Mesothermal sheeted quartz veins
By Miguel A Heredia
During the 16th week of the year (April 19th to April 25th, 2021), at least 33 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico and 5 news published by the media, with twelve informing on exploration results, nine disclosing deals and corporate issues, five commenting on Mexican issues, four announcing financial rounds, four reporting on resources and development, three communicating production results, and one discussing social issues. ON MEXICO ISSUES, The Ministry of Economy issued an informative note to correct what President López Obrador said about the expansion of the operations of the mining company El Boleo that operates in Baja California Sur. Fernando Alanís, president of the Mining Chamber of Mexico (Camimex), stated that the mining industry in Mexico paid MXP $30,374M in taxes during 2020. The Mining Chamber of Mexico (Camimex) stressed that mining is a tractor industry that, in addition to boosting the regional economy, supports the development of other economic activities. The Mexican mining industry called on the environmental authorities to hold a dialogue to understand the reasons why the permits are being stopped. Representatives of the Mexican Mining industry asked the federal government to reactivate mineral concessions to increase investments in the sector. ON EXPLORATION, In Baja California, One World Lithium commenced the DDH-3 drilling program at its Salar del Diablo project. In Sonora, Alamos Gold commenced an initial drilling program at Los Venados project, Silver Spruce and its partner received the approved environmental permit from SEMARNAT to drill its El Mezquite project, and Colibri released trenching sampling results from its flagship Evelyn project. In Chihuahua, Mammoth reported results from an additional 2km 3D modeling IP/Mag survey conducted at its Tenoriba project. In Sinaloa, Kootenay provided an update on the current drilling program conducted at its Copalito project. In Durango, Mithril informed on the exploration activities carried out during Q1, 2021 at its Copalquin project. In Zacatecas, Advance Gold announced drilling results from its Tabasquena project, and Zacatecas Silver reported that it has completed first pass geological and structural mapping, and sampling of the San Gil breccia Zone at its Zacatecas Silver project. In Jalisco, GoGold released results from eight diamond holes collared at its Los Ricos North project. ON MINING, Golden Minerals reported Q1, 2021 production results from its Rodeo mine in Durango. Gold Resource announced Q1, 2021 preliminary production results from its Oaxaca Mining Unit in Oaxaca. McEwen reported the production of 1, 300 Oz AuEq (GEOs) from residual leaching at its El Gallo mine in Sinaloa during the first quarter of 2021. ON FINANCING, Colibri granted 1.9M incentive stock options to officers, directors, and consultants (Evelyn project, Sonora). Empress Royalty granted 8.9M stock options to directors, officers, consultants, and employees (Pinos project, Zacatecas). Pantera Silver applied to trade on the OTCQB Venture Market operated by the OTC Markets Group Inc. in New York (The Nuevo Taxco Silver project, Guerrero). Sonoro closed its oversubscribed non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $3,111.045 (Cerro Caliche project, Sonora). ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Discovery Silver presented results from 13 diamond holes collared at its Cordero project in Chihuahua. Excellon reported underground expansion and exploration drilling results from its Platosa mine in Durango. Sierra Metals announced an investment of USD $28M for the construction of an iron ore processing plant to produce magnetite concentrate at its Bolivar mine in Chihuahua. Silver Tiger released high-grade drilling results from its El Tigre project in Sonora. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Empress appointed a new member to its Board of Directors, and two members as Strategic and Technical Advisors (Pinos project, Zacatecas). Golden Goliath held its annual general meeting of shareholders (San Timoteo property, Chihuahua). Goldgroup provided a legal update on its dispute with DynaResource regards the San Jose de Gracia property in Sinaloa. Inomin announced the hiring of two members to lead its exploration program in Oaxaca, Mexico (La Gitana project, Oaxaca). Masivo Silver announced it is moving forward to sign a definitive agreement on several mineralized mining concessions comprising La Santa Madre project in Sinaloa. Ridgestone appointed Dante E Aguilar as its Mexican Country Manager (Rebeico project, Sonora). Santacruz announced that the acquisition of the Zimapan mine assets from Minera Cedros, S.A.de C.V. together with the USD $17.6M loan facility from Trafigura Mexico, S.A. de C.V., are now expected to close on or about April 23, 2021. Silver Bull presented results from its annual general meeting of shareholders (Sierra Mojada project, Coahuila). Vizsla Silver announced the spinout of Vizsla Copper through a statutory plan of arrangement (Panuco project, Sinaloa). ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Torex signed an agreement to build a solar plant at its Morelos property.
ON MEXICO ISSUES
- The Ministry of Economy issued an informative note to correct what President López Obrador said about the expansion of the operations of the mining company El Boleo that operates in Baja California Sur. The mining and metallurgical company is seeking an expansion in the surface of its operations and not a new concession as stated by the president. In July 2019, El Boleo requested an expansion of its environmental impact statement, in which it requested an expansion of its mine by 446 hectares contiguous to its current operation. They indicated that this is because the life of the main mine is running out and its mineral reserves are in this adjoining land. The statement indicates that the mining project began construction in December 2010, with an investment of USD $1,717M, and began production in 2015. The company produces copper, cobalt, zinc and manganese. Currently, the mining company employs 1,282 direct jobs (836 unionized and 446 trusted).
- Fernando Alanís, president of the Mining Chamber of Mexico (Camimex), stated that the mining industry in Mexico paid MXP $30,374M in taxes during 2020. He also highlighted that those that refer to the fact that the industry pays little are myths, as he highlighted that around 10.6% of the Gross Domestic Product generated by the industry is destined to the payment of taxes, higher than the 7.6% of the manufacturing industry, or the 6.1% of the electricity sector. Fernando Alanis detailed that of the total taxes paid, MXP $24,205M are for Income Tax (ISR), while there are MXP $2,576M in surface rights and MXP $3,593M in new rights.
- The Mining Chamber of Mexico (Camimex) stressed that mining is a tractor industry that, in addition to boosting the regional economy, supports the development of other economic activities. It drives construction with average annual investments of USD $5B a year. The same occurs with the transport of materials, by promoting the movement of 8.7M tons per year that travel 100.2million kilometers on the roads (78%) and railways (22%) of Mexico. It also boosts port activity, with the export and import of 474M tonnes of materials per year. In total, the transportation costs of mining companies in Mexico total USD $245M per year. Through the mining clusters (Zacatecas, Sonora, Chihuahua, Guerrero and Sinaloa) a local supply has been developed that amounts to 9,700 national supplier companies, 90% of which are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). For Mexico, the mining industry is an outstanding generator of income, contributing 8.3% to the industrial GDP and 2.5% to the national GDP. It is also a large generator of jobs, with more than 379,000 direct jobs and almost 2 million indirect jobs.
- The Mexican mining industry called on the environmental authorities to hold a dialogue to understand the reasons why the permits are being stopped and to work together to unlock authorizations for Environmental Impact Manifestations (MIAs) that are being held at the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources which have stopped several mining projects in the country. Mining in Mexico has a robust environmental legislation that is permanently addressed, among which the General Law of Equilibrium and the Environmental Protection, as well as seven Official Mexican Standards and the general regulation that exists for activity in protected natural areas in Mexico, among others.
- Representatives of the Mexican Mining industry asked the federal government to reactivate mineral concessions to increase investments in the sector. No new mining concessions have been granted in the country since 2019 and the effects of this were reflected in a lower Foreign Direct Investment in the sector.
ON EXPLORATION
- One World Lithium Inc., commenced the DDH-3 drilling program at its Salar del Diablo project in Baja California. DDH-3 is located 50Km south of DDH-2 and depending on results, the company may drill more diamond drill holes in the immediate area.
- Alamos Gold Inc., and its partner Aloro Mining Corp., commenced an initial drilling program at Los Venados project at the Mulatos mining district in Sonora. The initial drilling program will be focused on testing high sulphidation gold mineralization near the Mulatos open pit as well as on low sulphidation gold mineralization to the north where some high grade veins have been identified.
- Silver Spruce Resources Inc., and its partner Colibri Resource Corporation, received the approved environmental permit from SEMARNAT to drill its El Mezquite project in Sonora. The phase 1 will consists of 2,000m. The drill permit was granted for 14 drill pads over the targets in the northern area of the concession.
- Colibri Resource Corporation released trenching sampling results from its flagship Evelyn project in Sonora. Highlights include four high grade samples from El Sahuaro target area with results of 44.9 g/t Au and 21 g/ Ag; 8.24 g/t Au and 8 g/t Ag, 23.3 g/t Au and 16 g/t Ag; and 39.6 g/t Au and 23 g/t Ag.
- Mammoth Resources Corp., reported results from an additional 2km 3D modeling IP/Mag survey conducted at its Tenoriba project in Chihuahua. The geophysical survey defines a strong correlation between anomalous Au values found from soil, chips, and channel samples, as well as Au values found in numerous diamond holes, extending these coincident features over what now totals 2.4Km trend of a larger 6km trend of surface Au-Ag mineralization at Tenoriba project.
- Kootenay Silver Inc., provided an update on the current drilling program conducted at its Copalito project in Sinaloa. It has completed 1,600m of the planned 3,500m over 19 shallow drill holes. Highlights include hole BDH-20-004 collared at 5 Senores Vein with 0.28 g/t Au and 1,297 g/t Ag (1,323 g/t AgEq) over 3.2m, including 0.14 g/t Au and 2,830 g/t Ag (2,843 g/t AgEq) over 1m; hole BDH-20-15 collared at Pilar Vein with 0.48 g/t Au, 40 g/t Ag, and 1.2% Pb+Zn (111 g/t AgEq) over 7m, including 2.28 g/t Au, 51 g/t Ag, and 6.2% Pb+Zn (394 g/t AgEq) over 1.2m; hole BDH-20-33 collared at Pilar Vein with 0.7 g/t Au, 101 g/t Ag, and 2.3% Pb+Zn (215 g/t AgEq) over 2.7m, including 7.05 g/t Au, 59 g/t Ag, and 13.5% Pb+Zn (1.210 g/t AgEq) over 0.2m; and hole BDH-20-040 collared at 5 Senores Vein with 6.65 g/t Au, 335 g/t Ag, and 2.6% Pb+Zn (933 g/t AgEq) over 2.25m, including 16.95 g/t Au, 369 g/t Ag, and 3.7% Pb+Zn (1,813 g/t AgEq) over 0.51m, and 2.09 g/t Au, 124 g/t Ag, and 0.8% Pb+Zn (311 g/t AgEq) over 9.05m. The Program has focused primarily on the 5 Senores vein, with drilling now stepping out to test the Agua and Chiva Veins.
- Mithril Resources Inc., informed on the exploration activities carried out during Q1, 2021 at its Copalquin project in Durango. The company is focused on delivering maiden JORC Au-Ag resource for El Refugio target in H2, 2021, where hole CDH-050 intersected 62 g/t Au and 445 g/t Ag over 4.17m. The drill plan for the next quarter is to drill test deeper part of the target. At La Soledad target, hole CDH-054 encountered 10.36 g/t Au and 81 g/t Ag over 4.88m, extending the mineralization further to the west and down dip. The company also informed that it has completed the soil sampling program within El Cometa and Reyes project areas.
- Advance Gold Corp., announced drilling results from its Tabasquena project in Zacatecas. Hole AGT-23 intersected two zones, one of 0.63 g/t Au, 20 g/t Ag, 3.5% Pb, and 8% Zn over 2m, and a second zone of 0.04 g/t Au, 6 g/t Ag, 0.18% Pb, and 1.1% Zn over 0.55m. Advance has drilled 23 holes to date and has outlined a 2,500m by 500m wide mineralized corridor and plans to carry out more mapping and geophysics to find the feeder system at depth responsible for this widespread mineralization.
- Zacatecas Silver Corp., reported that it has completed first pass geological and structural mapping, and sampling of the San Gil breccia Zone, located 2km southwest of the Veta Grande vein within its Zacatecas Silver project, Zacatecas. The company outlined a north-south trending zone of ferruginous breccia averaging 20-40m wide, over a strike length of at least 800m with strong anomalous values of Ag, Au, Zn, and As, mainly in the northern segment. The company is planning a drilling program since over 600m of the northern segment of this breccia remains untested by previous drilling.
- GoGold Resources Inc., released results from eight diamond holes collared at its Los Ricos North project in Jalisco. Significant mineralized drill intervals were encountered at hole LRGCS-21-016 with 0.69 g/t Au and 140 g/t Ag (2.55 g/t AuEq or 191 g/t AgEq) over 23.4m, including 4.94 g/t Au and 820 g/t Ag (15.87 g/t AuEq or 1,191 g/t AgEq) over 1m, and a second interval of 0.69 g/t Au and 151 g/t Ag (2.7 g/t AuEq or 155 g/t AgEq) over 15m, including 3.7 g/t Au and 797 g/t Ag (14.33 g/t AuEq or 1,075 g/t AgEq) over 2.2m; hole LRGCS-21-022 with 0.32 g/t Au and 115 g/t Ag (1.86 g/t AuEq or 140 g/t AgEq) over 14.9m, including 1.4 g/t Au and 664 g/t Ag (10.24 g/t AuEq or 768 g/t AgEq) over 2m; LRGCS-21-024 with 0.44 g/t Au and 116 g/t Ag (2 g/t AuEq or 150 g/t AgEq) over 21m, including 0.77 g/t Au and 211 g/t Ag (3.58 g/t AuEq or 268 g/t AgEq) over 9.3m, including 1.66 g/t Au and 392 g/t Ag (6.88 g/t AuEq or 516 g/t AgEq) over 1.7m, and a second interval of 0.37 g/t Au and 115 g/t Ag (1.91 g/t AuEq or 143 g/t AgEq) over 12m, including 1.11 g/t Au and 355 g/t Ag (5.85 g/t AuEq or 439 g/t AgEq) over 3.2m; and hole LRGCS-21-025 with 1.4 g/t Au and 201 g/t Ag (4.08 g/t AuEq or 306 g/t AgEq) over 16.8m, including 8.28 g/t Au and 700 g/t Ag (17.6 g/t AuEq or 1,320 g/t AgEq) over 1.5m. These drill results extended mineralization at Casados deposit.
ON MINING
- Golden Minerals Company reported Q1, 2021 production results from its Rodeo mine in Durango. The company processed 18,791 tonnes of 3 g/t Au and 14 g/t Ag with metallurgical recoveries of 84.3% and 86.6% respectively to produce 1,390 Oz Au and 11,289 Oz Ag. It also announced its full year 2021 production guidance in which it expects to process between 125K-135K tonnes to produce 12K-14K Oz Au, and 25K-30K Oz Ag.
- Gold Resource Corporation announced Q1, 2021 preliminary production results from its Oaxaca Mining Unit in Oaxaca. The company produced 5,019 Oz Au, 253,061 Oz Ag, 855.7K Lb Cu, 2.6M Lb Pb, and 7M Lb Zn.
- McEwen Mining Inc., reported the production of 1,300 Oz AuEq (GEOs) from residual leaching at El Gallo mine in Sinaloa during the first quarter of 2021.
ON FINANCING
- Colibri Resource Corporation granted 1.9M incentive stock options to officers, directors, and consultants. The options have a term of five years at an exercise price of $0.10 per share (Evelyn project, Sonora).
- Empress Royalty Corp., granted 8.9M stock options to directors, officers, consultants, and employees. The options are exercisable for up to five years at a price of $0.5 per share and will be vested for a period of three years. (Pinos project, Zacatecas).
- Pantera Silver Corp., applied to trade on the OTCQB Venture Market operated by the OTC Markets Group Inc. in New York. The Company’s shares will continue to trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol “PNTR” (The Nuevo Taxco Silver project, Guerrero).
- Sonoro Gold Corp., closed its oversubscribed non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $3,111.045. Net proceeds will be used to fund ongoing development plans at its Cerro Caliche project, including completion of a metallurgical testing, preparation of a NI 43-101 resource update and a PEA, as well as for property maintenance payments, and for corporate and general administrative expenses.
ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT
- Discovery Silver Corp., presented results from 13 diamond holes collared at its Cordero project in Chihuahua. Significant mineralized intercepts were encountered in hole C20-405 with 65 g/t Ag, 0.05 g/t Au, 1.2% Pb, and 1.3% Zn (165 g/t AgEq) over 128.2m, including 109 g/t Ag, 0.06 g/t Au, 2% Pb, and 1.9% Zn (263 g/t AgEq) over 26.1m; hole C21-414 with 37 g/t Ag, 0.04 g/t Au, 0.8% Pb, and 1% Zn (110 g/t AgEq) over 110m, including 65 g/t Ag, 0.05 g/t Au, 1.6% Pb, and 1.4% Zn (184 g/t AgEq) over 51.8m; and hole C20-407 with 78 g/t Ag, 0.08 g/t Au, 1.3% Pb, and 3.6% Zn (279 g/t AgEq) over 27.4m. The results from this program will be incorporated in a new resource estimate and revamped PEA in the second half of the year.
- Excellon Resources Inc., reported underground expansion and exploration drilling results from the Guadalupe North, 623, NE-1 and NE-1S Mantos at its Platosa mine in Durango. Highlights include hole EX21UG525 with 618 g/t Ag, 10.1% Pb, and 12% Zn (1,293 g/t AgEq) over 6.5m; hole EX21UG564 with 688 g/t Ag, 14.5% Pb, and 14.9% Zn (1,571 g/t AgEq) over 4.6m; and hole EX20UG522A, with 359 g/t Ag, 4.9% Pb, and 15.9% Zn (1,031 g/t AgEq) over 4.6m, including 573 g/t Ag, 8.6% Pb, and 21.5% Zn (1,531 g/t AgEq) over 1.3m. “Drilling continues to outline and expand mineralization within and around the Platosa deposit with new opportunities identified in the historically-mined Guadalupe North Manto”.
- Sierra Metals Inc., announced an investment of USD $28M for the construction of an iron ore processing plant expected to produce approximately 500K tonnes per year of magnetite concentrate at its Bolivar mine in Chihuahua. Engineering and test work of the final process is currently underway, and construction of the processing plant is expected to commence this June and will take approximately six months to complete.
- Silver Tiger Metals Inc., released high-grade drilling results from its El Tigre project in Sonora. Significant high-grade mineralization was encountered in recent drilling of the Sooy vein in hole ET-21-219 with 0.29 g/t Au, 288 g/t Ag, 0.05% Cu, 0.1% Pb, and 0.2% Zn (325 g/t AgEq) over 11.8m, including 0.49 g/t Au, 4,375 g/t Ag, 0.88% Cu, 2% Pb, and 3.5% Zn (4,668 g/t AgEq) over 0.5m; hole ET-21-217 with 0.08 g/t Au, 210 g/t Ag, 0.04% Cu, 0.03% Pb, and 0.01% Zn (221 g/t AgEq) over 7.3m, including 0.66 g/t Au, 2,595 g/t Ag, 0.41% Cu, 0.3% Pb, and 0.05% Zn (2,694 g/t AgEq) over 0.5m; hole ET-21-215 with 0.26 g/t Au, 167 g/t Ag, 0.15% Cu, and 0.4% Pb (211 g/t AgEq) over 10.1m, including 0.39 g/t Au, 961 g/t Ag, 0.78% Cu, and 1.8% Pb (1,111 g/t AgEq) over 1.1m; and hole ET-21-216 with 0.08 g/t Au, 239 g/t Ag, 0.03% Cu, 0.06% Pb, and 0.3% Zn (260 g/t AgEq) over 3.5m, including 0.24 g/t Au, 1,608 g/t Ag, 0.19% Cu, 0.3% Pb, and 2% Zn (1,721 g/t AgEq) over 0.6m. Step out drilling to the south on the Sooy Vein continues to deliver consistent high grade silver results.
ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES
- Empress Royalty Corp., appointed a new member to its Board of Directors, and two members as Strategic and Technical Advisors (Pinos project, Zacatecas).
- Golden Goliath Resources Ltd., held its annual general meeting of shareholders (San Timoteo property, Chihuahua).
- Goldgroup Mining Inc., provided a legal update on its dispute with DynaResource regards the San Jose de Gracia property in Sinaloa. Goldgroup announced that the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the appeal lodged by Texas-based DynaResource Inc., to vacate the Arbitral Award, which had found that DynaUSA had improperly diluted the Company’s interest in the San Jose de Gracia Mexican mining project, which Goldgroup had earned into pursuant to an option agreement between the Company and DynaUSA. The Circuit Court’s opinion clarifies several misleading facts previously presented in various news releases issued by DynaUSA.
- Inomin Mines Inc., announced the hiring of two key members for its Mexican exploration program: a community relationship representative and a senior exploration geologist (La Gitana project, Oaxaca).
- Masivo Silver Corp., announced it is moving forward to sign a definitive agreement on several mineralized mining concessions comprising La Santa Madre project in Sinaloa. Mineralization identified by Masivo at La Santa Madre project consists of at least six parallel NE Cu-Au-Ag quartz epithermal veins varying from 3-7 m with lengths varying from 600-1,200m. Masivo has also signed a letter of interest to access 3,000 hectares of private land where part of these mining claims are located, with the right to progress to an agreement for 8,000 hectares of this private land.
- Ridgestone Mining Inc., appointed Dante E Aguilar as its Mexican Country Manager (Rebeico project, Sonora).
- Santacruz Silver Mining ltd., announced that the acquisition of the Zimapan mine assets from Minera Cedros, S.A.de C.V. together with the USD $17.6M loan facility from Trafigura Mexico, S.A. de C.V., are now expected to close on or about April 23, 2021.
- Silver Bull Resources Inc., presented results from its annual general meeting of shareholders (Sierra Mojada project, Coahuila).
- Vizsla Silver Corp., announced the spinout of Vizsla Copper Corp., through a statutory plan of arrangement. Vizsla Silver will continue to advance its Panuco Copala silver-gold project in Mexico while Vizsla Copper will focus on the assets in BC, Canada.
ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
- Torex Gold Resources Inc., signed an agreement to build a new 8.5 megawatt solar plant at its Morelos property, which include El Limon Guajes mine and Media Luna project in Guerrero state. The new plant is expected to reduce Scope 2 greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions by up to 8.6% using 2019 as the baseline year. In addition, it will bring benefits to the local communities since this new solar plant will create new job opportunities for daily operation and maintenance.
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On the picture above, mesothermal sheeted quartz veins in an orogenic gold prospect in Sonora, Mexico. Photo by Miguel A Heredia.