Mexico Issues

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

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By Jorge Cirett

During the 34th week of the year (August 19th to August 25th, 2019), at least 23 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. ON MEXICO ISSUES, the Charcas municipality in San Luis Potosi is awaiting for a favorable resolution by the Supreme Court on the use of the Mining Fund. ON EXPLORATION, in Baja California, One World Lithium plans a diamond drilling campaign at its Salar del Diablo project. In Sonora, Minaurum Gold released drilling results on its Alamos Silver project. In Durango, Canasil updated on exploration of its Salamandra, Nora, and Vizcaino projects. In Zacatecas, Canasil updated on exploration of La Esperanza. In Oaxaca, Megastar reported interesting surface sample results at its Yautepec project. ON MINING, Mexus Gold continues piling material on the heaps at its Santa Elena mine. Fortuna Silver reported an underground fatality at the San Jose mine in Oaxaca. ON FINANCING, Discovery Metals granted options to officers, directors, employees and consultants. SilverCrest Metals closed a private placement for C$4.56 M. Argonaut Gold entered into an agreement for gross proceeds of C$4 M. Avino Silver granted options and 1.73 M restricted share units to its directors, officers, employees and consultants. Millrock received an extension regarding the filing of documents in respect of a private placement. Kootenay Silver closed its non-brokered private placement financing for gross proceeds of $5 M. Tamino Minerals intends to raise capital. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Aura Minerals reported that a geophysical survey indicates a mineralised body might open to depth at its Aranzazu mine, in Zacatecas. SilverCrest Metals received the explosives permit, acquired water rights and paid the remaining mining concessions at its Las Chispas project in Sonora. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Magna Gold completed the acquisition of Las Marias and Las Cabanas groups of concessions in Sonora, adjacent to its flagship Mercedes project. GoGold renegotiated the acquisition agreement on Los Ricos property, Jalisco, to speed up the purchase and lower the amount of the full transaction by $5.4 M. Torex Gold hedged the production of 96 K Oz Au. Bacanora Lithium presented an update on the approval of Ganfeng Lithium investment on Bacanora by the Chinese authorities. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. No relevant news.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • Mining municipalities in San Luis Potosi demand to receive the Mining Fund. The municipality of Charcas, in San Luis Potosi, presented a legal complaint to the Supreme Court to avoid the use of these funds (gathered by the payment on a royalty from mining proceeds) for programs unrelated to mining. The municipality president, Manuel López Lara, said these resources are needed to provide vital infrastructure to the community, and that they are awaiting a favorable resolution by the Supreme Court.

ON EXPLORATION

  • One World Lithium Inc. appointed Montgomery and Associates as operator for its upcoming drill programs on its Salar del Diablo lithium brine project in Baja California. Initially four diamond holes are to be drilled to 600 m depth to collect 20 groundwater samples at specified depths using a depth specific packer system.
  • Minaurum Gold Inc. released further drill results from its Alamos Silver project in Sonora. With the latest results Minaurum has now tested 14 of the 20 veins systems in the project. Highlighted recent results comprise 3.80 m @ 415 gpt Ag, 2.68 gpt Au, 1.37% Cu, 6.2% Pb, 9.2% Zn (including 0.95 m @ 1,566 gpt Ag, 6.72 gpt Au, 4.48% Cu, 9.3% Pb, 10.1% Zn); 0.95 m @ 425 gpt Ag, 0.32% Cu, 3.2% Pb, 1.3% Zn; 1.95 m @ 261 gpt Ag; 0.90 m @ 337 gpt Ag; 0.90 m @ 307 gpt Ag; 1.05 m @ 134 gpt Ag, 0.31% Cu, 1.2% Pb, 3.9% Zn. Minaurum reports high grade silver intercepts in 10 of the 14 veins drilled to date, and plans to drill six more vein systems before beginning follow-up drilling on veins that have the potential to host volumes of high-grade mineralization similar to that of the historic Quintera and Promontorio mines.
  • Canasil Resources Inc. presented a review of its main projects in central Mexico. At La Esperanza, in Zacatecas, there is a series of epithermal veins on a 15 km long corridor, with drilling at the La Esperanza vein returning up 11.23 m true width (TW) @ 219 gpt Ag, 0.74 gpt Au, 0.9% Zn, 0.4% Pb (including 1.11 m @ 2,281 gpt Ag, 6.39 gpt Au, 2.2% Zn, 1.2% Pb.  At Salamandra, in Durango, a rhyolite dome intruding sedimentary rocks has returned drill intercepts of up to 9.5 m @ 102 gpt Ag, 0.5% Zn; 10.0 m @ 71 gpt Ag, 3.5% Zn, 1.3% Pb; 7.89 m @ 166 gpt Ag, 1.2% Cu, 1.2% Zn, 0.6% Pb (including 2.30 m @ 393 gpt Ag, 3.6% Cu, 2.8% Zn, 0.4% Pb). At Nora, in Durango, samples on epithermal veins have returned up to 1.0 m @ 1.98 gpt Au, 514 gpt Ag, 1.03% Cu, 3.3% Zn, 4.4 % Pb. At Vizcaino, in Zacatecas, the gold-anomalous Pamplona vein is 1 to 12 m in width over 2 km of length, with chalcedonic quartz hosted in rhyolites.
  • Megastar Development Corp. reported assay results from surface sampling at its Yautepec property in Oaxaca. Results from a sinter zone and a bounding quartz vein of 162 samples returned up to 308 gpt Ag, 1.07 gpt Au, 99 ppm Cu, 464 ppm Pb, 548 ppm Zn, 102 ppm Mo, 92,600 ppm (9.26%) As, 307 ppm Sb. These high numbers are very encouraging on a high-level epithermal system like the one exposed at this project.

ON MINING

  • Mexus Gold US. has piled 4,000 tons @ 2.8 gpt Au on the heap for leaching at its Santa Elena mine in Sonora (not to mistake for First Majestic’s Santa Elena mine, also in Sonora).
  • Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. reports a fatal accident involving a contractor’s employee at its San Jose mine in Oaxaca. “The accident involved a scooptram operating underground, and the individual fatally injured was the driver”.

ON FINANCING

  • Discovery Metals Corp. granted 5.3 M options to certain officers, directors, employees and/or consultants (Puerto Rico, Coahuila).
  • SilverCrest Metals Inc. closed the private placement with SSR Mining Inc., pursuant to which SSR elected to exercise its equity participation right to maintain a 9.9% interest in SilverCrest by investing C$4.56 M. Upon closing of this transaction, SSR Mining holds 9,000,645 common shares of SilverCrest (Las Chispas, Sonora).
  • Argonaut Gold Inc. entered into an agreement with Cormark Securities Inc. to act as lead underwriter of a syndicate of underwriters that are to buy shares of the company for aggregate gross proceeds of C$4 M (La Colorada, Sonora).
  • Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. granted 526 K incentive options and 1.73 M restricted share units to its directors, officers, employees and consultants (Avino, Durango).
  • Millrock Resources Inc. announced the TSX Venture Exchange granted Millrock an extension of the deadline to file materials in respect of the private placement financing previously announced (Batamote, Sonora).
  • Sable Resources Ltd. announced the completion of distribution of 29.9 M common shares of Talisker Resources Ltd. to shareholders of the company. “The distribution of the Talisker Shares was effected as a reduction in the stated capital of the common shares of the Company…. The Company previously received the Talisker Shares in consideration for the assignment of certain mineral resource properties located in the Province of British Columbia on April 18, 2019” (Margarita, Chihuahua).
  • Kootenay Silver Inc. closed its non-brokered private placement financing for gross proceeds of $5 M. Finder fees totaling $200 K were paid to Mackie Research Capital Corp. with 1.25 M common shares issued and 625 K warrants (La Cigarra, Chihuahua).
  • Tamino Minerals Inc. announced its intentions to raise capital. Currently Tamino has issued 370.6 M shares, of which 220.8 M are restricted and 149.8 M are deemed free trading (El Volcan, Sonora).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Aura Minerals Inc. reported that a geophysical study at its Aranzazu mine in Zacatecas suggests the Glory Hole skarn may open down dip for a further 500 to 700 m from the current resource base, and also down plunge to southeast towards Cabrestante, which may represent potential for an increase of life of mine if confirmed by drilling.
  • SilverCrest Metals Inc. received approval from Secretaria de la Defensa Nacional (SEDENA) for the operational storage and use of explosives at its Las Chispas Project in Sonora. SilverCrest also acquired local water rights for Las Chispas and exercised its last outstanding option agreement to fully acquire the remaining four of the 28 concessions at Las Chispas, thereby obtaining 100% ownership in all Las Chispas mining concessions containing vein mineral resources.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Magna Gold Corp. completed the acquisition of the Las Marias property and las Cabanas mineral claims in Sonora“. Las Marias Property consists of 7 mining concessions covering 646 hectares adjacent to the Mercedes Property and Las Cabanas consists of 2 claims covering 248 hectares located approximately 10 km south-west of the Mercedes Property in Sonora, Mexico. The total purchase price for the new mineral concessions and other rights was $250,000 and the issuance of 1,000,000 common shares.”
  • GoGold Resources Inc. replaced the original option agreement for the Los Ricos property in Jalisco for a concession agreement. GoGold is now required to make a $500 K payment upon signing, $3.22 M to be paid on installments over 24 months, and 9.05 M shares of GoGold common shares to be delivered in equal numbers over 24 months. In addition, the company entered into an agreement to acquire the existing 2% NSR for $1 M in equal installments over 36 months and 4.87 M shares delivered in equal numbers over an 18 month period. This agreement is stated to save GoGold $5.4 M.
  • Torex Gold Resources Inc. entered into a series of no-cost collar hedges, with 96 K Oz Au hedged over the next 12 months. “The floor price of the monthly gold collars has been set at $1,400/oz with the ceiling price of the collars ranging from $1,666/oz in September 2019 to $1,768/oz in August 2020.”
  • Bacanora Lithium PLC. informed the agreements with Ganfeng Lithium Co. Ltd. have been submitted to the Chinese authorities for approval and completion. With the already received approvals by the PRC Ministry of Commerce and the National Development and Reform Commission, it is anticipated that the final approval from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange will be received following a Ganfeng board meeting to be held in the coming weeks (Sonora Lithium project, Sonora).

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

On the image below: Ricardo Ramonett collecting a stream sediment sample in Oaxaca. Picture by Jorge Cirett

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No habrá más concesiones mineras en el sexenio: AMLO.- El Financiero

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https://elfinanciero.com.mx/nacional/no-habra-mas-concesiones-mineras-en-el-sexenio-amlo

11/Agosto/2019

El presidente Andrés Manuel López Obrador anunció este domingo que durante su gobierno no se entregarán más concesiones mineras.

Durante un mitin en Concepción del Oro, Zacatecas, aseguró que en 36 años se concesionaron en el país 80 millones de hectáreas, que equivale al 40 por ciento del territorio nacional.

También acusó a los empresarios que sólo utilizaron los permisos para la especulación financiera.

“Concesionar las regiones mineras a empresas nacionales y a extranjeras fue una política que se impulsó desde la época de (Carlos) Salinas de Gortari y se llegaron a entregar 80 millones de hectáreas para la explotación minera. Para tener una idea: pensemos en nuestro territorio. México tienen 200 millones de hectáreas y se entregaron 80 millones de hectáreas, como el 40 por ciento del territorio nacional. Nunca en la historia se había enajenado tanto suelo patrio”, dijo.

Reiteró que se mantendrán las concesiones, pero que no se entregarán nuevas.

“No vamos a cancelarlas, pero ya no vamos a seguir entregando nuevas concesiones para la explotación minera. Porque fue mucho lo que se entregó. Si lo analizamos vamos a llegar a la conclusión que no se entregó para producir, sino para especular financieramente”, dijo.

“Ya con lo que entregaron tienen para producir. Ese es el propósito principal y no la especulación. Lo que pedimos a las empresas mineras es, primero, que se cuide el medio ambiente, que no se destruya el territorio, que no actúen como se hace en el extranjero”, añadió.

Pidió que a los mineros mexicanos se les pague como se hace en Estados Unidos o Canadá y se apliquen las mismas normas ambientales.

Hizo un llamado a que se vaya aumentando el salario de los trabajadores, y que haya los mismos beneficios.

Como la ha dicho en otros mítines, López Obrador advirtió que las organizaciones no gubernamentales no recibirán presupuesto público.

“Realizaban trabajo de intermediación. Se supone que entregaban los apoyos a la gente y no era así. Se quedaban con el presupuesto o con una buena cantidad del presupuesto, se entregaban los apoyos y -si acaso- compraban despensas, repartían frijol con gorgojo y se quedaban con la mayor parte del dinero que recibían”.

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Second Week of June, 2019

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By Jorge Cirett

During the 26th week of the year (June 24th to June 30th, 2019), at least 43 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. ON MEXICO ISSUES, a resolution by the Supreme Court is awaited to learn how the Mining Fund resources are to be allocated, if for social and environmental infrastructure (as planned) or as direct allocations to the people of the communities, the preferred method of the president (a method the opposition denounces as vote buying). In Sonora a local congressman introduced a bill for a new state tax on dirt extracted from open pits, a measure that if implemented is to pose a further weight in the already heavy fiscal load for mining companies in Mexico. Furthermore, the Economy Secretariat (Secretaria de Economia) published a letter stating that the “Protocol of Good Practice of Mining for the Public Consultation” (Protocolo de buenas practicas de la Minería para la consulta pública) is under review by the agency. It is not possible to underrate the importance of the review of this protocol, because if it is implemented incorrectly the result would impact fast and catastrophically the Mexican exploration industry. One of the more pressing issues is the fact that placing the consultation process before exploration takes place, would end most exploration in one swipe. If in doubt, just take a look to Oaxaca, where, although not being in the law you have to make the community consultation process before exploring, and the result is that hardly any exploration work is nowadays conducted in one of the states with the best mineralization potential in Mexico. Trust is hard to earn, let’s not throw it away so carelessly. ON EXPLORATION, In Zacatecas, Galore continues to drill at Dos Santos; Alien Metals updated on its exploration of Donovan 2 and Los Campos. ON MINING, Alien Metals released its financial results for 2018. ON FINANCING, Santacruz signed an agreement to extend the payment of a US$2.3 M loan. Galore is making a $1.5 M financing. Goldplay closed an oversubscribed financing for $1.37 M. Leagold completed a debt refinancing for a $200 M term loan and a $200 M revolving credit facility. ePower intends to conduct a private placement for Cdn$6 M. Sable granted 2.8 M incentive stock options. Alien Metals raised £350 K.  ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Mexus Gold  is to start leaching at Santa Elena, in Sonora. Telson reported significant underground channel sample results at Tahuehueto. Orla presented the result of the FS on Camino Rojo. Premier Gold presented results of its 42,000 m drilling campaign at Mercedes. Southern Silver file a technical report with updated resources on Cerro Las Minas. Santacruz presented results of drilling at Veta Grande. GoGold released results of drilling at Los Ricos. SilverCrest informed the decline has intersected the Babicanora vein at Las Chispas. Minera Alamos informed on the permitting of Santana. Almaden updated on permitting and legal issues at its Ixtaca project in Puebla. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Millrock sold its Sonoran portfolio to Riverside. ePower Metals entered into a definitive agreement with Minera Alamos to acquire the Los Reyes project in Sinaloa. Silver Viper renegotiated much better terms on the lease of two properties within its La Virgina project in Sonora. Golden Minerals entered into an agreement under which Minera Autlan is to buy its Velardeña properties. Bacanora Lithoum signed an investment agreement and an offtake agreement with Ganfeng Lithium on its Sonora lithium project. Canasil and Pan American agreed on terms for the acquisition of Pan American of the Sandra Escobar project in Durango.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • The Economy Secretariat is awaiting the resolution of the Supreme Court on the change of rules to apply the Mining Fund, which this year is anticipated to be amounting to 3.2 billion pesos (3,200 millones) or approximately US$168.4 M. The proposal by the present Federal government (ie.- the president) is to deliver the resources directly to the people to “augment the capacities” of the mining communities. The aim would be to organize the community and the service providers to be part of the service chain for the mining industry. The resources on the Mining Fund to date are to be funneled according with the current rules, until a resolution by the Supreme Court clarifies the issue.
  • In Sonora, local congressman Carlos Navarrete from the Encuentro Social party (allied to the Morena party) introduced a bill for a new State tax on dirt extracted from open pits (includes waste, sand, dimension stone, clays, limestone, lime, among others). The US$0.63 tax per cubic metre of material would be split 80/20 between the municipalities and the State. The resources would be utilized in physical investments and infrastructure with social impact, in the environment and urban development (The bill intends to use the resources thus gathered in the same way that those of the Mining Fund were supposed to be used, and for which a 7% federal royalty tax was imposed on mining a few years ago. Now that the current president Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador intends to use the resources of the Mining Fund for his preferred programs, allied politicians are trying to make the mining industry pay even more taxes).
  • The Economy Secretariat published a letter on the “Protocol of Good Practice of Mining for the Public Consultation”. In the letter the Economy Secretariat states that the protocol is under review by the agency. On the Letter: The consultation process is to be applied to all communities that can be impacted by the mining activity. Also, both exploration and exploitation should be consulted before their realization. The responsible authority is to be the Economy Secretariat, with aid by the Instituto Nacional de los Pueblos Indigenas and other authorities (SEMARNAT, CONAGUA, CFE, local municipal and state governments), as well as the state and federal Human Rights Commissions.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Galore Resources Inc. informed its 2,500 m diamond core drilling program at the El Alamo target of its Dos Santos project in Zacatecas continues to progress well. The first hole “intersected multiple zones of alteration and brecciation …… silicified and brecciated limestone similar to those observed on the surface over a much wider zone than was anticipated”.
  • Alien Metals Ltd. updated on its exploration activities at its Zacatecas properties Donovan 2, Los Campos and Don Celso. Sampling and mapping at Donovan 2 has resulted in high grade mineralisation in historic workings open along strike, and channel sample assays of up to 1.15% Cu and float samples of up to 0.45 gpt Au. Planned work includes a ground induced polarisation (IP) geophysical survey before the first phase of drilling. Surface mapping and sampling will be undertaken at Los Campos and Don Celso properties, as well as underground sampling and a geophysical survey at Los Campos.

ON MINING

  • Alien Metals Ltd. released its audited financial results for 2018. The company owns the Donovan 2, Los Campos, San Celso and La Africana projects in Zacatecas. The company held US$0.7 M in cash and cash equivalents by the end of the period.

ON FINANCING

  • Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. reached an agreement to amend the repayment terms of the US$2.3 M short-term loan that it has borrowed from a private Bolivian mining company. The principal balance of US$2.3 million is now to be repaid by January 30, 2020. As consideration for the extension on the date of repayment Santacruz is to increase the issue of 2 M warrants to 2.5 M warrants (Veta Grande, Zacatecas).
  • Galore Resources Inc. is to commence a non-brokered private placement to raise gross proceeds of up to $1.5 M (Dos Santos, Zacatecas).
  • Goldplay Exploration Ltd. closed its over-subscribed previously announced financing, for gross proceeds of $1.37 M. A total of $28.9 K was paid and 231 K warrants were issued as a finder’s fee payment (San Marcial, Sinaloa).
  • Leagold Mining Corp. completed the debt refinancing with a syndicate of lenders that includes a $200 million term loan and a $200 million revolving credit facility. These loans have been used to replace $238 million of existing short-term debt, and will aid in the development of the Bermejal underground complex, the Guadalupe open pit and the CIL plant construction at it Los Filos mine in Guerrero.
  • ePower Metals Inc. intends to conduct a non-brokered private placement to raise up to Cdn$6 M (Los Reyes, Sinaloa).
  • Sable Resources Ltd. granted 2.8 M incentive stock options to certain officers, directors, employees and consultants of the company. Such options are exercisable at a price of $0.15 for a period of five years (Margarita and Vinata, Chihuahua).
  • Alien Metals Ltd. raised £350 K through the placement of shares (Donovan 2, Los Campos, Zacatecas).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Mexus Gold US. is to start leaching at its Santa Elena mine in Sonora (not to mistake for First Majestic’s Santa Elena mine, also in Sonora). Leaching is programmed to start on June 27th, with ore grading 1.8 gpt Au, 8 gpt Ag, to later on add ore @ 4 gpt Au, 12 gpt Ag. By September the company expects to be mining 3,500 tonnes per week.
  • Telson Mining Corp. reported significant channel sample assay results for underground mine development at its Tahuehueto project in Durango, where a 1,000 tonne per day mine is under construction. Highlighted results include: 2.42 m @ 5.76 gpt Au, 129 gpt Ag, 1.44% Cu, 3.8% Pb, 6.2% Zn; 5.50 m @ 3.31 gpt Au, 57 gpt Ag, 0.32% Cu, 0.9% Pb, 3.5% Zn; 5.38 m @ 4.41 gpt Au, 44 gpt Ag, 0.38% Cu, 1.5% Pb, 3.6% Zn; 7.0 m @ 5.12 gpt Au, 40 gpt Ag, 0.29% Cu, 1.0% Pb, 3.2% Zn; 6.45 m @ 5.69 gpt Au, 51 gpt Ag, 0.21% Cu, 2.3% Pb, 5.6% Zn; 4.42 m @ 8.70 gpt Au, 59 gpt Ag, 0.18% Cu, 1.7% Pb, 2.2% Zn; 4.08 m @ 9.27 gpt Au, 69 gpt Ag, 0.19% Cu, 0.6% Pb, 1.0% Zn; 3.56 m @ 7.95 gpt Au, 76 gpt Ag, 0.25% Cu, 3.3% Pb, 4.6% Zn. Individual assays are often above 5 gpt Au, and up to 28 gpt Au.
  • Orla Mining Ltd. presented the results of a feasibility study on its Camino Rojo Oxide project in Zacatecas. The main points include 18 K tonnes per day operation, with 44 M tonnes of ore to be put on the leach pad @ 0.73 gpt Au, 14.2 gpt Ag, containing 1 M Oz Au, 20.1 M Oz Ag. The expected recovery is 64% Au, 17% Ag, with an annual gold production of 97 K Oz Au at by-product cash cost $515 per Au Oz and an AISC of $576 per Au Oz. The after tax net present value (5%) is $142 M, with an after tax internal rate of return of 28.7% and a payback period of three years, all this in the case scenario of $1,250 per Au Oz price. The proven and probable mineral reserves stand at 44 M tonnes @ 0.73 gpt Au, 14.4 gpt Ag, whereas the measured and indicated resources amount to 353.4 M tonnes @ 0.83 gpt Au, 8.8 gpt Ag, containing 9.46 M Oz Au, 100.4 M Oz Ag. Inferred mineral resources are 60.9 M tonnes @ 0.87 gpt Au, 7.4 gpt Ag, containing 1.70 M Oz Au, 14.5 M Oz Ag.
  • Premier Gold Mines Ltd. presented exploration results of its 42,000 m drilling program at its Mercedes mine in Sonora. New mineralised veins have been confirmed at San Martin, opening the area 600 m to the west of the Lupita deposit. Drilling at San Martin returned multiple intercepts, including 7.2 m @ 4.64 gpt Au, 30 gpt Ag; 1.4 m @ 5.56 gpt Au, 38 gpt Ag. Ongoing delineation at Lupita includes intercepts of 3.9 m @ 10.3 gpt Au, 88 gpt Ag and 1.5 m @ 23.9 gpt Au, 71 gpt Ag. Exploration is to be activated at La Mesa area, adjacent to Agnico Eagle’s Santa Gertrudis project.
  • Southern Silver Corp. filed a NI-43-101 report with an updated mineral resource estimate for its Cerro Las Minas project in Durango (previously disclosed). The indicated resources amount to 11.1 M tonnes @ 105 gpt Ag, 0.1 gpt Au, 0.16% Cu, 1.2% Pb, 3.7% Zn, containing 37.5 M OZ Ag, 35 K Oz Au, 40 M Lb Cu, 303 M Lb Pb, 897 Lb Zn, Inferred mineral resources comprise 12.8 Mt @ 111 gpt Ag, 0.07 gpt Au, 0.27% Cu, 0.9% Pb, 2.8% Zn, containing 45.7 M Oz Ag, 31 K Oz Au, 76 M Lb Cu, 253 M Lb Pb, 796 M Lb Zn. “The overall objective of the 2019-20 exploration program is to continue to increase the existing resource base and to identify and drill test new epithermal vein systems within the larger claim package.”
  • Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. released results from phase 1 of the current drilling program on the Veta Grande, Armados and Navidad veins on its Veta Grande project in Zacatecas. Highlighted true width intercepts comprise 0.55 m @ 761 gpt Ag, 0.2 gpt Au, 0.86% Pb, 1.84% Zn, 0.04% Cu; 1.94 m @ 65 gpt Ag, 0.75 gpt Au, 1.23% Pb, 3.84% Zn, 0.03% Cu at the Navidad vein; 2.40 m @ 227 gpt Ag, 0.88 gpt Au, 2.71% Pb, 2.64% Zn, 0.19% Cu; 1.59 m @ 280 gpt Ag, 0.61 gpt Au, 3.60% Pb, 3.24% Zn, 0.22% Cu.
  • GoGold Resources Inc. released results from two more diamond drill holes at its Los Ricos property in Jalisco. Highlighted intervals comprise 5.0 m @ 0.52 gpt Au, 161 gpt Ag; 6.3 m @ 2.14 gpt Au, 337 gpt Ag and 32.0 m @ 0.80 gpt Au, 179 gpt Ag, including 11.3 m @ 1.46 gpt Au, 348 gpt Ag. The 10,000 m HQ diamond drill program “is focused on defining the mineralized halo around the historical high grade ore shoots as defined by the underground workings and the 65 historical RC drill holes on the property”.
  • SilverCrest Metals Inc. informed the decline has intersected the Babicanora vein at the Las Chispas project in Sonora. The decline intersected the Babicanora vein and the newly identified Baby Vista vein, the first with 3.6 m true width and the second with 1.5 m true width. Additional highlighted infill results of the area 51 of the Babicanora vein include 7.6 m @ 26.6 gpt Au, 2,676 gpt Ag; 3.5 m @ 32 gpt Au, 3,417 gpt Ag; 5.6 m @ 13.6 gpt Au, 1,154 gpt Ag. The 51 in-fill drill holes totaling 18,488 m reported in this news release were “generally targeting mineralization on the outer edges of the current block model” have a weighted average true width of 2.2 m @ 7.17 gpt Au, 753 gpt Ag. An additional 40,000 to 50,000 m of infill and expansion drilling with 15 drill rigs on site focused on expanding mineralization and improving resource confidence. To date over 203,000 m of drilling have been sunk in the property. Ongoing work includes the Feasibility study expected in H1, 2020 development of the Babicanora Vein in Area 51 zone, stockpiling of high-grade material, an extensive metallurgical test program, geotechnical work and permitting for project development.
  • Minera Alamos Inc. received notification by SEMARNAT (Mexican environmental agency) confirming the successful completion of the technical review phase of the application (Estudio Tecnico Justificativo – “ETJ”) for the change of land use to allow the construction of mining and processing facilities at the Santana project area in Sonora. Phase 2 exploration will continue on the coming months, focusing to “demonstrate the potential of the project to host multiple “Nicho-style” mineralized systems that could be combined to supply feed material for an expanded regional production facility”.
  • Almaden Minerals Ltd. current focus at its Ixtaca property in Puebla relates to permitting and financing activities. “Review by Mexican authorities of Almaden’s environmental permit application (Manifestación de Impacto Ambiental, or “MIA”) continues in the normal course, and recently SEMARNAT, Mexico’s environmental authority, completed its public information meeting in the town of Santa Maria”. Almaden is engaged with several potential financing parties to secure funds for the development of the project. Regarding a decision by a lower court in Puebla State concerning Mexico’s mineral title system, Mexico’s Federal Congress, Senate, and Ministry of the Economy each filed appeals against the decision, as well as Almaden.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Ridgestone Mining Inc. entered into an agreement to acquire 100% interest in ten mining concessions adjacent to its Rebeico project in Sonora. The concessions cover 3,292 ha west of the Ridgestone claims, in an area with “numerous artisanal workings and mineralized outcrops”. Ridgestone has to make a $83 K payment and issue 5 M shares to the vendor.
  • Millrock Resources Inc. entered into an agreement to sell the La Union, Los Cuarentas, El Pima, El Valle and Llano del Nogal claim blocks to Riverside Resources Inc. The Santa Rosalia option from the Los Cuarenta project will also be transferred. The deal, that includes a geological database and exploration equipment, involves Riverside paying $35 K and issuing 150 K shares to Millrock, as well as a 0.5% net smelter royalty (NSR) on the El Pima and El Valle claims, and in the Santa Rosalia option.
  • ePower Metals Inc. entered into a definitive agreement with Minera Alamos Inc. and Vista Gold Corp. under which ePower has the right to earn 100% interest in the Los Reyes project in Sinaloa. In connection with the Transaction, the Company intends to change its name to “Prime Mining Corp.”, and will focus its resources on the immediate development of Los Reyes. ePower has to complete a $1.5 M cash payment to Minera Alamos, and assume the remaining option payments to Vista Gold of US$1.5 M on October 2019 and US$1.5 M on October 2021, as well as issuing Minera Alamos 9.45 M post-consolidation shares and 3.35 M warrants. ePower has to consolidate its common shares capital on a two-for-one basis and complete a financing of at least Cdn$6 M. The Los Reyes project has an historical estimate of 427.2 K Oz Au, 7.5 M Oz Ag in indicated resources and 196.7 K Oz Au, 4.8 M Oz Ag of inferred resources.
  • Silver Viper Minerals Corp. renegotiated the terms of the Rubi-Esperanza option agreement to purchase three mineral concessions within its La Virginia project in Sonora. The overall agreement reduced the total cash payments from $4.49 M to $3 M, augmented in one year the term of the option and crucially reduced the amount on the first three payments by $1.46 M, enabling Silver Viper to direct maximum expenditures to advancing the project. According to the new agreement the company has to pay US$50 K on June 2019 (paid), US$75 K on June 2020, US$100 K on June 2021, US$200 K on June 2022 and US$2.575 M on June 2023. A 2% NSR can be purchased for US$2 M within 5 years of the original agreement remains unchanged. “Surface geochemistry and prospecting have identified targets to the north, south and east of the El Rubi discovery (6 m TW @ 3.16 gpt Au, 228 gpt Ag) which will be tested during the next phase of drilling. In addition, Silver Viper has contracted Geotech Ltd. to conduct a 720 line-kilometer magnetic and radiometric survey over the El Rubi and La Gloria targets for a total coverage of 4,900 hectares”.
  • Golden Minerals Co. entered into an agreement to sell its Velardeña properties to Compañía Minera Autlán S.A.B. de C.V. for $22 M. The deal comprises the Velardeña properties, including the Velardeña and Chicago mines (currently in care and maintenance) and other adjacent exploration properties, and the lease agreement under which Golden Minerals has the oxide plant with Hecla thorough 2020. The proposed transaction also would include the sale of the Rodeo and the Santa Maria project concessions. Upon execution of this agreement, Autlan paid a deposit of US$1.5 million to Golden Minerals, which will be applied to the purchase price upon closing.
  • Bacanora Lithium PLC. signed an investment agreement and off-take agreement with Ganfeng Lithium Co. (a key player in the lithium industry globally). Once completed this agreement would form a major part of the financing package needed to develop the initial 17,500 tonnes per year production of lithium carbonate. The £14.4 M strategic investment provides Ganfeng with 29.99% of Bacanora, pre-emption rights and a director on the board. Another project level investment of £7.56 M in Sonora Lithium Ltd. (the holding company of the project) accrues Ganfeng 22.5% of the holding company, with an option to increase its interest to 50% within 24 months and the appointment of a director to the board. GFL will provide a plant and process commissioning team to assist Bacanora in delivering first production in 2021.
  • Canasil Resources Inc. and Pan American Silver Corp. signed the definitive agreement under which Pan American has the right to acquire Canasil’s interest in the Sandra Escobar project, in Durango. The transaction was closed for a payment of CDN$2 M and grant of a 2% NSR, with Pan American being able to buy 1% of the NSR by the payment to Canasil of CDN$4 M.

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, conglomerate with well-rounded quartz vein and silicified rock fragments in the coastal plain in Veracruz. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

IMG_1079 - copia

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Second Week of June, 2019

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Inguaran Feb 2011 109a

By Jorge Cirett

During the 24th week of the year (June 10th to June 16th, 2019), at least 20 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. ON MEXICO ISSUES, the illegal blockade on Newmont Goldcorp’s Peñasquito mine in Zacatecas was lifted after 81 days, with negotiations between the parts to start on the following week. CAMIMEX proposed 90% of the Mining Fund should be allocated directly to the mining communities, this amid the presidential intention to use this fund at his sole discretion. ON EXPLORATION, In Baja California, One World Lithium completed the drilling program at Salar del Diablo. In Sonora, Aloro completed a drilling program at Los Venados; Ridgestone presented results of a bulk sample program at Rebeico. In Chihuahua, Ethos Gold commenced drilling at Purisima; Kootenay completed road building for its incoming drill program at Columba; Sable completed its second drilling campaign at Margarita; Radius reported results from drilling at its Amalia project. Advance Gold completed a 3D model for its Tabaqueña project. In Veracruz, Azucar presented results of seven more drill holes at El Cobre. ON MINING, No relevant news. ON FINANCING, Mako is to raise C$27 M, Aztec C$360 K and Minera Alamos had $400 K in warrants exercised. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Mexus Gold started leaching at Santa Elena, in Sonora. Oroco clarified a statement on Santo Tomas resources from a previous news release. Impact Silver released sample results for the Manto America target area at Zacualpan. Candente informed positive results by partner Sun River Gold on metallurgical tests for the El Oro tailings. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, No relevant news.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • The illegal blockade on Newmont Goldcorp’s Peñasquito mine in Zacatecas was announced to be lifted on June 13th. Discussion panels between the parts are to be held starting on June 19th, sponsored by the Ministry of the Interior. The illegal blockade by a truck contractor and proprietors of communal land near the mine site lasted for 81 days. The truck contractor says it is fighting for employment whereas the communal proprietors claim water shortages caused by consumption by the mine (and the company alleges a plain extortion attempt).
  • CAMIMEX (Camara Minera de Mexico) proposed that 90% of the resources of the Mining Fund (Fondo Minero) stay within Municipalities, and the remaining 10% with the Mining Secretariat. Fernado Alanis, president of CAMIMEX, said that the original objective of the fund was to support the mining communities. On the former regulations only 50% of the funds reached the municipalities and the remaining to the coffers of the Federation and States, “but we believe the majority should reach the localities” (this proposal comes amid the presidential intention to deliver the Mining Fund as loans to people in mining communities, a move most in the industry see as a play to gain support for elections, and not helpful for supporting mining communities, originally the aim of such fund).

ON EXPLORATION

  • Ethos Gold Corp. commenced its drill program in the Purisima property in Chihuahua. The initial program will comprise 3,000 m of reverse circulation (RC) drilling in 15 holes, targeting shallow oxide bulk tonnage gold mineralization. “At La Purisima a northwest trending gold mineralized zone has been identified over a strike length of at least 2 km with a width of alteration and geochemically anomalous gold mineralization of approximately 600 metres. Within this footprint are two north-west striking zones that have the strongest gold anomalies, each approximately 200 metres wide.”
  • Aloro Mining Corp. completed 1,347 m of drilling in four holes at its Los Venados project in Sonora. The program aimed to test a blind mineralized felsic dome structure adjacent to the Mulatos mine’s high grade Escondida gold bearing felsic dome. Relevant intercepts comprise 3.05 m @ 0.14 gpt Au; 1.53 m @ 0.13 gpt Au; 3.05 m @ 0.22 gpt Au; 7.62 m @ 0.16 gpt Au.
  • Kootenay Silver Inc. has completed road building and signed a surface access agreement with the landowner at its Columba property in Chihuahua. Drilling is expected to start on the third week of June 2019.
  • Sable Resources Ltd. announced the completion of the second round of drilling at the Margarita project in Chihuahua, releasing the results of the last 15 holes. Here some of the highlighted results: 5.7 m @ 39 gpt Ag; 11.55 m @ 35 gpt Ag; 4.15 m @ 35 gpt Ag; 7.65 m @ 42 gpt Ag; 7.60 m @ 63 gpt Ag, 0.75% Pb, 0.56% Zn (125 gpt AgEq); 8.45 m @ 93 gpt Ag (including 3.2 m @ 193 gpt Ag); 6.0 m @ 66 gpt Ag; 5 m @ 166 gpt Ag (including 1.5 m @ 426 gpt Ag); 62.5 m @ 28 gpt Ag; 59.5 m @ 68 gpt Ag (including 3.05 m @ 230 gpt Ag and 1.75 m @ 220 gpt Ag and 1.65 m @ 190 gpt Ag, and 5.60 m @ 153 gpt Ag); 32.90 m @ 34 gpt Ag; 17.90 m @ 23 gpt Ag.
  • One World Lithium Inc. announced the completion of two more holes at its Salar del Diablo project in Baja California.
  • Ridgestone Mining Inc. released results of a bulk sampling program on its Rebeico Cu-Au project in Sonora. A total of 111 samples weighing a combined 2,500 kg were collected from dumps, mainly form the Alaska vein which operated up to the 1960’s. The average grade for the different zones was: Veta Grande, 6.7 gpt Au, 13 gpt Ag, 0.79% Cu; Upper Alaska, 3.3 gpt Au, 11 gpt Ag, 1.39% Cu; Lower Alaska, 3.4 gpt Au, 23 gpt Ag, 1.32% Cu; La Verde, 3.5 gpt Au, 12 gpt Ag, 0.37% Cu; Josefina, 0.24 gpt Au, 12 gpt Ag, 0.49% Cu; Tunel de Garcia, 2.1 gpt Au, 2 gpt Ag, 0.40% Cu; Año Nuevo, 1.0 gpt Au, 5 gpt Ag, 0.60% Cu; Elena, 0.1 gpt Au, 5 gpt Ag, 0.99% Cu.
  • Radius Gold Inc. reported results from the 1,756 m six diamond hole second phase drill program at its Amalia project in Chihuahua. With the majority of assays received the highlighted true width intervals are: 44 m @ 12.38 gpt Au, 309 gpt Ag; 4 m @ 1.05 gpt Au, 24 gpt Ag; 4 m @ nil Au, 647 gpt Ag; 24 m @ 2.3 gpt Au, 126 gpt Ag (including 2.6 m @ 9.85 gpt Au, 761 gpt Ag); 65 m 3.75 gpt Au, 61 gpt Ag (including 17 m @ 7.91 gpt Au, 65 gpt Ag). “Radius and its partner Pan American Silver Corp have now completed two drill programs totalling 3665m in 15 drillholes…. Geological controls on the mineralization are complex with multiple events of gold and silver mineralization within veins, stockworks and hydrothermal breccias.”
  • Advance Gold Corp. announced the completion of a 3D model for its Tabasqueña project in Zacatecas. “Drilling in the first 3 phases has hit a cluster of mineralized epithermal veins over an area from east to west of approximately 300 metres, and north to south 400 metres, and 300 metres of depth”.
  • Azucar Minerals Ltd. released results from the Norte and El Suegro zones at its El Cobre project in Veracruz. Highlighted results comprise: 19.30 m @ 0.64 gpt Au, 0.08% Cu and 103.40 m @ 0.33 gpt Au, 0.11% Cu in one hole; 29.95 m @ 0.12 gpt Au, 0.15% Cu; 494.50 m @ 0.16% Cu. 0.16% Cu (including 64.5 m @ 0.27 gpt Au, 0.17% Cu); 67.85 m @ 0.46 gpt Au, 0.2% Cu (including 36.2 m @ 0.68 gpt Au, 0.27% Cu); 112.0 m @ 0.17 gpt Au, 0.26% Cu (including 57.75 m @ 0.22 gpt Au, 0.40% Cu); 200 m @ 0.18 gpt Au, 0.22% Cu (including 34.5 m @ 0.36 gpt Au, 0.28% Cu); 101.05 m @ 0.47 gpt Au, 0.14% Cu

ON MINING

  • No relevant News.

ON FINANCING

  • Mako Mining Corp. is to conduct an offering to raise gross proceeds of C$27 M (La Trinidad, Sinaloa).
  • Aztec Minerals Corp. has arranged a non-brokered private placement financing to raise minimum gross proceeds of CAD$360 K (Cervantes, Sonora).
  • Minera Alamos Inc. warrants for an amount of $400 K were acquired by Donald Smith Value Fund, L.P. Following the acquisition the acquiror holds 10.8% of the outstanding common shares of Minera Alamos, of which previously held 9.8% (Santana, Sonora; La Fortuna, Durango).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Mexus Gold US. informed leaching has started at its Santa Elena mine in Sonora (not to mistake with First Majestic’s Santa Elena mine, also in Sonora). “Approximately 5700 tons of high-grade quartz vein material will be broken on site and hauled to the crushing and leaching site. The estimated grade for this material is in the order of 5 to 10 g/t Au.”
  • Oroco Resource Corp., at the request of IIROC clarifies a previous news release. The Mintec Inc. resource estimate included in the historical Bateman Report of 1994 for the Santo Tomas project in Sinaloa utilized a classification scheme other than those set out in NI-43-101. “A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as a current mineral resource or mineral reserve. However, the historical assaying and verification methods were performed within the accepted standards applicable at the time.”
  • Impact Silver Corp. released results from surface and underground sampling at the Manto America target area on its Zacualpan property in Estado de Mexico. More than 33 samples have returned greater than 2 gpt Au, peaking at 22.40 gpt Au. Highlighted results include 0.50 m @ 22.4 gpt Au, 7 gpt Ag; 0.40 m @ 21.7 gpt Au, 101 gpt Ag, 1.2% Pb, 1.4% Zn; 0.30 m @ 20.40 gpt Au, 43 gpt Ag; 0.2% Pb, 0.4% Zn; 1.20 m @ 19.5 gpt Au, 8 gpt Ag; 0.30 m @ 16 gpt Au, 421 gpt Ag, 0.8% Pb, 2.1% Zn; 0.37 m @ 14.5 gpt Au, 14 gpt Ag; 0.30 m @ 7.1 gpt Au, 17 gpt Ag; 1.0 m @ 6.4 gpt Au, 2 gpt Ag; 1.0 m @ 3.1 gpt Au, 41 gpt Ag, 0.6% Pb. “The mineralization is hosted in strongly argillically altered volcanic rocks and is associated with lead and barium suggesting a volcanogenic massive sulphide provenance similar to the Capire silver lead zinc deposit to the south”.
  • Candente Gold Corp. informed that Sun River Gold has reported very positive recoveries from metallurgical testing of samples from the tailings deposit at its El Oro property in Estado de Mexico. The tailings project is being moved forward by negotiating the purchase of land for the new processing area and the obtaining the required permits. The material tested was from auger drilling conducted in 2018, averaging 2.99 gpt Au, 85 gpt Ag. Flotation tests were conducted on -325 mesh material returning an average recovery of 80.1% Au, 67.5% Ag on the Upper, Middle and Lower sections of the tailing, and an average of 75.6% Au, 63.6% Ag recoveries in blended material.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • 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, quartz-sulphide veinlet with sericitic halo hosted in intrusive rock in Michoacan. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

Inguaran Feb 2011 109a

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

/ Gambusino Prospector / 1 Comment

By Jorge Cirett

During the 20th week of the year (May 13th to May 19th, 2019), at least 34 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. ON MEXICO ISSUES, the Mexican government set the goal to reach $8 billion on mining investment annually. Fresnillo received an award for sustainable development.  ON EXPLORATION, In Chihuahua, Silver Spruce granted the contract for its drilling program at Pino de Plata. ON MINING, Mag Silver, Sierra Metals, Americas Silver, Great Panther, Consolidated Zinc, Starcore International and Fortuna Silver presented its first quarter 2019 financial and or operational results. Mexus Gold is hiring technical personnel for its Santa Elena mine and Fresnillo is setting logistic controls to prevent concentrate theft. ON FINANCING, Alien Metals raised £300 K, Orla Mining announced an early warrant incentive program for $4.2 M, Vangold raised $248 K, and Sable Resources $863 K. Almaden secured a gold loan for US$2 M from Almadex, First Mining raised $7.41 M . ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Fresnillo and Mag Silver approved the development of the Juanicipio mine in Zacatecas. Premier Gold released good exploration results at its Mercedes mine in Sonora. GoGold released results from two more drill holes at Los Ricos, Jalisco.  SilverCrest filed a PEA with good numbers from its Las Chispas property in Sonora.  Goldplay announced a 5,000 m drilling campaign at its San Marcial project in Sinaloa. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Riverside signed a 2 year US$2 M exploration financing agreement with BHP for copper exploration in Sonora. Silver Spruce received $200 K for the sale of a property outside Mexico. Azure Minerals regains control from Teck of the Alacrán property in Sonora. Goldgroup Mining and Dyna Resources presented their stances respect litigation rulings relating to the San Jose de Gracia property in Sinaloa.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • The Bureau of Economy (Secretaría de Economía) set the goal for the non-oil mining sector, including processing, of attracting an investment of US$ 8 billion per year. This is a steep endeavor, taking into account that in 2018 Mexico saw mining investments for US$4.55 billion, a 1.8% decrease 2017 levels, and a far cry from the 2012 record of 8 billion dollars.
  • Fresnillo PLC. received by eleventh occasion the award from Centro Mexicano para la Filantropía, which recognized the company’s compromise and adherence to national and international social responsibility practices. Fresnillo programs are focused on quality education, care and promotion of natural resources and personal development of inhabitants in neighboring communities.
  • The Mexican Core Shack saw the addition of core images from the Metates and Sirio projects, in Durango and Chihuahua respectively.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Silver Spruce Resources.  announced the granting of the drilling contract for a twelve hole program on its Pino de Plata property in Chihuahua. The rig is to be mobilized within a week.

ON MINING

  • Mag Silver Corp. released its first quarter 2019 financial results. The Juanicipio project (Zacatecas) approval was subsequent to the period end, but all principal permits have been obtained and the process plant construction is to begin immediately. Underground development continues, with over 19 km of total underground development now completed. The company estimates US$344.4 M of remaining pre-operative initial capital. As of the end of the quarter Mag Silver held US$128.6 M of cash and cash equivalents.   
  • Mexus Gold US.  announced the payment of a $111.5 K note. Furthermore, the company is looking to hire two chemists and one geologist to assist at the Santa Elena mine in Sonora (not to be mistaken with First Majestic’s Santa Elena mine, also in Sonora).  
  •  Sierra Metals Inc. presented its consolidated financial results for the first quarter of 2019. Sierra had revenue of $49.2 M and adjusted EBITDA of $12 M for the period, with record throughput at Cusi. At Bolivar, Chihuahua, cash cost was $2.04 per CuEq Lb and AISC $3.59 per CuEq Lb. At Cusi, also in Chihuahua, cash cost was $16.53 per AgEq Oz and AISC $30.57 per AgEq Oz. During the quarter the consolidated production (Mexico and Peru) was 7.7 M Lb Cu, 0.7 M Oz Ag, 16.4 M Lb Zn, 7.0 M Lb Pb. The company has a net debt of $45.0 M, holding 23.9 M in cash and cash equivalents. 
  • Americas Silver Corp. reported operational and financial results for the first quarter of 2019. The company released consolidated production figures (without disclosing the production in Mexico) of 1.8 M AgEq Oz, with a revenue of $17.8 M and net loss of $2.8 M for the quarter. The enterprise had a cash balance of $3.4 M and working capital balance of $5.2 M at the end of the period (Cosalá Complex, Sinaloa).
  • Fresnillo PLC. is setting logistics controls to reduce the probability of concentrates theft. Some of the measures taken include keeping close relations with authorities at the Federal, State and local levels; remote technological controls; physical security improvements at its Merrill Crowe plants; replacement of most security contractors, with increased controls; keeping to invest in community programs and infrastructure to back community development and support the rule of law; Suspending access to areas deemed too insecure; promoting the disclosing of criminal acts to the authorities.
  • Great Panther Mining Ltd. reported financial results for the first quarter 2019. The company completed the acquisition of Beadell Resources and its Tucano mine in Brazil in March, and most of the report refers to its impact on the company. “A project to increase Topia mining and processing capacity by 25% commenced in the first quarter of 2019 with design specifications and equipment purchases and is scheduled to be completed late in the third quarter or early in the fourth quarter”. At the end of the period the company had $41.4 M of cash and short-term deposits.  
  • Consolidated Zinc Ltd. disclosed production from its Plomosas mine in Chihuahua during the month of April, 2019. During the month 3,694 tonnes of ore were mined @ 11.66% Zn, 1.75 % Pb, for a total of 11,267 tonnes mined @ 10.7% Zn, 2.5% Pb during the first quarter 2019. Mine development was 173 meters for the month, 612 m for the quarter , with 4,737 tonnes sent to the Santa Eulalia concentrator plant, achieving a recovery of 88.9% Zn.
  • Starcore International Mines Ltd. announced production results for the fourth quarter 2019, ended on April 30, 2019. During the period 72 K tonnes were milled @ 1.8 gpt Au, 30 gpt Ag, recovering 86.03% Au, 54.56% Ag, to produce 4,093 AuEq Oz. The company stressed the 25% voluntary reduction on salary for the three top executives, same that will save $250 K annually.
  • Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. reported consolidated financial results for the first quarter 2019. During the period the company had sales of $59.0 M, net income of $2.2 M, adjusted net income of $8.4 M, adjusted EBITDA of $23.8 M and an AISC of $10.7 per AgEq Oz. At the San Jose mine in Oaxaca, 256.4 K tonnes were milled at a rate of 2,984 tonnes per day @ 267 gpt Ag, 1.71 gpt Au, recovering 91% Ag, 90% Au, to produce 2 M Oz Ag, 12,741 Oz Au at a cash cost of $6.4 per AgEq Oz and an AISC of $8.7 per AgEq Oz.

ON FINANCING

  • Alien Metals Ltd. raised £300 K, before expenses, to further exploration at its Donovan 2 project in Zacatecas.
  • Orla Mining Ltd. announced an early warrant exercise incentive program for 6.7 M warrants outstanding expiring in July 2021. Holders exercising the 2021 warrants will be entitled to receive one full new warrant. If all the 2021 warrants are exercised Orla would receive gross proceeds of $4.2 M before July 12, 2019 (Camino Rojo, Zacatecas).
  • Vangold Mining Corp. closed the second tranche of the previously announced private placement for gross proceeds of $248 K. A finder’s fee of $14.4 K and 285 K warrants was paid (Pinguico, Zacatecas).
  • Sable Resources Ltd. closed the first tranche of a non-brokered private placement to raise aggregate gross proceeds of $863 K (Margarita, Chihuahua).
  • Almaden Minerals Ltd. entered into a secured gold loan agreement with Almadex Minerals Ltd. for up to 1,597 Oz Au, or approximately US$2 M. “The interest rate of the Gold Loan is 10% of the Loan Value per annum, paid in arrears. Interest payments can either be accrued to the Loan Value, or paid by the Borrower in cash or gold” (Ixtaca, Puebla).
  • First Mining Gold Corp. upsized and closed the previously announced private placement, raising aggregate proceeds of $7.41 M (San Ricardo, Sonora; Lachatao, Oaxaca).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Fresnillo PLC and Mag Silver Corp. received approval from their respective boards for development of the Juanicipio mine in the Fresnillo district, Zacatecas. Fresnillo is to be the operator in the Fresnillo-Mag JV (56% and 44% respectively), with construction to begin immediately and completion expected for late 2020. The mine is anticipated to produce annually 11.7 M Oz Ag, 43.5 K Oz Au, with an initial mine life of 12 years. The estimated pre-operative Capex is $US395 M, estimating the creation of 2,750 jobs during construction and 1,720 jobs at full production.
  • Premier Gold Mines Ltd. announced the expansion of the Lupita-Diluvio resource area and a 3 km corridor that step-out exploration has identified. New mineralized veins have been discovered at San Martin and Margarita, outlining a 3 km corridor, while Lupita vein extension drilling returned multiple intercepts including 3.9 m @ 5.99 gpt Au, 41 gpt Ag; 2.9 m @ 5.70 gpt Au, 56 gpt Ag. Ongoing delineation program at Lupita intersected high-grade intercepts including 1.2 m of 10.75 gpt Au, 89 gpt Ag. At Diluvio West one delineation hole returned 30.4 m @ 6.43 gpt Au, 12 gpt Ag including 4.4 m @ 13.79 gpt Au, 22 gpt Ag.
  • GoGold Resources Inc. released results from two more diamond drill holes collared at its Los Ricos project in Jalisco. The program includes twining of old RC holes, returning higher grades than the previous holes, like 21.2 m @ 7.66 gpt Au, 1,270 gpt Ag (previously 20.0 m @ 3.20 gpt Au, 845 gpt Ag), including 6.9 m @ 21.97 gpt Au, 3,718 gpt Ag (previously 6.0 m @ 9.00 gpt Au, 2,608 gpt Ag); 18.8 m @ 0.37 gpt Au, 68 gpt Ag, including 4.5 m @ 0.96 gpt Au, 119 gpt Ag.
  • SilverCrest Metals Inc. released and filed the results from a preliminary Economic assessment (PEA) on its Las Chispas project in Sonora. The study displays a 1,250 tonnes per day (tpd) production rate at 411 gpt AgEq with an initial mine life of 8.5 years to produce annually an average of 5.38 M Oz Ag, 55,700 Oz Au at AISC of $7.52 per AgEq Oz. The Capex is $100.5 M with a payback period of nine months with an after-tax IRR of 78%, after-tax NPV of $406.9 M and cumulative undiscounted net free cash flow of $522.5 M. The PEA estimates a diluted resource of 3.86 M tonnes @ 4.05 gpt Au, 411 gpt Ag, or 714 gpt AgEq, containing 502,200 Oz Au and 51 M Oz Ag, or 88.7 M Oz AgEq with estimated average mining dilution of 33%.
  • Goldplay Exploration Ltd. announced a 5,000 m drilling campaign on its San Marcial property in Sinaloa. The focus of the campaign is on the Faisanes and Nava targets, and to check on newly discovered zones along the Faisanes-Nava corridor. The company is anticipating a Phase II drilling campaign late in 2019 with the secondary objective of test eight exploration targets along a 6 km trend outside of the San Marcial resource area.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Riverside Resources Inc. signed a two-year US$2 M exploration financing agreement with BHP Exploration Chile SpA. for the funding of generative exploration in the copper producing belt of Mexico. BHP is to fund US1 M on an annual basis for a minimum of two years for generative grass-roots exploration within northeastern Sonora. Properties deemed of interest will become Defined Projects (DPs) and will be funded up to $5 M of exploration work. Riverside is to receive a success fee of US$200 K for each DP, with a $200 K bonus if three properties become DPs. If a DP goes to the Joint Venture stage (Riverside 20%), Riverside is to receive a $1.5 M bonus, and can sell its interest to BHP if elects not to continue on the JV (Tajitos, Sonora; El Capitan, Durango).
  • Silver Spruce Resources Inc. received a $200 K cash payment from Croesus Gold Corp. for the sale of the Kay mine project. After a go-public transaction is completed, Croesus is to  pay Silver Spruce a  final cash payment of $150 K, no later than July 15, 2019 (Pino de Plata, Chihuahua).
  • Azure Minerals Ltd. accepted a right of first offer proposal by Teck Resources Ltd to consolidate ownership of the Alacrán project in Sonora. Azure will retain 100% ownership of the project by issuing to Teck a number of common shares that would result in Teck owning 19.9% of Azure’s outstanding shares on a post-issuance basis, a 0.5% NSR royalty on the project, and a participation right on the proceeds of any sale of the project within a five year period.
  • Goldgroup Mining Inc. announced a final judgement in the United States Disctrict Court for the District of Colorado confirming Goldgroup’s previously announced favorable award in the arbitration against DynaUSA, Inc., ruling DynaUSA having to pay Goldgoup $1.53 M. In addition, the jurisdictional ruling from a Mexico City court that ruled in favor of DynaUSA was challenged in Mexico by Goldgroup and is still pending resolution (Cerro Prieto, Sonora)
  • DynaResource Inc. issued a response to news released by Goldgroup Mining Inc. (see above) in which the United States district court for the district of Colorado confirmed the August 2016 Arbitration award against DynaResource, same that intends to appeal the district court’s May 9 decision. Dyna describes in this news release three different favorable rulings in Mexican courts, same that award Dyna $48 M in damages to be covered by Goldgroup (San Jose de Gracia, Sinaloa).

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-chalcopyrite veinlet hosted by an intrusive rock in core from a project in Michoacan. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

Cachetadita Minera

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https://www.elimparcial.com/columnas/Cachetadita-minera-20190508-0112.html

Sergio Sarmiento 

Alfonso Romo, jefe de la Oficina de la Presidencia, afirma que: “El primer trimestre nos dio una cachetadita”. Como jinete experimentado añadió: Eso es “como cuando montas a caballo, te vuelves a subir para montar mejor”.

            Para superar la contracción del primer trimestre, y conservar las posibilidades de crecer 4% al año en el sexenio, es importante mantener la inversión productiva, pero esto no ocurrirá si seguimos viendo casos en que los políticos extorsionan a los inversionistas.

            La mina de Peñasquito en Zacatecas es un ejemplo. Desde el pasado 27 de marzo sus accesos han sido bloqueados por integrantes del ejido de San Juan de Cedros, así como por líderes de la empresa transportista CAVA, también formada por miembros de ese ejido. El senador de Morena, José Narro Céspedes, parece ser el organizador de este bloqueo.

 La empresa señala que el mismo 27 de marzo que empezó el bloqueo el representante de los ejidatarios, Felipe Pinedo, asesor de Narro Céspedes, presentó “como principal exigencia un pago de 442 millones de dólares por la presunta afectación a un cuerpo de agua en dicha comunidad. Socios de CAVA indicaron que Pinedo y dos asesores jurídicos recibirían 80 millones de dólares de dicho pago”. La empresa ha afirmado que no cederá a lo que tilda de extorsión.

            El cierre de la mina ha tenido consecuencias negativas importantes en la zona. Peñasquito ha creado seis mil empleos directos y unos 14 mil indirectos. Es la segunda generadora de empleo en Zacatecas. La empresa ha tenido ya que suspender pagos a trabajadores, empleados, proveedores, contratistas y comunidades a las que otorga ayuda desde hace años.

Favor de continuar leyendo en :
https://www.elimparcial.com/columnas/Cachetadita-minera-20190508-0112.html

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

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By Jorge Cirett

During the 18th week of the year (April 29th to May 5th, 2019), at least 35 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Newmont Goldcorp Corp. informed on the intention to temporarily suspend operations at the Peñasquito mine in Zacatecas, due to an illegal blockade lasting for more than a month now. More than 300 mine employees protested outside the Zacatecas Congress, accusing José Narro, senator by Morena (the president’s party) of instigating the blockade. Drill core from La Xora project in Nayarit was added to The Mexican Core Shack. ON EXPLORATION, Nine companies presented advances in the exploration of their properties: In Baja, One World Lithium has received the permits to drill its Salar Del Diablo property. In Sonora, Sonoro Metals disclosed assays for the first 15 RC holes of the second drilling campaign; Ridgestone updated the work done to date at Rebeico; Minaurum staked a large chunk of ground at its Alamos project. In Chihuahua, Silver Spruce released surface sample results from its Pino de Plata project; Radius Gold released exciting results from the first hole of the second drilling campaign at Amalia; Kootenay Silver has initiated drill road construction for its incoming campaign at Columba. In Jalisco, GoGold released results from its drilling campaign at Los Ricos. In Zacatecas, Alien Gold updated on the exploration effort at its Donovan 2 property. ON MINING, nine companies presented its first quarter 2019 results, while one company presented its 2018 results. ON FINANCING, First Mining, and Prize Mining are to raise $6 M and $1.5 M respectively. Leagold Mining secured a 200 M term loan and a 200 M revolving credit. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, no relevant news.  ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Alio Gold received notice of a civil claim from a former Rye Patch shareholder.  

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • Newmont Goldcorp Corp. informed on the intention to temporarily suspend operations at the Peñasquito mine in Zacatecas (one of the largest in Mexico, produced 272 K Oz Au in 2018), due to an illegal blockade by a trucking contractor and some members of the Cedros community that began on March 27, 2019. The company announced on April 9 that the trucking contracts will now be signed with independent truckers, to their economic benefit and to avoid the repeated extortion blockades by the current trucking contractor. Newmont Goldcorp denounced that the blockader’s public claims that focus in water quality and employment, turn in a direct petition for large amounts of money when done privately. The company asks for help from the Mexican and Zacatecan authorities to resolve the illegal blockade that affects the income of more than 20 thousand persons, directly or indirectly. On a different event, about 300 employees of Minera Peñasquito, protested outside the Zacatecas Congress against the illegal blockade that keeps paralyzed the Peñasquito mine. The protesters accused Jose Narro, senator by the president party, Morena, and his acolyte Felipe Pinedo of blackmailing the company with false water contamination statements.  
  • Core from La Xora project, in Nayarit, was added to the Mexican Core Shack (https://gambusinoprospector.com/mexican-core-shack/), under the epithermal low sulphidation section.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Sonoro Metals Corp.  reported assay results from the first 15 reverse circulation holes of the second phase drilling program at its Cerro Caliche property in Sonora. All holes encountered gold mineralization, which extend mineralization 1.25 Km NW from the Central Zone, where the first drill campaign defined a series of NW striking structures, outlining three shallow bulk tonnage oxidized mineralized zones in metasedimentary and volcanic rocks. Previously reported results come from the Central Zone prospects Japoneses, Abejas, El Colorado and Guadalupe, whereas the new drill holes tested El Rincon, Gloria, El Boludito, and Veta de Oro zones. Highlighted results comprise 10.67 m @ 2.73 gpt AuEq; 3.05 m @ 5.48 gpt AuEq; 10.67 m @ 0.74 gpt AuEq; 6.1 m @ 0.80 gpt AuEq; 15.24 m @ 1.05 gpt AuEq.
  • Alien Metals Ltd. updated on its exploration work at its Donovan 2 project in Zacatecas. Work to date supports indications of volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) mineralisation on multiple target areas open along strike, with surface assays of up to 3.3% Cu, 0.25% Zn. Currently there are magnetic, chargeabilty and resistivity anomalies, and a gravity survey underway is to refine the targets on this project, which is 24 kilometers from Teck’s San Nicolas deposit.
  • Ridgestone Mining Inc. announced that exploration work to date on its Rebeico property in Sonora defined the 1.2 km long Alaska vein and intensely altered breccia zones SW of the vein, carrying Cu, Au and Ag values, as well as bismuth anomalies. An 18 line-kilometer induced polarization (IP) survey identified a chargeability anomaly below the breccia zone. A 12 hole 1,430 m diamond drill program tested 500 m of the Alaska vein. Eight of the twelve holes intersected significant grades, including: 0.80 m @ 1.41% Cu, 2.95 gpt Au; 2.0 m @ 2.78% Cu, 8.69 gpt Au; 1.40 m @ 3.25 gpt Au; 1.50 m @ 1.39 gpt Au; 1.0 m @ 0.30% Cu, 5.61 gpt Au; 3.25 m @ 2.41% Cu, 8.31 gpt Au; 1.50 m @ 1.22% Cu, 36.10 gpt Au.  
  • One World Lithium Inc. has received the permit required to start its 12 hole, 4,250 m drilling program at its Salar del Diablo property in Baja California. The company intends to test three geophysical anomalies, a geochemical anomaly, and structures that may trap and concentrate brines. The Salar del Diablo Property has never been drilled in the past.
  • Silver Spruce Resources Inc. released surface sample results from its Pino de Plata property in Chihuahua. The samples returned 19 gpt Ag, 16 gpt Ag, 2 gpt Ag, 1,1,30 gpt Ag, 123 gpt Ag, 95 gpt Ag and 255 gpt Ag; up to 0.19 gpt Au, up to 802 ppm Cu, up to 3.7% Pb on samples 0.2 to 1.0 m in length. The two targets in the area comprise El Terrero and the Gossan area. At El Terrero, a 32 hectares zone “of multiple flat-lying brecciated zones hosted by a zone of strong argillic alteration” is the target, while at the Gossan area a series of hornfels and skarns developed near an intrusive contact may host massive sulphide replacement bodies associated to structures.
  • Radius Gold Inc. reported the first results from the second diamond drill campaign at its Amalia project in Chihuahua. The program is operated by Radius and funded by Pan American Silver Corp. under a JV agreement by Which Pan American can earn an initial 65% by making cash payments totaling US$1.5 M (of which US$100 K have been paid) and spending US$2 M on exploration over four years. The first hole in this campaign intersected 44 m @ 12.38 gpt Au, 309 gpt Ag, including 11 m @ 39.9 gpt Au, 323 gpt Ag. The estimated true width of the zone is 34 m, consisting of “an epithermal breccia and quartz sulphide stockwork vein zone ” located on or near to the contact between overlying Tertiary rhyolitic ignimbrite and the footwall andesite volcaniclastics of the Late Cretaceous Tarahumara Formation. Diorite dykes appear to be emplaced along the fault zone and are associated with mineralization”.
  • Minaurum Gold Inc. staked an additional 20,872 hectares on its Alamos project in Sonora. Additionally, mapping has revealed four new vein zones: Rosario, La Dura Oeste, La Dura and La Tijera. These four zones bring the total of veins zones of the district to twenty. The Rosario vein has been traced for 500 m, with samples assaying 304 gpt Ag and 227 gpt Ag over 1 m and 675 gpt Ag, 1.0% Cu, 0.9% Pb over 2 m. The La Dura Oeste vein has been traced for 550 m, returning assays of 30 gpt Ag, 3.4% Cu and 37 gpt Ag, 4.3% Pb. La Dura vein  returned 123 gpt Ag, 2.% Cu over 0.5 m. La Tijera vein was traced for 750 m, with three samples returning 23- 36 gpt Ag, 0.41 – 0.77% Cu, up to 0.1% Pb, up to 0.15% Zn over 0.1 to 0.3 m.
  • Kootenay Silver Inc. has initiated the road construction for the drilling of its Columba property in Chihuahua. The property covers a low sulphidation epithermal system with numerous veins ranging on 200 m to up to 2 km of strike length. Over 1,000 m of underground workings are present, including four shafts and six drifts, with historic records indicating grades between 600 and 900 gpt Ag.
  • GoGold Resources Inc. released results from its recently acquired Los Ricos property in Jalisco. Highlighted diamond drill results comprise 22.4 m @ 4.13 gpt Au, 182 gpt Ag (or 6.55 gpt AuEq), including 3.0 m @ 25.08 gpt Au, 534 gpt Ag (or 32.2 gpt AuEq) and 11.7 m @ 0.68 gpt Au, 89 gpt Ag (or 1.87 gpt Au), including 6.1 m @ 0.58 gpt Au, 142 gpt Ag (or 2.47 gpt AuEq). The campaign is focused on defining the mineralized halo around the ore shoots defined by 65 historical reverse circulation holes. Over six thousand assays from channel samples are being digitized from underground working, to aid with deeper drill planning.

ON MINING

  • Consolidated Zinc Ltd. released its March 2019 quarterly activities report. During the period its Plomosas mine in Chihuahua produced 11,267 tonnes @ 10.7% Zn, 2.5% Pb, while 12,992 tonnes were processed @ 10.9% Zn, 2.0% Pb, 18 gpt Ag, recovering 87.5% Zn, 84.9% Pb at cash cost $1.11 per Lb Zn. The company also informed on a surface access legal proceedings that seek to nullify the current surface access contract.  
  •  Americas Silver Corp. announced production and operating cost results for the first quarter of 2019, including figures of its Mexican operations. At its Cosalá operations in Sinaloa, 152.6 K tonnes were processed @ 57 gpt Ag, to produce 173.2 K Oz Ag, 11.3 M Lb Zn, 4.6 M Lb Pb (or 1.32 M Oz AgEq), at cash cost $30.48 per Oz Ag and AISC $25.85 per Oz Ag.
  • Grupo Mexico S.A.B. de C.V. presented results for the first quarter of 2019. During the period the company produced 261,328 tonnes Cu, 5,145 tonnes Mo, 18,550 tonnes Zn, 3,13 M Oz Ag, 12,399 Oz Au and 0.58 M tonnes of sulphuric acid from its operations in Mexico, USA and Peru, at cash cost $1.13 per Lb Cu. A US$413 M budget was approved for the construction of a Zn concentrator at Cananea, Sonora, a project that is to generate 3,760 jobs. At San Martin, in Zacatecas, $87 M have been budgeted to re-open the mine, whereas at Pilares, in Sonora, an open pit mine is to produce ore @ 0.78% Cu to be treated at the La Caridad plant, six km away.
  • McEwen Mining Inc. reported its first quarter 2019 results, including figures from its Mexican operations. At El Gallo, in Sinaloa, 5,432 Oz AuEq were produced at cash cost $967 per Oz AuEq and an AISC $989 per Oz AuEq. “Mining ceased at El Gallo by the end of May 2018, and the mine continues to recover gold from residual leaching of the heap leach. During the quarter, the process plant underwent a small expansion to improve efficiency and enable faster gold recover”.
  • Premiere Gold Mine Ltd. reported its first quarter production for 2019. During the quarter the Mercedes mine in Sonora produced 17,614 Oz Au and 57,681 Oz Ag.
  • Argonaut Gold Inc. announced its operating and financial results for the first quarter 2019. At El Castillo, in Durango, working at a rate of 68 K tonnes per day (tpd), 3.8 M tonnes of waste were moved, 2.29 M tonnes of ore were mined and 2.33 M tonnes @ 0.39 gpt Au were placed on the leach pads, producing 28,210 Oz Au, 54,030 Oz Ag at cash cost $918 per Oz Au. At San Agustin, part of the El Castillo Complex, working at a rate of 33 K tonnes per day, 1.31 M tonnes of waste and 1.66 M tonnes of ore were moved, placing 1.69 M tonnes @ 0.47 gpt Au in the leach pads, producing 14,084 Oz Au, 54,030 Oz Ag at cash cost $867 per Oz Au. At La Colorada in Sonora, working at a rate of 76 K tpd, 5.97 M tonnes of waste and 872 K tonnes of ore were moved and 882 K tonnes were placed on the leach pads @ 0.44 gpt Au, producing 15,372 Oz Au, 54,773 Oz Ag at cash cost $952 per Oz Au. “The Company plans to invest between $50 million and $60 million in capital programs during 2019, of which approximately 30% was spent during the first quarter of 2019”
  • Coeur Mining Inc. reported first quarter 2019 financial results, including figures from its Mexico operations. At Palmarejo, in Chihuahua, 379 K tonnes were milled @ 2.18 gpt Au, 144 gpt Ag, recovering 86.4% Au, 72.8% Ag, to produce 23,205 Oz Au, 1.28 M Oz Ag. Costs applicable to sales (CAS) were $713 per Oz Au and $9.66 per Oz Ag.
  • Alamos Gold Inc. released its financial results for the first quarter 2019, including figures from its operations in Mexico. At Mulatos, in Sonora, 1.83 M tonnes of ore were mined, 1.98 M tonnes of waste moved, to place 1.87 M tonnes of ore on the leach pads @ 0.98 gpt Au, producing 38,900 Oz Au at cash cost $743 and mine site AISC of $809. At El Chanate, in Sonora, 5,800 Oz Au were produced at cash cost $1,193 per Oz Au and mine site AISC of $1,193 per Oz Au. Construction of the haulage road has commenced on the Cerro Pelon mine, near the Mulatos mine, with a 2019 budget of $25 M. Pre-stripping is expected to commence in the third quarter.
  • Excellon Resources Inc. announced first quarter 2019 results from the Platosa mine in Durango. During the period 20 K tonnes were mined, with 16.8 K tonnes of ore @ 534 gpt Ag, 5.01% Pb, 8.00% Zn and 1.45 K tonnes of historical stockpile processed @ 123 gpt Ag, 1.22% Pb, 1.44% Zn, recovering 89.7% Ag, 74.6% Pb, 78.1% Zn to produce 260.4 K Oz Ag, 1.38 M Lb Pb, 2.21 M Lb Zn.
  • Golden Minerals Co. announced financial results for Q1 2019. The company continues to advance the Yoquivo Au-Ag project in Chihuahua. The company has cash and cash equivalents of $2.2 M, with no debt.
  • Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. reports on its financial and operating results for the 2018 fiscal year. During the year the company milled 211.4 K tonnes, recovering 815.3 K Oz AgEq at cash cost $36.8 per AgEq Oz and an AISC of $37.2 per AgEq Oz. At Veta Grande, Zacatecas, silver production was 514.4 K Oz. At Rosario, in San Luis Potosi, silver production was 300.9 K Oz Ag.  

ON FINANCING

  • First Mining Gold Corp. intends to complete a non-brokered private placement for aggregate proceeds of up to $6 M. (San Ricardo, Sonora; Lachatao, Oaxaca).
  • Prize Mining Corp. intends to raise up to $1.5 M by means of non-brokered private placement (Manto Negro, Coahuila).
  • Leagold Mining Corp. received a binding underwriting commitment from a syndicate of lenders for a $200 M term loan and a $200 M revolving credit facility. “These loans will be used to repay current debt and finance the Company’s growth” (Los Filos, Guerrero).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • No Relevant News.  

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Alio Gold Inc. received a notice of civil claim from a former shareholder of Rye Patch Gold Corp. whose shares were acquired by the company on May 2018.  (San Francisco, Sonora).
  • Silver Bull Resources Inc. informed that South 32 is to maintain its option on the Sierra Mojada project by funding an additional US$3 M in exploration. “This will result in aggregate funding of US$6 million at the completion of the second year of the joint venture option”. To maintain the option, South32 must contribute minimum exploration funding of US$10 M during a four year option period with minimum aggregate exploration funding of US$3 M, US$6 M and US$8 M to be made by the end of years 1, 2 and 3 of the option period respectively.

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-chalcopyrite veinlet hosted by an intrusive rock in core from a project in Michoacan. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

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

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By Jorge Cirett

During the 16th week of the year (April 15th to April 21st, 2019), at least 28 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. ON MEXICO ISSUES, a lower court in Puebla ruled Mexico’s mineral title system unconstitutional based on consultation not being required before issuing the title. Inhabitants of San Antonio, Baja California Sur, manifested in support for the construction of the San Antonio mine. ON EXPLORATION, In Sonora, Aztec Gold delineated several new targets using geophysics at Cervantes; San Marcos disclosed explorations plans for its properties in the year. In Jalisco, GoGold released interesting results from drilling at Los Ricos. ON MINING, Avino Silver, Sierra Metals, First Majestic, Gold Resource and Hecla disclosed production results for Q1 2019.
Fresnillo PLC presented its annual report 2018.  ON FINANCING, Ridgestone Mining, Oroco and Camrova raised $1.12 M; 800 K and 12 K respectively. Sonoro and Minaurum granted options to consultants and directors. Minaurum was named to the Venture 50tm. Sierra Metals entered into an automatic purchase plan. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Goldplay reported channel sample results from a new zone at its San Marcial project in Sinaloa. SilverCrest Metals released good metallurgical results from its Las Chispas property in Sonora. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Newmont Goldcorp Corp. has been delivered. Consolidated Zinc presented notice of its annual general meeting. Aura completed the sale of 80% interest of its Taviche project to Minaurum.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • Almaden Minerals Ltd. informed that “a lower court in Puebla State has ruled that Mexico’s mineral title system is unconstitutional because consultation is not required before the granting of mineral title………..This ruling can be appealed by both the Government of Mexico and Almaden. The Company believes that this lawsuit is part of a broad effort by special interest groups to change the mining law and there are other similar actions active across Mexico”. Almaden stated that no communities within the company’s current mining concessions on its Ixtaca project in Puebla are party to this lawsuit.
  • Fresnillo PLC. Presented its 2018 annual report. It is here recommended to all interested in the mining business in Mexico to take a look to the report (http://www.fresnilloplc.com/media/412015/fres-30452-annual-report-2018-web.pdf), especially on the section “Managing our risks”. In the said section, the risks of participating in the industry in Mexico are assessed, including those of metal prices, potential actions by the government, access to land, security, public perception against mining, safety, union relations, exploration, project performance, cyber security, environmental incidents and human resources. Although the report had in mind Fresnillo’s particular situation as one of the largest Mexican mining conglomerates, many parts of the evaluation concern risks that affect all mining enterprises in the country.
  • Some 500 inhabitants of San Antonio, in Baja California Sur, gathered in support of Argonaut Gold’s San Antonio mining project in their locality.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Aztec Minerals Corp.  and Kootenay Silver Inc. informed that interpretation of a recent magnetic and radiometric survey produced multiple porphyry copper targets on the Cervantes property in Sonora. “Cervantes has multiple porphyry cells aligned along a northeast-southwest orientation, manifested as high-level alteration footprints related to intrusive bodies. There are also prominent northwest-southeast trending magnetic anomalies found to be associated with strong alteration, gold-copper mineralization, and intrusive rocks.”   
  • GoGold Resources Inc. disclosed the results from the first two diamond holes on its Los Ricos property in Jalisco. The two diamond drill holes twinned previous RC perforations, replicating the mineralized zones, with 35.5 m @ 1.24 gpt Au, 285 gpt Ag and 27.6 m @ 1.56 gpt Au, 159 gpt Ag. The holes are part of a 10,000 m diamond drill program focused on following the high grade ore shoot down dip below the historical RC drilling.
  • San Marco Resources Inc. plans for 2019 in Sonora include target delineation at Espiritu Santo and 1068 properties, follow-up of underexplored areas at the Chunibas project, extensive participation on lotteries of released ground by the government, evaluation of multiple property acquisitions and ongoing partnership discussions of existing assets.

ON MINING

  • Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. released production results from its Avino property in Durango for 2019’s first quarter. During the period production came from three sources: Avino mine, San Gonzalo mine and historic stockpiles. At Avino, 100.9 K tonnes were milled @ 41 g/t Ag, 0.48 gpt Au, 0.49% Cu, recovering 84% Ag, 71% Au, 87% Cu. At San Gonzalo (which is nearing the end of its mine life) 17.9 K tonnes were milled @ 188 gpt Ag, 0.54 gpt Au, recovering 65% Ag, 61% Au. From historic stockpiles 78.8 K tonnes were milled @ 61 gpt Ag, 0.40 gpt Au, 0.21% Cu, recovering 55%, Ag, 52% Au, 29% Cu. Total production was 1,813 Oz Au, 268.4 K Oz Ag, 1.06 M Lb Cu, or 615 K Oz AgEq.
  • Sierra Metals Inc. reported first quarter 2019 results, including figures from its Mexican mines. The Bolivar mine in Chihuahua processed 263.2 K tonnes (~3,008 tpd, targeting 3,600 tpd for Q2 2019)) grading 0.81% Cu, 19.5 gpt Ag, 0.19 gpt Au, recovering 82.2% Cu, 79.1% Ag, 67.9% Au to produce 3.87 M Lb Cu, 130 K Oz Ag, 1,100 Oz Au (or 5.08 MLb CuEq). At the Cusi mine, also in Chihuahua, 71.3 K tonnes were processed @ 105 gpt Ag, 0.15 gpt Au, 0.3% Pb, 0.3% Zn, recovering 79.5% Ag, 37.5% Au, 75.2% Pb to produce 192 K Oz Ag, 133 Au Oz, 349 K Lb Pb, no Zn.
  • Fresnillo PLC. Filed its annual report 2018. During the year Fresnillo produced 61.8 M Oz Ag, 922 K Oz Au, holding resources of 2.2 billion Oz Ag and 39.1 M Oz Au. At Fresnillo, in Zacatecas, 2.44 M tonnes were milled @ 214 gpt Ag to produce 15.1 M Oz Ag, 42,290 Oz Au, 19,619 tonnes Pb, 31,094 tonnes Zn. At Saucito, in Zacatecas, 2.79 M tonnes were milled @ 257 gpt Ag, 1.25 gpt Au to produce 19.78 M Oz Ag, 86,092 Oz Au, 22,662 tonnes Pb, 29,506 tonnes Zn, while the Pyrites Plant processed 131.8 K tonnes @ 393 gpt Ag, 2.8 gpt Au to produce 977 K Oz Ag, 3,556 Oz Au. At San Julian, in Chihuahua, 1.27 M tonnes were processed from the veins @144.1 gpt Ag, 2.0 gpt Au, to produce 5.43 M Oz Ag, 79,218 Oz Au. 2.22 M tonnes were processed from the disseminated orebody @ 154 gpt Ag, 0.1 gpt Au, 0.4% Pb, 1.4% Zn, to produce 9.2 M Oz Ag, 3,125 Oz Au, 6,101 tonnes Pb, 22,027 tonnes Zn. At Cienega, in Durango, 1.32 M tonnes were milled @ 164 gpt Ag, 1.65 g/t Au to produce 6 M Oz Ag, 66,869 Oz Au, 4,799 tonnes Pb, 5,892 tonnes Zn. At Herradura, in Sonora, 22.15 M tonnes @ 0.76 gpt Au were deposited on the heaps to produce 474,168 Oz Au, 1.52 M Oz Ag, at cash cost $504 per Au Oz (total volume hauled, 124 M tonnes). At Nochebuena, in Sonora, 18.2 M tonnes were deposited on the heaps @ 0.52 gpt Au to produce 167.2 K Oz Au, 52 K Oz Ag, at cash cost $735.4 per Oz Au (total volume hauled, 80.3 M tonnes).  The company had $580.7 M as cash and cash equivalents by the end of the year.

First Majestic Silver Corp. produced 6.3 AgEq Oz during the first quarter of 2019. During the period 831.2 K tonnes of ore were milled @ 150 gpt Ag, 1.26 gpt Au, with recoveries of 83% Ag, 96% Au, to produce 3.33 M Oz Ag, 32,037 Oz Au, 2.66 M Lb Pb, 1.26 M Lb Zn.  The ore had averages and recoveries of 287 gpt Ag, 4.18 gpt Au (93% Ag, 96% Au) at San Dimas, Durango; 121 gpt Ag, 1.87 gpt Au (89% Ag, 95% Au) at Santa Elena, Sonora; 126 gpt Ag (66% Ag) at La Encantada, Coahuila; 187 gpt Ag, 0.58 gpt Au (89% Ag, 93% Au)at San Martin, Jalisco; 54 gpt Ag, 1.8% Pb, 1.6% Zn (75% Ag by flotation, 62% Ag by cyanidation, 69% Pb, 48% Zn) at La Parrilla, Durango; 114 gpt Ag, 2.1% Pb (74% Ag, 0.7 M Lb Pb)at Del Toro, Zacatecas.

  • Gold Resource Corp. reported preliminary production results for the first quarter 2019. The Oaxaca Mining Unit (El Aguila, Arista, Switchback) produced 6,538 Au Oz, 364.6 K Oz Ag, 433 tonnes Cu, 2,153 tonnes Pb, 5,838 tonnes Zn. “The Company maintains its 2019 Oaxaca Mining Unit Annual Outlook of 27,000 gold ounces and 1,700,000 silver ounces, plus or minus 10%”.
  • Hecla Mining Co. announced preliminary production results for the first quarter of 2019. At San Sebastian, in Durango, the mill operated at 494 tpd to produce 0.4 M Oz Ag, 3,530 Oz Au. “A review of sulfide ore continues, including a bulk sample to test the capabilities of the third-party plant and the suitability of long-hole stoping for the ore body, with results expected by the fourth quarter of 2019.”

ON FINANCING

  • Ridgestone Mining Inc. completed its previously announced private placement financing, for gross proceeds of $1.12 M. The company paid 6% ($43.2 K) cash and 309 K compensation warrants. Also, 72.2 K bonus shares were issued to a director of the company, under a loan agreement (Rebeico, Sonora).
  • Sierra Metals Inc. entered into an automatic purchase plan with its designated broker (Cusi and Bolivar, Chihuahua).
  • Sonoro Metals Corp. granted 100 K incentive options to a director of the company. These options vest immediately and are exercisable at a price of $0.18 per share (Cerro Caliche, Sonora).
  • Minaurum Gold Inc. has been named to the TSX Venture Exchange Venture 50tm , the annual ranking of Canada’s top 50 emerging publicly traded companies across five industry sectors. Minaurum also granted 3.35 M common share stock options to directors, officers and consultants. The options are exercisable at a price of $0.45 for a period of 10 years from the issue date. The company also granted consultants 275 k options exercisable at a price of $0.45 for a period of five years. Ten percent vest immediately, and another 15% each semiannually (Alamos, Sonora).   
  • Oroco Resources Corp. closed a non-brokered private placement financing, raising $800 K in gross proceeds. No finder’s fee was paid (Santo Tomas, Sinaloa).
  • Camrova Resources Inc. closed the second tranche of the previously announced private placement, for proceeds of $12 K, bringing the total combined proceeds to $66 K. The third and final tranche of the Private Placement is expected to close in early May (Boleo, Baja California Sur).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Goldplay Exploration Ltd. reported channel sample results from a new zone at its San Marcial project in Sinaloa. The Nava zone, 500 long by 100 m wide, is extensively altered and hosts low sulphidation quartz veining and stockwork mineralization. Channel samples from the zone returned assays ranging from 1.04 gpt Au to up to 10.0 gpt Au.
  • SilverCrest Metals Inc. announced positive metallurgical results for Las Chispas project, in Sonora. “A total of 445 kg was selected from 51 core holes and nine underground samples to compile 15 different samples, based on geo-metallurgical domains which were combined into three master composites. These composites utilized 210 kilograms of mass representing a variety of grades (low, medium and high) of 500 to 2000 gpt AgEq expected during conceptual operation”. The new metallurgical tests show estimated recoveries of 98.4% to 98.9% Au and 91.4% to 94.8% Ag, using conventional methods comprised of gravity concentration and intensive leaching followed by gravity tails standard leaching.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Newmont Mining Corp. announced that it has extended the previously announced offers to exchange all outstanding notes issued by Goldcorp Inc. for up to two billion dollars  aggregate principal amount of new notes to be issued by Newmont, as part of the proposed arrangement on which Newmont acquires all outstaning shares of Goldcorp (Peñasquito, Zacatecas).
  • Consolidated Zinc Ltd. presented its notice of annual general meeting for the annual general meeting of shareholders to be held on 23 May 2019 (Plomosas, Chihuahua).
  • Aura Resources Inc. announced the completion of the sale of an 80% interest in its East Taviche project in Oaxaca, to Minaurum Gold Inc.. Minaurum issued 100 K common shares to Aura and paid 39.4 K on closing; additionally, Minaurum is to issue further 100 K shares on receipt of the pertinent drilling permits. The remaining 20% can be acquired by Minaurum paying CDN$1 M.
  • Newmont Goldcorp Corp. announced the successful conclusion of its transaction combining Newmont Mining Corp. and Goldcorp Inc. to form the world’s leading gold business. The company targets six to seven million ounces of steady gold production over a decades-long time horizon (Peñasquito, Zacatecas).

Content like what you have just read can be seen at https://gambusinoprospector.com/ and at LinkedIn’s Mexico Mineral Exploration Group. On the image below, glory hole developed on Inguaran, Michoacan. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

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

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By Jorge Cirett

During the 14th week of the year (April 1st to April 7th, 2019), at least 24 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. ON MEXICO ISSUES, an initiative with anti-mining tones was discarded by the Senate. The undersecretary of mining stated that no changes to the mining law, or tax increases in mining are envisaged by AMLO’s administration, and that the focus is to be in decreasing the regulatory load to incentivize the sector. On the other hand, he stated that regulations have to be actualized, highlighting community consultations. ON EXPLORATION, In Sonora, Minaurum presented drilling results from several vein systems at its Alamos Silver property; Aloro submitted a new environmental permit for its Venados project. In Chihuahua, Sable Resources released a thick, good grade intercept from one hole at its Margarita project. In Veracruz, Azucar Metals disclosed good Au-Cu results from one more hole at its El Cobre property.  ON MINING, Consolidated Zinc has a new toll agreement for its Plomosas mine in Chihuahua. Endeavour Silver achieved commercial production at its El Compas mine in Zacatecas. Telson Mining released historic metallurgical test results that support higher precious metal recoveries for its Campo Morado mine in Guerrero. Alamos Gold has produced 2 M Oz Au at the Mulatos mine in Sonora. Torex Gold produced 77.8 K Oz Au during the last quarter at its Limon-Guajes mine in Guerrero. GoGold produced 288.7 K Oz Ag in Parral, Chihuahua. Arcelor Mittal invested over US$1 B on its Michoacan plant in 2018.   ON FINANCING, Sonoro Metals raised $650K. Defiance Silver closed the second tranche of its financing, raising $1.06 M. Sable Resources announced an offering to raise up to $1.5 M.  ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Mag Silver disclosed development advances at Juanicipio, Zacatecas. Sierra Metals disclosed positive drill results from testing of a geophysical anomaly at Bolivar, Chihuahua. Evrim informed on the increase in resources by First Majestic at the Ermitaño project in Sonora.  ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Alamos Gold sold a portfolio of non-core royalties. Bacanora Lithium continues to negotiate with Oman for funding of the Sonora Lithium project. Premier Gold divested of several properties, including the Santa Teresa property in Baja California. American Silver and Pershing Gold continue on its path to business combination. GoldCorp’s shareholders support the business combination with Newmont.  

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • An initiative with anti-mining tones was discarded by the senate. The initiative presented on November 2018 by the now deceased senator Angelica Garcia, caused a fall in the value of mining companies in the Mexican stock market at the time of its presentation. The Comisiones Unidas de Mineria y Desarrollo Regional y de Estudios Legislativos discarded the proposal on March 27th, based on multiple deficiencies regarding operational overlapping of several government organisms and the lack of well-defined procedures on environmental and negative social impact issues.
  • Francisco Quiroga, undersecretary of mining, in an interview with El Financiero Bloomberg, stated that the Federal Government is not to realize changes to the Mining Law, nor to impose a tax increase in the mining industry. The priority, he said, is to reduce the regulatory load and to augment the financing of projects. He added that regulations have to be actualized in maters like community consults, but that there is no need to change the Mining Law. He also pointed that there are not going to be legal changes on the direct foreign investment in mining.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Minaurum Gold Inc. informed that three of the new vein systems at its Alamos Silver project host significant mineralisation at depth, and drilling has intersected five previously unknown blind veins. To date, 9 of the 15 vein systems identified have been drilled, and Minaurum plans to put at least one hole on each of these before turning to follow-up phase III drilling. Highlighted results from phase II drilling of new veins comprise: 9.6 m @ 198 gpt Ag, 0.17% Cu, 0.2% Pb, 0.9% Zn (or 269 gpt AgEq); 0.9 m @ 302 gpt Ag, 0.21% Cu, 0.5% Pb, 0.8% Zn (or 383 gpt AgEq); 2.05 m @ 181 gpt Ag, 0.15% Cu, 1.6% Pb, 1.5% Zn (or 338 gpt AgEq); 2.85 m @ 25 gpt Ag, 2.3% Pb, 10.6% Zn (or 618 gpt AgEq); 0.9 m @ 391 gpt Ag; 0.11% Cu, 0.4% Pb, 0.3% Zn (or 548 gpt AgEq). Good drill core mineralised intercepts have been obtained from the Minas Nuevas, Promontorio, San Jose, Europa-Guadalupe, Nueva Europa, Amalia, Tigre, Ana, Travesia and El Creston vein systems.
  • Sable Resources Ltd. announced results from one more drill hole at its Margarita project in Chihuahua. This drill hole is on the same section line than a deep hole from the previous drilling campaign, and extends mineralisation 350 m NW from other holes. Highlighted intervals comprise 37.35 m @ 117 gpt Ag, 0.7% Zn, 0.2% Pb, 0.17 gpt Au (or 177 gpt AgEq), including 0.90 m @ 353 gpt Ag, 0.6% Zn, 0.1% Pb (391 gpt AgEq) and 5.50 m @ 400 gpt Ag, 3.0% Zn, 1.1% Pb, 1.07 gpt Au (or 689 gpt AgEq), including 1.65 m @ 790 gpt Ag, 0.4% Zn, 2.0% Pb, 2.92 gpt Au (or 1,122 gpt AgEq). “This hole was intended to test close to surface mineralisation above low-grade mineralisation intercepted at depth in Hole 3 and we are delighted at hitting such strong, thick mineralisation.”
  • Aloro Mining Corp. submitted to SEMARNAT a new environmental permit for approval of drilling and road construction at its Los Venados property in Sonora. “Aloro was able to apply for the new permit after recently negotiating a new 3 year – 50 drill hole surface access agreement with the Mulatos Ejido.” The new permit is focused on the blind target in the SE corner of the concession, where a drill hole from the last campaign intersected 32 m of strong silicic alteration with brecciated vuggy quartz and sulfides, and 4.5 m @ 1.57 gpt Au.
  • Azucar Minerals Ltd. released results from one more drill hole at its El Cobre project in Veracruz. The hole, drilled on the Raya Tembrillo target in the northern edge of the Villa Rica zone, intercepted hypogene porphyry mineralisation from surface, with 168.1 m @ 0.56 gpt Au, 0.29% Cu, including 77.5 m @ 0.78 gpt Au, 0.35% Cu, which in turn include 27.95 m @ 1.53 gpt Au, 0.43% Cu and 12.1 m @ 2.04 gpt Au, 0.58% Cu.     

ON MINING

  • Consolidated Zinc Ltd. announced the execution of a new toll agreement for its Plomosas mine in Chihuahua, whilst still negotiating new offtake agreements for the concentrates. On March 22, CZL received the notification of termination of its toll agreement with Grupo Mexico (60-day termination notice), and by March 29 a toll agreement was executed with Triturado y Minerales La Piedrera S.A. de C.V. for processing of the ore at its Aldama concentrator facility. The Aldama plant has a 300 tonnes per day (or tpd) capacity that Plomosas can fully utilize. The contract is for 18 months with 6 months extension for CZL. “CZL will process Plomosas ore at both the Aldama Plant and Grupo Mexico Santa Eulalia concentrators for approximately a month under its contracts”. Negotiations are ongoing with a number of parties, “including Industrias Penoles S.A.B. de C.V. and Trafigura Beheer BV, to sell the Plomosas Zinc and Lead Concentrates”.
  • Endeavour Silver Corp. informed that commercial production was achieved in mid-March at El Compas mine in Zacatecas, its fourth mine in Mexico. “El Compas has a nominal plant capacity of 250 tonnes per day (tpd) at estimated recovery rates of 83% gold and 50% silver. From February 18 to March 17, the operation processed development ore from stockpile at an average production rate of 232 tpd (93% of design rate) and recovery rates of 73.5% gold (88% of design rate) and 45.5% silver (63% of design rate but only 13% of revenue)”.
  • Telson Mining Corp. released results of historic Leachox Process testing to try to increase Au and Ag recoveries on its Campo Morado mine tailings material, in Guerrero. The 2013 report by Maelgwyn Mineral Services for Nyrstar (then the mine operator) stated a maximum recovery of 65% Au, 75% Ag for 20 microns grinded material, and 45% Au, 81% Ag for 40 microns grinded material. “We could improve recoveries from current levels of gold at 15-20% and silver 30-40%, which would significantly increase the mines profitability by increasing the ounces of gold and silver produced at Campo Morado.”
  • Alamos Gold Inc. announced that its Mulatos mine in Sonora produced its two millionth ounce of gold in March 2019. “This milestone also marks the end of the 5% NSR royalty that the operation has been paying since the start of production in 2005. At the current gold price, this represents a savings of approximately $65 per ounce, which has already been incorporated into previously disclosed guidance…… The Mulatos operation has been an incredible success story. It started producing gold in 2005 with approximately a seven-year mine life and 14 years later, the mine still has six years of reserves ahead of it.”
  • Torex Gold Resources Inc. reported that in Q1, 2019, a total of 77,800 Oz Au were produced at its El Limon-Guajes mine in Guerrero. “Debt principal was reduced by $18.6 million, and cash balances at the end of the quarter were $119 million, including $26.8 million of restricted cash.” Field trials are underway for the first piece of equipment for the proprietary Muckahi mining system.
  • Gogold Resources Corp. announced record production of 288.7 K Oz Ag and 1,613 Oz Au  (or 424.2 K Oz AgEq) from its Parral tailings operation in Chihuahua.
  • Arcelor Mittal. invested $1,635 M during 2018 in Michoacan, while looking to expand its production capacity in Mexico, including a new line of sheeted steel plate, mining, and the modernization of its production plant. The new installations are located in Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacan, to take advantage of the Economic Special Zones to produce 5.3 M tonnes of steel, focusing on the higher aggregate value of sheet steel plate in the automotive and aerospace industries.

ON FINANCING

  • Sonoro Metals Corp. completed a non-brokered private placement, for gross proceeds of $650 K (Cerro Caliche, Sonora).
  • Defiance Silver Corp. closed the second tranche of its previously announced private placement, for gross proceeds of $1.06 M, paying $21.3 K finder’s fees and emitting 106.5 K non-transferable broker warrants (San Acacio, Zacatecas).
  • Sable Resources Ltd. announced a non-brokered offering that could raise up to $1.5 M (Margarita, Chihuahua).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Mag Silver Corp. disclosed audited consolidated results for 2018. At Juanicipio, in Zacatecas, operated by partner Fresnillo PLC, mine construction continues with “developing the three internal spiral footwall ramps at depth to access the full strike length of the Valdecañas Vein system; excavating and constructing the underground crushing chamber; advancing the conveyor ramp from both ends to and from the planned mill site….. integrating additional ventilation and other associated underground infrastructure, and progressing the construction of surface infrastructure facilities”. During 2018, 6,636 m of underground development were completed, taking the total to date to over 18.5 km. Some highlighted intersections of the 46,060 m of drilling during the year comprise: 11.6 m (true width, or TW) @ 783 gpt Ag, 2.57 gpt Au, 6.5% Pb, 9.5% Zn (Deep Zone West); 6.3 m @ 246 gpt Ag, 1.78 gpt Au, 7.2% Pb, 11.6% Zn, 0.4% Cu (Deep Zone East); 3.2 m @ 472 gpt Ag, 0.31 gpt Au, 0.4% Pb, 0.4% Zn (New Pre-Anticipada vein); 3.0 m (core length) @ 392 gpt Ag, 5.6 gpt Au. Mag remains well funded, with cash and cash equivalents of $130 M by the end of the year.
  • Sierra Metals Inc. reported positive results from drill testing a geophysical anomaly at the Bolivar West zone of their Bolivar mine in Chihuahua. Drilling of the Titan 24 chargeability  target identified and defined a new zone named West Extension to the Bolivar West zone, which is an extension of the Bolivar West structure. Highlighted drill intercepts comprise: 4 m @ 140 gpt Ag, 2.29% Cu, 7.6% Zn, 0.09 gpt Au (or 6.56% CuEq); 20 m @ 15 gpt Ag, 1.32% Cu, 1.16 gpt Au (or 2.42% ZnEq); 3 m @ 36 gpt Ag, 0.87% Cu, 8.5% Zn (or 4.63% CuEq).
  • Evrim Resources Corp. informed that First Majestic Silver Corp. announced a 20% increase in inferred resources over the maiden resource estimation of 2018 at the Ermitaño property in Sonora. A total of 8.81 M AgEq Oz (or 119 K AuEq Oz) were upgraded to indicated status, while 48.98 M AgEq Oz (or 659 K AuEq Oz) are defined as inferred resources. First Majestic is planning to complete 16,000 m of drilling during 2019.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Alamos Gold Inc. reported entering into an agreement for the sale of a portfolio of non-core royalties to Metalla Royalty & Streaming Ltd., for proceeds of USD$8.0 M in Metalla common shares with the right to receive additional an additional USD$0.6 M upon Metalla’s exercise of the La Fortuna option. The portfolio of 18 royalties being sold is all on assets not owned by Alamos in several countries. This includes a 2% NSR royalty on the El Realito property, adjacent to the La India mine in Sonora.
  • Bacanora Lithium PLC. Announced “that it remains in active discussions with the State General Reserve Fund of Oman (“SGRF”), the sovereign wealth fund of the Sultanate of Oman, to conclude the proposed US$65M Strategic Investment Agreement and Offtake Agreement for Bacanora’s flagship Sonora Lithium Project in Mexico……. the Company remains focused on completing the funding package in Q2 2019 with a view to commissioning a chemical processing plant and commencing first production at Sonora in H2 2021”.
  • Premier Gold Mines Ltd. announced the divestment of several properties in Canada, and the Santa Teresa property in Baja California. The divestment of the properties is the result of four transactions that accrued US$1.23 M to Premier. No information was provided on the parties involved on the transactions.
  • Americas Silver Corp. and Pershing Gold Corp. announced that the  Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States  (CFIUS)  has  completed  its  review  of  the  companies’  previously  announced  business  combination and  that  they expect their business combination transaction to be completed by April 3rd.
  • GoldCorp Inc. informed that GoldCorp’s shareholders have voted overwhelmingly in favour of the combination with Newmont Mining Corp.

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 above, quartz druse from a breccia in a Michoacan project. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

Economía busca reducir carga regulatoria a mineras y promover proyectos.- El Financiero

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https://www.elfinanciero.com.mx/economia/economia-busca-reducir-carga-regulatoria-a-mineras-y-promover-proyectos

Con el fin de dar certidumbre a las empresas mineras y atraer inversiones, la Secretaría de Economía (SE) busca reducir la carga regulatoria de ese sector y crear una ventanilla única para promover el desarrollo de proyectos, así como impulsar el financiamiento a las empresas mediante el uso del Fideicomiso de Fomento Minero (Fifomi) como garante para las inversiones.

Francisco Quiroga, subsecretario de Minería de la SE, aseguró que el Gobierno del presidente Andrés Manuel López Obrador no realizará cambios a la Ley Minera, ni aplicará un aumento en los impuestos que paga ese sector; en cambio, una prioridad es reducir la carga regulatoria y ampliar el financiamiento a los proyectos del sector.

El funcionario indicó que la regulación tiene que actualizarse en temas como las consultas a las comunidades para el establecimiento de proyectos mineros; sin embargo, comentó que no es necesario modificar la Ley Minera, porque hay actualizaciones que tienen que ver con simplificaciones de los trámites mineros.

“Ejemplo de ello es la creación de una ventanilla única, que es uno de nuestros proyectos de esta administración”, reveló en entrevista con El Financiero Bloomberg.

Quiroga añadió que la carga regulatoria que enfrenta el sector minero mexicano es “excesiva” desde el punto de vista de los trámites y del tiempo que tardan, por ello buscan reducirla.

El subsecretario marcó distancia del Gobierno federal respecto de la iniciativa de Morena en el Senado para reformar la Ley Minera en materia de impacto social y ambiental.

“Somos respetuosos del Legislativo, sabemos de sus preocupaciones legítimas, pero no tenemos una iniciativa como tal, el presidente ha dado la seguridad de que no habrá cancelación de concesiones”, dijo.

FINANCIAMIENTO PUEDE MEJORAR

En cuanto al Fifomi, Quiroga dijo que el financiamiento de proyectos es una de las áreas de oportunidad que se ha detectado en los primeros meses del sexenio, por lo que se busca que este Fideicomiso sea un garante del gobierno federal ante la banca comercial.

El funcionario explicó que hay proyectos que tienen flujos de ingresos en dólares; sin embargo, se tenían que fondear en pesos, lo que representaba para las empresas mineras una desventaja competitiva, porque se financiaban en una moneda diferente a la del flujo de ingresos y, además, resultaba más caro.

“Estamos trabajando con Fifomi para hacer posible que proyectos que tienen esos flujos en moneda extranjera puedan ser fondeados en moneda extranjera… Con esa función le das certidumbre a la banca comercial (para) que sepa que Fifomi participa con un grado de financiamiento, que sepa que es buen proyecto que dé confianza y los incentive a participar”, sostuvo.

Quiroga admitió que la industria minera tiene incertidumbre sobre los nuevos planes del gobierno y el entorno nacional. Señaló que los grandes factores de incertidumbre que hay en la minería son los mismos que tiene México, como la inseguridad en algunas regiones del país.

Otros han sido despejados y en la SE se ha hecho un esfuerzo por tener buena comunicación con los “tomadores de decisiones” del sector.

“Existe una aceptación de lo que queremos hacer en cuanto a la sostenibilidad de la minería, la seguridad en el trabajo e incorporación de las comunidades, se trata de replicar buenas prácticas”, mencionó.

Sobre el estatus de la Inversión Extranjera Directa en minería, el funcionario reconoció que en cada cambio de administración hay una incertidumbre lógica y natural que hace que los inversionistas esperen y vean si habrá ajustes “dramáticos”. Pero reiteró que no habrá cambios legales.