SEMARNAT

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

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By Jorge Cirett                                             

During the 37th week of the year (September 11th to September 17th, 2023), 21 companies working in Mexico posted news releases. Two companies reported exploration advances on their properties, and one company reported quarterly results. Six companies informed on the opening or closing of private placements, their assistance to investor conferences, the amendment of terms on subscriptions and information circulars.  Five companies presented drilling results from their properties, one presented an updated mineral resource for its property, another two presented updated PEAs and three more updated on exploration activities on their projects. One company intends to change name and one other informed on litigation advances against the federal government. ON MEXICO ISSUES, no relevant news. ON EXPLORATION, In Oaxaca, Vortex Metals updated on exploration work in Zaachila. In Zacatecas, Radius Gold commenced drilling at Tropico. ON MINING, Starcore International Mines reported results for its first quarter 2023. ON FINANCING, Colibri Resource informed on the closing of a financing round for US$687 K. Sailfish Royalty declared a quarterly dividend. Fortuna Silver and Regency Silver are to attend investor conferences. Sierra Madre Gold and Silver amended the terms of subscription receipts. Bear Creek Mining updated on the convertible promissory notes for the payment of US$25 M on the acquisition of the Mercedes mine in Sonora. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Vizsla Silver reported drilling results from Panuco, in Sinaloa. Prime Mining announced expansion drilling results from Los Reyes, in Sinaloa. Silver Tiger Metals presented an updated mineral resource estimate for its El Tigre project in Sonora. GoGold Resources released the updated PEA on Los Ricos Sur project in Jalisco. Gold Resource updated on expansion and infill drilling at its Don David mine in Oaxaca. Alamos Gold released excellent drilling results from two target areas on its Mulatos property in Sonora. Sierra Madre Gold and Silver updated on exploration at recently acquired La Guitarra property in Estado de Mexico. Avino Silver & Gold Mines released results from deep drilling at Avino, in Durango. Orex Minerals informed on hyperspectral alteration studies being carried out at Coneto, in Durango. Golden Minerals filed an updated PEA for Velardeña, in Durango. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Golden Tag Resources intends to change name to Silver Storm Mining. Almaden Minerals reported the Mexican Federal Administrative Court granted a provisional injunction to Almaden, on its fight to get their mining concessions back into good standing. Argonaut Gold reached an agreement with four ejidos to operate for three more years at El Castillo and San Agustín properties in Durango. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, no relevant news.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • No Relevant News.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Radius Gold Inc. commenced drilling at its Tropico project in Zacatecas. The company envisages a 2,000 m drill program on the hot spring type sinter and breccia pipe system, targeting a “Fresnillo-style” mineralized system at depth, and near-surface bulk mineable gold mineralization on a 450 m by 250 m breccia pipe.
  • Vortex Metals Inc. completed the phase I geologic field program for the environmental study at Zaachila, in Oaxaca. “A total of 13 trenches have been excavated … across exposures of weakly metamorphosed Upper Jurassic sedimentary, volcanic and intrusive rocks where historical surface sampling identified copper mineralization. A total of 387 meters of trench have been cut yielding a total of 271 chip samples” with results pending. Copper mineralization has been observed as malachite, azurite, chalcopyrite and bornite, associated to silica-rich exhalite beds, as quartz-carbonate veinlets cutting silicified and chloritized meta-sediments and volcanics (green schist facies) and as bedded units in the metasediments. “In a few of the less oxidized exposures, sericite was widely observed”.

ON MINING

  • Starcore International Mines Ltd. reported results for its first quarter ended July 31, 2023. At the San Martín Mine in Querétaro, 57.7 K tonnes were milled, averaging 1.14 gpt Au, 14.4 gpt Ag, recovering 84.0% Au, 45.8% Ag, to produce 1,800 Oz Au, 12.3 K Oz Ag, at cash cost $2,158 per Oz AuEq. At the end of the period cash on hand was $5.7 M, and working capital $6.2 M. “Our quarterly production reflects our recent difficulties in reaching our higher-grade ore bodies or stopes….. We expect to achieve our targets over the remainder of the year as we are currently completing the development to the high-grade zones”.

ON FINANCING

  • Sailfish Royalty Corp. declared the company’s third quarterly dividend for 2023, in the amount of US$0.0125 per common share (Gavilanes, Durango).
  • Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. announced it is going to be present at the Gold Forum Americas in Colorado Springs, Colorado (USA), from September 17 to September 20, 2023 (San Jose, Oaxaca).
  • Regency Silver Corp. announced its chairman is to be present at the 2023 Kinvestor Days Virtual Conference on September 19, 2023 (Dios Padre, Sonora).
  • Colibri Resource Corp. closed a second and final tranche of its non-brokered private placement, for gross proceeds of US$200 K, which combined with the first tranche proceeds total US$687 K (Evelyn, Sonora).
  • Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd. amended the terms of 5.12 M subscription receipts in order to extend the escrow release conditions and termination for an additional 30-day period (La Guitarra, Estado de México).
  • Bear Creek Mining Corp. updated on the convertible promissory note intended to be issued to defer a US$25 M current liability originally payable to a wholly-owned subsidiary of Equinox Gold Corp. and is issuing an amendment to its management information circular dated August 9, 2023. “The Company further announces that it has closed an unsecured and non-convertible demand loan (the “Loan”) from EquinoxGold in the amount of US$1.3 million, the proceeds of which will be used for working capital purposes and further optimization of the Mercedes Mine”. The amendment refers to an exemption of formal valuation requirement described on section 5.5(b) of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (Mercedes, Sonora).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Vizsla Silver Corp. reported results from 13 new holes targeting the La Luisa vein on its Panuco project, in Sinaloa. Highlighted true-width intervals comprise 11.20 m @ 7.14 gpt Au, 229 gpt Ag 0.3% Pb, 1.6% Zn; 8.90 m @ 2.85 gpt Au, 61 gpt Ag, 0.1% Pb, 2.2% Zn (including 0.77 m @ 10.35 gpt Au, 98 gpt Ag, 0.4% Pb, 15.8% Zn); 7.70 m @ 1.90 gpt Au, 67 gpt Ag, 0.7% Pb, 0.3% Zn (including 0.54 m @ 12.35 gpt Au, 250 gpt Ag, 5.6% Pb, 10.4% Zn and 1.08 m @ 1.48 gpt Au, 171 gpt Ag, 1.6% Pb, 11.2% Zn); 5.00 m @ 2.49 gpt Au. 155 gpt Ag, 0.9% Pb, 4.5% Zn. 8.85 m @ 0.98 gpt Au, 67 gpt Ag, 0.1% Pb, 1.0% Zn; 1.16 m @ 1.12 gpt Au, 76 gpt Ag, 0.2% Pb, 14.9% Zn. To date Vizsla Silver has reported 33 holes from La Luisa outlining a mineralized footprint 700 m long, 400 m down dip and 3.07 m in width, averaging 175 gpt Ag, 3.40 gpt Au, 0.28 % Pb, 1.33 % Zn (or 449 gpt AgEq).
  • Prime Mining Corp. reported expansion drill results from Los Reyes project in Sinaloa. “This drilling targeted areas extending materially beyond the mineral resource envelope at the Z-T, Guadalupe and Central Zones” which are the ones with defined resources. Highlighted true width intervals comprise 20.50 m @ 3.16 gpt Au, 55 gpt Ag (including 4.0 m @ 9.71 gpt Au, 85 gpt Ag); 2.20 m @ 10.10 gpt Au, 264 gpt Ag (including 1.20 m @ 17.80 gpt Au, 437 gpt Ag); 0.95 m @ 18.20 gpt Au, 2,024 gpt Ag; 1.0 m @ 5.47 gpt Ag, 615 gpt Ag.
  • Silver Tiger Metals Inc. announced an updated Mineral Resource Estimate for its El Tigre project in Sonora. “A total of 482 drill holes (124,851 metres) and 3,160 surface and adit channel samples (6,473 metres) were used in the Mineral Resource Estimate”, which includes the South Zone In Pit, South Zone Out-of-Pit, North Zone Out-of-Pit, Vein (S & N) Total, Low Grade Stockpile and Tailings Zones. Indicated Resources comprise 46.4 M tonnes @ 0.39 gpt Au, 25 gpt Ag, 0.01% Cu, 0.03% Pb, 0.06% Zn, containing 575 K Oz Au, 37.2 M Oz Ag, 9.4 M Lb Cu, 35.5 M Lb Pb, 64.3 M Lb Zn. Inferred resources comprise 20.9 M tonnes @ 0.56 gpt Au, 78 gpt Ag, 0.04% Cu, 0.13% Pb, 0.22% Zn, containing 373 K Oz Au, 52.6 M Oz Ag, 18.1 M Lb Cu, 59.7 M Lb Pb, 103.4 M Lb Zn.
  • GoGold Resources Corp. released the updated preliminary economic assessment (PEA) and mineral resource estimate for its Los Ricos South project in Jalisco. The report foresees commodity prices of $23.75 per Oz Ag and $1,850 per Oz Au, an After-Tax (5%) net present value of US$458 M, an After-Tax IRR of 37%, and an 11-year mine life (LOM) producing 88 M Oz AgEq (47 M Oz Ag, 493 K Oz Au, 14 M Lb Cu), with initial capital costs of $148 M, expansion capital of $69 M and sustaining capital of $72 M during LOM, producing 8 M Oz AgEq per year at cash cost $8.15 per Oz AgEq and all-in sustaining costs of $9.02 per Oz AgEq. The new resource estimate envisages 11.1 M tonnes averaging 1.43 gpt Au, 151 gpt Ag, 0.11% Cu in the measured and indicated resources category and 1.4 M tonnes at 1.22 gpt Au, 120 gpt Ag, 0.28% Cu in the inferred category, containing 511 K Oz Au, 53.8 M Oz Ag, 27.3 M Lb Cu (1.26 Moz AuEq) and 54.1 K Oz Au, 5.3 M Oz Ag, 8.5 M Lb Cu (140.9 K Oz AuEq) respectively.
  • Gold Resource Corp. provided an update on expansion and infill diamond drilling on the Arista, Three sisters, Gloria and Switchback vein systems at its Don David mine in Oaxaca. Highlighted true width intervals comprise 5.63 m @ 1.87 gpt Au, 279 gpt Ag, 0.2% Cu, 0.9% Pb, 1.6% Zn; 6.49 m @ 1.33 gpt Au, 21 gpt Ag, 0.17% Cu, 0.4% Pb, 2.1% Zn; 6.13 m @ 0.32 gpt Au, 214 gpt Ag, 0.76% Cu, 4.3% Pb, 3.0% Zn; 4.87 m @ 0.09 gpt Au, 47 gpt Ag, 0.47% Cu, 1.1% Pb, 7.2% Zn; 2.49 m @ 0.96 gpt Au, 27 gpt Ag, 1.01% Cu, 1.1% Pb, 9.7% Zn; 3.46 m @ 0.24 gpt Au, 198 gpt Ag, 0.74% Cu, 0.6% Pb, 4.9% Zn; 6.33 m @ 0.14 gpt Au, 60 gpt Ag, 0.62% Cu, 0.1% Pb, 2.2% Zn; 2.62 m @ 1.93 gpt Au, 73 gpt Ag, 0.81% Cu, 1.6% Pb, 10.4% Zn; 6.56 m @ 1.06 gpt Au, 27 gpt Ag, 0.22% Cu, 0.7% Pb, 2.1% Zn; 6.49 m @ 0.11 gpt Au, 78 gpt Ag, 0.64% Cu, 1.5% Pb, 2.9% Zn. “Five underground diamond drill rigs are currently operating … more than 100 drill holes and 25,000 meters of core has been drilled year-to date in 2023…. These drill results will be incorporated into a 2023 resource estimate update”.
  • Alamos Gold Inc. released drilling results from the Puerto del Aire deposit and the Capulin target at its Mulatos property in Sonora. Puerto del Aire is a high-grade underground deposit adjacent to the Mulatos pit, not included in the mineral resources, and the Capulin target is four km east of the Mulatos pit. Highlighted true width core intervals comprise 7.05 m @ 41.46 gpt Au; 9.50 m @ 18.32 gpt Au; 9.45 m @ 13.62 gpt Au; 1.20 m @ 85.80 gpt Au; 17.60 m @ 5.58 gpt Au; 18.70 @3.30 gpt Au; 6.0 m @ 10.42 gpt Au; 15.10 m @ 3.86 gpt Au; 11.50 m @ 3.21 gpt Au; 9.45 m @ 3.84 gpt Au in Puerto del Aire, and core length intercepts of 120.85 m @ 2.73 gpt Au (including 29.05 m @ 9.31 gpt Au); 6.0 m @ 3.65 gpt Au; 8.80 m @ 0.99 gpt Au in the Capulin target. Three drill rigs are currently working on the Capulin target, two defining the limits of known mineralization and one testing along the 2 km long Capulin fault. The 2023 exploration budget has been increased to 24.5 M, including 50,000 m of drilling at Puerto del Aire and 24,000 m of drilling on several high priority targets including Refugio, Halcon West, Carricito, Bajios, and Cerro Pelon West.
  • Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd. Updated on its exploration activities at the past producing La Guitarra mine in Estado de México. In February 2023 the company started a 2,000-scale geologic mapping program, delineating to date nearly 53 km of mineralized quartz veins, breccias and stockwork zones hosted in metasediments and andesites, with hundreds of old shafts, cross cuts, adits, and prospect pits having been located. “ The La Guitarra Mine is a permitted, past-producing underground mine which includes a 500 t/d processing facility that operated until mid-2018”.
  • Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. released the results from four holes drilled on the deepest part of the Avino mine, in Durango. The known depth extent of the mineralization is of at least 750 m vertically, which is assessed as unusual for Mexican epithermal deposits. Highlighted true width intercepts comprise 44.40 m @ 0.21 gpt Au, 31 gpt Ag, 0.70% Cu (including 9.85 m @ 0.58 gpt Au, 42 gpt Ag, 1.10% Cu); 27.15 m @ 0.07 gpt Au, 36 gpt Ag, 0.39% Cu; 13.20 m @ 0.09 gpt Au, 59 gpt Ag, 0.47% Cu; 6.60 m @ 0.12 gpt Au, 27 gpt Ag, 0.92% Cu. “Four holes totalling 2,040 meters, were drilled below Level 17 in this drill campaign … The persistence of silver and copper grade continuity from surface down a plunge distance of over 1,100 metres with increasing copper grades supports the possibility of a deeper mineralized system which may be linked to a porphyry centre”.
  • Orex Minerals Inc. announced that hyperspectral alteration studies are now underway on the Coneto project in Durango, by JV partner Fresnillo PLC. “Both direct Corescan of selected drill core from silver and gold mineralized zones, plus a SpecTIR Survey covering district scale mapping, will be conducted. These methods aid in mineral identification through Short-Wave Infra-Red (SWIR) and Visible Near Infra-Red (VNIR) analysis”. The 4,800 hectares project displays low to intermediate sulfidation Au-Ag epithermal mineralization, with 38,613 m of drilling in 106 diamond holes.
  • Golden Minerals Co. filed an updated preliminary economic assessment (PEA) for the Velardeña property in Durango.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Golden Tag Resources Ltd. intends (subject to regulatory and shareholders approval) to change the company name from Golden Tag Resources Ltd. to Silver Storm Mining Inc. “(La Parrila, Durango).
  • Almaden Minerals Ltd. reported that the Mexican Federal Administrative Court granted a provisional injunction to Almaden “relating to the submission issued by Mexico’s Ministry of the Economy (“Economia”) to the district court (the “District Court”) which is overseeing the implementation of the February 2022 decision of Mexico’s Supreme Court (“SCJN”) requiring indigenous consultations prior to the granting of mineral titles to the Ixtaca project ……. It is expected that the Court will decide on the grant of a permanent injunction within the coming weeks, which if received would continue in effect until the Court has ruled on the revocation of the Economia Submission” (Ixtaca, Puebla).
  • Argonaut Gold Inc. reached an agreement with four local Ejidos to operate for three more years in the El Castillo and San Agustín properties in Durango.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • No relevant news.

On the image below: Silicified structure ridge on a project in the Sonoran Desert. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Fifth Week of August 2023

/ Gambusino Prospector / Leave a comment

By Jorge Cirett                                             

During the 35th week of the year (August 27th to September 3rd, 2023), 21 companies working in Mexico posted news releases. Five companies reported on quarterly or half year 2023 results. Five companies informed on the opening or closing of private placements, one on the payment of dividends and one more on the extension of a credit facility.  One company announced results of a PEA on its property and one other is working to process a tailings polymetallic resource. A company reported high-grade drilling results from its property and one other updated on exploration activities. One company informed on its intention to acquire a porphyry copper project in Sonora, while one other updated on projects in several countries and its plans for Mexico. One royalty company informed on the indirect acquisition of an NSR from a mine in Mexico. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Xótchil Gálvez, pointed that the Mining Fund should return to mining communities. ON EXPLORATION, no relevant news. ON MINING, Impact Silver, Bear Creek Mining and Minera Alamos reported financial results for Q2 2023, and Mundoro reported first half 2023 results. ON FINANCING, Aztec Minerals (C$911.6 K), Colibri Resource, Regency Silver (C$1.5 M), Sonoro Gold (C$259.2 K) and Commander Resources ($ 346 K) informed on the opening or closing of financing rounds. Orla Mining extended its credit facility to up to $200 M and four years. Alamos Gold declared a quarterly dividend. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Sonoro Gold announced a positive PEA on Cerro Caliche, Sonora. Luca Mining informed on evaluation plans to reprocess tailings at Campo Morado, Guerrero. Bear Creek Mining provided underground drilling results from Mercedes, in Sonora. Discovery Silver submitted the environmental impact assessment (MIA) for Cordero, in Chihuahua. Mammoth Resources provided an update on exploration activities at Tenoriba, in Chihuahua. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Southern Empire Resources entered into an agreement with Cuprum Mining, upon which Southern can acquire 100% interest in the Suaqui Verde porphyry copper project in Sonora. Excellon Resources provided an update on its projects in different countries, including Mexico. Gold Royalty completed the acquisition of a 1.0% NSR on portions of the Cozamin mine production in Zacatecas. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, no relevant news.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • Xóchitl Gálvez, opposition senator and likely to turn into a strong presidential candidate, points that the Mining Fund should return to mining communities. The fund was created for mining to contribute to the development of the communities where the work is realized, but was funneled into a broader basket to source pensions and scholarships with electoral aims by the current president.

ON EXPLORATION

  • No Relevant News.

ON MINING

  • Impact Silver Corp. announced financial results for the second quarter 2023, reporting revenue of $5.5 M. The average mill feed at Zacualpan, in Estado de Mexico, was 163 gpt Ag, where 35.7 K tonnes were processed to produce 155.7 K Oz Ag. During the quarter Impact closed the acquisition of the Plomosas mine in Chihuahua, where a major rehabilitation program was initiated. The company completed a $9.0 M non-brokered private placement, maintains a cash balance of $13.3 M and no long-term debt.
  • Orogen Royalties Inc. reported financial results for the second quarter of 2023, including some figures on its royalties from Mexican operations. The company holds a 2.0% net smelter return (NSR) royalty on the production of First Majestic’s Ermitaño mine in Sonora. Orogen’s share of production on the quarter was $1.18 M consisting on 435 Oz AuEq, resulting from the process of 213.9 K tonnes @ 3.12 gpt Au, 39 gpt Ag, which produced 20,073 Oz Au, 142 K Oz Ag.
  • Bear Creek Mining Corp. reported its financial results for Q2 2023. During the period, 121.5 K tonnes were mined at its Mercedes mine in Sonora, 125.1 K tonnes were processed @ 2.42 gpt Au, recovering 94.53% Au to produce 9,212 Oz Au, 39,827 Oz Ag, or 10,132 Oz AuEq at cash cost $1,337 per Oz AuEq and an AISC of $1,646 per Oz AuEq. “The Mercedes mine has been inconsistent in achieving the anticipated gold grades projected in the mine plans and geological models the Company inherited upon its acquisition of Mercedes in April 2022”. Mining costs have declined by 23% in recent months and are expected to continue to reduce in the coming months due to changes in mining methods. Higher grades are to be mined from areas close to current production.
  • Minera Alamos Inc. provided an operation update for Q2 2023 and some guidance on its operations on Q3. Strip ratios were maintained below 2:1 waste vs mineralized material during mining operations, with 25% of material averaging 1.06 gpt Au being crushed and 75% of material averaging 0.43 gpt Au being sent directly to the leach pads, for an average grade of 0.59 gpt Au in the leach pads. The company expects that the precipitation levels in 2023 will allow more normal mining and production plans. Overall pad capacity is to triple if constructive communications with SEMARNAT (Environmental regulator) are fruitful. A maiden resource estimate is expected in Q3, covering the primary mineralized zones surrounding the Nicho operations. Alamos had cash and cash equivalents of $8.27 M by the end of the period. Subsequent to quarter’s end, $2.57 M ($33.2 M pesos) of VAT were returned to the company by the Mexican revenue service (SAT).
  • Mundoro Capital Inc. reported financial results for the first half of 2023. In H1 2023 the company generated $1.46 M in fees and payments. At the end of the period Mundoro held $8.4 M in cash and cash equivalents (Camargo, Chihuahua).

ON FINANCING

  • Aztec Minerals Corp. closed the first tranche of its non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of CAD$911.6 K. “Due to investor interest in the private placement, Aztec intends to increase the financing from the original stated amount of up to CAD$1 million to up to CAD$1.2 million” (Cervantes, Sonora).
  • Orla Mining Ltd. amended its existing US$150 M credit facility with the Bank of Nova Scotia, Bank of Montreal and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. The facility stays at US$150 M, with the ability to increase to US$200 M, with a 4-year term (increasing it by two years) and an interest rate will be based on the term SOFR rate, plus an applicable margin ranging from 2.50% to 3.75% based on the company’s leverage ratio at the end of each fiscal quarter. “The Amended Credit Facility is payable in full at maturity and removes quarterly mandatory repayments required under the previous term facility” (Camino Rojo Oxides, Zacatecas).
  • Colibri Resource Corp. announced an extension to complete its previously announced non-brokered private placement by September 13, 2023. “The Company is offering up to 1,000 units, each unit being comprised of: (i) a US$1,000 principal amount of 10% unsecured convertible debenture (a “Debenture”) with a maturity date (“Maturity Date”) of 2 years from the date of issuance; and (ii) 5,416 common share purchase warrants of the Company …” (Evelyn, Sonora).
  • Regency Silver Corp. will be present at the 2023 Precious Metals Summit in Beaver Creek, Colorado. Regency has arranged a non-brokered private placement of up to CAD$1.5 M in gross proceeds (Dios Padre, Sonora).
  • Alamos Gold Inc. declared a quarterly dividend of US$0.025 per common share (Mulatos, Sonora).
  • Commander Resources Ltd. closed the non-brokered private placement announced on August 3, 2023, for total gross proceeds of $346 K (Pedro, Durango).
  • Sonoro Gold Corp. closed the final tranche of its previously announced non-brokered private placement for additional gross proceeds of C$259.2 K, accruing a total of C$2.26 M (Cerro Caliche, Sonora).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Sonoro Gold Corp. announced a positive preliminary economic assessment (PEA) for its Cerro Caliche project in Sonora. The scope is for nine years life of mine (LOM) 33,000 Oz AuEq per year operation to obtain 297,575 Oz AuEq on recoveries of 72% Au, 27% Ag, with a pre-Tax net present value (NPV) of US$71.4 M, a pre-Tax internal rate of return (IRR) of 59% and after-Tax NPV (at 5%) of US$47.7 M with an IRR of 45%. An initial CAPEX cost of US$15.5 M and sustaining capital of US$15.5 M are envisaged, to produce at cash cost US$1,295 per Oz AuEq and an AISC of US$1,395 per Oz AuEq with a payback period of 2.9 years.
  • Luca Mining Corp. announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with EnviroGold Global Ltd. to process the tailings at Luca’s Campo Morado Mine in Guerrero. The scope of the project is to evaluate the reprocessing of 3.29 M tonnes @ 1.32% Zn, 0.3% Cu, 0.49% Pb, 1.57 gpt Au, 94 gpt Ag, and produce a PEA for the project. On a 2021 initial testwork with EnviroGold’s, a gold recovery of 60% was achieved. The aim of the project is to increase this gold recovery rate to levels reached by EnviroGold on the Hellyer project in Australia (also a volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit, as Campo Morado), where it achieved recoveries of 90% Au, 90% Ag by leach, and 91% Cu and 82% Zn reported to a pregnant solution suitable for subsequent recovery.
  • Bear Creek Mining Corp. provided results from underground definition and delineation drilling at its Mercedes mine in Sonora. “The Company has focused drilling on the Marianas, Rey de Oro, Diluvio and Lupita deposits, all of which are associated with near-term production; however, the results also hold significant implications for exploration upside”. Highlighted true width intercepts comprise 1.0 m @ 47.90 gpt Au, 39 gpt Ag; 5.2 m @ 62.59 gpt Au, 93 gpt Ag; 4.3 m @ 7.55 gpt Au, 28 gpt Ag; 4.4 m @ 3.53 gpt Au, 10 gpt Ag; 2.1 m @ 18.41 gpt Au, 11 gpt Ag in the Marianas zone, 1.4 m @ 21.00 gpt Au, 11 gpt Ag; 4.9 m @ 3.52 gpt Au, 53 gpt Ag; 0.9 m @ 29.30 gpt Au, 63 gpt Ag; 4.2 m @ 4.56 gpt Au, 71 gpt Ag in the Rey de Oro Zone, 0.8 m @ 22.4 gpt Au, 127 gpt Ag in the Diluvio zone and 3.4 m @ 5.46 gpt Au, 95 gpt Ag in the Lupita zone. Highlighted core-length intervals from the Diluvio zone comprise 6.7 m @ 3.24 gpt Au, 63 gpt Ag; 14.3 m @ 4.11 gpt Au, 54 gpt Ag; 6.1 m @ 3.54 gpt Au, 63 gpt Ag; 6.5 m @ 5.51 gpt Au, 45 gpt Ag; 5.1 m @ 7.11 gpt Au, 78 gpt Ag; 1.5 m @ 9.23 gpt Au, 34 gpt Ag.
  • Discovery Silver Corp. submitted for evaluation the environmental impact assessment (Manifestación de Impacto Ambiental, or MIA) for its Cordero project in Chihuahua. “The MIA is one of the principal permits required for the development of Cordero and encapsulates extensive social and environmental work programs completed by the Company’s team in Mexico since 2020 in parallel with multiple reviews by third-party consultants.”
  • Mammoth Resources Corp. provided an update on ongoing exploration activities at its Tenoriba property in Chihuahua. The objective is to evaluate how to produce a resource estimation and define the processes through which the precious metals can be recovered. These activities include: (1) metallurgical testing of oxide material from the 1.5 km by 0.5 km Carneritos area. Preliminary metallurgical tests have already been performed on material from the Masuparia area; (2) analysis of all geological information, including drill data, by an independent mineral resource modelling expert aiming for the distribution of drill holes required to produce a maiden NI 43-101 mineral resource; and (3) defining future drill hole locations upon which to achieve this mineral resource.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES             

  • Southern Empire Resources Corp. entered into an agreement with Cuprum Mining Corp. to acquire up to 100% in the share capital of Cuprum, and thereby on the Suaqui Verde copper project in Sonora. Southern can acquire 10% of Cuprum by paying C$500 K within 90 days and issuing 7.5 M shares of Southern to Cuprum shareholders. Another 10% can be acquired by paying C$250 K to Cuprum, issuing 7.5 M shares and incurring in C$750 K on exploration expenditures on or before 15 months of closing. An additional 10% can be acquired by paying $500 K and incurring in additional C$750 K in exploration on or before 30 months from closing. Additional 20% can be acquired by Southern by paying C$500 K and incurring additional C$750 K within 45 months of closing. Southern Empire can acquire an additional 50% in Cuprum by paying C$750 K and incurring in additional C$1 M (total of C$3.25 M) on or before 60 months of closing. A 2% NSR “may be payable” subsequent to commercial production. The project encompasses 1,952 hectares with oxide and secondarily enriched copper sulfide mineralization on a porphyry copper system. A resource defined with 106 historical RC and diamond holes contains 51.2 M tonnes @ 0.31% Cu in the indicated category.
  • Excellon Resources Inc. provided an update on its projects in USA, Germany and Mexico. “As the Platosa Mine was placed on care and maintenance in earlyQ4 2022, the Company is assessing its strategic options, including the potential sale of select properties or complete divestiture of the Mexico operations. The Company will provide further updates on the Mexico operations as necessary.” (Platosa, Durango).
  • Silver Tiger Metals Inc. announced the appointment of Francisco Albelais as Vice-President of Operations and Mr. Charles Spath as Vice-President of Technical Services. (El Tigre, Sonora).
  • Gold Royalty Corp. has completed the indirect acquisition of a 1.0% net smelter return (NSR) royalty on portions of the Cozamin Cu-Ag mine in Zacatecas, from Endeavour Silver Corp. Pursuant to the transaction, Gold Royalty indirectly acquired the royalty for US$7.5 M in cash consideration.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • No relevant news.

On the image below: Silicified structure ridge on a project in the Sonoran Desert. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

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

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By Jorge Cirett                                             

During the 31st week of the year (July 31st to August 6th, 2023), 25 companies working in Mexico posted news releases. Five companies informed on exploration work at its properties and seven more reported second quarter 2023 results. Two companies informed on private placements, while one declared a dividend payment. Five companies informed on technical reports, updated mineral resources, drilling results, mining plans and mine preparations on their projects. One company sold the royalties in some properties and one other is reviewing exploration opportunities in South America. ON MEXICO ISSUES, one company made clear commitment to get projects beyond Mexico, the country new mining policies showing its might. The Union – Grupo Mexico conflict in Sombrerete is to be solved in Mexico, not under the T-MEC, according to the federal government. Income tax returns from the mining industry fell by 35% on the first semester 2023. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Prismo Metals mobilized a drill rig to Los Pavitos; Silver Spruce Resources resumed work at Diamante. In Chihuahua, Kootenay Silver updated on work at Columba. In Sinaloa, Prismo Metals updated on the drilling at Palos Verdes. ON MINING, Fresnillo PLC, Starcore International Mines, Capstone Copper, Equinox Gold, First Majestic Silver, Torex Gold and Orla Mining released production results for Q2 2023. ON FINANCING, Goldgroup Mining issued shares on a convertible loan. First Majestic Silver declared the payment of a dividend per share. Colibri closed the first tranche of a private placement. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, SilverCrest Metals released a new technical report with updated mineral resources and a new mine plan for Las Chispas in Sonora. Impact Silver updated on work to refurbish the Plomosas mine in Chihuahua. GoGold Resources released drilling results from Los Ricos South in Jalisco. Discovery Silver released drilling results from the FS program at Cordero, in Chihuahua. Heliostar Metals reported on the re-scoping study at Ana Paula, in Guerrero. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Endeavour Silver entered into an agreement to sell its royalty on the Cozamin property. Xali Gold is to review exploration opportunities in South America. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, no relevant news. ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • Editor comments. One more company working exclusively in Mexico announced plans to look for projects in other countries. No one can say the policies imposed by the current administration are not producing the results sought, even if its full weight is to be felt in the years to come.
  •  The federal government directed that the labor conflict between Grupo Mexico and a Union (Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores Mineros, Metalúrgicos, Siderúrgicos y Similares de la República Mexicana) in the Sombrerete mine in Zacatecas, has to be solved in Mexican courts, out of the T-MEC rapid response labor mechanism.
  • Income tax returns fell 34.6% year on year on the first semester of 2023, the biggest drop in 20 years. On VAT (IVA) and special tax on products and services (IEPS), the mining sector had refunds for $134 M ($2,275 M pesos) and $6.5 M ($110 M pesos) respectively.  

ON EXPLORATION

  • Kootenay Silver Inc. informed two of three surface access agreements needed have been now signed, and the third one is in the final negotiation stage at its Columba project in Chihuahua.
  • Prismo Metals Inc. announced the mobilization of a drill rig for the planned 2,500 m program to its Los Pavitos project in Sonora. Assays for the last four trenches dug at the project were published. Highlighted intervals comprise 1.0 m @ 3.98 gpt Au, 5 gpt Ag; 2.80 m @ 1.18 gpt Au, 16 gpt Ag. 
  • Prismo Metals Inc. updated on the drilling program at its Palos Verdes project in Sinaloa. Ten holes for a total of 2,035 m have been completed on the 2,500 m program, with the eleventh hole in progress and three holes remaining. On a second press release the company announced the expansion of the program by a joint committee by Prismo and Vizsla, to 3,600 m “in ten holes to be completed in two phases”.
  • Silver Dollar Resources Inc. submitted a drilling permit application for the next phase of drilling at the Nora project in Durango. “The geological setting is a Tertiary-aged volcanic flow-dome complex. Gold-silver mineralization is hosted within two structurally controlled epithermal veins, Candy and Nora…. Only 500 m of the potential 3-km strike of the Candy vein structure has been drill tested, and only to a depth of 250 m below surface”.
  • Colibri Resource Corp. and partner Silver Spruce Resources Inc. announced the resumption of field works at the Diamante project in Sonora. Stream sediment sampling, geological mapping and rock chip sampling are some of the planned activities.
  • Fresnillo PLC. provided its Q2-2023 production results. The Company produced over 14 M Oz Ag, 152,217 Oz Au, 13,994 tonnes Pb and 25,670 tonnes Zn from its operation in Fresnillo, Saucito and Juanicipio in Zacatecas, Cienega in Durango, Herradura and Nochebuena in Sonora, and San Julian in Chihuahua.
  •  Starcore International Mines Ltd. presented results for its fiscal year and quarter ending on April 30, 2023. During the quarter the company processed 56.8 K tonnes @ 1.45 gpt Au, 11.2 gpt Ag, recovering 86.1% Au, 48.3% Ag, to produce 2,300 Oz Au, 10 K Oz Ag at its San Martin mine in Queretaro. For the year, the company produced 10,000 Oz Au, 85.4 K Oz Ag. Mine operating cash cost was $1,611 and $1,535 per AuEq Oz respectively for the quarter and full year.
  • Capstone Copper Corp. reported financial results for the second quarter of 2023, including figures from its Mexican operations. At Cozamin, in Zacatecas, 6.6 K tonnes Cu were produced at cash cost $1.63 per Lb Cu.
  • Equinox Gold Corp. announced its second quarter 2023 financial and operating results, without disclosing figures per project.
  • First Majestic Silver Corp. announced unaudited consolidated financial results for the second quarter 2023. During the period the company produced 2.63 M Oz Ag, 40,658 Oz Au, or 5.97 M Oz AgEq.
  • Torex Gold Resources Inc. reported Q2 2023 and operational results. During the period, the company mined 11.77 M tonnes from the open pit (13,293 tpd), 174 K tonnes from underground (1,913 tpd) at the Limon Guajes mine in Guerrero, of which 1.21 M tonnes were processed to produce 107,507 Oz Au at cash cost $848 per Oz Au and an all-in sustaining cost of $1,308 per Oz Au. Torex maintains its 2023 guidance to produce 440 K to 470 K Oz Au. The quarter closed with net cash of $273.8 M.
  • Orla Mining Ltd. announced the results for the second quarter of 2023. At the Camino Rojo Oxide mine in Zacatecas, 29,058 Oz Au were produced at an AISC of $696 per Oz Au. The pit development is being hindered by SEMARNAT lateness to authorize permits. Cash balance at the end of the period was $114.5 M.   

ON FINANCING

  • Goldgroup Mining Inc. announced the issuance of 29.05 M shares upon conversion of the company’s outstanding convertible loan with a face value of $2.16 M (Cerro Prieto, Sonora).
  • First Majestic Silver Corp. declared a cash dividend of $0.0051 per common share for the second quarter of 2023 (San Dimas, Durango).
  • Colibri Resource Corp. closed the first tranche of the previously announced non-brokered private placement of “Units”, for gross proceeds of US$487 K. “Each Unit is comprised of: (i) US$1,000 principal amount of 10% secured convertible debentures (the “Debentures”) issued by the Company with a maturity date (“Maturity Date”) of 2 years from the date of issuance; and (ii) 5,416 common share purchase warrants of the Company” (Diamante, Sonora).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • SilverCrest Metals Inc. announced results from an updated independent technical report for the Las Chispas operation in Sonora. The report describes a 1,200 tpd operation of ore averaging 4.02 gpt Au, 396.1 gpt Ag, recovering 98.0% Au, 97.0% Ag, to produce 57 K Oz Au, 5.5 M Oz Ag per year in an operation with a mine life (LOM) of 8 years, to generate a post-tax net present value of $549 M. Cash cost is estimated at $7.84 per Oz AgEq and an AISC of $11.98 per Oz AgEq. “The Mineral Resource Estimate model was updated to reflect: narrower veins located over a larger area, thus requiring increased underground development, increased constraints on geologic, statistical, and geostatistical modelling parameters resulting in reductions in resources mainly in Babicanora Main and Babicanora Norte Main veins and increased resources in the Babi Vista Vein, including the Babi Vista Splay. Additionally, there is an increase in the number of Mineral Resource veins and the veins are more widely dispersed. The Updated Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate is reduced from the 2021 FS due to conversion to M&I Mineral Resources and application of the same stricter constraints as applied to M&I Mineral Resources”.
  • Impact Silver Corp. provided an update on the recently acquired Plomosas mine in Chihuahua. The mill refurbishment is in the final stages, with testing and modification of the plant to start in late summer to ramp up production to the 200 tpd design capacity. The company has applied for an expansion of the current tailings pond while planning and permitting of the next one takes place. Refurbishment of ventilation, electrical and lighting systems are ongoing, and mine planning is being completed for 2023-2024. The current workforce is comprised by 70 company workers and 25 contract workers.
  • GoGold Resources Inc. announced drilling results from Los Ricos South project in Jalisco. The highlighted core length intercepts comprise 30.2 m @ 1.68 gpt Au, 278 gpt Ag (including 9.70 m @ 4.54 gpt Au, 769 gpt Ag); 34.8 m @ 1.37 gpt Au, 132 gpt Ag (including 7.0 m @ 4.68 gpt Au, 440 gpt Ag); 32.70 m @ 1.19 gpt Au, 124 gpt Ag; 11.7 m @ 0.93 gpt Au, 387 gpt Ag (including 1.40 m @ 5.36 gpt Au, 2,780 gpt Ag); 23.10 m @ 0.80 gpt Au, 143 gpt Ag; 28.10 m @ 0.71 gpt Au, 129 gpt Ag. “The Main area drilling campaign’s purposes is to better define the very high-grade portions of the current deposit that may be amenable to bulk underground mining…… It is expected that these holes will be included in an updated Resource to be released by the end of the summer”.
  • Discovery Silver Corp. released results from feasibility study (FS) drilling at its Cordero project in Chihuahua. Highlighted core length intervals of the reserve and expansion drilling comprise 62.10 m @ 0.25 gpt Au, 48 gpt Ag, 0.6% Pb, 0.6% Zn; 45.0 m @ 0.24 gpt Au, 66 gpt Ag, 0.5% Pb, 0.7% Zn; 51.7 m @ 0.19 gpt Au, 51 gpt Ag, 0.6% Pb, 0.9% Zn; 15.10 m @ 0.08 gpt Au, 278 gpt Ag, 3.1% Pb, 2.9% Zn; 12.4 m @ 0.19 gpt Au, 168 gpt Ag, 1.4% Pb, 3.1% Zn; 37.4 m @ 0.09 gpt Au, 79 gpt Ag, 1.1% Pb, 1.5% Zn; 38.5 m @ 0.17 gpt Au, 104 gpt Ag, 0.5% Pb, 0.3% Zn; 82.1 m @ 0.03 gpt Au, 33 gpt Ag, 0.6% Pb, 0.9% Zn. Discovery has now drilled 52,000 m in 164 holes as part of the FS drill program. Incoming “property-wide drilling will initially target large chargeability anomalies in the Sanson area (approximately 3.5 km to the northeast of Cordero) and skarn targets at depth in the northeast of the deposit. Currently, 9,000m of drilling is planned in 2023”.
  • Heliostar Metals Ltd. reported progress on re-scoping of the current pre-feasibility study (PFS) at the Ana Paula project in Guerrero. “The Company is evaluating three underground mining scenarios, with different cut-off grades and mining rates, that are being advanced for more detailed evaluation and comparison…… The Company will refine the options upon receipt of an updated resource model and metallurgical program results, both of which rely on drilling completed in 2023. Metallurgical results will be reported in October and an updated resource model is expected in November 2023”.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES              

  • Endeavour Silver Corp. entered into an agreement with Gold Royalty Corp. to sell all of its interest in a 1% Cozamin Royalty for a total consideration of US$7.5 M, payable in cash. “The Royalty applies to two concessions (Calicanto and Vicochea) on Capstone’s Cozamin copper-silver mine, located 3.6 kilometres north-northwest of Zacatecas City in state of Zacatecas, Mexico”.
  • Xali Gold Corp. has decided to review exploration opportunities in South America, including Peru. The company updated on its Mexican projects: Exploration at El Oro in Estado de Mexico has been put on hold, whilst Sun River Gold (who has an option in the El Oro mine tailings) has been advancing permitting and providing some cash flow through advances on the Net Profit Interest due once in production. “Negotiations are also underway with Mexican groups regarding both upgrades and financing commitments to make the San Dieguito de Arriba (“SDA”) Plant in Western Mexico fully operational. Xali Gold terminated the previously announced agreement (see January 18, 2023 News Release) with Minera Cinco Reales S.A. de C.V. (“MCR”) earlier this month due to MCR’s lack of progress”.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Aura Minerals Inc. released its 2022 sustainability report, with a 62% reduction in frequency rates of accidents, 92% of water recycling and establishing a decarbonization plan with the goal of reducing GHG emissions by 5% from 2020 levels by 2023.

On the image below: Silicified vein ridges on a project in the Sonoran Desert. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Second Week of July, 2023

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REDOX front in a Red-Bed Copper prospect

By Miguel A Heredia During the 28th week of the year (July 10th to July 16th, 2023), at least 32 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico, and 1 news published by the media with ten communicating production and financial results, six disclosing deals and corporate issues, five informing on exploration results, five reporting resources and development of their properties, three announcing financing issues, three commenting on Mexican issues, and one discussing social issues. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Almadex dropped several of its legacy projects in Mexico (Yago and Las Lajas projects in Nayarit and San Luis Potosi States respectively). Galore announced that due to some recent changes in the mining laws enacted by the Mexican Government, Galore employed the services of a Law firm in Mexico to file an Amparo (injunction). In 2022, the production of zinc, one of the six main metals that Mexico produces for its internal use and for export, was reduced because the federal authorities decided to reduce the operations of the mines. Torex Gold, Sierra Madre, Vizsla, and Prime Mining reported the best drilling intercepts in Mexico on the second week of July, 2023. ON EXPLORATION, In Sonora, Canuc acquired an additional 96.5051 hectares claim contiguous with the company´s existing claims at its San Javier project, and Colibri submitted an application for additional drilling at its Evelyn project. In Coahuila, Monumental Minerals commenced a drilling program at its Jemi Rare Earth Element project. In Sinaloa, Prismo provided an update of the current drilling program at its Palos Verdes project. In Nayarit, Sierra Madre presented results from four additional holes drilled at its la Tigra project. ON MINING, Aura Minerals, Endeavour, Fortuna Silver, GoGold, and Orla reported Q2, 2023 production results from their Mexican mine operations.  Capstone and Argonaut commented that they will release their Q2, 2023 production results on August 2 and August 11 respectively. Guanajuato Silver commenced a high-grade pillars exploitation program at its la Valenciana Mine Complex in Guanajuato. Gold Resource reported Q2 and H1, 2023 production results from Don David Gold Mine in Oaxaca. Guanajuato Silver announced Q2, 2023 consolidated production results from their Mexican mine operations. ON FINANCING, GR Silver announced a non-brokered private placement to raise total gross proceeds of up to $1M (Plomosas project, Sinaloa). Bear Creek communicated that it plans to conduct a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of up to CAD $8.2M (Mercedes Mine, Sonora). Heliostar closed its previously announced private placement for gross proceeds of approximately $7M (Ana Paula project, Guerrero). ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, GoGold reported on the proposed SART Zn Circuit for its Parral Tailings Project in Chihuahua. Prime Mining released results from 9 holes drilled at its Los Reyes property in Sinaloa. Sonoro identified oxide mineralized target for resource expansion at its Cerro Caliche project in Sonora. Vizsla announced results from 20 expansion drill holes targeting the Copala Resource Area at its Panuco project in Sinaloa. Torex presented assay results from its ongoing drilling program at its El Limon-Guajes underground mine in Guerrero.  ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Almaden granted stock options to directors, officers, consultants and employees of the Company (Ixtaca project, Puebla). Azucar granted stock options to directors, officers, employees, and consultants of the Company (El Cobre, Veracruz). GR Silver announced Board and Management changes (Plomosas project, Sinaloa). Monumental Minerals reported results from its annual general meeting of shareholders (Jemi Rare Earth Element project, Coahuila). Colibri reported results from its annual general meeting of shareholders (Pilar project, Sonora). Regency Silver announced that it has engaged Kin Communications to assist with its investor relations activities (Dios Padre project, Sonora). (ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Industrias Peñoles confirmed that it promotes a culture of environmental care in communities.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • Almadex Minerals Ltd., dropped several of its legacy projects in Mexico (Yago and Las Lajas projects in Nayarit and San Luis Potosi States respectively), “where exploration progress is challenged by numerous impediments to timely progress”.  
  • Galore Resources Inc., announced that due to some recent changes in the mining laws, enacted by the Mexican Government, Galore employed the services of a Law firm in Mexico to file an Amparo (injunction). “An Amparo is a constitutional remedy that protects individuals and entities against violations of their constitutional rights, in which this Amparo is the only legal remedy to challenge the constitutionality of the new mining laws.  In the case of the Mining Concessionaires, it is important to exercise this right and obtain a resolution to make sure the authority will respect rights of previous concessions”.
  • In 2022, the production of zinc, one of the six main metals that Mexico produces for its internal use and for export, was reduced because the federal authorities decided to reduce the operations of the mines. According to the Mexican Mining Chamber (CAMIMEX), the 2022 national mining production registered 744,324 tons, showing a decrease because in Zacatecas Newmont’s Peñasquito project reduced its tonnage to 34,473, while Fresnillo plc’s El Saucito project also limited its production to 9,054 tons less. In addition, the mines La Platosa owned by Excellon Resources, La Cienega owned by Fresnillo plc and Velardeña owned by Industrias Peñoles decreased their volumes by 40.6%, 15.5% and 4.6%, respectively. Chihuahua is another state whose production decreased with Grupo Mexico’s Santa Barbara project, which registered 20,696 tons, 11.5% lower than the previous year; and San Francisco del Oro from Minera Frisco with 17,923 tons, 4.3% less compared to 2021. Other states in which their mines decreased their production were: San Luis Potosí, with Charcas from Grupo Mexico, with an annual decrease of 16.4%; in Aguascalientes, Asientos of Minera Frisco, with 11.3%; in the State of Mexico, Tizapa with 5.9%, and in Guerrero with Capela, with 5.4%, both from Industrias Peñoles. Also, located in Guerrero, Luca Mining’s Campo Morado reduced its production by 23.2%. Zacatecas continued to be the most important, since its participation represented 48.4% of the national total and meant an increase of 1% compared to 2021. Durango was in second place in zinc mining production, but reduced its production by 2.2% in 2022 compared to 2021, due to lower production in Santiago Papasquiaro of 16.3%. While Chihuahua was positioned in third place, where production remained unchanged compared to 2021; the largest reduction in state tonnage was due to the municipality of San Francisco del Oro. “By company, Newmont was the largest national zinc producer in 2022, with a 23% share. The four most important companies of national origin that participate in the extraction of this metal are: Industrias Peñoles, Fresnillo plc, Grupo Mexico and Minera Frisco, which represented 50% of the total last year”, the document reiterates. CAMIMEX assured that there are projects that will boost the growth of zinc production in Mexico in the next five years and that, if they are taken advantage of, they could place Mexico among the top five producers worldwide. The foregoing would also mean a recovery of the industry after the impact of the pandemic and the impact on mineral prices. Among the main projects with this metal content in Mexico, Grupo Mexico’s Buenavista Zinc in Sonora stands out, as well as the San Nicolas development of Agnico Eagle-Teck in Zacatecas.

 

  • Torex Gold Resources Inc., Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd., Vizsla Silver Corp., and Prime Mining Corp., reported the best drilling intercepts in Mexico on the second week of July, 2023. Details are shown in the table below:

ON EXPLORATION  

  • Canuc Resources Corporation acquired an additional 96.5051 hectares claim contiguous with the company´s existing claims at its San Javier project in Sonora. This claim covers prospective ground and the acquisition of this additional claim brings the company´s total contiguous claim position to 1,052.9 hectares comprised in 28 claims.
  • Colibri Resource Corporation submitted an application to the Mexican environmental agency (SEMARNAT) to drill up to 2,000 additional meters of RC in the Main Zone and West El Sahuaro at its Evelyn project in Sonora. The plan is to drill 1,200m at the Main Zone and 800m at the West Sahuaro Zone.
  • Monumental Minerals Corp., commenced a drilling program at its Jemi Rare Earth Element (REE) project in Coahuila. The program begun on the first drill target on the Veladora North prospect with the goal of testing areas with high concentrations of REE-mineralized dykes and sills at the surface. Monumental is planning to test a total of 6 drill targets to approximately 300 m each during this maiden campaign.
  • Prismo Metals Inc., provided an update of the current drilling program at its Palos Verdes project in Sinaloa. The Company has completed 1,239m of drilling in seven holes, with the 8th hole in progress. The company expects to release assay results from the first seven holes during the week of July 17.
  • Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd., presented results from four additional holes drilled at its la Tigra project in Nayarit. Drilling highlights include hole LTDH005 with 2.49 g/t Au and 9 g/t Ag (2.60 g/t AuEq) over 20m, including 4.26 g/t Au and 14 g/t Ag (4.45 g/t AuEq) over 10.7m; and hole LTDH-006 with 7.11 g/t Au and 11 g/t Ag (7.25 g/t AuEq) over 5.95m, including 24.35 g/t Au and 10 g/t Ag (24.49 g/t AuEq) over 1.6m.

 ON MINING

  • Aura Minerals Inc., reported Q2, 2023 production results from its Aranzazu Mine in Zacatecas. The company produced 25,192 Oz AuEq, a 4% lower compared to Q2, 2022 due to metal prices.
  • Endeavour Silver Corp., reported Q2, 2023 consolidated and mine-by-mine production results from their Mexican mine operations. The tables below  show consolidated and mine-by-mine figures for the period Q2, 2023 and a comparative to Q2, 2022:
  • Fortuna Silver Mines Inc., reported Q2, 2023 production results from its San Jose Mine in Oaxaca. The company milled 194,887 tonnes of 168 g/t Ag and 1.02 g/t Au with metallurgical recoveries of 90.83% and 90.24% respectively to produce 957.3K Oz Ag and 5,778 Oz Au.
  • GoGold Resources Inc., reported Q2, 2023 production results from its Parral Tailings project in Chihuahua. The company produced 203.9K Oz Ag, 1,512 Oz Au, and 302.4K Lb Cu (375.1K Oz AgEq).
  • Orla Mining Ltd., reported Q2, 2023 production results from its Camino Rojo Mine in Zacatecas. The company mined 1,787,125 tonnes of 0.76 g/t Au and processed 1,729,374 tonnes of 0.77 g/t Au to produce 29,058 Oz Au. The company sold 29,773 Oz Au. As at June 30, 2023, Orla had a cash position of $114.5M.
  • Capstone Copper Corp., and Argonaut Gold Inc., commented that they will release their Q2, 2023 production results from their Mexican mine operations on August 2 and August 11 respectively.
  • Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd., commenced a high-grade pillars exploitation program at its la Valenciana Mine Complex in Guanajuato.  The Valenciana Mines Complex has hundreds of small and large mining pillars located throughout an underground mine network that extends over 4km in strike length and 700m in vertical extent The Company estimates that that there are a minimum of 50 high-grade pillars that have the potential to be extracted as part of this program. Pillars are evaluated for their extraction suitability and mineral potential using the polygon method that calculates the volume, grade and tonnage for each pillar structure.
  • Gold Resource Corporation reported Q2 and H1, 2023 production results from Don David Gold Mine in Oaxaca. Figures are shown in the table below:

Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd., announced Q2, 2023 consolidated production results from their Mexican mine operations. Production results are generated from the Company’s wholly owned El Cubo Mines Complex, Valenciana Mines Complex, and San Ignacio Mine in Guanajuato, Mexico, and the Topia Mine in Durango, Mexico. Figures are shown in the table below:

ON FINANCING

  • GR Silver Mining Ltd., announced a non-brokered private placement of units to raise total gross proceeds of up to $1M. Each unit will consist of one common share of the company and one-half (½) of one common share purchase warrant.  Each whole warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one common share of the company at a price of $0.12 at any time on or before that date which is 24 months after the closing date of the offering. Gross proceeds will be used for advancement of studies on the company’s Plomosas Project and for general working capital.
  • Bear Creek Mining Corporation communicated that it plans to conduct a non-brokered private placement of 16,725,000 common shares at a price of CAD $0.49 per share for gross proceeds of up to CAD $8.2M. Gross proceeds will be used for exploration and production improvements at its Mercedes gold mine Sonora, and for general corporate purposes.  
  • Heliostar Metals Ltd., closed its previously announced private placement of 9,990,200 units of the company at a price of $0.37 per unit for gross proceeds of approximately $7M. Gross proceeds will be used to continue the exploration and development work on its Ana Paula project in Guerrero, as well as for general corporate working capital purposes.

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • GoGold Resources Inc., reported on the proposed SART Zn Circuit for its Parral Tailings Project in Chihuahua. Highlights include  a saleable Zn precipitate to be added to the revenue stream; regeneration of approximately 750 tons of cyanide per quarter; anticipated to generate net increased cash flows of $1.5M per quarter; Zn Circuit capital expenditure estimated at $2M over 6 month construction period; project payback expected within 6 months after construction; construction of the Zn Circuit is independent of current SART operations, therefore no interruption to current operations is expected; Parral up to end of its mine life will be a producer of Ag, Au, Cu, and Zn.
  • Prime Mining Corp., released results from 9 holes drilled at the Noche Buena  Zone located in the southeastern most end of the Central Area at its Los Reyes property in Sinaloa. Drilling highlights (estimated true widths reported) include hole 23NB-46 with 4.11 g/t Au and 68 g/t Ag (4.99 g/t AuEq) over 9.1m, including 31.40 g/t Au and 470 g/t Ag (37.48 g/t AuEq) over 1.1m; hole 23NB-39 with 1.23 g/t Au and 21 g/t Ag (1.50 g/t AuEq) over 14m, including 4.19 g/t Au and 76 g/t Ag (5.17 g/t AuEq) over 2m, and hole 23NB-40 with 1.86 g/t Au and 30 g/t Ag (2.25 g/t AuEq) over 5.7m, including 4.75 g/t Au and 68 g/t Ag (5.62 g/t AuEq) over 1.4m.
  • Sonoro Gold Corp., identified oxide mineralized target for resource expansion at its Cerro Caliche project in Sonora. “Surface sampling and detailed geologic mapping completed in the northwest region of the property demonstrate three linear structural corridor repetitions with anomalous gold, silver and base metal mineralization, as well as a fourth visually inferred corridor”. Geological mapping and sampling conducted on these areas suggest the potential expansion of the project’s oxide gold mineralized zones and resource.  
  • Vizsla Silver Corp., announced results from 20 expansion drill holes targeting the Copala Resource Area at its Panuco project in Sinaloa. Drilling highlights (true width reported) include hole CS-23-297 with 310 g/t Ag and 2.32 g/t Au (445 g/t AgEq) over 18.5m; hole CS-23-290 with 565 g/t Ag and 3.48 g/t Au (760 g/t AgEq) over 5.05m, including 2,838 g/t Ag and 12.29 g/t Au (3,469 g/t AgEq) over 1m; hole CS-23-286 with 417 g/t Ag and 3.74 g/t Au (640 g/t AgEq) over 4.8m, including 1,585 g/t Ag and 16.2 g/t Au (2,568 g/t AgEq) over 0.68m; and hole CS-23-294 with 6,880 g/t Ag and 16.5 g/t Au (7,512 g/t AgEq) over 1m. These results expand the Copala mineralized footprint laterally by ~370m to the southeast and ~50m to the north.
  • Torex Gold Resources Inc., presented assay results from its ongoing drilling program at its El Limon-Guajes underground mine in Guerrero, including zones referred as El Limon Deep, Sub-Sill, Sub-Sill South, El Limon Sur Deep, and El Limon West (collectively El Limon-Guajes Underground). The best drill intercepts were encountered in hole LS-220 with 88.61 g/t Au, 21 g/t Ag, and 0.04% Cu (88.92 g/t AuEq) over 14.46m, including 75.53 g/t Au, 30 g/t Ag, and 0.04% Cu (75.97 g/t AuEq) over 2m, including 757.86 g/t Au, 126 g/t Ag, and 0.04% Cu (759.47 g/t AuEq) over 1.29m; hole LS-221 with 9.86 g/t Au, 42 g/t Ag, and 0.52% Cu (11.2 g/t AuEq) over 29.38m, including 25.21 g/t Au, 29 g/t Ag, 0.25% Cu (26.06 g/t AuEq) over4.55m, including 25.61 g/t Au, 108 g/t Ag, and 1.27% Cu (28.98 g/t AuEq) over 3.38m, plus 11.84 g/t Au, 74 g/t Ag, and 3.93% Cu (19.03 g/t AuEq) over 13.31m, including 21.18 g/t Au, 94 g/t Ag, and 3.72% Cu (28.29 g/t AuEq) over 5.5m. “These drill results, which include several higher-grade sub-intervals in addition to other impressive intersects, validate the high grade potential associated with the area that runs from El Limón Sur Deep to the La Flaca fault (600 m), known as the El Limón Sur Trend, with potential to extend deeper”. 

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Almaden Minerals Ltd., granted stock options to directors, officers, consultants and employees of the Company to purchase an aggregate 1,110,800 common shares in the capital of the Company at an exercise price of $0.28 per share expiring on July 10, 2028.  (Ixtaca project, Puebla).  
  • Azucar Minerals Ltd., granted stock options to directors, officers, employees, and consultants of the Company to purchase 1,060,800 common shares in the capital of the Company at an exercise price of $0.05 per share which expire on July 10, 2028. (El Cobre, Veracruz).
  • GR Silver Mining Ltd., announced Board and Management changes aiming to position the company for continued growth under current market conditions. The company announced the resignations of one of its Directors and the CFO, and announced the appointment of two new Directors to its Board of Directors, and the return to the company of Mr. Blaine Bailey as interim CFO (former CFO retired in May 2023) (Plomosas project, Sinaloa).
  • Monumental Minerals Corp., reported results from its annual general meeting of shareholders (Jemi Rare Earth Element project, Coahuila).
  • Colibri Resources Corporation reported results from its annual general meeting of shareholders (Pilar project, Sonora).
  • Regency Silver Corp., announced that it has engaged Kin Communications Inc., to assist with its investor relations activities, “including communicating with, and marketing to, potential investors, shareholders, and media contacts for a period of 12 months. In consideration for the services, the Company has agreed to pay Kin CAD $15K per month plus GST for the initial 12-month period. In addition, the Company has granted Kin stock options entitling it to purchase 500K of the Company’s common shares at a price of CAD $0.20 per share with a five-year term (Dios Padre project, Sonora).

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Industrias Peñoles S.A.B. de C.V., confirmed that it promotes a culture of environmental care in communities, for which the company periodically implements a series of activities with its collaborators and with the communities in which it operates. More than five thousand people from 42 communities close to the mine operations attended the activities, including: training for personnel and contractors; talks in educational centers of basic and upper secondary level; sports activities; reforestation of community properties; donation of endemic tree species from each region; cleaning days in the communities; and eco-fairs and recreational activities.

  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 REDOX front in a Red-Bed Cu prospect in Tamaulipas, Mexico.  Photo by Miguel A Heredia.