Exploration

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.

Mexico’s Best Drilling Intercepts, Second Week of June 2023

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Only one company released drilling results from projects in Mexico. Defiance Silver provided an update of the recently completed program that focused in the Veta Grande vein system in Zacatecas. The holes tested zones near and within the San Acacio resource area, obtaining the thickest mineralized intercept drilled to date by Defiance in the Zacatecas district, with 41.83 m averaging 157 gpt Ag, 0.07 gpt Au, 0.16% Zn (including 15.96 m averaging 380 gpt Ag, 0.15 gpt Au, 0.12% Pb, 0.37% Zn) . The mineralization is of intermediate sulfidation epithermal character along structures.

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

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By Jorge Cirett                                             

During the 21st week of the year (May 22nd to May 28th, 2023), 15 companies working in Mexico posted news releases. Four companies informed on exploration on their properties, two companies informed on Q1 2023 or full-year 2023 production/financial results. One company announced the granting of share options to directors, officers and consultants. Five companies released drilling results on their advanced properties in Durango, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, and Guerrero. Two more companies informed on the acquisition/sale of projects. ON MEXICO ISSUES, no relevant news. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Aztec Minerals completed a surface exploration program at Cervantes; Infinitum copper started drilling at La Adelita. In Durango, Silver Dollar is organizing the database of the Nora project. In Oaxaca, Vortex Metals initiated surface geological work at Riqueza Marina. ON MINING, Impact Silver and Guanajuato Silver released Q1 2023 production reports. ON FINANCING, Silver Viper granted incentive stock options to directors, officers and consultants. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Avino Silver released results from drilling at the Avino mine in Durango. Heliostar Metals reported drilling results from the high-grade portion of the Ana Paula deposit in Guerrero. Capitan Mining provided an exploration update on the Cruz de Piedra project in Durango. Prime Mining reported drilling results from Los Reyes in Sinaloa. Discovery Silver released results from the feasibility study drilling at Cordero, in Chihuahua. GR Silver Mining released results from step-our holes at San Marcial, which is part of the Plomosas project in Sinaloa. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Tarachi Gold closed the sale of the Magistral tailings project in Durango. Silver Dollar completed the acquisition of the La Joya project in Durango. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Torex Gold released its 2022 ESG performance report.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • No relevant News.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Aztec Minerals Corp. received sampling results and completed its phase 1 surface exploration program at Cervantes, in Sonora. Detailed geological mapping and continued chip channel sampling of exposed road cuts were carried out. The “surface road cut sampling and detailed geologic mapping has verified the strong relationships found between the quartz feldspar porphyritic intrusive, phyllic alteration and gold mineralization… Quartz veinlet intensity mapping shows strong correlation to the drill hole gold grade-thickness”. The phase 2 exploration program comprises a reverse circulation drilling campaign to expand the California target in all directions. To date Aztec has competed over 10,500 m of drilling on 54 holes at the Cervantes project.
  • Silver Dollar Resources Inc. provided a progress report on the Nora project in Durango. Silver Dollar received all historical technical information from Canasil and is “organizing it into a database to analyze, interpret and then plan the next phase”. There are 13 diamond holes from Canasil’s 2020-2021 drilling campaign with a total of 3,296 m testing 500 m of the Candy structure, returning up to 3.29 m @ 6.44 gpt Au, 884 gpt Ag and 1.53 m @ 20.59 gpt Au, 1,290 gpt Ag.
  • Infinitum Copper Corp. commenced drilling at its 6,450 ha La Adelita property in Sonora. The 2,500 m diamond drilling program with 15 holes is designed to expand the high-grade mineralized area at the Cerro Grande zone and to test for mineralization at depth at Las Trancas zone. Drilling is aimed to extend the north-south extent of mineralization to 500 m and step out up to 700 m west of the known mineralization. At Las Trancas, 5 Km from Cerro Grande, the Sangre de Toro feature is to be tested with the first drilling in the area for the presence of a large mineralized structure.
  • Vortex Metals Inc. initiated surface geological work at its 12,041 ha Riqueza Marina project in Oaxaca. As the Santa Cruz Tagolaba community granted approval, Vortex can now commence work, including trenching, over an area including the Rhyolite Dome target, where substantial size and coincident gravity and magnetic anomalies along with anomalous copper values are interpreted to reflect a concealed sulfide deposit.

ON MINING

  • Impact Silver Corp. announced its financial and operating results for Q1 2023. At its Royal Mines of Zacualpan mine operations, in Estado de Mexico, 38.7 K tonnes were milled during the period, averaging 162 gpt Ag, to produce 167 K Oz Ag. Reported revenue was $5.1 M, mine operating earning $0.6 M and the net loss $0.6 M, with a working capital of $15.7 M and a cash position of $14.3 M by the end of the period.
  • Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd. announced financial and operating results for Q1 2023. During the period the company produced 458.8 K Oz Ag, 4,413 Oz Au, 0.91 M Lb Pb, 1.15 M Lb Zn (or 938 K Oz AgEq) at El Cubo Mines Complex, Valenciana Mines Complex and San Ignacio mine, in Guanajuato, and Topia mine, in Durango. Revenue was US$17.1 M, with a net loss of US$8.7 M. The All-in sustaining cost (AISC) was $21.83 per AgEq. Infrastructure upgrades to deliver improvement in 2023 include Falcon concentrators at El Cubo and Valenciana, the rehabilitation of the Cata Shaft already completed and the implementation of hydraulic backfilling of tailings at Valenciana.

ON FINANCING

  • Silver Viper Minerals Corp. granted 5.15 M incentive stock options to directors, officers and consultants to purchase up to 5.15 M common shares in the capital of Silver Viper. (La Virginia, Sonora).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. released the results of ten drill holes from below Level 17, the current deepest workings of the Avino mine in Durango. The Avino vein has been drilled to a depth of 1,100 m downdip from the surface outcrop. A total of ten holes in this campaign totalled 3,414 m. Highlighted true width intercepts comprise 2.61 m @ 0.06 gpt Au, 75 gpt Ag, 2.58% Cu; 19.90 m @ 0.02 gpt Au, 30 gpt Ag, 1.29% Cu; 3.00 m @ 0.99 gpt Au, 34 gpt Ag, 0.08% Cu; 35.73 m @ 0.14 gpt Au, 28 gpt Ag, 0.65% Cu; 48.40 m @ 0.08 gpt Au, 45 gpt Ag, 0.55% Cu; 36.00 m @ 0.16 gpt Au, 27 gpt Ag, 0.81% Cu; 1.30 m @ 0.05 gpt Au, 97 gpt Ag, 2.28% Cu. “The changing tenor of the mineralization could be reflecting a transition from epithermal to porphyry-style mineralization”.
  • Heliostar Metals Ltd. reported its first drill results from the Ana Paula project in Guerrero. The first two holes drilled by Heliostar targeted the “High Grade Panel” at the core of Ana Paula. Highlighted core length intervals comprise 118.55 m @ 5.44 gpt Au (including 44.5 m @ 11.0 gpt Au, which include 4.0 m @ 48.5 gpt Au); 101.12 m @ 8.35 gpt Au (including 53.2 m @ 11.0 gpt Au). “the High Grade Panel is approximately 250 metres long by 100 metres high by 60 metres thick… hosted primarily in a polymictic breccia unit, although it extends outward into the surrounding granodiorite and limestone. Gold mineralization is directly associated with the proportion of sulphide minerals in the rock”. Heliostar is re-evaluating the project as a high-grade underground mine.
  • Capitan Mining Inc. provided an exploration update on its Cruz de Plata project in Durango. New interpretation points to the Jesus Maria vein to have a potential strike length of 2.8 km, the Santa Teresa vein of 1.8 km and the San Rafael North vein of 1.3 km before going under cover. The Capitan East gold target has a potential strike of at least 500 m. Seven targets have been recently defined by mapping and prospecting.
  • Prime Mining Corp. reported results from core drilling at the Z-T area on Los Reyes project in Sinaloa. Highlighted true width intervals comprise 11.6 m @ 3.33 gpt Au, 221 gpt Ag (including 1.0 m @ 24.0 gpt Au, 1,385 gpt Ag); 9.8 m @ 1.52 gpt Au, 25 gpt Ag (including 1.5 m @ 7.94 gpt Au, 61 gpt Ag); 4.5 m @ 1.03 gpt Au, 34 gpt Ag in the Tahonitas zone and 13.8 m @ 0.96 gpt Au, 27 gpt Ag; 8.5 m @ 0.84 gpt Au, 14 gpt Ag; 15.9 m @ 0.74 gpt Au, 37 gpt Ag; 8.5 m @ 1.01 gpt Au, 23 gpt Ag at the Zapote South zone. The results are from step out holes to expand mineralization at depth below the Z-T resource pit shell. Prime Mining recently announced a mineral resource estimate containing 1.47 M indicated Oz AuEq averaging 1.68 gpt and 0.73 M inferred Oz AuEq averaging 1.26 gpt.
  • Discovery Silver Corp. released results from feasibility study drill holes on its Cordero project in Chihuahua. The reserve expansion drilling highlighted core length intercepts comprise 41 m @ 63 gpt Ag, 0.09 gpt Au, 1.2% Pb, 2.7% Zn; 8 m @ 195 gpt Ag, 0.23 gpt Au, 2.2% Pb, 4.1% Zn; 37 m @ 58 gpt Ag, 0.05 gpt Au, 0.8% Pb, 1.5% Zn; 104 m @ 37 gpt Ag; 0.04 gpt Au, 0.3% Pb, 1.1% Zn; 51 m @ 51 gpt Ag, 0.06 gpt Au, 0.7% Pb, 0.9% Zn. The results are from 23 drill holes focused on reserve upgrade and expansion in the South Corridor and reserve expansion drilling on the margins of the Pozo de Plata zone in the North Corridor. To date 49,700 m of drilling in 156 holes have been completed as part of the feasibility study. A 9,000 m property wide drilling program is planned for the second half of the year.
  • GR Silver Mining Ltd. released results from two step-out holes outside of the mineral resource boundary at San Marcial, within the Plomosas project in Sinaloa. Highlighted core length results comprise 18.8 m @ 145 gpt Ag, 0.04 gpt Au, 0.1% Pb, 0.1% Zn (including 4.2 m @ 466 gpt Ag, 0.08 gpt Au, 0.1% Pb, 0.3% Zn); 11.3 m @ 584 gpt Ag, 0.05 gpt Au, 0.3% Pb, 0.6 % Zn (including 5.5 m @ 1,084 gpt Ag, 0.07 gpt Au, 0.6% Pb, 1.0% Zn). These holes targeted the extension of the SE Area discovery, 250 m to the southeast.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES             

  • Tarachi Gold Corp. closed the transaction with Compañía Minera de Atocha S.A. de C.V. for the sale of the Magistral project in Durango. Tarachi expects to receive cash payments totalling US$5.7 M from Atocha, of which US$3.05 M have already been received. The balance is to be paid as follows: US$500 K when Atocha concludes negotiations with land owner Ejido Magistral, or after 12 months; US$500 K on November 2023; US$500 K when 50% of the tailings have been mined, sold or processed, or after the first calendar year of operation at the project; US$500 K when 100% of the Magistral tailings have been mined, sold or processed, or after the second calendar year of operation and “The amount of value-added tax currently owing as that tax benefit is realized by Atocha during operations and product sales from the Magistral Project will be paid to Tarachi”, estimated at US$650 K.
  • Silver Dollar Resources Inc. completed the exercise of its option and now hold 100% interest in the 4,646 ha La Joya project, located in Durango. For gaining 80% interest the company paid First Majestic Silver a total of $700 K plus annual holding costs, incurred in $1 M exploration expenditures and issued First Majestic 19.9% (5.15 M shares) of the then issued and outstanding shares of the company. To obtain the remaining 20% Silver Dollar issued 2 M shares, 5% of the then issued and outstanding shares of the company, to First Majestic, which now owns 18.2% of the outstanding shares of the company.    

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Torex Gold Resources Inc. released its 2022 Responsible Gold Mining Report, the annual disclosure of its environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance. Among other accomplishments, the company achieved 10 M hours worked without a lost-time injury, ending 2022 with a lost-time injury frequency of 0.28 per million hours worked by its employees and contractors. Almost 60% of the water usage is recycled, 44% less cyanide has been consumed than in 2021. Mexican employees are 99% of the work force, and 60% from Guerrero, where the operations are carried out.

On the image below: Mine dumps in a copper project of the Sonoran Desert. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

Mexico’s Best Drilling Intercepts, Third Week of May 2023

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Two companies reported drilling results from two different projects/targets each during the week. Alamos Gold released assays from drilling at Puerto del Aire and Capulin, targets within the large land package of its Mulatos property, in Sonora. Puerto del Aire “is a higher-grade underground deposit located adjacent to the main Mulatos pit”, comprising the PDA, Gap, Victor, and Estrella zones. Reserves of 728 K Oz Au grading 4.84 gpt have been defined in Puerto del Aire. The Capulin area is two Km from the San Carlos pit, and has seen limited historical exploration. The recent intercept of oxide and sulfide mineralization is in a breccia unit of the Capulin Fault Zone. Mulatos is one of the largest examples of high sulfidation gold mineralization in Mexico.

Guanajuato Silver drilling results from San Ignacio, in Guanajuato, are part of a program focusing in extending mineralization on the Melladito and Purisima veins. The veins in San Ignacio form part of a low sulfidation epithermal system. At Topia, in Durango, recent drilling has been focused on the Prieta, Dos Amigos, Rosario and U.D. Pueblo veins. Mineralization in the district known for its narrow metal-rich veins is of intermediate sulfidation epithermal affinity.

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

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By Jorge Cirett                                             

During the 19th week of the year (May 8th to May 14th, 2023), 19 companies working in Mexico posted news releases. Three companies informed on exploration on their properties, eight companies informed on Q1 2023 or full-year 2023 production/financial results, one company informed on the termination of an illegal blockade. One company announced the opening of a financing round. Assay results were released on an advanced property in Sinaloa, and a mill started  test work in Nayarit. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Fitch Ratings warned on the impact of the new mining law, specially in exploration activities. ON EXPLORATION, in Sinaloa, Vizsla Silver reported drilling results from Panuco; Prismo Metals started drilling at Palos Verdes. In Jalisco, Stroud Resources provided a summary of the 2021-2022 drilling at Santo Domingo Hostotipaquillo. ON MINING, Endeavour Silver, GoGold Resources, Mag Silver, Avino Silver, Torex Gold, Pan American Silver, Golden Minerals, SilverCrest Metals released Q1 2023 production reports. Fortuna Silver informed on the termination of the illegal blockade at its San José mine in Oaxaca. ON FINANCING, Stroud Resources is to raise up to C$1.5 M. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Oroco Resource released assay results from its Santo Tomás project in Sinaloa. Xali Gold informed its optioned processing plant in Nayarit has begun test work. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, GR Silver updated on work at its Plomosas project in Sinaloa. Silver Valley informed on negotiations with the Mexican Lithium Agency pertaining a possible partnership involving the lithium component of its properties in Mexico. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Zacatecas Silver continues to build its relationship with the Tetlama community in Morelos.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • Fitch Ratings stressed that the new mining law is to have far-reach implications in the Mexican mining industry, as it is to slow the pace of exploration, shorten the concessions term and generate worries on the operational continuity, and also to revitalize community negotiations. Even as the details are still to be defined, exploration is the activity that will be hit the hardest, with exploration activities now to be conducted by the Servicio Geológico Mexicano (SGM) and later expanded by special collaboration agreements.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Stroud Resources Ltd. provided a summary of the 2021-2022 drilling program at its Santo Domingo property in Hostotipaquillo, Jalisco. The program consisted of 9,936 m in 32 holes to explore the extent of known vein-hosted epithermal mineralization and to define additional parallel systems. Highlighted core length intervals comprise 1.55 m @ 624 gpt Ag; 47.70 m @ 0.18 gpt Au, 42 gpt Ag, 0.1% Pb, 0.4% Zn; 48.90 m @ 0.42 gpt Au, 41 gpt Ag; 68.35 m @ 0.18 gpt Au 66 gpt Ag; 34.70 m @ 1.23 gpt Au, 60 gpt Ag; 32.15 m @ 0.55 gpt Au, 106 gpt Ag; 36.80 m @ 0.23 gpt Au, 141 gpt Ag, 0.2% Pb, 2.0% Zn; 24.00 m @ 0.13 gpt Au, 105 gpt Ag; 14.70 m @ 0.78 gpt Au, 165 gpt Ag; 34.70 m @ 1.23 gpt Au, 60 gpt Ag, 0.6% Pb, 1.8% Zn; 35.45 m @ 0.17 gpt Au, 47 gpt Ag. “To date, the Santo Domingo Project has approximately 85 drill holes totalling 18,184 metres”.
  • Vizsla Silver Corp. reported results from 16 expansion holes at its Panuco project in Sinaloa. These expansion holes targeted the Copala resource area, with highlighted true width intervals comprising 5.89 m @ 1,403 gpt Ag, 4.24 gpt Au (or 1,591 gpt AgEq); 4.90 m @ 345 gpt Ag, 1.12 gpt Au (or 396 gpt AgEq); 2.14 m @ 1,319 gpt Ag, 22.46 gpt Au (or 2,743 gpt AgEq); 1.45 m @ 789 gpt Ag, 5.13 gpt Au (or 1,080 gpt AgEq). “Ongoing drilling at Copala has now traced mineralization along ~1,250 metres of strike length and ~400 metres down dip…… Vizsla has to date completed 35,000 m of its planned 90,000 m 2023 drill program”.
  • Prismo Metals Inc. has started the drilling program at its Palos Verde project in Sinaloa. The at least 2.500 m drilling is to test the 65% of the Palos Verdes structure that has not been drilled, along with some other veins that have been mapped. The company is trying to intercept large ore shoots as in the adjacent Panuco project (See above).

ON MINING

  • Endeavour Silver Corp. announced its financial and operating results for Q1 2023. During the period 1.62 M Oz Ag, 9,342 Oz Au (or 2.4 M Oz AgEq) were produced at $11.12 per Oz Ag and an AISC of $20.16 per Oz Ag, net of gold credits. Cash position was $61.6 M at the end of the period, and working capital $92.8 M. The company is going ahead with the development of the Terronera project in Jalisco, with over $58 M invested to date
  • GoGold Resources Inc. announced the financial results for Q1 2023. The company produced 173.7 K Oz Ag, 2,016 Oz Au, 143 tonnes Cu, at adjusted cash cost of $14.00 per Oz AgEq and adjusted AISC of $19.76 per Oz AgEq. Revenue was $7.6 M on the sale of 355.7 K Oz AgEq. Cash on hand is US$100.9 M (Parral tailings, Chihuahua).
  • Mag Silver Corp.  released unaudited financial results for Q1 2023. Concentrate production has commenced at the Juanicipio mine in Zacatecas (Fresnillo 56%, MAG 44%), containing 2 M Oz Ag, 5,291 Oz Au, 1,281 tonnes Pb, 1,656 tonnes Zn. MAG reported net income of $4.7 M, and closed a $42.6 M offering of shares and a $17.1 M private placement during the period.
  • Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. reported that the illegal blockade at its San Jose Main in Oaxaca has been lifted. The company and union workers have reached an agreement to resume operations at the mine and processing plant which recommenced on May 10, 2023.
  • Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. released its consolidated financial results for the first quarter of 2023. During the period, the company milled 159.8 K tonnes at Avino, in Durango, to produce 234.3 K Oz Ag, 2,286 Oz Au, 1.4 M Lb Cu (678.2 K Oz AgEq), at cash cost of $14.22 per Oz AgEq and an AISC of $20.17 per Oz AgEq. Revenues of $9.8 M were impacted by timing of concentrate shipments, EBITDA was $0.3 M, cash provided by operating activities of $0.4 M. The dry-stack tailings facility is now complete and fully operational. The company is assessing the continuity of mineralization to depth, with mineralization extending at least 800 m downdip … “it appears that the Avino vein is getting richer in copper as we go deeper with a grade of 1.63% copper over 16.66 metres” intercepted at depth.
  • Torex Gold Resources Inc. reported financial and operational results for Q1 2023. During the period the company produced 122,918 Oz Au at its El Limón-Guajes property in Guerrero, milling 13,073 tpd and mining form ELG underground. Cash cost was $709 per Oz Au and AISC of $1,079 per Oz Au. Reported income of $68.2 M and adjusted earnings of $50.3 M. The company has reserves of 38.6 M tonnes @ 2.91 gpt Au, 17.1 gpt Ag, 0.58% Cu at the Morelos Complex in Guerrero, 47.8 M tonnes @ 3.33 gpt Au, 22.6 gpt Ag, 0.80% Cu in measured and indicated resources and 15.8 M tonnes @ 2.49 gpt Au, 23 gpt Ag, 0.86% Cu in inferred resources. The quarter closed with net cash of $318.4 M.
  • Pan American Silver Corp. reported unaudited results for the Q1 2023, without figures or specific news on its Mexican properties.
  • Golden Minerals Co. released financial results for Q1 2023. Revenue was $4.2 M, net operating margin $0.2 M related to the Rodeo mine operations in Durango, where 2,081 Oz Au, 11,535 Oz Ag were produced. Golden is assessing the possibility of restarting the Velardeña property mining operations in Durango. During the period a maiden resource of 937 K tonnes @ 570 gpt Ag was announced on its Yoquivo property, in Chihuahua, and the return of the Santa Maria property, also in Chihuahua, by Fabled Silver. The company had $2.0 M in cash and cash equivalents by the end of the period.
  • SilverCrest Metals Inc. announced its financial and operational results for the first quarter 2023. Undeground mining rates at Las Chispas, in Sonora, averaged 707 tonnes per day (tpd), processing 1,160 tpd with an estimated 40% of production feed sources from stockpiles. Grades averaged 4.06 gpt Au, 419 gpt Ag, recovering 97.5% Au, 91.0% Ag, to produce 13,300 Oz Au, 1.29 M Oz Ag (2.45 M Oz AgEq), at cash cost $6.57 per Oz AgEq and AISC of $11.45 per Oz AgEq. The company had revenue of $58.0 M, resulting in mine operating income of $35.6 M with net free cash flow of $19.3 M, ending the quarter with cash of $45.8 M and net cash of $21.0 M.

ON FINANCING

  • Stroud Resources Ltd. announced a non-brokered private placement to raise up to C$1.5 M (Santo Domingo Hostotipaquillo, Jalisco).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Oroco Resources Corp. released assay results for the last two drill holes of the 2021-2023 program, which test the North Zone of its Santo Tomás project in Sinaloa. Highlighted core length results comprise 185.4 m @ 0.27% Cu, 0.013 gpt Au, 1.1 gpt Ag; 228.5 m @ 0.43% Cu, 0.035 gpt Au, 2.52 gpt Ag in one hole and 387.4 m @ 0.45% Cu, 0.043 gpt Au, 3.0 gpt Ag; 39.0 m @ 0.26%, 0.012 gpt Au, 1.68 gpt Ag in the other. “The North Zone program comprises 47 diamond drill holes and 30,909 m of drilling”.
  • Xali Gold Corp. advised that Minera Cinco Reales S.A. de C.V. has commenced work on the San Dieguito de Arriba plant in Nayarit. The company is planning to carry their first bulk sample test by the end of May. The company will be allowed to conduct the bulk test work while the environmental impact permit is authorized. “Xali Gold will have the right to receive 15% of the net profits from any mineral that is processed at the SDA Plant”.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES             

  • GR Silver Mining Ltd. updated on work and plans for 2023 at its 43,187 ha. Plomosas project in Sinaloa. The property hosts intermediate to low sulfidation epithermal mineralization on the Plomosas, San Marcial and San Juan-La Colorada areas, on which a new resource estimate was filed early this month, based in 60,020 m of drilling in 424 holes. Indicated resources stand at 15 M tonnes @ 117 gpt Ag containing 55 M Oz Ag, or 179 gpt AgEq, containing 85 M Oz AgEq. Inferred resources stand at 9 M tonnes @ 78 gpt Ag, containing 22 M Oz Ag, or 171 gpt AgEq, holding 49 M Oz AgEq. A drill rig has been mobilized to the SE Area in San Marcial and a 12,500 m drilling exploration program has been recommended. On the cost reduction initiative, staff has been reduced by 38% and vehicles by 50%, “with executives taking reduced cash salaries and directors waiving cash fees.”
  • Silver Valley Metals Corp. provided an update on its MexicCan Lithium-Potassium project in Zacatecas-San Luis Potosí. The company “has been in discussions with LitioMX, (the national lithium company of Mexico)” pertaining the possibility of forming a partnership for exploration and production on Silver Valley’s concessions. “The negotiation is focused solely on the lithium component of the multi-commodity deposit(s). This represents an inferred resource of 243,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) defined to date at surface to an average depth of only 5 metres”.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Zacatecas Silver Corp. continues to build on its relationship with the Tetlama community, on its Esperanza project in Morelos. “The Company continues to provide on-going social benefit support with programs currently implemented including: medical assistance, funerary compensation, educational scholarships, and the community forest fire fighting brigade”. The company is combining resources with the community nucleus for the construction of the first stage of a new community cemetery.

On the image below: Silicified breccia-vein ridge in a copper project in the Sonoran Desert. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

Mexico’s Best Drilling Intercepts, First Week of May 2023

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Five companies released drill results from their projects in Mexico. GoGold Resources took the lead with its high grade gold and silver long intercepts at is structurally controlled low to intermediate sulfidation Los Ricos South project in Jalisco. Still, Pan American’s La Colorada Skarn system in Zacatecas, an emerging world class deposit, takes the credit of showing several good grade intervals over 100 m long, dominating by far the lead and zinc categories, and bearing relevant results in silver and copper. Current results are from infill and exploration holes. An example of the exploration potential is one hole drilled 250 m from the closest previous drilling, which returned 27.10 m averaging 125 ppm Ag, 0.06% Cu, 1.0% Pb, 2.7% Zn.

Bendito’s Alacrán project in Sonora is an interesting property, with high sulfidation mineralization related to a porphyry copper system. The present results are from the Puerto de Oro and San Simon targets, characterized by “sub-vertical hydrothermal and crackle breccias, up to 25 meters in width, that crosscut multiple sub-horizontal layers of early residual and vuggy silica varying from a few meters to 50 meters in thickness. The host rock is a volcanic pile of andesite-dacite composition that exhibits mostly alunite-dickite alteration assemblage”.

Infinitum Copper’s La Adelita project in Sonora is a copper skarn system, with the latest results coming from the drilling of a magneto telluric geophysical anomaly which stretches for 1.4 km and up to 200 m in width. Silver Tiger’s results are from the sulfide zone of its El tigre project in Sonora. This is also an interesting intermediate sulfidation system with strong silver-gold in veins, disseminated gold in favorable volcanic layers and now the Sulfide Zone with strong Pb-Zn and moderate to strong silver and moderate copper values over sizable widths in the contact between the crystalline basement and the base of the volcanic pile.

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

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By Jorge Cirett                                             

During the 17th week of the year (April 24th to April 30th, 2023), 17 companies working in Mexico released news on their work. Five companies informed on exploration on their properties, six companies informed on Q1 2023 or full-year 2023 production/financial results. Two companies announced the closing and opening of financing rounds. A company corrected assay information on a previously issued drill intercept; one other provided an update on its intention to sue the Mexican government under a NAFTA legacy claim regarding the lack of action to terminate an illegal blockade. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Canada’s ministry of International Commerce, Mary Ng, expressed the preoccupation of foreign investors on the incoming changes to the Mining Law. The Mining Law was passed on Saturday morning by the Senate, and is set to return discretionary powers to the State on mining concessions. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Prismo Metals released assays from surface sampling at its Los Pavitos property; Regency Silver released good results from deep drilling at its Dios Padre project; Colibri Resource released results from drilling at Evelyn project. In Zacatecas, Radius Gold updated on exploration work at the Tropico property. ON MINING, Sierra Metals, Mag Silver, Santacruz Silver, Alamos Gold, Pan American Silver and Agnico Eagle released Q1 2023 production reports. ON FINANCING, Silver Viper closed a private placement for $3.3 M; Radius Gold is to raise $1.75 M. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Oroco Resource corrected assay results from one hole, previously issued last week, from its Santo Tomás project in Sinaloa. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Guanajuato Silver informed on managerial changes. Silver Bull is to sue the Mexican government if a deal is not reached on an incoming meeting regarding the lack of action by the government to terminate an illegal blockade on its Sierra Mojada project in Coahuila. Prismo Metals and Vizsla Silver formalized the joint technical committee to oversee exploration of the Panuco district in Sinaloa, with Peter Megaw, Craig Gibson and Jesus Velador as members. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, no relevant news.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • The ministry of International Commerce of Canada, Mary Ng, expressed to Raquel Buenrostro, head of the Economy Secretariat (Secretaría de Economía) the preoccupation of foreign investors on the changes to the Mining Law, and the negative implications on North America supply chains.
  • The Senate Commission on Regional Development and Legislative Studies approved without changes, by the ruling party coalition senators of Morena, PT, PVEM and PES parties, the reforms to the Mining Law, National Waters Law, Ecologic Equilibrium Law, Environment Law, and the General Law for prevention and Comprehensive Treatment of Tailings in Matter of Mining and Water Concessions. Among the changes is the reduction of mining concessions validity from 100 to 80 years (under certain conditions), the instauration of an auction system by the government for mining concessions, establishing that the concession title is to be issued AFTER the environmental, labor, energy, social and any other federal permit needed have been received (Note by Editor. – Speaking of putting the cart before the horse).
  • On the changes to the Mining Law. (Note by editor) The reform to the Mining Law is directed to regain quasi absolute control of mining concessions by the government, establishing rules under which the concessions can be revoked on grounds of indigenous population, community issues, environmental issues and water scarcity, all on which the government plays the role of judge and party. This is part of a broader drive by the president to concentrate power in himself and his government coalition before the 2024 presidential elections.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Prismo Metals Inc. released assays results from 354 surface samples on its 5,289 hectare Los Pavitos project in Sonora. Results from Las Auras are up to 0.5 m @ 14.35 gpt Au, 1.0 m @ 12.25 gpt Au, while at Santa Cruz assays are up to 0.5 m @ 5.48 gpt Au, 269 gpt Ag; 1.5 m @ 1.0 gpt Au, 543 gpt Ag. “Las Auras is characterized by northwest trending veins and shears hosted in intrusions, while Santa Cruz is dominated by northeast trending veins that follow sedimentary bedding”. Drilling is expected to begin in Q2 2023.
  • Regency Silver Corp. released results from two follow-up holes from the last drilling round discovery at the Dios Padre project in Sonora. Seven holes have been completed for a total of 4,251 m, of which six have intersected the targeted “pyrite +/- specularite +/- chalcopyrite supported breccia zone that hosts Au-Cu mineralization”. Highlighted core length intercepts comprise 18.15 m @ 0.24 gpt Au; 8.3 m @ 0.62 gpt Au; 19.25 m @ 0.19 gpt Au; 16.2 m @ 0.39 gpt Au; 20.65 m @ 0.51 gpt Au (including 9.2 m @ 1.06 gpt Au); 35.9 m @ 5.51 gpt Au; 128.35 m @ 0.84 gpt Au (including 21.3 m @ 0.54 gpt Au and 57.95 m @ 1.49 gpt Au), and 95.5 m @ 0.2% Cu; 34.35 m @ 0.42% Cu (including 12.05 m @ 0.98% Cu); 25.4 m @ 0.43% Cu; 23.9 m @ 0.19% Cu; and 15.1 m @ 19.2 gpt Ag. “Geophysical Induced-Polarity (IP) survey confirms robust anomaly connecting near surface response from Dios Padre silver mine down-dip to current Au-Cu mineralization being targeted in ongoing drill program, outlining a ~1000m long by ~900 m wide zone of strongly chargeable rock”.
  • Prismo Metals Inc. signed a contract for a 2,500 m drilling program at its Palos Verdes project in the Panuco District in Sinaloa. “The drill program is designed to test the 65% of the strike length of the Palos Verdes vein that has not yet been drilled. It is believed that potential for a large ore shoot is present similar to the drilling accomplished by Vizsla Silver on their adjacent land package is present on Prismo’s concession. Previous drilling has intersected high grade mineralization with the best intercept of 2,336 g/t Ag and 8.42 g/t Au over a true width estimated at 0.8 meters within a larger mineralized interval with 1,098 g/t Ag and 3.75 g/t Au over a true width of 2.3 meters”.
  • Radius Gold Inc. provided an update on the Tropico target in Zacatecas. “Radius geologists identified an elliptical zone of intensely silicified hydrothermal breccias approximately 450 m x 250 m. Several of the outcrops and float blocks are composed of chalcedonic and opaline sinter. The Tropico breccia is hosted within finely bedded siltstones and dirty limestones …”. Radius has an access agreement with the local community and land owners, has completed the geological mapping, contracted CSAMAT and IP geophysical surveys and is preparing for drilling upon receipt of the permits.
  • Colibri Resource Corp. provided assays results from 1,062 m of core drilling in three holes and 1,205 m of reverse circulation drilling in five holes at its Evelyn project in Sonora. Highlighted core length intervals comprise 34.70 m @ 0.28 gpt Au (including 5.65 m @ 1.00 gpt Au); 4.50 m @ 0.34 gpt Au, 4.05 m @ 1.52 gpt Au (including 0.75 m @ 7.54 gpt Au). Highlighted RC intervals comprise 29.00 m @ 0.47 gpt Au (including 2.00 m @ 3.35 gpt Au and 6.00 m @ 0.97 gpt Au); 15.00 m @ 0.18 gpt Au; 20.00 m @ 0.11 gpt Au; 2.00 m @ 1.85 gpt Au; 10.00 m @ 0.47 gpt Au (including 2.0 m @ 1.10 gpt Au and 2.0 m @ 1.04 gpt Au). Colibri also released results from a “short hole” drilling program designed to explore under extensive alluvial cover, completing 1,548 m in 130 vertical holes at 25 m centers. Of the 954 samples (1 m width) recovered, 20% returned greater than 0.05 gpt Au, 11% greater than 0.1 gpt Au and 4 samples returned more than 0.7 gpt Au, peaking at 3.31 gpt Au.

ON MINING

  • Sierra Metals Inc. announced first quarter 2023 production results, including figures from its operations in Mexico. At Bolivar, in Chihuahua, 299 K tonnes were processed at a rate of 3,417 tonnes per day (tpd), grading 0.87% Cu, 17.4 gpt Ag, 0.45 gpt Au, recovering 94.2% Cu, 84% Ag, 69.5% Au, to produce 5.39 M Lb Cu, 140 K Oz Ag, 3,037 Oz Au (7.6 M Lb CuEq). At Cusi (a non-core asset), in Chihuahua, 59.1 K tonnes were processed at a daily rate of 676 tpd, grading 141.8 gpt Ag, 0.13 gpt Au, 0.24% Pb, recovering 86.3% Ag, 46.6% Au, 88.7% Pb, to produce 343 K Oz Ag, 119 Oz Au, 282 K Lb Pb.
  • Mag Silver Corp. reported production from the Juanicipio project (56% Fresnillo PLC– 44% Mag Silver) for Q1 2023. During the period 222 K tonnes grading 363 gpt Ag were processed to produce 2.25 M Oz Ag, 6,047 Oz Au. About 30% of that ore was processed at the Juanicipio beneficiation plant and the focus now is to attain the 4,000 tpd nameplate capacity on a sustained basis and achieve commercial production.
  • Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. reported full year 2022 production, with figures on its Mexican operations. At Zimapan, in Hidalgo, 215 K tonnes were milled averaging 71 gpt Ag, 2.19% Zn, 0.63% Pb, 0.40% Cu, recovering 61.5% Ag to produce 301.2 K Oz Ag, 3,098 tonnes Cu, 1,036 tonnes Pb, 569 tonnes Cu (903.1 K Oz AgEq). The company had a consolidated production of 4.77 Moz AgEq. “Mine development was focused on opening higher grade stoping areas in Carrizal mine along with high productivity areas in Monte mine. Exploration efforts have been refocused to expand current mine resources”.
  • Alamos Gold Inc. reported its financial results for Q1 2023, including figures from its operations in Mexico. At the Mulatos district in Sonora 50,500 Oz Au were produced at cash cost $839 per Oz Au and mine-site all-in sustaining cost of $914 per Oz Au. At La Yaqui Grande mine, 1.0 M tonnes of ore were mined, 5.83 M tonnes of waste moved (waste to ore ratio of 5.64), with 1.02 M tonnes stacked averaging 1.55 gpt Au, containing 50,992 Oz Au, crushed at 11,329 tpd, with a recovery of 75% Au. At the Mulatos mine, 1.0 M tonnes of ore were mined, 0.61 M tonnes of waste moved (waste to ore ratio of 0.61), with 1.23 M tonnes stacked averaging 0.92 gpt Au, containing 36,541 Oz Au, crushed at 13,700 tpd, with a recovery of 33%. For 2023 the company expects to produce between 175-185 K Oz Au at cash cost $900 – $950 per Oz Au.
  • Pan American Silver Corp. provided its guidance for year 2023 production and costs, including figures for its Mexican operations. At La Colorada, in Zacatecas, the company expects to produce 5.5 – 5.9 M Oz Ag, 3,000 Oz Au. At Dolores, in Chihuahua, production is estimated at 2.2 – 2.5 M Oz Ag, 98,000 – 107,000 Oz Au.
  • Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. reported first quarter 2023 results, including figures from its Mexican operations. At Pinos Altos, in Chihuahua, 364 K tonnes were processed at a daily rate of 4,044 tonnes, averaging 2.16 gpt Au, to produce 24,134 Oz Au at cash cost 1,364 per Oz Au and total cash cost of $1,116 per Oz Au. At La India, in Sonora, 660 K tonnes were processed at a daily rate of 7,333 tonnes, averaging 0.68 gpt Au, to produce 16,321 Oz Au at production cost of $1,231 per Oz Au and total cash costs of $1,308 per Oz Au. At San Nicolás, in Zacatecas, the 50/50 joint venture with Teck Resources Ltd. was completed, and the completion of a feasibility study is planned for 2024.

ON FINANCING

  • Silver Viper Minerals Corp. closed the final tranche of its non brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $1.92 M. In total the company raised $3.3 M. Silver Viper is to pay $123.8 K in finder’s fees in connection with this offering, in addition to $40 K paid as finder’s fee on previous tranches. (La Virginia, Sonora).
  • Radius Gold Inc. is to proceed with a non-brokered private placement aiming to rise a minimum of $1.75 M (Amalia, Chihuahua).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Oroco Resources Corp. announced a correction to the assay results from one drillhole released last week from its Santo Tomás project in Sinaloa. The corrected results from hole N044 went from 352.5 m grading 0.83% Cu, 0.011% Mo, 0.072 gpt Au, 6.26 gpt Ag (0.93% CuEq), to 352.5 m grading 0.42% Cu, 0.006% Mo, 0.036 gpt Au, 3.13 gpt Ag (0.46% CuEq), roughly half the previously reported values.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES             

  • Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd. announced Hernan Dorado Smith will take the position of Chief Strategy Officer and Mario Valdez has been promoted to Co-Chief Operating Officer, sharing the position of COO with Ramon Davila (El Cubo, Guanajuato).
  • Silver Bull Resources Inc. provided an update regarding its legacy North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) claim against Mexico. The company seeks to recover economic damages resulting from the illegal blockade of its Sierra Mojada project in Coahuila since September 2019. The illegal blockade has been allowed by the government to continue, despite numerous demands and requests by the company. Silver Bull will be seeking to recover no less than US178 M in damages suffered as a result of Mexico’s breach of NAFTA obligations. A meeting with government officials is scheduled on May 30, 2023 to reach, if possible, an amicable solution. If a settlement is not reached, a request for arbitration will be filed on June 2, 2023 with the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes.
  • Prismo Metals Inc. and Vizsla Silver Corp. formalized the establishment of a joint technical committee which will allow for the pursuit of district-scale exploration of the Panuco district in Sinaloa. The committee is to be comprised by Dr. Craig Gibson, President and CEO of Prismo, Jesus Velador, Vice President Exploration of Vizsla and Dr. Peter Megaw, Chief Operating Officer of Mag Silver Corp.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • No Relevant News.

On the image below: Sheeted quartz veining on a coarse-grained intrusive rock in the Sonoran Desert. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

Mexico’s Best Drilling Intercepts, Fourth Week of April 2023

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Regency Silver’s drilling results from from holes at its Dios Padre project in Sonora returned some excellent gold grades and good copper over long intervals. The intercepts are on sulfide bearing breccias that are common in the Santa Rosa de Yecora district in Sonora. The breccias are complex, present in many shapes and developed in the intrusive rocks, or more commonly, in the contact with the hosting intermediate volcanic rocks package. Other breccias in the district host copper-molybdenum, gold or silver resources, and at least in one property gold is being currently mined.

The Evelyin project is also in Sonora and is being explored by Colibri Resource. Gold mineralization is of orogenic style, and the company has been drilling several targets with a strong structural component, as is usual in this type of deposits. Undercover mineralization is being pursued also by drilling short holes to bedrock on the extensive cover present in the area.

Oroco Resource presented a corrected set of results for one hole from its Santo Tomás porphyry copper project in Sinaloa, previously released last week.

Mexico’s Best Drilling Intercepts, Third Week of April 2023

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Two companies produced drilling news during the week. GoGold Resources reported good gold and silver intercepts from the Eagle Zone at its Los Ricos South project in Jalisco, whilst Oroco Resource presented results from drilling of the North Zone at its Santo Tomás project in Sinaloa.

Los Ricos South is a project that displays structurally controlled low to intermediate sulfidation epithermal mineralization. Santo Tomás is a porphyry copper project with historical drilling since the 1990’s that is seeing renewed exploration efforts by Oroco Resource since its acquisition a few years ago.

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

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By Jorge Cirett                                             

During the 15th week of the year (April 10th to April 16th, 2023), 16 companies working in Mexico released news on their properties. One company informed on exploration at one of its properties, eight companies informed on Q1 2023 production results. One company closed a financing placement while a company opened another one. A company informed on the advance to take a property into production, one other reported drilling results at its main project. One company is exercising its option to acquire a property, while one other is extending the option on an exclusivity agreement. ON MEXICO ISSUES, calls for dialog with Congress are being made with urgency on the merits and negative implications of the proposed changes to the Mining Law. The federal government qualified Vulcan Minerals compensatory demand as unfounded. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Tocvan Ventures provided results from a leach test at its Pilar property. ON MINING, Endeavour Silver, Guanajuato Silver Company, Fortuna Silver, Torex Gold, Gold Resource, Gatos Silver, Orla Mining and Bear Creek Mining released Q1 2023 production reports. ON FINANCING, Monumental Minerals and Excellon Resources announced the closing ($2.2 M) and opening (up to C$10 M) of financing rounds, respectively. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Minera Alamos advances on the permitting process for mining at Cerro de Oro in Zacatecas. Vizsla Silver reported drilling results from its Panuco property in Sinaloa. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Silver Dollar is exercising its option to acquire 100% interest on La Joya property in Durango. Radius Gold extended the exclusivity agreement term with Fresnillo PLC on its Plata Verde Project in Chihuahua. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, no relevant news.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • On the proposed changes to the Mining Law. For the last two weeks there have been many declarations by mining industry members and representatives against many of the proposed changes. There is a widespread movement calling for open discussions of the many elements on this proposal that are to pose a grave threat to foreign and local investment on the industry, affecting a large population base and increased deleterious effects in the economy on the long run. The AIMMGM (Asociación de Ingenieros Mineros, Metalurgistas y Geólogos de México) is asking Congress to organize an open parliament on the subject to discuss the merits and negative implications of the proposed changes.
  • The Mexican federal government qualified Vulcan Minerals $1.9 billion compensatory demand as unfounded on its reply to Centro Internacional de Arreglo de Diferencias Relativas a Inversiones courtroom. Vulcan has been quarrying limestone in Quintana Roo for more than 30 years, and has been pointed by the government as the culprit of an ecological disaster.
  • Mexico’s Best Drilling intercepts on Q1 2023

ON EXPLORATION

  • Tocvan Ventures Corp. provided the results from a leach study from its Pilar property in Sonora. According to the results, 95 to 99% Au, 73 to 97% Ag can be recovered using “gravity concentration followed by agitated cyanide leach of the gravity tails”.

ON MINING

  • Endeavour Silver Corp. reported first quarter 2023 production of 1.62 M Oz Ag 9,342 Oz Au (or 9,342 Oz AgEq. At Guanaceví, in Durango, 102.4 K tonnes were milled at a rate of 1,138 tonnes per day (tpd), averaging 511 gpt Ag, 1.42 gpt Au, recovering 85.6% Ag, 89.6% Au, to produce 1.44 M Oz Ag, 4,188 Oz Au. At Bolañitos, in Guanajuato, 109.7 K tonnes were milled at a rate of 1,208 tpd, averaging 61 gpt Ag, 1.70 gpt Au, recovering 86.1% Ag, 86.8% Au, to produce 183.6 K Oz Ag, 5,154 Oz Au.
  • Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd. announced consolidated production results for the year 2022. Production from El Cubo mines complex, Valenciana mines complex and San Ignacio mine in Guanajuato involved 410.3 K tonnes mined, 418.8 tonnes milled, recovering 86.0% Ag, 84.5% Au, 88.7% Pb, 84.5% Zn, to produce 1 M Oz Ag, 11,174 Oz Au, 1.3 M Lb Pb, 1.9 M Lb Zn, or 2.13 M Oz AgEq, at cash cost $15.84 per Oz AgEq and AISC of $21.55 per Oz AgEq. At the end of 2022 the company had cash and cash equivalents of $8.8 M and $1.7 M of working capital.
  • Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. reported production results for the first quarter of 2023, including figures from its operations in Mexico. During the period the San Jose mine in Oaxaca produced 1.3 M Oz Ag, 8,231 Oz Au.
  • Torex Gold Resources Inc. reported Q1 2023 production from its El Limon-Guajes operations in Guerrero. During the period 10.2 K tonnes of ore per day (tpd) were mined from open pits, 93.7 K tpd of waste moved (waste to ore strip ratio of 9.2) and 1,738 tpd of ore were mined from underground for a total of 13,703 tpd processed at a grade of 3.50 gpt Au, recovering 87.8% Au to produce 122,918 Oz Au. “… the Company made over $75 million in tax payments including the annual payment of the 7.5% mining tax, corporate tax instalments, and true-up of taxes outstanding at the end of 2022”.
  • Gold Resource Corp. released production results from its Don David mine in Oaxaca in Q1 2023. During the period 117.8 K tonnes were milled at a rate of 1,420 tonnes per day, averaging 2.33 gpt Au, 94 gpt Ag, 0.37% Cu, 1.7% Pb, 3.9% Zn, to produce 7,171 Oz Au, 322.7 K Oz Ag, 336 tonnes Cu, 1,559 tonnes Pb, 3,837 tonnes Zn.   
  • Gatos Silver Inc. announced production results for first quarter 2023 at its Cerro Los Gatos property in Chihuahua. During the period 260.4 K tonnes were milled at a rate of 2,894 tpd, averaging 329 gpt Ag, 3.93% Zn, 1.86% Pb, 0.30 gpt Au, recovering 88.3% Ag, 62.2% Zn, 88.6% Pb, 55.3% Au, to produce 2.43 M Oz Ag, 14.0 M Lb Zn, 9.5 M Lb Pb, 1,380 Oz Au. “… silver production is expected to be higher in the first half of 2023 than in the second half of 2023 based on sequencing of the mine plan. Zinc and lead production are expected to be higher in the second half of the year than in the first half.
  • Orla Mining Ltd. provided an interim operation update for Q1 2023. At the Camino Rojo Oxide mine in Zacatecas, during the period the company mined 3.13 M tonnes (waste to ore ratio 0.61) of which 1.18 M was moved waste, 1.65 M tonnes ore averaging 0.72 gpt Au and 0.30 M tonnes of low-grade ore averaging 0.29 gpt Au for stockpiling. Ore stacked was 1.77 M tonnes @ 0.80 gpt Au, to produce 25,910 Oz Au.
  • Bear Creek Mining Corp. announced production results for the first quarter of 2023. During the period 133.6 K tonnes were mined at its Mercedes mine in Sonora, 134.5 K tonnes milled, at a grade of 2.91 gpt Au, recovering 95.56% Au, to produce 12,025 Oz Au, 40.1 K Oz Ag. “Mercedes mine planning and development began the shift toward higher-grade deposits that utilize cut and fill mining methods during Q1 2023…”.  

ON FINANCING

  • Monumental Minerals Corp. closed a non brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $2.2 M. The company paid aggregate finder’s fees of $110.3 K plus warrants (Jemi, Coahuila).
  • Excellon Resources Inc. announced a non-brokered private placement for aggregate gross proceeds of up to C$10 M. “… the net proceeds of the Offering are expected to be used to advance development of La Negra, fund exploration at La Negra and for general corporate purposes “(La Negra, Hidalgo).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Minera Alamos Inc. completed the necessary documentation to proceed with its Cerro de Oro project in Zacatecas permitting process. The company expects to conclude negotiations on a lending package for construction once the permits are received.
  • Vizsla Silver Corp. reported results from six holes at the southern extension of the Napoleon vein at its Panuco project in Sinaloa. Highlighted true width intercepts comprise 4.00 m[JC1]  @ 590 gpt Ag, 5.15 gpt Au, 1.0% Pb , 4.4% Zn (including 0.98 m @ 2,025 gpt Ag, 15.74 gpt Au,, 1.7% Pb, 5.2% Zn); 6.10 m @ 156 gpt Ag, 3.63 gpt Au, 7.9% Pb, 6.6% Zn; 5[JC2] .00 m @ 99 gpt Ag, 1.44 gpt Au, 1.2% Pb, 5.1% Zn; 1.70 m @ 268 gpt Ag, 1.41 gpt Au, 0.2% Pb, 0.3% Zn; 3.05 m @ 157 gpt Ag, 2.55 gpt Au, 0.8% Pb, 5.1% Zn; 1.00 m @ 532 gpt Ag, 8.96 gpt Au, 1.5% Pb, 7.1% Zn; 10.65 m @ 54 gpt Ag, 0.93 gpt Au, 0.2% Pb, 0.8% Zn.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES             

  • Silver Dollar Resources Inc. delivered a notice to First Majestic Silver Corp. exercising its option to acquire a 100% interest in La Joya property in Durango.
  • Radius Gold Inc. extend the term of the exclusivity agreement with Fresnillo PLC on its Plata Verde project in Chihuahua. The term of the agreement has been extended three months, implying Fresnillo is to cover US$157 K in payments to the underlying concession owners and landowners, while maintaining the commencement of drilling before 7 July 2023.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • No Relevant News.

On the image below: Quartz veined coarse grain intrusive rock in the Sonoran Desert. Picture by Jorge Cirett. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

 [JC1]

 [JC2]