 M tonnes of lithium. The deposit is co-owned by the English company (not Canadian, as stated in the note) Bacanora Lithium and the Chinese Ganfeng Lithium, and located in the Bacadehuachi municipality (tens of kilometers from the Campo Verde Protected Natural Area and the Chihuahua border).
Camimex calls for maintaining the competitivity of the Mining Sector in Sonora. The call was made by Karen Flores, Camimex head, on the first Universitary Mining Gathering held in Banamichi, Sonora. She called for a proposal to tax mining operations on environmental grounds to be repelled. Such tax would transform Sonora in one of the more expensive places to mine, in an industry that is already heavily regulated and taxed. According to the authorities, mining in 2018 provided more than 46 billion pesos (US$2.36 billion) in taxes, 9,000 billion pesos (US$461 M) in rights and more than 4,500 billion pesos (US$230 M) in resources for the Mining Fund.
Newmont Goldcorp’s Peñasquito mine in Zacatecas is to lift Mexican gold production in 2020, when production by other big players is to decline. The combined production by the three biggest producers in Mexico, Fresnillo, Newmont Goldcorp, and Alamos Gold should reach 1.59 M Oz Au, above the 1.22 M Oz Au mines in 2019. This is a 30% increment year on year, achievable if the companies reach their mid-point guidelines. According to BNamericas this figure is more than half the 3.15 M Oz Au to be produced by more than 20 companies in Mexico. Fresnillo’s production reached 923 K Oz Au in 2018, expects to produce 885 K Oz in 2019, 785 K Oz in 2021 and 665 K Oz in 2022; the decline motivated by the end of production at the Noche Buena mine and less production at Herradura. Meanwhile, Peñasquito expects to produce 575 K Oz Au in 2020 , and a little bit more in 2021, before production starts to decline due to lower grades. Alamos Gold expects to produce 150 – 160 K Oz Au during 2019 in Mulatos, while the Chanate mine is to produce only 5 K Oz. Minera Frisco and Agnico Eagle have seen their gold production dwindle in 2019, while Torex Gold reached 138 K Oz Au produced during the third quarter, and the company expects to sell 430 K Oz Au this year. Leagold also is to increase production at Los Filos, expecting to double on the 200 K Oz Au forecasted for this year.
Camimex invited Victor Manuel Toledo, secretary of the environment and natural resources (SEMARNAT) to visit one of the mining units, for him to review what sustainable mining is. Earlier in the day, in the morning presidential conference, Toledo stated that Semarnat is not against mining: “For Semarnat there is not good or bad mining, revisions have to be on a case by case basis, and confirm through inspection its adherence to norms”.
Victor Manuel Toledo, secretary of the environment and natural resources (SEMARNAT) is to be in Hermosillo in December 18th for the presentation of a book on the toxic leakage of 2014, and in Ures to meet with affected parties and authorities of municipalities within the Rio Sonora basin.
Alberto Orozco, president of the Sonora Mining Cluster, praised the visit that Victor Manuel Toledo (Environmental Secretary) is to make next week to a mining unit in Sonora. Orozco stressed the presence in Sonora of companies highly involved in the social and economic development of the producing regions in a sustainable manner. He also pointed that the Sonoran mining production is 36% of the national production, contributing with 18% of the State gross domestic product.

ON EXPLORATION

Mammoth Resources Corp. updated on exploration efforts at its Tenoriba project, funded by partner Centerrea Gold Inc.. Field logistics have been set, all historical geologic data compiled for Centerra’s review and interpretation and a 3D model is under preparation; all un-assayed core was sent for analysis, and the previous drill program permit is being closed, and a new one is to be prepared. Strong argillic, argillic and minor vuggy silica is present on volcanic rocks on a 4 to 6 Km long belt, with geophysics re-processing pointing to a larger target than previously envisaged, and a new 30 line-Km survey is being planned. A large soil anomaly highlights the eastern part of the corridor. Mammoth is working on community consultation processes with the two ejidos (communal lands) involved.
Kootenay Silver Inc. released results from six holes drilled at its Columba project in Chihuahua. Highlighted intervals comprise: 25.85 m @ 200 gpt Ag (including 11.5 m @ 415 gpt Ag, which includes 4.0 m @ 721 gpt Ag, which includes 1.9 m @ 982 gpt Ag) in silicified breccias in proximity to a lithological contact; 6.25 m @ 67 gpt Ag (including 2.09 m @ 172 gpt Ag); 3.0 m @ 314 gpt Ag (including 0.63 m @ 776 gpt Ag); 59.8 m @ 48 gpt Ag (including 9.57 m @ 146 gpt Ag); 6.63 m @ 103 gpt Ag and 1.0 m @ 124 gpt Ag. Several of the intercepts are in quartz veins in rhyolite, as quartz stockworks and as quartz-barite veins.

ON MINING

Alamos Gold Inc. released some production figures for 2019, including data on its Mexican production. At Mulatos, in Sonora, during the first nine months of this year 20 K tonnes per day were stacked @ 0.92 gpt Au, with a recovery of 67%, to produce 108 K Oz Au at cash cost $772 and a mine-site AISC of $861. Production from the Mulatos district is expected to total 150-160 K Oz Au in 2020, with ore mined from the Mulatos, El Victor and San Carlos open pits, as well as new production from Cerro Pelon. “A total of $7 million has been budgeted at Mulatos for exploration in 2020 which includes 14,000 m of drilling focused in the Mulatos near-mine, Carricito and La Yaqui Grande areas. A number of regional exploration targets have been identified in 2019 from the property-wide VTEM geophysical survey that was completed in late-2018. A focus of the 2020 regional exploration program will be to further evaluate these targets through systematic mapping, sampling, and ground geophysics”.
Golden Minerals Co. released results for the third quarter 2019. During the period Golden reported revenue of $1.9 M related to the lease of Velardeña’s oxide mill and costs of $0.6 M related to the services provided under the terms of the lease, for a net operating margin of $1.3 M. Exploration expenses were $0.9 M, Velardeña care and maintenance $0.4 M, administrative expenses $0.7 M for a total loss of $1.8 M for the quarter. Last October Golden entered into an agreement with Magellan Gold Corp. to sell the company’s option to earn a 100% interest in the Santa Maria and Las Marias exploration properties in Chihuahua. Cash and cash equivalents of $2.9 M by the end of the period.
GoGold Resources Inc. announced financial results for the year ending 2019. During the last quarter period the company acquired the Los Ricos project in Jalisco, for share consideration of $5.4 M and cash $4.5 M, of which $3.9 M is payable over three years. During the period the company sold 1 M Oz Ag and 8,752 Oz Ag, produced 1.78 M Oz AgEq, had income of $8.1 M at an AISC of $14.82 per Oz AgEq and cash cost $11.80 per OZ AgEq, a gain of $11.8 M on the sale of the Santa Gertrudis project royalty and has a net working capital of $13.1 M.

ON FINANCING

Advance Gold Corp. closed the second and final tranche of the private placement previously announced, for gross proceeds of $42 K (Tabasqueña, Zacatecas).
Azure Minerals Ltd. announced that the Mexican tax office has paid this week the amount of MX$6.19 M, approximately A$467 K. This is the interest component from a previous payment, bringing the total received by Azure to A$1.23 M. The payments are the result of the successful resolution of the company’s legal action for the recovery of IVA (the equivalent to GST, or VAT) dating to the 2016 financial year. A fee of 15% is payable to the legal and tax advisors involved (Alacrán, Sonora).
Tamino Minerals Inc. is planning to become Pink Current very soon on OTC markets, abiding to OTC disclosure lines. As of the end of September 2019, the company has 370.6 M shares, of which Pedro Villagran holds 138.8 M and Joseph Berry 33 M.
Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. obtained commitments for up to $4.2 M in funding in two separate arrangements. A group of existing shareholders is to provide up to $2 M in funding ($539 K already submitted) as advance against a portion of multi-million dollar payment Odyssey expects to receive within the next six months, related to a previously completed ship-wreck project. In addition, “a term sheet has been executed and definitive agreements are being drafted with the group that has already committed up to $6.5 million in non-recourse legal funding for the NAFTA action for up to an additional $2.2 million” (Bay of Ulloa, Baja California Sur).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

Gold Resource Corp. released drill results from 15 holes from the Mirador mine area in the Altagracia project in Oaxaca. The Mirador mine is 16 Km NW from the Company’s Aguila project and processing facilities. Highlighted results comprise: 9.21 m @ 0.24 gpt Au, 260 gpt Ag (including 0.73 m @ 0.58 gpt Au, 1,085 gpt Au); 1.38 m @ 4.39 gpt Au, 1,455 gpt Ag; 1.08 m @ 1.81 gpt Au, 2,190 gpt Ag; 5.99 m @ 1.04 gpt Au, 206 gpt Ag (including 1.54 m @ 2.02 gpt Au, 590 gpt Ag); 3.72 m @ 1.44 gpt Au, 910 gpt Ag (including 1.0 m @ 2.84 gpt Au, 2,610 gpt Ag); 2.67 m @ 1.10 gpt Au, 354 gpt Ag.
Pan American Silver Corp. announced an initial mineral resource estimate for the large polymetallic deposit discovered in 2018 at La Colorada mine in Zacatecas. The inferred mineral resource is 72.5 M tonnes @ 44 gpt Ag, 0.17% Cu, 2.02% Pb, 4.40% Zn, remaining open in most directions and containing 102 M Oz Ag, 3.2 M tonnes of Zn, 1.5 M tonnes of Pb, and 121 K tonnes of Cu. Most of this mineralization is contained within a larger mineralized skarn 500 m x 600 m, between 600 and 1,700 m of depth. To make the geologic interpretation and resource estimation, 65 drill holes totalling 54,000 m of drilling were utilized.
Defiance Silver Corp. updated on exploration efforts to be made at its San Acacio project in Zacatecas. Targeted core re-logging and selective re-assay is on-going and will continue through 2020, while field exploration involves surface geochemistry outside the resource area, systematic underground mapping and sampling and regional targeting are carried out.
Defiance Silver Corp. announced OreQuest has been planning an exploration program at Tepal, in Michoacan. The aim is to follow up on high-grade drill results as the 1.42 m @ 25 gpt Au, 565 gpt Ag of last year campaign, which is coincidental with highly anomalous surface geochemistry and an untested chargeability anomaly.
Prime Mining Corp. released results from surface exploration at it Los Reyes property in Sinaloa. The trenching program has an advance of 25% with highlighted results of 5 m @ 1.0 gpt Au, 11 gpt Ag; 10.5 m @ 2.0 gpt Au, 18 gpt Ag; 16.5 m @ 2.5 gpt Au, 40 gpt Ag; 36.0 m @ 1.84 gpt Au, 13 gpt Ag; 34.5 m @ 4.2 gpt Au, 21 gpt Ag; 13.5 m @ 1.54 gpt Au, 37 gpt Ag in rod cuts, and 9 m @ 0.92 gpt Au, 22 gpt Ag; 4.5 m @ 2.66 gpt Au, 30 gpt Ag; 13.5 m @ 1.42 gpt Au, 49 gpt Ag; 13.5 m @ 1.59 gpt Au, 28 gpt Ag; 7.5 m @ 1.84 gpt Au, 37 gpt Ag; 16.5 m @ 1.04 gpt Au, 23 gpt Ag; 15.0 m @ 5.58 gpt Au, 23 gpt Ag in trenches. The company is working with the database of 493 historic drill holes to establish a new 43-101 compliant resource (currently holding 380 K and 155 K Oz Au in the indicated and inferred categories respectively).

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

Tamino Minerals Inc. informed it has singed a letter of intent (LOI) on the Ofelia property in Sonora. The LOI terms state four years of staged payments totalling US$1 M plus a 2% NSR, and provides a 90-day term for due-diligence work.
Discovery Metals Corp. announced that with the conversion of 3.3 M subscription receipts to shares, Mr. Eric Sprott owns now approximately 21% interest in the company (Cordero, Chihuahua).
Newmont Goldcorp. announced that the Peñasquito mine and the nearby San Juan Cedros community (one of 25 neighbouring communities) in Zacatecas, agreed to an infrastructure solution for sustainable water availability for the community. The 30-year water agreement includes additional water wells to supplement the 600 K liters per-day reverse osmosis drinking water plant the company built in 2018.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

A Mining Gathering was held in Banamichi, Sonora, with more than 600 attendees, mostly students, with the purpose of letting them know the opportunities for internships and employment in mining units. Among the attendees were also governors of mining states, the ambassadors of mining countries, Congress representatives, Union leaders, 14 majors and representatives for mining companies, mining associations and mining communities.
The Asociación de Mineros de Sonora (Sonora’s Miners Association, or AMSAC) celebrated its 40^th The celebration included a series of presentations and a formal dinner. Among the speakers were Francisco Quiroga (Mining Sub-secretary), Karen Flores (Camimex), Ernesto [Ríos (Americas Mining) and Lourdes McPherson (Argonaut Gold).
The first “Comité de Desarrollo Regional para las Zona Mineras (Mining Zones Development Committee) was created in Hermosillo, Sonora. The finality of such committees is to assess and approve investment projects derived from the Mining Fund, incorporating all interest groups. The committee is integrated by:The fist session is to be held in February 28, 2020, and the second on August 28, 2020.
Dr. Vagón is to be at La Junta, Chihuahua. From the 12 to the 16 of December, 2019. Among the services to be provided are: general consult, dermatology, pediatric care, geriatric care, odontology, chiropractic, physic rehabilitation, optometry, audiometry, mastography, colposcopy, family planning, lab test, diabetics clinic, psychology and nutrition. This itinerant train-mounted clinic has the capacity to Attend 550 persons daily.
The Safety, Environment and Social Responsibility Fair San Dimas 2019, was held on December 6 in Tayoltita, Durango. The different departments of the First Majestic mine displayed details on their work on the mining process, in a didactic and entertaining way, to workers, suppliers, municipality and State authorities, as well as their families and local inhabitants. Radio Plata (Silver Radio) was commissioned, the first radio station to be located in the vicinity, is part of the company’s Centro Cultural, where educative, social and cultural activities are to take place.
Minera Media Luna is showing a strong support for education in Guerrero. With support from local authorities in Cocula, the Instituto Tecnológico de Iguala, the Universidad Tecnológica Autónoma del Norte de Iguala, the State government, the Instituto Estatal para la Educación de Jóvenes y Adultos de Guerrero and the general population in Cocula, the company has: installed programs for diminishing the educative lag in primary and secondary education; taken 36 students in internships from local universities; supported 86 students through scholarships; invested $500 K pesos along with the Cocula municipality for the hiring of primary education personnel; participated in the Fourth Week of Mining on the Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero…. And several other programs in education not posted here for lack of space.
AMSAC, the Sonora Miners Association, signed an agreement with the Consejo Regulador del Bacanora (Regulatory Council for Bacanora, a spirits drink). Under this agreement , several mining companies are to grow the needed agave saplings for the production of Bacanora in their green houses, to be transplanted in the field by the agave growers.
Minera Peña Colorada presented the “Ilustred Guide to Wildlife in the Minatitlan Microbasin”, at the Feria Internacional del Libro 2019, in Guadalajara, Jalisco. This work was accomplished with the support of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, and the Benemérita Universidad de Puebla.
The Mexican gray wolf has left the list of extinct species on the wild, moving to the category of species on extinction risk. This is the result of an international effort among the USA and Mexican governments, with the participation of Grupo Mexico. The declaration comes after 12 liberations and the documentation of 9 successful litters with some 30 puppies on the wild. Grupo Mexico, as well as other mining companies, has an UMA (Environmental Management Unit) that take care and reproduce threatened species.
Dr Vagón, Grupo Mexico’s health train, is to be on Ciudad Cuahutémoc, Chihuahua, from December 18 to December 22. The 17 train carriages itinerant clinic has the capacity to attend 600 persons per day, providing for a wide array of services, like diagnostics, ailment prevention, dermatology, odontology, physical rehabilitation, optometry, audiometry, psychology, nutrition, diabetes and chiropractic treatments.

Content like what you have just read can be seen at https://gambusinoprospector.com/ and at LinkedIn’s Mexico Mineral Exploration Group.

On the image below: Sheeted quartz veinlets from an orogenic gold project in Oaxaca. Picture by Jorge Cirett

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Second Week of August, 2019

August 12, 2019August 12, 2019 / Gambusino Prospector / Leave a comment

By Jorge Cirett

During the 32^nd week of the year (August 5^th to August 11^th, 2019), at least 36 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. ON MEXICO ISSUES, The president of Mexico announced in a political rally that no more mining concessions are to be granted during his term in office. ON EXPLORATION, In Chihuahua, Kootenay has mobilized a drill rig to its Columba property. In Coahuila, Discovery Metals released high-grade results from underground sampling at Minerva. In Zacatecas, Alien Metals carried out surface sampling at Los Campos, Donovan and San Celso projects; Advance Gold started an IP survey at Tabasqueña. ON MINING, Gold Resource, Premier Gold, Hecla Mining, Golden Minerals, First Majestic, Coeur Mining, Argonaut Gold, Pan American Silver, Avino Silver, Endeavour Silver, Alio Gold, Torex Gold, Fortuna Silver and GoGold reported second quarter production and/or financial results for the second quarter. Mexus Gold poured first gold at its Santa Elena mine in Sonora. ON FINANCING, Excellon Resources entered into an agreement with a sole bookrunner for gross proceeds of $10 M. Santacruz Silver granted options to its directors, officers, employees, consultants and advisors. Oroco closed a first tranche for $900 K. Impact Silver completed the first series of a round of financing for $2.4 M in gross proceeds. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, US Antimony continues mining at Los Juarez, Queretaro. Hecla presented drill results from San Sebastian, Durango. Orla Mining filed the FS on Camino Rojo Oxide project. VVC Exploration approved the construction of a pilot plant on its Northern Mexico Copper project. Minera Alamos received the needed environmental approval for mine construction at Santana, Sonora. Goldplay Exploration compiled all the exploration information on a 6 km trend outside the known resource in San Marcial, Sinaloa ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Discovery Metals filed an early warning report in respect to its holdings in Levon Resources. Tamino Minerals is working to remove the stop sign to become current on the OTC. Minera Alamos reported the retirement from the Board of Directors of Mr. Chester Millar, (a long time player in the Mexican Mining scene). Mako Mining informed the near completion of production from La Trinidad mine in Sinaloa. Chesapeake Gold re-purchased a 1% NSR from Wheaton Precious Metals. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. Argonaut Gold engaged in multiple community projects during the second quarter on its operations at San Agustin (Durango), El Castillo (Durango), La Colorada (Sonora) and La Paz (Baja California Sur).

ON MEXICO ISSUES

No more mining concessions in my term: AMLO. The president of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, announced this Sunday (August 11^th, 2019) in a political rally in Concepcion del Oro, Zacatecas, that under his term no more mining concessions are to be granted. “To give concessions of the mining regions to national and foreign companies was a policy forwarded since the time of (Carlos) Salinas de Gortari, and up to 80 million hectares were delivered for mining exploitation. To grasp it: let’s think in our territory. Mexico has 200 million hectares, and 80 million hectares, about 40 percent of the national territory. Never in History so much of our sovereign soil had been transferred”, he said. He also reiterated that current concessions are to continue, but no new ones are to be delivered. “We are not to cancel (the concessions), but we are not to continue delivering new concessions for mining exploitation. Because it was too much what was delivered. If we analyze it, we are going to conclude that it wasn’t delivered to produce, but to speculate financially ………. With what has been delivered they have to produce. That’s the main purpose and not speculation. What we ask the mining companies is, first, take care of the environment, that no territory is destroyed, not to act as it is done in other countries”. He asked for Mexican miners to be paid as in the United States, or Canada, and that the same environmental rules be applied, also making a call for the salaries of workers to be raised, with the same benefits. (Editor’s note.- All the president arguments can be easily refuted to show that granting mining concessions is, and has been, very helpful for the country and countless of Mexicans. But there is no valid argument to present to the president that on the one hand is calling for more investment, while in the other hand is closing the door to it.)

ON EXPLORATION

Kootenay Silver Inc. has mobilized a drill rig to commence a 3,000 m core drill program at its Columba project in Chihuahua. “The first 12 holes of the drill program will be designed to test the F vein where underground development work extended to 200 meter depth and the historic mining occurred”.
Alien Metals Ltd. carried out some surface rock sampling at its Donovan, Los Campos and San Celso projects in Zacatecas, results pending.
Advance Gold Corp. started a 800 x 500 m 3D induced polarization (IP) geophysical survey on its Tabaqueña project, Zacatecas. The goal of the survey is to assess the depth potential below the near surface mineralized zone that was encountered in the andesites, with the graphitic phyllites below still open at depth.
Discovery Metals Corp. released assay results for 112 underground samples from its drill permitted Minerva Ag-Zn-Pb project in Coahuila. Highlighted results from the Minerva mine include 0.4 m @ 8,880 gpt Ag, 8.7% Zn, 43.2% Zn, 2.30% Cu, 0.3 m @ 1,200 gpt Ag, 24.8% Zn, 18.2% Pb, 0.15% Cu; 0.2 m @ 1,340 gpt Ag, 20.8% Zn, 19.6% Pb, 0.11% Cu; 0.9 m @ 517 gpt Ag, 5.7% Zn, 3.3% Pb, 0.07% Cu in veins, 0.3 m @ 1,485 gpt Ag, 8.6% Zn, 32.1% Pb, 0.10% Cu; 0.3 m @ 1,145 gpt Ag, 10.8% Zn, 34.8% Pb, 0.10% Cu; 0.5 m @ 220 gpt Ag, 34.6% Zn, 13.2% Pb, 0.05% Cu; 0.4 m @ 1,050 gpt Ag, 5.8% Zn, 26.4% Pb; 1.4 m @ 131 gpt Ag, 22.2% Zn, 2.7% Pb, 0.04% Cu in mantos. Underground samples from the Concordia area returned 0.7 m @ 848 gpt Ag, 2.7% Zn, 12.5% Pb, 0.24% Cu; 0.8 m @ 320 gpt Ag, nil Zn, 13% Pb, 0.06% Cu; 1.1 m @ 267 gpt Ag, 0.4% Zn, 6.3% Pb, 0.06% Cu in vein and limestone. At Tercia area, samples from a small working in diorite returned 0.5 m @ 226 gpt Ag, 0.2% Zn, 15.5% Pb; 0.5 m @ 181 gpt Ag, 0.2% Zn, 10.0% Pb; 1.3 m @ 124 gpt Ag, 3.2% Zn, 6.1% Pb in breccias (fault zones?).

ON MINING

Mexus Gold US. has poured gold at its Santa Elena mine in Sonora (not to mistake for First Majestic’s Santa Elena mine, also in Sonora). The company recovered gold from its first heap leach pad using its Merrill Crowe gold recovery system. Mexus continues to mine and crush ore for the 2^nd lift on heap leach pad #1.
Gold Resource Corp. presented production results for the second quarter 2019. At the Oaxaca’s Mining Unit 7,881 Oz Au, 466.5 K Oz Ag, 482 tonnes Cu, 2,304 tonnes Pb, 6,054 tonnes Zn were produced. At the Arista mine 115.8 K tonnes were milled @ 1.87 gpt Au, 92 gpt Ag, 0.40% Cu, 1.96% Pb, 4.77% Zn. At the Aguila open pit mine 8,872 tonnes were milled @ 1.39 gpt Au, 43 gpt Ag. At the Mirador mine 6,737 tonnes were milled @ 1.10 gpt Au, 201 gpt Ag. The company had $7.93 M of cash and cash equivalents by the end of the period.
Premier Gold Mines Ltd. reported operating results for the second quarter 2019, including figures from its Mexican operations. At Mercedes, in Sonora, 167.6 K tonnes were milled @ 3.0 gpt Au, 27.2 gpt Ag, recovering 95.9% Au, 35.0% Ag to produce 15,532 Oz Au, 51,354 Oz Ag. Co-product cash cost was $1,053 per Oz Au, and the co-product all-in-sustaining cost was $1,254 per Oz Au. On by-product basis, cash cost was 1,044 per Oz Au and AISC $1,252 per OZ Au. A total of 11,281 m of drilling targeted the Diluvio, Marianas and Barrancas veins “to replace reserves support mine production, test extensions of the main mine trends and to test new geological targets.”
Hecla Mining Co. presented second quarter 2019 results, including figure from its operations in Mexico. At San Sebastian, Durango, 463.7 K Oz Ag, 3,547 Oz Au were produced at by-product cash cost $9.22 per Oz Ag and by-product AISC$15.50.
Golden Minerals Co. released financial results for the second quarter 2019. An important point on the report is the still to be completed $22 M sale of the Velardeña, Santa Maria and Rodeo properties, as well as the Velardeña mill, to Grupo Autlan. Golden had a net loss of $2.5 M , ending the period with $1.8 M in cash and cash equivalents.
First Majestic Silver Corp. announced financial results for the second quarter 2019. During the period 3.2 M Oz Ag, 6.4 M OZ AgEq were produced at cash cost $6.84 per Oz Ag, and AISC $ 14.76 per Oz Ag on a consolidated basis from its San Dimas (Durango), Santa Elena (Sonora), La Encantada (Coahuila), San Martin (Jalisco), La Parrilla (Durango), Del Toro (Zacatecas). At the end of the period the company had $94.5 M in cash and cash equivalents.
Coeur Mining Inc. reported second quarter 2019 financial results, including figures from its Mexican operations. At Palmarejo, in Chihuahua, 447.7 K tonnes were milled @ 2.18 gpt Au, 147 gpt Ag, recovering 87.7% Au, 81.8% Ag, to produce 28,246 Oz Au, 1.73 M Oz Ag at adjusted CAS $741 per Oz Au and adjusted CAS $9.17 per Oz Ag. Production started and is to be ramped up 400 tonnes per day (tpd) at La Nacion deposit.
Argonaut Gold Inc. announced its operating and financial results for the second qurter of 2019. At Cerro del Gallo in Guanajuato, Argonaut is advancing on the pre-feasibility study, whereas at San Antonio in Baja California participated in a public information meeting regarding the environmental impact assessment process, while advancing in environmental permitting. At El Castillo, Durango, 2.3 M tonnes of ore @ 0.39 gpt Au, 3.49 M tonnes of waste were moved at a rate of 64 K tonnes per day (tpd) to produce 14,361 Oz Au, 29,791 Oz Ag at cash cost $976 per gold equivalent ounce. At San Agustin (Durango), 1.96 M tonnes of ore @ 0.39 gpt Au, 1.41 M tonnes waste were moved at 37 K tpd to produce 12,684 Oz Au, 43,097 Oz Ag at cash cost $910 per gold equivalent ounce. At La Colorada (Sonora) 1.19 M tonnes of ore @ 0.46 gpt Au, 5.9 M tonnes of waste were moved at 78 K tpd to produce 11,723 Oz Au, 35,485 Oz Ag at cash cost $894 per gold equivalent ounce.
Pan American Silver Corp. reported unaudited results for the second quarter 2019, including figures from its Mexican operations. At La Colorada, in Zacatecas, 2.04 M Oz Ag, 1.1 K Oz Au were produced at cash cost $2.82 per Oz Ag and AISC $5.07 per Oz Ag. At Dolores, in Chihuahua, 1.23 M Oz Ag, 28.5 K Oz Au were produced at cash cost $6.87 per Oz Ag and AISC $22.30 per Oz Ag. “Drilling at the La Colorada mine has further defined the skarn mineralization, indicating a high concentration of base metal and silver mineralization over large widths”. By the end of the period the company had cash and shorth-term investments for $138.8 M, and working capital of $793.1 M.
Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. released consolidated financial results for the second quarter 2019. During the period 200.9 K tonnes were milled to produce 426.1 K Oz Ag, 1,609 Oz Au, 1.14 M Lb Cu, or 599.5 K Oz AgEq, with consolidated cash cost per AgEq ounce of $10.89, and AISC $13.10 per AgEq ounce. At the end of the quarter Avino held $3.4 M of cash, and a working capital of $8.7 M.
Endeavour Silver Corp. released its financial results for the second quarter 2019. Consolidated production from its Guanacevi (Durango), Bolañitos (Guanajuato), El Cubo (Guanajuato) and El Compas (Zacatecas) mines was 1.06 M Oz Ag, 9,558 Oz Au, or 1.8 M Oz AgEq at an all-in-sustaining cost of $20.90 per Oz Ag net of gold credits. During the period received the final tailings permit for its Terronera project in Jalisco, and reported positive drill results from Bolañitos and Guanacevi.
Alio Gold Inc. reported second quarter 2019 results, including figures from its operations in Mexico. At San Francisco, in Sonora, produced 10,230 Oz Au, 5,112 Oz Ag, with a by-product cost of $1,077 per Oz Au and an AISC of $1,079 per Oz Au. In January 2019 Alio stopped active mining in the San Francisco pit and focused on processing the low grade stockpile, which is to continue until the end of the year, after which only residual leaching is to go on.
Torex Gold Resources Inc. announced financial and operating results for the second quarter 2019. At El Limon-Guajes in Guerrero, 145.7 K tonnes per day (tpd) were moved, including 19,890 tpd of ore @ 2.91 gpt Au, with a recovery of 88% Au to produce 113,645 Oz Au at cash cost $605 and AISC $760. The Muckahi mining system is said to be on the way to demonstrate its efficacy by year end. Torex released a maiden underground mineral resource estimate for El Limon Deep of 797 K tonnes @ 5.52 gpt Au, containing 171 K Oz Au as an indicated mineral resource. The company had a cash balance of $131 M by the end of June.
Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. presented consolidated financial results for the second quarter 2019, including figures from its Mexican operations. At San Jose, Oaxaca, 271 K tonnes were milled at a rate of 3,045 tpd, grading 273 gpt Ag, 1.78 gpt Au, with a recovery of 91% Ag, 90% Au to produce 2.16 M Oz Ag, 13,204 Oz Au at cash cost $6.20 per Oz Ag and an AISC of $9.3 per Ag Oz. By the end of the period Fortuna held $77.2 M in cash and cash equivalents.
GoGold Resources Inc. reported second quarter results 2019. During the period GoGold produced 451 K Oz Ag from the Parral tailings. By the end of June the company had $9.0 M in cash and marketable securities and no debt.

ON FINANCING

Excellon Resources Inc. entered into an agreement with Cormark Securities Inc. as sole bookrunner and lead underwriter to buy units of the company for gross proceeds of approximately $10 M (Platosa, Durango).
Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. granted 8.5 M stock options options to its directors, officers, employees, consultants and advisors (Veta Grande, Zacatecas; Rosario, San Luis Potosi).
Oroco Resource Corp. closed the first tranche of the previously announced non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $900 K (Santo Tomas, Sinaloa).
Impact Silver Corp. completed the first series of the third tranche of the non-brokered private placement previously announced and updated, receiving aggregate gross proceeds of $2.44 M. The company intends to complete a second series of the third tranche for gross proceeds of $554.2 K. Impact has paid $56 K to Infor Financial Inc. and $50 K to Canaccord Genuity Corp. as finders fee (Zacualpan, Estado de Mexico).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

United States Antimony Corp. continues mining in two open pits at Los Juarez mine in Queretaro. At the Puerto Blanco mill in Guanajuato maintenance and improvements are being made to support increased production. At the Puerto Blanco leach circuit the plastic liner and fire assay equipment have been purchased. At the Madero smelter in Coahuila, The caustic leach plant has been tested and is operational to produce gold, silver, and antimony.
Hecla Mining Co. added new mineralization by drilling on the Middle and El Toro veins, potentially adding oxide mine life to San Sebastian, in Durango. Near-surface mineralisation has been defined by drilling for over 1,200 m along strike and 160 m of depth. Recent intercepts include 2.40 m @ 874 gpt Ag, 11.5 gpt Au; 1.50 m @ 398 gpt Ag, 1.86 gpt Au; 3.41 m @ 236 gpt Ag, 3.42 gpt Au. “Preliminary engineering studies have begun to evaluate the potential of both open pit and underground mining options at El Toro and drilling in this area is planned to continue through the third quarter.”
Orla Mining Ltd. filed a technical report on its Camino Rojo project, Zacatecas. The company previously released the results of the feasibility study (FS) for the oxide part of the mineralized body, which envisages the movement of 44 M tonnes @ 0.73 gpt Au, 14.2 gpt Ag to leach pads, and a recovery of 64% Au, 17% Ag.
VVC Exploration Corp. board of directors approved the start of a pilot mine on the Gloria Zones of its Northern Mexico Copper Project (Samalayuca) in Chihuahua. The plan envisions open pit mining and heap leach extraction by electrowinning (SX-EW) starting at 2 K tonnes per day (tpd) of mineralized material, scalable to 4 K tpd.
Minera Alamos Inc. received the approval of the environmental impact statement (Manifestación de Impacto Ambiental, or MIA) by SEMARNAT, the regulatory federal environmental agency, rendering the company with the key approvals for the construction of commercial scale mining facilities at its Santana project in Sonora.
Goldplay Exploration Ltd. compiled all the exploration information supporting that its San Marcial project in Sinaloa has a strong precious metal potential, beyond the already defined resource. Five known areas over a 6 km trend include: Nava, with trench sampling of up to 24 m @ 2.1 gpt Au; Chachalaca Micuines, where several rock chip samples returned 1m @ 1.0 – 5.0 gpt Au, and up to 0.9 m @ 13.3 gpt Au; Guacamayo, with a trench interval returning 24 m @ 219 gpt Ag, 0.25 gpt Au; Resource area, on which recent assays of drill holes identified new gold mineralisation outside the resource, with true width intervals (tw) of 1.0 m @ 2.5 gpt Au, 8.4 m @ 0.7 gpt Au, 12 m @ 0.2 gpt Au; Faisanes, where recently a drill hole interval of tw 0.9 m @ 204.6 gpt Au.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

Discovery Metals Corp. filed an early warning report in respect of its holdings in Levon Resources Ltd., now beneficially owns or controls 117.1 M Levon Shares, representing all of the issued and outstanding Levon Shares. Discovery did not own or control, directly or indirectly, any shares in Levon prior to the Arrangement. (Puerto Rico, Coahuila; Cordero, Chihuahua).
Tamino Minerals Inc. informed that “The company is not planning to complete a REVERSE SPLIT at this moment and is not in the company’s plans to do this.” Furthermore stating that “no dilution is guaranted” as its latest DTCC Share Position Report shows that the company has 149.8 M common shares in the float. The company is also working on preparing financial statements in order to remove the stop sign to become current on the OTC Markets (El Volcan, Sonora).
Minera Alamos Inc. reported the retirement from the Board of Directors of Mr. Chester Millar. Mr Millar (born 1927) was involved in multiple heap leach mining projects in Mexico for several decades, and is included in the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame since 2008 (Note by editor.- our sincere thanks and respect to Chester Millar for his contributions to the mining industry in Mexico).
Mako Mining Corp. informed gold production from the Trinidad mine in Sinaloa is nearing completion. Mining operations ceased at the end of March, and most of the crushing plant has been moved to another project in Nicaragua. The company has been unsuccessful in receiving any proceeds from the claim due to the damages sustained at La Trinidad from Hurricane Willa in October 2018, and legal actions have commenced against the insurer provider and their reinsurers. “Discussions are underway with the mining contractor for La Trinidad and the Mexican government regarding significant payables still outstanding at our Mexican subsidiary that holds La Trinidad”. Mako believes that the company has properly structured its Mexican subsidiary in a way that these liabilities do not extend outside of Mexico, whereby any proceeds from the sale of the equipment, or success in the insurance litigation, will be for the benefit of Mako. Discussions are proceeding with the mining contractor with the goal of reaching a mutually acceptable settlement. Finally, all other assets held in Mexico are to be sold or liquidated on due course (Note of editor.- From the outside, and with no further information other than what’s on the press release, the remarks on the isolation of the parent company from any litigation while leaving the country with debts outstanding are the kind of practices that make foreign companies easy targets for interest groups on any country. In short, please do not do that).
Chesapeake Gold Corp. has exercised an option to re-purchase a one percent (1.0%) net smelter returns royalty (NSR) on its Metates Au-Ag-Zn project, Durango. The NSR was purchased from Wheaton Precious Metals Co., a subsidiary of Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. for US$9.0 M.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Argonaut Gold Inc. engaged in multiple community projects during the second quarter of 2019. Received the nationally awarded Environmental Socially Responsible Company recognition at the El Castillo Complex for the seventh consecutive year, and held an opening ceremony of a new plant nursery at San Agustin (also in Durango). At La Colorada (Sonora), San Juan del Rio (Durango) and San Antonio (Baja California Sur) hosted a Children’s Day celebration. At La Colorada (Sonora) assisted, in collaboration with the State of Sonora Secretariat of Education and Culture, with the rehabilitation of educational facilities and donated computers, as well as hosted a women’s community workshop in La Colorada. Finally, hosted a health and wellness community workshop in La Paz, Baja California Sur.

Content like what you have just read can be seen at https://gambusinoprospector.com/ and at LinkedIn’s Mexico Mineral Exploration Group.

On the image below: quartz veinlets and quartz filed breccia in metamorphic rocks of a project in Oaxaca. Picture by Jorge Cirett

No more mining concessions in my term: AMLO.- El Financiero

August 11, 2019August 12, 2019 / Gambusino Prospector / Leave a comment

https://elfinanciero.com.mx/nacional/no-habra-mas-concesiones-mineras-en-el-sexenio-amlo

The Mexican president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced this Sunday that under his government no more mining concessions are going to be delivered.

While on a political rally in Concepcion del Oro, Zacatecas, he stated that in 36 years 80 million hectares were concessioned, equivalent to 40 percent of the national territory.

He also accused business owners of using those permits only to speculate financially.

“To give concessions of the mining regions to national and foreign companies was a policy forwarded since the time of (Carlos) Salinas de Gortari and up to 80 million hectares were delivered for mining exploitation. To grasp it: let’s think in our territory. Mexico has 200 million hectares, and 80 million hectares, about 40 percent of the national territory. Never in History so much of our sovereign soil had been transferred”, he said.

He reiterated that current concessions are to continue, but no new ones are to be delivered.

“We are not to cancel (the concessions), but we are not to continue delivering new concessions for mining exploitation. Because it was too much what was delivered. If we analyze it, we are going to conclude that it wasn’t delivered to produce, but to speculate financially”, he said.

“With what has been delivered they have to produce. That’s the main purpose and not speculation. What we ask the mining companies is, first, take care of the environment, that no territory is destroyed, not to act as it is done in other countries”, he added.

He asked for Mexican miners to be paid as in the United States, or Canada, and that the same environmental rules be applied.

He made a call for the salaries of workers to be raised, with the same benefits.

As he has said in other rallies, Lopez Obrador warned that ONG’s are not to receive funds from the government budget.

“These realized intermediation work. It was supposed that these (ONG’s) delivered goods to the people and it wasn’t so. These kept the budget or a good amount of the budget and -hardly- purchased stocks of foods, distributed weevil bearing beans and kept must of the funds received”

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Second Week of February, 2019.

February 18, 2019 / gambusinoprospectormexico / Leave a comment

“Quartz blade” texture in a low sulphidation epithermal vein

By Miguel A Heredia

During the seventh week of the year (February 11^th to February 17^th, 2019), at least 32 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico, with twelve communicating production results, seven informing on exploration results, six disclosing deals and corporate issues, three announcing financing rounds, three reporting on resources and development of their properties, and one discussing Mexican issues. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Michael Harvey, director of Corporate Affairs for GoldCorp declared that Zacatecas has lost attractiveness for mining. ON EXPLORATION, In Sonora, Silver One commenced a 1,000m drilling program at its Peñasco Quemado project, SilverCrest reported drill results and discover of the Babi Sur Vein within its Las Chispas project, and Silver Viper provided an update of the 2018 drilling program at its La Virginia project. In Chihuahua, Evrim and its partner, Harvest Gold reported drilling results from its Cerro Cascaron project, and Ethos received permits for trenching and drilling its La Purisima Au project. In Jalisco, Evrim reported drilling results from its Cuale project. In the State of Mexico, Candente commenced a drilling program to explore near surface drill targets at its El Oro project. ON MINING, Alio provided an update of the operation of its San Francisco mine in Sonora. Hecla reported Q4, 2018 production results from its San Sebastian mine and Avino reported full 2018 year production from its Avino mine in Durango. Capstone presented Q4 and full year 2018 production results from its Cozamin mine in Zacatecas. Santacruz Silver announced Q4 and full year 2018 production results from their Mexican operations. Telson released full year 2018 production results from its Campo Morado mine in Guerrero. Consolidated Zinc presented January 2019 production results from its Plomosas mine in Chihuahua. Fortuna reported and confirmed no contamination of soil at its San Jose mine in Oaxaca. ON FINANCING, Auxico closed a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $400K (Zamora project, Sinaloa). Riverside announced a private placement to raise gross proceeds for CAD$1.5M (Cecilia project, Sonora). Magna Gold announced a proposed non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of up to CAD$3.2M (Mercedes project, Sonora). ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Fortuna Silver announced results from the brownfield exploration program conducted at its San Jose mine in Oaxaca. Torex announced infill drill results from its El Limon Deep project in Guerrero. Bacanora Lithium provided an update of the H2 activities developed at its Sonora Lithium project in Sonora. Hecla increased mineral resource at its San Sebastian mine in Durango. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Sonoro announced management appointments (Cerro Caliche, Sonora). Prospero Silver provided an update of its option agreement with Fortuna Silver on its Pachuca SE property in Hidalgo. Great Panther announced the approval from their shareholders to acquire Beadell Resources and change its name to Great Panther Mining Limited (Topia mine, Durango). Evrim granted 200K stock options to their employees (Cuale project, Jalisco). Magna Gold provided an update of its option agreement to acquire 100% interest on the Mercedes property in Sonora. Telson announced that they have identified a sophisticated concentrate theft from its Campo Morado mine in Guerrero during its transportation to the Trafigura warehouses in the Manzanillo port.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

Michael Harvey, director of Corporate Affairs for GoldCorp Inc., declared that Zacatecas has lost attractiveness for mining after the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) declared constitutional 4 taxes called ecological (Extraction of Minerals, Emission of Gases to the Atmosphere, Emission of Contaminants to the Soil, Subsoil and Water and the Deposit and Storage of Residues) on the mining sector. It sends a very negative signal about the stability of the investment in Zacatecas.

ON EXPLORATION

Silver One Resources Inc., commenced a 1,000m drilling program at its Peñasco Quemado project in Sonora. The drilling program will test three targets selected on coincidental geochemical and geophysical anomalies. The company will test two targets in the eastern part of the property: a) the down-dip extension of the drill defined historic Ag resource area, interpreted as a shallow southwest-dipping replacement manto, coincident with a low-intermediate resistivity anomaly, and b) the along-strike extension of the historic Ag resource area as identified by strong > 3 km long southeast trending Zn, Pb, Ba, and Mn in soil anomalies and partially coincident with geophysical anomalies. In the western part of the property, Silver One will test strong Zn, Pb, and Cu soil anomalies with coincidental geophysics in an area drill tested by Silvermex in 2008 where significant intersections were encountered as that in Hole PQRC51 with 4.5m of 340 g/t Ag at a depth of 88m from surface.
SilverCrest Metals Inc., reported drill results and discover of the Babi Sur Vein within its Las Chispas project in Sonora. Highlights results are Hole BAS18-31 which intersected 2.2m (TW) of 18.78 g/t Au and 2,147 g/t Ag (3,556 g/t AgEq), and Hole BAS18-07 with 2.2m of 4.63 g/t Au and 209 g/t Ag (556 g/t AgEq). “The high-grade footprint of the Babi Sur Vein has been drill intercepted with 14 core holes over approximately 1.5 km strike length. Of the 14 intercepts with an average true width of 1.4 metres, six are greater than 400 g/t AgEq (400 to 3,555 g/t AgEq)”.
Silver Viper Minerals Corp., provided an update of the 2018 drilling program conducted at its La Virginia project in Sonora. 4,753m were completed in 20 core drill holes, over five distinct prospect areas, distributed along 11km of the prospective structural trend. “The highlight of 2018 was El Rubi, a never-before drilled showing, located some 1.5km north of any previous drilling. El Rubi returned a best result of 6m true width (13.3m core length) averaging 3.16 g/t gold and 228g/t silver for a gold equivalent grade of 6.42g/t Au”.
Ethos Gold Corp., received the approved permits for trenching and drilling its La Purisima Au project in Chihuahua. Ethos announced the commencement of the trenching program and expects to start the drilling program in March, 2019. The target area is at least 2km long and has not seen modern and systematic exploration. The company has estimated an initial and modest budget of approximately US$350K to conduct trenching and drilling at La Purisima project.
Evrim Resources Corp., and its partner Harvest Gold Corp., reported drill results from their Cerro Cascaron project in Chihuahua. Nine core drill holes were completed at Serpiente Dorada, San Pedro, and Cascarita target areas for a total of 1,885m. Assay results have been received for only seven of the nine holes drilled to date. Significant drill interceptions were encountered in Hole SPT 18-01 (Serpiente Dorada target area) with 6.5m of 3.29 g/t Au and 6 g/t Ag, including 1m of 20.1 g/t Au and 22 g/t Ag, and Hole SPED 19-02 (San Pedro target area) with 4.8m of 1.02 g/t Au and 13 g/t Ag and 0.35m of 5.39 g/t Au and 24 g/t Ag.
Evrim Resources Corp., released additional drilling results from its Cuale project in Jalisco. Evrim has received assays from ten core drill holes completed in 2018 for a total of 2,179m. Significant drill intersections were encountered in Hole GLR18-04 with 32m of 0.83 g/t Au from surface, including 22m of 1.06 g/t Au, and a deeper interval with 12m of 0.34% Cu; Hole GLR18-09 with 11m of 0.31 g/t Au from 36m downhole, and Hole GLD18-10 with 4m of 0.42% Cu from 136m downhole.
Candente Gold Corp., begun a drilling program to test near surface drill targets at its El Oro project in the State of Mexico. “The Company remains committed to pursue drill targets previously developed on the San Rafael vein in the Mexico-Esperanza mine border area where three holes intersected high grades of gold and silver (30.7 g/t Au over 1.9m; 18.1 g/t Au and 137 g/t Ag over 0.4m, and 16.7 g/t Au and 32 g/t Ag over 1.4m) in the San Rafael and parallel veins as well as disseminated gold (1.0 g/t Au over 75m) in the overlying porous tuff horizon and has decided to develop more shallow targets as well”. The first target to be drill tested is the Cortaduras area which is about 6.5km west of the San Rafael vein and 5km west of the Veta Verde vein from which 6.4M Oz Au and 74 M Oz Ag (8M Oz AuEq) were produced historically in 4 mines.

ON MINING

Alio Gold Inc., reported that 528,770 tonnes of stockpile with a grade of 0.31 were stacked on the leach pads. Au production for the month of January was consistent with Q4 production at approximately 3,890 Oz (subject to finalization and refinery adjustments). Alio also announced that they have sufficient stockpiles to operate at this capacity throughout 2019 while the company continues developing an engineered plan for recommencing mining activities.
Hecla Mining Company, presented Q4, 2018 production results from its San Sebastian mine in Durango. Hecla processed 156,733 tonnes at the mill to produce 2.04M Oz Ag and 14,979 Oz Au.
Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd., released full 2018 production results from its Avino mine in Durango. In 2018, the company produced 1.28M Oz Ag, 8,100 Oz Au, and 4.8M Lb Cu (or 2.8 M Oz AgEq).
Capstone Mining Corp., presented Q4 and full year 2018 production results from its Cozamin mine in Zacatecas. In Q4, 2018, Capstone produced 9.3M Lb Cu for a total of 155.2M Lb Cu produced in the full year. Zn production in 2018 totaled 15M Lb Zn.
Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd., announced Q4 and full year production results from their Mexican operations. At its Veta Grande mine in Zacatecas, Santacruz milled 36,719 tonnes of 81 g/t Ag to produce 58.9K Oz Ag, 113 Oz Au, 660.8K Lb Pb, and 891K Lb Zn. In the full year, 150,281 tonnes were milled with a grade of 73 g/t Ag to produce 190.3K Oz Ag, 367 Oz Au, 1.76M Lb Pb, and 2.5M Lb Zn. At its El Rosario mine in San Luis Potosi, the company milled 16,676 tonnes of 42 g/t Ag to produce 18.9K Oz Ag, 131 Oz Au, 89.6K Lb Pb, and 358.4 Lb Zn. In the full year, Santacruz milled 61,184 tonnes of 43 g/t Ag to produce 72.4K Oz Ag, 379 Oz Au, 286.7 Lb Pb, and 2.3M Lb Zn.
Telson Mining Corporation, released full year production results from its Campo Morado mine in Guerrero. In 2018, Telson processed 585,601 tonnes of 1.02 g/t Au, 118 g/t Ag, 1.1% Pb, 4.3% Zn, and 0.37% Cu to produce 2,870 Oz Au, 622.3K Oz Ag, 4M Lb Pb, 36.3M Lb Zn, and 373.3K Lb Cu.
Consolidated Zinc Limited, presented January 2019 production results from its Plomosas mine in Chihuahua. The company mined 3,530 tonnes of 10.3% Zn and 3.3% Pb to produce 813K Lb Zn and 262K Lb Pb, with metallurgical recoveries of 84% and 85% respectively.
Fortuna Silver Mines Ltd., reported and confirmed that the overflow of the contingency pond at its San Jose mine in Oaxaca did not contaminate soils, and therefore no remediation is required. PROFEPA has already completed its investigation and confirmed the no contamination of soils from the overflow.

ON FINANCING

Auxico Resources Canada Inc., closed a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $400K (Zamora project, Sinaloa).
Riverside Resources Inc., announced a plan to complete a non-brokered private placement to raise gross proceeds for CAD$1.5M. Net proceeds will be used to drill its Cecilia gold project in Sonora.
Magna Gold Corp, announced a proposed non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of up to CAD$3.2M.

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

Fortuna Silver Mines Inc., reported results from the brownfield exploration program conducted at its San Jose mine in Oaxaca. The brownfield exploration program comprised 50.904m in 105 holes completed with up to six rigs in 2017 and 2018. Victoria is a primary target explored by underground drilling in which 27,302m in 53 holes were collared. Drill highlights include Hole SJOM781 with 13.5m (TW) of 119 g/t Ag and 0.57 g/t Au, Hole SJOM789 with 3m (TW) of 404 g/t Ag and 2.81 g/t Au, Hole SJOM794 with 6.3m (TW) of 213 g/t Ag and 1.24 g/t Au, Hole SJOM830 with 5.3m (TW) of 273 g/t Ag and 2.1 g/t Au, and Hole SJOM833 with 7.8m (TW) of 217 g/t Ag and 1.72 g/t Au. “Following the successful exploration results for 2018, the Company has allocated US$4.5 million to continued brownfield exploration at San Jose in 2019, including an estimated 11,500 meters of surface and underground diamond drilling and 450 meters of underground development for exploration drilling”.
Torex Gold Resources Inc., released results of the first 32 holes of its infill drill program completed at its El Limon Deep Zone project in Guerrero, which is the downdip extension of mineralization below the El Limon open pit. Significant drill intersections were encountered in Hole LDUG-026 with 8.5m of 25 g/t Au, Hole LDUG-013 with 7.5m of 24.9 g/t Au, Hole LDUG-021 with 15.2m of 16.8 g/t Au, and Hole LDUG-002 with 45.9m of 12.5 g/t Au.
Bacanora Lithium Plc., provided an update of the H2, 2018 activities developed at its Sonora Lithium project in Sonora. Bacanora has secured US$240M as part of the financing package to construct an initial 17,500 tpa Li carbonate operation and continues discussions with industry and strategic financial parties with regards to completing Sonora’s finance package. The company also obtained and unrestricted access to develop and operate the Sonora mine secured following acquisition of La Ventana and La Joya mineral concessions for US$2.9M with the final consideration settled in August 2018. The processing plant sites change of land use permission was approved and augments the Manifestación de Impacto Ambiental (MIA-Environmental impact assessment permissions) for the project and the MIA for permanent road construction previously approved in 2018.These developments enable the project to commence construction, immediately after the project financing package is completed.
Hecla Mining Company, increased reserves and mineral resources at its San Sebastian mine in Durango. Proven reserves are 22,000 tonnes of 121 g/t Ag and 2.48 g/t Au (85K Oz Ag and 2K Oz Au contained), and probable reserves are 206,000 tonnes of 407 g/t Ag and 3.11 g/t Au (2.7M Oz Ag and 21K Oz Au contained). Total proven and probable reserves are 228,000 tonnes of 382 g/t Ag and 3.11 g/t Au (2.79M Oz Ag and 23K Oz Au contained).Indicated resources at San Sebastian are 2,243,000 tonnes of 202 g/t Ag, 1.55 g/t Au, 2.5% Pb, 3.5% Zn, and 1.6% Cu (14.7M Oz Ag, 115K Oz Au, 68.12M Lb Pb, 95.7M Lb Zn, and 44.3M Lb Cu contained). Inferred resources are 3,487,000 tonnes of 205 g/t Ag, 1.24 g/t Au, 1.7% Pb, 2.5% Zn, and 1.3% Cu (22.9M Oz Ag, 143K Oz Au, 27.1M Lb Pb, 39M Lb Zn, and 19.9M Lb Cu contained). Hecla also presented Q4 2018 drill results conducted with three core drill rigs and one RC drill. One underground drill rig completed in-fill drilling in the central and upper portion of the oxide zone along the Middle vein. Additionally, two core drill rigs tested shallower oxide mineralization along the West Francine, Esperanza veins and El Toro vein. Highlights drill results at the Middle vein are 3.6m of 2,080 g/t Ag and 6.84 g/t Au, at West Francine are 0.43m of 295 g/t Ag and 0.62 g/t Au, and at El Toro vein are 3.6m of 305 g/t Ag and 4.04 g/t Au, and 3.05m of 127 g/t Ag and 4.04 g/t Au.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

Sonoro Metals Corp., announced the appointment of its Executive Director and Corporate Secretary (Cerro Caliche, Sonora).
Prospero Silver Corp., announced that TSX approved its option agreement with Fortuna Silver Mines Inc., in which Fortuna can earn up to 70% interest in the Pachuca SE property in Hidalgo.
Great Panther Silver Limited, announced the approval from their shareholders to acquire Beadell Resources Limited and to change its name to Great Panther Mining Limited.
Evrim Resources Corp., granted 200K options to their employees. The stock options are exercisable at a price of $0.32 per share for a period of five years.
Magna Gold Corp., provided an update of its option agreement on the Mercedes property in Sonora, to acquire 100% interest in two mining concessions for a four year period. These mining concessions cover approximately 345 hectares and Magna is entitled to acquire 100% interest by paying to the seller an aggregate of US$1.34M plus VAT of 16% in installments commencing on the 6^th month from the effective date, and ending on the 48^th from the effective date; issue to the seller 3% NSR capped at US$3.5M and subject to the right of Magna to acquire all the NSR at a price of US$0.5M per percentage point within the first three years of commercial production of the Mercedes property, and conditional on the completion of a going public transaction within six months of the effective date, issue 2,442, 105 common shares.
Telson Mining Corp., announced that the company has identified a sophisticated criminal operation to intercept concentrate trucks, remove some part of the Campo Morado concentrates and replace the same with lower quality concentrates. Now the company has taken measures to eliminate this issue with increased security including performing monitored and guarded concentrate transport from the mine to point of sale.

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 blade” texture in a low sulphidation epithermal vein system in a prospect in Jalisco, Mexico. Photo by Miguel A Heredia.

Explotación minera en el mar, opción o pesadilla

May 6, 2018 / Gambusino Prospector / Leave a comment

https://www.eleconomista.com.mx/opinion/Explotacion-minera-en-el-mar-opcion-o-pesadilla-20180504-0041.html

La explotación minera de fondos oceánicos será pronto una realidad. Sus impactos ambientales están siendo intensamente evaluados por instituciones académicas y agencias internacionales, mientras la ingeniería avanza lo suficiente para colocarla como opción viable y rentable, en muchos casos, superior a la minería en tierra. Crece la escasez de minerales metálicos y no metálicos en yacimientos terrestres accesibles y de costo aceptable, mientras el reciclaje es insuficiente y la demanda aumenta exponencialmente por la industria electrónica y la fabricación de baterías para vehículos eléctricos. Níquel, cobalto, tungsteno, platino, rodio, manganeso y otros metales son indispensables para nuevas tecnologías electrónicas, y el fósforo es insumo vital para la manufactura de fertilizantes esenciales en la agricultura. El impacto ambiental de actividades mineras en tierra llega a ser devastador en cuanto a ecosistemas y paisajes, deforestación, y contaminación de aguas, suelos y atmósfera.

Highlights on the Fourth Week of November 2016, Mineral Exploration in Mexico

November 28, 2016 / Gambusino Prospector / Leave a comment

The fourth week of November marks the first anniversary of this post being published.

A year ago, the lack of a comprehensive and widely available abstract of Mexican mining and exploration news was noted. Giving that news releases from companies working in Mexico range from 10 to 40 in number on any given week, it is difficult for all industry professionals to keep track of all that is going on (imagine finding and reading 25 press releases every week for a year). We, at Gambusino Prospector de Mexico, decided to fill this gap, and this week marks the first anniversary. November of last year clearly was not the best of times in mining; if we speak in terms of cycles, 2015 was clearly in the low part of the graph, we just didn’t know if the bottom was nearby. The clear signs of a more optimistic market were seen in March and April of 2016, but we noted that in the third week of November, $35 M had been raised by six companies working in Mexico, that fact constituted a preliminary post, followed by the first “Highlights” on the fourth week of November, with $26.7 M in financing by three more companies. In hindsight, those were probably the signs of investors looking again into commodities for the first time in several years. A year later the outlook is now optimistic, even if not yet a boom, with metal prices recovering, and some mining companies having announced increases in their exploration budget in the mid part of the year. Two silver discoveries in Mexico reinforce the point; Mesa de Plata in Sonora (Azure Mining) and Sandra Escobar in Durango (Orex Gold-Canasil). We look forward to see this trend continuing to give shape to the next boom.

The fourth week of November marks the first anniversary of this post being published. During this week at least eleven press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico, including one third quarter report. ON MEXICO ISSUES, two large Mexican corporations protested against new proposed regulations in Zacatecas. ON EXPLORATION, drilling is focused on brown field high grade silver-gold targets in a property in Mexico State; results from drilling point to the discovery of a new orebody in a Chihuahua silver property, whereas in Sinaloa good results from RC drilling strengthen the case for a silver project. ON MINING, a company in Sonora decided to use a Merryl Crowe system in its project, one more reported third quarter results, and another one added new equipment to its plant in Zacatecas. ON FINANCING, one company completed a bought deal for US$10 M, while one more closed a convertible debenture financing of $1 M. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, A company entered into an agreement to extend an option on three mining concessions in Veracruz.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

Peñoles and Fresnillo, two of the biggest Mexican mining companies, expressed their disagreement on a proposed new tax to enterprises that produce contamination in Zacatecas.

ON EXPLORATION

Impact Silver Corp. is focusing underground drilling on larger and higher grade targets at Guadalupe South and San Ramon extensions, on its Zacualpan mine in Mexico State. From surface, drilling is to test extensions of the Mirasol silver mine and San Patricio. San Patricio was discovered and partially drilled in 2007-2008, with results including 4.6 m @ 242 g/t Ag and 1.9 m @ 346 g/t Ag.
Kootenay Silver Inc. provided results from the first 11 holes on the RAM structure, on its La Cigarra project in Chihuahua. The Ram structure is 700 m to the west and south of the La Cigarra silver deposit, the drill program tested a 400 m strike length of the 3,800 m long structure. Most of the drill intercepts are shallow, and include: 18 m @ 89.9 g/t Ag, 6 m @ 166.5 g/t Ag, 16.5 m @ 58.8 g/t Ag, 31.1 m @ 27.6 g/t Ag and 14.7 m @ 56.4 g/t Ag.
Santana Minerals Ltd. announced RC drill results from the Mojardina Loop area of the Cuitaboca project in Sinaloa. Results include 35 m @ 221 g/t Ag, from surface, including 14 m @ 453 g/t Ag; 10 m @ 56 g/t Ag, 31 m @ 32 g/t Ag; 16 m @ 58 g/t Ag; 17 m @ 50 g/t Ag; 11 m @ 45 g/t Ag, 45 m @ 45 g/t Ag; 24 m @ 47 g/t Ag. The drill program continues now at the Jesus Maria breccia, and then to Mojardina South.

ON MINING

Mexus Gold US. and JV partner Ma Mar announced its intention to use a Merryl Crowe system to recover gold at its Santa Elena mine in Sonora (not to mistake with First Majestic’s Santa Elena mine, also in Sonora).
Impact Silver Corp. announced its financial and production results for the third quarter, 2016. Production on its Zacualpan property in Mexico State was 229 K Oz Ag, primarily from the Oscar Cuchara (42%), San Ramon Deeps (40%) and the Mirasol mines (18%). Cash position was $8.2 M at the end of the period.
Santacruz Silver Mining LTD. installed a 4 K tonnes/day lead thickener and filter press to its Veta Grande Mill in Zacatecas. Metal recoveries are now 70% and 88% for silver and lead respectively.

ON FINANCING

Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. entered into an underwriting bought deal agreement, for gross proceeds of approximately US$10 M.
VVC Exploration Corp. announced the closing of a convertible debenture financing of approximately CA$1.38 M or US$1.04 M.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

Source Exploration Corp. has entered into a definitive agreement to extend the option contract on three concessions on its Las Minas project in Veracruz. The term of the option agreement has been extended for one year for consideration of $180 K.

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 below, chalcedonic quartz veinlet in argillitized felsic tuff, interpreted as part of the upper levels of an epithermal system in Zacatecas.

Highlights on the first week of April 2016, Mineral Exploration in Mexico

April 11, 2016 / Gambusino Prospector / Leave a comment

On the first week of April, noteworthy news releases included only five announcements of results for the first quarter of the year. US Antimony, Capstone Mining, Endeavour Silver, Coeur Mining and GoGold Resources reported production from their mines in Queretaro, Zacatecas, Durango, Guanajuato and Chihuahua. To note and support is decision by Torex Gold of not falling for the covert extortion implicit in the illegal blockade of its Limon-Guajes mine in Guerrero, and temporarily shutting operations until the matter is resolved. As an industry we should now expect the state and federal governments to enforce the law. If there is any room for disagreement, it should be addressed by legal means, as in any civilized country. Cyprium Mining closed a round of financing, to be used for work in its Chihuahua properties.

On Financing

Cyprium Mining Corp. announced the closing of the first tranche of a private placement for gross proceeds of C$382 K dollars, to be used at its El Potosi property in Chihuahua.
Southern Silver Exploration Corp. announced the closing of a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $600 K dollars, to be used at its properties El Oro in New Mexico, USA and Cerro Las Minitas in Durango Sate, Mexico.

On Mining

Torex Gold Resources Inc. informed a temporary suspension of activities at its El Limon-Guajes mine, until further notice, due to an illegal blockade. The unsubstantiated claims can be easily refuted with environment monitoring data and the company decided to suspend operations until the authorities re-establish law and order.
US Antimony Corp. announced it has begun mill testing with material dug from the Reynaldo pit at its Los Juarez property in Queretaro.
Capstone Mining Corp. announced production results for the first quarter, including data from its Cozamin mine in Zacatecas, where it produced 3,660 tonnes of copper, 812 tonnes of zinc, 34 tonnes of lead and over 266 K Oz of silver. The production was achieved by processing 243,900 tonnes of ore at a rate of 2,680 t/day with grades of 1.59% Cu, 0.62% Zn, 0.07% Pb and 48 g/t Ag. Recoveries are 94.4% for copper, 53.3% for zinc, 18.8% for lead and 70.9% for silver. Their guideline for 2016 aims to cash cost of $1.50 per Cu pound and Fully-loaded All-In cost fo $2.10 per Cu pound, including by-product credits.
Endeavour Silver Corp. reported production results for its three silver mines in Mexico, Guanacevi in Durango, and Bolañitos and El Cubo in Guanajuato. The total production of 1.5 M Oz Ag and 15,960 Oz Au in the third quarter was obtained by processing over 400K tonnes of ore, according to the following table:
Coeur Mining Inc. announced first quarter production of 933 K ounces of silver and 14,668 ounces of gold at its Palmarejo mine in Chihuahua. 215.6K tonnes were mined underground and 35.2K on the surface, with the former averaging 130.9 g/t Ag and 2.17 g/t Au, while the latter averages 130.0 g/t Ag and 1.24 g/t Au. Total production at Palmarejo for the quarter was 933K ounces of silver and 14.6K ounces of gold, with recoveries of over 89% and 92% for silver and gold respectively. Production guidance for 2016 is 3.8 – 4.3 million silver ounces and 67,000 – 72,000 gold ounces.
GoGold Resources Inc. produced 335K AgEq ounces during the first quarter of2016, with cash cost averaging $6.78 per AgEq ounce.

In the image below, mudslides at Cerro La Cotorra, Tenochtitlan, Chiapas, as seen after the 2003 hurricane season.

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Contamination

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Second Week of February, 2019.

Highlights on the Fourth Week of November 2016, Mineral Exploration in Mexico

Highlights on the first week of April 2016, Mineral Exploration in Mexico