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

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Drill core displaying ginguro bands

By Miguel A Heredia

During the 48th week of the year (November 28th to December 04th, 2022), at least 20 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico, and 7 news published by the media with seven reporting resources and developments of their properties, seven commenting on Mexican issues, five disclosing deals and corporate issues, three communicating production and financial results, three announcing financing issues, one informing on exploration results, and one discussing social issues. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Altos Hornos de Mexico assured that the power outage at its plants is an act of bad faith derived from charging millions of dollars to Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) for illegal cancellation of coal supply. The Secretariat of Economy identified 159 mining companies with foreign capital operating in 26 states of Mexico (mostly juniors and exploration) in 2021. According to the Mexican Mining Chamber (CAMIMEX), Newmont, Industrias Peñoles and Fresnillo operated the main zinc mines in Mexico in 2021. Maria Luisa Albores, the Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) informed deputies, in a very unfortunate statement, that the federal government will not grant more authorizations for open-pit mining due to the negative impacts on the environment and human health. Grupo Mexico maintained its position as the largest copper producer in Mexico, adding a total of 1.25 B Lb Cu in 2021.  Prime Mining, Aztec Minerals, GoGold, Vizsla, and Oroco reported the best drilling intercepts in Mexico on the first week of December, 2022. ON EXPLORATION, In Sonora, Aztec Minerals reported results for the last three holes from the recently completed phase 3 drill program at its Cervantes project. ON MINING, Bear Creek reported Q3, 2022 production and financial results from its Mercedes mine in Sonora. Guanajuato Silver reported Q3, 2022 production and financial results from their Mexican operations. Orogen reported Q3 operating and financial results. ON FINANCING, SilverCrest announced that it has refinanced its USD $120M secured project financing facility (Las Chispas project, Sonora). Prime Mining announced a CAD $16.5M bought deal private placement financing, the same that later on was upsized to CAD $18.3M (Los Reyes project, Sinaloa). ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Barksdale reported an initial Resource Estimate at Cerro Verde within its San Javier project, Sonora.  GoGold presented results from its ongoing drilling program at its Los Ricos South property in Jalisco. Oroco released results from seven holes collared in the North Zone at its Santo Tomas project in Sinaloa. Prime Mining announced results from seven holes from its recently completed phase 2 drill program at its Los Reyes project, Sinaloa. SilverCrest announced the completion and final permanent connection to power line for its Las Chispas mine in Sonora. Starcore released its Mineral Resource Estimate and NI 43-101 compliant technical report for its El Creston project in Sonora. Vizsla announced results from seven drill holes targeting the southern extension of the Napoleon Vein at its Panuco project in Sinaloa. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Canuc signed a comprehensive agreement with the Ejido of San Javier, located in the Municipality of San Javier, Sonora. First Majestic announced the proposed sale of its royalty portfolio to Metalla Royalty for a total consideration of USD $20M. Kootenay announced the appointment of Dale Brittliffe as its new VP Exploration (Columba project, Chihuahua). Riverside received USD $2.5M in cash and 2% royalty from Fresnillo plc for the sale of the Tajitos project, Sonora. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Ricardo Sierra Oteiza, spokesman for the mining company Esperanza Silver de Mexico, stated that gold and silver mining is an activity that has the capacity to accelerate economic processes at the local level, generating employment, encouraging local supply networks, contributing tax revenue to the treasury and contributing to the social and economic development of the communities hosting mining projects, among other benefits.

ON MEXICO ISSUE

  • Altos Hornos de Mexico S.A.B. de C.V. (AHMSA), assured that the power outage at its plants is an act of bad faith derived from charging millions of dollars to Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) for illegal cancellation of coal supply. AHMSA is owned by Mexican businessman Alonso Ancira, who assured that CFE’s actions are unjustifiable because they represented the loss of 4,000 direct jobs and more than 8,000 indirect ones, in addition to having generated disorder in the general coal industry. “These aggressive actions began after the Judiciary accepted a claim for damages for USD $700M for the unilateral and illegal cancellation of the supply of coal for the two generating plants located in Nava, Coahuila,” accused the company. “AHMSA stated that the actions taken by the management of the CFE show that it does not care about harming Coahuila and the people of Coahuila, since our plants located in that entity represent a direct source of livelihood for 17,000 Coahuila families.
  • Karen Flores, General Director of the Mining Chamber of Mexico (CAMIMEX), declared that the Federal Government stops additionally collecting up to MXP $25 B after the suspension of mining concessions and the paralysis of new permits. She explained that the policy of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has halted more than 800 mining projects that only await federal authorization to start operations. “If the projects that are stopped were to start up, we would be talking about MXP $20 to 25 B per year to the federal treasury,” she said. She maintained that only in terms of taxes, the industry entered the public coffers in 2021 more than MXP $60 B and in seven years, MXP $240 B, an amount that could be higher if there were no obstacles in the current legislation.
  • The Secretariat of Economy identified 159 mining companies with foreign capital operating in 26 states of Mexico (mostly juniors and exploration) in 2021. These companies operate 1,209 projects, of which 822 were halted and nine operations reported closing at the end of last year. The mining GDP in Mexico was MXP $865.2 B in 2021, a growth of 1.6% year-on-year, in real terms (based on GDP calculated in constant MXP $ with purchasing power as of December 31, 2013). For their part, mining-metallurgical exports amounted to USD $23,579M in 2021, a figure that meant an increase of 28.1% compared to the previous year. The significant increase in exports allowed that, despite the increase that was also reported in imports, an increase in the positive balance of the mining-metallurgical trade balance of 29.6% was registered and reached a value of USD $11,904M. The positive results in foreign trade in minerals consolidated the mining-metallurgical industry as the fifth source of foreign exchange, surpassing tourism and the agricultural sector, and only behind the automotive industry, the electrical and electronic equipment and machinery industry, remittances and oil exports. The mining sector presented an increase in the contribution to the National GDP, going from 2.3% in 2020 to 2.5% in 2021, and in the Industrial GDP the record went from 8.3% to 8.6% in the study period, according to data from the Mining Chamber of Mexico. Gold remained the main product of the national mining-metallurgical industry in 2021, with a share of 28.4% in the total value of production, followed by copper with 27.7% and silver with 20.4%.
  • According to the Mexican Mining Chamber (CAMIMEX), Newmont, Industrias Peñoles and Fresnillo operated the main zinc mines in Mexico in 2021. Peñasquito, owned by Newmont and located in the state of Zacatecas, leads the ranking, with 245.84K tonnes Zn, then follow two mines of Industrias Peñoles: Velardeña, Durango with 909.68K tonnes Zn, and Tizapa State of Mexico with 40.13K tonnes Zn. The table below shows the Zn production by mine for the year 2021:

The Buenavista Zinc project, in Sonora, is located within the Buenavista facilities and includes the development of a new concentrator to produce approximately 100K tonnes Zn and 20K tonnes Cu per year.

While the project has all the necessary permits, the project budget is USD $413M and is expected to start operations in 2023. As of December 31, 2021, Grupo México had invested USD $217M in this project. When completed, Grupo México anticipates that this new facility will double the company’s zinc production capacity and provide 490 direct and 1,470 indirect jobs. Other notable companies are: Gatos Silver, Minera Frisco and Gold Resource.

  • Maria Luisa Albores, the Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) informed deputies, in a very unfortunate statement, that the federal government will not grant more authorizations for open-pit mining due to the negative impacts on the environment and human health. When appearing before the joint commissions for the Environment and Natural Resources, and Climate Change and Sustainability of the Chamber of Deputies, the federal official also announced that mining concessions were detected in 68 Protected Natural Areas, “which contravenes the conservation and protection of the territory and its natural resources”. Opposition legislators such as the PAN members questioned the programs of this administration such as “Sembrando Vida”, pointing out that they do not have operating rules that allow their transparency and the energy transition has been aborted, in addition, environmental deforestation is not punished.
  • Grupo Mexico maintained its position as the largest copper producer in Mexico, adding a total of 559.83K tonnes Cu in 2021. The company maintains copper production operations in Sonora, Chihuahua, San Luis Potosí and Zacatecas. With this, the company registered a coverage of 76.3% of the national copper production in 2021. The table below shows the Cu production by mine during 2021:

Prime Mining Corp., Aztec Minerals Corp., GoGold Resources Inc., Vizsla Silver Corp., and Oroco Resources Corp., reported the best drilling intercepts in Mexico on the first week of December, 2022. Details are shown in the table below:

ON EXPLORATION

  • Aztec Minerals Corp., reported results for the last three holes from the recently completed phase 3 drill program at its Cervantes project in Sonora. The most significant drill intercept was encountered in hole CAL22-031, which was collared in the California Zone with 0.87 g/t Au over 28.5m, plus 0.58 g/t Au over 85.5m, including 2.3 g/t Au over 12m. “This drill hole confirms the footwall of the main California Zone mineralization at depth and fills a large gap in the drilling pattern”.

ON MINING

  • Bear Creek Mining Corporation reported Q3, 2022 production and financial results from its Mercedes mine in Sonora. The company mined 126,420 tonnes of 2.92 g/t Au and processed 148,211 tonnes of 2.45 g/t Au with a metallurgical recovery of 95.53% to produce 11,170 Oz Au. Bear Creek sold 14,445 Oz Au at a cash and all-in-sustaining cost per Oz Au sold of USD $995 and USD $1,364 respectively at a realized price of USD $1,729 per Oz Au. The company reported revenues of USD $26.54M from the sale of gold and silver; a net loss of USD $7.7M; cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments as September 30, 2022 for USD $9.6M. Bear Creek plans to mine approximately 600K tonnes of 3.7 g/t Au to produce between 60K and 73K Oz Au in 2023.
  • Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd., reported consolidated Q3, 2022 production and financial results from their Mexican operations (El Cubo and San Ignacio mines in Guanajuato, and Topia mine in Durango). The company mined 107,379 tonnes and milled 107,009 tonnes to produce 329.3K Oz Ag, 3,226 Oz Au, 537.6K Lb Pb, and 677.1 Lb Zn (700.3K Oz AgEq) at cash and all-in-sustaining cost of USD $13.86 and USD $19.53 per Oz AgEq respectively. It sold 311.7K Oz Ag, 2,997 Oz Au, 504.4K Lb Pb, and 273.3K Lb Zn (628.3K Oz AgEq). Guanajuato Silver reported revenue of USD $8.87M; cost of sales of USD $12.2M; mine operating loss of USD $3.34M; net loss of USD $8.4M; and cash on hand of USD $6.36M.
  • Orogen Royalties Inc., reported Q3 operating and financial results. The company reported a net gain from operations of CAD $123.4K or CAD $0.001 per share; revenue of CAD $1.16M from the Ermitaño royalty with 478 attributable Oz AuEq sold at average price of USD $1,728 per Oz Au; net income of CAD $203K from prospect generation activities and recognized  an impairment of CAD $262.1K for projects that have been dropped during the period; general and administrative expenses of CAD $802.1K and a loss of CAD $468K on fair value adjustments of marketable securities due to capital markets volatility. It also reported cash flow from operating activities of CAD $188.5K; cash flow from operating activities excluding changes in non-cash working capital of CAD $10.7M including CAD $3.3M in cash and cash equivalents, and CAD $5.2M in short term investments and no long-term debt.

ON FINANCING

  • SilverCrest Metal Inc., announced that it has refinanced its USD $120M secured project financing facility, of which only USD $90M was drawn with a new USD $120M senior secured credit facility through a syndicate of lenders comprised of The Bank of Nova Scotia and Bank of Montreal (Las Chispas project, Sonora).
  • Prime Mining Corp., announced a CAD $16.5M bought deal private placement financing consisting of 11M units at a price of CAD $1.5 per unit, the same that later on was upsized to CAD $18.3M for the sale of 12.2M units at a price of CAD $1.5 per unit. Gross proceeds will be used to develop and explore its Los Reyes project in Sinaloa and for general corporate purposes.

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Barksdale Resources Corporation reported an initial Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) at Cerro Verde within its San Javier project, Sonora. The Resource is pit-constrained and considered a base case of USD $4/Lb copper. The table below shows the MRE effective as of October 31, 2022:

Cerro Verde remains open for expansion in most directions and the Mesa Grande and La Trinidad prospects both have historic drilling that indicates the presence of copper mineralization. Barksdale plans to initiate a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) at Cerro Verde that envisions a low-strip copper heap operation to produce cathode copper on site.

  • GoGold Resources Inc., presented results from its ongoing drilling program at its Los Ricos South property in Jalisco. Highlights of the drilling include hole LRGG-22-218 with 3.98 g/t Au and 529 g/t Ag (11.04 g/t AuEq or 828 g/t AgEq) over 15m, including 12.43 g/t Au and 1,626 g/t Ag (34.1 g/t AuEq or 2,558 g/t AgEq) over 4.8m, including 20.32 g/t Au and 2,774 g/t Ag (57.31 g/t AuEq or 4,298 g/t AgEq) over 2.8m, including 37.90 g/t Au and 4,250 g/t Ag (94.57 g/t AuEq or 7,093 g/t AgEq) over 0.9m. Drilling results continue to confirm high grade wide intercepts in the Main deposit on Los Ricos South property.
  • Oroco Resource Corp., released results from seven holes collared in the North Zone at its Santo Tomas project in Sinaloa. Highlights of the drilling include hole NO32 with 0.34% Cu, 0.005% Mo, 0.021 g/t Au, and 2 g/t Ag (0.37% CuEq) over 88.7m; hole NO34 with 0.34% Cu, 0.011% Mo, 0.029 g/t Au, and 3 g/t Ag (0.40% CuEq) over 267m; hole NO35 with 0.37% Cu, 0.006% Mo, 0.042 g/t Au, and 2 g/t Ag (0.42% CuEq) over 220.5m; and hole NO36 with 0.43% Cu, 0.002% Mo, 0.092 g/t Au, and 2 g/t Ag (0.51% CuEq) over 139.6m. “The company has now completed 43 drill holes (28,119 m of drilling) in its 2021-2022 North Zone drilling confirming  good grade mineralization along 1,700 m of strike, demonstrating a westward dipping panel with consistent grades down-dip to about 400-500 m depth below the ridge, bottoming about sea level. The program is nearing completion with the remainder of the program focused on expanding the shallow seated mineralized zone on the hanging wall along the south-west side of the Gradeshell with the continued goal of increasing the resource in this newly identified zone”.
  • Prime Mining Corp., announced results from seven holes from its recently completed phase 2 drill program at its Los Reyes project, Sinaloa. Highlights of the drilling include hole 22GE-118 with 3 g/t Au and 215 g/t Ag over a true width (TW)of 5.5m, including 6.8 g/t Au and 469 g/t Ag over a TW of 1m, plus 6.8 g/t Au and 166 g/t Ag over a TW of 18.3m, including 11.6 g/t Au and 262 g/t Ag over a TW of 9.1m, plus 4.8 g/t Au and 144 g/t Ag over a TW of 2.8m, plus 2.9 g/t Au and 89 g/t Ag over a TW of 7.2m, including 9.9 g/t Au and 231 g/t Ag over a TW of 1.4m, including 2.9 g/t Au and 101 g/t Ag over a TW of 7.2m, including 7 g/t Au and 327 g/t Ag over a TW of 1.4m, plus 2 g/t Au and 72 g/t Ag over a TW of 7.4m, including 2.8 g/t Au and 90 g/t Ag over a TW of 4.4m: hole 22GE-121 with 12.8 g/t Au and 646 g/t Ag over a TW of 1.1m, plus 4.2 g/t Au and 212 g/t Ag over a TW of 12.7m, including 10.2 g/t Au and 547 g/t Ag over a TW of 0.5m, plus 10.9 g/t Au and 765 g/t Ag over a TW of 0.4m, plus 21 g/t Au and 413 g/t Ag over a TW of 0.3m; hole 22GE-122 with 2.2 g/t Au and 54 g/t Ag over a TW of 13.8m, including 9.1 g/t Au and 141 g/t Ag over a TW of 1.1m, plus 8.8 g/t Au and 289 g/t Ag over a TW of 5.6m, including 33.2 g/t Au and 1,072 g/t Ag over a TW of 1.4m; and hole 22GE-120 with 6.8 g/t Au and 207 g/t Ag over a TW of 6.8m, including 12.2 g/t Au and 337 g/t Ag over a TW of 1.5m, plus 23 g/t Au and 495 g/t Ag over a TW of 0.9m, plus 3.5 g/t Au and 75 g/t Ag over 6.7m, including 11.3 g/t Au and 245 g/t Ag over a TW of 0.8m, plus 9.9 g/t Au and 149 g/t Ag over a TW of 0.8m.
  • SilverCrest Metals Inc., announced the completion and final permanent connection of its 33 kilovolt electrical power line for its Las Chispas mine in Sonora. The company also released its inaugural Task Force for Climate Related Financial Disclosure (TCFD) report and a corresponding Water Stewardship report based on conclusions from the TCFD report.
  • Starcore International Mines Ltd., released its pit-constraint Mineral Resource Estimate and NI 43-101 compliant technical report for its El Creston project in Sonora. Measured resources as of September 30, 2022 are 56.3M tonnes of 0.076% Mo and 0.04% Cu for a total of 94.3M Lb Mo and 49.7M Lb Cu and Indicated resources of 142.2M tonnes of 0.067% Mo and 0.08% Cu for a total of 210M Lb Mo and 250.8M Lb Cu. Measured + Indicated resources are 198.5M tonnes of 0.069% Mo and 0.07% Cu for a total of 304.4M Lb Mo and 300.5M Lb Cu.
  • Vizsla Silver Corp., announced results from seven drill holes targeting the southern extension of the Napoleon Vein at its Panuco project in Sinaloa. Highlights of the drilling include hole NP-22-320 with 279 g/t Au, 24.01 g/t Au, 1.8% Pb, and 7.6% Zn (2,305 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 1.55m, including 267 g/t Ag, 29.1 g/t Au, 1.3% Pb, and 7.2% Zn (2,631 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 1.18m, plus 113 g/t Ag, 0.69 g/t Au, 0.6% Pb, and 6.2% Zn (390 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 0.8m, plus 143 g/t Ag, 0.87 g/t Au, 0.6% Pb, and 3.7% Zn (344 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 0.45m; hole NP-22-329 with 886 g/t Ag, 7.44 g/t Au, 2.2% Pb, and 6.8% Zn (1,660 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 0.88m, plus 222 g/t Ag, 2.64 g/t Au, 0.3% Pb, and 1.2% Zn (446 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 6.70m, including 668 g/t Ag, 2.22 g/t Au, 0.5% Pb, and 2.3% Zn (875 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 0.78m, including 159 g/t Ag, 9.14 g/t Au, 0.1% Pb, and 0.2% Zn (815 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 0.78m; and hole NP-22-333 with 54 g/t Ag, 1.22 g/t Au, 0.3% Pb, and 1.6% Zn (203 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 2.1m, plus 378 g/t Ag, 2.53 g/t Au, 0.4% Pb, and 4.3% Zn (696 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 1.50m.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Canuc Resources Corporation signed a comprehensive agreement for a period of 10 years with rights for renewal for a further 10 year period thereafter, with the Ejido of San Javier, located in the Municipality of San Javier, Sonora. The Agreement covers the Company’s 27 currently held claims and is contemplated to cover any further claims the Company may acquire in the San Javier area. The Ejido leadership at San Javier requested assistance from Canuc to implement controls against disruptive artisanal mining activities taking place locally by artisanal miners who have come to San Javier, but who are not from the area.
  • First Majestic Silver Corp., announced the proposed sale of its royalty portfolio to Metalla Royalty & Streaming Ltd for a total consideration of USD $20M in common shares of Metalla. Total consideration consists of 4,168,056 Metalla shares at a deemed price of USD $4.7984 per share based on a 25-day volume-weighted average price on the NYSE American Exchange having an aggregate value of approximately USD $20.0M. The consideration will be paid upon Closing of the Transaction.
  • Kootenay Silver Inc., announced the appointment of Dale Brittliffe as its new VP Exploration (Columba project, Chihuahua).
  • Riverside Resources Inc., received USD $2.5M in cash and 2% NSR royalty from Fresnillo plc for the sale of the Tajitos project in Sonora. Fresnillo will have, for a four-year term, the option to buy back half of the 2.0% NSR for a payment of USD $1.5M. If enacted, then Fresnillo would have an additional three years to buy back the remaining 1% NSR for another USD $1.5M. If Fresnillo does not exercise its first buy back option during the first four-year term, the Royalty will no longer be subject to any buy back provisions. The NSR covers the entire Riverside land package and a full NSR Agreement has been agreed upon and included in the signed contract between the companies. If Fresnillo wishes to reduce mineral claims, then the Company has the first right to retain those mineral tenures before they are dropped.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Ricardo Sierra Oteiza, spokesman for the mining company Esperanza Silver de México, stated that gold and silver mining is an activity that has the capacity to accelerate economic processes at the local level, generating employment, encouraging local supply networks, contributing tax revenue to the treasury and contributing to the social and economic development of the communities hosting mining projects, among other benefits. In the case of the state of Morelos, in the community of San Agustín Tetlama in the municipality of Temixco, the company Esperanza Silver de México carries out scientific and technical prospecting and exploration studies to prepare the Environmental Impact Statement in search of the due authorizations from the federal government, so that, where appropriate, start the construction phase. If this mining project is consolidated, the Morelos community of San Agustín Tetlama would be expected to become a pole of economic and social development that joins the economic reactivation actions promoted by the government of the state of Morelos and the federal government.

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, drill core displaying ginguro texture in a banded quartz vein from an intermediate sulphidation epithermal vein system in a project in Zacatecas, Mexico.  Photo by Miguel A Heredia.

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Fourth Week of August, 2022.

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Quartz vein displaying boiling texture.

By Miguel A Heredia

During the 34th week of the year (August 22nd to August 28th, 2022), at least 16 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico, and 7 news published by the media with seven commenting on Mexican issues, four communicating production and financial results, four disclosing deals and corporate issues, three reporting resources and developments of their properties, three announcing financial issues, and two informing on exploration results. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Colibri and Oroco reported the best drilling intercepts in Mexico on the fourth week of August, 2022. The government of Mexico announced, through a decree in the Official Gazette of the Federation, the creation of the state company Litio para Mexico (LitioMx). According to the Mining Chamber of Mexico (CAMIMEX), a total of 822 mining projects remain on hold and represent an amount of USD $959M.   Jaime Gutierrez Núñez, president of CAMIMEX stated that small-scale coal mining is like “the blood diamonds” of Africa. Mexico’s mining industry plans to invest USD $5.5B in 2022, 15.2% more than in 2021. Mining in Mexico grew by 7.1% in 2021 despite friction with the government. The governor of Durango, José Rosas Aispuro, considered unfair that the mining-metallurgical sector is one of the economic sectors with the highest tax burden in the country. In Mexico there are more than 1,209 mining projects that have been developed in 26 states of the Republic.  ON EXPLORATION, In Sonora, Colibri reported results from the second half of its Phase 1 drill program completed on its Evelyn project, and Tocvan announced latest drill results from its Pilar project.  ON MINING, Guanajuato Silver, Discovery Silver, Minera Alamos, and Orogen reported Q2, 2022 production and financial results from their Mexican operations. ON FINANCING, Canasil announced a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of up to $550K (Nora project, Durango). Minera Alamos arranged a USD $3M working capital facility and announced a closed a USD $4.35M equity raise (Cerro de Oro project, Zacatecas). Eric Sprott announced holdings in Orex Minerals Inc. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Discovery Silver reported Q2, 2022 results from its flagship Cordero project, Chihuahua.  Minera Alamos provided an update on its Cerro de Oro project, Zacatecas. Oroco successfully tested the western side of the North Zone at its Santo Tomas project in Sinaloa.  ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Monumental announced that its common shares are now trading on the OTCQB Venture Market under the symbol MNMRF (Jemi project, Coahuila). Argonaut announced the appointment of its Vice President, Canadian Operations (La Colorada mine, Sonora).  Aztec purchased 35% interest in the Cervantes property in Sonora from Kootenay. Colibri announced reinstatement of trading on the TSX Venture Exchange and the appointment of its CFO.  ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, no relevant news.

ON MEXICO ISSUE

  • Colibri Resource Corporation and Oroco Resource Corp., reported the best drilling intercepts in Mexico on the fourth week of August, 2022. Details are shown in the table below:
·        The government of Mexico announced, through a decree in the Official Gazette of the Federation, the creation of the state company Litio para Mexico (LitioMx). The Government of Mexico created LitioMx as a decentralized public organism of the Federal Public Administration and coordinated by the Ministry of Energy, with its own legal personality and assets and with technical, operational and management autonomy. The objective of LitioMx will be the exploration, exploitation, benefit and use of lithium, located in national territory, as well as the administration and control of the economic value chains of such mineral.
·        According to the Mining Chamber of Mexico (CAMIMEX), a total of 822 mining projects remain on hold and represent an amount of USD $959M, which are still waiting for better conditions to be able to reactivate. Jaime Núñez, president of CAMIMEX stated that is essential to encourage exploration since unfortunately in the last seven years we have seen a decrease in investments in exploration, leaving several projects on standby.
·        Jaime Gutierrez Núñez, president of CAMIMEX stated that small-scale coal mining is like “the blood diamonds” of Africa, and that the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) should certify where the mineral it buys comes from and its conditions.
·        Mexico’s mining industry plans to invest USD $5.5B in 2022, 15.2% more than in 2021, but according to the Mexican Mining Chamber (CAMIMEX), it will remain below the record figure of USD $8.04B seen in 2012 amid difficult conditions. Growing security problems, a high tax burden and the government’s decision to stop granting concessions for projects have prevented investments in the sector from increasing faster, said CAMIMEX head Jaime Gutiérrez.
·        Mining in Mexico grew by 7.1% in 2021 despite friction with the government. According to CAMIMEX’s annual report, this increase positioned it as the only productive activity that recovered and even exceeded the fall of 2020, when the covid-19 pandemic initially stopped its operations because the government did not consider it “essential activity”. Even without tax incentives, the mining sector presented an increase in its contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) going from 2.3% in 2020 to 2.5% in 2021, and an annual advance in the proportion of industrial GDP from 8.3% to 8.6% in the same period.
·        The Governor of Durango, José Rosas Aispuro, considered unfair that the mining-metallurgical sector is one of the economic sectors with the highest tax burden in the country, even though it is an enabler that prevents the migration of people in the communities where it develops its production processes, for job creation and social benefits. Mining Entrepreneurs stated that mining generates jobs and is one of the industries that pays the most taxes, since in 7 years it has contributed more than MXP $240,000M (approximately USD $12B) in taxes and other rights.
·        In Mexico there are more than 1,209 mining projects that have been developed in 26 states of the Republic, in which 406,179 jobs have been generated and a production value that already exceeds MXP $334,782M (approximately USD $16.7B). Among the main minerals extracted from these deposits are gold, copper, silver, zinc, iron, molybdenum, lead, fluorite, among others. For its exploration and exploitation, in 2021 alone, investments have been made for more than USD $4,810M and more than USD $5,538M are expected by the end of 2022. Of the 1,209 mining projects that exist in Mexico, 286 are in Sonora, Chihuahua has 160 and Durango has 128, which positions them as the entities with the greatest economic benefit thanks to mining concessions. Of the total number of projects, 749 correspond to precious metals; 180 to polymetallic minerals, 167 to copper, 71 to iron ore and the remaining 42 to other metals and minerals. According to the Mexican Mining Chamber (CAMIMEX), there are currently a total of 263 projects in the exploration stage, 76 in production, 39 in the development stage, while 822 projects are being postponed and 9 operations are reported as closed. However, the agency assures that, since the start of the current administration, the federal government has stopped granting permits or concessions for the exploration and development of new projects, since so far more than USD $959.7M dollars have not been invested. .
ON EXPLORATION
·        Colibri Resource Corporation reported results from the second half of its Phase 1 drill program completed on its Evelyn project, Sonora, and included 3,101m of RC drilling completed in 22 holes. In total, Phase 1 consisted of 6,223m of RC drilling in 42 holes.  Highlights include hole EVE22-042 with 0.17 g/t Au over 86m, including 0.32 g/t Au over 22m; hole EVE 22-043 with 0.92 g/t Au over 3m; hole EVE22-046 with 1.94 g/t Au over 2m, including 3.36 g/t Au over 1m; hole EVE22-044 with 0.63 g/t Au over 6m; hole EVE22-036 with 1.3 g/t Au over 1m; hole EVE22-033 with 1.92 g/t Au over 1m; hole EVE22-030 with 0.13 g/t Au over 87m, including 0.34 g/t Au over 8m; hole EVE22-029 with 1.39 g/t Au over 5m; and hole EVE22-028 with 0.13 g/t Au over 19m. In addition to drilling, Colibri is completing the geological mapping as well as conducting soil sampling to infill the historical property wide soil surveys.
·        Tocvan Ventures Corp., informed that seven holes were completed at its Pilar project in Sonora, totalling 1,382m and released results from the three first drill holes where the most significant drill intercepts was encountered in hole JES-22-67 with 0.4 g/t Au over 30.5m, including 7.6 g/t Au over 1.5m. Results are pending for the remaining four holes.
ON MINING
·        Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd., reported Q2, 2022 production and financial results from their El Cubo and Pinguico mines in Guanajuato (all amounts in American dollars). The company milled 94,212 tonnes to produce 155, 912 Oz Ag and 2,161 Oz Au (or 337,760 Oz AgEq) wit metallurgical recoveries of 80.91% and 82.52% respectively, at cash and all included sustaining cost (AISC) of $16.98 and $24-06 per Oz AgEq respectively. Guanajuato Silver reported revenue of $6.13M; cost of sales of $7.8M; mine operating loss of ($1.66M); net loss of ($3.5M); EBIDTA of ($1.1M); and working capital of ($2.04M). The company sold 159,840 Oz Ag, and 2,195 Oz Au (or 342, 987 Oz AgEq) at realized prices of $22.56 and $1,873 per Oz respectively.
·        Discovery Silver Corp., reported Q2, 2022 financial results (all amounts in Canadian dollars). The company reported cash and cash equivalents of $63.6M; total assets of  $101.8M; total current liabilities of $2.54M; working capital of $62.5M; and total shareholder´s equity of $99.2M.
·        Minera Alamos Inc., reported Q2, 2022 production and financial results from its Santana mine in Sonora (all amounts in Canadian dollars). The company reported that monthly mine production rates were approximately 300K tonnes, but with the opening of the Nicho Main Zone during Q2, the company is now in the position to ramp up production levels. Alamos sold 3,128 Oz Au and reported revenues of $7.3M; cost of goods sold of  $3.26M; direct cost of production of $16 per Oz; income from operations of  $2.6M; net income of $2.7M; cash and cash equivalents (including marketable securities) of  $9M; and working capital of $17M.
·        Orogen Royalties Inc., announced Q2, 2022 financial results (all amounts in Canadian dollars). The company reported revenue of $959.8K comprised from the Ermitaño royalty and $17.5K generated from prospect generation activities; project generation cost of $433.5K and recovered $448.9K in expense reimbursement from partners on optioned projects; general and administrative expenses of $875.2K; loss of $754.8K; net loss from operations of $648.6K; cash and cash equivalents from operating activities of $131.3K; cash from operating activities excluding changes in cash-cash working capital of $257.9K ; and working capital of $10.5M including $3.05M in cash and cash equivalents and $5.13M in short term investments and no long-term debt.
ON FINANCING
·        Canasil Resources Inc., announced a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of up to $550K. Gross proceeds will be used to fund the company´s exploration programs (Nora project, Durango).
·        Minera Alamos Inc., arranged a USD $3M working capital facility and announced a closed a USD $4.35M equity raise of common shares at $0.55/share. The combination of both enhancing the company´s working capital position as development work extends to the advancement of the Cerro de Oro project in Zacatecas.
·        Eric Sprott announced that 18,333,333 common share purchase warrants of Orex Minerals Inc., expired unexercised representing a decrease in holdings of approximately 7.2% of the outstanding common shares on a partially diluted basis since the date of the last early warning report. As a result of the warrants expiry, Mr. Sprott now beneficially owns and controls 36,666,666 shares representing approximately 19.6% of the outstanding shares on a noun-diluted basis.
ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT
·        Discovery Silver Corp., reported Q2, 2022 results from its flagship Cordero project, Chihuahua. The company reported that initial results from the Preliminary Feasibility Study (PFS) metallurgical work had recoveries of 90-95% for Ag, Pb, and Zn. It also reported that Phase 2 drilling program intercepted excellent grades below the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) pit including hole C21-564 with 95 g/t Ag, 0.21 g/t Au, 1.9% Pb, and 4.5% Zn (337 g/t AgEq) over 33.9m, and hole C21-560 with 234 g/t Ag, 0.15 g/t Au, 3.8% Pb, and 6.5% Zn (606 g/t AgEq) over 18.1m, as well as hole C22-610 collared outside the current resource with 115 g/t Ag, 0.05 g/t Ag, 3.7% Pb, and 4.1% Zn (388 g/t AgEq) over 32.6m, including 187 g/t Ag, 0.05 g/t Au, 6.5% Pb, and 7.2% Zn (660 g/t AgEq) over 17.8m.
·        Minera Alamos Inc., provided an update on its Cerro de Oro project, Zacatecas. The company informed the sign off of the documentation for its Cerro de Oro project surface rights agreement in Zacatecas, allowing the company to move forward with the permitting process for the construction of its second gold operation in Mexico. Minera Alamos also informed that the NI 43-101 compliant Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) is nearly to be completed and is expected to get it done by next month.
·        Oroco Resource Corp., successfully tested the western side of the North Zone at its Santo Tomas project in Sinaloa by drilling 3,050m. Drilling has confirmed and expanded the 2009 Grade shell model of Cu > 0.30% derived from the historical drilling described in the Company’s 2019 Technical Report. A total of 26 holes (18,136 m of drilling) have now been completed in the North Zone, spanning 1,100m of strike length, with intersections of good grade mineralization returned in all holes for which the Company has received assays. Highlights of the last holes collared at the western side of the North Zone include hole N015 with 0.31% Cu, 0.009% Mo, 0.025 g/t Au, and 2 g/t Ag (0.36% CuEq) over 292m; hole N016 with 0.32 g/t Cu, 0.006% Mo, 0.032 g/t Au, and 2 g/t Ag (0.73% CuEq) over 95.4m, plus 0.39% Cu, 0.016%Mo, 0.022 g/t Au, and 4 g/t Ag (0.46% CuEq) over 44.7m, plus 0.26% Cu, 0.010% Mo, 0.014 g/t Au, and 2 g/t Ag (0.31% CuEq) over 88.7m; hole N017 with 0.31% Cu, 0.011% Mo, 0.02 g/t Au, and 2 g/t Ag (0.73% CuEq) over 63.8m, plus 0.22% Cu, 0.01% Mo, 0.02 g/t Au, and 1 g/t Ag (0.28% CuEq) over 159.2m; and hole N018 with 0.36% Cu, 0.011% Mo, 0.017 g/t Au, and 3 g/t Ag (0.42% CuEq) over 21m, plus 0.65% Cu, 0.012% Mo, 0.019 g/t Au, and 3 g/t Ag (0.68% CuEq) over 10m, plus 0.33% Cu, 0.012% Mo, 0.017 g/t Au, and 2 g/t Ag (0.38% CuEq) over 42.3m. The Company will commence a drill program targeted at testing the South Zone in 2022.  
ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES
·        Monumental Minerals Corp., announced that its common shares are now trading on the OTCQB Venture Market under the symbol MNMRF (Jemi project, Coahuila).
·        Argonaut Gold Inc., announced the appointment of its Vice President, Canadian Operations, effective August 29, 2022 (La Colorada mine, Sonora).
·        Aztec Minerals Corp., purchased indirectly from Kootenay Silver Inc., 35% interest in the Cervantes property in Sonora by issue 10M common shares at a price of CAD $0.25 per Aztec share for aggregate consideration of CAD $2.5M. Kootenay will retain a 0.5% Net Smelter Returned Royalty. Following the closing of the Transaction, Kootenay owns a total of 10.68M Aztec shares, which represents approximately 11.85% of the issued and outstanding Aztec shares on an undiluted basis.
·        Colibri Resource Corporation announced reinstatement of trading of its common shares on the TSX Venture Exchange. The shares will re-open for trading on the Exchange at the opening of trading on Monday, August 29. The company also announced the appointment of its new CFO (Evelyn project, Sonora).
ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
·        No relevant news.
 
Content like what you have just read can be seen at https://gambusinoprospector.com/ and at LinkedIn’s Mexico Mineral Exploration Group.

On the picture above, boiling texture in a low-intermediate epithermal vein system in a project in Durango, Mexico.  Photo by Miguel A Heredia.

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Second Week of July, 2022. 

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Hydrothermal breccia cemented by Manganese Oxides

By Miguel A Heredia

During the 28th week of the year (July 11th to July 17th, 2022), at least 21 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico, with six communicating production and financial results, five disclosing deals and corporate issues, five reporting resources and developments of their properties, two announcing financing issues, one informing on exploration results, one commenting on Mexican issues, and one discussing social issues. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Mammoth Resources, Discovery Silver, GR Silver, and Oroco reported the best drilling intercepts in Mexico on the second week of July, 2022.  ON EXPLORATION, In Chihuahua, Mammoth released results from 4 holes drilled at its Tenoriba project.  ON MINING, GoGold reported Q2, 2022 production results from its Parral Tailings project, Chihuahua. Fortuna Silver announced Q2, 2022 production results from its San Jose mine, Oaxaca. Gatos Silver reported Q2, 2022 production and financial results from its Cerro Los Gatos mine in Chihuahua. Orla announced Q2, 2022 production and financial results from its Camino Rojo project, Zacatecas. Torex Gold reported Q2, 2022 production results from its El Limon-Guajes mine in Guerrero. Golden announced Q2, 2022 production results from its Rodeo mine in Durango.  ON FINANCING, Monarca announced that it will be extending the exercise period of a total of 55,900,000 share purchase warrants, all of which are exercisable at $0.075 per share (San Jose project, Chihuahua). Excellon announced that the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) accepted its plan to regain compliance with the continued listing standards of the NYSE American Company Guide (La Platosa mine, Durango). ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, GR Silver released first assay results from the 2022 resource expansion drill program being conducted at its San Marcial project, Sinaloa. Discovery Silver reported results of 22 holes from its phase 2 drill program from its Cordero project in Chihuahua. Bear Creek provided and operational and exploration update on its Mercedes mine, Sonora. Oroco released results from 14 holes drilled at its Santo Tomas project in Sinaloa.  Tarachi provided an update on the progress of its Magistral Mil and Tailings project in Durango. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Silverton announced the appointment of its new CFO, and the resignation and new replacement of its Director (Pluton project, Durango). Excellon announced the appointment of its new President and CEO (La Platosa mine, Durango).  Fresnillo plc and Radius signed an exclusivity agreement on Plata Verde project, Chihuahua to earn a 70% interest in the project. Sierra Madre reported results from its annual general meeting of shareholders (La Tigra project, Nayarit). SilverCrest announced the appointment of a new member to its Board of Directors (Las Chispas project, Sonora).  ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Aura released its 2021 sustainability report (Aranzazu mine, Zacatecas).

ON MEXICO ISSUE

  • Mammoth Resources, Discovery Silver, GR Silver, and Oroco reported the best drilling intercepts in Mexico on the second week of July, 2022. Details are shown in the table below:

ON EXPLORATION

  • Mammoth Resources Corp., provided results from 4 drill holes completed, for a total of 320.7m, at its Tenoriba project in Chihuahua. The most significant drill intercept were encountered in hole TEN-21-14 drilled at the Moreno Zone with 0.32 g/t Au and 6 g/t Ag (0.40 g/t AuEq) over 9m; hole TEN-21-15 drilled at Carneritos Zone with 0.52 g/t Au and 8 g/t Ag (0.63 g/t AuEq) over 30m, including 0.85 g/t Au and 12 g/t Ag (1.02 g/t AuEq) over 6m, including 0.86 g/t Au and 26 g/t Ag (1.21 g/t AuEq) over 3m; hole TEN 21-16 drilled at Carneritos Zone with 0.6 g/t Au and 1 g/t Ag (0.61 g/t AuEq) over 12m, and 0.44 g/t Au and 2 g/t Ag (0.47 g/t AuEq) over 85.7m, including 0.92 g/t Au and 3 g/t Ag (0.97 g/t AuEq) over 6m; and hole TEN-21-17 drilled at Carneritos Zone with 0.6 g/t Au and 3 g/t Ag (0.64 g/t AuEq) over 33m, including 1.06 g/t Au and 1 g/t Ag (1.07 g/t AuEq) over 9m. To date, the company has drilled 2,234.6m in 17 holes.

ON MINING

  • GoGold Resources Inc., reported Q2, 2022 production results from its Parral Tailings project, Chihuahua. The company produced 315,632 Oz Ag, 3,170 Oz Au, and 268,800 Lb Cu (575,301 Oz AgEq).
  • Fortuna Silver Mines Inc., announced Q2, 2022 production results from its San Jose mine, Oaxaca. The company milled 251,945 tonnes of 187 g/t Ag and 1.13 g/t Au, with metallurgical recoveries of 91-33% and 90.5% respectively, to produce 1.38M Oz Ag and 8.3K Oz Au.
  • Gatos Silver Inc., reported Q2, 2022 production and financial results from its Cerro Los Gatos mine in Chihuahua. The company milled 211,350 tonnes of 374 g/t Ag, 0.38 g/t Au, 2.8% Pb, and 5% Zn, with metallurgical recoveries of 90.4%, 48.9%, 90.5%, and 66.4% respectively, to produce 2.3M Oz Ag, 1.27K Oz Au, 11.8M Lb Pb, and 15.6M Lb Zn. Gatos Silver paid its first dividend of $20M to its partners in April 2022, and expects to receive another dividend in Q3, 2022. It also reported a cash balance of $450M as of June 30, 2022.
  • Orla Mining Ltd., announced Q2, 2022 production and financial results from its Camino Rojo project, Zacatecas. The company mined 2,038,831 tonnes of 0.71 g/t Au consisting of 1,657,327 tonnes of ore processed with an average grade of 0.8 g/t Au and 381, 504 tonnes of low grade ore-stockpiled with an average grade of 0.33 g/t Au. In Q2, 2022 Orla produced 25,672 Oz Au, and provided gold production guidance for the full year 2022 of 90K-100K Oz Au. Orla reported a cash balance of $66.7M at June, 2022.
  • Torex Gold Resources Inc., reported Q2, 2022 production results from its El Limon-Guajes mine in Guerrero. The company produced 123,180 Oz Au and sold 123,360 Oz Au, and is firmly on track to deliver on full year production guidance of 430K – 470K Oz Au.
  • Golden Minerals Company announced Q2, 2022 production results from its Rodeo mine in Durango. The company mined 213,925 tonnes of 2.6 g/t Au and 10 g/t Ag with metallurgical recoveries of 75.1% and 82.3% respectively to produce 3,004 Oz Au and 12,678 Oz Ag (3,158 Oz AuEq). Golden sold in doré 3,060 Oz Au and 13,180 Oz Ag (3,219 Oz AuEq).

ON FINANCING

  • Monarca Minerals Inc., announced that it will be extending the exercise period of a total of 55,900,000 share purchase warrants, all of which are exercisable at $0.075 per share. The Warrants were issued pursuant to a private placement which closed on August 20, 2020. The Company proposes to extend the expiry by one year, and accordingly, the new expiry date for the Warrants will be August 20, 2023 (San Jose project, Chihuahua).
  • Excellon Resources Inc., announced that the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) accepted its plan to regain compliance with the continued listing standards of the NYSE American Company Guide related to insufficient stockholders’ equity. Excellon submitted its plan on May 31, 2022, and has been granted a plan period through October 30, 2023 (La Platosa mine, Durango).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • GR Silver Mining Ltd., released first assay results from the 2022 resource expansion drill program being conducted at its San Marcial project, Sinaloa. Drilling highlights include hole SMSP22-003 with 547 g/t Ag, 0.01 g/t Au, 0.2% Pb, and 0.6% Zn over a true width (TW) of 15.2m, including 1,179 g/t Ag, 0.01 g/t Au, 0.2% Pb, and 0.5% Zn over a TW of 2m; hole SMSP22-012 with 324 g/t Ag, 0.1% Pb, and 0.2% Zn over a TW of 14.9m, including 1,541 g/t Ag, 0.1% Pb, and 0.3% Zn over a TW of 1m; hole SMSP22-02 with 128 g/t Ag, 0.01 g/t Au, 0.2% Pb, and 0.5% Zn over a TW of 14m; and hole SMSP22-10 with 193 g/t Ag, 0.2% Pb, and 0.4% Zn over a TW of 7.1m, including 921 g/t Ag, 0.1% Pb, and 0.3% Zn over a TW of 2m.
  • Discovery Silver Corp., reported results of 22 holes from its phase 2 drill program from its Cordero project in Chihuahua. Drilling highlights include holes C22-610 with 115 g/t Ag, 0.05 g/t Au, 3.7% Pb, and 4.1% Zn (388 g/t AgEq) over 32.6m, including 187 g/t Ag, 0.05 g/t Au, 6.5% Pb, and 7.2% Zn (660 g/t AgEq) over 17.8m, and 55 g/t Ag, 0.05 g/t Au, 0.9% Pb, and 1.6% Zn (147 g/t AgEq) over 15.7m; hole C22-605 with 89 g/t Ag, 0.13 g/t Au, 1.8% Pb, and 3% Zn (265 g/t AgEq) over 38.6m, including 137 g/t Ag, 0.2 g/t Au, 2.8% Pb, and 3.8% Zn (380 g/t AgEq) over 22.3m; hole C22-596 with 49 g/t Ag, 0.06 g/t Au, 1.2% Pb, and 2.5% Zn (184 g/t AgEq) over 60.3m, and 21 g/t Ag, 0.01 g/t Au, 0.1% Pb, and 1.2% Zn (70 g/t AgEq) over 36.4m; and hole C22-609 with 104 g/t Ag, 0.14 g/t Au, 3.2% Pb, and 4.4% Zn (375 g/t AgEq) over 4.9m, and 35 g/t Ag, 0.01 g/t Au, 0.9% Pb, and 1.4% Zn (115 g/t AgEq) over 17.7m, and 64 g/t Ag, 0.06 g/t Au, 1% Pb, and 1.4% Zn (150 g/t AgEq) over 33.1m. “The current set of results is focused on expansion of the open pit and the resource in the northeast of the deposit and will be incorporated in a resource update and Pre-Feasibility Study scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of this year”.
  • Bear Creek Mining Corporation provided and operational and exploration update on its Mercedes mine, Sonora since its acquisition on last April, 2022.  The company has implemented operating strategies to improve Mercedes’ annual gold production and to initiate an aggressive exploration program. Bear Creek increased development work which resulted in having 15 working faces available, doubling the historical average of work areas. On exploration, the company is conducting Greenfield exploration at San Martin, Diluvio Scout, Margarita, and Neo Zones, where highly prospective structure related to Mercedes mine extend beneath post mineral cover. Drilling highlights include hole L22-652D drilled at Margarita Zone with 6.7 g/t Au and 68 g/t Ag over a true width (TW) of 2.2m; hole L22-649D drilled at Margarita Zone with 4.34 g/t Au and 53 g/t Ag over a TW of 1m; hole L22-655D drilled a Neo Zone with 2.44 g/t Au and 2 g/t Ag over a TW of 1.2m; and hole L22-659D drilled at Neo Zone with 4.43 g/t Au and 2 g/t Ag over a TW of 1.3m, and 2.98 g/t Au and 11 g/t Ag over a TW of 3.3m. To date, a total of 5,166m of RC / diamond have been drilled since the acquisition but additional 3,312m of greenfield exploration drill are planned for the remainder of 2022.
  • Oroco Resource Corporation released results from 14 holes (10,293m) drilled on the North Zone at its Santo Tomas project in Sinaloa. A total of 20 holes have been completed in the North Zone to date. Significant drill intercepts were encountered in hole N001 with 0.39% Cu, 0.01% Mo, 0.045 g/t Au and 2 g/t Ag (0.46% CuEq) over 255m; hole N002 with 0.38% Cu, 0.012% Mo, 0.025 g/t Au and 3 g/t Ag (0.44% CuEq) over 280.1m; hole N003 with 0.39% Cu, 0.014% Mo, 0.019 g/t Au, and 3 g/t Ag (0.45% CuEq) over 207.7m; hole N004 with 0.38% Cu, 0.012% Mo, 0.017 g/t Au, and 2 g/t Ag (0.44% CuEq) over 63.7m; hole N006 with 0.39% Cu, 0.004% Mo, 0.051 g/t Au, and 2 g/t Ag (0.44% CuEq) over 188.5m; hole N007 with 0.32% Cu, 0.005% Mo, 0.029 g/t Au, and 3 g/t Ag (0.37% CuEq) over 191.3m, and 0.32% Cu, 0.012% Mo, 0.018 g/t Au, and 3 g/t Ag (0.38% CuEq) over 109.9m; hole N008 with 0.38% Cu, 0.01% Mo, 0.038 g/t Au, and 3 g/t Ag (0.45% CuEq) over 328.3m; hole N009 with 0.76% Cu, 0.011% Mo, 0.021 g/t Au, and 5 g/t Ag (0.82% CuEq) over 32m, and 0.31% Cu, 0.027% Mo, 0.013 g/t Au, and 2 g/t Ag (0.42% CuEq) over 21.9m, and 0.29% Cu, 0.014% Mo, 0.011 g/t Au, and 2 g/t Ag (0.35% CuEq) over 123.6m, and 0.45% Cu, 0.016% Mo, 0.022 g/t Au, and 3 g/t Ag (0.53% CuEq) over 15.2m; hole  N010 with 0.36% Cu, 0.011% Mo, 0.029 g/t Au, and 2 g/t Ag (0.42% CuEq) over 311m; hole N011 with 0.39% Cu, 0.007% Mo, 0.039 g/t Au, and 3 g/t Ag (0.45% CuEq) over 230.8m; hole N012 with 0.35% Cu, 0.015% Mo, 0.025 g/t Au, and 3 g/t Ag (0.42% CuEq) over 296.9m; and hole N013 with 0.27% Cu, 0.009% Mo, 0.023 g/t Au, and 2 g/t Ag (0.32% CuEq) over 128m, and 0.36% Cu, 0.02% Mo, 0.018 g/t Au, and 2 g/t Ag (0.45% CuEq) over 95m, and 0.24% Cu, 0.009% Mo, 0.014 g/t Au, and 2 g/t Ag (0.29% CuEq) over 126m. The 2021-2022 drill program has now spanned 1,100m of strike length along the core of the North Zone mineral deposit at Santo Tomas project.
  • Tarachi Gold Corp., provided an update on the progress of its Magistral Mill and Tailings project in Durango. The company reported that the final stages of the metallurgical test work are nearing completion and results are expected to arrive within the next few weeks. It also commented that the design and engineering activities will commence upon receipt of the final metallurgical work. Tarachi´s Board and management are confident that its Magistral Mill and Tailings project will be a high-return, high-margin Au producer with the following metrics from the USD $1600-base price Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA): All in Sustaining Cost (AISC) of USD $705/ Oz Au; After-tax IRR of 85%; and After-tax payback period of 12 months.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Silverton Metals Corp., announced the appointment of its new CFO, and the resignation and new replacement of its Director (Pluton project, Durango). 
  • Excellon Resources Inc., announced the appointment of its new President and CEO, effective July 28, 2022 (La Platosa mine, Durango).
  • Fresnillo plc, through its subsidiary Minera san Julian, and Radius Gold Inc., through its subsidiary Geonorte signed an exclusivity agreement to earn a 70% interest in Plata Verde project, Chihuahua. Fresnillo has to spend over a four year period a minimum cumulative amount of USD $5M on exploration activities at the Plata Verde project and make option payments to Radius totalling USD $3.117M, which include USD $1.117M to cover underlying property agreements to have the right to earn a 70% interest in the property. If the option is exercised, a new company (NewCo) would be set up to own the Plata Verde Project; NewCo would be owned 70% by Minera San Julian and 30% by Geonorte. Should either Party’s interest fall below 10% interest in NewCo that interest would convert to a 2% NSR.
  • Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd., reported results from its annual general meeting of shareholders (La Tigra project, Nayarit).
  • SilverCrest Metals Inc., announced the appointment of a new member to its Board of Directors effective immediately (Las Chispas project, Sonora).

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Aura Minerals Inc., released its 2021 sustainability report. This report underscored the Company’s commitment to being an innovative, safe, responsible, and sustainable mining Company, and highlights initiatives planned across eight Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Pillars (Aranzazu mine, Zacatecas).

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, a quartz hydrothermal breccia cemented by Mn Ox from an epithermal vein system in Durango, Mexico.  Photo by Miguel A Heredia.

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Third Week of June, 2022. 

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Hydrothermal breccia cemented by MnOx.

By Miguel A Heredia

During the 24thweek of the year (June 13th to June 19th, 2022), at least 16 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico, and 7 news were published by the media, with five informing on exploration results, four reporting resources and developments of their properties, four disclosing deals and corporate issues, four discussing social issues, three announcing financing issues, and three commenting on Mexican issues. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Arcelor Mittal announced that the strike broke out by the National Union of Mining, Metallurgical, Steel and Similar Workers of the Mexican Republic will affect the economy of Michoacan.  With the strike carried out by Napoleón Gómez Urrutia and his miners in Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacan to the company Arcelor Mittal Mexico, they managed to jump the “cap” in the payment of utilities. The first International Mining Women’s Day was commemorated. ON EXPLORATION, In Sonora, Aztec-Kootenay JV reported final results from 2021-2022 RC drilling program on its Cervantes project, Colibri announced that its Phase 1 RC drilling program has been completed at its Evelyn project, and Prismo completed a LiDAR survey at its Los Pavitos project. In Coahuila, Monumental released sampling results from its Jemi Heavy Rare Earth Elements project. In Sinaloa, Prismo informed that it plans to drill a minimum of 2,000m at its Palos Verdes project. ON FINANCING, Prismo reached an agreement to exercise a total of up to 6,821,250 outstanding founder warrants for gross proceeds of $682,125 (Palos Verdes project, Sinaloa). Radius announced that it receives the final USD $700K option cash payment from Pan American Silver in order to earn its option for 65% of the Amalia property in Chihuahua. SilverCrest reported results from its annual general meeting of shareholders (Las Chispas project, Sonora). Silver Wolf closed a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $602,160 (Ana Maria project, Durango). ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Avino released results from Phase 2 of its 2021/2022 drilling program conducted at its Avino project, Durango. Silver Dollar reported initial results from the Phase II drilling ongoing program conducted at its La Joya project in Durango. Silver Tiger announced drilling results from the Sooy Vein at its El Tigre project, Sonora. Sonoro completed Phase IV drilling program at its Cerro Caliche project, Sonora.  ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Gatos silver announced the pass away of one of its Directors (Cerro Los Gatos, Chihuahua). Sierra Metals announced the appointment of a new member as Chair of its Board of Directors (Bolivar mine, Chihuahua). Silverton announced the appointment of its new CEO and Director (Peñasco Quemado project, Sonora). ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Peñoles recognized the academic performance of sixteen young students of the Laguna del Rey Center for Technical Studies. Esperanza Silver de México, responsible for the Esperanza mining project, signed a collaboration agreement with the Zacatepec Technological Institute. Minera Cuzcatlán adopted a wastewater treatment plant in Ocotlán, Oaxaca. Industrias Peñoles announced the summer activities that will take place during June and July at the Community Center and in the Metals Museum.

ON MEXICO ISSUE

  • Arcelor Mittal announced that the strike broke out by the National Union of Mining, Metallurgical, Steel and Similar Workers of the Mexican Republic will affect the economy of Michoacan and the metallurgical sector. The strike will have an impact and serious consequences in the short, medium and long term on labor and economic stability in the Lázaro Cárdenas region, in the state of Michoacán, in the production chain and in the country´s economy.
  • With strike, Napoleón Gómez Urrutia and his miners managed to jump the “cap” in the payment of utilities. With the work stoppage carried out by mining workers from section 271 in Lázaro Cárdenas Michoacán to the company Arcelor Mittal Mexico, on June 15, they managed to eliminate the “cap” on the payment of utilities that was included with the labor reform in April of 2021. This is not the first union organization to take action to pressure the company to grant a higher amount in the payment of utilities.
  • The first International Mining Women’s Day was commemorated. This June 15 marks the first World Mining Women’s Day as an initiative of the International Organization “Women in Mining”. Engaging the Women Mining Community, the International Day of Women in Mining will showcase the experiences, hopes and aspirations about the industry, and celebrate the personal achievements of women in the industry.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Aztec Minerals Corp – Kootenay Silver Inc. JV reported final results from 2021-2022 RC drilling program on its Cervantes project in Sonora. The program comprised 5,249 meters in 26 RC drill holes, testing 4 targets (Purisima East, California, Jasper, and California North). Hole CAL-22-018 drilled at California target intersected a high pyrite zone anomalous in copper, molybdenum, gold and silver that corresponds well with the top of large, strong IP chargeability anomaly. It encountered 0.22 g/t Au over 24.32m, plus 0.27 g/t Au over 10.64m, and 0.062% Cu over 68.4m, 1 g/t Ag over 28.88m, and 122 ppm Mo over 39.52m.
  • Colibri Resource Corporation announced that its Phase 1 RC drilling program has been completed at its Evelyn project in Sonora. The Phase 1 drill program consisted of 6,547m in 45 holes. Drill results from the first 22 holes were released previously and assays are pending for the remaining 23 holes.
  • Prismo Metals Inc., recently completed a LiDAR survey conducted over almost 40 square kilometers at its Los Pavitos project in Sonora. The company expects to receive the analysis of the LiDAR results in a few weeks to aid in the delineation of important structural trends and complete the work to identify drill targets this summer.
  • Monumental Minerals Corp., released results from 21 samples collected at its Jemi Heavy Rare Earth Elements project. Seven out of 21 samples returned values greater than 0.15% total rare earth oxide (TREO), including three samples that returned values greater than 0.25% TREO, and up to 0.54% TREO. “The assay results confirm that samples with the highest rare earth element content are those rocks that are classified as peralkaline (sodium plus potassium concentrations are greater than aluminum concentrations”. In addition, a single rock grab sample collected in the eastern claim area returned values of 13.5% Zn and 6.8% Pb and is classified as carbonate replacement-style mineralization.
  • Prismo Metals Inc., informed that it plans to drill a minimum of 2,000m at its Palos Verdes project in Sinaloa to test mineralization at depth under the high-grade intercepts from previous drilling campaigns.

ON MINING

  • No relevant news.

ON FINANCING

  • Prismo Metals Inc., reached an agreement to exercise a total of up to 6,821,250 outstanding founder warrants for gross proceeds of $682,125. Gross proceeds will be primarily used to drill a minimum of 2,000m at its Palos Verdes project, Sinaloa. Prismo also expects to use some of the proceeds to finalize surface exploration work on its Los Pavitos project in Sonora.
  • Radius Gold Inc., announced that it receives the final USD $700K option cash payment from Pan American Silver Corp., in order to earn its option for 65% of the Amalia property in Chihuahua.
  • Silver Wolf Exploration Ltd., closed a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $602,160. Net proceeds will be used for financing the ongoing drill program at its Ana Maria project in Durango, and for general working capital requirements.

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd., released results from phase 2 of its 2021/2022 drilling program conducted at its Avino project, Durango. Six underground holes were completed below the current level 17 mining area to define the continuity of economic mineralization at depth in the central part of the vein. Selected high grade intercepts include hole ET-22-01 with 0.06 g/t Au, 34 g/t Ag, and 0.66% Cu (127 g/t AgEq) over a true width (TW) of 0.80m on HW BX, including 0.12 g/t Au, 199 g/t Ag, and 2.75% Cu (577 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 0.10m, and 0.14 g/t Au, 21 g/t Ag, and 0.54% Cu (104 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 23.10m on HW STW, including 0.66 g/t Au, 759 g/t Ag, and 2.90% Cu (1,202 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 0.19m, including 1.35 g/t Au, 98 g/t Ag, and 1.92% Cu (466 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 0.34m, including 0.46 g/t Au, 72 g/t Ag, and 2.42% Cu (434 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 0.29m, including 0.15 g/t Au, 77 g/t Ag, and 3.17% Cu (514 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 0.24m, and 0.20 g/t Au, 61 g/t Ag, and 0.96% Cu (206 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 41m on Avino Vein, including 0.31 g/t Au, 71 g/t Ag, and 2.42% Cu (421 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 0.56m, including 0.09 g/t Au, 482 g/t Ag, and 1.40% Cu (678 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 0.75m, including 2.05 g/t Au, 99 g/t Ag, and 4.73% Cu (901 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 0.56m, including 2.75 g/t Au, 831 g/t Ag, and 3.82% Cu (1,568 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 0.19m, including 1.39 g/t Au, 246 g/t Ag, and 2.27% Cu (664 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 0.75, including 4.37 g/t Au, 1,234 g/t Ag, and 21.90% Cu (4,527 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 0.19m; and hole ET 21-08 with 0.28 g/t Au, 11 g/t Ag, and 0.6% Cu (112 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 1.94m on HW BX and 0.53 g/t Au, 41 g/t Ag, and 1.06% Cu (226 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 30m on Avino Vein, including 5.58 g/t Au, 86 g/t Ag, and 0.56% Cu (617 g/t AgEq) over a TW of 0.65m. “The drilling results have confirmed the down dip continuity of widths and grades of the Avino vein extending significant potential to a depth of at least 290 metre down dip below current development”.
  • Silver Dollar Resources Inc., reported initial results from 4 holes of the phase II drilling ongoing program at the unexplored La Noria portion of its La Joya project in Durango. Significant intersections were encountered in hole NOR-22-013 with 90 g/t Ag, 0.41 g/t Au, 0.08% Cu, 0.4% Pb, and 1% Zn (198 g/t AgEq) over 43,12m, including 192 g/t Ag, 0.27 g/t Au, 0.06% Cu, 1% Pb, and 2.2% Zn (363 g/t AgEq) over 19.35m, including 451 g/t Ag, 0.62 g/t Au, 0.07% Cu, 2.3% Pb, and 4.6% Zn (815 g/t AgEq) over 5m; and hole NOR-22-015 with 23 g/t Ag, 0.26 g/t Au, 0.07% Cu, 0.03% Pb, and 5.6% Zn (319 g/t AgEq) over 23.2m. To date, a total of 1,899m over 10 holes have been drilled in Phase II. Assay results are pending for the remaining 6 holes.
  • Silver Tiger Metals Inc., announced drilling results from the Sooy Vein at its El Tigre project, Sonora. Highlights drill intercepts include hole ET-21-300 with 0.06 g/t Au, 239 g/t Ag, 0.3% Cu, 0.1% Pb, and 0.2% Zn (281 g/t AgEq) over 4.9m, including 0.24 g/t Au, 2,230 g/t Ag, 2.85% Cu, 0.7% Pb, and 0.8% Zn (2,565 g/t AgEq) over 0.5m; and hole ET-21-289 with 0.12 g/t Au, 901 g/t Ag, 0.61% Cu, 3.1% Pb, 7.3% Zn (1,286 g/t AgEq) over 0.6m. The company also reported that over 370m of rehabilitation in Level 7 of the historic El Tigre mine have been completed. 
  • Sonoro Gold Corp., completed Phase IV drilling program at its Cerro Caliche project, Sonora, and reported results from the final seven holes. The company completed over 7,200m in 63 holes which returned multiple higher-grade gold intercepts and demonstrated the expansion of several known mineralized gold zones within the Cerro Caliche concession.  Highlights drill intercepts include hole SCR-321 with 1.34 g/t Au and 9 g/t Ag (1.38 g/t AuEq) over 15.24m, including 3.66 g/t Au and 15 g/t Ag (3.73 g/t AuEq) over 4.57m, plus 1.1 g/t Au and 0.8 g/t Ag (1.11 g/t AuEq) over 1.52m; and hole SCR-322 with 0.78 g/t Au and 5 g/t Ag (0.81 g/t AuEq) over 18.29m, including 4.88 g/t Au and 20 g/t Ag (4.97 g/t AuEq) over 1.52m. “Drilling results from the now completed Phase IV campaign will be included in an updated resource estimation scheduled to be announced in the fall of 2022. The economic impact of the updated resource on the proposed heap leach mining operation is also to be assessed and will be contemplated in a further technical report”.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Gatos Silver Inc., announced the pass away of one of its independent non-executive Directors (Cerro Los Gatos, Chihuahua).
  • Sierra Metals Inc., announced the appointment of a new member as Chair of its Board of Directors (Bolivar mine, Chihuahua).
  • Silverton Metals Corp., announced the appointment of its new CEO and Director (Peñasco Quemado project, Sonora).
  • SilverCrest Metals Inc., reported results from its annual general meeting of shareholders (Las Chispas project, Sonora).

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Servicios Industriales Peñoles recognized the academic performance of sixteen young students of the Laguna del Rey Center for Technical Studies. The outstanding students are about to conclude their theoretical instruction as technical professionals, to then go on to put their knowledge into practice for an entire semester by joining the work teams of different mining units in different states of the Republic, with the possibility of in the end, they will be formally hired.
  • Esperanza Silver de México S.A. de C.V., responsible for the Esperanza mining project, signed a collaboration agreement with the Zacatepec Technological Institute, which will allow students from this important professional training institution in the state of Morelos, to carry out their professional residences at Minera Esperanza Silver.
  • Minera Cuzcatlán (Fortuna Silver Mines Inc.), adopted a wastewater treatment plant in Ocotlán, Oaxaca. The Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP ) located in the municipality of Ocotlán de Morelos supplies 80% of the water it uses in its processes and the rest is obtained from rainwater harvested through a canal system
  • Industrias Peñoles S.A.B. de C.V., announced the summer activities that will take place during June and July at the Community Center and in the Metals Museum. 

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, a hydrothermal breccia cemented by Mn Ox in an epithermal vein system, in Durango, Mexico.  Photo by Miguel A Heredia.

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Second Week of January, 2022. 

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Secondary copper staining

By Miguel A Heredia

During the 2nd week of the year (January 10th to January 16th, 2022), at least 27 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico, and 4 news published by the media, with eleven reporting resources and developments of their properties, six communicating production results, six informing on exploration results, four disclosing deals and corporate issues, three commenting on Mexican issues, and one discussing social issues.  ON MEXICO ISSUES, Jaime Gutiérrez Núñez, President of the Mexican Mining Chamber (CAMIMEX) stated that political risk causes a reduction in the mining investment in Mexico. Alfonso Durazo, governor of Sonora State declared that the Mining Fund program will be back in the state after it was frozen for a little more than three years. ON EXPLORATION, In Sonora, Reyna Gold reported surface and trench sampling results from its La Gloria project, Colibri announced it has purchased a RC drilling rig to reduce drilling expenses, and Heliostar informed that its 5,000m drill program at its Cumaro project has recommenced after the Christmas break. In Chihuahua, Mammoth added additional drill contractor to its ongoing drill program at its Tenoriba project. Radius Gold and Riverside provided a review of 2021 and an update of their Mexican properties.  ON MINING, Americas Gold and Silver reported December 2021 production results from its Cosalá operation in Sinaloa. Torex announced production results from its El Limon-Guajes mine in Guerrero for the full year 2021. Endeavour reported Q4 and full year 2021 production results from their Mexican mine operations. Golden Minerals reported Q4 and full year 2021 production results from its Rodeo project, Durango. Equinox announced Q4, 2021 production from their Mexican operations and provided production guidance for the year 2022. Gatos Silver reported Q4 and full year 2021 production results from its Cerro Los Gatos mine, Chihuahua. ON FINANCING, no relevant news. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Silver Tiger released results from its ongoing drilling program at its El Tigre project, Sonora. Prime announced results from 13 new holes drilled at the Noche Buena deposit within its Los Reyes property in Sinaloa. Avino provided results from its Phase 2 drilling program conducted at its Avino property in Durango. Capitan Mining reported results from six RC holes collared at its Peñoles project in Durango. Excellon released results from its underground drilling program conducted at the Platosa property in Durango.  Fabled released results from its ongoing drilling program at its Santa Maria project, Chihuahua. Zacatecas Silver received permits for 13 new drill pads and applied for permits on additional 27 drill pads at its Panuco deposit in Zacatecas.  Silver Dollar announced that exploration drilling has recommenced at its La Joya project, Durango. Oroco Resource reported results from eight drill holes collared at its Santo Tomas project in Sinaloa. Osisko released drill results on its San Antonio project in Sonora. GoGold release results from 13 drill holes collared at its Los Ricos North project, Jalisco. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Ranchero Gold announced the appointment of its President effective immediately (Santa Daniela project, Sonora). Starcore announced the appointment of its new President and Director (San Martin mine, Queretaro). Capitan Mining entered into a purchase agreement to acquire a portfolio of royalties including a 2% royalty on the Capitan Gold oxide deposit in Durango. Endeavour entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Pitarrilla project in Durango State from SSR Mining. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Compañia Minera Cuzcatlán (Fortuna Silver) along with local municipal authorities delivered toys to more than 20,000 girls and boys from Oaxaca.

ON MEXICO ISSUE

  • Jaime Gutiérrez Núñez, President of the Mexican Mining Chamber (CAMIMEX) stated that political risk causes a reduction in the mining investment in Mexico.  The lack of legal certainty and a complex environment for obtaining licenses and concessions are holding back investment in the Mexico’s mining sector, despite the rise in metal prices. Actual spending was USD $4.25B, 15.6% below the original estimates, according to CAMIMEX. The figure is lower than the USD $4.67B in 2019 and is well below the high of USD $8.42B in 2012.  Due to the lack of mining concessions, investment opportunities of USD $25B are lost in the country. Currently, there are 29 applications detained in the Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) and 34 at the National Water Commission (CONAGUA). With an adequate legal framework and adequate incentives, mining activity could generate 50 thousand additional direct jobs and more than MXP $25B a year in addition to those already paid by mining. “The statements of the President (against mining), not granting mining concessions, denying access to information, making procedures increasingly slow, although the terms are established in the law, and the lack of personnel in the Mining Directorate General  have impeded the advancement of mining projects in the country”.
  • Alfonso Durazo, governor of Sonora State, declared that the Mining Fund program could be back in the state after it was frozen for a little more than three years by the Federal government. If the Mining Fund is back, the injection of resources into the entity in this 2022 will be greater than MXP $1,000M, same that will benefit the mining towns and incidentally will give a good respite to state public finances.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Reyna Gold Corp., reported surface and trench sampling results from its La Gloria project. To date, 1,252 sample results have been received from the Main Zone area where drilling will commence this coming February. A total of 555 samples out of 713 returned greater than 0.1 g/t Au, including 23 with greater than 5 g/t Au at Big Pit area. High grade values were encountered at Big Pit and Pique Viejo areas including values of 93.9 g/t Au, 36.2 g/t Au, 46.1 g/t Au, 24.4 g/t Au, 20.1 g/t Au. Other areas such as Las Quintas, Las Quintas West, San Pedro, and Alamo Muerto returned values of 20.1 g/t Au, 15.9 g/t Au, 13.3 g/t Au, 11.1 g/t Au, 13.6 g/t Au, and 9.3 g/t Au. Reyna Gold has already the drill permits to commence a drilling program at Big Pit and Pique Viejo areas in February, 2022. Sampling and mapping will continue in other target areas of the property.
  • Colibri Resource Corporation announced it has purchased a RC drilling rig and peripheral equipment to reduce drilling expenses and advance its exploration work at their Mexican properties.
  • Heliostar Metals limited informed that its 5,000m drill program at its Cumaro project has recommenced after the Christmas break. Heliostar reported that four holes totalling 428m were completed in December 2021. Results are pending and will be released in late February.
  • Mammoth Resources Corp., added additional drill contractor to its ongoing drill program at its Tenoriba project. The company reported that 4 holes collared at the Central-Masuparia area were completed prior to the Christmas break. Samples were cut and submitted to the lab. Results are pending. Last December, 2021, Mammoth announced the granting of an additional permit to cover an additional 183 drill hole locations, expanding the total number of permitted drill hole locations to 321 over the entire approximately 6-km trend of surface gold-silver mineralization at Tenoriba property, Chihuahua.
  • Radius Gold Inc., provided a review of 2021 and an update of their Mexican properties. At Amalia project. Chihuahua, 45 drill holes totalling 14,402m have been completed of which 10,588m in 31 holes were drilled in the Amalia Vein System and 3,814m in 14 holes were drilled in the California Vein System. Drilling has re-commenced at El Cuervo target with 3,500m of core drilling expected in the coming months. There are still several targets remaining to drill test including Oro Viejo, La Caverna, California SE, El Pozo and Palmillas. At Maricela project, Sonora, the company mapped and sampled the Au-Ag Epithermal Vein system, extending 1.5km long by 300m wide, within which occurs multiple veins, stockworks, and breccias. 576 samples have been collected with highlights including intervals of 4.46 g/t Au and 1,335 g/t Ag over 3m at la Baby Gloria Vein;  1.03 g/t Au and 418 g/t Ag over 63 at Silver Central Vein; and 0.31 g/t Au and 62 g/t Ag over 25.3m at intersecting veins. At Plata Verde project, Chihuahua, Radius completed a geophysical survey. NP/Resistivity sections show significant structural zones extending to depth directly below the known large scale historic silver mines. Two priority targets for drilling have been generated. In addition, the company completed detail underground mapping and sampling of the historic Mina Real y Mina Mojonera. Radius is evaluating options to fund drilling later this year.
  • Riverside Resources inc., provided an outlook on the upcoming 2022 and informed on some of the achievements and milestones in 2021. Riverside plans to advance their exploration projects in Sonora. It plans to advance its La Union project in Sonora, where sampling results have returned up to  84 g/t Au and >1,500 g/t Ag in rock chip samples. On the exploration alliance with BHP, the company is progressing on 3 funded programs with spending of over USD $3M in the first 6 months of 2022, doing exploration on selected and defined projects, finalizing third party acquisitions, and advance work toward drilling. At Cecilia project, Sonora, along with its partner Carlyle, the objective is to complete further drilling which could define a possible mineralized body at depth around the Cerro Magallanes main dome. At Los Cuarentas project in Sonora, the plan is to advance it with further drilling and test the porphyry copper center. It also wants to complete further farm out option deals from the Riverside portfolio such as Suaqui Grande and Suaqui Verde projects in Sonora, among others. Finally, it plans to work with partners to test porphyry copper targets at its Ariel project, Sonora.

ON MINING

  • Americas Gold and Silver Corporation reported that it milled approximately 47K tonnes at a rate of 1,695 tonnes per operating day during, December 2021, with grades of 54 g/t Ag, 4% Zn, and 1.8% Pb to produce 46K Oz Ag, 3.2M Lb Zn, and 1.3M Lb Pb from its Cosalá operation in Sinaloa.
  • Torex Gold Resources inc., announced production results from its El Limon-Guajes mine in Guerrero for Q4 and the full year 2021. The company mined in Q4, 2021, an average of 1,030 tonnes per day from underground and 9,390 tonnes per day from open pit to produce 109,410 Oz Au. Torex mined an average of 1,260 tonnes per day from underground and 13,040 tonnes per day from open pit in the full year 2021 to produce 468,200 Oz Au. The company sold 468,820 Oz Au at an average realized price of USD $1,790/Oz Au, including 109,390 Oz Au at an average realized price of USD $1,795/Oz Au.
  • Endeavour Silver Corp., reported Q4 and full year 2021 production results from their Mexican mine operations. During the period Q4, 2021, the company processed from Guanacevi mine, Durango 108.3K tonnes of 1.21 g/t Au and 417 g/t Ag with metallurgical recoveries of 92.2% and 89.6% respectively to produce 3,885 Oz Au and 1.3M Oz Ag, and from Bolañitos mine, Guanajuato, 105.2K tonnes of 1.83 g/t Au and 48 g/t Ag with metallurgical recoveries of 88.9% and 87% respectively to produce 5,502 Oz Au and 141.2K Oz Ag. Endeavour also reported full year production results from their Mexican mines. It processed 414.3K tonnes from Guanacevi mine, Durango at grades of 1.09 g/t Au and 370 g/t Ag with metallurgical recoveries of 91.7% and 87.9% respectively to produce  13,317 Oz Au and 4.33M Oz Ag; from Bolañitos mine, Guanajuato itprocessed 418.5K tonnes of 2.02 g/t Au and 42 g/t Ag wit metallurgical recoveries of 90.7% and 87% respectively to produce 24,652 Oz Au and 491.4K Oz Ag; and from El Compas mine, Zacatecas it processed  54.5K tonnes of 3.05 g/t Au and 36 g/t Ag with metallurgical recoveries of 80.2% and 72.5% respectively to produce 4,293 Oz Au and 45.8K Oz Ag. Consolidated results for the period Q4, 2021 were 213.5K tonnes of 1.52 g/t Au and 235 g/t Ag with metallurgical recoveries of 90.8% and 89.4% respectively to produce 9,446 Oz Au and 1.44M Oz Ag, while for the full year 2021 were 887.4K tonnes of 1.65 g/t Au and 195 g/t Ag with metallurgical recoveries of 89.8% and 87.6% respectively to produce 42,262 Oz Au and 4.87M Oz Ag.
  • Golden Minerals Company reported Q4 and full year 2021 production results from its Rodeo project, Durango. In Q4, 2021, Golden mined 145,205 tonnes and processed 42,827 tonnes of 4.6 g/t Au and 14 g/t Ag with metallurgical recoveries of 76.5% and 82.6% respectively to produce 4,831 Oz Au and 15,250 Oz Ag (5,028 Oz AuEq). The company sold 5,164 Oz Au and 15,552 Oz Ag (5,366 Oz AuEq) at realized price, before refining and selling costs of USD $1,784 per Oz Au and USD $23.08 per Oz Ag. In the full year 2021, Golden mined 661,102 tonnes and processed 149,411 tonnes of 4.1 g/t Au and 12 g/t Ag with metallurgical recoveries of 74.9% and 89.9% respectively to produce 14,449 Oz Au and 51,058 Oz Ag (15,256 Oz AuEq). The company sold 13,732 Oz Au and 48,970 Oz Ag (14,454 Oz AuEq) at realized price, before refining and selling costs of USD $1,793 per Oz Au and USD $24.83 per Oz Ag.
  • Equinox Gold Corporation announced full year 2021 production from their Mexican operations and provided production guidance for the year 2022. At Los Filos mine, Guerrero, the company produced 144.1K Oz Au and expects to produce 120K-140K Oz Au in the year 2022. At Mercedes mine, Sonora, the company produced 31.8K Oz Au and expects to produce 30K-45K Oz Au in the year 2022.
  • Gatos Silver Inc., reported Q4 and full year 2021 production results from its Cerro Los Gatos mine, Chihuahua. In Q4, 2021 the company milled 241,397 tonnes of 331 g/t Ag, 0.3 g/t Au, 2.2% Pb, and 3.9% Zn with metallurgical recoveries of 90%, 63%, 91%, and 93% respectively, to produce 2.3M Oz Ag, 1,300 Oz Au, 10.2M Lb Pb, and 12.9M Lb Zn. In the full year 2021, Gatos Silver milled 909,586 tonnes of 295 g/t Ag, 0.32% Au, 2.3% Pb, and 3.9% Zn with metallurgical recoveries of 86%, 61%, 86%, and 73% respectively, to produce 7.6M Oz Ag, 5,200 Oz Au, 39.8M Lb Pb, and 49.6M Lb Zn.
  • Oroco Resource Corp., reported results from eight drill holes collared in the North Zone within its Santo Tomas project in Sinaloa. Significant drill intercepts were encountered in hole N001 with 0.18% Cu, 0.012% Mo, 0.02 g/t Au and 1 g/t Ag over 27m, plus 0.39% Cu, 0.01% Mo, 0.045 g/t Au and 2 g/t Ag over 255m, plus 0.17% Cu, 0.003% Mo, 0.008 g/t Au and 1 g/t Ag over 49m; hole N002 with 0.38% Cu, 0.012% Mo, 0.025 g/t Au and 23 g/t Ag over 281.1m; hole N003 with 0.31% Cu, 0.009% Mo, 0.014 g/t Au and 3g/t Ag over 11.8m, plus 0.33% Cu, 0.018% Mo, 0.017 g/t Au, and 1g/t Ag over 17.7m, plus 0.29% Cu, 0.025% Mo, 0.02 g/t Au and 3 g/t Ag over 25.5m, plus 0.5% Cu, 0.008% Mo, 0.026 g/t Au and 3 g/t Ag over 14.3m, plus 0.39% Cu, 0.014% Mo, 0.019 g/t Au and 3 g/t Ag over 207.7m, plus 0.18% Cu, 0.002% Mo, 0.007 g/t Au and 2 g/t Ag over 76.2m, hole N004 with 0.38% Cu, 0.012% Mo, 0.017 g/t Au and 2 g/t Ag over 63.7m; hole N006 with 0.39% Cu, 0.004% Mo, 0.051 g/t Au and 2 g/t Ag over 188.5m, plus 0.17% Cu, 0.005% Mo, 0.011 g/t Au and  1 g/t Ag over 53.7m, hole N007 with 0.32% Cu, 0.005% Mo, 0.029 g/t Au, and 3 g/t Ag over 191.3m, plus 0.32% Cu, 0.012% Mo, 0.018 g/t Au and 3 g/t Ag over 109.9m; and hole N008 with 0.38% Cu, 0.01% Mo, 0.038 g/t Au and 3 g/t Ag over 328.3m. “Drilling confirms that the North Zone is comprised of intensely fractured, potassic- and phyllic-altered andesite volcanics and Laramide-age porphyritic intrusive dikes. Elevated Mo, Au and Ag accompany copper assays along the central axis of the North Zone”.
  • Osisko Gold Royalties Inc., announced that a total of 27,000m were completed on exploration and infill drilling on the Sapuchi, California and Golfo de Oro deposits at its San Antonio project in Sonora. These three deposits comprise 900m of a 3km long Iron Oxide Copper Gold (IOCG) trend that ends at the past producing Luz del Cobre copper deposit. The highlights of the drilling campaign to date include 2.14 g/t Au over 21.65m, and 1.03 g/t Au over 39.9m to extend the known mineralization. Osisko also announced that the historic gold stockpile is being stacked onto a new heap leach pad with production commencing in early 2022 along with an updated resource estimation for the three deposits being drilled.

ON FINANCING

  • No relevant news.

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Silver Tiger Metals Inc., released results from its ongoing drilling program at its El Tigre project, Sonora, including a high grade intercept in a structure located between the Tiger Vein and the Seitz Kelly Vein. Hole ET-21-274 encountered 0.84 g/t Au and  1 g/t Ag (65 g/t AgEq) over 15m, including 1.42 g/t Au and 1 g/t Ag (108 g/t AgEq) over 4.5m, plus 0.4 g/t Au, 8 g/t Ag, 0.02% Cu, 0.02% Pb, and 0.03% Zn (41 g/t AgEq) over 6.3m, including 0.71 g/t Au, 13 g/t Ag, 0.02% Cu, 0.03% Pb, and 0.1% Pb (73 g/t AgEq) over 1.5m on Seitz Kelly Vein; and hole ET-21-278 encountered in a new structure 3.99 g/t Au, 32 g/t Ag, 0.04% Cu, 0.09% Pb, and 0.17% Zn (343 g/t AgEq) over 16.1m, including 12.24 g/t Au, 84 g/t Ag, 0.11% Cu, 0.2% Pb, and 0.3% Zn (1,029 g/t AgEq) over 5.1m, including 102.1 g/t Au, 120 g/t Ag, 0.13% Cu, 0.2% Pb, and 0.4% Zn (7,808 g/t AgEq) over 0.6m, plus 0.01 g/t Au, 78 g/t Ag, 0.07% Cu, 0.06% Pb, and 0.02% Zn (88 g/t AgEq) over 0.9m, plus 0.04 g/t Au, 86 g/t Ag, 0.1% Cu, 0.1% Pb, and 0.2% Zn (108 g/t AgEq) over 1m on Seitz Kelley Vein.
  • Prime Mining Corp., announced results from 13 new holes drilled at the Noche Buena deposit within its Los Reyes property in Sinaloa. Highlights include hole 21NB-22 with 16 g/t Au and 74 g/t Ag over a true width (TW) of 2.7m, plus 0.91 g/t Au and 44 g/t Ag over a TW of 24.3m, including 3.49 g/t Au and 82 g/t Ag over a TW of 0.9m; hole 21NB-23 with 75 g/t Au and 110 g/t Ag over a TW of 3.8m, plus 1.89 g/t Au and 76 g/t Ag over a TW of 19.7m, including 4.83 g/t Au and 250 g/t Ag over a TW of 3m; hole 21NB-21 with 92 g/t Au and 24 g/t Ag over a TW of 12.8m, plus 1.09 g/t Au and 66 g/t Ag over a TW of 4.3m; and hole 21NB-17 with 1.27 g/t Au and 13 g/t Ag over a TW of 12m, including 38 g/t Au and 8 g/t Ag over a TW of 2.2m. These drilling results have extended the size of the Noche Buena deposit. “The Noche Buena portion of the Central Structure has now been tested and mineralization identified along approximately 600 m of its known 1,000 m strike length.  The structure remains open along strike and at depth both to the northwest and the southeast. Phase 2 drilling is planned to test extensions to the northwest towards San Miguel, where there is strong potential to join the two deposits, and to the southeast where the structure has been traced in surface mapping”.
  • Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd., provided results from its Phase 2 drilling program conducted at its Avino property in Durango. The company informed that over 15,500m were drilled in 2021 testing several targets including Brecha de Bajo Vein, where the company made the discovery of a new vein splay called Bart Vein which appears to be mineralized. Highlights results from Brecha de Bajo and Bart Veins include hole NBX-21-02 with 0.06 g/t Au, 151 g/t Ag, 0.37% Cu, 0.06% Pb, and 0.2% Zn (211 g/t AgEq) over 1.20m, plus 0.08 g/t Au, 21 g/t Ag, 0.55% Cu, and 0.2% Zn (103 g/t AgEq) over 7.8m, and plus 0.06 g/t Au, 48 g/t Ag, 0.76% Cu, and 00.3% Zn (159 g/t AgEq) over 0.65m; hole NBX-21-03 with 0.14 g/t Au, 84 g/t Ag, 0.32% Cu, and 0.2% Zn (147 g/t AgEq) over 1.5m, plus 0.27 g/t Au, 72 g/t Ag, 0.26% Cu, 0.3% Pb, and 0.1% Zn (141 g/t AgEq) over 15.4m, including 0.3 g/t Au, 380 g/t Ag, 1.19% Cu, 0.4% Pb, and 0.2% Zn (547 g/t AgEq) over 1.05m, plus 0.84 g/t Au, 44 g/t Ag, 0.21% Cu, and 0.2% Pb (151 g/t AgEq) over 32.2m, including 1.58 g/t Au, 120 g/t Ag, 0.11% Cu, and 0.1% Pb (267 g/t AgEq) over 1.95m.
  • Capitan Mining Inc., reported results from six RC holes collared at its Peñoles project in Durango. The most significant drill intercept was encountered in hole CARC 21-48 with 0.39 g/t Au and 3 g/t Ag (0.42 g/t AuEq)  over 35.1m, including 1.08 g/t Au and 2 g/t Ag (1.1 g/t AuEq) over 4.6m, including 0.7 g/t Au and 2 g/t Ag (0.72 g/t AuEq) over 4.6m. This drill result extends mineralization 170m down-dip from hole 21-CARC-25. Capitan Mining informed that assays for 11 drill holes are pending. The drilling program will be resumed in late January.
  • Excellon Resources Inc., released results from its underground drilling program conducted at the Platosa property in Durango. Follow-up drilling on the 817 Zone below Manto 623 defined a zone of high-grade silver mineralization. Highlights include hole EX21UG76 with 4,035 g/t Ag, 25.2% Pb, and 11.8% Zn (5,089 g/t AgEq) over 0.4m, plus 1,430 g/t Ag, 12% Pb, and 21.7% Zn (3,905 g/t AgEq) over 1.8m; hole EX21UG60 with 2,398 g/t Ag, 14.2% Pb, and 33.2% Zn (3,905 g/t AgEq) over 1.8m; hole EX21UG812 with 1,267 g/t Ag, 7.5% Pb, and 19% Zn (2,124 g/t AgEq) over 2.8m; hole EX21UG769 with 4,060 g/t Ag, 29.7% Pb, and 3.3% Zn (4,939 g/t AgEq) over 0.9m; and hole EX21UG770 with 2,956 g/t Ag, 6.1% Pb, and 1.3% Zn (3,158 g/t AgEq) over 1m. The company also informed that underground drilling will continue testing below historical-mined areas for potential vertical zones.
  • Fabled Silver Gold Corp., released results from its ongoing drilling program at its Santa Maria project, Chihuahua. Hole SM20-48 encountered 0.04 g/t Au, 58 g/t Ag, 0.2% Pb, and 0.2% Zn (60 g/t AgEq) over 1.5m, plus 0.4 g/t Au, 90 g/t Ag, 0.2% Pb, and 0.5% Zn (111 g/t AgEq) over 24.5m, including 0.49 g/t Au, 113 g/t Ag, 0.3% Pb, and 0.7% Zn (139 g/t AgEq) over 17.1m, including 0.6 g/t Au, 129 g/t Ag, 0.4% Pb, and 0.8% Zn (160 g/t AgEq) over 7.5m, including 0.83 g/t Au, 210 g/t Ag, 0.6% Pb, and 1.4% Zn (253 g/t AgEq) over 3m, including 1.25 g/t Au, 315 g/t Ag, 0.6% Pb, and 1.2% Zn (379 g/t AgEq) over 1.50m.
  • Zacatecas Silver Corp., received permits for 13 new drill pads and applied for permits on additional 27 drill pads at its Panuco deposit in Zacatecas. The Company is currently drilling shallow angled holes in the northeast of the Panuco North Vein to test the near surface down-dip extension of vein outcrops and shallow historical workings. It also expects to receive soon the approval of an application for permits to drill El Cristo vein system, which was submitted to SEMARNAT in December 2021.
  • Silver Dollar Resources Inc., announced that exploration drilling has recommenced at its La Joya project, Durango. The company completed 5 holes on the Noria portion of the property for a total of 1,134m before the Christmas break with the aim of testing possible structural extensions of known mineralized zones identified in historical drilling. Sample results from these holes will be reported once they are available.
  • GoGold Resources Inc., release results from 13 drill holes collared at Mololoa Area within its Los Ricos North project, Jalisco. Drilling highlights include hole LRGM-21-066 with 1.21 g/t Au and 242g/t Ag (4.44 g/t AuEq or 333 g/t AgEq) over 11.3m, including 5.2 g/t Au and 1,143 g/t Ag (20.44 g/t AuEq or 1,533 g/t AgEq) over 1.4m; hole LRGM-21-068 with 0.6 g/t Au and 155 g/t Ag (2.68 g/t AuEq or 201 g/t AgEq) over 12.9m, including 3.56 g/t Au and 872 g/t Ag (15.19 g/t AuEq or 1,139 g/t AgEq) over 0.7m; hole LRGM-21-077 with 1.51 g/t Au and 376 g/t Ag (6.52 g/t AuEq or 489 g/t AgEq) over 36.3m, including 6.94 g/t Au and 1,683 g/t Ag (29.78 g/t AuEq or 2,204 g/t AgEq) over 6.5m, including 21.8 g/t Au and 5,040 g/t Ag (89 g/t AuEq or 6,675 g/t AgEq) over 1m, plus 5.02 g/t Au and 1,385 g/t Ag (2,349 g/t AuEq or 1,762 g/t AgEq) over 1.6m; and hole LRGM-21-089 with 0.81 g/t Au and 151 g/t Ag (2.82 g/t AuEq or 212 g/t AgEq) over 24.1m, including 2.87 g/t Au and 426 g/t Ag (8.56 g/t AuEq or 641 g/t AgEq) over 4.2m, including 4.18 g/t Au and 748 g/t Ag (14.15 g/t AuEq or 1,061 g/t AgEq). The company is pleased with the drilling results on Mololoa Area and will continue its aggressive resource expansion drilling program at Los Ricos North deposit. GoGold also will commence drilling at the Cabrera zone, which is the newest target for Los Ricos North deposit.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Ranchero Gold Corp., announced the appointment of its President effective immediately (Santa Daniela project, Sonora).
  • Starcore International Mines Ltd., announced the appointment of its new President and Director. This appointment follows the resignation of Robert Eadie as President of the Company.   Mr. Eadie remains as Chairman, CEO and a director of the Company.  (San Martin mine, Queretaro).
  • Capitan Mining Inc., entered into a purchase agreement to acquire a portfolio of royalties including a 2% royalty on the Capitan Gold oxide deposit in Durango from Exploraciones Altiplano. Total purchase price of royalty portfolio is USD $1M over two years, payable in cash and shares. “Any shares issued to Altiplano are subject to right of first refusal (ROFR) allowing Capitan to market and place shares with investors if Altiplano elects to sell. This transaction with Altiplano in combination with Capitan’s contractual option to retire Riverside Resources 1% royalty for CAD $250K will leave the Peñoles project royalty free and will enhance overall project economics for investors.
  • Endeavour Silver Corp., entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Pitarrilla project in Durango State from SSR Mining Inc., for total consideration of USD $70M and a 1.25% NSR. The USD $70M will consists of USD $35M in Endeavour shares and a further USD $35M in cash or in Endeavour shares at the election of SSR Mining. The number of Endeavour shares to be issued will be based on a deemed price of USD $4.085 per share.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Compañia Minera Cuzcatlán (Fortuna Silver Mines Inc.), along with local municipal authorities from the Valles Centrales de Oaxaca and Cuenca de Papaloapan Regions delivered toys to more than 20,000 girls and boys from Oaxaca. The delivery of toys is an example of the coordinated work that Compañía Minera Cuzcatlán carries out permanently with different communities, as part of its commitment to generate shared development and well-being in Oaxaca.

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, secondary copper staining on an IOCG project in Sonora, Mexico.  Photo by Miguel A Heredia.

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Fifth Week of October, 2020

/ Gambusino Prospector / Leave a comment

By Jorge Cirett

During the 44th week of the year (October 26th to November 1st, 2020), at least 33 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. To note, eight companies posted exploration advances on their projects, another eight companies posted quarterly reports and six informed on project development. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Mexico is the top silver producer in the world, and a major producer of another eleven metals and minerals. Camimex received the Responsible Industry award. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Riverside Resources commenced drilling at is Cuarentas project; Tocvan Ventures informed on exploration advances at Pilar. In Chihuahua, Radius Gold is preparing the fourth drilling program at Amalia. In Sinaloa, Kootenay Silver released drilling results from the Copalito project; Vizsla Resources added a fifth rig at Panuco; Brigadier Gold intersected the San Agustín vein at Picachos. In Jalisco, Candente Gold released a high-grade gold result From Cocula. In Puebla, Almaden Minerals is exploring around the Ixtaca project.  ON MINING, Mexus Gold is nearing the completion of a leach pad at Santa Elena in Sonora. Santacruz Silver, Capstone Mining, Alamos Gold, Coeur Mining, Agnico Eagle, Newmont, McEwen Mining and Consolidated Zinc released third quarter 2020 results. ON FINANCING, Aztec Minerals received $497 K from share purchase warrants. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Prime Mining released geochemical results from Los Reyes. Inomin Mines submitted a technical report on La Gitana project. Agnico Eagle informed on drilling results at Santa Gertrudis, Sonora. Torex Gold released drilling results from two zones at the El Limón-Guajes mine. Excellon Resources filed a technical report on the Evolución project in Zacatecas. Azure informed on metallurgical testing on the Mesa de Plata deposit at the El Alacrán project in Sonora. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Alien Metals intends to market its San Celso and Los Campos projects in Zacatecas. One World Lithium is to do some research on a novel lithium extraction process. Grupo Mexico informed on its 2021 investments. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. Grupo Peñoles, Minera Capela, Grupo Peñoles and Minera Cuzcatán informed on health and social programs.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • México is the top silver producer in the world, and is within the ten top producers of fluorite (2nd), sodium sulfate (3rd), celestite (3rd), molybdenum (5th), lead (5th), zinc (6th), magnesium sulfate (6th), gypsum (7th), barite (8th), copper (8th) and gold (9th).
  • Camimex (Cámara Minera de México) received the Responsible Industry award by CONCAMIN Foundation.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Radius Gold Inc. is preparing the phase 4 drilling program at its Amalia project in Chihuahua, operated by Pan American Silver Corp.. The program is to test down dip and lateral expansions of the high-grade mineralization in the San Pedro structure previously defined.
  • Brigadier Gold Ltd. informed the three first diamond holes of a 5,000 m program at its Picachos project in Durango have intersected the San Agustín vein up to 125 m below the Nuevo Carrito adit. The three holes test the same vein section at different levels, with the shallower first hole going through underground workings, and the other two intercepting 10 and 7 meters of quartz-carbonate veining respectively. Results pending.
  • Riverside Resources Inc. commenced a 2,000 m diamond drill program at the Cuarentas project in Sonora, with partner Hochschild Mining PLC.. The initial targets are the Sant Rosalia mine and the Santa Rosalia Sur vein target area. These target zones are located 1 km apart, within a large epithermal system in which five parallel resistivity anomalies that have been interpreted as possible blind quartz vein zones. “The current drill program will form part of Hochschild’s US$700,000 minimum exploration commitment in year one”.
  • Kootenay silver Inc. released results from holes 5 to 33 of the first drill campaign at Copalito, in Sinaloa. The program designed for 3,000 meters ended drilling 4,153 meters in over 40 drill holes. Highlighted intervals comprise 18.0 m @ 63 gpt Ag, 0.15 gpt Au, 0.47% Pb+Zn (including 1.0 m @ 936 gpt Ag, 0.29 gpt Au, 3.31% Pb+Zn); 1.2 m @ 51 gpt Ag, 2.28 gpt Au, 6.18% Pb+Zn; 0.7 m @ 307 gpt Ag, 0.154 gpt Au, 0.15% Pb+Zn; 0.40 m @ 209 gpt Ag, 0.196 gpt Au, 0.67% Pb+Zn; 1.2 m @ 45 gpt Ag, 0.86 gpt Au, 3.46% Pb+Zn; 2.7 m @ 101 gpt Ag, 0.7 gpt Au, 2.28% Pb+Zn (including 0.2 m @ 59 gpt Ag, 7.05 gpt Au, 13.55% Pb+Zn. “Drilling tested 7 of 9 known veins along a cumulative strike length of 2,500 meters of an estimated 10,000 meters of vein length. Mineralized vein widths in drill hole varied from less than one meter to 56 meters. The deepest intercept was 123 meters below surface and graded 0.689 gpt gold, 101 gpt silver, and 2.28% lead plus zinc over 2.7 meters including 7.0 gpt gold, 59 gpt silver and 13.55% lead plus zinc over 0.2 meters”.
  • Almaden Minerals Ltd. announced a field exploration program in the company’s property surrounding its Ixtaca project in Puebla. The “SE Alteration Zone” covers volcanic hosted clay alteration, and is being assessed by use of satellite alteration studies, geophysical studies and soil, rock and drilling geochemical data. Satellite imagery processes have been able to identify a 150 by 650 meters area in which the presence of the favorable clay buddingtonite is suspected.
  • Vizsla Resources Corp. informed a fifth drill rig arrived at the Panuco project in Sinaloa. The company has completed 16,700 m, and intends to complete 31,300 m of diamond drilling in the Napoleon, Cordon del Oro and Animas vein corridors. Four holes have been completed into the Tajitos vein, located 900 m SE of the first Napoleon discovery. “The Tajitos vein zone is composed of a quartz breccia vein with an early white locally banded quartz supporting andesite lithic clasts, followed by a later white to greyish quartz supporting brecciated clasts of earlier white quartz veins. This zone was then cut by a later white to clear quartz vein with local dark bands or patches of fine-grained sulphides that is cutting a zone of quartz pseudomorphs after bladed calcite and pink rhodochrosite. The better grades are in the earlier breccias associated with dark bands or dark patches of very fine-grained disseminated sulphides”.
  • Tocvan Ventures Corp. informed on exploration advances at the Pilar project in Sonora. A structural analysis has been completed, with gold and silver mineralization being controlled by faults, fault intersections and dilated structures. Rock and grab sample highlighted results include 1.3 gpt Au, 5 gpt Ag, 0.34% Cu; 3.2 gpt Au, 8 gpt Ag, 0.35% Cu; 0.2 gpt Au, 2 gpt Ag, 1.25% Cu; 0.9 gpt Au, 17 gpt Ag, 0.73% Cu; 3.8 gpt Au, 57 gpt Ag, 0.85% Cu; nil Au, 6 gpt Ag, 1.91% Cu; 0.1 gpt Au, 3 gpt Ag, 1.40% Cu; 5.6 gpt Au, 84 gpt Ag, 1.71% Pb; 9.3 gpt Au, 76 gpt Ag, 0.12% Cu, 2.15% Pb; 0.5 gpt Au, 323 gpt Ag, 0.24% Pb; 2.2 gpt Au, 15 gpt Ag, 0.26% Pb; 4.3 gpt Au, 172 gpt Ag, 1.12% Pb; 23.7 gpt Au, 116 gpt Ag; 4.4 gpt Au, 44 gpt Ag, 0.11% Cu; 7.5 gpt Au, 42 gpt Ag. Drill targets have been selected, and permitting for the program is underway.
  • Candente Gold Corp. reported high-grade sample results from its Cocula project in Jalisco. Past reported samples returned 5.67 gpt Au over 6 meters and 4.32 gpt Au over 8 meters, whereas sampling of a selected 10 cm zone in the hanging wall of a quartz vein-breccia  returned 59.0 gpt Au, 729 gpt Ag. “The mineralization in the high grade sample is described as dark grey to milky white banded quartz in vein and breccia with galena, pyrite and quartz crystals filling open spaces”. A 0.75 m  sample collected adjacent to the selected sample returned 0.18 gpt Au, 19 gpt Ag, comprising “milky white and gray to dark gray quartz breccia vein with fine grained pyrite, +1% galena and trace malachite”.

ON MINING

  • Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. Released third quarter results for 2020, with a total of 977.7 K Oz AgEq. At Zimapan in Hidalgo, 164.8 K tonnes were processed @ 73 gpt Ag, 0.72% Pb, 2.40% Zn, 0.33% Cu, recovering 72.3% Ag to produce 282.8 K Oz Ag, 1,048 tonnes Pb, 2,841 tonnes Zn, 395 tonnes Cu (or 921 K Oz AgEq). At Rosario in San Luis Potosi 11,794 tonnes were milled @ 66 gpt Ag, 0.24 gpt Au, 0.31% Pb, 2.06% Zn, recovering 85.9% Ag to produce 21.4 K Oz Ag, 59 Oz Au, 32 tonnes Pb, 200 tonnes Zn (or 56.7 K Oz AgEq). At Veta Grande in Zacatecas, 44 k tonnes were milled @ 99 gpt Ag, 0.24 gpt Au, 1.45% Pb, 2.11% Zn, recovering 44.6% Ag to produce 62.4 K Oz Ag, 139 Oz Au, 370 tonnes Pb, 519 tonnes Zn (or 214.3 K Oz AgEq.
  • Mexus Gold US. Informed the construction of a new leach pad is nearing completion at its Santa Elena mine in Sonora.
  • Capstone Mining Corp. released production and financial reports for the third quarter 2020, including figures from its Mexican operations. At Cozamin, in Zacatecas, the company produced 10.6 M Lb Cu, at cash cost $0.36 pr Lb Cu.
  • Alamos Gold Inc. reported third quarter 2020 results, including figures from its Mexican operations. At Mulatos, in Sonora, 1.32 M tonnes were mined and 1.89 M tonnes stacked @ 0.91 gpt Au, with an average recovery rate of 74% to produce 41,100 Oz Au at cash cost $746 per Oz Au and mine-site AISC of $928 per Oz Au.
  • Coeur Mining Inc. reported third quarter 2020 financial results, including figures from its Mexican operations. At Palmarejo, in Chihuahua, 492.5 K tonnes were milled, averaging 2.28 gpt Au, 136 gpt Ag and recovering 91.3% Au, 82.8% Ag to produce 29,296 Oz Au, 1.78 M Oz Ag, at “Adjusted CAS per AuOz” of $602 and “Adjusted CAS per AgOz” of $10.06. “Coeur expects to continue with seven active rigs during the fourth quarter, primarily focusing on resource expansion drilling as well as infill drilling on select targets. Three expansion rigs have recently been mobilized to focus on growing mineralized material between Independencia and the mill”.
  • Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. released third quarter results for 2020, including figures from its Mexican operations. At Pinos Altos, in Chihuahua, 558 K tonnes were processed (6,065 tpd) @ 1.89 gpt Au to produce 30,937 Oz Au at cash cost $677 per Oz Au and production cost of $1,071 per Oz Au. High-grade gold mineralization has been extended at the Cubiro deposit by underground drilling, whereas at Reyna de Plata and Reyna de Plata East drilling returned high-grade Au and Ag at shallow depths. At Creston Mascota, a Pinos Altos satellite pit, 188 K tonnes were processed (2,043 tpd) @ 1.19 gpt Au, to produce 6,567 Oz Au at production cost per Oz Au of $1,155 and total cash cost per Oz Au of $771. At La India, in Sonora. 1.56 M tonnes were processed (16,946 tpd) @ 0.72 gpt Au to produce 22,776 Oz Au at production costs per Oz Au of $707 and total cash cost per Oz Au of $740.
  • Newmont. Released third quarter 2020 results including some figures from its operations in Mexico. At Peñasquito, in Zacatecas, 130,000 Oz Au were sold, with an AISC of $835 per Oz Au. Also 215,000 Oz of AuEq were sold, with an AISC of $735 per Oz AuEq.
  • McEwen Mining Inc. reported production results for the third quarter 2020, including figures from its operations in Mexico. At El Gallo, in Sinaloa, residual leaching produced 1,900 Oz AuEq.
  • Consolidated Zinc Ltd. informed on quarterly activities ended on September 30, 2020. On-site processing and a plant refurbishment plan were approved. During the quarter 10,053 tonnes of ore were mined,, 10,352 tonnes of ore processed @ 12.2 % Zn, 7.9% Pb, 48 gpt Ag with recoveries of 69.1% for Zn, and 36.2% for Pb. The operating cost was $1.05 per Lb Zn.

ON FINANCING

  • Aztec Minerals Corp. received an aggregate of $497 K from the exercise of share purchase warrants (Cervantes, Sonora).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Prime Mining Corp.  released surface and underground sampling results from its Los Reyes project in Sinaloa. Some of the underground highlighted results: 4.5 m @ 0.84 gpt Au, 38 gpt Ag; 6 m @ 0.76 gpt Au, 24 gpt Ag; 46 m @ 2.21 gpt Au, 95 gpt Ag (including 2 m @ 29 gpt Au, 226 gpt Ag); 19.5 m @ 1.69 gpt Au, 62 gpt Ag. Some of the highlighted trench results: 21 m @ 0.48 gpt Au, 43 gpt Ag; 9 m @ 0.82 gpt Au, 96 gpt Ag. The company states these results continue to show resource expansion potential.
  • Inomin Mines Inc. has submitted a technical report to the Exchange as part of the information requested by the Exchange to complete the acquisition of the La Gitana project in Oaxaca.
  • Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. informed on exploration at its 44,145 ha Santa Gertrudis project in Sonora. During the third quarter 2020 drilling at Santa Gertrudis totaled 21 holes (7,856 m) focused on expanding mineral resources and exploring for new mineralized structures in the Trinidad trend, which contains the Amelia deposit and the Espiritu Santo zone. Some highlighted results from the Amelia and Espiritu Santo: 6.5 m @ 1.2 gpt Au, 4 gpt Ag; 5.5 m @ 0.9 gpt Au, 142 gpt Ag; 4.5 m @ 2.8 gpt Au, 11 gpt Ag; 10.3 m @ 1.3 gpt Au, 1 gpt Ag; 4.6 m @ 2.2 gpt Au, 2 gpt Ag; 5.6 m @ 3.2 gpt Au, 2 gpt Ag; 11.5 m @ 1.6 gpt Au, 9 gpt Ag; 10.5 m @ 2.6 gpt Au, 3 gpt Ag; 4.2 m @ 5.6 gpt Au, 8 gpt Ag.
  • Torex Gold Resources Inc. released drill results from the ongoing program at El Limón-Guajes underground mine, which includes the Sub-Sill deposit and the El Limón Deep deposit. At the Sub-Sill deposit, highlighted core-length intercepts comprise 9.1 m @ 30.70 gpt Au, 3 gpt Ag, 0.07% Cu; 12.2 m @ 23.88 gpt Au, 3 gpt Ag, 0.10% Cu; 18.9 m @ 14.85 gpt Au, 30 gpt Ag, 1.73% Cu; 19.6 m @ 6.34 gpt Au, 7 gpt Ag, 0.40% Cu; 15.4 m @ 17.03 gpt Au, 13 gpt Ag, 0.49% Cu; 28.5 m @ 13.11 gpt Au, 3 gpt Ag, 0.1% Cu; 11.8 m @ 21.60 gpt Au, 29 gpt Ag, 1.29% Cu. At the El Limón Deep deposit, highlighted core length intercepts comprise 6.9 m @ 20.37 gpt Au, 12 gpt Ag, 0.15% Cu; 13.2 m @ 15.98 gpt Au, 28 gpt Ag, 0.79% Cu; 9.8 m @ 10.90 gpt Au, 6 gpt Ag, 0.10% Cu; 15.5 m @ 9.55 gpt Au, 2 gpt Ag, 0.07% Cu; 10.0 m @ 9.20 gpt Au, 8 gpt Ag, 0.19% Cu.
  • Excellon Resources Inc. filed a technical report on the Evolución polymetallic project in Zacatecas. The updated mineral resource estimate forwards an indicated resource of 6.4 M tonnes @ 64 gpt Ag, 0.09 gpt Au, 1.00% Pb, 1.14% Zn containing 13.15 M Oz Ag, 19 K Oz Au, 140.7 M Lb Pb, 161.5 M Lb Zn (or 35.1 M Oz AgEq) and inferred resources of 14.96 M tonnes @ 39 gpt Ag, 0.10 gpt Au, 0.75% Pb, 1.15% Zn, containing 18.5 M Oz Ag, 49 K Oz Au, 247.5 M Lb Pb, 377.7 M Lb Zn (or 64.8 M Oz AgEq).
  • Azure Minerals Ltd. informed it has sent three metallurgical samples from the Mesa de Plata deposit on its Alacrán project in Sonora, to be tested. The new metallurgical tests will be focused in recovering a silver mineral, romeite by gravity separation methods. “The tailings from the gravity separation will then undergo grinding, flotation and cyanide leaching to maximise the overall silver recovery”.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Alien Metals Ltd. Informed that “following the recent earn-transaction with Capstone Mining regarding the Donovan 2 Cu-Au project in Zacatecas, the company is looking  to a similar marketing process for its San Celso and Los Campos projects, also in Zacatecas.
  • One World Lithium Inc. is to implement a proof of concept program for a lithium separation innovative technology. The program is estimated to take three months and cost CAD$100 K. “The parties have agreed to complete a formal agreement if the Technology is proven to have commercial applications. Such an agreement would include cash payments, issuance of common shares and a royalty payment from OWL” (Salar del Diablo, Baja California).
  • Grupo Mexico. informed investments for US $2.1 billion. The resources are destined to mining projects like Tía María in Perú, as well to investments on its rail services, wind plants and terminals.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Grupo Peñoles and the municipal government at Sombrerete, Zacatecas) realized free Covid tests in the community.
  • Industrias Peñoles and Oxxo in Zacatecas provided Covid protection material to the municipality.
  • Grupo Mexico and Grupo Peñoles allied with the Sombrerete municipal government to realize fast Covid-19 tests.
  • Minera Capela Peñoles funded the construction of a school wall in Teloloapan, Guerrero.
  • Compañía Minera Cuzcatán initiated a scholarship program to benefit 134 students in San José del Progreso in Oaxaca.

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: The porphyry from Cerro San Pedro, San Luis Potosí. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

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

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Mn-Fe/calcite fault-bx in rhyolitic tuffs.

By Miguel A Heredia

During the first week of the year (December 31st to January 05th, 2020), at least 19 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico, with six announcing financial rounds, three disclosing deals and corporate issues, three commenting on Mexican issues, two communicating production results, two reporting on resources and development of their projects, two discussing issues on social responsibility, and one informing on exploration results.  ON MEXICO ISSUES, La Caridad mine in Sonora, one of the most precious jewels of the Mexican mining. Lithium can turn Mexico into the planet´s rechargeable battery. Mexico announced USD $4.65B in capital expenditure for new mining projects in 2020-2021.  ON EXPLORATION, In Jalisco, GoGold filed a NI 43-101 Technical Report on its Los Ricos project. ON MINING, Telson reported some of the reactivation activities carried out at its Campo Morado mine in Guerrero to bring it back into production by mid January 2020. Newmont Goldcorp provided an outlook for the year 2020 on its Peñasquito mine in Zacatecas. ON FINANCING, Sonoro Metals received proceeds of $875K from the sale to Agnico of the 1% NSR on the Chipriona property in Sonora. First Mexican closed the third tranche of its private placement for gross proceeds of $95K (Guadalupe project, Sonora).  Great Panther announced USD $10M concentrate prepayment (Guanajuato mine complex, Guanajuato). Telson announced its intention to conduct a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of up to CAD $3M (Campo Morado mine, Guerrero). SilverCrest announced that SSR mining elected to exercise its SilverCrest equity participation with CAD $13.25M private placement (Las Chispas project, Sonora).  ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Sierra Metals updated mineral resource estimate for its Bolivar mine in Chihuahua.  Leagold announced expansion plans for its Los Filos mine in Guerrero. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Prospero sold its Mexican subsidiary Minera Fumarola S.A. de C.V. to an arm’s length purchaser, Aquatio S.A. de C.V. of Jalisco State, Mexico (Pachuca SE project, Hidalgo). Equinox Gold and Leagold mailed management information in order to approve business combination and create a premier Americas Au producer (Los Filos mine, Guerrero). Goldgroup provided a legal update on its dispute with DynaResources concerning the San Jose de Gracia mine in Sinaloa. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Fresnillo plc created more than 9,000 jobs in 2019. Zacatecas students created a protective device for miners to reduce accidents.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • La Caridad mine in Sonora, owned by the Grupo Mexico, is one of the most precious jewels of the Mexican mining. Its activity dates back to the pre-Hispanic era, but which had its greatest boom in the early twentieth century and that today is recognized in the history of our country as a factor of advancement and economic development for all Mexicans. Today it is the best integrated mine in the world, a mine where Cu is split and extracted for plate refinement. But this is not the only thing that is exploited in La Caridad, because large quantities of refined Au and Ag are also obtained, as well as Moly, a metal highly prized for its ability to create alloys with steel. But beyond its metallurgical production, La Caridad is also important for the entire region and the surrounding villages, as the mine generated multiple infrastructure works, thus generating a chain of well-being for its inhabitants. Developing new schools, cultural, sports facilities, housing, personnel transport systems and a supply network for workers, known as the “miner’s stores”, in addition to thousands of direct and indirect jobs.
  • Lithium can turn Mexico, in the planet´s chargeable battery. After one of the biggest Li deposit was discovered in Sonora by Bacanora, a Canadian mining company. The technology industry has set its sights on the country with multiple requests from mining companies that want to exploit it, including Chinese corporations. Given this news, the head of the SEMARNAT, Victor Manuel Toledo, described the potential that this represents for Mexico in terms of tax collection and economic recovery, saying that worldwide Lithium has become “the new oil.” Bacanora, in collaboration with the Chinese Ganfeng already plans to raise at least USD $400M to request a license from the Mexican government for the exploitation of a Li quarry allegedly made up of 4.5 M tonnes of this element that has detected, which would later generate profits for these companies of at least USD $1B.
  • Mexico announced USD 4.65B in capital expenditure for new mining projects in 2020-2021. A series of mining companies will commence to build various mining projects in Mexico in 2020. Minera Alamos, expects to initiate construction of its Santana-Los Verdes project in Sonora in Q1, 2020 with an investment of USD $7.55M, which includes the construction of a coal plant, platforms, ponds and various earthworks at the mine site. The complex should start producing in Q3, 2020. It also plans to begin construction of its la Fortuna mine in Durango at the end of 2020 at a total cost of USD $26.9M. Torex Gold Resources Inc., expects to start the construction of its Media Luna mine in Guerrero in Q1, 2021, with a capital expenditure of USD $482M. Media Luna has a capacity of 47M Lb Cu, 170K Oz Au, and 1.7M Oz Ag per year. Prime Mining Corp., plans to begin construction of its Los Reyes project in Sinaloa in June 2021 and end in December of the same year. The capital expenditure of the project is set as USD $89.5M and its capacity is 35K Oz Au and 253K Oz Ag per year, with a useful mine life of 11 years. VVC Exploration Corp., owns the USD $4B Samalayuca copper project in Chihuahua. Samalayuca, currently awaiting a construction decision, has an estimated useful mine life of 16 years. Southern Copper Corporation, is the owner of Mina Pilares in Sonora, which will produce Cu in concentrates to be processed in the La Caridad mine. Mina Pilares, currently awaiting a construction decision, should start producing in H2, 2021. Southern reported that it has already obtained environmental permits and is currently trying to acquire additional land.

ON EXPLORATION

  • GoGold Resources Inc., filed a NI 43-101 Technical Report on its Los Ricos project in Jalisco. Work done by GoGold confirms that the drilling program continues to intersect wide zones of Au & Ag from surface to vertical depths of 300m. The Los Ricos deposit is still open along strike to the north and at depth. It also concludes that although high-grade portions of the vein have been mined out, the structures still have wide mineralized intervals potentially amenable to surface mining methods. A budget of USD $5.3M was proposed to continue the exploration work at Los Ricos project in Jalisco for the year 2020. The company also announced that plans to complete an NI 43-101 compliant Mineral Resource Estimate on Los Ricos in 2020.

ON MINING

  • Telson Mining Corporation, reported some of the reactivation activities carried out at its Campo Morado mine in Guerrero to bring it back into production by mid January 2020. The company has already restored electrical power to the mine site, and personnel have commenced dewatering the mine. Access has been restored to the El largo Zone where there are approximately 50K tonnes of ore available to transport to the mill site that along with 20K tonnes of ore previously transported to the mill will be available for processing upon start-up. Personnel are also advancing on the process of checking, servicing, and repairing as necessary, all mill processing equipment, mobile mining equipment, underground mining equipment, ventilation systems and safety equipment, etc.
  • Newmont Goldcorp, provided a 2020 outlook for its Peñasquito mine in Zacatecas. It plans to produce 575K Oz Au at a cash cost of $570 per Oz Au and AISC of $725 per Oz Au. In addition, the company plans to produce 30 M Oz Ag, 200M Lb Pb, and 425M Lb Zn, at a cash cost of $515 per Oz AuEq and AISC of $805 per Oz AuEq.

ON FINANCING

  • Sonoro Metals Corp., received proceeds of $875K from the sale to Agnico of the 1% NSR on the Chipriona property, located in the Mulatos mining district in Sonora. The NSR originated from the sale of the Chipriona property to Agnico in December 2019 for the amount of $4M plus the NSR.
  • First Mexican Gold Corp., closed the third tranche of its private placement for gross proceeds of $95K. In total, the company issued 20M shares for gross proceeds of $1M (Guadalupe project, Sonora).
  • Great Panther Mining Limited, entered into a USD $10M prepayment agreement with the IXM Group for 100% of the Au-Ag concentrates produced from the Guanajuato mine complex in 2020 and 2021. The prepayment will be repaid on December 31, 2020 and will bear interest at an annual rate of 3-month USD LIBOR plus 5%.
  • Telson Mining Corporation, announced its intention to conduct a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of up to CAD $3M (Campo Morado mine, Guerrero).
  • SilverCrest Metals Inc., announced that SSR Mining elected to exercise its shareholder participation right, pursuant to an agreement between the company and SSR Mining dated November 28, 2018. Accordingly, SSR Mining has agreed to purchase 1,819,074 shares of SilverCrest for aggregate proceeds of CAD $13.25M at the same price of CAD $7.28 as the bought deal public offering announced by SilverCrest on December 3, 2019. SSR entered into a transaction with a third party to divest of the 1,819,074 SilverCrest common shares to be acquired pursuant to the private placement at a price of CAD $8.45 per common share for a pre-tax gain of approximately CAD $2.1M. Net proceeds raised by SilverCrest will be used to continue exploration and development of its Las Chispas project in Sonora.

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  •  Sierra Metals Inc., updated mineral resource estimate for its Bolivar mine in Chihuahua. This mineral resource update includes 13,698m of infill drilling and 41,553m of exploration drilling. Total indicated mineral resources are 11.63M tonnes of 0.95% Cu, 18 g/t Ag, and 0.24 g/t Au (or 1.16% CuEq) for a total of 244.3M Lb Cu, 6.8M Oz Ag, and 90.4K Oz Au (300.1M Lb CuEq). Total inferred mineral resources are 16.69M tonnes of 0.93% Cu, 17 g/t Ag, and 0.30 g/t Au (or 1.16% CuEq) for a total of 342.1M Lb Cu, 9M Oz Ag, and 162.7K Oz Au (428.1M Lb CuEq). Sierra Metals plans to update a PEA for the Bolivar mine which is expected to be released in Q3, 2020. Goal of the PEA is to increase tonnage throughput in excess of 5,000 tonnes per day, which is expected to be reached by the end of 2020.
  • Leagold Mining Corporation, announced a USD $180M expansion plans for its Los Filos mine in Guerrero. Expansion began in July, with the final phase of development scheduled to conclude by end-2021. The Los Filos expansion will play a key role to consolidate the recently merged Equinox-Leagold combined company as a producer of 1M Oz Au per year in 2021, based on output from current mines in Brazil, Mexico and USA. This expansion will position Los Filos mine as one of the Mexico´s biggest Au mines, combining underground and open pit operations across the Los Filos, Bermejal and Guadalupe deposits. The expansion is expected to roughly double production at Los Filos in 2021 from around 200K Oz Au produced in 2019 to 400K Oz Au.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Prospero Silver Corp., sold its Mexican subsidiary Minera Fumarola S.A. de C.V. to an arm’s length purchaser, Aquatio S.A. de C.V. of Jalisco State, Mexico, for a cash purchase price of USD 5K, and assumption of all statutory liabilities and obligations of the subsidiary in Mexico, including property maintenance and abandonment, statutory employee severance, and tax obligations, estimated to aggregate to USD $95K.
  • Equinox Gold Corp., and Leagold Mining Corporation, mailed management information to approve business combination to create a premier Americas Au producer. “Pursuant to the transaction, Leagold shareholders will receive 0.331 of an Equinox Gold share for each Leagold share held. At closing, existing Equinox Gold and Leagold shareholders will own approximately 55% and 45% of the combined company, respectively, on an issued share basis. The combined company will continue as Equinox Gold under the ticker symbol “EQX” on both the Toronto Stock Exchange and the NYSE American Stock Exchange” (Los Filos mine, Guerrero).
  • Goldgroup Mining Inc., provided a legal update on its dispute with DynaResources concerning the San Jose de Gracia mine in Sinaloa. It is awaiting the written judgment of the 11th Federal Circuit Collegiate Court in Mexico to be published to assess its contents and reason for judgment. The Company will continue to pursue all legal avenues in Mexico to achieve a favorable resolution to the DynaUSA dispute. It also will continue the enforcement of the final judgment from the US District Court for the District of Colorado which confirmed the company´s previously announced favorable award in the arbitration against DynaUSA.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Fresnillo plc., generated more than 9,000 jobs in 2019. The company is making every effort to be competitive, to continue generating jobs for Fresnillo and generate economic benefits for the population.
  • Zacatecas students, created a protective device for miners to detect risk of fatigue, heart rate and blood pressure. The intelligent device called EPIMIN is set inside the hard hat of the miners to detect fatigue of the miners, based on heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature, with the variable that, in case of presenting any irregularity, the device will issue a sensory alert to the user and will alert a monitoring center located on surface with the person in charge. “An investment in technology like this will allow mining companies to control work risks, anticipate them, prevent them and get to the longed for zero accidents.”

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, a Mn-Fe/calcite fault-bx hosted in rhyolites in a prospect in Chihuahua, Mexico.  Photo by Miguel A Heredia.

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

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chalcedonic quartz vein

By Miguel A Heredia

During the forty-nine week of the year (December 2nd to December 8th, 2019), at least 31 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico, with nine commenting on Mexican issues, six informing on exploration results, four announcing financial rounds, four reporting on resources and developments of their properties, three communicating production and financial results, three disclosing deals and corporate issues and two discussing issues on social responsibility.  ON MEXICO ISSUES, Alejandro Tello, governor of Zacatecas State, obtained MXP $430M from the 2016-2017 Mining Fund for infrastructure work. Mexico´s mining production suffered a sharp decline in September. Fernando Alaniz, president of the Mining Chamber of Mexico (CAMIMEX), demanded for long-term certainty in Mexico for mining investment purposes. Fresnillo plc announced that it will allocate approximately USD $670M in new and sustainable projects.  Grupo Mexico announced an investment of USD $250M in the construction of a wind farm in Nuevo León. A Minister of the Supreme Court of Justice proposed to invalidate the changes applied in 2019 to the Mining Fund. CAMIMEX announced that mining companies claime tax return to have funds to invest. The Under Secretariat of Mining, Francisco Quiroga Fernández, confirmed there is a lithium deposit in Bacadéhuachi, Sonora.  ON EXPLORATION, In Baja California Norte, One World Lithium provided an update on its 4 holes drilling program being conducted at its Salar del Diablo project.  In Sonora, Colibri announced results from 100 samples collected at its Evelyn project. In Chihuahua, Radius and its JV partner Pan American Silver released results from the phase 3 drilling program at its Amalia project, and Valterra refined drill targeting on its Los Reyes project. In Jalisco, GoGold released drill results from eight holes collared at its Los Ricos project. In Oaxaca, Megastar identified multiple high potential epithermal targets at its Magdalena project. ON MINING, Santacruz reported Q3, 2019 production and financial results (Veta Grande, Zacatecas).  Alio Gold announced production and cost guidance for 2020. (San Francisco mine, Sonora). Consolidated Zinc advised that mining of its Plomosas mine in Chihuahua will be managed and operated by the company. ON FINANCING, San Marco revised its non-brokered flow through private placement on October9, 2019 (Chunibas project, Sonora). Tocvan Ventures announced that its shares are now listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange with the symbol TV3 (El Pilar project, Sonora). First Mining announced a flow through equity financing for gross proceeds of approximately to $2M (San Ricardo project, Sonora). ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Capstone reported that drilling results from its Cozamine mine in Zacatecas returned higher grades and wider intercepts than in current reserves. Starcore presented its updated NI 43-101 mineral reserves and resources at its San Martin mine in Queretaro. US Antimony provided an update on its Puerto Blanco mill in Guanajuato for its Los Juarez Au-Ag and Sb deposit in Querétaro. Mexus Gold announced that its new 500GPM Merrill Crowe Au recovery plant is complete and operational (Santa Elena mine, Sonora). ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, San Marco retained Momentum Public Relations Inc., to assists with strategic business development activities (Chunibas project, Sonora). Argonaut provided an update on its San Antonio project permitting in Baja California Sur.  ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Grupo Mexico, through its health and social care program called Dr Vagón, attended nearly 3,000 consultations in Delicias, Chihuahua. Peñoles, through its Community Center, informed about the planned activities to be performed in the coming Christmas season.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • Alejandro Tello, governor of Zacatecas State, obtained $430M from the 2016-2017 Mining Fund to be invested in 2010, in 41 infrastructure works in Zacatecas, such as construction and rehabilitation of roads, and sports infrastructure projects, among others.
  • Mexico’s mining production, suffered a sharp decline in September while the industry continue dealing with community relations, security and political challenges. Overall production fell 4.7% compared to the same month last year, with Au and Pb among minerals registering double-digit falls. Ag and Cu production fell 2.2% and 1.3%, respectively, with coke, sulfur and fluorite seeing the greatest decreases, 22.3%, 13.2% and 12.7%. Only the production of coal, Zn and non-coking plaster increased, by 7.2%, 2.0% and 1.3%. Part of the fall can be attributed to a blockade at the Peñasquito mine in Newmont Goldcorp, one of Mexico’s largest producers of Au, Ag, Pb, and Zn.
  • Fernando Alanis, president of the Mining Chamber of Mexico (CAMIMEX), demanded for long-term certainty conditions in Mexico for mining investment purposes. The mining sector has invested significant amounts in recent years, with 2012 being the year of greatest investment, which was approximately USD $8,043M. Mining investment has been falling and in 2016 it reached USD $3,752M, and the current year it is believed to have exceeded USD $2,600 M. “Mining is a sector that can generate a lot of investment in places that require many services and support from our entire sector and the only thing we ask is that there be certainty conditions in order to continue generating investment attraction”.
  • Fresnillo plc, announced that it will allocate USD $670 M in new and sustainable project, increasing its investment by 14.5% in 2020. “The capital investment forecast for new 2021 projects is expected to be around USD $475M, while by 2022, USD $415M, ”said Octavio Alvidrez, General Director of the company. By 2020, Fresnillo plans to extract 54M Oz Ag, 8% lower than expected by the end of 2019; while Au would be 857 K Oz. By 2021 the company expects to increase the extraction of Ag by 22%, as they expect to obtain 66 M Oz.
  • Grupo Mexico, reported an investment of USD $250M in the construction of a wind farm in the state of Nuevo León, México. The Fenicias project will have a production capacity of 168 megawatts and will be interconnected with the National Electric System through the construction of a transmission line of more than 60 km in the area of ​​Reynosa, in the state of Tamaulipas. “Grupo México will increase its power generation capacity to almost 800 megawatts, becoming one of the main power generators in the country,” said the company, in the release. The commercial operation of this wind farm is planned to begin in early 2021.
  • Industrias Peñoles S.A.B. de C.V., announced that it continues growing and now there are already 31,500 workers. The General Director of Peñoles, Fernando Alanís Ortega, also confirmed that all of its 2019 production is sold.
  • A Minister of the Supreme Court of Justice, proposed to invalidate the changes applied to the Mining Fund in 2019. The Mining Fund was reformed in the Revenue Law of the Federation of 2019, removing from the states and municipalities the resources raised by the extraordinary right to mining created in 2014. This reform caused 33 controversies, one of the Chihuahua Executive, which is the first on the list, and 32 of municipalities of five states. Until 2018, the collection of mining rights was divided into two exchanges: 22.5% was distributed to all states and Mexico City as a federal share -which in 2018 was MXP $2,605M, and the remaining 77.5 percent was sent to the Mining Fund, which accumulated MXP $11,325M from 2014 to 2017. Municipalities received 62.5% of the Mining Fund for public works premises, which in the case of Chihuahua alone included 330 projects in four years. After the 2019 reform, the money went to the Ministry of Economy (SE) with the idea of ​​applying them for the Welfare Tandas, a program of the current government that gives credits to micro entrepreneurs for up to MXP $15K. In 2020, the changes to the Mining Fund will be applied in the Federal Law of Rights, which is where it has existed since its creation. Now, the majority of Morena in Congress determined that 85 % of the money will go to the SEP for the construction of schools, 10% to the federal government for other works, and 5% to the SE to supervise the mining activity, without funds being provided for local governments of mining areas, nor to distribute funds to its entities.
  • The Mining Chamber of Mexico (CAMIMEX), said that companies in the mining sector are claiming the return of taxes to maintain their cash flow and have funds to carry out new investment projects. In a statement, CAMIMEX said that, being highly exporting companies, they always get a balance in favor when they file their returns with the Tax Administration Service (SAT).
  • The Under Secretariat of Mining, Francisco Quiroga Fernández, confirmed the existence of a lithium deposit in Bacadéhuachi, Sonora, which will begin production in 2022. Sonora is the main mining state in the country and with the discovery of this site reinvents itself, since in the world there is a race to develop lithium and now the state is within that future.

ON EXPLORATION

  • One World Lithium Inc., provided an update on its 4 holes drilling program being conducted at its Salar del Diablo project in Baja California Norte. To date, hole DDH-1 has been collared to a depth of 650m, and hole DDH-2 has reached 590m with a planned depth of 650m. Hole 3 will commence soon at a location where there is evidence of historic and currently hydrothermal activity, which can be a source of lithium. Depending on the hole DDH-3 results, a fourth hole will be drilled to complete the planned drilling program.
  • Colibri Resource Corporation, announced results from 100 samples collected at its Evelyn project in Sonora. Of the samples taken, 30 returned >0.1 g/t Au, 24 returned > 0.2 g/t Au and 12 returned > 0.75 g/t Au. With the recent mapping and sampling program conducted at the Evelyn project, the compnay has identified two separate NW corridors with favourable structures containing Au: Cerro Rojo and El Sahuaro areas. Rock-chip sampling from these areas have returned encouraging values ranging from 0.5 up to 73.4 g/t Au and correspond with anomalous Au soil samples taken previously. Colibri is planning to conduct a 1,000m drilling program to test these target areas.
  • Radius Gold Inc., and its JV partner Pan American Silver Corp., released results from the first 2 diamond drillholes of the phase 3 drilling program at its Amalia project. Hole AMDD19-016 encountered 1.53 g/t Au and 41 g/t Ag over 120m (75m of true width), related to disseminated fine black sulphides and sulphide veining in ignimbrite rhyolites and transitioning to intense silicification, stockwork veining, and breccias. Hole AMDD19-17, was collared 100m north of hole AMDD19-016 and intersected with anomalous values up to 2.26 g/t Au and 23 g/t Ag over a section of 30m wide silicified fault breccia, but no potentially economic mineralization was encountered. Drilling is ongoing at Amalia project, and results will be released upon they become available.
  • Valterra Resource Corporation, refined drill targeting on its Los Reyes Cu-Au project in Chihuahua, using the recently completed surface sampling along an 800m strike length of a Cu-Au skarn and a 4.8 line km 2D/3D DCIP geophysical program. 22 out of 28 samples returned Cu values > 1% at an average grade of 3.1% Cu and up to 5.9% Cu. The anomalous samples returned up to 0.57 g/t Au, 25 g/t Ag, 0.47% Mo, and 1.7% Zn. The geophysical survey identified a strong conductivity anomaly along the intrusive contact which projects more than 400m through four of the five main areas of historic old workings and defines the main target for test drilling. Conductivity and chargeability anomalies were also identified in all the survey lines and are spatially associated or adjacent to areas of known historical surface mineralization. “The Company is initially targeting a 5-10M tonnes, shallow high grade Cu-Au resource localized along the strike length of the exposed skarn zone. Further work will examine the deeper potential of the mineralizing system including a potential Porphyry Cu-Au source for the shallow high-grade mineralization.
  • GoGold Resources Inc., released drill results from the last eight holes collared at its Los Ricos project in Jalisco, of which four were drilled in San Juan Area, two in the Main Area, and two along the south edge of the Main Area. Highlights of the holes collared in the San Juan Area include hole LRGG-19-073 with 1.12 g/t Au and 117 g/t Ag (2.67 g/t AuEq or 200 g/t AgEq) over 33.5m, including 3.01 g/t Au and 184 g/t Ag (5.47 g/t AuEq or 410 g/t AgEq) over 9.5m, and including 1.81 g/t Au and 291 g/t Ag (5.70 g/t AuEq or 427 g/t AgEq) over 3.0m; hole LRGG-19-76 with 0.73 g/t Au and 123 g/t Ag (2.38 g/t AuEq or 178 g/t AgEq) over 38.5m, including 1.70 g/t Au and 260 g/t Ag (5.17 g/t AuEq or 387 g/t AgEq) over 5.8m, and including 1.58 g/t Au and 220 g/t Ag (4.51 g/t AuEq or 338 g/t AgEq) over 6.0m; and hole LRGG-19-77 with 1.03 g/t Au and 94 g/t Ag (2.29 g/t AuEq and 172 g/t AgEq) over 26.0m, including 4.28 g/t Au and 241 g/t Ag (7.49 g/t AuEq or 562 g/t AgEq) over 4.3m. In the Main Area, hole LRGG-19-065 encountered 0.23 g/t Au and 84 g/t Ag (1.35 g/t AuEq or 101 g/t AgEq) over 13.1m, including 0.50 g/t Au and 155 g/t Ag (2.57 g/t AuEq or 192 g/t AgEq) over 5.4m. To date, GoGold has completed 90 diamond drill holes totaling 15,140m.
  • Megastar Development Corp., identified multiple potential epithermal targets at its Magdalena project in Oaxaca. During the first mapping and sampling exploration campaign conducted at the property, 277 rock chip samples were taken and the geologist found characteristics of a significant epithermal system with 59 rock samples returning above 0.2 g/t Au, 24 samples returning above 0.5 g/t Au, 12 samples returning above 1 g/t Au, and 2 samples returning above 3 g/t Au. “Strong epithermal alteration is found along a minimum 1.7 km long E-W structural trend that shows sheeted quartz vein sets and silicification in conjugate NNW to NNE-NE structural sets. The setting is the eastern structural margin of a caldera where it intersects a prominent regional E-W structural trend. Approximately 4,100 square meters of silicified bladed calcite textures have been mapped within a larger area of strong and sheeted quartz veining. This main zone, along with other prominent outliers, constitutes easy-to-access and drill-ready targets”.

ON MINING

  • Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd., reported Q3, 2019 production and financial results from its operations. At Zimapan mine, Hidalgo, the company milled 82,242 tonnes to produce 606.6K Oz AgEq at cash cost of $41.89 per ton, or $16.32 per Oz AgEq produced, and an AISC of $18.56 per Oz AgEq produced. At Veta Grande mine, Zacatecas, it milled 43,999 tonnes to produce 214.3K Oz AgEq at a cash cost of $47.67 per tonne or $19.79 per Oz AgEq produced, an AISC of $26.77 per Oz AgEq produced. At El Rosario mine, San Luis Potosi, Santa Cruz milled 22,048 tonnes to produce 132K Oz AgEq, at cash cost of $82.10 per tonne or $27.96 per Oz AgEq produced, and an AISC of $38.63 per Oz AgEq produced. Consolidated numbers for its mining operations were 148,289 tonnes milled to produce 952.8K Oz AgEq, at cash cost of $49.58 per tonne or $18.52 per Oz AgEq produced, and an AISC of $22.83 per Oz AgEq produced. Consolidated mining operations generated a gross profit of $102 including gross profit from Zimapan of $992, and gross losses from Rosario and Veta Grande of $672 and $511 respectively plus mine services gross profit of $293.
  • Alio Gold Inc., announced production and cost guidance for 2020. It expects to produce between 12K-15K Oz Au at cash cost of USD $1,700-$1,800 per Oz.
  • Consolidated Zinc Limited, terminated its mining contractor and advised that mining of its Plomosas mine in Chihuahua will be managed and operated by the company in order to significantly reduce its mining cost. “The Company is confident it can deliver improved performance from the mine before the end of December. During this short transition period processing ore and concentrate from existing stockpiles will continue to provide revenue”.

ON FINANCING

  • San Marco Resources Inc., revised it non-brokered flow through private placement announced on October 9, 2019 It now consists of 266,667 shares at a price of $0.15 each (Chunibas project, Sonora).
  • SilverCrest Metals Inc., announced a bought deal financing for aggregate gross proceeds of CAD $80M. Net proceeds will be used to continue the exploration and development of its Las Chispas project in Sonora.
  • Tocvan Ventures Corp., announced that its shares are now listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE) with the symbol TV3. The Company expects that the FSE listing will help increase trading liquidity and facilitate investment in the Company by institutional and retail investors across Europe (El Pilar project, Sonora).
  • First Mining Gold Corp., announced a flow through equity financing for gross proceeds of approximately $2M (San Ricardo project, Sonora).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  •  Capstone Mining Corp., reported that the infill drilling program at its Cozamin mine in Zacatecas returned higher grades and wider intercepts than in current reserves. 20 infill drill holes were collared, bringing the total drilled to date to 138 holes of a 200 holes program. Significant drill interceptions were encountered in hole CG-19-S434 with 2.2% Cu and 44 g/t Ag over a true width (TW) of 20.3m, including 5.28% Cu and 97 g/t Ag over a TW of 5m; hole CG-19-S427 with 4.01% Cu and 67 g/t Ag over a TW of 6.1m; hole CG-19-S429 with 1.49% Cu and 51 g/t Ag over a TW of 18.5m, including 1.92% Cu and 70 g/t Ag over a TW of 5.5m; hole CG-19-S433 with 1.27% Cu and 31 g/t Ag over a TW of 24.6m, including 2.99% Cu and 62 g/t Ag over a TW of 7.1m; hole CG-19-S426 with 3.15% Cu and 58 g/t Ag over a TW of 12.2m, including 6.97% Cu and 121 g/t Ag over a TW of 4.1m; and hole CG-19-S418 with 3.98% Cu and 84 g/t Ag over a TW of 8.4m.
  • Starcore International Mines Ltd., released its updated Ni 43-101 mineral reserves and resources at its San Martin Mine in Queretaro. Total proven and probable mineral reserves and resources as September 30, 2019 are 1,434,308 tons of 2.04 g/t Au and 27 g/t Ag for a total of 109.1K Oz AuEq contained. Total inferred and indicated mineral reserves and resources are 1,713,120 tons of 1.91 g/t Au and 19 g/t Ag for a total of 118.4K Oz AuEq contained. The total of Oz AuEq contained in both categories is 227.5K.
  • US Antimony Corporation, provided an update on its Puerto Blanco mill in Guanajuato for its Los Juarez Au-Ag and Sb deposit in Querétaro. It could be ready for cyanide leach testing by the end of December.
  • Mexus Gold US, announced that its new 500GPM Merrill Crowe Au recovery plant is complete and operational. It is capable of handling 3K tonnes a week mining operation and will allow for future expansion as well.

 ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • San Marco Resources Inc., retained Momentum Public Relations Inc., to assists with strategic business development activities. The agreement with Momentum has a term of 12 months at $8,500 per month (Chunibas project, Sonora).
  • Argonaut Gold Inc., provided an update on its San Antonio project permitting in Baja California Sur. It announced that SEMARNAT issued a ruling to not approve the updated Environmental Impact Assessment (MIA in Spanish), citing that the MIA is non-compatible zoning based on a revised, 2018 zoning plan filed by the Municipality of La Paz. The Company is reviewing all of its options from seeking an amendment to the La Paz 2018 zoning plan based upon the July 2016 supreme court ruling, submitting a revised MIA and legal options.
  • Excellon Resources Inc., provided an update on the ongoing legal action with respect of the La Antigua mining concession included in Excellon´s acquisition of Silver Eagle Mine Inc. in 2009, which includes a portion of the historic mineral resource at Miguel Auza in Zacatecas. Silver Eagle, the Plaintiff, sued Excellon for non-compliance with the agreement and specifically for not operating the Miguel Auza Mine and the Court granted the Plaintiff an award of approximately $23M predominantly in damages for the Miguel Auza mine not being in operation. “Excellon expects this decision to be reversed and rationalized in the federal court system. In the interim, it does not expect any impact on its ongoing business activities”.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Grupo Mexico, through its health and social program called Dr Vagón (the health train), attended nearly 3,000 consultations last week in Delicias, Chihuahua. Specialist of the health train performed 256 mammograms or tests for the detection of breast cancer, Pap smears, and placed the Intra Uterine Device (IUD) in women. Apart from the mastographs and Pap smears, audiometries and vasectomies were performed on men.
  • Industrias Peñoles S.A.B. de C.V., through its Community Center, informed about the planned activities to carry out in the coming Christmas season. Dolores Herrera, coordinator of the center, also announced a proposal for the realization of the Human Development workshop, promoted by the National Association for Personal Improvement AC (ANSPAC), with duration of a year and a half.

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, chalcedonic quartz vein in a low sulphidation epithermal system from a prospect in Durango, Mexico. Photo by Miguel A Heredia.

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

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Quartz vein displaying lattice  bladed texture

By Miguel A Heredia

During the thirty-nine week of the year (September 23th to September 29th, 2019), at least 21 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico, with seven informing on exploration results, six disclosing deals and corporate issues, three announcing financial rounds, two communicating production results, one reporting on resources and development of their projects, one commenting on Mexican issues, and one notifying on social responsibility.  ON MEXICO ISSUES, Los Gatos mine was inaugurated in San José del Sitio, Chihuahua with an investment of USD $366M.  ON EXPLORATION, In Baja California Norte, One World Lithium announced the continuation of the phase 3 drilling program at its Salar del Diablo project. In Sonora, Ridgestone released historical assays results from its Rebeico project. In Chihuahua, Kootenay reported drilling results from its Columba project.  In Durango, Canasil reported high grade sampling results from its Nora property. In Jalisco, GoGold released drill results from its Los Ricos project. In Veracruz, Mexican Gold announced 3,000m of drilling and its exploration plan for the remainder 2019 on its Las Minas project, and Azucar Minerals released drilling results from its El Cobre project. ON MINING, Mexus Gold provided an update on its Santa Elena mine in Sonora. Azure also provided an update on the first phase small-scale mining program at its Oposura project in Sonora. ON FINANCING, Aztec Minerals applied to the TSX to extend the term of 2,551,250 common share purchase warrants (Cervantes project, Sonora). Silver Viper closed a private placement for gross proceeds of $4M (La Virginia project, Sonora). Gold Resource declared its monthly dividend for September 2019 to shareholders (Arista mine, Oaxaca).  ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Prime informed that the company completed a formal visit to its Los Reyes property in Sinaloa, to attend meetings with local stakeholders, to secure surface access and begin site preparation, and to initiate exploration and engineering work for the planned production phase. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Advance Gold announced that a geophysical adviser was added to its exploration team (Tabasquena project, Zacatecas). Colibri Resources entered into a property option agreement with Tocvan Ventures Corp., on its Pilar property in Sonora. Consolidated Zinc completed the acquisition of a 100% interest of the Plomosas mine in Chihuahua. Vizsla entered into a definitive share purchase agreement to acquire an option on the Panuco-Copala mining camp in Sinaloa. Ridgestone entered in an agreement to acquire a 100% interest in 10 mining concessions adjacent to its Rebeico project in Sonora. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Fortuna Silver, through its subsidiary Minera Cuzcatlán, has invested MXP $177.2M in social programs in Oaxaca, Mexico.

 ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • Los Gatos mine was inaugurated in San José del Sitio, Chihuahua. The governor of Chihuahua State, Javier Corral, participated in the inauguration of the Los Gatos mines, located in San Jose del Sitio, Chihuahua. The mine was built with an investment of USD$ 366M among the Japanese company Dowa Mining and the American Sunshine Silver Mining company, for an estimated daily production of 2,500 tons of ore, which will be processed in the same plant with state-of-the-art technology, to obtain concentrates of Ag, Pb, and Zn. Governor Javier Corral celebrated the alliance of Japanese and American capital that occupied 1,800 people in construction and will give permanent employment to another 510 on its operation.

ON EXPLORATION

  • One World Lithium, announced the continuation of the phase 3 drilling program at its Salar del Diablo project in Baja California Norte. The phase three will consists of 3 holes adjacent to previously partly drilled holes 1, 9, and 11, and 1 hole located 50km to the south, for a total of 2,400m. Each hole has planned depths of 600m. Each hole will be drilled with a mud rotary rig that will set casing to 200 meters and then core drilled to the planned total depth of 600 meters. Objectives of the drilling program are “to determine the presence of aquifers that may contain concentrations of lithium in brines at depth; to collect representative, depth-specific groundwater samples for chemical analysis of major elements, including Li; to obtain drill core samples for analysis for drainable porosity that will assist in resource estimations; and to use borehole lithologic descriptions to identify hydrogeologic units and the stratigraphy of the basin; to help calibrate existing and future geophysical surveys; and to create a hydrogeologic model to develop a potential future Li resource”.
  • Ridgestone Mining Inc., released historical assays results from its Rebeico project in Sonora. These assays are from rock chip samples obtained by the Servicio Geológico Mexicano (SGM) at El Cobre, Tres Hermanos, Amargosa I and II, La Amargosita, and Campo Seco old workings. At El Cobre, two samples taken on the vein reported 0.8 g/t Au, 39 g/t Ag, 1.67% Cu, and 0.12% Mo over 1.18m, and 0.7 g/t Au, 50 g/t Ag, 0.51% Cu, and 0.18% Mo over 1.12m. In addition, two dump samples returned 0.5 g/t Au, 102 g/t Ag, 2.41% Cu, and 0.30% Mo, and 0.35 g/t Au, 38 g/t Ag, 2.07% Cu, and 1.22% Mo. At Tres Hermanos, highlights include 14.6 g/t Au and 23 g/t Ag over 1.30m; 8.13 g/t Au and 17 g/t Ag over 1.20m; 3.4 g/t Au, 23 g/t Ag, and 0.14% Cu over 1.90m; and 1.4 g/t Au, 137 g/t Ag, and 2.72% Cu over 1.0m. At La Amargosa I and II, 10 g/t Au and 3.48% Cu over 0.7m; 5.86 g/t Au and 1.85% Cu over 0.68m; and 2.66 g/t Au and 0.55% Cu over 0.71m. At La Amargosita, 17 g/t Au, 73 g/t Ag, and 0.45% Cu over 1.30m and one dump sample with 0.1 g/t Au, 777 g/t Ag, and 1.56% Cu. At Campo Seco, 0.1 g/t Au, 18 g/t Ag and 7.49% Cu over 0.55m.
  • Kootenay Silver Inc., reported drilling results from three holes drilled on the F Vein and five holes drilled on the I Vein at its Columba project in Chihuahua. Significant drill intersections were encountered in hole CDH-19-011 with 133 g/t Ag, 0.04% Pb, and 0.15% Zn over 11.0m, including 245 g/t Ag, 0.13 g/t Au, 0.1% Pb, and 0.3% Zn over 5.0m, and including 648 g/t Ag, 0.63 g/t Au, 0.2% Pb, and 0.6% Zn over 1.0m, on the F Vein, and 228 g/t Ag, 0.1% Pb, and 0.6% Zn over 1.2m and 102 g/t Ag, and 0.1% Zn over 1.68m on the foot wall vein; in hole CDH-19-012 with 184 g/t Ag, 0.2 g/t Au, 0.1% Pb, and 0.4% Zn over 11.0m, including 476 g/t Ag, 0.66 g/t Au, 0.3% Pb, and 1% Zn over 3.15m, including 476 g/t Ag, 0.66 g/t Au, 0.3% Pb, and 1% Zn over 3.15m, and including 755 g/t Ag, 1.16 g/t Au, 0.5% Pb, and 1.7% Zn over 1.75m on the F Vein, and three intersections on the hanging wall of 113 g/t Ag, 0.1% Pb, and 0.1% Zn over 1.35m, 699 g/t Ag, 0.4% Pb, and 0.8% Zn over 2.1m, and 113 g/t Ag, 0.1% Pb, and 0.1% Zn over 0.6m; in hole CDH-19-013 with 273 g/t Ag, 0.1% Pb, and 0.2% Zn over 4.15m on I Vein, including 697 g/t Ag, 0.15% Pb, and 0.3% Zn over 0.65m, and 328 g/t Ag, 0.1% Pb, and 0.2% Zn over 2.65m; in hole  CDH-19-014 with 261 g/t Ag, 0.3% Pb, and 0.6% Zn over 5.01m on the I Vein, and 894 g/t Ag, and 0.4% Zn over 0.42m on the hanging wall; in hole CDH-19-015 with 1,005 g/t Ag, 0.4% Pb, and 0.7% Zn over 0.3m on the I Vein; and in hole CDH-29-016 with 357 g/t Ag on the I Vein. “Drilling continues at the property with a total of 24 holes completed to date and the program being expanded from 3000 meters to approximately 4500 meters. It is anticipated that a total of 35 to 40 holes will be completed by early November with assay results continuing into December”.
  • Canasil Resources Inc., reported high grade results from 21 surface samples taken along the Candy vein, 31 samples collected from adjacent country rocks, and 12 dump samples at its Nora project in Durango. The Candy vein, an epithermal Au-Ag target, has not been previously drilled. There has been limited, historical mining of the Candy vein, and small mineralized waste dumps are present. Average of the 21 samples collected along the Candy vein is 1.69 g/t Au, 140 g/t Ag, 0.4% Cu, 1.6% Pb, and 0.6% Zn over 0.68m, with the highest Au value of 12.55 g/t Au, 12 g/t Ag, 1% Cu, 2.7% Pb, and 0.7% Zn over 0.40m, and the highest Ag value of 605 g/t Ag, 3.72 g/t Au, 0.97% Cu, 1.2% Pb, and 0.4% Zn over 1.0m. The average grade of the 12 dump samples is 1.40 g/t Au, 86 g/t Ag, 1.1% Cu, 3.4% Pb, and 1.6% Zn. These results will be interpreted to identify possible locations for subsequent drilling.
  • GoGold Resources Inc., released drilling results of four new holes drilled at Los Ricos Main Area and three new holes drilled at San Juan Area from its Los Ricos project in Jalisco. Significant drill intersections at Los Ricos Main Area were encountered in hole LRGG-19-038 with 0.72 g/t Au and 165 g/t Ag (2.92 g/t AuEq) over 21.2m, including 1.33 g/t Au and 302 g/t Ag (5.36 g/t AuEq); in hole LRGG-19-040 with 0.4 g/t Au and 115 g/t Ag (1.93 g/t AuEq) over 17.5m, including 0.89 g/t Au and 281 g/t Ag (4.64 g/t AuEq) over 4.5m; in hole LRRGG-19-041 with 1.14 g/t Au and 115 g/t Ag (2.68 g/t AuEq) over 23.3 m, including 4.6 g/t Au and 398 g/t Ag (9.91 g/t AuEq) over 5.5m; and in hole LRGG-19-042 with 0.47 g/t Au and 69 g/t Ag (1.40 g/t AuEq) over 29.2m, including 1.65 g/t Au and 224 g/t Ag (4.63 g/t AuEq) over 6.7m. At San Juan Area, the most significant drill intersections were encountered in hole LRGG-19-045 with 0.59 g/t Au and 34 g/t Ag (1.04 g/t AuEq) over 20m, including 2.92 g/t Au and 91 g/t Ag (4.123 g/t AuEq) over 3.5m; and in hole LRGG-19-046 with 0.36 g/t Au and 62 g/t Ag (1.19 g/t AuEq) over 36m, including 1.3 g/t Au and 220 g/t Ag (4.24 g/t AuEq) over 5.5m.
  • Mexican Gold Corp., announced an aggressive exploration plan for the remainder of 2019 at its Las Minas project in Veracruz, including a drill program of 3,000m. The company plans to drill test the Pueblo Nuevo, Cinco Señores TEM anomaly, Las Minillas, and El Dorado targets, and test the conceptual targets of Sub-Sill and the Mancuerna Dike Swarm for potential skarn mineralization.
  • Azucar Minerals Ltd., reported results from its ongoing drilling program at its El Cobre project in Veracruz at Norte, Villa Rica, Porvenir and Suegro targets. The most significant intervals were encountered at the Norte Target, where the hole EC-19-077 intersected 0.26 g/t Au and 0.11% Cu over 43.50m, including 0.53 g/t Au and 0.21% Cu and the hole EC-19-082 intersected 0.25 g/t Au and 0.12% Cu over 237.30m, including 0.63 g/t Au and 0.27% Cu over 44.45m, and another interval of 1.01 g/t Au and 0.33% Cu over 12.75m. At El Porvenir target, hole EC-19-078 intersected 82 g/t Au and 0.02% Cu over 12m, including 20.6 g/t Au and 0.01% Cu over 1.0m.

ON MINING

  • Mexus Gold US, provided an update on its Santa Elena mine in Sonora. The compnay informed that all systems are working properly but the Merrill Crow Au recovery plant currently in use is running at 30 gpm and producing 3Oz Au per day. Mexus is moving a new plant to Santa Elena which will have the capacity to run up to 500 gpm. This new equipment is expected to be operational in October, which allows the company to reach its long term production goal.
  • Azure Minerals Limited provided an update on the first phase small-scale mining program at its Oposura project in Sonora. Azure extracted and stockpiled an estimate of 6,100 tons of 13.4% Zn and 10.7% Pb from open pit, including 2,100 tonnes of 24% Zn and 18.3% Pb. Tonnages and grades exceed significantly the mineral resource estimate for this part of the deposit. Ore processing will start in the December quarter and will continue for 2-3 months. “Azure will produce separate Zn and Pb-Ag concentrates and expects to sell them on the spot market to locally-based metals traders or smelters, several of which have expressed strong interest in these products”.

ON FINANCING

  • Aztec Minerals Corp., applied to TSX to extend the term of an aggregate of 2,551,250 common share purchase warrants by one year from October 21, 2019 to October 21, 2020. “Each warrant entitles the holder to acquire one common share in the capital of the company at an exercise price of $0.25 per common share until the current expiry date of October 21, 2019. An aggregate of 23,750 warrants have been exercised to date and 550K warrants are held, directly or indirectly, by insiders of the company. The extension of the term of the warrants for an additional year is subject to the acceptance of TSX” (Cervantes project, Sonora).
  • Silver Viper Minerals Corp., closed a private placement for gross proceeds of $4M. Net proceeds will be used to continue exploration and development of its la Virginia project in Sonora, and for general corporate and working capital purposes.
  • Gold Resource Corporation, declared its monthly dividend of 1/6 of a cent per common share for September 2019, payable in October 23, 2019 to their shareholders (Arista mine, Oaxaca).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Prime Mining Corp., informed that the company completed a formal visit to its Los Reyes property in Sinaloa, to attend meetings with local stakeholders, to secure surface access and begin site preparation and to initiate exploration and engineering work for the planned production phase. The company has initiated a 5,000m trenching and surface sampling program on mineralized structures to provide valuable assay data to be used in conjunction with down drill data to update resource estimation. “The current trenching program will provide greater confidence in the conversion of these blocks to indicated resources for the upcoming resource estimate”.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Advance Gold Corp., announced that a geophysical adviser with over 40 years of international mining exploration experience was added to its exploration team (Tabasquena project, Zacatecas).
  • Colibri Resources Corporation, entered into a property option agreement with Tocvan Venture Corp., on its 100% owned Pilar project in Sonora. Tocvan has been granted a 60 days exclusivity period to complete a due diligence by paying Colibri $25K. If the due diligence is positive and Tocvan decide to continue the option agreement, it will have the option to earn 51% of the property over a 5 years period by issuing 2M common shares, paying CAD $100K to Colibri, 60 days after signing the final agreement, and performing CAD $250K of exploration expenditures at Pilar property during the first year. On year 2, Tocvan will pay CAD $ 50K to Colibri and will perform CAD $350K of exploration expenditures. On year 3, Tocvan will pay CAD $75K and issue 1M common shares to Colibri, and perform CAD $400K of exploration expenditures. On year 4, Tocvan will pay CAD $75K and issue 1M common shares to Colibri, and perform CAD $500K of exploration expenditures. On year 5, Tocvan will pay CAD $75K and issue 1M common shares to Colibri, and perform CAD $500k of exploration expenditures. Upon completion of these terms Tocvan will be granted a 6 month option to purchase the remaining 49% of Pilar in exchange for CAD $2M and a 2% NSR on the project, of which 1% could be sold by Colibri for a price of CAD $1M. Tocvan will operate the project during the option period.
  • Consolidated Zinc Limited, completed the acquisition of a 100% interest of the Plomosas mine in Chihuahua by acquiring the remaining 10% interest from Retec Guaru S.A. de C.V.
  • Vizsla Resources Corp., entered in a definitive share purchase agreement to acquire an option over the consolidated mineral rights, infrastructure and processing facilities comprising the large scale Panuco-Copala mining camp in Sinaloa. Vizsla has agreed to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Canam Alpine Ventures Ltd. Vizsla will acquire Canam for a total staged consideration of 18M common shares of Vizsla by issue 6M common shares on closing of the acquisition, 6.5M common shares upon definition of a resource greater than 200K Oz AuEq, and 5.5M common shares upon exercise of the option. Also, Vizsla will pay USD $700K on signing, USD $450K in the first anniversary of signing, USD $5,184,500 and work commitment of USD $3,423,000 in the second anniversary of signing, USD $6,846,000 in the third anniversary of signing, USD $8,557,500 in the fourth anniversary of signing, USD $9,269,000 in the fifth anniversary of signing, and USD $11,907,425 in the sixth anniversary of signing.
  • Ridgestone Mining Inc., entered in an agreement to purchase a 100% interest in 10 mining concessions adjacent to its Rebeico project in Sonora. These 10 mining concessions cover an area of 3,292 hectares and contain numerous artisanal old workings and mineralized outcrops. Terms of the acquisition include a cash payment of USD $83K and the issuance of 5M common shares of Ridgestone to the vendor.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Fortuna Silver Mines Inc., through its subsidiary Minera Cuzcatlán has invested MXP $172.2M in San Jose del Progreso, Oaxaca and surrounding communities, since it started operations in 2011. One of the most outstanding projects to date is the breeding and fattening of lambs in the community of El Cuajilote. This has been successfully promoted by Compañía Minera Cuzcatlán since 2016. The company contributes with inputs and technical advice, while producers provide labor. Additionally, the suppliers of inputs are 100% local, also benefiting companies in the region. Currently 70% of 400 square meters of productive infrastructure have been installed. The amount of sheep bellies, of a target of 90, has been increased by 45% by keeping them in the feeding and reproduction program. Likewise, the percentage of births has increased from 80% to 125%. In this way, Compañía Minera Cuzcatlán makes a difference for families benefiting from this and other programs, since they receive financial support by providing inputs for food by the company and training according to the productive or reproductive season.

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 vein with stibnite and displaying lattice  bladed texture in a prospect in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.  Photo by Miguel A Heredia.

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

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Boiling texture in a quartz chalcedonic vein

By Miguel A Heredia

During the twenty seven week of the year (July 15th to July 7th, 2019), at least 27 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico, with ten communicating production results, seven disclosing deals and corporate issues, six announcing financial rounds, two reporting on resources and development of their projects,  and two informing on exploration results.  ON MEXICO ISSUES, no relevant news.  ON EXPLORATION, In Chihuahua, Silver Spruce secured drill pads to commence phase 1 drill program at its Pino de Plata project. In Oaxaca, Megastar identified multiple targets at its Yautepec property. ON MINING, Avino, Consolidated Zinc, First Majestic, Fortuna Silver, Fresnillo, Gold Resource, Hecla, McEwen, Premier, and Sierra Metals reported Q2, 2019 production results from their Mexican operations. ON FINANCING, Americas Silver announced a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of approximately US$10M (Cosala, Sinaloa). It also announced the termination of the agreement with Premier Gold on the San Felipe project in Sonora for total sales proceeds of US$10.8M. Discovery Metals announced its intentions to complete a non-brokered private placement to rise gross proceeds of $9M (Puerto Rico project, Coahuila). Golden Minerals entered in definitive agreements to rise gross proceeds of $2.25M (Santa Maria project, Chihuahua). Mexican Gold closed a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $4M (Las Minas project, Veracruz). Orla Mining rised $3.6M through early warrant exercise incentive program (Camino Rojo project, Zacatecas). Silver Spruce received a final payment of $150K for the sale of its Kay Mine project to Croesus. Silver Spruce received and accepted an unsolicited cash investment offer of USD $250K (Pino de Plata project, Chihuahua). ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Endeavour acquired two mineral properties adjacent to its Guanacevi mine in Durango. SilverCrest received the operating permit from SEMARNAT for the development of its Las Chispas project in Sonora. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Silver Spruce announced the acquisition of the Cocula advanced Au project in Jalisco. Excellon, Great Panther, Mexican Gold, and Prize announced management changes.  Mexican Gold, Prize, and Minera Alamos granted stock options to Directors, Officers, Employees, and Consultants.

 ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • No relevant news.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Silver Spruce Resources Inc., secured drill pads to commence phase 1 drill program at its Pino de Plata project in Chihuahua. The surface landowners have granted surface access and signed the drill permit application.
  • Megastar Development Corp., identified multiple targets at its Yautepec property in Oaxaca. The property lies within the known Oaxaca Au-Ag epithermal trend that hosts the San Jose Mine owns by Fortuna Silver, and the Arista-Switchback mine owned by Gold Resource. Results from the first 146 rock-chip samples were received. Significant results are: 6 samples with > 10 ppm Ag (maximum value of 62 ppm Ag); 9 samples with > 100 ppb Au (maximum value of 0.86 ppm Au);   5 samples with > 100 ppm Cu (maximum value of 639 ppm Cu); 6 samples with > 100 ppm Pb (maximum value of 863 ppm Pb); 10 samples with > 100 ppm Zn (maximum value of 215 ppm Zn; 8 samples with > 100 ppm Mo (maximum value of 648 ppm Mo); 12 samples with > 1,000 ppm As (maximum value of 6,290 ppm As); 9 samples with > 1,000 ppm Ba (maximum value of 4,590 ppm Ba); and 12 samples with > 1 ppm Hg (maximum value of 7.8 ppm Hg). These anomalous values are from quartz veins, silicified breccias and siliceous sinter deposits in multiple areas along a north-northwest striking 8.4km trend of prospective rocks that trace a volcanic caldera margin. An additional 175 rock-chip samples have been submitted to the lab and results will be announced in subsequent new releases.

ON MINING

  • Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd., reported Q2, 2019 consolidated production results from its Avino mine operation in Durango. It processed 200,873 tonnes of 57 g/t Ag, 0.41 g/t Au, and 0.38%Cu to produce 246K Oz Ag, 1,609 Oz Au, and 1.14M Lb Cu. Metallurgical recoveries were 69%, 61% and 63% for Ag, Au, and Cu respectively.
  • Consolidated Zinc Limited, reported June 2019 production results from its Plomosas mine in Chihuahua. It mined 5,099 tonnes of 17.5% Zn, 11.2% Pb, and 62 g/t Ag for a total of 2M Lb Zn, 1.3M Lb Pb, and 10.2K Oz Ag contained. From this tonnage, only 2,409 tonnes were processed but additional stockpiles of 6,599 tonnes remain in mine site awaiting be delivered to the Aldama plant.
  • First Majestic Silver Corp., announced Q2, 2019 production results from their Mexican operations. The below table shows the mine by mine production results:

 

  • Fortuna Silver Mines Inc., released Q2, 2019 production results from its San Jose mine in Oaxaca. Fortuna processed 271,016 tonnes of 273 g/t Ag and 1.68 g/t Au to produce 2.2M Oz Ag and 13.2K Oz Au, with metallurgical recoveries of 90.76% and 90.23% respectively.
  • Fresnillo plc., reported Q2, 2019 consolidated production results from their Mexican operations. The company produced 14.42M Oz Ag (including Silverstream), 221.3K Oz Au, 29.2M Lb Pb, and 46.3M Lb Zn. The production results by mine are as follow: At the Fresnillo mine in Zacatecas, 618,852 tonnes with grades of 192 g/t Ag, 0.9 g/t Au, 1% Pb, and 1.6% Zn were processed to produce 3.5M Oz Ag, 13.5K Oz Au, 11.7M Lb Pb, and 15M Lb Zn. At the Saucito mine in Zacatecas, 662,023 tonnes were processed with grades of 242 g/t Ag, 1.15 g/t Au, 0.8% Pb, and 1.3% Zn to produce 4.5M Oz Ag, 18K Oz Au, 10.2M Lb Pb, and 13.31M Lb Zn. At the Piritas Plant in Zacatecas, 39,159 tonnes were processed with grades of 352 g/t Ag and 2.57g/t Au to produce 333K Oz Ag and 1,215 Oz Au. At the La Cienega mine in Durango, the company processed 329,117 tonnes with grades of 1.57 g/t Au, 162 g/t Ag, 0.6% Pb, and 1.1% Zn to produce 15K Oz Au, 1.5M Oz Ag, 3M Lb Pb, and 4.8M Lb Zn. At the San Julian mine in Chihuahua-Durango border, Fresnillo processed 338,797 tonnes of 1.71 g/t Au and 124 g/t Ag from San Julian Veins to produce 17.7K Oz Au and 1.2M Oz Ag, while 562,534 tonnes were processed from the San Julian Disseminated Ore Body with grades of 0.08 g/t Au, 149 g/t Ag, 0.4% Pb, and 1.4% Zn, to produce 636 Oz Au, 2.3M Oz Ag, 4.2M Lb Pb, and 13.3M Lb Zn. Total production at San Julian was 18.3K Oz Au and 3.6M Oz Ag. At its Herradura mine in Sonora, the company processed 5,466,791 tonnes of 0.84 g/t Au and 2.5 g/t Ag to produce 120K Oz Au and 280K Oz Ag. At the Noche Buena mine in Sonora, Fresnillo processed 3,663,549 tonnes of 0.56 g/t Au and 0.22 g/t Ag,  to produce 35.3K Oz Au and 17K Oz Ag.
  • Gold Resource Corporation, released production results from its Oaxaca Mining Unit for the period Q2, 2019. It produced 7,881 Oz Au, 466.5K Oz Ag, 1.1M Lb Cu, 5.2M Lb Pb, and 13.6M Lb Zn.
  • Hecla Mining Company, reported Q2, 2019 production results from its San Sebastian mine in Durango. The company produced 0.5M Oz Ag and 3,547 Oz Au.
  • McEwen Mining Inc., announced that 5,340 Oz Au were produced at its El Gallo mine in Sinaloa during the period Q2, 2019.
  • Premier Gold Mines Limited, reported that a total of 15.5K Oz Au and 56.5K Oz Ag were produced from its Mercedes mine in Sonora during Q2, 2019.
  • Sierra Metals Inc., released Q2, 2019 production results from their Mexican operations. At Its Bolivar mine in Chihuahua, Sierra Metals processed 326,208 tonnes of 0.86% Cu, 18 g/t Ag, and 0.24 g/t Au to produce 5.2M Lb Cu, 152K Oz Ag, and 1,586 Oz Au. At its Cusi mine in Chihuahua, the company processed 82,117 tonnes of 1|45 g/t Ag, 0.15 g/t Au, and 0.1% Pb to produce 283K Oz Ag, 146 Oz Au, and 154K Lb Pb.

ON FINANCING

  • Americas Silver Corporation, announced that Eric Sprott has agreed to purchase common shares of the company for a total investment of approximately US$10M in a non-brokered private placement (Cosala, Sinaloa). It also announced the termination of the agreement with Premier Gold on the San Felipe project in Sonora for total sales proceeds of US$10.8M.
  • Discovery Metals Corp., announced its intentions to complete a non brokered private placement to raise gross proceeds of $9M, of which Eric Sprott has agreed to purchase 19.9% of the company by investing $7.7M. Discovery plans to acquire all the issued and outstanding common shares of Levon Resources Ltd., as announced in a news release dated May 30, 2019. Gross proceeds will be used to continue exploration at Cordero, Chihuahua, following the acquisition of Levon, and at the Coahuila projects (Puerto Rico, Minerva, and Monclova).
  • Golden Minerals Company, entered in definitive agreements with institutional investors for an offering of shares of common stock with gross proceeds of $2.25M (Santa Maria project, Chihuahua).
  • Mexican Gold Corp., closed a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $4M. Net proceeds will be used for exploration and advancement of its Las Minas project in Veracruz.
  • Orla Mining Ltd., rised $3.6M through an early warrant exercise incentive program rised $3.6M. Net proceeds will be used to continue regional exploration and allow greater flexibility prior to construction of its Camino Rojo Oxide project in Zacatecas.
  • Silver Spruce Resources Inc., received a final payment of $150K for Croesus Gold Corp., for the sale of its Kay Mine project. Some of the net proceeds will be used to fund the due diligence program at its advanced Cocula gold project in Jalisco. The company also received and accepted an unsolicited cash investment offer of USD $250K to purchase 5% interest of Silver Spruce Resources de Mexico SA de CV, the Mexican subsidiary of Silver Spruce, and 5% interest in the mining titles for each of the four mining concession that comprise its Pino de Plata project in Chihuahua. The offer was done before the commencement of the phase 1 drill program.

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  •  Endeavour Silver Corp., acquired a 10 years rights to explore and exploit two mineral properties adjacent to its Guanacevi mine in Durango from a subsidiary of Minera Frisco SAB de CV. The El Porvenir property of 15 Ha covers the up dip extension of the El Porvenir Norte orebody, and The El Curso property of 40 Ha that covers any possible northwest extension of the El Porvenir Cuatro orebody, which was the highest grade mine in the district. Endeavour agreed to meet certain minimum production targets from the properties and pay Frisco a fixed per tonne production payment plus a floating NSR based on the spot Ag price.
  • SilverCrest Metals Inc., received from SEMARNAT the approval of the MIA or operating permit for the development of its Las Chispas project in Sonora. The receipt of the MIA provides the company to construct a 3,000 tonnes per day underground mine and a conventional processing facility with subsequent dry stack tailings and underground backfill for Las Chispas. The MIA remains in good standing for 14 years until July 17, 2033.

 ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Silver Spruce Resources Inc., acquired 100% interest in the Cocula advanced Au project in Jalisco from Prospeccion y Desarrollo Minero del Norte SA de CV (ProDeMin), which in turn, has an option agreement from the owners to acquire 100% interest in the Cocula project. Terms of the acquisition include a USD$160K due within two years of assumption of the ProDeMin contract; USD$330K due within year three; and USD$2.5M due within year four. ProDeMin has to negotiate with the owners to delay payments and to accept cash and company shares as payment. The owners also have retained a 2% NSR which is capped at USD$1.5M and of which 1% can be purchased for USD$500K. Minimum work expenditure include USD$250K in the first two years and USD$500K within the following two years. Silver Spruce has also agreed to reimburse ProDeMin USD$125K over two years for its previous option payments made to the owners, upon completion of the Company’s financing requirements, and to issue 3M of the Company’s common shares to ProDeMin over four years.
  • Excellon Resources Inc., announced the appointment of its CFO and VP Corporate Development (La Platosa, Durango).
  • Great Panther Mining Limited, announced the appointment of the Chair of the Board of Directors of the company (Topia mine, Durango).
  • Mexican Gold Corp., announced the resignation of its COO and one Director, and the appointment of a new member to its Board of Directors. The company also granted stock options to Directors, Officers, and Consultants of the company (Las Minas, Veracruz).
  • Prize Mining Corporation appointed as new Director to the Board of the company. It also granted stock options to Directors, Officers, Employees, and Consultants of the company (Manto Negro project, Coahuila).
  • Minera Alamos Inc., granted stock options to Managements, Directors, Employees, and Consultants of the company (Santana project, Sonora).

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, boiling texture in a low-sulphidation epithermal chalcedonic quartz vein in a prospect in Durango, Mexico.  Photo by Miguel A Heredia.