Union Issues

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

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By Jorge Cirett                                              During the 29th week of the year (July 17th to July 23rd, 2023), 21 companies working in Mexico posted news releases. Two companies informed on exploration work at its properties and five more reported second quarter 2023 results. One company informed on the closing of a private placement, while six companies reported on work at their advanced properties and six more informed on acquisitions, company’s plans and issues. ON MEXICO ISSUES, mining companies are reflecting the changes in the business environment by making strategic moves, including diversification of the countries they operate in. The coal mine in Coahuila that registered two fatalities during the week had suspension orders since 2022.  Mining organization and experts question LitioMx ability to operate, and its almost non-existent budget. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Regency Silver informed on drilling at Dios Padre; Prismo Metals reported on the trenching program at Los Pavitos. In Sinaloa, Prismo Metals informed on drilling at Palos Verdes. ON MINING, Americas Gold and Silver, Bear Creek Mining, First Majestic Silver, Golden Minerals and Avino Silver released production results for Q2 2023. ON FINANCING, Guanajuato Silver announced a bought deal private placement with a sole underwriter. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Aura Minerals provided an exploration update for Aranzazu, in Zacatecas. First Majestic Silver reported exploration results from San Dimas, in Durango, and from Santa Elena, in Sonora. Heliostar Metals released drilling results from Ana Paula, in Guerrero, including the strongest gold intercept for Mexico in the year. GoGold Resources released drilling results from the Main Area of the Los Ricos South project in Jalisco. Gatos Silver updated on resource definition drilling at its Cerro Los Gatos property in Chihuahua. Endeavour Silver provided a construction update for its Terronera project in Jalisco. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Riverside Resources provided an outlook of its ongoing activities, including a strengthening of its diversification out from Mexico. Radius Gold informed on the extension of the exclusivity agreement with Fresnillo PLC on the Plata Verde project, in Chihuahua. Newmont included several references to the suspension of activities at Peñasquito, in Zacatecas, on its Q2 2023 report. Golden Tag Resources updated on the La Parrilla (Durango) acquisition from First Majestic. Excellon Resources announced the sudden termination of the acquisition process of La Negra project in Queretaro by the vendor. Sierra Metals informed the conclusion of the “Special Committee” formed last year to tackle the challenging circumstances the company is addressing. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, no relevant news. ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • Editor comments. The hostile stance at the mining industry since the instauration of the present federal administration in Mexico, which culminated with the passing of a mining law that is to practically stop any new exploration plays and make current operations riskier, is rendering results, with companies consolidating plans in their search for greener pastures. Riverside Resources is one of the few companies explicitly making public their diversification plans out from Mexico, but they are certainly not alone. Great Panther Silver is a company that bailed out before the president made the legal move to reflect its personal stance in the industry. Other companies are understandably doing the same, although the widespread anti-mining position in many countries generates second thoughts on the issue.
  • The Secretaría de Trabajo y Previsión Social (STPS-Work Bureau) pointed that the las visit to the Minera Fuga, in Coahuila, was in August 2022. During the review dangerous conditions were detected. Two workers died last week on the mine after falling 10 meters when the hoist winch failed. STPS ruled access restrictions and limitation of operations, which are still in force, “any operation of the mine is out of the law”.
  • Mining organizations and experts raise doubts on LitioMx ability to operate. Only US$2 M have been budgeted for exploration and evaluation of lithium deposits in 2023 and 2024. Just Bacanora Lithium has invested more than US$450 M in the definition of resources in its lithium-clay deposit in Sonora, as an example of the unreasonable amounts directed to the search for lithium. This is a large deposit with a questionable economic viability, as lithium is associated to clays, and an economic process to extract the lithium still has to be proved. In the World, 85% of lithium is mined from brines in dry lakes, and the rest from hard-rock pegmatites.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Regency Silver Corp. announced the completion of the phase 1 of the 2023 drilling program at its Dios Padre project in Sonora. Nine holes were drilled as follow up to the one that intercepted 35.8 m @ 6.84 gpt Au, 0.88% Cu, 22 gpt Ag and 9.8 m @ 13.97 gpt Au, 1.1% Cu, 50 gpt Ag on the 2022 program. Eight of nine holes intersected the target breccia zone down-dip and along strike, with the breccia appearing to widen with depth. A megacrystic quartz-feldspar porphyry appears to be the primary control for copper mineralization, with the high-grade sulfide breccia on the footwall of the porphyry. “The shallower intersections are more pyrite dominant with deeper intersections containing more specularite. Chalcopyrite appears to be highest in abundance where the breccia is proximal to the lower contact of the quartz-feldspar porphyry”. Final results will be released after reception and evaluation.
  • Prismo Metals Inc. reported that the trenching program at Los Pavitos property in Sonora has been completed. Results for 303 of the 347 samples collected from trenches have been received. “The trenching was generally focused on areas with little outcrop along strike from areas with quartz veining and high-grade surface assays”. Highlighted results comprise 6.4 m @ 0.1 gpt Au; 19.0 m @ 2.2 gpt Au, 23 gpt Ag (including 4.0 m @ 10.3 gpt Au, 104 gpt Ag) at Auras, 18.5 m @ 0.2 gpt Au; 2.1 m @ 1.7 gpt Au; 8.0 m @ 0.5 gpt Au; 7.8 m @ 2.3 gpt Au, 13 gpt Ag; 2.5 m @ 0.9 gpt Au, 70 gpt Ag; 17.70 m @ 0.13 gpt Au at Santa Cruz and 1.40 m @ 0.74 gpt Au at Española.
  • Prismo Metals Inc. is in the process of completing a 2,500 m drill program on its Palos Verdes project, in Sinaloa. The program was designed to test areas without previous drill access. Eight holes have been completed for a total of 1,500 m and assays have been received for the first seven holes. Results are expected to be announced next week.

ON MINING

  • Americas Gold and Silver Corp. provided Q2-2023 production results. The Cosalá operations in Sinaloa produced 335 K Oz Ag, 3.9 M Lb Pb, 9.9 M Lb Zn, benefitting from higher grade Ag areas in the upper zone of the San Rafael mine.
  • Bear Creek Mining Corp. announced production results for the second quarter of 2023. At the Mercedes mine in Sonora, 9,199 Oz Au, 39.8 K Oz Ag were produced by mining 121.5 K tonnes, processing 125.1 K tonnes grading 2.41 gpt Au, with a recovery of 94.54% Au during the period. Cut and fill mining was revised to room and pillar mining at San Martin and sub-level caving and sub-level stoping at Marianas. “Tonnes mined from the San Martin deposit are expected to double from 400 to 800 tonnes per day during Q3 2023 as the available working faces increase. The San Martin deposit contains 289k tonnes in Measured and Indicated Resources at an average grade of 6.6 g/t gold and is projected to account for roughly 50% of Mercedes’ gold production in the second half of the year”.
  • First Majestic Silver Corp. released Q2 2023 production results. In Mexico, the company produced 2.63 M Oz Ag, 40,858 Oz Au (5.97 M Oz AgEq) from its operations at San Dimas in Durango, Santa Elena in Sonora and La Encantada in Coahuila. During the period 16 drill rigs were active in Mexico, eight at San Dimas (16,588 m of drilling), six at Santa Elena (16,373 m of drilling) and two (1,950 m of drilling) at La Encantada. For the year First Majestic aims to produce between 10.5 and 11.2 M Oz Ag and between 169 to 180 K Oz Au at cash cost between $12.33 and $12.71 and an AISC between $17.23 and $17.66.
  • Golden Minerals Co. reported production figures for Q2 2023. At Rodeo, in Durango, 154.4 K tonnes were mined, 54.3 K tonnes processed at a rate of 603 tonnes per day, averaging 1.6 gpt Au, 9 gpt Ag, recovering 72.6% Au, 75.5% Ag, to produce 2,081 Oz Au, 11.5 K Oz Ag. The company also sold 656 tonnes of Au-rich pyrite concentrate, 118 tonnes of Ag-rich lead concentrate and 63 tonnes of Zn concentrate, produced from mineralized material from the Velardeña properties (also in Durango), material that was mined and stockpiled during 2022 as part of the test-mining program.
  • Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. announced production results for Q2 2023. At the Avino mine in Durango, 157.4 K tonnes were milled averaging 53 gpt Ag, 0.44 gpt Au, 0.49% Cu, recovering 87% Ag, 68% Au, 84% Cu, to produce 232.4 K Oz Ag, 1,520 Oz Au, 1.44 M Lb Cu, or 587.3 K Oz AgEq. Recent news includes the best drill intercept in the long history of the mine, and drilling results that probe the continuity of mineralization 1.1 km downdip from the surface outcrop. Metallurgical testing at the Oxide Tailings project has been completed, taking the resource to 5.7 M tonnes containing 17.4 M Oz AgEq. The Dry-Stack tailing facility is complete and operational.

ON FINANCING

  • Guanajuato Silver Co. announced a bought deal private placement with Cantor Fitzgerald Canada as the sole underwriter, for gross proceeds of C$8 M. “The Corporation shall pay to the Underwriter a cash commission equal to 6.0% of the gross proceeds of the Offering and 6.0% broker warrants based on the number of Units sold in the Offering” (El Cubo and Valenciana, Guanajuato).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Aura Minerals Inc. provided an exploration update from its properties, including from its operations at Aranzazu, in Zacatecas. Aura Silver controls 11,000 ha in the project area, and only 5% of the mineral claims have been drilled. Exploration efforts have focused on extending the life of mine (LOM) and building the basis for an increase in production capacity. Currently Aura has a LOM of seven years based on mineral reserves only. Several early stages targets have been identified, including “new copper-gold skarns, manto type polymetallic mineralization, and high-grade gold/silver veins”. For 2023, 29,400 m of drilling are intended to be completed, focusing on testing the continuity of the GH and Cabrestante areas, with drilling also planned for the El Cobre and Aranzazu extensions.
  • First Majestic Silver Corp. reported exploration results from San Dimas in Durango and Santa Elena (Ermitaño Zone) in Sonora. At San Dimas, true width drilling intercepts from the Sinaloa North-Elia vein, the Santa Teresa vein and the Perez vein include 3.88 m @ 8.38 gpt Au, 763 gpt Ag; 0.98 m @ 5.84 gpt Au, 396 gpt Ag; 4.12 m @ 14.98 gpt Au, 89 gpt Ag; 5.69 m @ 5.41 gpt Au, 883 gpt Ag; 3.05 m @ 4.58 gpt Au, 740 gpt Ag; At Santa Elena, resource conversion holes, in addition to intercepts in the Ermitaño vein, multiple holes intersected mineralization in secondary veins located in the hanging and footwall of the Ermitaño vein, returning true width intercepts of 15.55 m @ 5.98 gpt Au, 222 gpt Ag; 13.3 m @ 4.27 gpt Au, 127 gpt Ag; 6.42 m @ 13.73 gpt Au, 150 gpt Ag; 1.96 m @ 3.39 gpt Au, 56 gpt Ag.
  • Heliostar Metals Ltd. reported drill results from two additional holes at the Ana Paula project in Guerrero. “The current drill program continues to demonstrate higher overall grades over broad widths relative to the current mineral resource” in Heliostar’s quest to evaluate the possible development of an underground mine. Highlighted core length intervals comprise 241.95 m @ 9.06 gpt Au (including 31.5 m @ 21.5 gpt Au; 35.2 m @ 23.6 gpt Au and 9.9 m @ 42.4 gpt Au); 104.1 m @ 6.14 gpt Au (including 19.5 m @ 15.1 gpt Au). These holes were drilled within the resource model with increases in grade to the expected intercept of 33% and 38%.
  • GoGold Resources Inc. released drilling results from the Main Area of the Los Ricos South project in Jalisco. Highlighted core length intervals comprise 14.0 m @ 1.77 gpt Au, 574 gpt Ag (including 2.3 m @ 10.30 gpt Au, 3,308 gpt Ag); 6.3 m @ 0.59 gpt Au, 86 gpt Ag; 16.2 m @ 0.70 gpt Au, 72 gpt Ag; 14.0 m @ 2.90 gpt Au, 85 gpt Ag; 17.5 m @ 0.60 gpt Au, 93 gpt Ag; 9.9 m @ 0.95 gpt Au, 334 gpt Ag; 11.9 m @ 1.28 gpt Au, 183 gpt Ag; 9.5 m @ 1.08 gpt Au, 186 gpt Ag; 5.4 m @ 1.97 gpt Au, 136 gpt Ag; 11.6 m @ 1.50 gpt Au, 165 gpt Ag; 22.5 m @ 1.20 gpt Au, 124 gpt Ag; 5.8 m @ 2.27 gpt Au, 42 gpt Ag; 24.9 m @ 1.01 gpt Au, 104 gpt Ag; 7.1 m @ 1.25 gpt Au, 417 gpt Ag; 16.5 m @ 1.32 gpt Au, 153 gpt Ag; 17.3 m @ 2.53 gpt Au, 160 gpt Ag; 13.7 m @ 1.48 gpt Au, 213 gpt Ag. It is expected these holes will be included in an updated resource to be released by the end of the summer.
  • Gatos Silver Inc. provided an update on the definition and exploration drilling at its Cerro Los Gatos property in Chihuahua. Highlighted true width intercepts from resource definition drilling comprise 25.7 m @ 78 gpt Ag, 0.05 gpt Au, 0.53% Cu, 2.1% Pb, 5.0% Zn; 9.5 m @ 87 gpt Ag, 0.18 gpt Au, 0.44% Cu, 1.9% Pb, 6.3% Zn; 2.7 m @ 192 gpt Ag, 0.17 gpt Au, 0.20% Cu, 8.0% Pb, 9.0% Zn; 3.8 m @ 181 gpt Ag, 0.11 gpt Au, 0.28% Cu; 1.7% Pb, 2.0% Zn; 4.1 m @ 39 gpt Ag, 0.10 gpt Au, 0.45% Cu, 1.1% Pb, 4.5% Zn; 2.7 m @ 91 gpt Ag, 0.06 gpt Au, 0.61% Cu, 4.7% Pb, 11.4% Zn; 12.2 m @ 129 gpt Ag, 0.04 gpt Au, 0.54% Cu, 1.1% Pb, 2.3% Zn; 10.0 m @ 146 gpt Ag, 0.11 gpt Au, 0.45% Cu, 2.2% Pb, 3.2% Zn. The company’s exploration land package covers 103,000 ha, with over 50 targets identified to date. Mamba, Portigueño, Lince, Santa Ana and San Luis are some of the areas where current work is defining drilling targets through mapping, re-logging and re-interpretation, Lidar surveys and geophysics.
  • Endeavour Silver Corp. provided a construction update for its Terronera project in Jalisco. More than $70 M have been spent since Q1 2022 (of a $144 M budget), with construction progress currently at 30%. Detail mill and surface facilities engineering is over 70% complete, the access road improvements are almost finished and the permanent camp facilities are at 90% completion. Nearly 600 m of underground development have been completed and the mill site earthworks have finalized. The workforce has increased to 83 employees and 390 contract workers. Upcoming work includes advancing the mill area concrete work, awarding the mill construction contract, receiving major mill components in Q3 and advancing Portal 2 and Portal 4 development for initial ore access in Q1 2024.  

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES             

  • Riverside Resources Inc. provided an outlook of its ongoing activities on the first half of the year, and its plans for the reminder of 2023. The company is diversifying its activities out from Mexico, strengthening objectives in Canada. Riverside consolidated the Union project in Sonora, with assays of up to 1 Oz per ton Au in the now controlled mine area. Another development is the royalty in the Tajitos asset (Sonora), with funds having been received from Fresnillo PLC, who is advancing the property.
  • Radius Gold Inc. informed the extension of the exclusivity agreement with Fresnillo PLC for the Plata Verde project in Chihuahua. “The amended Agreement provides Minera San Julian a 6-month extension to its Exclusivity Period from July 7, 2023 to January 7, 2024 to negotiate a Definitive Agreement that would include an option agreement to earn a 70% interest in the Plata Verde project. The amended Agreement also provides for interim funding by Minera San Julian of US$206,000 … as well as an additional advance of US$500,000 to fund initial drill testing”.  
  • Newmont Corp. announced second quarter 2023 results, including some information from its Peñasquito mine in Zacatecas. In June, Newmont suspended operations at Peñasquito to focus on finding an appropriate and sustainable resolution to the dispute with the leadership of the National Union of Mine and Metal Workers of the Mexican Republic. “Peñasquito incurred $23 million of operating costs and $15 million of depreciation and amortization due to the suspension of operations”.
  • Golden Tag Resources Ltd. updated on the proposed acquisition of the La Parrila silver mine complex (in Durango) from First Majestic Silver Corp pursuant to the agreement announced in December 2022. The transaction is expected to close in August, its completion remains subject to the approval by Golden Tag shareholders and receipt of all regulatory approvals, including that of the TSXV. The company has already received approval from Mexico’s antitrust agency, the Comisión Federal de Competencia Económica (COFECE) for the acquisition of La Parrilla. “Golden Tag has closed on two tranches of its non-brokered private placement financing of subscription receipts for aggregate gross proceeds of $6.9 million. The Company has received further subscription commitments, which when combined with the first two tranches, total in excess of $7.2 million”.
  • Excellon Resources Inc. announced the unexpectedly reception of a notice of termination of the previously announced acquisition of the La Negra project from the seller, Dalu S.ar.l., an entity owned by an investment fund managed by Orion Resource Partners. Consequently, the company is also announcing the termination of its previously announced subscription receipts offering, which was intended to finance the acquisition. Excellon is in advanced discussions with holders of more than 66-2/3% of the principal of its outstanding convertible debentures maturing on July 30, 2023 in the principal amount of C$17.9 M with a view to extending the maturity date and more broadly restructure the Debentures. “the Company continues to actively assess various interim financing options as well as other corporate development and strategic opportunities to complement the Company’s go-forward strategy, which may include divestitures, mergers or spin-offs of the Company’s assets to provide additional near term liquidity”.
  • Sierra Metals Inc. informed that in October 2022 a Special Committee integrated by the company’s independent directors “initiated a process to explore, review and consider options to optimize the operations of the Company as well as financing, restructuring and strategic options in the best interests of the Company”. The process has made progress towards stabilizing and optimizing operations, pumping and ventilation infrastructure implementation at the Bolivar mine in Chihuahua, increased throughput, appointment of officers and refinancing of secured debt repayment obligations that were due in 2023. As such, the “Special Committee” has been concluded. Some recommendations to follow include near term equity financing to provide working capital and flexibility, funding for longer term capital expansions and minimizing investment in non-core assets.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • No Relevant News.

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

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Fourth Week of June 2023

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By Jorge Cirett                                             

During the 25th week of the year (June 19th to June 25th, 2023), 16 companies working in Mexico posted news releases. Three companies informed on exploration work at its properties, while there was no relevant news on mining, other than the continuation of a Union strike on Peñasquito. Three companies informed on the closing of financing tranches or the arrangement of new placements. Four companies reported on work at their advanced properties. One company updated on financing moves to pay for the acquisition of an idle property and one more on the plans for recommence mining on their recent acquisition. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Newmont declared force majeure on contracted base metal production due to the Union strike at Peñasquito. The first all-encompassing suspension on the recently passed Mining Law was granted to a Mexican mining company. The Sindicato Nacional de Mineros brought a complaint before the fast-response mechanism of the T-MEC, accusing Grupo Mexico of negating Union liberty since 2007. Grupo Mexico responded the San Martín mine operates with the free decision of its unionized workers, and that workers strongly support the current Union.  ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Colibri Resource updated on work at El Plomo project. In Coahuila, Monumental Minerals announced a maiden drill program at its rare-earth Jemi project. In Durango, Silver Dollar entered into a surface access agreement with the local Ejido at Nora. ON MINING, no relevant news. ON FINANCING, Canuc Resources closed a CAD$1.3 M financing round. Sonoro Gold closed the first tranche of a C$3 M financing, raising C$1.7 M. Coeur Mining arranged a private placement for $19 M. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Prime Mining reported good drilling results below the resource shell at Los Reyes, in Sinaloa. Orla Mining released infill drilling results from the Sulphide zone at Camino Rojo in Zacatecas, and also from the Deep Extension zone and from an exploration play 7 km away. Aztec Minerals updated on geologic and geochemical information at Cervantes, in Sonora, and is preparing an RC drilling campaign. Discovery Silver provided an update on work at the Cordero project in Chihuahua. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Excellon Resources updated on La Negra acquisition in Queretaro, and the financing arrangements being sought to support it. Impact Silver announced its plans for refurbishing the Plomosa mine and plant in Chihuahua. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, no relevant news.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • The first suspension with all-encompassing application against the recently approved Mining Law was granted by a federal judge from Mexico City on June 21, 2023, to Cobre del Mayo, the company that exploits the Piedras Verdes copper mine in Sonora. Before this ruling, the only suspensions admitted were for the automatic rejection of previously filed applications for mining concessions.
  • The Sindicato Nacional de Mineros (National Miners Union, headed by Napoleón Gómez Urrutia) presented a complaint against Grupo México under the fast response mechanism of the T-MEC, accusing the company of negating Union liberty and failure to comply with legal rulings on its favor, relating to a strike commenced by the Union in 2007 in which safety and contractual obligations were demanded. (It is much more likely that Napoleón Gómez Urrutia was aiming for the invalidation of a court arrest warrant on him related to the subtraction of 55 M dollars granted to workers of the Cananea mine on the sale of the property to Grupo Mexico. Napoleón Gómez Urrutia has legal immunity by its position as a senator). Grupo Mexico replied that its workers strongly back the current Union, and that the San Martín mine in Zacatecas operates with the free decision of its unionized workers.
  • Newmont declared “Force Majeure” on the production of lead and zinc that is to impact on contract obligations. The company was to produce about 200 K tonnes Zn and 80 K tonnes Pb on 2023, but the current Union strike is going to impact on its production forecast. Operations were suspended on June 7, 2023, by the Union, which is demanding an increase of the participation on the profit obtained by the company from 10% to 20%.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Colibri Resource Corp. reported results from geological mapping and outcrop sampling at the Pavo Real target on the Plomo property, EP project in Sonora. A 0.5 Km by 0.5 km area was selected and 90 grab samples collected, with 38 samples returning over 0.1 gpt Au and 13 samples over 1.0 gpt Au, peaking at 9.94 gpt Au. “The higher-grade samples also commonly include veinlets mapped as jasperoid which in thin section was determined to be a very fine-grained assemblage of limonite and hematite and interpreted to possibly be derived from a primary Fe-carbonate bearing vein assemblage. The mineralized tourmaline bearing breccia and stock work samples are massive to strongly foliated where foliation consistently has a north-northwest strike and moderate northeast dip”.
  • Monumental Minerals Corp. announced a maiden drill program planned for its Jemi rare earth element project in Coahuila. Exploration work has resulted in six high priority drill targets for dysprosium (Dy), terbium (Tb), neodymium (Nd), Praseodymium (Pr), niobium (Nb) and tantalum (Ta). “The goal of the drill program is to define and delineate the source of REE-mineralized (eudialyte +/- aegirine rich) intrusive dykes and sills”. The program envisages 1,800 m of drilling in 6 holes.
  • Silver Dollar Resources Inc. entered into a surface rights agreement with the Ejido Peña, covering the area of the Nora project in Durango.

ON MINING

  • No Relevant News.

ON FINANCING

  • Canuc Resources Corp. announced the closing of the first tranche of a non-brokered private placement financing, raising CAD$1.28 M in gross proceeds. (San Javier, Sonora).
  • Sonoro Gold Corp. closed the first tranche of the C$3 M previously announced non-brokered private placement, for gross proceeds of C$1.7 M. Directors and officers participated in the offering for $1.32 M, constituting a related party transaction at the TSX Venture Exchange (Cerro Caliche, Sonora).
  • Coeur Mining Inc. arranged a private placement for gross proceeds of $19 M (C$25 M). “The proceeds of the Offering will be used exclusively for qualifying Canadian Exploration Expenditures” (Palmarejo, Chihuahua).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Prime Mining Corp. reported drill results from four holes at the Z-T area of the Los Reyes project in Sinaloa. Two of the holes are located 100 to 200 m below the recently announced resource pit shell. Highlighted true width core intervals comprise 13.25 m @ 3.80 gpt Au, 82 gpt Ag (including 3.65 m @ 8.15 gpt Au, 89 gpt Ag); 11.40 m @ 3.96 gpt Au, 88 gpt Ag (including 2.00 m @ 19.40 gpt Au, 168 gpt Ag). “Together the mineralization in these drill holes further defines two high-grade mineralized shoots separated by 250 m. These intercepts open a significant area of exploration upside relative to the MRE pit shell for the Z-T area.”
  • Orla Mining Ltd. provided an update on exploration at its Camino Rojo project in Zacatecas. Highlighted core length results comprise 93.0 m @ 2.87 gpt Au; 56.9 m @ 3.26 gpt Au; 34.0 m @ 3.11 gpt Au (including 5.6 m @ 10.29 gpt Au); 43.0 m @ 2.12 gpt Au; 38.5 m @ 2.00 gpt Au; 63.0 m @ 1.89 gpt Au; 62.6 m @ 1.62 gpt Au (including 6.0 m @ 7.72 gpt Au); 24.5 m @ 3.18 gpt Au; 12.0 m @ 4.18 gpt Au; 29.0 m @ 3.16 gpt Au; 42.0 m @ 3.05 gpt Au in Camino Rojo Sulphides infill, further 8.5 m @ 3.52 gpt Au, 26 gpt Ag, 0.26% Cu, 3.6% Zn; 3.3 m @ 4.54 gpt Au, 7 gpt Ag, 0.06% Cu, 5.5% Zn; 1.5 m @ 15.4 gpt Au, 7 gpt Ag, 0.04% Cu, 4.4% Zn in the Camino Rojo Sulphides Deep Extension zone, and 10.5 m @ 0.69 gpt Au (including 1.5 m @ 4.02 gpt Au); 3.3 m @ 0.94 gpt Au; 1.5 @ 2.72 gpt Au; 1.3 m @ 61.2 gpt Au in the Guanamero zone of the Camino Rojo Regional Exploration. Polymetallic Au-Ag-Zn massive to massive sulphide mineralization has been confirmed in holes testing below the Caracol Formation hosted sulphides.  
  • Aztec Minerals Corp. received permits for a planned two-stage reverse circulation (RC) drilling program at its Cervantes project in Sonora. The first stage is to commence on Q3 2023 utilizing information gathered on the mapping and sampling of 4,600 m of roads. The quartz-feldspar porphyry is more extensive than the feldspar porphyry, and many of the sediments are less continuous and often as xenolithic rafts and roof pendants over the intrusive rocks. There is widespread phyllic alteration, minor potassic alteration as secondary biotite and zones of tourmaline mineralization; with gold showing positive relationship with vein intensity and silicic and phyllic alterations, and inverse relationship with argillic alteration. Au has strong correlation with As, Cu, Bi, Ag and W. With Mo being strongly distal. A marked Cu anomaly to the northeast associated with tourmaline and secondary biotite alteration. The focus is “to continue to define the open pit, heap leach gold potential of the porphyry oxide cap at California, test the down dip extensions of the silicic-phyllic alteration in the Qfp intrusive for deeper copper-gold porphyry sulfide mineralization underlying the oxide cap, and test for extensions of the California North target.”
  • Discovery Silver Corp. provided a project update on its Cordero project in Chihuahua. The company is to initiate the environmental permitting (Manifiesto de Impacto Ambiental, or MIA) process with the submission to SEMARNAT (Environmental regulator), and also “recently secured the surface rights that correspond with the planned open pit and key infrastructure locations at Cordero as well as a significant volume of water rights ….. Discovery also recently engaged M3 Engineering & Technology Corp to complete a technical review of the scope and cost to source water from existing water treatment plants in the region …… An impact assessment study and power installation study by Mexican electrical infrastructure authority CENACE were delivered earlier this year, with confirmation that there is sufficient capacity in the existing power grid to supply the Project with power for operations at peak throughput levels”. The company is also working on the front-end engineering design work for the feasibility study (FS), a resource update, metallurgical test work, process design, mine planning, geotechnical work and tailings study.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES             

  • Excellon Resources Inc. updated on the previously announced La Negra mine acquisition in Queretaro, from Orion Resource Partners. Excellon is focused on a successful completion of the C$10 M in gross proceeds financing, “but in parallel is reviewing potential operating scenarios that would allow Excellon to close on a lower level of initial financing that supports initiating advancement of La Negra while also adequately capitalizing the Company’s broader business”. The company is also in discussions with the holders of convertible debentures and assessing interim financing options as well as divestitures, mergers, or spin-offs to provide near-term liquidity.
  • Impact Silver Corp. updated on its plans for the recently acquired Plomosas mine in Chihuahua. Restart of production is scheduled for the second half of 2023, with design capacity to be approached on the first half of 2024. Underground equipment is under maintenance and repairs, mill foundations are being replaced, and the ball mill and conveyor-crushing systems are being upgraded. A new tailings dam is in the design and permitting stage, while alternate electric power options under evaluation, as well as changes in mining methods and mineral processing. Underground stations for drilling are in preparation, while drilling permits have been submitted for the surface program. Plomosas has a current JORC resource of 215 K tonnes @ 13.5% Zn, 6.3% Pb, 34 gpt Ag in indicated resources and 772 K tonnes @ 13.1% Zn, 3.0% Pb, 19 gpt Ag of inferred resources at a 3% Zn cut-off.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • No Relevant News.

On the image below: Barite-Quartz-Specularite vein on a project in the Sonoran Desert. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

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

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By Miguel A Heredia

During the 24th week of the year (June 12th to June 18th, 2023), at least 23 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico, and 1 news published by the media with nine disclosing deals and corporate issues, seven reporting resources and developments of their properties, three commenting on Mexican issues, two informing on exploration results, two announcing financing issues, and one discussing social issues. ON MEXICO ISSUES, United States asked Mexico to review a claim at a Grupo México mine in the center of the country for an alleged denial of labor rights. Newmont Corporation suspended operations at its Peñasquito mine, in Zacatecas, after the workers’ union announced the strike. Gold Resource, GR Silver and Heliostar reported the best drilling intercepts in Mexico on the third week of June, 2023. ON EXPLORATION, Prismo provided an updated on its exploration programs at Palos Verdes project in Sinaloa and Los Pavitos in Sonora. In Oaxaca, Vortex provided a comprehensive overview of the exploration work completed to date at its Zaachila project. ON MINING, No relevant news.  ON FINANCING, Goldgroup announced proposed settlement of a loan obtained from Accendo Banco S.A (Cerro Prieto, Sonora). Silver Valley announced financing-early warrant exercise incentive program intended to encourage the early exercise of up to 12,897,114 outstanding warrants of the company (La Salada Salar, Zacatecas). ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Heliostar reported results from four holes drilled within and above the High-Grade Panel at the core of its Ana Paula project in Guerrero. Colibri and its JV partner Tocvan announced positive results from its ongoing bulk sample testing at the Pilar project in Sonora. GR Silver announced results of two additional step-out holes drilled at its San Marcial project in Sinaloa.  Heliostar issued a press release to clarify certain of its previous disclosure regarding its Ana Paula project in Guerrero. Prime filed a technical report for its Los Reyes project in Sinaloa. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Colibri announced that it has been informed by its JV partner Agnico Eagle that the Pitaya Gold project in Sonora has been sold to a third party. Silver Dollar reported that it has terminated the exclusivity period signed with Canasil due to general market conditions. Endeavour announced the appointment of its new Vice President, Operations (Guanacevi mine, Durango). Santacruz reported that it shares will resume trading on Friday June 16, 2023 on the TSX Venture Exchange (Zimapan mine, Hidalgo). Golden Minerals appointed its new Executive Vice President (Rodeo mine, Durango). SilverCrest reported results from its annual general meeting of shareholders (Las Chispas Mine, Sonora). Kootenay declared that now it owns 100% of Columba property in Chihuahua after completing the final property payment. Gold Resource announced the resignation of one of its independent Directors of the Board of Directors (Don David Mine, Oaxaca). ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, SilverCrest released its inaugural 2022 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report (Las Chispas mine, Sonora).

ON MEXICO ISSUE

  • United States asked Mexico to review a claim at a Grupo México mine in the center of the country for an alleged denial of labor rights, within the framework of the North American trade agreement, T-MEC, the US Department of Labor. The San Martín mine in Zacatecas owned by Industrial Minera México SA de CV, a subsidiary of the Americas Mining Corp. branch of Grupo México, has a labor complaint issued by the United States government, for denying workers the right to syndical freedom. The petition alleges the violation of the United Steelworkers and the National Union of Mining, Metallurgical, Steel and Similar Workers of the Republic of Mexico (Los Mineros)’ rights as a holder of the collective bargaining agreement at the San Martín mine and the hiring of workers to replace striking workers in violation of the collective bargaining agreement and Mexican law. The US government investigation revealed evidence of violations of the Los Mineros’ collective bargaining rights that warranted a request for review under the USMCA.
  • Newmont Corporation suspended operations at its Peñasquito mine, in Zacatecas, after the workers’ union announced the strike. The reason for this conflict is a fight over a profit-sharing agreement, the miner said in a statement. Newmont added that at the end of May the company paid the workers the equivalent of 10 percent profits, in accordance with the Law. The Union notified the Company of a strike action demanding an increase in the uncapped profit sharing benefit provided for in the Collective Bargain Agreement (CBA) from 10 percent to 20 percent, representing a 100 percent increase. In response to the strike notice, Minera Peñasquito suspended operations in a safe and orderly manner. Essential activities related to safety, security and environmental monitoring and protection continue. This is the third labor dispute since Peñasquito was purchased by Newmont in 2019. Newmont remains willing to participate in conciliation meetings to reach a resolution in accordance with the CBA, and will continue to adhere to legal procedures, respecting the rights of all its employees, inviting the Union to engage in a constructive dialogue, and providing the authorities with all requested information.
  • Gold Resource Corporation, GR Silver Mining Ltd., and Heliostar Metals Ltd., reported the best drilling intercepts in Mexico on the third week of June, 2023. Details are shown in the table below:

ON EXPLORATION

  • Prismo Metals Inc., provided an updated on its exploration programs at Palos Verdes project in Sinaloa and Los Pavitos in Sonora. Highlights at Palos Verdes project in Sinaloa include an ongoing 2,500m drilling program; 5 holes have been completed for a total of 727m; samples from the three first holes have been submitted to the lab for analysis; and a rock chip sample from mapped veins returned an assay of 840 g/t AgEq (700 g/t Ag and1.68 g/t Au) over a sample width of 1m. Highlights at Los Pavitos project in Sonora include 295 meters of trenches constructed and sampled with assay results received for 96.7 meters; an interval of 0.44 g/t Au over 10m in trench ZSC9; high grade silver assays in surface sampling in northeast Santa Cruz area; and a 2,500m drill program to start by the end of June, 2023.
  • Vortex Metals Inc., provided a comprehensive overview of the exploration work completed to date at its Zaachila project in Oaxaca. “The company is advancing towards the submission of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to the Federal Environmental Office, The Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), therefore fulfilling the Mexican government’s requirements for proposed drill targets.  The company believes the EIA will be completed and submitted within the next 3 to 4 months, encompassing a refined definition of the drill targets at Zaachila. Following its successful submission, Vortex will focus on obtaining the drill program approval from the Mexican government”.

ON MINING

  • No relevant news.

ON FINANCING

  • Goldgroup Mining Inc., announced proposed settlement of a loan obtained from Accendo Banco S.A., Multiple Banking Institution in 2020.  In June 2020, the Company’s subsidiary, Minas de Oroco Resources, S.A. de C.V. completed a definitive loan facility agreement with Accendo in the amount of USD $3M at a rate of 12% per annum with a final repayment date of 36 months from the date of the first disbursement. “The company guaranteed the Accendo Loan on behalf of Minas de Oroco. The amount currently outstanding under the Accendo Loan is approximately USD $185M. The debt underlying the Accendo Loan has been acquired by Minera Cerro Esperanza S.A de C.V. (MER), a wholly owned subsidiary of Calu Opportunity Fund LP (Calu). Calu is a shareholder and investor in the Company having acquired 1,177,500 Common Shares and having loaned the Company USD $2.16M (the Calu Loan). The Company will be seeking shareholder approval for the conversion of the Calu Loan into Common Shares of the Company at the Shareholders Meeting, which approval shall exclude any votes cast by Calu. MER contacted the Company on April 26, 2023 seeking repayment of the Accendo Loan. As the assets of Minas de Oroco are currently the only operating assets of the Company, the seizure of these assets would effectively place the Company into insolvency unless another arrangement was made. Further to discussions with MER, the Company is proposing to enter into a Settlement Agreement and an Exploitation and Option to Purchase Agreement, subject to approval of minority shareholders at the Meeting, pursuant to which the Company will deliver the assets of Minas de Oroco to MER in full satisfaction of the Accendo Loan and the Company is provided the right to operate the assets of Minas de Oroco and to purchase the assets in the future” (Cerro Prieto mine, Sonora).
  • Silver Valley Metals Corp., announced financing-early warrant exercise incentive program intended to encourage the early exercise of up to 12,897,114 outstanding warrants of the company. The Eligible Warrants were issued by the Company pursuant to a private placement financing completed on January 3, 2023.  The Eligible Warrants are exercisable to acquire one common share of the Company at a price of $0.15 per share, with 9,297,114 Eligible Warrants expiring November 17, 2024 and 3,600,000 Eligible Warrants expiring January 3, 2025 (La Salada Salar, Zacatecas).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Heliostar Metals Ltd., reported results from four holes drilled within and above the High-Grade Panel at the core of its Ana Paula project in Guerrero. “This is the area of the deposit that Heliostar believes has the potential to increase grade significantly. This drill program will evaluate Ana Paula’s ability to host a high-margin, underground gold mine development opportunity”. Hole AP-23-293 encountered 6 g/t Au over 129.2m, including 13.4 g/t Au over 46m; hole AP-23-294 intersected 2.1 g/t Au over 67.2m, including 6.4 g/t Au over 13.95m; hole AP-23-295 encountered 2.6 g/t Au over 41.5m, including 4.9 g/t Au over 5.5m, plus 3.7 g/t Au over 8m; and hole AP-23-296 with 1.9 g/t Au over 26m, including 13.6 g/t Au over 2m.
  • Colibri Resource Corporation and its JV partner Tocvan Ventures Corp., announced positive results from its ongoing bulk sample testing at the Pilar project in Sonora. Preliminary results from the leaching process ongoing confirm that the process is actively recovering gold and silver; gold and silver is reported in initial testing of carbon filters; and solution samples assayed at two separate certified labs confirm grade.  Regarding the fine fraction samples (to be used for Gravity Recovery and Agitated Leach Test), the new samples range between 1.2 and 4.9 g/t Au, weighted mean of 2.1 g/t Au; the silver values range between 5 and 29 g/t Ag, weighted mean of 14.8 g/t Ag; leach study returned 95-99% recovery of gold, 73-79% recovery of silver; and metallic screen results show 12.4 to 14.1% of the gold is coarse (+140 mesh).
  • GR Silver Mining Ltd., announced results of two additional step-out holes drilled at its San Marcial project in Sinaloa. Hole SMS23-03 intersected 111 g/t Ag, 0.01 g/t Au, 0.1% Pb, and 0.1% Zn over 17.3m, including 640 g/t Ag, and 0.03 g/t Au over 1.7m, plus 132 g/t Ag, 0.02 g/t Au, and 0.1% Zn over 6.3m, plus  134 g/t Ag, 0.11 g/t Au, 0.1% Pb, and 0.4% Zn over 35.3m. Hole SMS23-04 encountered 32 g/t Ag, 0.03 g/t Au, 0.1% Pb, and 0.1% Zn over 15m. “The wide silver intervals intersected in holes SMS23-03 and SMS23-04 continue to support the potential for extension of the wide mineralization geometry along strike. The drilling program, with two additional drill holes (for a total of six), aims to extend the footprint of the SE Area Discovery Zone for an additional 450 m along strike to the southeast, outside the Mineral Resource”.
  • Heliostar Metals Ltd., issued a press release to clarify certain of its previous disclosure regarding its Ana Paula project in Guerrero. The Company previously disclosed statements which could constitute an economic analysis of its intended re-scoping of the Ana Paula Project. The Company wishes to retract the Disclosure. The Company has not completed an economic analysis on the re-scoping of the Ana Paula Project and the Disclosure is not supported by a technical report in compliance with National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The Company advises readers not to rely on the Disclosure.
  • Prime Mining Corp., filed a technical report for its Los Reyes project in Sinaloa, for the updated mineral resource estimate (MRE) reported on May 2, 2023.  The addition of 100,000m of Prime drilling has doubled the current MRE compared to the April 2020 resource.  The table below shows the updated open pit 2023 MRE:

The MRE has a high-grade open pit mill resource and a lower grade heap leach portion.  The MRE includes drilling completed before December 31, 2022 from only the three main zones at Los Reyes: Guadalupe, Z-T and Central. This MRE does not include positive results from: Mariposa, Las Primas and Fresnillo. With ongoing drilling success, the Company believes there is significant potential to expand the MRE.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Colibri Resource Corporation announced that it has been informed by its JV partner Agnico Eagle Mining that the Pitaya Gold project in Sonora has been sold to a third party. In 2019, Colibri signed an agreement with Agnico to sell its 23% interest to Agnico or another buyer for a minimum of USD $500K. In 2020, Colibri was advanced USD $300K from Agnico which was secured by Colibri´s ownership of the JV company. Colibri will receive USD $500K from the sale less the outstanding loan principal and interest owed.
  • Silver Dollar Resources Inc., reported that it has terminated the exclusivity period signed with Canasil Resources Inc., due to general market conditions. “The purpose of the Exclusivity Agreement was to give Silver Dollar the opportunity to review Canasil’s assets and consider a corporate merger. Termination of the exclusivity period does not affect the separate Option Agreement between the parties, whereby Silver Dollar can earn a 100% interest in Canasil’s Nora silver-gold property”. Pursuant to the agreements, Canasil now has 60 days to repay the $200K non-interest-bearing loan Silver Dollar provided in return for the exclusivity period and the Nora Option.
  • Endeavour Silver Corp., announced the appointment of its new Vice President, Operations, to oversee the Company´s underground mining operations in Mexico (Guanacevi mine, Durango; Bolañitos mine, Guanajuato).
  • Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd., reported that it shares will resume trading on Friday June 16, 2023 on the TSX Venture Exchange, following the cease trade order being lifted by the British Columbia Securities Commission and the Ontario Securities Commission on Friday June 9, 2023 (Zimapan mine, Hidalgo).
  • Golden Minerals Company appointed its new Executive Vice President Pablo Castaños, who will be joining the company on July 1, 2023 (Rodeo mine, Durango).
  • SilverCrest Metals Inc., reported results from its annual general meeting of shareholders. The company also announced that independent consultants are continuing to advance the Updated Technical Report. This work is progressing well, with the results from this study now expected to be released in July 2023 (Las Chispas Mine, Sonora).
  • Kootenay Silver Inc., declared that now it owns 100% of Columba property in Chihuahua after completing the final property payment. The final payment of USD $215K was made and paid in cash on May 12, 2023. The company has paid a total of USD $3.29M in staged payments (of which USD $215K was paid in common shares of the Company, commencing November 2018 to earn 100% ownership. The vendor retains a 2% royalty of which 1% can be purchased by the Company for USD $750K.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • SilverCrest Metals Inc., released its inaugural 2022 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report. The Company’s principal focus is its Las Chispas Operation located in Sonora, Mexico. “This report reflects Silver Crest’s dedication to creating a strong sustainability framework and provides stakeholders with a comprehensive overview of the Company’s ESG performance and goals”.

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, phyllic alteration (quartz-sericite-pyrite) in an intrusive rock in a prospect in Tamaulipas, Mexico.  Photo by Miguel A Heredia.

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Fourth Week of July, 2021

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By Jorge Cirett

During the 29th week of the year (July 19th to July 25th, 2021), at least 19 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. To note, two companies posted exploration advances on their properties, two on quarterly reports and one in reopening plans, two on financing news, five more on project development or resource definition and two posted on deals or corporate issues. ON MEXICO ISSUES, no relevant news. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Silver Spruce added a second rig to Drilling at El Diamante. In Chihuahua, Mammoth Resources informed on drill targeting at Tenoriba.  ON MINING, Fortuna Silver and Excellon Resources released Q2 2021 reports. Americas Gold and Silver updated on the re-opening plan at its Cosalá operations. ON FINANCING, Altaley Mining executed a 12 M loan agreement for the development of Tahuehueto. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Mexican Gold Mining continues work on Cerro Las Minitas PEA. Sonoro Gold released results from surface rock chip sampling at Cerro Caliche. Southern Silver Exploration reported diamond drill results from Cerro Las Minitas. GoGold Resources released drilling results from Los Ricos North.  ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Sierra Madre Gold and Silver signed an option agreement on the acquisition of the La Tigra project in Nayarit. Vizsla Silver is to exercise the option to acquire 100% of the Panuco-Copala district in Sinaloa.  ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Peñoles and Fresnillo PLC informed on the several projects that the companies provide for the education of young people on several areas of Mexico, especially in digital platforms. Conalep and the New Mexico Institute of Mining signed an agreement to enhance the learning of students across the borders.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • No Relevant News.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Mammoth Resources Corp. informed on drill targeting activities at Tenoriba, in Chihuahua. “The Company has extended drill targets an additional 1.7 kilometres (km), for a total of over 4.0 km from its previously announced initial 2.4 km of the 3-dimensional (3D) modelling of its infill, Induced Polarization/Magnetometer (IP/Mag) geophysical survey”. Work in the project by previous operators, Mammoth and Centerra includes over 6,000 soil samples, more than 750 rock chip samples, 151 m of surface channel samples, 26 diamond drill holes, IP and magnetic geophysical surveys, mapping, and spectral identification of alteration minerals.
  • Silver Spruce Resources Inc. is to continue its phase 1 reverse circulation drilling at El Mezquite in Sonora. Seven holes have been already completed, and a second rig has been added to the property to complete the 2,475 m of drilling. “The Phase 1 RC program comprises 20 holes with a combined depth of 2,475 metres (950 metres completed) and will utilize eight drill pad locations focused around a 400m x 600m area with elevated precious metal values to 3.41 g/t Au and 387 g/t Ag”.

ON MINING

  • Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. reported production results for the second quarter 2021. At its San José mine in Oaxaca, 1.62 M Oz Ag, 10,266 Oz Au were produced from ore averaging 205 gpt Ag, 1.30 gpt Au. Production and cost guidance for 2021 is 5.8-6.5 M Oz Ag, 38-42 K Oz Au at an AISC of US$12.2-14.5 per Oz AgEq.
  • Excellon Resources Inc. announced Q2 2021 production results from its Platosa mine in Durango. A total of 21.8 K tonnes were mined, and 21.6 K tonnes were milled @ 489 gpt Ag, 5.14% Pb, 6.48% Zn, recovering 87.0% Ag, 78.6% Pb, 79.4% Zn, to produce 296 K Oz Ag, 1.93 M Lb Pb, 2.46 M Lb Zn.
  • Americas Gold and Silver Corp. provided an update on the re-opening plan of its Cosalá operations in Sinaloa. The Company and Government Labour inspectors jointly visited the mine and mill and both appear in good condition. “Mexican government inspectors from the Mexican Ministry of Labour will be in Cosalá this week to review the re‐start plans, which will allow the Company to begin recalling employees immediately following the completion of the inspection assuming compliance with the terms of the July 6, 2021 agreement“. The company expects the mine and the mill to be operating by the end of July, and the operation also has 70 K tonnes of ore stockpiled and ready to process.

ON FINANCING

  • Altaley Mining Corp. executed a US$12 M loan facility agreement with Accendo Banco S.A. Institución de Banca Múltiple, to complete the final part of it’s previously announced US$25 M Accendo syndicate funding plan to complete the construction and ramp-up of its Tahuehueto project in Durango (Campo Morado, Guerrero).
  • Zacatecas Silver Corp. announced that its common shares are eligible for electronic clearing and settlement through the Depositary Trust Co. in the United States. “DTC is a subsidiary of the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, a U.S. company that manages the electronic clearing and settlement of publicly traded companies. Securities that are eligible to be electronically cleared and settled through DTC are considered to be “DTC eligible” (Zacatecas Silver, Zacatecas).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Mexican Gold Mining Corp. announced work continues to produce the PEA on its Las Minas project in Veracruz, within three weeks.
  • Sonoro Gold Corp. reported assay results from surface sampling at its Cerro Caliche property in Sonora. With 1,292 soil and rock samples collected, a 600 m southern extension and a 750 m extension were confirmed on the El Colorado-La Ventana and the Buena Suerte-San Quintin corridors, with 23.7 m @ 1.7 gpt Au (including 5.5 m @ 6.0 gpt Au) in the former and 52.6 m @ 0.2 gpt Au in the latter.
  • Southern Silver Exploration Corp. reported diamond hole drilling results from its Cerro Las Minitas project in Durango. Highlighted true width intervals comprise 1.4 m @ 719 gpt Ag, 14.2% Pb, 16.0% Zn; 0.4 m @ 541 gpt Ag, 0.1 gpt Au, 8.8% Pb, 4.0% Zn in the South Skarn target, and 0.5 m @ 452 gpt Ag, 0.5 gpt Au, 2.8% Pb, 0.6% Zn; 0.5 m @ 312 gpt Ag, 0.12 gpt Au, 2.8% Pb, 0.6% Zn in the Huizache chimney in the Mina La Bocona area. “Current modelling has identified three panels of mineralization at the South Skarn target, the largest of which can now be traced laterally for approximately 400 metres and up to 580 metres down-dip”.
  • GoGold Resources Inc. released results of eight diamond drill holes from El Orito area in the Los Ricos North project in Jalisco. Highlighted core length intervals comprise 41.2 m @ 10 gpt Ag, 0.01 gpt Au, 0.06% Cu, 0.3% Pb, 2.0% Zn; 33.3 m @ 19 gpt Ag, 0.03 gpt Au, 0.08% Cu, 1.1% Pb, 1.7% Zn; 13.0 m @ 30 gpt Ag, 0.02 gpt Au, 0.22% Cu, 0.3% Pb, 1.1% Zn; 3.0 m @ 19 gpt Ag, 0.02 gpt Au, 0.34% Cu, 1.3% Pb, 1.6% Zn; 18.0 m @ 51 gpt Ag, 0.09 gpt Au, 0.06% Cu, 0.4% Pb (including 1.9 m @ 230 gpt Ag, 0.34 gpt Au, 0.23% Cu, 1.0% Pb; 54.3 m @ 97 gpt Ag, 0.12 gpt Au, 0.70% Cu, 2.9% Pb, 5.4% Zn; 38.1 m @ 32 gpt Ag, 0.03 gpt Au, 0.17% Cu, 1.9% Pb, 2.7% Zn; 69.1 m @ 26 gpt Ag, 0.05 gpt Au, 0.14% Cu, 1.0% Pb, 1.6% Zn (including 4.0 m @ 149 gpt Ag, 0.25 gpt Au, 0.70% Cu, 3.2% Pb, 6.9% Zn). “The holes that the Company has drilled to date at El Orito have shown mineralization averaging approximately 30m in width for more than 700m in strike length and up to approximately 300m in vertical depth from surface and is open in all directions”.
  • Minera Alamos Inc. informed that its Santana project in Sonora continues to advance as programmed despite the above average rainfall to date in the area. The press release describes all the progress in leach solution systems, overliner placement, crushing and screening, grade procedures and mining.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd. Entered into a purchase agreement with an option to joint venture with Industrial Minera México S.A. de C.V. (IMMSA) for the 357 ha. La Tigra project in Nayarit, 150 km north of its flagship’s Tepic project. The agreement involves payment of US$1.5 M over three years, with Sierra Madre obliged to produce a 43-101 technical report before the end of the period. IMMSA holds a 2.5% NSR royalty of which Sierra Madre can acquire 1.5% for US$1.5 M.
  • Vizsla Silver Corp. signed a binding agreement with Minera Rio Panuco S.A. de C.V. and executed a binding option exercise notice with Silverstone Resources which together constitute the acceleration and exercise of the option to acquire 100% of the Panuco-Copala district in Sinaloa. Vizsla has to pay $US4.25 M upon signing, issue US$12 M in Vizsla shares before August 10, 2021; and make a cash payment of $US6.1 M before February 2022.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Peñoles and Fresnillo PLC  informed on the several projects that the companies support provide for the education of young people on several areas of Mexico, especially in digital platforms.
  • Conalep (Colegio Nacional de Estudios Profesionales y Tecnicos) and the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology signed an agreement to enhance the learning of Mexican and American students.

On the image below:  Intense quartz veining in a granitic intrusive rock in Sinaloa. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Second Week of July, 2021

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By Jorge Cirett

During the 27th week of the year (July 5th to July 11th, 2021), at least 22 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. To note, six companies posted exploration advances on their properties, four on quarterly production and one about the end of an illegal blockade 17 months long, one posted on financing, five more on project development or resource definition and one posted an update on a law suite. ON MEXICO ISSUES, the illegal blockade on Americas Gold and Silver Cosalá operations in Sinaloa was terminated. Mexico has fallen 13 places on the Fraser’s Index on Mining Attractiveness, affected by perceptions on security and rule of law. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Benjamin Hill Mining released surface assay results high in Cu and Au; Tocvan Ventures released results from RC drilling at Pilar. In Sinaloa, Brigadier Gold released drilling and underground sampling results from Picachos. In Durango, Canasil started drilling at Nora. In Zacatecas, Zacatecas Silver signed surface access agreements to the San Gill zone at its Zacatecas Silver project. In Oaxaca, Madoro Metals updated on exploration at Yautepec. ON MINING, GoGold Resources, Gatos Silver, Endeavour Silver and Torex Gold presented second quarter 2021 production results. Americas Gold and Silver signed an agreement with several ministries to reopen Its Cosalá operations in Sinaloa.  ON FINANCING, Gold79 Mines commenced trading on the OTCQB Venture Market in USA. Minaurum Gold closed a financing round for C$9.2 M. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Southern Silver released drilling results from Cerro Las Minitas in Durango. GR Silver Mining, reported drill hole results from Plomosas in Sinaloa. Capitan Mining reported RC holes results from Peñoles, Durango. Guanajuato Silver provided drilling results from Pinguico, Guanajuato. Fabled Silver reported underground drilling results from Santa Maria, Chihuahua. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Excellon Resources informed on a legal suite regarding the Miguel Auza mine in Zacatecas. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Fresnillo PLC, Minera Autlán and Newmont Peñasquito informed on activities supporting sports, the environment and community equipment in different localities.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • Mexico has fallen 13 places in the Fraser’s Index of Mining attractiveness from 2008 to 2020. Investment also saw a 42.8% reduction in the same period, including some effect by the pandemic. Security, labor regulations, political instability, lack of mining concessions and a nationalization streak in the current government were cited as deterrents to investment in the country. Those viewpoints are reflected in less investment, less employment and fewer opportunities to find new orebodies, factors that will lead to  reductions in production and taxes to be paid in the coming years.
  • The illegal blockade on Americas Gold and Silver Cosalá operations is off. After 17 months of illegal blockade, the negotiations aided by the federal government can hardly be called a success. Events like this one add to the deterioration on the global perception of Mexico as a good place for mining investment.
  • The AIMMGM (Asociación de Ingenieros de Minas, Metalurgista y Geólogos de México) stated through its president Sergio Almazán, that investment in the Mexican mining sector has been affect by the lack of certitude.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Benjamin Hill Mining Corp. released assay results from surface sampling at the Caracahui, Caracahui Norte and Sonora Copper areas from its Sonora Gold property in Sonora. Some of the highlighted comprise: 0.1 gpt Au, 12.2% Cu, 80 gpt Ag; 1.7 gpt Au, 10.2% Cu, 15 gpt Ag; 4.4% Cu, 8 gpt Ag; 0.2 gpt Au, 4.3% Cu, 25 gpt Ag; 1.2 gpt Au, 2.4% Cu, 98 gpt Ag; 0.1 gpt Au, 1.9% Cu, 3 gpt Ag; 0.6 gpt Au, 1.5% Cu, 24 gpt Ag; 2.2 gpt Au, 0.9% Cu, 17 gpt Ag; 15.9 gpt Au, 0.4% Cu, 3 gpt Ag; 3.3 gpt Au, 0.1% Cu, 47 gpt Ag; 2.5 gpt Au, 0.1% Cu, 65 gpt Ag; 2.4 gpt Au, 0.5% Cu, 7 gpt Ag; 2.2 gpt Au, 0.9% Cu, 17 gpt Ag; 2.0 gpt Au, 0.3% Cu, 53 gpt Ag. “The recent advancement of exploration on the Sonora Gold concession has identified expansive copper mineralization along broadly continuous structural trends which have not yet been fully explored”.
  • Canasil Resources Inc. announced the start of the 2021 drill program at the Nora project in Durango. The initial focus is to test below, between and on strike extensions from high-grade Au and Ag intercepts from the 2020 program. Highlighted true width intercepts from the previous campaign include 2.40 m @ 4.78 gpt Au, 351 gpt Ag; 1.49 m @ 11.86 gpt Au, 378 gpt Ag and 3.05 m @ 3.71 gpt Au, 489 gpt Ag, with Pb, Zn, Cu credits.
  • Brigadier Gold Ltd. released drilling and underground sampling results from its Picachos project in Sinaloa. Highlighted underground sampling results comprise 0.3 m @ 31.4 gpt Au, 11 gpt Ag, 0.2% Cu, 0.5% Pb, 2% Zn; 3.2 m @ 7.43 gpt Au, 0.1% Pb, 0.2% Zn; 0.9 m @ 4.64 gpt Au, 0.1% Pb, 0.1% Zn; 0.5 m @ 38.88 gpt Au, 22 gpt Ag, 0.4% Cu, 1.7% Pb, 1.5% Zn; 1.0 m @ 12.79 gpt Au, 8 gpt Ag, 0.1% Cu, 0.9% Pb, 0.9% Zn. A surface trench returned 8 m @ 2.14 gpt Au, 0.1% Pb. Highlighted core length intervals comprise 6.5 m @ 0.26 gpt Au, 6 gpt Ag; 60.3 m @ 0.41 gpt Au, 0.2% Zn (including 4.5 m @ 0.56 gpt Au, 0.1% Pb, 0.1% Zn and 7.5 m @ 0.98 gpt Au, 0.1% Zn); 113 m @ 0.19 gpt Au, 0.1% Pb, 0.2% Zn (including 1 m @ 6.89 gpt Au, 0.1% Zn; 4 m @ 1.85 gpt Au; 1 m @ 5.51 gpt Au, 0.1% Zn); 123 m @ 0.27 gpt Au, 0.1% Pb, 0.2% Zn (including 4 m @ 1.08 gpt Au; 4 m @ 1.10 gpt Au, 0.4% Pb, 1.7% Zn; 1 m @ 3.51 gpt Au, 0.1% Pb).
  • Madoro Metals Corp. provided an update on recent exploration results from its Yautepec project in Oaxaca. A previously unknown 7 km long trend of epithermal alteration was found in the southern part of the project by company geologists. Highlighted results comprise 0.10 m @ 12.35 gpt Au, 1,250 gpt Ag in a quartz vein grab sample within a stockwork complex 400 by 200 m in the Tecolote zone; 0.10 m vein @ 0.54 gpt Au, 0.16% Cu, 1.3% Zn on the Southern Dike zone.
  • Zacatecas Silver Corp. completed access agreements with landowners at the San Gill breccia zone and San Gill vein system at its Zacatecas Silver project in Zacatecas. Environmental reports have been sent to SEMARNAT for the drilling of the Panuco and San Gill systems, and a third one is being prepared for El Cristo zone.
  • Tocvan Ventures Corp. released results from six reverse circulation drill holes at its Pilar project in Sonora. The phase II program sunk over 3,500 m in 20 holes, highlighted core length intervals comprise 44.22 m @ 0.41 gpt Au, 4 gpt Ag (including 7.63 m @ 1.66 gpt Au, 7 gpt Ag); 47.27 m @ 0.75 gpt Au, 5 gpt Ag (including 12.20 m @ 1.12 gpt Au and 19.82 m @ 1.06 gpt Au).

ON MINING

  • GoGold Resources Inc. reported production of 315.6 K Oz Ag, 3,170 Oz Au, 120 tonnes Cu during the second quarter of 2021 at its Parral tailings project in Chihuahua.
  • Americas Gold and Silver Corp. signed an agreement with the Mexican Ministries of Economy, Interior and Labour committing to a reopening of its Cosalá operations in Sinaloa, shut by an illegal blockade spanning 17 months. “After the long period of denied access, the agreement contemplates immediate right to possession of the property with a joint inspection coordinated by the Ministry of Labor this Thursday, so that the mine can restart operations in a safe and sustainable manner”.  
  • Gatos Silver Inc. released its production report for the second quarter of 2021, which constitute a record for the company. A total of 240 K tonnes were mined, 230.6 K tonnes were milled at a daily rate of 2,535 tonnes, with an average grade of 322 gpt Ag, 0.35 gpt Au, 2.51% Pb, 4.41% Zn, with recoveries of 89% Ag, 63% Au, 90% Pb, 75% Zn, to produce 2.1 M Oz Ag, 1.5 K Oz Au, 11.2 M lb Pb, 14.5 M Lb Zn in Pb and Zn concentrates.
  • Endeavour Silver Corp. reported production results for the second quarter 2021. During the period 1.07 M Oz Ag, 11,166 Oz Au were produced. The El Cubo mine in Guanajuato was sold to Guanajuato Silver Corp..
  • Torex Gold Resources Inc. released production results for Q2 2021. At its El Limón-Guajes mine in Guerrero, a total of 118,050 Oz Au was produced, with an average plant throughput of 11,980 tpd, average underground ore mined of 1,420 tpd and an average open pit ore mined of 12,430 tpd.

ON FINANCING

  • Gold 79 Mines Ltd. commenced trading on the OTCQB Venture Market in the United States, operated by the OTC Markets Group Inc., under the stock symbol AUSVF (Taviche , Oaxaca).
  • Minaurum Gold Inc. closed a previously announced bought deal public offering, for gross proceeds of C$9.2 M. Due to the demand, the offering was upsized from the original gross proceeds of C$7 M. The offering included an investment from Crescat Capital (Alamos Silver, Sonora).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Southern Silver Exploration Corp. released drilling results that extend mineralization at the South Skarn and La Bocona areas at its Cerro Las Minitas project in Durango. True width core intervals comprise 1.8 m @ 161 gpt Ag, 0.1 gpt Au, 4.9% Pb, 3.0% Zn (including 0.4 m @ 422 gpt Ag, 0.4 gpt Au, 13.2% Pb, 9.1% Zn); 2.6 m @ 159 gpt Ag, 0.1 gpt Au, 2.4% Pb, 3.5% Zn; 14.0 m @ 162 gpt Ag, 0.2 gpt Au, 1.4% Pb, 0.5% Zn; 1.1 m @ 227 gpt Ag, 0.1 gpt Au, 3.7% Pb, 1.9% Zn. As of May 2019, the indicated resources stood at 37.5 M Oz Ag, 40 M Lb Cu, 303 M Lb Pb, 897 M Lb Zn; and inferred resources at 45.7 M Oz Ag, 76 M Lb Cu, 253 M Lb Pb, 796 M Lb Zn.
  • GR Silver Mining Ltd. reported results from the final drill holes to be incorporated in to the incoming resource estimation on the Plomosas mine area of the Plomosas project in Sinaloa. True width highlighted intervals comprise 29.5 m @ 1.13 gpt Au, 0.1% Zn (including 9.1 m @ 2.12 gpt Au, 0.1% Pb, 0.1% Zn); 6.4 m @ 0.81 gpt Au, 0.1% Zn; 3.6 m @ 163 gpt Ag, 0.05 gpt Au, 6.4% Pb, 3.7% Zn, 0.2% Cu; 6.1 m @ 120 gpt Ag, 0.48 gpt Au, 2.8% Pb, 0.7% Zn, 0.1% Cu; 0.9 m @ 5.24 gpt Au, 0.2% Pb, 0.2% Zn; 11.8 m @ 328 gpt Ag, 0.19 gpt Au, 0.5% Pb, 1.2% Zn; 1.0 m @ 680 gpt Ag, 0.04 gpt Au, 0.6% Pb, 2.4% Zn; 4.9 m @ 143 gpt Ag, 1.2% Pb, 4.3% Zn.
  • Capitan Mining Inc. reported results for four reverse circulation drill holes from the Capitan deposit at its Peñoles project in Durango. Highlighted intervals comprise 56.4 m @ 0.58 gpt Au, 14 gpt Ag (including 10.7 m @ 0.99 gpt Au, 16 gpt Ag); 38.1 m @ 0.26 gpt Au; 6.1 m @ 0.28 gpt Au, 5 gpt Ag; 187.5 m @ 0.23 gpt Au, 1 gpt Ag (including 29.0 m @ 0.51 gpt Au, 3 gpt Ag); 10.7 m @ 0.25 gpt Au, 4 gpt Ag; 41.1 m @ 0.24 gpt Au, 5 gpt Ag. Capitan Mining expects to complete a 6,000 m reverse circulation program during the summer whilst continuing exploration work on additional targets.
  • Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd. provided drilling results from El Pinguico, Guanajuato. Highlighted core length results comprise 1.65 m @ 2.45 gpt Au, 125 gpt Ag; 7.95 m @ 1.35 gpt Au, 39 gpt Ag (including 0.75 m @ 8.81 gpt Au, 208 gpt Ag); 8.10 m @ 1.00 gpt Au, 93 gpt Ag (including 0.90 m @ 5.96 gpt Au, 476 gpt Ag). GS Silver is planning a 3,800 m 18-hole strong drill program, with the aim of estimating resources.
  • Fabled Silver Gold Corp. announced results from underground drilling at the Santa Maria property in Chihuahua. Results comprise 9.90 m @ 0.08 gpt Au, 17 gpt Ag, minor (<0.1%) Pb-Zn-Cu; 1.20 m @ 0.08 gpt Au, 13 gpt Ag, minor Pb-Zn-Cu; 18.0 m @ 0.24 gpt Au, 20 gpt Ag, minor Pb-Zn-Cu; 2.40 m @ 0.06 gpt Au, 36 gpt Ag, minor Pb-Zn-Cu; 0.80 m @ 0.24 gpt Au, 302 gpt Ag, 0.1% Pb, 0.25% Zn; 6.30 m @ 0.04 gpt Au, 17 gpt Ag, minor Pb-Zn-Cu.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Excellon Resources Inc. informed on the legal action regarding the Antigua concession within its Evolution project in Durango. A subsidiary of Excellon, San Pedro Resources SA de CV has been mandated in court to pay US$23 M in damages for not having in operation the Miguel Auza mine. “Excellon understands from an initial electronic notice that San Pedro’s appeal of this decision to the federal courts of Mexico was dismissed on July 1, 2021, despite the decision not being supported by the evidence, facts or law”.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Fresnillo PLC informed on the re-activation of sports programs in Coahuila.
  • Minera Autlán supports an environmental project in Hidalgo.
  • Fresnillo PLC backs the environment in Durango, aiding the El Porvenir sustainable forest.
  • Newmont Peñasquito installed a solar powered pumping system at El Nuevo Vergel, Zacatecas.

On the image below:  Structure in andesitic rocks exposed on a road cut in Sonora. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Third Week of April, 2021

/ Gambusino Prospector / Leave a comment

By Jorge Cirett

During the 15th week of the year (April 12th to April 18th, 2021), as a sign of the strong current activity, at least 43 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. To note, ten companies posted exploration advances on their properties, seven presented mining related news, six posted on financing or share options (including C$2.35 M, $3 M, C$14.1 M, C$5.6 M and $25 M), eight more on project development or resource definition and three posted on corporate issues. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Francisco Quiroga, the ex-secretary of Mining has been appointed ambassador in Germany. The Sonora Mining Cluster has two new female counselors. Napoleon Gomez Urrutia and its SNTMMS Union have been condemned to pay US$54 M to some of its affiliates. A new Coordination has been created in the Economy Secretariat to promote mining. The CTM Union opposes the outsourcing reform that would decrease the participation of workers in the profits of mining companies. ON EXPLORATION, In Sonora, Silver Spruce signed a LOI on the Diamante 1 and Diamante 2 projects; Ridgestone announced its exploration plan for the Rebeico property; Tocvan Ventures commenced phase II RC drilling at Pilar; Carlyle Commodities released good drilling results from Cecilia; Orogen informed its Lola and Sarape properties are being drilled by partners; Canuc Resources released information on the first drill hole on the present campaign at its San Javier Au-Ag project. In Chihuahua, Monarca Minerals signed a surface access agreement for its San Jose project; Kootenay Silver updated on drilling of its Columba project. In Sinaloa, Viszla Silver released drilling results from the Napoleon zone at its Panuco project. In San Luis Potosi and Zacatecas Advance Gold released results from auger sampling at several salars. ON MINING, Magna Gold, Fortuna Silver Mines, Sierra Metals, Excellon and First Majestic Silver released Q1 2021 production results. Consolidated Zinc announced the commencement of concentrate production from the recently refurbished plant at Plomosas in Chihuahua. ON FINANCING, Colibri Resources, Sonoro Gold, Santacruz Silver Mining, Heliostar Metals and Candelaria Mining released news on financing (with C$2.35 M, $3 M; $14.1 M, C$4 M and up to $25 M respectively). Defiance Silver completed its uplisting to the OTCQX Best Market ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Equinox Gold commenced the development of the Bermejal underground mine in Guerrero. Xali Gold submitted permit applications for the Mexico Mines Tailings project in El Oro, Estado de Mexico. Gatos Silver presented good drilling results from both extensions of the Cerro Los Gatos deposit in Chihuahua. Fabled Silver Gold released results from drilling at Santa Maria, Chihuahua. SilverCrest Metals released high-grade drilling results from several veins at Las Chispas, Sonora. Almaden Minerals is conducting an induced polarization survey at the Ixtaca deposit in Puebla. GoGold Resources released drilling results from El Favor zone at its Los Ricos North project in Jalisco. Golden Tag Resources released results from drilling at its San Diego property in Durango.   ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, VanGold Mining closed with Endeavour Silver the acquisition of the El Cubo mine and mill complex in Guanajuato. Silver Spruce Resources signed a LOI with Colibri Resource on the Diamante 1 and Diamante 2 properties in Sonora. Empress Royalty executed a $5 M Silver Stream agreement with Telson Mining. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, no relevant news.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • Francisco Quiroga Fernández, Mining ex-subsecretary was appointed ambassador of Mexico in Germany. Rare in the present administration, he’s a competent professional with experience in the private industry, and more than capable to develop and strengthen political and economic ties between the two countries.  
  • The Sonora Mining Cluster named Silvia Álvarez and Maria López Rosas as new counselors to the organism.
  • The Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores Mineros, Metalúrgicos y Similares de La República Mexicana (a strong Mining Union) and its leader Napoleón Gómez Urrutia have lost a legal law suit and have been condemned by the Junta Federal de Conciliación y Arbitraje to pay US$54 M. The Union received these funds from the sale of the Cananea mine 15 years ago, and was supposed to deliver that money to the at the time workers of the company in charge. The union failed to deliver the funds to the miners.
  • The Mexican president ordered by decree the creation of the Coordination of Extractive Activities on the Economy Secretariat. Said unit is to coordinate the mining activities of the State and actions to promote national and foreign investments in mining, among other activities.
  • The CTM Union (Confederación de Trabajadores de México) opposes the reform on outsourcing that would lower the amount the miners receive as participation on the company’s annual profits.  

ON EXPLORATION

  • Silver Spruce Resources Inc. signed a letter of intention (LOI) on two properties in Sonora, Diamante 1 and Diamante 2 covering 1,057 hectares. Historical assays from samples in the Diamante 1 and Diamante 2 properties, which display epithermal intermediate sulfidation mineralization have returned up to 39.8 gpt Au, 3,460 gpt Ag, 7.3% Pb, 5.6% Zn. Diamante 1 has already six main targets, including the La Prieta-El Aguaje vein system, which runs for 2,000 m averaging 1 m in width. At Diamante 2 The Calton area displays two vein 900 m and 1,100 m in length, ranging from 0.30 m to 1.70 m in width. The El Cumbro-Mezquite Raizudo veins follow a structural trend 900 m long, displaying an average width of 1 meter.
  • Advance Gold Corp. released results from auger drilling sampling at all the salars it recently acquired in Zacatecas and San Luis Potosí. The 0.5 m to 1 m of depth samples returned highlighted results of up to 650 ppm boron (B), 1.91% Potassium (K) and 620 ppm Lithium (Li). The average grade of the samples was 247 ppm B, 1.17% K and 215 ppm Li.
  • Monarca Minerals Inc. executed and ratified by a Notary Public the surface access agreement with both the Ejido and Colonia on its San Jose silver project in Chihuahua. The company is now to apply for the environmental permit that will allow it to conduct its planned 5,000 m drilling campaign.
  • Ridgestone Mining Inc. announced an exploration plan for its 3,459 hectares Rebeico project in Sonora. The current phase will comprise geologic mapping, sampling and prospecting, with focus on the New Year zone, the Santa Elena outcrop and El Cobre mine.
  • Tocvan Ventures Corp. announced the start of phase II of its drilling program at the Pilar project in Sonora. The two-stage 4,000 m reverse circulation (RC) drill program will focus first on the “definition and expansion of the Main Zone, which during Phase I returned 94.6-meters at 1.6 g/t Au including 9.2m at 10.8 g/t Au and 38 g/t Ag”, and then to test the new targets across the property.
  • Kootenay Silver Inc. reported it has completed 12 core drill holes totalling 1,800 m as part of its 5,000 m campaign at its Columba project in Chihuahua. Kootenay has tested the F vein and is now testing an area east of the J-Z zone.
  • Carlyle Commodities Corp. released the first batch of drill results from the Cecilia project in Sonora. The program consisted of seven holes, of which results have been received for five. The best intercept was 24.2 m @ 1.51 gpt Au. Other core-length highlighted intervals comprise 1.30 m @ 0.69 gpt Au; 5.95 m @ 0.20 gpt Au, 3.10 m @ 0.52 gpt Au; 9.45 m @ 0.23 gpt Au; 1.00 m @ 0.55 gpt Au; 3.45 m @ 0.35 gpt Au; 4.30 m @ 0.29 gpt Au; 6.10 m @ 0.43 gpt Au; 3.00 m @ 0.87 gpt Au. “The first drill program from Carlyle and Riverside was focused on targeting the hydrothermal system identified at two principal elevations: 2,200 m and 1,900 m, respectively corresponding to the San Jose Target and the North Breccia Target…… to test the continuity of the mineralized structures at shallow depth”.  
  • Orogen Royalties Inc. announced the commencement of drilling programs on two of its properties in Sonora. At La Lola, partner Heliostar Metals Ltd. has initiated a 1,500 m drilling program. At the 57.8 square km Sarape project, Orogen and partner Hochschild PLC commenced a planned 3,000 m program. Eight holes will be drilled on 2.5 km of the Sarape vein. “In 2019, nine holes drilled within a 380-metre-long segment of the vein defined a structural dilation zone at 100-350 metres depth (Figure 2). In this zone the vein thickens to 23.6 metres in width..…. A deeper horizon will also be drilled to identify if the grade of the vein improves with depth”.
  • Canuc Resources Corp. informed on drilling advance at its San Javier Ag-Au project in Sonora. The first hole of a planned 6,000 m program was ended at 89.5 m in a fault zone. It intersected brecciated sedimentary rocks with stockwork veining and three intervals of massive magnetite breccia. “The 20-hole program is designed to test at least 4 magnetic features that underlie areas where a 2020 mapping and rock sampling program identified silver, gold and copper mineralization. At surface, the host rocks for three of these features are found to be magnetite breccia”. The program is focused on magnetic anomalies identified by a previous survey.
  • Viszla Silver Corp. released drilling results from step out drilling at the southern extension of the Napoleon prospect at its Panuco project in Sinaloa. The Napoleon vein has been mapped for more than 2.5 km and has four rigs drilling at the time. Highlighted true width intercepts comprise 4.46 m @ 890 gpt Ag, 19.99 gpt Au, 0.7% Pb, 1.8% Zn (including 0.92 m @ 3,804 gpt Ag, 91.91 gpt Au, 1.5% Pb, 3.5% Zn); 1.92 m @ 105.9 gpt Ag, 7.28 gpt Au, 0.7% Pb, 2.9% Zn (including 1.45 m @ 131 gpt Ag, 9.39 gpt Au, 0.8% Pb, 3.1% Zn)

ON MINING

  • Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. released production results for the first quarter 2021, including figures from its Mexican operations. At San José, in Oaxaca, 259.8 K tonnes @ 217 gpt Ag, 1.36 gpt Au were milled, recovering 90.8% Ag, 90.5% Au to produce 1.65 M Oz Ag, 10,301 Oz Au.
  • Consolidated Zinc Ltd. announced the 2021 zinc concentrate “benchmark treatment charge (TC) has been agreed between the major miners and smelters at US$159.00/t of concentrate, a reduction of 47% from last year’s benchmark treatment charge of US$299.75/t”. Treatment charges in 2020 represented 33% of total operating costs (before by-product credits) being the single largest operating cost (Plomosas, Chihuahua).
  • Magna Gold Corp. informed production levels have benefited from the accelerated stripping program, resulting in month to month growth in gold production, with 3,085 ounces in January, 2,670 ounces in February and 4,030 ounces in March. Magna anticipates the mine will return to full scale commercial production by June of this year, with 2021 guidance in the range of 55,000 to 65,000 Oz Au. During the Q1 2021, 619 K tonnes were mined @ 0.34 gpt Au, with 5.2 M tonnes of waste moved (8.40 strip ratio) to produce 9,785 Oz Au, 8.1 K Oz Ag.
  • Sierra Metals Inc. reported first quarter 2021 production reports, including figures from its Mexican properties. At Bolivar, in Chihuahua, 371.6 K tonnes were processed @ 0.77% Cu, 19.7 gpt Ag, 0.19 gpt Au, recovering 82.8% Cu, 83.6% Ag, 69.6% Au, to produce 5.2 M Lb Cu, 197 K Oz Ag, 1,591 Oz Au (7.3 M Lb CuEq). At Cusi, also in Chihuahua, 76.6 K tonnes were processed @ 15.2 gpt Ag, 0.16 gpt Au, 0.22% Pb, recovering 80.9% Ag, 39.6% Au, 81.5% Pb, to produce 313 K Oz Ag, 155 Oz Au, 298 K Lb Pb (334 K AgEq Oz Ag).
  • Consolidated Zinc Ltd. announced the first concentrate from the newly refurbished plant at its Plomosas property in Chihuahua has been produced.
  • Excellon Resources Inc. released Q1 2021 production results from the Platosa mine in Durango. At the site 21,212 tonnes were mined, 21,764 tonnes were milled @ 524 gpt Ag, 5.35% Pb, 6.73% Zn, recovering 89.7% Ag, 81.8% Pb, 74.7% Zn to produce 328.7 K Oz Ag, 2.1 M Lb Pb, 2.4 M Lb Zn, or 516.7 K Oz AgEq.
  • First Majestic Silver Corp. produced during the Q1 2021 2.9 M Oz Ag, 23,873 Oz Au, or 4.5 M Oz AgEq from its three mines in Mexico: San Dimas in Durango, Santa Elena in Sonora and La Encantada in Coahuila. The company completed 39,552 m in exploration drilling during the quarter, with 10 rigs at San Dimas, seven rigs at Santa Elena and two rigs at La Encantada.

ON FINANCING

  • Colibri Resource Corp. has closed a non-brokered private placement for CAD$2.35 M in gross profits. (Evelyn, Sonora).
  • Sonoro Gold Corp. has increased its non-brokered private placement to raise an aggregate of $3 M thorough the exercise of over allotment options (Cerro Caliche, Sonora).
  • Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. closed its non-brokered private placement offering, for gross proceeds of CDN$14.1 M (Carrizales, Hidalgo).
  • Defiance Silver Corp. successfully completed an uplisting to the OTCQX Best Market (San Acacio, Zacatecas).
  • Heliostar Metals Ltd. is increasing the size of its C$4 M marketed private placement to raise up to C$5.6 M (La Lola, Sonora).
  • Candelaria Mining Corp. intends to raise up to $25 M to fund exploration activities at the Caballo Blanco district in Veracruz, and the Pinos project in Zacatecas.

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Equinox Gold Corp. is commencing development of the Bermejal underground mine at its Los Filos project in Guerrero.
  • Xali Gold Corp. submitted permit applications for the Mexico Mines Tailings project in El Oro, Estado de México. The permits are to allow both the transportation and re-processing of the tailings at a new 25 hectares plant site located 5 Km from the current location. Xali’s is to pay the El Oro municipality an 8%  net profit interest (NPI). The project has an inferred resource of 1.27 M Tonnes grading 2.94 Au g/t, 75.12 Ag g/t, containing 119,900 Oz Au and 3.06 M Oz Ag.
  • Gatos Silver Inc. reported drilling results of delineation drilling at Cerro Los Gatos in Chihuahua. The program has demonstrated continuity in both the southeast and northwest projections of the current reserve. Highlighted true width drill results include: 9.5 m @ 0.11 gpt Au, 51 gpt Ag, 2.1% Pb, 3.1% Zn; 3.4 m @ 0.12 gpt Au, 122 gpt Ag, 5.0% Pb, 9.8% Zn, 0.2% Cu; 5.4 m @ 0.25 gpt Au, 121 gpt Ag, 1.5% Pb, 2.9% Zn; 7.2 m @ 0.14 gpt Au, 106 gpt Ag, 3.5% Pb, 3.4% Zn, 0.1% Cu; 2.6 m @ 0.21 gpt Au, 327 gpt Ag, 9.2% Pb, 3.8% Zn, 0.14% Cu; 12.0 m @ 0.15 gpt Au, 44 gpt Ag, 1.1% Pb, 4.0% Zn, 0.15% Cu; 2.8 m @ 0.20 gpt Au, 111 gpt Ag, 1.6% Pb, 3.9% Zn, 1.3% Cu; 1.9 m @ 0.12 gpt Au, 132 gpt Ag, 3.2% Pb, 9.9% Zn, 0.4% Cu; 7.2 m @ 0.06 gpt Au, 25 gpt Ag, 1.0% Pb, 10.3% Zn, 0.2% Cu; 5.7 m @ 0.17 gpt Au, 152 gpt Ag, 3.0% Pb, 4.4% Zn, 0.30% Cu.
  • Fabled Silver Gold Corp. released drilling results from its Santa Maria property in Chihuahua. The last sample on the last drill hole returned 75.9 gpt Ag, with 6.4 m of similar material awaiting results. Fabled is making a reinterpretation of previous work and testing the new targets identified. The ongoing 8,000 m drill program has been increased to at least 9,200 m. “This program will be focused underground to delineate the Santa Maria Central Structure with multi underground drill stations being prepared”.
  • SilverCrest Metals Inc. released additional in-fill and expansion drill results s from the Babi Vista vein splay, Babi Vista vein, Granaditas 1 vein, Granaditas 2 vein, and adjacent hangingwall and footwall veins in the Babicanora Area of its Las Chispas Project in Sonora. The results are from 78 holes totaling 29,308 m completed since the last news release for these veins, in areas with mineral resources or in close proximity. Average results for the Babi Vista vein splay comprise 0.91 true width @ 16.12 gpt Au, 1,351 gpt Ag, with individual intercepts of up to 1.04 m @ 185.65 gpt Au, 13,959 gpt Ag. Babi Vista Footwall and Granaditas 1 average 1.04 m @ 12.89 gpt Au, 1,884 gpt Ag, with the highest intercept running 0.40 m @ 114.0 gpt Au, 78,872 gpt Ag (7.89% Ag). The Babi Vista and Granaditas 2 vein average 0.67 m @ 4.56 gpt Au, 414 gpt Ag, while the Babi Vista Hangingwall averages 0.43 m @ 2.55 gpt Au, 249 gpt Ag.
  • Almaden Minerals Ltd. is conducting an induced polarization geophysical survey at the Ixtaca deposit in Puebla. “The work is designed to help define drill targets beneath the area of hydrothermal alteration called the Southeast Alteration (SE) zone and at depth beneath the Ixtaca deposit (“Ixtaca Deeps”). It is hoped that this geophysical survey, along with past survey results, will identify potential zones of veining like those in the Ixtaca deposit. The discovery drill hole in the original Ixtaca deposit area was planned in part based on high resistivity and chargeability results obtained in an earlier IP geophysical survey”.
  • GoGold Resources Inc. released results from six diamond drill holes from El Favor area at its Los Ricos North project in Jalisco. Highlighted core-length intervals comprise 69.3 m @ 108 gpt Ag, 0.49 gpt Au (including 15.3 m @ 392 gpt Ag, 1.76 gpt Au); 9.6 m @ 112 gpt Ag, 0.39 gpt Au; 59.0 m @ 119 gpt Ag, 0.32 gpt Au (including 5.0 m @ 361 gpt Ag, 0.90 gpt Au); 2.8 m @ 110 gpt Ag, 0.16 gpt Au; 16.1 m @ 97 gpt Ag, 0.21 gpt Au; 12.0 m @ 86 gpt Ag, 0.09 gpt Au; 3.2 m @ 204 gpt Ag, 0.15 gpt Au; 7.2 m @ 135 gpt Ag, 0.76 gpt Au; 23.3 m @ 92 gpt Ag, 0.22 gpt Au; 12.9 m @ 254 gpt Ag, 0.81 gpt Au (including 8.2 m @ 392 gpt Ag, 1.25 gpt Au).
  • Golden Tag Resources Ltd. released results from the first three holes of a 4,500 m campaign at its San Diego project in Durango. A hole in the Fernandez zone returned 50.17 m @ 105 gpt AgEq; Another hole intersected 127.3 m of skarn/Fernandez style mineralization, intersecting 35.46 m @ 0.06 gpt Au, 30 gpt Ag, 0.14% Pb, 0.24% Zn, 0.01% Cu (52 gpt AgEq) and 91.84 m @ 0.07 gpt Au, 15 gpt Ag, 0.31% Pb, 0.34% Zn, 0.01% Cu (49 gpt AgEq). Other holes intercepted 1.11 m @ 0.90 gpt Au, 142 gpt Ag, 0.13% Pb, 0.21% Zn, 0.02% Cu; 3.25 m @ 0.02 gpt Au, 237 gpt Ag, 0.41% Pb, 0.82% Zn, 0.08% Cu; 1.10 m @ 0.28 gpt Au, 195 gpt Ag, 1.70% Pb, 1.92% Zn, 0.07% Cu; 2.69 m @ 0.05 gpt Au, 355 gpt Ag, 0.30 % Pb, 0.41% Zn, 0.02% Cu; 8.41 m @ 0.02 gpt Au, 24 gpt Ag, 0.61% Pb, 0.49% Zn, 0.06% Cu.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • VanGold Mining Corp. closed the acquisition of El Cubo mine and mill complex in Guanajuato with Endeavour Silver Corp..  The deal involved the payment of US$7 M in cash plus VAT and the delivery of 21.33 M shares of VanGold and a promissory note for $2.5 M a year from closing. El Cubo has 508 K tonnes grading 194 gpt Ag, 2.44 gpt Au containing 3.17 M Oz Ag, 39,860 Oz Au as indicated resources and 1.45 M tonnes @ 214 gpt Ag, 2.78 gpt Au containing 10 M Oz Ag, 129,900 Oz Au as inferred resources.
  • Silver Spruce Resources Inc. signed a letter of intention (LOI) with Colibri Resource Corp. to acquire up to 50% interest in four concessions in Sonora, comprising two properties, Diamante 1 and Diamante 2 covering 1,057 hectares. The projects are separated by 700 meters, and in close proximity to other Colibri properties. The initial cash payment by Silver Spruce is to be of $75 K (Note.- The details of the deal are lengthy and involve a third party, please take a look to the appropriate press release if interested in it).
  • Empress Royalty Corp. executed the US$5 M silver stream agreement on the Telson Mining Corp. owned Tahuehueto project in Durango. “Empress has now executed the US$5M silver stream agreement on production from Telson’s Tahuehueto project in Mexico. The US$5M Stream is on 100% of the payable silver production from Tahuehueto for the first 1,250,000 payable ounces; thereafter, the percentage will stepdown to 20% of the payable silver production to a maximum of 10 years from first production after which the Stream terminates”.

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 image below:  Disseminated and vein constrained sulfides in a porphyritic intrusive rock in split diamond core from Cerro San Pedro in San Luis Potosi. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the First Week of April, 2021

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By Jorge Cirett

During the 13th week of the year (March 29th to April 4th, 2021), at least 38 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. To note, five companies posted exploration advances on their properties, three presented mining related news, six posted on financing or share options (including C$2.2 M, C$2 M, C$10.8 M and C$82.5 M), ten more on project development or resource definition and three posted on corporate issues. ON MEXICO ISSUES, listed mining companies in Mexico paid US$1.29 B in taxes during 2020. Americas Silver and the Mexican government are in talks to solve the company’s union issues after the president of Mexico threatened with concession cancellation. Fortuna Silver denied environmental damage by its mining unit in Oaxaca. ON EXPLORATION, In Sonora, Heliostar Metals released drilling results from La Lola. In Sinaloa, Vizsla Silver released drilling results from Panuco; Brigadier Gold continues drilling at Picachos. In Durango, Silver Wolf released grab sample results from its Ana Maria project; Commander Resources reported results from a soil survey at the Pedro project.  ON MINING, McEwen Mining negotiated the end of an illegal blockade at El Gallo in Sinaloa. Prime Mining reported financial results for its Q3, 2021. Mag Silver released financial results for 2020. ON FINANCING, Colibri Resource, Sonoro Gold, Telson Mining and Equinox Gold released news on financing (C$2.2 M, C$2 M; $10.8 M and C$82.5 M respectively. Torex Gold announced the early repayment of $40 M. Reyna Silver is to issue $699.3 K in shares to consultors and advisors. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Fortuna Silver released results from step out drilling at its San José mine in Oaxaca. Argonaut Gold released consolidated mineral resources estimates of more than 11.5 M Oz Au, 174.9 M Oz Ag on its properties. SilverCrest Metals updated on construction and exploration activities. Southern Silver reported high-grade drill intercepts at Cerro Las Minitas, Durango. Torex Gold presented a resource estimate of 5 M Oz Au for Los Filos in Guerrero. Ridgestone Mining updated on work at Guadalupe y Calvo (Chihuahua) and Rebeico (Sonora). Minera Alamos selected mining contractor for its Santana project in Sonora. GoGold Resources released results from drilling at Los Ricos North in Jalisco. First Majestic updated mineral resources for its mines and projects, for 340 M Oz Ag, 3.2 M Oz Au. Fabled Silver informed on drilling at Santa Maria, Chihuahua.  ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, GR Silver Mining completed the acquisition of Marlin Gold Mining and its land holdings in Sinaloa. Silver Bull informed it has won a definitive decision on a lawsuit related to an illegal blockade at its Sierra Mojada project in Coahuila. Argonaut Gold announced the cancellation of the agreement to sell the Ana Paula project in Guerrero. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Fresnillo PLC informed on cultural activities aimed at helping local communities and improving the environment.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • Listed mining companies in Mexico paid US$1.13 B ($1,1293 M in Mexican notation) in taxes on profits, or 9.2% on total earnings, in 2020. This amount is 44.6% higher year on year, influenced by the raise in precious metals. All companies in mining paid US$9.9 B (US$9,888 million in Mexican notation) in 2020 and provided work to 9,600 suppliers.  
  • Americas Gold and Silver director and high-level government executives met to try to find a solution to the union conflict affecting the company at its Cosalá operations in Sinaloa. Last week the president of Mexico threatened with legal action to invalidate the company’s mining concession (there is no legal basis to revoke the concession).
  • Minera Cuzcatlán (Fortuna Silver) informed there is no environmental damage produced by a spill of tailings during a storm in 2018 at its San José mine in Oaxaca.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Heliostar Metals Ltd. released results from the first two holes ever drilled at the 6,360 hectare La Lola project in Sonora. The company is testing the main La Barra quartz-calcite-fluorite vein, which is up to 40 meters in width and runs for 5 kilometers and shows textures typical of shallow low sulfidation epithermal systems. A massive to crystalline quartz-calcite-fluorite subparallel vein to La Barra vein returned a core length interval of 2.5 m @ 0.01 gpt Au, 92 gpt Ag.
  • Silver Wolf Exploration Ltd. released results from surface grab samples from its 2,549 ha Ana Maria project in Durango. Initial work includes ASTER image analysis followed by a drone Lidar and hyperspectral data acquisition and analysis. Results from the 22 grab samples include up to 0.96 gpt Au, 12 gpt Ag, 3,770 ppm Cu, 1,440 ppm Pb, 278 ppm Zn, 50% Fe, 4.5% Ba, 2,450 ppm W. CRD mineralization is the target in a sedimentary package affected by an intrusive igneous stock.
  • Commander Resources Ltd. reported results from a soil survey program at its 1,750 ha Pedro project in Durango. The epithermal gold target is 4 km long by 1 km in width, as defined by gold and arsenic in soils, rocks and IP geophysics. “Outcrop exposure comprises prominent hematite-stained silica-rich ridges of angular chalcedony fragments and silicified sedimentary rocks within an angular course breccia. The mineralization extends beneath post-mineral volcanic rocks, colluvium … and alluvium”.
  • Vizsla Silver Corp. released results from 16 holes on the Tajitos zone of the Panuco project in Sinaloa. These holes expand the length of Tajitos to over 525 m, while nine other completed holes are awaiting results. Highlighted true width intervals comprise 2.5 m @ 1,586 gpt Ag, 7.72 gpt Au; 4.48 m 351 gpt Ag, 4.52 gpt Au; 7.94 m @ 387 gpt Ag, 2.25 gpt Au (including 1.44 m @ 1,365 gpt Ag, 8.35 gpt Au).
  • Brigadier Gold Ltd. continues drilling at its Picachos property in Sinaloa. To date 4,538 m of the planned 5,000 m on phase-1 diamond drilling program has been completed in 43 holes that mainly targeted the more than 7 km long Colcomeca vein system. “Several stages of mineralization are apparent from inspection of the drill core: (i) pervasive silicification with disseminated sulfide that is oxidized to hematite, (ii) crustiform quartz veining with sulfides, and (iii) cockade breccias in the central part of the structure. These breccias consist of angular rock fragments that are altered to a soft black mica on fragment margins”.

ON MINING

  • McEwen Mining Inc. informed activities at El Gallo project in Sinaloa have been restored after the illegal blockade. A new 10-year agreement was reached providing additional support to the communities and greater long-term certainty for El Gallo operation.
  • Prime Mining Corp. reported its operating and financial results for third quarter of fiscal year 2021, ended on January 2021. In January Prime paid Vista Gold Corp. US$1.1 M in accordance with terms on the Los Reyes project (Sinaloa) agreement; a final payment of $1 M is due in July 2021. Before the end of the quarter 1,053 m of drilling were completed in 5 holes. Two more drill rigs have been mobilized to the project for expansion of known in-pit resources along strike and dip, and infill drill areas to increase measured and indicated resources and target other structures for resource expansion and discovery.
  • Mag Silver Corp. released its audited consolidated financial results for 2020. Processing at the nearby Fresnillo mine plant of mineralized material from development headings began in August, with 71,859 tonnes milled @ 328 gpt Ag, producing 616.3 K Oz Ag, 1,029 Oz Au, 163 tonnes Pb, 224 tonnes Zn, netting $11.46 M as gross profit. Construction of the 4,000 tpd Juanicipio plant continues and the underground development now exceeds 35 km. The plant is now expected to commence commissioning in Q4-2021 and to reach 90-95% capacity in 2022. By the end of the period the company had cash and cash equivalents of $94 M.

ON FINANCING

  • Colibri Resource Corp. is to conduct a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of up to CAD$2.2 M. (Evelyn, Sonora).
  • Sonoro Gold Corp. will undertake a non-brokered private placement offering to raise up to C$2 M (Cerro Caliche, Sonora).
  • Telson Mining Corp. closed the non-brokered private placement announced in February, for aggregate gross proceeds of $10.08 M (Tahuehueto, Durango).
  • Equinox Gold Corp. announced that in response to a request from Solaris Resources Inc. the company has agreed to sell 10 M shares of Solaris for gross proceeds of C$82.5 M (Los Filos, Guerrero).
  • Torex Gold Resources Inc. announced the early repayment of the $40 M of debt in relation to the 2019 Debt Facility and is now debt free other than approximately $5 M of finance leases. Torex has signed a Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement in connection with a two-year senior secured $150 M revolving debt facility (Limón Guajes, Guerrero).
  • Reyna Silver Corp. will make an application to the TSX Venture Exchange for issuing $699.3 K in common shares as compensation to technical consultors and advisors advancing the portfolio properties of Reyna Silver (Guigui, Chihuahua).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Fortuna Silver Mines Ltd. released results from step-out drilling at the San Jose mine in Oaxaca. The 4,670 m program in 22 holes established continuity of high-grade mineralization in the upper levels of the La Trinidad footwall structures. Highlighted true width intercepts comprise 4.1 m @ 699 gpt Ag, 3.57 gpt Au; 5.4 m @ 1,931 gpt Ag, 6.76 gpt Au; 9.5 m @ 306 gpt Ag, 1.38 gpt Au; 3.4 m @ 760 gpt Ag, 3.24 gpt Au; 8.4 m @ 967 gpt Ag, 4.25 gpt Au; 1.4 m @ 809 gpt Ag, 2.78 gpt Au; 14.9 m @ 473 gpt Ag, 1.25 gpt Au. “The Brownfields exploration program budget for 2021 at the San Jose Mine is US$10.9 million, which includes 33,800 meters of diamond drilling and 1,770 meters of underground development for drilling access, platforms, and services”.
  • Argonaut Gold Inc. released a new mineral resource estimate to the end of 2020, including figures for its projects in Mexico. The table below includes figures for El Castillo and San Agustin in Durango, La Colorada in Sonora, Ana Paula in Guerrero and San Antonio in Baja California Sur.    
  • SilverCrest Metals Inc. released financial results for 2020 and updated on construction and exploration activities. At Las Chispas, in Sonora, 173,000 m of in-fill and expansion drilling and 6.1 km of underground development and in-vein drifting were completed in 2020. At the end of the year SilverCrest entered into a $76.5 M construction contract for a 1,250 tonnes per day process plant at Las Chispas. In February 2021 a feasibility study (FS) was completed, at an estimated cost of $137.7 M; also in February the company completed a bought deal offering for gross proceeds of $138.1 M. The Picacho property, 40 km from Las Chispas, was acquired in mid 2020, and 5,800 m were drilled before the end of the period. For 2021, 356,000 m of drilling are planned, mostly at Las Chispas; currently there are six core rigs at Las Chispas and three at Picacho, with 22,000 m and 10,000 m already drilled during 2021 respectively. At the end of 2020 the company held $135.1 M as cash and cash equivalents.
  • Southern Silver Exploration Corp. reported high-grade Cu-Au-Ag intercepts at its Cerro Las Minitas project in Durango. At Mina La Bocona target, highlighted true-width intervals comprise: 6.3 m @ 134 gpt Ag, 0.5 gpt Au, 2.3% Cu (including 1.1 m @ 567 gpt Ag, 2.3 gpt Au, 11.2% Cu in the Bocona Chimney, and 3.8 m @ 217 gpt Ag, 0.3 gpt Au, 3.3% Pb, 0.7% Zn in the Muralla Chimney.
  • Torex gold Resources Inc. reported that in 2020 total reserves for El Limón Guajes complex in Guerrero declined 15% due to depletion. The table below shows total reserves and resources to the end of 2020.
  • Ridgestone Mining Inc. provided an update on activities at its Rebeico and Guadalupe y Calvo projects. At Guadalupe y Calvo in Chihuahua, Ridgestone is working to review all the historical data in the project, which includes over 78,000 m of drilling since the early 2000’s. “The Company anticipates a phased exploration drill program which will serve to confirm the continuity within the historical resource area, in addition to targeting a significant expansion of known mineralization”. At Rebeico, in Sonora, “The Company is currently recompiling and reinterpreting the results from prior exploration campaigns and anticipates providing an update in the near-term”.
  • Minera Alamos Inc. selected TRIGUSA as mining contractor for its Santa mine in Sonora. “Trigusa’s mining experience includes open pit mining, crushing, tailings dam construction and heap leach pads and ponds at projects in multiple states including Sonora”. The major construction activities related to the gold recovery (carbon) plant are now complete and the initial heap leach pad area has also been completed.
  • GoGold Resources Inc. released the results from 7 drill holes from El Orito area at its Los Ricos North project in Jalisco. Highlighted core length intercepts comprise 25.9 m @ 9 gpt Ag, 0.25%Pb, 0.85% Zn; 20.0 m @ 10 gpt Ag, 0.27% Pb, 1.08% Zn; 28.2 m @ 45 gpt Ag, 0.10 gpt Au, 0.58% Pb, 1.26% Zn; 11.4 m @ 27 gpt Ag, 0.24% Cu, 2.04% Pb, 5.20% Zn; 48.6 m @ 35 gpt Ag, 0.19% Cu, 1.24% Pb, 2.36% Zn (including 6.4 m @ 139 gpt Ag, 0.17 gpt Au, 0.82% Cu, 3.76% Pb, 6.70% Zn); 31.4 m @ 44 gpt Ag, 0.10 gpt Au, 0.13% Cu, 0.89% Pb, 0.86% Zn; 31.4 m @ 35 gpt Ag, 0.20 gpt Au, 0.14% Cu, 0.36% Pb, 0.28% Zn. “The El Orito deposit is unique in the Los Ricos district as it is the deeper part of the system where silver and base metals are present, while the other targets in the system to date have shown only silver and gold”.
  • First Majestic Silver Corp. filed updated technical reports for its three operating mines: San Dimas in Sinaloa, Santa Elena in Sonora and La Encantada in Coahuila. Below is a table that also includes the resources for San Martín in Jalisco, La Parrilla in Durango, Del Toro in Zacatecas and La Guitarra in Estado de Mexico.
  • Fabled Silver Gold Corp. informed on the currently ongoing  8,000 m drilling program at its Santa Maria project in Chihuahua. “We are heading into areas never explored before, with new ideas to test our structure-on-structure theory over the Property. Hole SM20-07 intercepted two broad zones of northwest trending, never seen before, semi-massive marcasite, (pyrite) in hornfels, and to the east 225 meters, we tried to cross the major C1 regional north – south fault in the center of the Property.”

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • GR Silver Mining Ltd. completed the acquisition of Marlin Gold Mining Ltd., which owns La Trinidad mine in Sinaloa and 12 concessions totaling 107,392 ha adjacent to GR Silver’s existing portfolio of properties. The properties come with a database that includes 700 stream sediment samples, 500 rock samples and over 9,000 soil samples. A total of 40,500 m of diamond, RC and sonic drilling were completed by previous operators. GR Silver will pay CDN$50 K to Mako, and “Oro Gold will grant Mako a 1% net smelter return (“NSR”) royalty on the concessions owned by Oro Gold. GR Silver Mining and/or Oro Gold will be granted the right to purchase the NSR at any time upon making a one-time payment of US$2,000,000. Mako shall be responsible for and shall pay all costs related to the Closure Plan Activities at La Trinidad….”.
  • Silver Bull Resources Inc. announced “it has won a definitive and conclusive decision in its favor in a lawsuit filed by a local mining co-operative called Minera Norteños in relation to the Sierra Mojada project” (Coahuila). “Despite the fact that the Company has at all times proceeded in accordance with the law, the Sierra Mojada project remains under an illegal blockade manned by a small group of radical members from within Minera Norteños. We believe their actions do not represent the view of the vast majority of the Minera Norteños members and wider local community, and we are working with authorities to resolve the situation in a safe, fair, and timely manner. We remain committed to good faith dialogue with selected members from Minera Norteños to find a solution….”
  • Argonaut Gold Inc. informed that the previously announced definitive agreement to sell its Ana Paula project in Guerrero expired in March 31, 2021. “The acquiring company did not fulfill its obligations in relation to financing and receipt of certain regulatory and other approvals”.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Fresnillo PLC informed on cultural activities aimed at helping local communities and improving the environment.

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:  Boiling texture in a quartz vein from a project in Sonora. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

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

/ gambusinoprospectormexico / Leave a comment

Hydrothermal breccia

By Miguel A Heredia

During the thirty three week of the year (August 24th to August 30th, 2020), at least 39 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico, with eleven commenting on Mexican issues, ten disclosing deals and corporate issues, six informing on exploration results, five announcing financial rounds, four reporting on resources and developments of their mine operations, two communicating production and financial results, and one discussing social issues. ON MEXICO ISSUES, AMLO stated in one of its morning press conferences that the Mining Fund will be re-activated and re-organized. The Undersecretary of Mining, The Mexican Mining Chamber (CAMIMEX) demanded that the Mining Fund go back to communities. Francisco Quiroga spoke about the role that the mining industry plays in Mexico. Mexico Mining sector captures USD $873M of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Fernando Alanis, President of the Mexican Mining Chamber (CAMIMEX), declared that the investment in mining exploration in Mexico could fall to its lowest level in 14 years. The Undersecretary of Mining, Francisco Quiroga, informed that in Mexico, mining is promoted without environmental disasters or social conflicts. Coeur Mining Inc, a US mining company, claimed MXP $1,000M (over USD $46M) to the government of Mexico.  Jorge Mátar Vargas, a businessman from Morelos, said that the investment of the Esperanza Silver mining project would reactivate the economy of Morelos, given the crisis it faces due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Napoleón Gómez Urrutia, senator and leader of one of the Mexican mining union tweeted that he won a labor lawsuit against Grupo Peñoles. Sergio Almazán is the new President of the Association of Metallurgical, Mining and Geologist Engineers of Mexico A.C (AIMMGM). Francisco Quiroga, Undersecretary of Mining of Mexico, declared that the recovery of the prices of the main minerals produced in Mexico will reinforce mining investment projects in the country. ON EXPLORATION, In Sonora, Tocvan released results from the structural analysis carried out at its El Pilar project, Silver Viper reported results from ten drill holes collared at its El Rubi project, and Tarachi announced the beginning of a 5,000m drilling program at its Tarachi Gold project. In Sinaloa, Vizsla released drill results from its Panuco project. In Durango, Mithril released drilling results from its Copalquin project. ON MINING, Impact reported Q2, 2020 production and financial results from its Zacualpan mining district in the State of Mexico. Santacruz reported the filing of a NI43-101 technical report for its Zimapan mine in Hidalgo.  ON FINANCING, Redstar completed a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of CAD $7M (Heliodor properties, Mexico). Kootenay closed its previously announced private placement for gross proceeds of $7M (Columba project, Chihuahua). Capitan Mining closed a private placement for gross proceeds of $3,840,855 (Peñoles project, Durango). VVC announced a non-brokered private placement to raise gross proceeds of up to CAD $3.3M (Kaity Copper project, Chihuahua).  Gold Resource declared its August monthly dividend to shareholders (Arista mine, Oaxaca). ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Mexus provided an update on progress at its Santa Elena mine in Sonora.  Silver Dollar reported phase 3 drilling results not previously reported by SilverCrest from its la Joya project in Durango. GoGold announced the filing of a NI43-101 technical report on the initial mineral resource estimate for their Los Ricos South project in Jalisco. Santacruz reported the filing of a NI43-101 technical report for its Zimapan mine in Hidalgo. Golden Minerals released results from its resource definition drill program at its Rodeo project in Durango.  ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Redstar announced the acquisition of Heliodor Metals Limited and appointed its new CEO. Orla appointed its Senior VP Exploration (Camino Rojo project, Zacatecas). Sonoro announced that its board of directors approved the change of the company´s name to Sonoro Gold Corp (Cerro Caliche project, Sonora). Azure presented results from its annual general meeting of shareholders (Mesa de Plata project, Sonora).   Newmont announced the replacement of the General Manager of the Peñasquito mine, Zacatecas.  Silver Spruce granted stock options to its CFO (El Mezquite project, Sonora). SilverCrest acquired El Picacho property near its Chispas project in Sonora. Orogen (former Evrim) optioned the Sarape Au property in Sonora to Minera Hochschild SA de CV, a subsidiary of Hochschild Mining PLC. Comet executed a share purchase a JV agreement with El Alamo Resource to acquire 100% interest in the Santa Teresa project in Baja California. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Fresnillo plc trains its staff on COVID-19.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), President of Mexico, stated in one of its morning press conferences held in Zacatecas that the Mining Fund will be re-activated and re-organized. He cited that, in the case of the Mining Fund, the resources reached the governments municipalities, but not to the communities.
  • The Mexican Mining Chamber (CAMIMEX), demanded that the Mining Fund go back to communities. Mexico imposed a 7.5% royalty in 2014, plus a special mining tax of 0.5% on gold and silver operations. Most of the proceeds go to social infrastructure projects in mining communities, distributed through the Mining Fund. However, under a reorganization announced by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the funds were redirected to a federal budget for schools. Although AMLO has said that the previous system recorded corruption cases and sometimes the cash for projects did not arrive, some industry experts consider that the Mining Fund is a critical tool for mines and projects to win and maintain support of the communities.
  • The Undersecretary of Mining, Francisco Quiroga, spoke about the role that the mining industry plays in Mexico. He said that mining, which is carried out generally in remote locations with difficult access, is a great generator of foreign exchange, as it is mainly an exporter in the case of Mexico, where it contributes more than 4% of GDP. He also emphasized that only small and medium-sized mines require investments of between USD $350-500M, and that medium-scale mines generate 1,000 to 2,000 direct jobs and around 5,000 – 10,000 indirect jobs.
  • Mexico Mining sector, captures USD $873M of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the first half of 2020, a year-on-year decline of 18.6%, according to statistics from the Ministry of the Economy. About 25% of the Mexican territory has been explored in detail, so there is a great opportunity for the development of new projects. Mexico places 12 to 19 minerals year after year within the top 10 production places globally. Development risk in mining is concentrated in the exploration stages and decreases as the operation stage progresses.
  • Fernando Alanis, President of the Mexican Mining Chamber (CAMIMEX), declared that the investment in mining exploration in Mexico could fall to its lowest level in 14 years, although the drop would be even greater given that it does not consider the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that in recent years exploration activities in the country have suffered a strong fall due to the uncertainty of investors. “Mexico has lost attractiveness as a mining investment destination… that is a fact”. “We have seen a very important reduction of more than 150 exploration companies that are no longer in Mexico and that is worrying.”
  • The Undersecretary of Mining, Francisco Quiroga, informed that in Mexico, the mining sector has to do it environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive, with zero fatalities, no environmental disasters or generating social conflicts. He also informed that active mining concessions represent only four million hectares, that is, a little more than 2% of the national territory and after conducting a review, total concessions decreased from 25 thousand to 21 thousand, which represented a reduction from 21 million to 16 million hectares.
  • Coeur Mining Inc , a US mining company, claimed MXP $1,000M (over USD $46M) to the government of Mexico. Coeur, the fifth silver producer in Mexico, seeks to obtain this compensation from the federal government because the Mexican Tax Administration (SAT) did not refund the VAT. This is the second case that is presented so far in 2020. The first was the notice of the Canadian company First Majestic Silver Corp to the Mexican government, also due to an action by the SAT. On May 13, in its notification, it communicated that the claim amounts to USD $500M, in addition to the interest generated, expenses and costs applicable in the arbitration procedure.
  • Jorge Mátar Vargas, a businessman from Morelos, said that the investment of the Esperanza Silver mining project would reactivate the economy of Morelos, given the crisis it faces due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also argued that with the Esperanza Silver mining project, state economic activity would be detonated. It would help reduce the deficit of jobs in the state and rescue small entrepreneurs. This project represents a millionaire private investment for the entity, with the capacity to generate hundreds of direct and indirect jobs and is a potential to strengthen the local economy.
  • Napoleón Gómez Urrutia, senator and leader of one of the Mexican mining union tweeted (by the way, a very strange tweet), that he won a labor lawsuit against Grupo Peñoles for unjustified dismissal, for which the company must pay him MXP $1M of lost wages and benefits for 12 years and 8 months that he worked for Minera Mexicana La Ciénega.
  • Sergio Almazán is the new President of the Association of Metallurgical, Mining and Geologist Engineers of Mexico A.C (AIMMGM) for the biennium 2020-2022.
  • Francisco Quiroga, Undersecretary of Mining of Mexico, declared that the recovery of the prices of the main minerals produced in Mexico will reinforce mining investment projects in the country and will allow mining to be part of the competitive advantage for other industries in the country such as manufacturing.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Tocvan Ventures Corp., JV partner of Colibri Resource Corporation, released results from the structural analysis carried out at its El Pilar project in Sonora. “The initial overview of the 3D inversion of magnetic susceptibility data has revealed stand-out significant major structures that are universally associated with “plumbing” systems for gold-silver fluid flow and deposition. Structures appear as shear zones, faults, brecciated rock, rotational gashes within shear zones and other such dilation structures”. The main identified structure is a 1,000m by 250m large NW-SE trending structure bounded by additional N-S trending structures with approximate lengths of 300m. The NW-SE structure as been interpreted as a structural corridor holding a shear zone with rotational features that suggest excellent means of plumbing for metal-mineral-rich fluids to flow through and deposit.
  • Silver Viper Minerals Corp., reported results from ten drill holes collared its La Virginia project in Sonora. Of the ten holes, six were drilled at El Rubi and four at Macho Libre. At El Rubi area, a broad zone of mineralization was encountered in hole LV20-245#1 with 0.76 g/t Au and 38 g/t Ag over a true width (TW) of 55.2m, including 1.79 g/t Au and 92 g/t Ag over a TW of 3m; and 2.49 g/t Au and 152 g/t Ag over a TW of 1m; and 7.98 g/t Au and 353 g/t Ag over a TW of 2.5m, including 20.7 g/t Au and 854 g/t Ag over a TW of 0.5m; hole LV20-245#2 with 0.6 g/t Au and 14 g/t Ag over a TW of 11.2m, including 1.43 g/t Au and 4 g/t Ag over a TW of 1.5m; and hole LV20-245#3 with 0.56 g/t Au and 22 g/t Ag over a TW of 7.5m, including 3.26 g/t Au and 19 g/t Ag over a TW of 0.5m, and an interval of 0.93 g/t Au and 124 g/t Ag over a TW of 0.2m. At Macho Libre, the most significant drill intercept was encountered at hole LV20-240M with 0.5 g(t Au and 7 g(t Ag over a TW of 0.6m.
  • Tarachi Gold Corp., announced the beginning of a 5,000m drilling program at its Tarachi Gold project in Sonora. The company plans to start the drill program at La Dura mine where channel sampling returned 6.34 g/t Au over 62.55m.
  • Vizsla Resources Corp., released the first step-out drill results along the Napoleon Vein corridor at its Panuco project in Sinaloa. Hole NP-20-18, located 1km north from the original discovery at Napoleon encountered 3.76 g/t Au, 689 g/t Ag, 0.2% Pb, 0.6% Zn (1,019 g/t AgEq) over a width of 2.5m, including 7.96 g/t Au, 1,515 g/t Ag, 0.5% Pb, and 1.2% Zn (2,206 g/t AgEq) over a width of 1m. Assays are pending for holes NP-20-19 and NP-20-21 separated each other for a distance of 90m.
  • Mithril Resources Ltd, announced results from the two first drill holes collared at its Copalquin project in Durango. Hole CDH-001 encountered 34.72 g/t Au and 3,129 g/t Ag over 3m, including 88.4 g/t Au and 6,750 g/t Ag over 1m; and hole CDH-002 with 5.64 g/t Au and 325 g/t Ag over 4.55m, including 9.82 g/t Au and 574 g/t Ag over 1.5m, plus 9.27 g/t Au and 825 g/t Ag over 0.5m. The two first holes are part of a 5,000m (35 holes) drilling program and intercepted the Soledad vein, confirming historically bonanza grades.

ON MINING

  • Impact Silver Corp., reported Q2, 2020 production and financial results from its Zacualpan mining district, State of Mexico. Despite losing nearly half the quarter (April to June) due to mandatory shutdown, Impact milled 25,602 tonnes with an average mill feed grade of Ag of 187 g/t to produced 129,570 Oz Ag. Q2, 2020 production at the Guadalupe mill came from the Guadalupe mine (37%), the San Ramon mine (23%), the Cuchara mine (23%), and the Veta Negra mine (17%). Impact reported revenues for $2.84M and an adjusted EBIDTA of $0.48M. At June 30, 2020, cash position was at $6.3M with working capital at $5.3M.
  • Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd., reported the filing of a NI43-101 technical report for its Zimapan mine in Hidalgo. Zimapan consists of 34 mining concessions totalling 5,138.76 ha and has had an extensive mining history dating back to the 1660´s. There are fourteen known mineral zones that are hosted in Lower Cretaceous limestone and calcareous shales. The zones contain targets that range from 3-10 m in width that have been traced 40-1000 m along strike and 40-590 m down dip. The property has been in production since January 1, 2010 and as of December 31, 2019 Carrizal Mining mined approximately 5.88M tonnes of mineralized material, including 3.43M tonnes at head grades ranging from 73-101 g/t Ag, 0.4-0.5% Pb, 1.8-2.8% Zn, and 0.49-0.67 % Cu from the Monte mine, and  45 MT at head grades ranging from 82-124 g/t Ag, 0.6-1.2 % Pb, 2.-4.4 % Zn, and 0.28-0.48 % Cu from the Carrizal mine.

ON FINANCING

  • Redstar Gold Corp., completed a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of CAD $7M. The company plans to use the net proceeds for exploration drilling and resource delineation, updating the resource and general working capital (Heliodor properties, Mexico).
  • Kootenay Silver Inc., closed its previously announced private placement for gross proceeds of $7M. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for exploration and development activities, working capital requirements and other general corporate purposes (Columba project, Chihuahua).
  • Capitan Mining Inc., closed its private placement for gross proceeds of $3,840,885.00 instead of the 10,000,000 shares ($2,000,000) originally contemplated. Net proceeds will be used to fund a focused drill program at the Peñoles project in Durango, additional project acquisitions and general corporate purposes.
  • VVC Exploration Corporation, announced a non-brokered private placement to raise gross proceeds of up to CAD $3.3M. Gross proceeds will be used for development of its Kaity project, Chihuahua, including costs associated with various permits, metallurgical bench testing, and investigation, evaluation and implementation of the Gloria pilot mining; option payments in Mexico; current accounts payable; general administrative expenses; and working capital.
  • Gold Resource Corporation, declared its August monthly dividend to shareholders. It will consists of one-third of a cent per common share for August 2020 payable on September 23, 2020 to shareholders of record as of September 11, 2020. (Arista mine, Oaxaca).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Mexus Gold US, provided an update on progress at its Santa Elena mine in Sonora. The company improved the crushing circuit to maximize efficiencies, hired two new equipment operators and a lab technician, and acquired a 330 excavator a 40 ton haul truck and repaired existing equipment. The company expects to show an increase in production during the Q2 of its fiscal year (July through September).
  • Silver Dollar Resources Inc., reported phase 3 drilling results not previously reported by SilverCrest from its la Joya project in Durango. This in-fill drilling program consisted of 17 drill holes targeted to advance towards an updated resource model in H1, 2015. Significant drill intercepts were encountered in hole LJDD14-109 with 0.73 g/t Au, 33 g/t Ag and 0.36% Cu (119 g/t AgEq) over a width of 21.92m, including 3.45 g/t Au, 12 g/t Ag and 0.1% Cu (231 g/t AgEq) over a width of 4.4m; LJDD14-114 with 0.09 g/t Au, 193 g/t Ag and 2.58% Cu (501 g/t AgEq) over a width of 1.2m and 0.38 g/t Au, 43 g/t Ag, and 0.27% Cu (98 g/t AgEq) over a width of 66.4m. including 1.26 g/t Au, 219 g/t Ag, and 1.48% Cu (468 g/t AgEq) over a width of 3.15m; hole LJDD20-115 with 0.06 g/t Au, 234 g/t Ag, and 1.24% Cu (382 g/t AgEq) over a width of 6.1m, including 0.17 g/t Au, 734 g/t Ag, and 3.75% Cu (1,182 g/t AgEq) over a width of 1m; hole LJDD20-116 with 0.06 g/t Au, 76 g/t Ag, and 0.55% Cu (144 g/t AgEq) over a width of 25.1m, including 0.04 g/t Au, 185 g/t Ag, and 1.37% Cu (348 g/t AgEq) over a width of 9.1m, and 0.11 g/t Au, 602 g/t Ag, and 4.64% Cu (1,151 g/t AgEq) over a width of 1.8m, and 0.29 g/t Au, 106 g/t Ag, and 1.2% Cu (234 g/t AgEq) over a width of 23.1m, including 0.09 g/t Au, 723 g/t Ag, and 8.97% Cu (1,778 g/t AgEq) over a width of 2m.
  • GoGold Resources Inc., announced the filing of a NI43-101 technical report on the initial mineral resource estimate for their Los Ricos South project in Jalisco. Measured and indicated mineral resource are 10M tonnes of 199 g/t AgEq to contain 63.7M Oz AgEq, and Inferred resources are 3.3M tonnes of 190 g/t AgEq to contain 19.9M Oz AgEq. Los Ricos South mineral resource is potentially amenable to both open pit and bulk underground mining methods. The company also expanded the surface rights agreement. On August 9,2020 the Ejido Cinco Minas, which owns the surface rights over the majority of the Los Ricos South concessions including all of those within the mineral resource estimate, signed an agreement with the company for a period of 12 years with an additional 12 year renewal period.
  • Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd., reported the filing of a NI43-101 technical report for its Zimapan mine in Hidalgo. Zimapan consists of 34 mining concessions totalling 5,138.76 ha and has had an extensive mining history dating back to the 1660´s. There are fourteen known mineral zones that are hosted in Lower Cretaceous limestone and calcareous shales. The zones contain targets that range from 3-10 m in width that have been traced 40-1000 m along strike and 40-590 m down dip. The property has been in production since January 1, 2010 and as of December 31, 2019 Carrizal Mining mined approximately 5.88M tonnes of mineralized material, including 3.43M tonnes at head grades ranging from 73-101 g/t Ag, 0.4-0.5% Pb, 1.8-2.8% Zn, and 0.49-0.67 % Cu from the Monte mine, and  45 MT at head grades ranging from 82-124 g/t Ag, 0.6-1.2 % Pb, 2.-4.4 % Zn, and 0.28-0.48 % Cu from the Carrizal mine.
  • Golden Minerals Company, released results from its resource definition drill program at its Rodeo project in Durango. Golden reported results from 11 drill holes with significant intercepts showing wide zones of high-grade near-surface Au mineralization. Highlights include hole RDO_20_012 with 6.66 g/t Au and 14 g/t Ag over 24.5m, including 9.3 g/t Au and 15 g/t Ag over 8.6m; hole RDO_20_014 with 5.87 g/t Au and 27 g/t Ag over 23.5m, including 8.83 g/t Au and 38 g/t Ag over 12.9m; and hole RDO_20_017 with 2.85 g/t Au and 11 g/t Ag over 21.4m, including 5.1 g/t Au and 15 g/t Ag over 6m.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Redstar Gold Corp., announced the acquisition of Heliodor Metals Limited., and appointed its new CEO and board of directors. To acquire Heliodor, Redstar issued an aggregate of 86,621,003 shares to the former Heliodor shareholders in exchange for all the issued and outstanding Heliodor securities.
  • Orla Mining Ltd., announced the appointment of its Senior VP Exploration (Camino Rojo project, Zacatecas).
  • Sonoro Metals Corp., announced that its board of directors approved the change of the company´s name to Sonoro Gold Corp (Cerro Caliche project, Sonora).
  • Azure Minerals Limited, presented results from its annual general meeting of shareholders (Mesa de Plata project, Sonora).
  • Newmont Corporation, announced the replacement of the General Manager of the Peñasquito mine, Zacatecas. The former General Manager was ceased for violations of Newmont´s Code of Conduct.
  • Silver Spruce Resources Inc., granted 300K stock options to its CFO (El Mezquite project, Sonora).
  • SilverCrest Metals Inc., announced the acquisition of El Picacho property, near its Las Chispas project in Sonora, from American Metal Mining. The purchase price paid by SilverCrest was for the amount of USD $1.6M and is for a 100% ownership in 11 mining concessions totalling approximately 7,060 hectares. The company also paid all the mining taxes to bring these concessions to good standing. The Property was a historic gold and silver producer, with the first noted production in late 1800s with grades greater than 15 g/t Au. “There are seven (7) low-sulphidation epithermal main veins on the concessions, with numerous near parallel hanging and footwall veins. The main veins have a known cumulative strike length of over 10km with widths ranging from 0.5 to 15m”.
  • Orogen Royalties Inc., (former Evrim) optioned the Sarape Au property in Sonora to Minera Hochschild SA de CV, a subsidiary of Hochschild Mining PLC.  Hochschild can earn a 100% interest in the Sarape project by making cash payments of USD $5.35M and completing expenditures of USD$5M over a five-year period. Upon exercise of the option, Hochschild will grant to Orogen a 3% NSR of which 1% can be purchased for USD $2M.
  • Comet Resources Ltd., executed a share purchase and JV agreement with El Alamo Resources Limited to acquire 100% interest in the Santa Teresa project in Baja California. The acquisition will be completed on a staged basis, with Comet acquiring an initial 50% interest by making a refundable $100K cash payment. The remaining 50% interest will be acquired upon a decision to mine being made in respect of the Project within a two year period. Comet is now 50% owner of the Santa Teresa property and has the option to increase its ownership to 100% within two years. Historical production in the surrounding El Alamo district has been estimated in between 100K-200K Oz Au. The Santa Teresa project is comprised of two mineral claims totalling 202 hectares. Previous operator drilled 32 holes with significant results such as 32.4 g/t Au over 2m ; 958.4 g/t Au over 1m; 38 g/t Au over 2.5m; 39 g/t Au over 3.9m; 19.9 g/t Au over 3m; 125.9 g/t Au over 1m; 14.4 g/t Au over 3.1m; and 16 g/t Au over 3.1m. The company plans are to re-assay historic drill core to prepare a JORC compliant mineral resource estimate and then to test the upside potential at under explored areas.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Fresnillo plc, seeks to promote knowledge about COVID-19 among its employees and train them to carry out all the actions and measures necessary to prevent the spread of the virus in their homes, community and in the company.

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 related to an epithermal system in a prospect in Chihuahua, Mexico.  Photo by Miguel A Heredia.

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

/ Gambusino Prospector / Leave a comment

172

By Jorge Cirett

During the 24th week of the year (June 8th to June 14th, 2020), at least 35 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. Notably, 8 of those were exploration updates and 9 related to financing. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Senator Miguel Lucero and a coalition of mining unions proposed the creation of the Mining Secretariat, against the presidential bid to close the Sub-Secretariat of Mining. The Mexican president asked publicly the Canadian ambassador for help to get Canadian mining companies to pay due taxes. First Majestic asked the Canadian ambassador to intervene on the tax dispute. Copper prices have reached $2.60 per pound. Two rival unions were involved in a brawl in Fresnillo, Zacatecas. Francisco Quiroga Sub-Secretary of Mining informed that mines in Mexico are free of confirmed Coronavirus cases. All mines have procedures in place to detect and control outbreaks on transport and work sites. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Silver Viper resumes drilling at La Virginia; Aztec Minerals updated on exploration at its Cervantes project; Colibri presented assay results from grab samples at the Evelyn project. In Chihuahua, Kootenay Silver recommenced drilling at Columba. In Sinaloa, Kootenay Silver restarted drilling at the Copalito property. In Durango, Mithril Resources prepares to drill the Copalquin project. In Jalisco, GoGold Resources began drilling Los Ricos North project. ON MINING, Mexus Gold continues mining at its Santa Elena property. Peñoles is to invest one billion dollars in 2020 in its mining operations. Fresnillo PLC reported on payments to governments of Mexico and Peru. ON FINANCING, Minaurum closed a private placement netting $4.21 M. Discovery closed the second and final tranche of its private placement, accruing C$25 M. Silver Viper commenced trading on the OTCQB in USA. Sonoro Metals realized a third MOU on its Cerro Caliche project, Sonora. Starcore paid its debts and is now debt free. Consolidated Zinc is to raise $0.57 M to purchase equipment. Vangold accelerated the warrant program relating to its 2019 placement. Prime Mining completed the offering for C$10 M. Mag Silver now holds 19.9% of Reyna Silver.   ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Mexican Gold started the fieldwork needed to complete the environmental baseline report at its Las Minas property in Veracruz. Minera Alamos reported more drill results from its Santana project in Sonora. Capstone updated on the mineral resources of its Cozamin mine in Zacatecas, showing a nice increase. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Magellan Gold is leaving Mexico. Mithril Resources appointed new CEO and Chief Geologist. Sonoro Metals postponed its general meeting. Evrim Resources and Renaissance Gold are merging into a new entity named Orogen Royalties. Silver Spruce optioned the El Mezquite property in Sonora. GR Silver Mining filed on SEDAR the amended technical report on its San Marcial project. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. Grupo Mexico, Fresnillo PLC, Argonaut Gold, Bylsa Drilling, Asociación de Real de Minas de San Javier, SilverCrest, Alamos Gold, Agnico Eagle, EMS, Molymex, Metallorum-Autlán, FLSmidth, First Majestic, Gruminex, Peñoles, Barimont, MAC Distribuciones, Dynapro Pumps, Cobre del Mayo, Minera Capela, Peña Colorada and Newmont Corp. informed on a large  array of investments and measures that benefit the mining communities.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • Senator Miguel A. Lucero (president of the mining and regional development commission in the senate) proposed the creation of the Mining Secretariat. This was his viewpoint in the rumors that the president Lopez Obrador is about to disappear several sub secretariats on grounds of saving resources. He stressed that the mining industry operates in over 200 municipalities that deserves close attention.
  • The Union Nacional de Sindicatos Minero–Metalurgicos de Mexico asked the president Lopez Obrador to evaluate the creation of a Mining Secretariat, to foster national and foreign investment and generate jobs.
  • The President of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) asked publicly the Canadian ambassador for help to get Canadian mining companies to pay due taxes. He stated that the debts are clear and that there is no point on the mining companies to seek legal complaints.
  • First Majestic Silver Corp. has asked Canada’s ambassador to Mexico to intervene in an escalating tax dispute with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s government. “We’ve been trying to get somebody to the table to finally put this behind us,” First Majestic CEO Keith Neumeyer told Reuters. Neumeyer said the company had proposed three settlement offers since 2018 before launching the trade challenge last month. “Each of the offers has been rebuffed”.
  • Copper prices grew 25% from its March minimums, reaching US$2.60 per Lb thanks to the Chinese recovery.
  • Rival Unions in Fresnillo, Zacatecas, participated in a brawl that resulted in several persons conducted to a nearby hospital for medical care. This arises for a rivalry between the Sindicato Nacional Minero Metalúrgico (FRENTE) and the Sindicato Independiente for representation of workers at the Fresnillo mine.
  • Francisco Quiroga, Sub-Secretary of Mining informed that mines in Mexico are free of confirmed Coronavirus cases. All mines have procedures in place to detect and control outbreaks on transport and work sites.

ON EXPLORATION

  • VanGold Mining Corp. completed a bulk sample and metallurgical test at its Pinguico project in Guanajuato. The 1,039 tonne bulk sample was processed at Endeavour Silver Corp’s Bolañitos mill in Guanajuato, with an average grade of 1.23 gpt AuEq, and a recovery rate of 75.2% Au, 60.4% Ag.
  • Silver Viper Minerals Corp. resumes exploration at its La Virginia project in Sonora. “The recently renewed work program continues Phase II drilling at the El Rubi discovery area, where systematic testing of the structure is being conducted on 50m sectional step outs. A second drill will test exploration targets in and around the El Rubi location”.
  • Kootenay Silver Inc. recommenced drilling at its Columba project in Chihuahua. The initial holes of the remaining 5,200 meters of the phase II 7,000 m program “will focus on expanding the F-vein by following-up on positive results from the first 10 holes of the Program…… Beyond augmenting previously drilled areas the Program will investigate untouched veins mapped out by Kootenay’s geological team”.
  • Aztec Minerals Corp. updated on the exploration of the Cervantes project in Sonora, in advance of the signing of the 65/35 joint venture agreement with Kootenay Silver Inc. Highlights from the 2017 drilling program at the California target include the following intercepts: 160 m @ 0.77 gpt Au (including 80 m @ 1.04 gpt Au, 0.11% Cu); 139 m @ 0.71 gpt Au (including 20 m @ 2.10 gpt Au, 0.16% Cu); 118 m @ 0.63 gpt Au (including 43 m @ 1.18 gpt Au, 0.16% Cu); 122 m @ 0.60 gpt Au (including 62 m @ 0.88 gpt Au, 0.06% Cu); 170 m @ 0.42 gpt Au (including 32 m @ 0.87 gpt Au, 0.06% Cu). Other targets include Purisima East, Estrella, Purisima West and Jasper. Preliminary metallurgical tests have shown 85.1% to 87.7% Au recovery in oxide, 77.9% Au recovery in mixed oxide/sulfide and 51.2% in sulfide.
  • Kootenay Silver Inc. recommenced drilling at its Copalito property in Sinaloa. The 3,000 m drill program was halted due to the Coronavirus lockdown when only one 105.2 m hole had been completed. Over 10 kilometres of untested vein strike has been mapped, with strike lengths up to 2 km and widths from 0.5 m to 15 m. Previously reported grab and channel samples have returned up to 3,770 gpt Ag, 8.2 gpt Au, 17.4% Zn, 9.9% Pb and 1.5% Cu.
  • GoGold Resources Inc. began drilling at the La Trini target, part of the Los Ricos North project in Jalisco. Historical intersections by Tumi Resources include: 24.4 m @ 6.4 gpt Au, 1,629 gpt Ag; 18.3 m @ 3.1 gpt Au, 150 gpt Ag; 6.1 m @ 2.8 gpt Au, 174 gpt Ag; 19.7 m @ 4.9 gpt Au, 193 gpt Ag; 14.1 m @ 4.9 gpt Au, 261 gpt Ag; 10.5 m @ 5.7 gpt Au, 188 gpt Ag.
  • Mithril Resources Ltd. prepares to drill its Copalquin project in Durango. “Drilling and helicopter support contracts have been signed with mobilisation of equipment commencing in June 2020…… Previous drilling has identified three areas with underground mineable grades over potentially mineable widths. These areas are El Refugio, La Soledad and El Cometa (which also include open pit resource potential). Mithril’s drilling campaign will systematically test each of these high-priority areas and will also drill test Los Reyes, Los Pinos, and later La Constancia and the important San Manuel multi-level mine workings”.
  • Colibri Resource Corp. received assays from samples collected on the western part of the Evelyn property in Sonora. The western part of the project is mostly covered by a thin veneer of alluvium and colluvium. More than 50 grab samples have been taken from small areas of sub-crop and outcrop exposed through the cover. “Three samples returned values greater than 2.0 g/t Au, 6 samples returned values greater that 0.25 g/t Au, and a total of 15 samples returned anomalous Au” up to 27.5 gpt Au.

ON MINING

  • Mexus Gold US. continues mining and expects to put 1,800 tons of material in the leach pads by the end of this week, on its Santa Elena mine in Sonora (not to mistake for First Majestic Santa Elena mine, also in Sonora).
  • Industrias Mineras Peñoles. is to invest one billion dollars in Mexico this year, regardless of the economic downturn by the Coronavirus pandemic.
  • Fresnillo PLC. reported on payments done to Mexico and Peru governments derived from its operations in both countries. The company paid in Mexico a total of US$233.7 M in Mexico, of which US$28.6 M were from licences and mining concessions fees.Fresnillo PLC Report on Payments to Governments1

ON FINANCING

  • Minaurum Gold Inc. announced the closing of the previously announced non-brokered private placement, for gross proceeds of $4.21 M, with the prominent participation of Sprott Global Resources Investments Ltd. (Alamos Silver, Sonora).
  • Discovery Metals Corp. closed the second and final tranche of its non-brokered private placement for aggregate proceeds of C$25 M. “The Company also announces it has received approval by the Mexican government to resume operations at its Cordero project with strict COVID-19 health and safety protocols”. The company has over $40 M in cash on its balance sheet (Cordero, Chihuahua).
  • Silver Viper Minerals Corp. commenced trading on the OTCQB Venture Market in the United States (La Virginia, Sonora).
  • Sonoro Metals Corp. executed a third memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the finance and development of its proposed Cerro Caliche Heap Leach Pilot Operation. As of February 28, 2020, Sonoro had received two executed MoUs regarding project debt financing and EPC services for its proposed Cerro Caliche heap leach (Cerro Caliche, Sonora).
  • Starcore International Mines Ltd. reported that the company paid out CAD$3 M of secured bonds plus accrued interest of CAD$235.4 K. In addition to this, the company also repaid a US$1 M loan. The payments were made from the Company’s cash flow generated from mine operations and prior asset sales (San Martin mine, Queretaro).
  • Consolidated Zinc Ltd. announced firm commitments to raise a further $0.57 M via a single tranche placement. “Funds raised from the Placement will be applied towards the purchase of equipment to increase efficiencies at Plomosas, working capital and offer costs” (Plomosas, Chihuahua).
  • VanGold Mining Corp. announced that to date the warrant acceleration program in connection with the company’s 2019 placement has rendered $1.16 M in gross proceeds of which $650 K were accrued by the exercise of warrants by Vangold’s directors and officers. “…funding for a portion of the exercise of warrants by directors and officers was facilitated through the sale of a portion their existing share holdings” (El Pinguico, Zacatecas).
  • Prime Mining Corp. announced the completion of the offering for gross proceeds of C$10 M (Los Reyes, Sinaloa).
  • Mag Silver Corp. has acquired 14.55 M shares of Reyna Silver Corp., owning to date 19.9% of its outstanding shares.

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Mexican Gold Mining Corp. announced “that fieldwork towards completing an environmental baseline study has commenced at the Las Minas project. Drilling at Las Minas is scheduled to commence in early July”.
  • Minera Alamos Inc. reported more drilling results from its Phase II program at its Santana project in Sonora. The results further expand mineralization to the SW, and confirm the depth potential previously identified. Highlighted core length intervals comprise: 202.7 m @ 0.51 gpt Au; 105.6 m @ 0.31 gpt Au, 50.9 m @ 0.34 gpt Au; 90.0 m @ 0.40 gpt Au; 43.3 m @ 0.61 gpt Au; 42.5 m @ 0.36 gpt Au; 62.5 m @ 0.31 gpt Au, 188.2 m @ 0.28 gpt Au.
  • Capstone Mining Corp. updated the mineral resource estimate for the Cozamin mine in Zacatecas.cozamin-june2020-resource-estimate-update1cozamin-june2020-resource-estimate-update21

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Magellan Gold Corp. is redirecting its focus toward opportunities within the United States. “the company has divested all of its Mexico operations through the sale of its subsidiary Magellan Acquisition Corp.”. Among the operations divested is the SDA mill and the El Dorado property, both in Nayarit.
  • Mithril Resources Ltd. appointed John Skeet as its new CEO and Hall Stewart as its Chief Geologist (Copalquin, Durango)
  • Sonoro Metals Corp. postponed its annual general meeting to September 4, 2020 (Cerro Caliche, Sonora).
  • Evrim Resources Corp. and Renaissance Gold Inc. entered into an agreement to combine in a merger of equals “in which Evrim will acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Renaissance through a share exchange transaction to create a new company, to be named Orogen Royalties Inc. Orogen will focus on project generation as has been the history of both Evrim and Renaissance but with a renewed focus on organic royalty creation and royalty acquisition” (royalty in Ermitaño, Sonora).
  • Silver Spruce Resources Inc. signed a binding option agreement with Colibri Resources Corp. to acquire 50% interest in its wholly owned Mexican subsidiary Yaque Minerals S.A. de C.V., which holds the El Mezquite project in Sonora. El Mezquite is 12 Km NE of the Santana property, currently under mine development by Minera Alamos. To obtain 50% interest Silver Spruce has to pay US$82.5 K by September 1, 2020, US$127.5 K by September 1, 2021, and CDN$500 K for a debenture due in October 2023. The company will have the option to pay US$107.5 K by December 31, 2020 to complete the cash acquisition for a discounted total of US$190 K. Minimum work expenditures total US$600 K on the four year term of the agreement. A 1% royalty to the original vendors of the property can be purchased for US500 K at any time.
  • GR Silver Mining Ltd. filed on SEDAR its amended technical report on resources estimation of its San Marcial project in Sinaloa. There are 12 amendments in different parts of the report, with no material differences on the resource estimation.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • In Sonora more than 125 thousand persons in 30 municipalities and 47 rural communities have received support by 13 mining companies and six service providers: Grupo México, Fresnillo Plc, Argonaut Gold, Bylsa Drilling, Asociación de Real de Minas de San Javier, SilverCrest, Alamos Gold, Agnico Eagle, EMS, Molymex, Metallorum-Autlán, FLSmidth, First Majestic, Gruminex, Peñoles, Barimont, MAC Distribuciones, Dynapro Pumps and Cobre del Mayo).
  • The mining sector in Mexico strives nowadays for social co-responsibility between community, government and enterprises, where the communities define their needs and priorities, the government complies with its responsibilities and enterprises promote and provide resources, organize community committees and develop executive projects.
  • The world day of the environment was held in Teloloapan, Guerrero, with the presence of Efrén Romero, municipal president, Army members and Minera Capela executives.
  • In Cuencamé, Durango, a road work investment of 11 million pesos was inaugurated by Luly Martínez. Municipal president. The investment was made possible with resources from the Mining Fund.
  • Agnico Eagle received the Environmental Excellence Award from the Mining Association in Canada, for its work in Pinos Altos, Chihuahua, where was developed an ultra-high density grazing initiative.
  • Peña Colorada builds a medical facility in Manzanillo. With an investment of 4 M pesos, the facility will count with an area for patient care, and another area for the rest of the medical personnel, as this new building is by the side of the Hospital General de Manzanillo.
  • Newmont Corp. published its 2019 sustainability report. The report displays all the work planned and done by the company as it strives to better its environmental, social and governmental imprint in Mexico.
  • Bylsa Drilling efforts on social responsibility on the communities neighboring the Las Chispas and Alamos Silver projects in Sonora were commended by governor Claudia Pavlovich.
  • The Mining Fund provided the resources to build the Doctores Avenue in Fresnillo, Zacatecas. The 27.14 million pesos invested funded 670 m of paving and drainage construction.
  • Grupo Mexico restated its compromise on the state of Chihuahua with the donation of a termo-cycler to the State Health Laboratory. Previously the company had donated five mechanical ventilators to the University Central Hospital, same that shortly is to receive 25 non-invasive ventilators more.

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

On the image below: Quartz-graphite vein, Hermosillo District, Sonora. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

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