Feasibility Study

Highlights on the Third Week of September, 2017. Mineral Exploration in Mexico

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During the 38th week of the year (September 18th to September 24th, 2017), at least 26 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Primero Mining acknowledged the receipt of US$4.6 M of VAT refunds. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Azure is to begin a 5,000 m drill program at Oposura, and San Marco is re-shaping its exploration strategy in Chunibas, to reflect the new porphyry model for the mineralization. In Chihuahua, Radius is giving shape to a coherent epithermal target at its Amalia project, and Mammoth released trench results from its Tenoriba property. In Hidalgo, Prospero is to start drilling at El Petate. ON MINING, Argonaut poured the first gold from its San Agustin project in Durango. Primero Mining is struggling while ramping up production at San Dimas, in Durango. ON FINANCING, Telson Resources entered into a loan facility for US5 M with Trafigura. McEwen Mining entered into a bought deal financing for US$46.6 M. Alamos Gold increased its revolving credit facility to US$400 M ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT; Americas Silver released a new resource estimate for its Cosalá operations in Sinaloa. Torex Gold released high-grade intercepts from the sub-sill zone at its El Limon-Guajes mine in Guerrero. Argonaut Gold updated mineral the mineral resource estimate for its La Colorada and El Castillo mines in Sonora and Durango, respectively. Alio Gold received an important permit on its Ana Paula project in Guerrero, and is working on the definitive feasibility study (DFS). ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Rose Petroleum presented an update on its operations in Sinaloa, and some notes on the transferal of its San Dieguito mill in Nayarit to Magellan Gold. Alio Gold is to commence the construction of a 1,200 m long decline at its Ana Paula project in Guerrero. Primero Mining provided an update on its operations, along with a description of its financial struggle. Soleil Capital and Goldplay Exploration are to create a TSX listed company. Goldgroup Mining provided its side of the story on the legal battle with DynaResource Inc.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • Primero Mining Inc. acknowledged having received US$4.6 M in VAT refunds from the Mexican authorities in two installments over July and August, and is working closely with the SAT to recover in due time the outstanding US$32 M.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Azure Minerals Ltd. plans to start a 100 diamond hole, 5,000 m drill program at its Oposura property in Sonora during October, once the permits have been received. “Drilling by previous explorers of 85 surface holes tested the mineralised zone over an area of approximately 1,400m (east-west) x 400m (north-south) (see Figure 1). Early drilling by Azure will twin some of these historical holes to assess whether they can be used in defining the deposit and estimating the mineral resource”. With all the historical and recent work compiled Azure has derived an exploration target of 2.5 M tonnes @ 10% – 12% Zn+Pb.
  • Prospero Silver Corp. has received from SEMARNAT the permit to drill the Petate property in Hidalgo. Drilling is to start on September 17th, 2017, with 12 holes to test four targets: Apartadero SE, Apartadero Central, Tajo and Petate #3. “High-level epithermal alteration is exposed over a 5×4 km area with highly anomalous gold and silver hosted in extensive outcrops and float of steep to strata-bound jasperoid.”
  • Radius Gold Inc. released high-grade channel sampling results from the recently optioned Amalia property in Chihuahua. At the Campamento zone, where a 150 m by 300 m zone of intense silicification, brecciation and stockwork veining has been mapped, results include 62 m @ 0.43 g/t Au, 98 g/t Ag; 14 m @ 1.47 g/t Au, 167 g/t Ag; including 7 m @ 2.37 g/t Au, 239 g/t Ag. At the Guadalupe target, a quartz sulfide vein breccia hosted in andesites returned 7 m @ 3.62 g/t Au, 1,048 g/t Ag; 7 m @ 2.4 g/t Au, 188 g/t Ag; 4 m @ 3.92 g/t Au, 888 g/t Ag. At Dulces Nombres the vein in a short tunnel returned 1 m @ 34 g/t Au, 13 g/t Ag; 1 m @ 20.3 g/t Au, 44 g/t Ag; 1.5 m @ 114.5 g/t Au, 57 g/t Ag. Au-Ag mineralization occurs over a vertical interval of 600 m, at multiple targets over 3.5 km of strike length.
  • Mammoth Resources Corp. released channel sample results from 14 trenches at its Tenoriba project in Chihuahua. Results include (true width) 11.5 m @ 0.64 g/t Au, 2 g/t Ag; 16.0 m @ 0.38 g/t Au, 4 g/t Ag; 15.5 m @ 0.99 g/t Au, 6 g/t Ag in the Moreno zone; 7.0 m @ 1.28 g/t Au, 8 g/t Ag; 13.5 m @ 1.50 g/t Au, 3 g/t Ag; 10.0 m @ 0.42 g/t Au, 7 g/t Ag; 6.2 m @ 0.88 g/t Au, 4 g/t Ag at the Carneritos zone; 13.1 m @ 0.66 g/t Au, 1 g/t Ag; 6.4 m @ 0.47 g/t Au, 10 g/t Ag in the Masuparia zone and 6.4 m @ 0.54 g/t Au, 2 g/t Ag in the Cerro Colorado zone.
  • San Marco Resources Inc. is readjusting its exploration strategy to accommodate an evolving geologic model on its Chunibas project in Sonora. The discovery of breccias in the recent core drilling program led to re-mapping and re-logging of the core, and the generation of a larger porphyry related breccia gold model with over printing epithermal quartz-carbonate veining. The surface mineralized footprint is 3 km x 1.5, and still open. The gold mineralization occurs disseminated and vein controlled. The re-logging of the core highlighted an 88 m breccia interval @ 0.37 g/t Au, and several drill holes present magnetite bearing potassic alteration associated with elevated gold grades. To test the property under the new model a magnetic survey is to be undertaken, along with the extension of some soil lines and deeper drill holes.

ON MINING

  • Argonaut Gold Inc. announced the first pour of gold at San Agustin, Durango, as scheduled. Impressive is the claim by the company of having had no lost time accidents during the 10 months construction period.
  • Primero Mining Corp. informed that the expected ramp-up production following successful negotiations with unionized workers has been significantly delayed due to persistent issues with underground equipment reliability, which has impacted development rates and stoping activities. As a result the production guidance has been lowered to 75 K to 85 K Oz AuEq at total cash costs of between $800 and $900 per AuEq Oz and all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of $1,050 to $1,150 per Au Oz.

ON FINANCING

  • Telson Resources Inc. has entered into a loan facility and offtake agreements with Trafigura Mexico, S.A. de C.V., to sell 100% of the lead and zinc concentrate produced at its Campo Morado mine in Guerrero. The US$5 M loan has a three-year term with a six-month grace period followed with 30 repayment installments. The loan facility matures on September 2010 and bears interest at rate equal to LIBOR (3M) plus 5%.
  • McEwen Mining Inc. has entered into an agreement on a bought deal basis under which up to 9 M shares are to be purchased, for gross proceeds of $46.6 M, before deducting underwriting commissions and estimated offering expenses. If all the associated warrants are exercised before the two year expiration date aggregate proceeds are to reach US$74 M.  (El Gallo, Sinaloa).
  • Alamos Gold Inc. has secured amendments to its existing undrawn revolving credit facility, including an increase of the facility from US$150 M to US$400 M on more favourable terms (Mulatos, La Yaqui; Sonora).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Americas Silver Corp. released an updated mineral reserve and resource estimate for its Cosalá operations in Sinaloa. Proven and probable mineral reserves stand at 4.0 M tonnes @ 100 g/t Ag, 0.02% Cu, 1.6% Pb, 3.9% Zn; Measures and indicated resources include 8.0 M tonnes @ 128 g/t Ag, 0.24% Cu, 0.5% Pb, 1.2% Zn; Inferred mineral resources include 4.1 M tonnes @ 147 g/t Ag, 0.33% Cu, 0.6% Pb, 1.0% Zn. The updated estimate reflects the drilling programs conducted at the property between January 2016 and the end of June 2017.
  • Torex Gold Resources Inc. released high-grade intercepts in the step-out drilling to the NW of the current Sub-Sill resource area, at its El Limon-Guajes mine in Guerrero. Some highlighted core length intercepts comprise 19.3 m @ 41.4 g/t Au, 43 g/t Ag, 2.1% Cu; including 5.6 m @ 69.8 g/t Au, 57 g/t Ag, 1.7% Cu; 35.9 m @ 5.7 g/t Au, including 3.5 m @ 32.2 g/t Au and 3.5 m @ 14.1 g/t Au; 4.8 m @ 8.5 g/t Au, 20 g/t Ag, 1.2% Cu; 6.1 m @ 15.7 g/t Au. A 240 m step-out drill hole intercepted 3.6 m @ 11.6 g/t Au. These results confirm the potential for extending the current resource, already defined in an area of 250 m x 150 m. “The Sub-Sill area is located between the El Limon and El Limon Sur ore deposits and under the El Limon Sill. The Sub-Sill area occurs in the Mesozoic carbonate-rich Morelos Platform, which has been intruded by Paleocene granodiorite stocks, sills and dikes. Skarn-hosted gold mineralization is developed along the contacts of the intrusive rocks and the enclosing carbonate-rich sedimentary rocks”.
  • Argonaut Gold Inc. provided updated pit-constrained mineral resource estimates for its El Castillo and La Colorada mines in Durango and Sonora respectively. At El Castillo measured and indicated resources stand at 63.97 M tonnes @ 0.36 g/t Au, and inferred resources at 1.57 M tonnes @ 0.36 g/t Au, for contained 751 K Oz Au and 18 K Oz Au respectively. At La Colorada indicated resources stand at 29.87 M tonnes @ 0.61 g/t Au, 10 g/t Ag and inferred resources of 1.24 M tonnes @ 0.80 g/t Au, 12 g/t Ag, for contained 596 K OZ Au, 9.9 M Oz Ag and 32 K Oz Au, 488 K Oz Ag respectively.
  • Alio Gold Inc. received approval for its change of land use application from SEMARNAT on its Ana Paula project in Guerrero. A definitive feasibility study (DFS) was initiated on July 2017 and is expected to be completed on the second quarter of 2018. The Pre-feasibility study (PFS) contemplated $137 M in capital for construction of the mine, Alio has $64 M of cash on hand and is looking to raise between $90 and $100 M in project financing.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Rose Petroleum PLC. Entered into a memorandum of understanding with Magellan Gold Corp. for transferring 100% interest on the San Dieguito de Arriba mill in Nayarit. Magellan is to pay Rose a total consideration of US$1.5 M, with US$1.0 M in cash and US$0.5 M in Magellan restricted common shares. Rose operated the mill for 10 years with ore from its Charay mine in Sinaloa. The company continues to hold the 3,954 has Tango property in Sinaloa, with permitting for drilling Cu-Mo porphyry targets and the Au-Ag vein structure.
  • Alio Gold Inc. has approved the construction of a $16 M, 1,200 m long decline and exploration program at its Ana Paula project in Guerrero. The decline permitting has been approved by SEMARNAT, and mobilization of the contractor is expected to begin in October 2017. In about nine months, once the decline has reached its target, A 20,000 m underground drilling program with 80 holes is to test the high-grade mineralization below the planned pit.
  • Primero Mining Corp. “continues to operate in a cash conservation mode as management works on possible alternatives to refinance or repay its upcoming debt obligation. The Company continues with negotiations on the potential sale of San Dimas or potential renegotiation of its silver stream. Primero had approximately $12 million in cash at August 31st and has fully-drawn its $75 million revolving credit facility (“RCF”). The Company expects to use the proceeds from Black Fox transaction to reduce its total debt position.” “Primero has recently received approximately $4.6 million in Mexican VAT refunds over two instalments in July and August, and is working closely with SAT to arrange for the remaining eligible outstanding VAT amounts totalling $32 million to be refunded in due course.”
  • Soleil Capital Corp. signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Goldplay Exploration Ltd. to create a public TSX listed precious metals exploration company utilizing Goldplay’s exploration strategy and experience in the Rosario district, in Sinaloa. The resulting issuer will be named Goldplay Exploration Ltd.
  • Goldgroup Mining Inc. states that the company was never notified of the court case where DynaResource Inc. was awarded US$48 M (See last week Highlights), and does not recognize any of the claims therein “and is of the belief that such claims are entirely without merit.”

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 below, high-grade gold milky quartz vein with pyrrothite in Chihuahua, near Batopilas. Photo by Jorge Cirett.

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Highlights on the Fourth Week of August, 2017. Mineral Exploration in Mexico

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During the 34th week of the year (August 20th to August 26th, 2017), at least 20 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico, including two quarterly reports. ON MEXICO ISSUES, no relevant news. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Azure is soon to release drilling results from the Oposura project, while Colibri is planning to drill the Pilar property near Suaqui. In Hidalgo Prospero intends to drill the El Petate property. In Zacatecas Arian Silver completed the drilling of three lithium salars. ON MINING, Impact Silver and Santacruz Silver reported second quarter production results for 2017. ON FINANCING, no relevant news for the first time in the year.  ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Monarca is trying to secure surface rights at its Tejamen property in Durango. Mexican Gold is to realize a geophysical survey at Las Minas in Veracruz. Telson Resources has received permits for tailings facilities in Durango. Silver Bull identified a new zone of sulfide mineralization at Sierra Mojada, Coahuila. Almaden released drilling results from inside the planned pit at Tuligtic, Puebla. Consolidated Zinc released high-grade drilling intercepts at Plomosas, Chihuahua. Bacanora Minerals provided an update on the FS of the Sonora Lithium project. Americas Silver released drilling results from the Cosalá mine complex in Sinaloa. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Sonora Metals started trading on the OTCQB Venture Market.  Azure Minerals acquired the gold-cobalt Sara Alicia property in Sonora.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • No Relevant News.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Azure Minerals Ltd. is advancing on the planning and approval process of an upcoming drilling campaign at its newly-acquired Oposura Zn-Pb-Ag project in Sonora. The previous owner drilled 994 m in 16 diamond drill holes, assay results for which are expected shortly. “Significant sulphide mineralisation, including massive, banded and disseminated, was observed in most holes.”
  • Azure Minerals Ltd. acquired the Sara Alicia property in Sonora (see note below). The 9 hectares concession covers all the historical mine workings and observed Au-Co and Cu-Zn-Ag manto mineralization exposures related to the intrusion of a granodiorite porphyry into a thick limestone sequence. Sampling on the Au-Co zone returned 2.5 m @ 39.0 g/t Au, 6.1% Co; 2.5 m @ 12.5 g/t Au, 6.9% Co; 3.0 m @ 5.7 g/t Au, 2.4% Co; 2.1 g/t Au, 3.2% Co; while sampling at the Cu-Zn-Ag zone returned 2.4 m @ 2.2% Cu, 2.4% Zn, 84 g/t Ag; 1.0 m @ 3.4% Cu, 3.1% Zn, 124 g/t Ag; 3.5 m @ 2.1% Cu, 4.2% Zn, 54 g/t Ag; 2.5 m @ 5.2% Cu, 2.5% Zn, 170 g/t Ag; 1.5 m @ 2.1%Cu, 3.2% Zn, 133 g/t Ag.
  • Prospero Silver Corp. intends to begin drilling in September at the El Petate project in Hidalgo, funded by strategic partner Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. High level epithermal alteration is exposed over a 5×4 km area, showing a robust mineralized system with additional potential to host a carbonate replacement deposit at depth. Surface sampling returned a continuous channel sample of 67.5 m @ 0.93 g/t Au. A total of 2,800 m on 29 holes has been proposed to Fortuna.
  • Colibri Resources Corp. is planning three tranches of RC drilling (10,000 m) at its recently acquired Pilar gold project in Sonora. The surface rights agreement has been signed on friendly terms.
  • Arian Silver Corp. completed the first phase of auger drilling on its three lithium projects in Zacatecas. The drilling of 28 holes resulted in 214 samples that have been sent for assay at ALS Global. The results are expected in about three or four weeks.

ON MINING

  • Impact Silver Corp. released its financial and production results for the second quarter of 2017. Most of the production was from the San Ramon Deeps, Cuchara, Mirasol and San Patricio mines at its Zacualpan property in Mexico State. The average silver feed to the mill was 173 g/t Ag, to produce 227.5 K ounces of silver. Exploration work is focused on larger and higher-grade targets at Alacran and Alacran North. The cash position at the end of the period was $6.8 M, with net working capital of $8.6 M.
  • Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. reported second quarter 2017 production results. At the Rosario project in San Luis Potosi 28 k tonnes were milled @ 42 g/t Ag (172 g/t AgEq), recovering 87% Ag, to produce 33.2 K Oz Ag, 298 Oz Au, 40 tonnes Pb, 408 tonnes Zn (124.7 K Oz AgEq). At Veta Grande in Zacatecas 29.7 k tonnes were milled @ 102 g/t Ag (218 g/t AgEq), recovering 64% Ag, to produce 56.1 K Oz Ag, 174 Oz Au, 198 tonnes Pb, 317 tonnes Zn (145.9 K Oz AgEq). At Rosario the focus has been on increasing the input from the Membrillo vein and the Cinco Estrellas property. At Veta Grande the focus is in through-put maximization and grade control.

ON FINANCING

  • No Relevant News.

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Monarca Minerals Inc. is trying to secure the surface rights at Tejamen, Durango. To date Monarca has met with senior government officials at the Federal, State and Municipal level, earning full support for the project, and contact with the leaders of the community has been initiated aiming to become a responsible Community partner. A new deeper drilling program is being planned to follow high grade feeder veins and test the base of the volcanic rocks over sedimentary rocks where manto and carbonate replacement mineralization might occur; initial work is to involve re-logging all drilling samples of the previous campaigns.
  • Mexican Gold Corp. has commenced field work preparation for ground magnetic and time domain electromagnetic surveys at its Las Minas project in Veracruz. The surveys aim to identify targets for the upcoming 3,000 m diamond drill program by contractor K.D.L. Mexico S.A. de C.V. at the Cinco Señores, Las Minillas and El Dorado/Juan Bran zones.
  • Telson Resources Inc. has received permits from Semarnat for reactivation of the existing tailings disposal facility and for the construction of a new larger tailings facility for the Tahuehueto project in Durango. The permitted capacity of over 13 M cubic meters can accommodate more than 30 years of production at the planned 1,000 tonnes per day mining rate.
  • Silver Bull Resources Inc. identified a new massive sulfide zone at its Sierra Mojada project in Coahuila. This zone lies within a 1.4 km long chargeability anomaly within which other two zones of sulfide mineralization that present high grade Zn-Pb-Cu. Approximately 280 m of previously non-accessible workings were opened and 19 samples collected with results like: 2.34 m @ 1,315 g/t Ag, 9.0% Cu; 2.32 m @ 392 g/t Ag, 0.4% Zn, 1.8% Cu; 1.4 m @ 329 g/t Ag, 42% Zn, 3.2% Cu; 1.52 m @ 713 g/t Ag, 3.4% Zn, 0.1% Pb, 1.1% Cu; 1.13 m @ 1,130 g/t Ag, 22.2% Zn, 3.3% Pb, 12.9% Cu; 2.00 m @ 495 g/t Ag, 7.1% Zn, 2.7% Pb, 1.1% Cu; 2.00 m @ 33 g/t Ag, 8.1% Zn, 3.4% Pb, 0.1% Cu; 2.0 m @ 42 g/t Ag, 1.5% Zn, 2.4% Pb, 0.2% Cu; 2.0 m @ 73 g/t Ag, 19.2% Zn, 4.8% Pb, 0.3% Cu: 2.0 m @ 491 g/t Ag, 24.7% Zn, 0.4% Pb, 1.6% Cu; 2.0 m @ 277 g/t Ag, 19.6% Zn, 18.3% Pb, 0.7% Cu.
  • Almaden Minerals Ltd. released high-grade drilling results from a previously undrilled area inside the planned pit at its Tuligtic project in Puebla. The hole reported intersected 74.5 m @ 0.66 g/t Au, 45 g/t Ag; 64.30 m @ 0.79 g/t Au, 74 g/t Ag; 46.85 m @ 0.49 g/t Au, 68 g/t Ag.
  • Consolidated Zinc Ltd. reported new high-grade results from underground sampling from the Las Espadas West stope area. Significant assays include 1.0 m @ 22.2% Zn, 3.5% Pb, 20 g/t Ag; 1.5 m @ 28.8% Zn, 13.2% Pb, 41 g/t Ag; 1.2 m @ 36.3% Zn, 12.8% Pb, 50 g/t Ag; 1.5 m @ 37.9% Zn, 12.3% Pb, 36 g/t Ag; 1.0 m @ 33.2% Zn, 6.9% Pb, 32 g/t Ag; 1.0 m @ 20.4% Zn, 10.8% Pb, 25 g/t Ag. Mineralization is coarse grained massive sulfides, comprising low iron sphalerite and galena at a ratio of around 2 to 3:1.
  • Bacanora Minerals Ltd. provided an update on the feasibility study (FS) for a 35,000 tonnes per year lithium carbonate operation that is to be completed in late 2017. A sodium sulfate (Na2SO4) roast has been developed over the more expensive gypsum (Ca2SO4) roast previously contemplated. “Ausenco Engineers is currently undertaking final plant layout, capital equipment tenders and flow sheet optimization work.” Mechanical and metallurgical optimization of the Hermosillo plant is underway, while the mine plan optimization continues. On the energy supply side five independent proposals have been received, including gas and electrical sources. Long term debt funding is being sought for the construction phase, which should take 18 months.
  • Americas Silver Corp. released results from drilling at the Zone 120 deposit, adjacent to the San Rafael development project, part of the Cosalá property in Sinaloa. Highlighted true width (TW) recent intercepts include 61.4 m @ 306 g/t Ag, 0.23 g/t Au, 0.8% Cu (including 9.4 m @ 932 g/t Ag, 0.82 g/t Au, 1.9% Cu and 9.4 m @ 479 g/t Ag, 0.29 g/t Au, 1.1% Cu); 39.6 m @ 205 g/t Ag, 0.28 g/t Au, 0.5% Cu; 22.8 m @ 138 g/t Ag, 0.22 g/t Au, 0.37% Cu; 18.1 m @ 113 g/t Ag, 0.08 g/t Au, 0.2% Cu.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Sonora Metals Corp. has started trading on the OTCQB Venture Market. The company owns the over 1,000 ha San Marcial property in Sonora, which contains the old Soledad and San Marcial mines.
  • Azure Minerals Ltd. has acquired the Sara-Alicia gold-cobalt project in southern Sonora. The property saw limited underground mining of gold and cobalt in the 1930’s. To get hold of the property the company successfully obtained the revocation of the recently cancelled mining concession, and a further payment of US$125,000 will be made to the family once commercial production is achieved, no NSR to be paid. The company is to wait for the liberation of a recently expired surrounding 22,000 has tenement to apply for further terrain.

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 below, artisanal rock mill, or “tauna”, in the Sierra Madre of Chihuahua. Photo by Jorge Cirett.

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