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

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By Jorge Cirett

During the 19th week of the year (May 10th to May 16th, 2021), at least 38 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. To note, nine companies posted exploration advances on their properties, nine presented mining related news, two posted on financing or share options, eight more on project development or resource definition and three posted on corporate issues. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Camimex reported investment of US$88 M on social development by mining companies. SEGOB has been involved in the resolution of six mining conflicts. The commodity prices have made mining companies values swing in the Mexican Exchange. ON EXPLORATION, in Baja California, Comet Resources received the environmental permit for drilling at Santa Teresa. In Sonora, Tocvan  Ventures informed on exploration at Pilar; Tarachi Gold reported visible gold in RC drilling chips at Tarachi. In Chihuahua, Kootenay Silver released drilling results from Columba; Mammoth Resources is drill targeting using 3D modelling of geophysics at Tenoriba. In Sinaloa, Brigadier Gold informed on exploration at Picachos; Vizsla Silver released drilling results on the Napoleon trend of the Panuco project. In Nayarit, Sierra Madre Gold and Silver has begun drilling at Tepic. ON MINING, Fortuna Silver, Endeavour Silver, Torex Resources, Santacruz Silver , Pan American Silver, Avino Silver, SilverCrest Metals, Starcore International and GoGold Resources released Q1 2021 production results. ON FINANCING, Capitan Mining has 8 M shares bought by Mr. Michael Gentile; Magna Gold had a non-brokered private placement of CA$10 M secured convertible debentures. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Ridgestone announced a new mineral resource estimate for Guadalupe y Calvo. Discovery Silver is planning a PEA for its Cordero property. GR Silver Mining reported drilling results from Plomosas. Impact Silver is targeting using 3D modelling of geophysical surveys at Capire. Grupo Mexico unveiled plans to invest several billion dollars on projects in Mexico. Orla Mining updated on construction of the Camino Rojo Oxide project. Excellon Resources presented an updated mineral resource estimate for Platosa. Gatos Silver released results from infill and extension drilling.  ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Telson Mining is changing name to Altaley Mining Corp.. Coeur Mining is to acquire 17.8% of Victoria Gold. Barksdale Resources is gaining 100% of the Sunnyside project in Arizona. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Endeavour Silver and Hecla Mining released their sustainability 2020 report. Pan American Silver, Equinox Gold and Torex Gold presented plans to reduce their carbon footprint. Newmont Peñasquito and Peña Colorada informed on their actions to support community development.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • Camimex (Cámara Minera de México) informed that the companies part of the organization invested on social development $1,756 M pesos (approximately US$88 M at current exchange rates). Those funds are in addition to the $3,496 M pesos (US$197 M) provided to the Mining Fund (previously intended for bettering mining communities, now siphoned to the black hole the federal government is). The Centro Social para la Filantropía (CEMEFI) granted the Empresa Socialmente Responsable Award to 29 companies affiliated to Camimex.
  • SEGOB (Secretaría de Gobernación) has been part of the resolution of six mining conflicts in Sinaloa, Baja California, Guerrero, Zacatecas and Queretaro, informed Olga Sánchez Cordero, head of the secretariat. The pending case is the one that involves Americas Gold and Silver’s San Rafael mine in Sinaloa, which was paralyzed by a Union dispute over a year ago.
  • Several business leaders expressed their optimism on future silver prices, which can be very good for Mexico, as the number one producer of the metal.
  • Grupo Mexico, the biggest mining conglomerate in Mexico saw its shares rise 8.7% in one day, translating to a 67,885 M pesos gain in value. This as a result of the strong increase in the copper price in 2021.
  • Mining companies in the BMV have had a mixed results 2021. Grupo Mexico has seen its shares increase 30.5%, Minera Autlán 22.3% and Minera Frisco 6.9%, while Industrias Peñoles and Fresnillo have had reductions of 15.3% and 20.05% respectively.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Comet Resources Ltd. Informed the drilling permit for its Santa Teresa project in Baja California has been received. The program consists of 2,000 m of diamond drilling to test extensions of zones of known gold mineralization along strike and at depth, as well of other identified zones of interest.
  • Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd. Has begun drilling at its 2,600 hectare Tepic project in Nayarit. The company intends to drill 21 reverse circulation (RC) holes, as poor recoveries plagued previous diamond drill campaigns by previous operators.
  • Colibri Resources Corp. informed of exploration progress by its partner Tocvan Ventures Corp. on the Pilar project in Sonora. Tocvan is in year two of a five-year option agreement to earn an initial 51% ownership of the Pilar Project. To date, eleven RC drill holes have been completed for a total of 1,811 m, focusing on extensions of the Main zone. Samples for the first five holes have been sent for assaying, and the rest will be sent soon.
  • Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd. updated on exploration activities at the Tepic property in Nayarit. “Work for the last 6 months has focused on geologic mapping and reconnaissance sampling with approximately 50% of the project covered at a 1:5000 scale level of detail or better. This has resulted in the recognition of more than 10 kilometres of hydrothermally altered and mineralized structures..”. Reconnaissance sampling has returned up to 648 gpt Ag, and 7.43 gpt Au. A 2,700 m trenching has been initiated to explore the multiple structures present in the area.
  • Brigadier Gold Ltd. informed on exploration work at its Picachos project in Sinaloa. The recent drilling intercepted up to 7 m @ 7.45 gpt Au, 51 gpt Ag in the San Agustín vein; 0.8 m @ 12.62 gpt Au, 78 gpt Ag, 4.5% Cu in the San Antonio vein and 1 m @ 10.65 gpt Au with 8 m @ 2.29 gpt Au, with assays still pending for 518 m of drilling. A trench across the El Placer trend returned 65 m 0.5 gpt Au, and a porphyry copper target was localized, with strong sericitic alteration and values of molybdenum above 240 ppm in almost all the 350 m trench, peaking at 2,200 ppm (0.22%) Mo over 6 m.
  • Tarachi Gold Corp. reported visible gold in chips from the recently finished reverse circulation (RC) program at its Tarachi property in Sonora. The visible gold was observed in a 10 m interval of one drill hole cuttings, approximately on a 10 m interval. The RC drill holes were sunk south of La Dura mine on the Jabali concession.
  • Kootenay Silver Inc. released drill results for the first four holes of 2021 at its Copalito project in Sinaloa. Highlighted core length intervals comprise 5.75 m @ 0.049 gpt Au, 75 gpt Ag, 0.3% Pb+Zn (including (1.0 m @ 0.09 gpt Au, 303 gpt Ag, 0.6% Pb+Zn); 8.61 m @ 0.456 gpt Au, 12 gpt Ag, 0.4% Pb+Zn (including 2 m @ 1.10 gpt Au, 13 gpt Ag, 0.3% Pb+Zn); 21 m @ 0.187 gpt Au, 178 gpt Ag, 0.8% Pb+Zn (including 1.18 m @ 0.575 gpt Au, 1,965 gpt Ag, 6.3% Pb+Zn.
  • Vizsla Silver Corp. released results from 23 holes at the Napoleon prospect in the Panuco project in Sinaloa. The released holes extend mineralization by 230 m along strike and 65 m to depth. Highlighted true width intercepts comprise 3.45 m @ 1,275 gpt Ag, 25.97 gpt Au, 0.7% Pb, 3.0% Zn (including 0.66 m @ 5,410 gpt Ag, 88.2 gpt Au, 1.0% Pb, 1.9% Zn); 10.30 m @ 356 gpt Ag, 3.13 gpt Au, 0.8% Pb, 1.2% Zn; 4.22 m @ 392 gpt Ag, 3.89 gpt Au, 0.3% Pb, 1.2% Zn; 1.27 m @ 6.47 gpt Au, 158 gpt Ag, 0.5% Pb, 2.2% Zn; 4.22 m @ 3.89 gpt Au, 392 gpt Ag, 0.3% Pb, 1.2% Zn; 1.09 m @ 2.09 gpt Au, 85 gpt Ag, 0.1% Pb, 0.4% Zn; 6.15 m @ 5.14 gpt Au, 87 gpt Ag, 0.4% Pb, 1.4% Zn; 3.93 m @ 1.93 gpt Au, 41 gpt Ag, 0.8% Pb, 3.1% Zn; 1.61 m @ 2.16 gpt Au, 354 gpt Ag, 0.4% Pb, 2.35% Zn.
  • Mammoth Resources Corp. informed on drill targeting activities at its Tenoriba project in Chihuahua. A 3D modelling exercise was conducted including its infill induced polarization/magnetometric (IP/Mag) geophysical survey recently completed. Four target areas were identified as TA-1, TA-2, TA-3 and TA-4, each showing some of the next attributes: silicified volcanic breccia rocks, High IP-resistivity features, artisanal mine workings, previous ore-grade intercepts in drilling and good geochemistry in rock and soil samples.

ON MINING

  • Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. reported first quarter 2021 financial results. At the San José mine, in Oaxaca, 259.8 K tonnes were milled at an average rate of 3,040 tonnes per day (tpd), grading 217 gpt Ag, 1.36 gpt Au, recovering 91% Ag, 91% Au, to produce 1.6 M Oz Ag, 10,301 Oz Au at a production cash cost of $8.40 per Oz AgEq and an AISC of $13.40 per Oz AgEq. To note, realized silver and gold prices were $26.17 and $1,783 per ounce in Q1 2021, against $16.09 and $1,571 respectively in Q1 2020.
  • Endeavour Silver Corp. presented financial results for the first quarter 2021. During the period 1.4 M Oz Ag, 10,894 Oz Au were produced at cash cost of $7.86 per Oz Ag and an AISC of $19.94 per Oz Ag, generating a cash flow of $5.2 M. Cash at the end of the period was $86 M, with a working capital of $113.1 M and a debt of $8.7 M.
  • Torex Gold Resources Inc. reported financial and operational results for the first quarter 2021. During the period 129,509 Oz Au were produced at its El Limon Guajes mine in Guerrero, at total cash cost of $580 per Oz Au, and an AISC of $854 per Oz Au. The adjusted EBITDA was $144.9 M, with $9.3 M of free cash flow. The company is now debt free, after repaying $40 M. By the end of the period Torex had cash of $167.3 M including $172.0 M in cash and $4.7 M of lease obligations.
  • Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. reported production on Q1 2021 of 707 K Oz AgEq from its Zimapan and Rosario mines, in Hidalgo and San Luis Potosi respectively. At Zimapan, 156.4 K tonnes were milled @ 85 gpt Ag, 0.63% Pb, 1.99% Zn, 0.31% Cu (182 gpt Ag), recovering 69% Ag to produce 294.1 K Oz Ag, 892 tonnes Pb, 2,067 tonnes Zn, 354 tonnes Cu. At Rosario 19.8 K tonnes were processed @ 61 gpt Ag, 0.19 gpt Au, 0.34% Pb, 1.51% Zn (72 gpt AgEq), recovering 80.3% Zn to produce 31.3 K Oz Ag, 59.4 Oz Au, 78 tonnes lead, 73 tonnes Zn.
  • Pan American Silver Corp. presented results for Q1 2021, including figures from its Mexican operations. Of a total 4.6 M Oz Ag, 137.6 K Oz Au produced in the period, 1.06 M Oz Ag, 0.5 K Oz Au were produced at La Colorada (Zacatecas) and 0.63 M Oz Ag, 37 K Oz Au at Dolores (Chihuahua). Cash cost per Oz Ag at La Colorada was $15.62 and AISC $42.44, whereas at Dolores cash cost per Oz Au was $718 with no AISC reported.
  • Avino Silver  Gold Mines Ltd. released consolidated financial results for the first quarter of 2021. During the period 164 K tonnes were milled to produce 266.7 K Oz Ag, 1,531 Oz Au, 1.8 M Lb Cu (684 K Oz AgEq). “During Q1 2021, no production mining activities took place due to the work stoppage at the Avino Mine. Transitional efforts are underway to restart production and mining operations”. By the end of the period tha company had $27 M in cash and a working capital of $31.2 M.
  • SilverCrest Metals Inc. reported unaudited financial results of Q1 2021. During the period the company released results form a feasibility study (FS) for Las Chispas project in Sonora, with an estimated initial capital cost of $137.7 M. By the end of March the construction advance was 14.3%, with an aggregate cost of $27.7 M. Also, 33,382 m were completed of in-fill and expansion drilling and 2.0 Km of underground decline and development including in-vein drifting. SilverCrest also completed 18,237 m of drilling at Picacho (Sonora), where it has drilled 24,059 m since its acquisition in 2020. At the end of the period the company had $226 M in cash and cash equivalents.
  • Starcore International Mines Ltd. announced production results for the fourth quarter, ended April 30, 2021, at its San Martin mine in Queretaro. During the period 54.4 K tonnes were milled @ 1.52 gpt Au, 24.6 gpt Ag, recovering 87.3% and 57.5% Ag, to recover 2,603 Oz AuEq.
  • GoGold Resources Inc. released its financial results for the first quarter 2021. The company stacked 417.5 K tonnes to sell 541.6 K Oz AgEq at cash cost $12.81 and AISC $16.27 at its Parral tailing property in Chihuahua.

ON FINANCING

  • Capitan Mining Inc. had 8 M shares bought by Mr. Michael Gentile, same that coupled with 1.16 M previously held shares amount to 17.02% of Capitan Mining issued shares. Mr. Gentile filed an early warning report. (Capitan, Durango).
  • Magna Gold Corp. announced a non-brokered private placement of CAS$10 M secured convertible debentures with Delbrook Capital Advisors Inc.. The debentures mature in 24 month’s from issuance and bear interest at a rate of 6.5% per year. “The principal amount of the Debentures is convertible, at the election of Delbrook, into common shares of the Company at a conversion price of CAD$1.25 per common share, representing a 35.5% premium to the 10-day VWAP”. Magna plans exploration activities at its Margarita project (Chihuahua), Mercedes (Sonora), San Judas (Sonora), Veta Tierra (Sonora) and Los Muertos (Sonora).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Ridgestone Mining Inc. announced a mineral resource estimate for its Guadalupe y Calvo project in Chihuahua. The estimate was done on two main structures, the Rosario and Nankin veins, combining pit constrained and underground resources. Indicated resources contain 216.8 K Oz Au, 10.4 M Oz Ag and inferred resources amount to 335.6 K Oz Au, 9.3 M Oz Ag, as displayed on the table below.
  • Discovery Silver Corp. is planning a preliminary economic study (PEA) scheduled to be completed in 4Q 2021 on its Cordero property in Chihuahua. The company recently finished a 75,000 m drilling campaign on which a new resource estimate is to be based and delivered in the 3Q 2021. Phase two of drilling has four rigs operating on Cordero, aiming to upgrade inferred resources to the indicated category, resource expansion of bulk-tonnage mineralization and testing the high-grade vein systems that cut through the deposit. Other teams are working in the metallurgy, mining strategies, geotechnical issues, hydrogeology, environment and all the needed studies to prepare the PEA, which preliminarily aims to an initial 10,000 to 20,000 tonnes per day (tpd) of mill throughput and expansion to 20,000 to 40,000 tpd.
  • GR Silver Mining Ltd. Reported near surface drill results of narrow high-grade mineralization at its Plomosas property in Sinaloa. Highlighted true width intervals comprise 4.0 m @ 80 gpt Ag, 0.19 gpt Au, 0.5% Pb, 0.6% Zn; 8.5 m @ 46 gpt Ag, 0.16 gpt Au, 1.3% Pb, 1.2% Zn; 0.5 m @ 13.05 gpt Au, 0.5% Pb, 1.0% Zn; 14.8 m @ 0.21 gpt Au, 0.6% Pb, 1.6% Zn; 1.7 m @ 8 gpt Ag, 9.67 gpt Au; 9.0 m @ 141 gpt Ag, 0.31 gpt Au, 0.7% Zn, 0.7% Cu; 0.9 m @ 1,000 gpt Ag; 6.3 m @ 80 gpt Ag, 0.01 gpt Au, 0.1% Pb, 13.0% Zn; 5.0 m @ 234 gpt Ag, 0.01 gpt Au, 0.2% Pb, 0.3% Zn; 1.3 m @ 530 gpt Ag, 0.01 gpt Au, 0.1% Pb, 0.1% Zn; 2.5 m @ 173 gpt Ag, 0.01 gpt Au, 2.3% Pb, 1.9% Zn; 8.7 m @ 57 gpt Ag, 0.01 gpt Au, 4.1% Pb, 1.9% Zn; 9.1 m @ 5 gpt Ag, 1.53 gpt Au, 1.2% Pb, 1.4% Zn.
  • Impact Silver Corp. has received a report by a contractor with the analysis and interpretation of the geophysical surveys performed in the property since the 1990’s on the Capire area (Guerrero) of the Royal mines of Zacualpan (Estado de Mexico). “Condor utilized leading edge Inversion processing to produce 3D models of the IP and Magnetometer surveys and combined with the EM surveys has outlined a series of massive sulphide and vein hosted target areas”.
  • Grupo Mexico unveiled plans for the next few years, which include an investment of US$3,100 M (Mexican number notation) for refining metals in Sonora and electric infrastructure for El Arco in Baja California, and a US$2,300 M investment for expansion of smelter capacity in Sonora. Those projects are part of the US$9,000 M that Grupo Mexico plans to invest from 2021 to 2027.
  • Orla Mining Ltd. updated on the construction of the Camino Rojo Oxide project in Zacatecas. Construction is 22% complete, with $15.3 M spent in the quarter, $64.3 M total to date of an estimated total capital expenditure of $134 M. Of 826 workers currently on the project, 15% are from local communities, 30% from Zacatecas State and 55% from other States. “… activities now focused on earth moving, concrete pouring, and structural and mechanical installations in the areas of the crushing circuit, MerrillCrowe plant, heap leachPR and process pond, camp, and administration offices”.
  • Excellon Resources Inc. provided an update on the mineral resource estimate for its Platosa mine in Durango. The new resource includes information from 187 exploration drill holes from surface and underground locations, or 21,400 m. Indicated resources now stand at 317 K tonnes @ 485 gpt Ag, 5.3% Pb, 5.5% Zn, containing 4.95 M Oz Ag, 36.8 M Lb Pb, 38.8 M Lb Zn and inferred resources at 42 K tonnes @ 749 gpt Ag, 4.3% Pb, 5.4% Zn, containing 1 M Oz Ag, 4 K tonnes Pb, 4 K tonnes Zn. At the Evolución project in Zacatecas, indicated resources stand at 6.4 M tonnes @ 64 gpt Ag, 0.1 gpt Au, 1.2% Pb, 1.3% Zn, containing 13.1 M Oz Ag, 19 K Oz Au, 140.7 M Lb Pb, 161.5 M Lb Zn, and inferred resources at 15 M tonnes @ 39 gpt Ag, 0.1 gpt Au, 0.8% Pb, 1.2% Zn, containing 18.5 M Oz Ag, 49 K Oz Au, 247.5 K tonnes Pb, 377.7 K tonnes Zn.
  • Gatos Silver Inc. released results from infill and extension drilling at its Los Gatos project in Chihuahua, and the commencement of drilling at the Esther zone. The drilling continues to identify mineralization beyond both ends of the deposit. Below the drill results table:

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Telson Mining Corp. announced the restructuring of its board of directors and a corporate name change. Telson’s Board of Directors now consists of seven members as follows: David Rhodes, Natascha Kiernan, Tom Kelly, Mark Bailey, Roberto Guzman Garcia, Ruben Alvidrez Ortega and Ralph Shearing. Telson intends to change its corporate name to Altaley Mining Corp. to complement the board restructuring. Telson also reported the execution of a Financial Advisory Services Agreement with Endeavour Financial Ltd., to provide Telson with general corporate financial advice with respect to its strategic direction and corporate development (Tahuehueto, Durango).
  • Coeur Mining Inc. entered into an agreement to acquire 11.07 M shares (17.8%) of Victoria Gold Corp. from Orion COVI Ltd. on a transaction expected to close on May 11 subject to closing conditions.
  • Barksdale Resources Corp. entered into an agreement with Regal Resources to consolidate a 100% interest in the Sunnyside project in Arizona (also owns San Javier, Sonora).

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Endeavour Silver released its 2020 sustainability report, which informs on safety and health, training, community, environment and economic value activities during the period.
  • Pan American Silver, Equinox Gold and Torex Gold presented plans to reduce their carbon footprint. 
  • Hecla Mining released its 2020 sustainability report the steps the company take to reduce its environmental footprint. Health, safety, green energies, greenhouse emission reduction, reclamation work, human rights and diversity are some of the subjects covered.
  • Newmont Peñasquito informed on the work realized to better the water resources at El Verge, Zacatecas.
  • Peña Colorada is granting professional internships to 12 students from five universities.

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:  Old open cut in Sinaloa, with Ricardo Ramonett as scale. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

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

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IMG_2620 - copia

By Jorge Cirett

During the 42nd week of the year (October 14th to October 20th, 2019), at least 29 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. ON MEXICO ISSUES, The Congress dominated by Morena approved a bill dramatically changing the rules od operation of the Mining Fund for 2020 . ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Magna Gold released drilling results for its Mercedes project, and announced new exploration targets. In Sinaloa, Oroco Resource commenced work at the Santo Tomas project. In Durango, Gainey Capital commenced drilling at Las Margaritas. In Veracruz, Azucar Minerals discovered another mineralized center at El Cobre.  ON MINING, Sierra Metals, Fortuna Silver, Avino Silver, Gold Resource and McEwen Mining released third quarter 2019 production results. Argonaut Gold reported an accident that resulted in the death of two contractor’s employees at La Colorada, in Sonora. ON FINANCING, Kootenay Silver closed a $2 M private placement. Gainey Capital granted options to directors, officers, employees and consultants. Candelaria Mining discontinued a private placement due to unfavorable market conditions. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, SilverCrest Metals reported development mining sampling has returned less tonnage but more AgEq ounces at its Las Chispas property in Sonora. Azure minerals is planning a two-stage drill program at the Loma Bonita gold target of its Alacran property in Sonora. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Tamino Minerals elaborated on the company’s history and incoming work at its El Volcan project in Sonora. Bacanora Lithium presented the current situation of Ganfeng’s investment on the company. Megastar Development entered into an option agreement regarding the Cerro Minas concession in Oaxaca. Riverside Resources released information on its BHP financing agreement for generative copper exploration in NW Sonora. Golden Minerals entered into an option agreement with Magellan Gold to sell its interest in the Santa Maria project in Chihuahua. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. The Grupo Mexico Foundation donates 175 K trees in Queretaro. Ternium granted scholarships to 145 students. Esperanza Silver presented a sustainable project in Morelos.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • The Camara de Diputados (Deputies Chamber, or Congress) approved legal reforms concerning the use of the Mining Fund. The changes were approved only by the Morena party and allied members, taking away the planning and overseeing of funds (generated by a special tax on mining) from local mining municipalities, enforcing what is seen as federal discretional use.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Gainey Capital Corp. commenced a diamond drilling campaign at the Las Margaritas project in Durango. This initial phase comprises 1,080 m of drilling in 11 holes focused on the best mineralization exposed at the surface, where sampling has returned up to 73.7 gpt Au.
  • Azucar Minerals Ltd. Announced the discovery of another mineralized center at its El Cobre project in Veracruz. Two holes tested the El Primo target area, defined by a gold, copper and molybdenum soil anomaly. Relevant intervals comprise 5.25 m @ 0.60 gpt Au, 0.26% Cu and 8.45 m @ 0.20 gpt Au, 0.29% Cu in one hole and 200 m @ 0.40 gpt Au, 0.24% Cu in another hole, including 86.50 m @ 0.70 gpt Au, 0.42% Cu; which includes 55.60 m @ 0.94 gpt Au, 0.56% Cu; which includes 10 m @ 1.44 gpt Au, 0.85% Cu. This target is at least a kilometer away from other already identified mineralized centers within the property.
  • Oroco Resource Corp. commenced technical field work, initial environmental baseline studies and permitting at its Santo Tomas project in Sinaloa. This work is to be followed by a 3D induced polarization geophysical survey and the first phase of confirmation diamond drilling. The company holds an option to acquire a 56.7% interest in the 1,173 ha core concessions of the project, and might increase that interest up to an 81.0% interest with a project investment of up to CAD$30 M. Oroco also holds a 77.5% interest in 7,808 ha surrounding and adjacent to the core concessions.

ON MINING

  • Argonaut Gold Inc. informed on an accident involving a contractor that resulted in death by electrocution of two individuals while performing maintenance work on a haul truck at La Colorada mine in Sonora. Operations were suspended on October 11 and resumed on October 12, 2019.
  • Sierra Metals Inc. reported third quarter 2019 production, including figures from its Mexican operations. At Bolivar in Chihuahua, 331.8 K tonnes were processed at a 3,792 tonnes per day rate (tpd) @ 0.86% Cu, 20.5 gpt Ag, 0.31 gpt Au, recovering 81.3% Cu, 79.0% Ag, 62.3% Au to produce 5.115 M Lb Cu, 173 K Oz Ag, 2,173 Oz Au. At Cusi, also in Chihuahua, 70.4 K tonnes were processed at an 805 tpd rate @ 141.5 gpt Ag, 0.15 gpt Au, 0.14% Pb, recovering 84.6% Ag, 39.6% Au, 78.3% Pb to produce 271 K Oz Ag, 135 Oz Au, 168 K Lb Pb.
  • Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. disclosed production results for the third quarter 2019, including figures from its Mexico operations. At San Jose in Oaxaca, 268 K tonnes were milled @ 219 gpt Ag, 1.40 gpt Au, recovering 82.4% Ag, 90.6% Au, to produce 1.71 M Oz Ag, 10,942 Oz Au, at a cash cost per ton of US$70.80.
  • Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. released third quarter 2019 production results from its Avino property in Durango. Consolidated figures comprise 202.7 K tonnes processed @ 44 gpt Ag, 0.33 gpt Au, 0.33% Cu, recovering 76% Ag, 67% Au, 68% Cu to produce 221.9 K Oz Ag, 1,448 Oz Au, 1.38 M Lb Cu. At the Avino mine 122.2 K tonnes were processed @ 41 gpt Ag, 0.31 gpt Au, 0.58% Cu to produce 139.4 K Oz Ag, 900 Oz Au, 1.3 M Lb Cu; 17.8 K tonnes were processed from the San Gonzalo mine stockpiles (the mine is now closed) @ 56 gpt Ag, 0.41 gpt Au to produce 29.6 K Oz Ag, 194 Oz Au; From historic above ground stockpiles 62.6 K tonnes were processed @ 47 gpt Ag, 0.33 gpt Au, 0.33% Cu to produce 232.1 K OZ Ag, 1,528 Oz Au, 311 K Lb Cu.
  • Gold Resource Corp. reported preliminary production for the third quarter 2019, including figures from its operations in Mexico. At the company’s Oaxaca Mining Unit, a total of 7,462 Oz Au, 473.8 K Oz Ag, 492 tonnes of copper, 2,459 tonnes of lead and 6,057 tonnes of zinc were produced.
  • McEwen Mining Inc. released production details for the third quarter 2019, including figures from its Mexican operations. At its El Gallo property in Sinaloa, 3,018 Oz Au were produced by residual leaching of the heap leach pad.

ON FINANCING

  • Kootenay Silver Inc. closed its non-brokered private placement of $2 M that was fully subscribed by Ninepoint Silver Equities Class with Sprott Asset Management LP acting as sub-advisor. (Columba, Chihuahua).
  • Candelaria Mining Corp. announced that a private placement previously announced has been discontinued due to unfavorable market conditions. The company intends to conduct an offering on a non-brokered private placement basis for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $700 K. Closing of the new private placement is expected to be on November 30, 2019 (Caballo Blanco, Veracruz).
  • Gainey Capital Corp. granted 1.5 M incentive stock options to its directors, officers employees and consultants (Las Margaritas, Durango).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • SilverCrest Metals Inc. informed development work has intersected better grades than those in the resources estimate for the Babicanora vein at its Las Chispas property in Sonora. Underground mining along 180 m of the Babicanora vein (20% of the mineralized length on area 51) reported 33% less tonnes, but 65.7% more AgEq ounces for the interval. In total 4,170 tonnes were extracted @ 15.18 gpt Au and 1,071 gpt Ag (2,209 gpt AgEq), while the resource estimate in this zone graded 4.48 gpt Au and 556 gpt Ag (892 gpt AgEq). Underground sampling returned up to 2.8 m @ 94.52 gpt Au, 8,320 gpt Ag (15,409 gpt AgEq). SilverCrest plans to have a stockpile of 25-30 K tonnes of high-grade material containing 800 K to 1 M Oz AgEq, extracted by development work to the end of 2019.
  • Azure Minerals Ltd. is planning a two-stage drill program on resource expansion at Loma Bonita, within the Alacrán project in Sonora. High-grade intersections on the resource boundary, like 47 m @ 2.8 gpt Au, 33 gpt Ag and 67 m @ 1.6 gpt Au, 21 gpt Ag (both from surface) favor the continuity of the ore body. First pass sampling of historical workings south of Cerro Alacrán returned up to 3,675 gpt Ag, 21.1 gpt Au, 2.3% Cu, 33.5% Pb, 21.0% Zn. Applications for environmental approval have been submitted.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Tamino Minerals Inc. elaborated into the long and convolute company history and financing (El Volcan, Sonora).
  • Bacanora Lithium PLC. Announced the completion of the “Invested Agreement and Offtake Agreement” which together make the “Strategic Investment” of Ganfeng Lithium Co.. The relevant approvals have been completed and Bacanora has now received £21.96 M of funds from Ganfeng, for a 29.99% equity interest in Bacanora Lithium PLC and a 22.5% JV investment directly in the Sonora Lithium Project. The vice-president of Wangfeng was appointed a director of Bacanora. “The Bacanora project team in Mexico continues to progress the final design work for the mine, concentrator and kiln sections of the processing plant. The Ganfeng technical team has initiated work on the hydrometallurgical circuit…”
  • Tamino Minerals Inc. informed it is going to present a NI 43-101 report on its El Volcan property in Sonora once a registration statement is filed to the SEC and the company becomes fully reporting.
  • Megastar Development Corp. has entered into an option agreement with Gunpoint Exploration Ltd. to acquire 100% interest in the 899 ha Cerro Minas mining concession (title (234333) in Oaxaca. The agreement entails the payment of US$10 K and 100 K Megastar shares on the effective date, US$20 K and 150 K shares on the first anniversary, US$30 K and 250 shares on the second anniversary and US$40 K and 300 K shares on the third anniversary, with Gunpoint retaining a 1.5% NSR royalty, of which 0.5% can be bought by US$1.0 M.
  • Riverside Resources Inc. informed that the first two to three quarters of the exploration financing agreement with BHP for generative copper exploration in NW Sonora will be centered on regional prospect generation. The program envisages a minimum two-year US$2 M budget, and upon advancing projects to the operation phase (Phase II), BHP has the option to fund up to US$5 M for drilling and other exploration expenditures. Riverside is to receive US$200 K by project that makes it to the second phase.
  • Golden Minerals Co. entered into an option agreement with Magellan Gold Corp. to sell its rights to acquire a 100% interest in the Santa Maria project, in Chihuahua. Magellan has a 150 days due diligence period to decide whether to execute the option, on which it has to pay $1 M cash, with Golden Minerals retaining a 6.5% royalty until a total of $3 M has been paid as royalty, with Golden retaining a 3% NSR royalty for the life of the mine. If Magellan fails to get the mine to production within one year from closing the deal, Golden will get back the property.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • The Grupo Mexico Foundation donates 175 plants and trees in Queretaro. Grupo Mexico is aiding to reach the goal of planting 250 thousand trees in the Queretaro municipality. Grupo Mexico is the number one producer of tree saplings in the country.
  • Ternium delivers scholarships and supports education in a mining zone. The Roberto Rocca Education Program and the Universidad de Colima granted this year scholarships to 145 students from universities in Mexico City, Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, Veracruz, Puebla, Colima and Michoacan. Since its inception in 2006, the Roberto Rocca Education Program has granted 3,000 scholarships.
  • Esperanza Silver (Alamos Gold) presented a sustainable project for the Esperanza project in Morelos. The project involves the company’s involvement in the remediation of a nearby community landfill, and the collaborative support on the Lagunas de Zempoala, the national park Tepozteco, the biological corridor Ajusco-Chichinautzin as well as the state parks El Texcal, Sierra Montenegro and the biosphere reserve Sierra de Huautla.

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:  Gneiss hosted quartz-feldspar veinlet from a project in Oaxaca. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

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

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IMG_2611 - copia

By Jorge Cirett

During the 28th week of the year (July 8th to July 14th, 2019), at least 27 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Camimex announced investments for US$2,705 M on new gold projects from 2019 to 2024. The same organism informed Mexico’s gold production declined 6.7% between 2017 and 2018. ON EXPLORATION, In Baja California, One World Lithium released results from drilling at Salar del Diablo. In Sonora, Magna Gold started its phase one exploration program at its Mercedes project on the Santa Rosa de Yecora district. In Chihuahua, Sable Resources received the drilling permit for its Vinata project. In Coahuila, Discovery Metals received the drilling permit for its Monclova project. In Guanajuato, Fresnillo explores near Mineral de La Luz. ON MINING, Torex Gold, Coeur Mining, Great Panther, GoGold Resources and Endeavour Silver presented production results for the second quarter of 2019. ON FINANCING, Mexican Gold Corp, Impact Silver, One World Lithium, Oceanus Resources, Silver One Resources, Advance Gold and Millrock undertook or completed tranches of financing rounds for a combined $13.45 M. Evrim Resources granted 1 M stock options to an officer. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, SilverCrest Metals filed the PEA on Las Chispas, Sonora. VVC Exploration received the environmental permit  and a land use change permit for its Samalayuca project in Chihuahua. SilverCrest Metals released high grade results from underground sampling of the Babicanora vein at Las Chispas, Sonora. Goldplay released good gold results from trenching on an extension of the Nava zone on its San Marcial project in Sinaloa. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Orex Minerals and Pan American Silver entered into an agreement to negotiate a formal JV agreement on the Sandra Escobar project in Durango. Oroco Resources signed a letter of agreement to acquire the 766 ha. Rossy concession adjacent to Oroco’s land package on the Santo Tomas district in Sinaloa.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • Camimex (Cámara Minera de México), informed on a list of new gold producing projects that involve the investment of US$2,705 M between 2019 and 2024. Among the biggest investments are those of Torex Gold (US$482 M) in Media Luna, Guerrero; Grupo Mexico’s (US$413 M) Buenavista Zinc in Sonora and Fresnillo’s (US$350 M) Orisyvo in Chihuahua. Other investments include the second dynamic leaching plant at La Herradura; the Pyrites plant in Fresnillo; Goldcorp’s Pyrite plant in Peñasquito, Zacatecas; and Endeavour’s El Compas in Zacatecas; Candelaria Mining is to start operations at Pinos, Zacatecas; Mag Silver and Fresnillo are to begin production at Juanicipio, Zacatecas; Telson Resources is to finish construction of the mine at Tahuehueto, Durango; Hecla’s will continue with open pit and then underground operations at San Sebastian, Durango.
  • Camimex stated that during 2018 Mexico’s gold production diminished 6.7% compared with 2017, reaching 3.8 M Oz Au. Five companies produced more than half of the overall gold production in 2018: Fresnillo (24.1%), Torex Gold (9.3%), Agnico Eagle (8.5%), Goldcorp (7.1%) and Minera Frisco (6.5%) (Editor’s note.- This last company has the dubious honor of being the most opaque for disclosing production, reserves and resources from its projects in Mexico).

ON EXPLORATION

  • Sable Resources Ltd. has received the permit needed to drill the Vinata project in Chihuahua. The surface agreements have been approved by the local community for an initial 2,500 m diamond drill program “to test the vertical continuity and mineral zoning along a section of the Vinata vein system where the veins are observed outcropping over 1000 m along strike”. Sable will contract a ground electromagnetic survey (CSAMT) to better define the vein system at depth and the contacts between a felsic dome and volcanic and sedimentary rocks. The mineralisation at Vinata occurs as a series of quartz veins that outcrop for 1,200 m, with multiple sub-parallel veins and stockwork zones over a width of 15 to 170 m, with individual veins ranging to up to 12 m in width.
  • One World Lithium Inc. released results from drilling at its Salar del Diablo property in Baja California (there is not a state named Baja California Norte in Mexico). The drill holes did not reach the target depths due to “the constant sluffing of sand, presence of multiple clay formations, unconsolidated gravel and rubble”. The highest lithum grade in sediment samples was 273 ppm Li, whereas the water samples are thought to have been diluted by the injection of significant amounts of fresh water while drilling. The Company intends to resume its 4,250 foot drilling program before the end of September 2019.
  • Discovery Metals Corp. has been granted drilling permits for its Monclova project in Coahuila. “The Real Viejo area is the key near-term target. It hosts five historic shallow underground mines along a strike of 1.5km at a limestone-intrusive rock contact”, with rock channel samples averaging 277 gpt Ag, 6.7% Zn, 1.9% Pb. The Real Viejo area is 2 square-km in size and is located along the southern contact of the Monclova intrusive complex, where a series of Ag-ZnPb mineralised, silica-rich vein, replacement bodies (mantos), skarn-altered embayment zones and breccias 2-10 m wide are located.
  • Fresnillo Plc. is realizing exploration work in the Guanajuato district, mainly near Mineral de La Luz.
  • Magna Gold Corp. initiated its phase one exploration program on the Mercedes project in Sonora. The aim on this phase is to confirm the existence (suggested by historical drilling) of an oxide zone of quartz stockwork Au-Ag mineralisation 60 m wide and 220 m long, and a surface study including geological mapping of a 500 ha zone and  systematic rock chip and soil geochemical surveys.

ON MINING

  • Torex Gold Resources Inc. reported Q2 2019 gold production of 113,600 Oz Au at its Limon-Guajes mine in Guerrero. Plant throughput averaged 11,670 tonnes per day (tdp), underground mine production was 1,280 tpd, open pit ore production was 18,600 tpd and the open pit strip ratio was 6.8:1.
  • Coeur Mining Inc. announced second quarter 2019 production. At Palmarejo, in Chihuahua, 447.7 K tonnes were milled @ 2.18 gpt Au, 147.4 gpt Ag, with recoveries of 87.7% Au, 81.8% Ag to produce 28,246 Oz Au, 1.7 M Oz Ag. Production at the La Nacion deposit began and is anticipated to add 400 tpd of mill feed.
  • Great Panther Mining Ltd. presented second quarter 2019 results including figures from its Mexican operations. At Topia, in Durango 18.4 K tonnes were processed @ 392 gpt Ag, 1.01 gpt Au, recovering 93.9% Ag, 58.9% Au to produce 218 K Oz Ag, 353 Oz Au, 453 tonnes Pb, 575 tonnes Zn. At the Guanajuato mine Complex, solely from the San Ignacio mine, 45.5 K tonnes were processed @ 2.52 gpt Au, 105 gpt Ag, recovering 85.5% Ag, 87.0% Au, to produce 388.4 K Oz Ag, 3,209 Oz Au.
  • GoGold Resources Inc. reported production results from its tailings project in Parral, Chihuahua. During the period 250 K Oz Ag, 2,281 Oz Au were recovered.

Endeavour Silver Corp. disclosed second quarter 2019 production results from its four mines in Mexico.

Endeavour Q2 2019 Production table1

ON FINANCING

  • Mexican Gold Corp. is undertaking a non-brokered private placement for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $4 M (Las Minas, Veracruz).
  • Impact Silver Corp. completed the first tranche of its non-brokered private placement, raising gross proceeds of $1.23 M, and announced the increase on the second tranche of financing to up to $1.5 M (Zacualpan, Estado de Mexico).
  • Evrim Resources Corp. announced the approval of the grant of 1 M stock options to an officer under the terms of the company’s stock option plan (Cerro Cascaron, Chihuahua).
  • One World Lithium Inc. closed the first tranche of its private placement financing, raising CDN$734.6 K (Salar del Diablo, Baja California. Please note there is not a Baja California Norte state in Mexico).
  • Oceanus Resources Corp. closed a non-brokered private placement raising $750 K (El Tigre, Sonora).
  • Silver One Resources Inc. increased its previously announced private placement, for gross proceeds of $5 M (La Frazada, Nayarit).
  • Advance Gold Corp. closed the non-brokered private placement financing previously announced, for gross proceeds of $234 K (Tabasquena, Zacatecas).
  • Millrock Resources Inc. plans to raise gross proceeds of between $1 M and $1.5 M through a non-brokered private placement. Finder’s fees of 7% cash and 7% finder’s warrants may be paid in connection with the Offering (Batamote, Sonora).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • SilverCrest Metals Inc. filed the technical report titled “Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Las Chispas Property, Sonora, Mexico”. The PEA results were previously released.
  • VVC Exploration Corp. received the environmental permit and a land use change permit for its Samalayuca copper property in Chihuahua. With those permits the company can initiate mining operations in the Gloria zones of the Kaity claim. VVC began bench testing with mineralised material from the Gloria zones to assess metallurgy with different crush sizes and acid flow rates.
  • SilverCrest Metals Inc. provided the first underground sample results from the Babicanora vein on its Las Chispas project in Sonora. A total of 133 samples were collected from blast faces for 35 m of a 3.5 m by 3.5 m drift along the vein, same that averaged 2.6 m (vein width) @ 13.70 gpt Au, 1,107 gpt Ag (or 2,132 gpt AgEq). Some of the best intervals released comprise: 3.9 m @ 62.66 gpt Au, 4,610 gpt Ag (including 0.6 m @ 336 gpt Au, 26,435 gpt Ag); 4.1 m @ 13.91 gpt Au, 709 gpt Ag; 3.5 m @ 16.69 gpt Au, 2,192 gpt Ag; 1.8 m @ 53.18 gpt Au, 3,548 gpt Ag; 3.2 m @ 12.89 gpt Au, 799 gpt Ag; 5 m @ 16.69 gpt Au, 2,192 gpt Ag; 3.2 m @ 18.74 gpt Au, 459 gpt Ag; 2.1 m @ 14.77 gpt Au, 1,542 gpt Ag; 2.5 m @ 15.27 gpt Au, 1,426 gpt Ag; 2.5 m @ 21.73 gpt Au, 1,231 gpt Ag.
  • Goldplay Exploration Ltd. encountered a broad gold zone at the Nava target of its San Marcial project in Sinaloa. The results come from a zone 300 m west of the first Nava trenches, where a 31 m true width (tw) zone mineralised zone of epithermal quartz veins and a zone of intense stockwork which returned 17.7 m (tw) @ 2.11 gpt Au. The target is to be drill tested on the next drill program with a couple of holes.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Orex Minerals Inc. entered into an agreement with Pan American Silver Corp. to negotiate a formal JV agreement on the Sandra Escobar project in Durango, to replace a previous agreement from 2015, and will suspend the operation of the 2015 agreement until the new agreement is entered into, or until December 31, 2019, whichever is earlier.
  • Oroco Resources Corp. entered into a letter of agreement for the acquisition of an 80% interest in the 766.7 ha Rossy mining concession located within Oroco’s land package on the Santo Tomas district in Sinaloa. The company has to pay US$125 K over two years and issue 300 K shares and grant 1.5 NSR.

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, orogenic gold style milky quartz vein bearing pyrite and jarosite in Oaxaca. Picture by Jorge Cirett

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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.

Oroco Affiliate Acquires Share Option

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oroco affiliate acquires share option

VANCOUVER, April 10, 2019 /CNW/ – Oroco Resource Corp. (TSX-V: OCO) (“Oroco” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce that its affiliate, Altamura Copper Corp. (“Altamura”), has acquired an option to purchase 40,000,000 shares (the “Aztec Shares”) of Aztec Copper Corp.(“Aztec”) held by Fierce Investments Ltd. (“Fierce”). At the time of their issuance, the Aztec Shares represented in excess of 90 percent ownership of Aztec.

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

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Quartz-sulfide sheeted veinlets with silicified halos in argillitized fragmental tuff on a project in Jalisco

By Jorge Cirett

During the 2nd week of the year (January 7th to January 13th, 2019), at least 26 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. ON MEXICO ISSUES, The government stressed the need to create a new legal framework to standardize the safety, health and protect workers and the environment. ON EXPLORATION, In Sonora, San Marco confirmed the presence of a porphyry copper system at El Espiritu; Silver Viper released unpublished historical drill results from its La Virginia property. In Chihuahua, Sable Resources summarized its 2018 program on Margarita, and 2019 drill plans for Margarita and Vinata projects; Kootenay reported new surface sample results from the Columba project. ON MINING, Consolidated Zinc, Great Panther, Endeavour Silver, New Gold, Torex Gold and Capstone presented Q4 2018 production results. Sierra Metals is increasing production at Bolivar, Chihuahua. US Antimony is completing its plant to process Los Juarez ore. ON FINANCING, Silver One, Gainey Capital and SilverCrest completed non-brokered private placements for gross proceeds of C$624 K, $750 K and C$292 K. respectively. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Oceanus informed on El Tigre, Sonora,  2018 exploration, and plans for 2019. SilverCrest released further high-grade in-fill drilling results from its Las Chispas property in Sonora. Excellon released high grade underground results from the 623 Manto at its Platosa mine in Durango. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Great Panther and Beadell Resources completed the friendly acquisition of the latter by Great Panther. Prize Mining trading was halted at the TSX Venture Exchange. Riverside outlined its 2019 business plan, which includes advancing properties, potential joint venture partnerships and strategic alliances. Americas Silver and Pershing Gold announced their shareholders approved its merger.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • The president of the Commission on Mining and Regional Development, Geovanna del Carmen Bañuelos de la Torre, said that it is necessary to create a new legal framework to standardize the safety, health and protect workers and the environment. She also recognized that the actual distribution of the Mining Fund lacks rigor on its application, and that a reform proposal has been formulated.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Sable Resources Ltd. summarized its 2018 exploration program, including information from its projects in Mexico. During 2018’s second quarter Sable completed 2,420 m in 12 drill holes at the Margarita project in Chihuahua, testing epithermal veins in Eocene-Oligocene volcanic rocks. “The project is defined by 5 veins; Margarita, El Caido, Juliana, Faviana, and Marie. All exploration drilling by Sable up to this point was executed along 750 m strike of the Margarita Vein”. Results for the first round of drilling include close to surface high-grade intersections like: 252 g/t AgEq over 11.3 m;  462 g/t AgEq over 4.25 m and larger low-grade halos as: 36 g/t AgEq over 21.35 m and 50 g/t AgEq over 44 m. “A second round of drilling planned to start in mid-January includes 1360m in 9 holes to extend the drilling for 1.5km along the known surface trace of the Margarita vein and to close the drilling grid to approximately 250m space. In addition, 1750m will be drilled in 13 exploration holes that will test the other veins”. Sable received title for 12 mining concessions covering 38,396 ha in Chihuahua, all covering stream sediment and rock sample anomalous areas, including the drill ready Vinata vein system located NE of the Margarita project. The company also holds projects in Canada, Peru and Argentina.
  • San Marco Resources Inc. confirmed the existence of a porphyry Cu-Mo-Au system at its Espiritu project in Sonora. The work done confirmed a multi-stage system with an alteration foot-print at least 2.5 Km x 1.2 Km and that the best Cu mineralization is surface and drill core samples is in rocks with potassic alteration and a quartz-chalcopyrite-pyrite stockwork. There are indications that copper mineralization might be preserved at depth within the shallower part of the porphyry system(s). Future work is expected to include magnetic and ZTEM surveys in advance of possible drilling at the project.
  • Kottenay Silver Inc. reported that new assay results from outcropping quartz veins support the potential for the discovery of a high-grade silver deposit at its Columba project in Chihuahua. The veins have strike lengths of 200 m to 2 km, and thicknesses from 0.5 to 6 m. In the latest field campaign 50 channel and 90 grab samples were collected on eight of the ten veins in the property. “Highlights include 33 samples, between lengths of 0.70 and 2.0 meters, returning silver values ranging between 30 gpt to 397 gpt and 55 samples returning grades >10 gpt”. Contiguous channel samples averaged 4.9 m @ 198 gpt Ag; 3.5 m @ 276 gpt Ag; 2.2 m @ 330 gpt Ag; 6.6 m @ 182 gpt. The next steps are additional mapping and surface sampling to prioritize drill targets and obtain drill permits.
  • Silver Viper Minerals Corp. released previously unreported significant drill intercepts from a historical database from La Virginia project in Sonora. The database was generated by Minefinders Corporation Ltd. and Pan American Silver Corp. up to 2013, and includes information on 52,635 m of drilling in 188 holes, with only the first 50 holes having been disclosed in press releases. The disclosed tables include significant intervals from seven areas, here some of these (true width estimated at 75-80% of core length): At Las Huatas, 18 m @ 2.81 gpt Au, 187 gpt Ag (including 1.5 m @ 3.50 gpt Au, 399 gpt Ag; 1.5 m @ 21.6 gpt Au, 1,173 gpt Ag); 0.6 m @ 11.54 gpt Au, 1,156 gpt Ag; 12 m @ 1.26 gpt Au, 109 gpt Ag; 1.5 m @ 6.52 gpt Au, 625 gpt Ag; 8.5 m @ 1.38 gpt Au, 105 gpt Ag (including 3.95 m @ Au, 2.07 gpt Au, 158 gpt Ag); 1.15 m @ 9.67 gpt Au, 658 gpt Ag; 17.5 m @ 0.72 gpt, 35 gpt Ag; 20.45 m @ 1.04 gpt, 69 gpt Ag; 0.9 m @ 54.79 gpt Au, 43 gpt Ag; 7 m @ 1.37 gpt Au, 65 gpt Ag; 7.55 m @ 1.56 gpt Au, 88 gpt Ag; 1.5 m @ 4.92 gpt Au, 421 gpt Ag; 12.9 m @ 2.44 gpt, 122 gpt Ag. At La Virginia, 1 m @ 3.27 gpt Au, 196 gpt Ag; 18 m @ 2.59 gpt Au, 119 gpt Ag (including 1.7 m @ 18.27 gpt Au, 794 gpt Ag); 8.5 m @ 0.87 gpt Au, 36 gpt Ag; 0.8 m @ nil Au, 300 gpt Ag; 19 m @ 0.65 gpt Au, 29 gpt Ag. At Con Virginia, 5.75 m @ 2.35 gpt Au, 153 gpt Ag; 11.7 m @ 0.62 gpt Au, 77 gpt Ag; 17.4 m @ 0.87 gpt Au, 81 gpt Ag; 2.05 m @ 6.73 gpt Au, 976 gpt Ag; 1.2 m @ 7.78 gpt Au, 1055 gpt Ag. At El Oriental, 2 m @ 2.47 gpt Au, 19 gpt Ag; 5 m @ 2.40 gpt Au, 60 gpt Ag; 3.8 m @ 11.99 gpt Au. 77 gpt Ag; At La Cascada, 1.3 m @ 20.92 gpt Au, 37 gpt Ag. At Huatas Sur, 2.8 m @ 1.05 gpt Au, 81 gpt Ag; 1.95 m @ 1.31 gpt Au, 29 gpt Ag; 3.75 m @ 9.32 gpt Au, 144 gpt Ag (including 1.55 m @ 19.97 gpt Au, 254 gpt Ag). At La Colonia, 0.85 m @ 3.04 gpt Au, 23 gpt Ag. Limited confirmation drilling was completed at the Las Huatas and Con Virginia prospects. These holes were drilled to test gaps in the known data. Previously undrilled prospects Huarache, La Gloria and El Rubi were also tested in 2018. To date, the Company has released results for the confirmation drilling at Las Huatas. Subsequent results and a discussion of the 2018 program and plans for 2019 are scheduled for release in the near future.

ON MINING

  • Consolidated Zinc Ltd. provided an update on production at its Plomosas mine in Chihuahua for December 2018. During the period 4,072 tonnes were hauled to surface @ 10.2% Zn, 2.4% Pb. Recoveries at the Santa Eulalia plant have been 89% Zn, 86% Pb. All the ore mined was from an area outside of the JORC defined resource.
  • Great Panther Silver Ltd. reported fourth quarter and 2018 production results for its properties in Mexico. During the year the company produced 1.86 M Oz Ag, 20,161 Oz Au, 1,958 tonnes Pb, 2,361 tonnes Zn from the two operations. At Topia, Durango, 18.9 K tonnes @ 326 gpt Ag, 0.83 gpt Au were processed during the quarter, recovering 92.9% Ag, and 53.4% Au to produce 183.7 K Oz Ag, 267 Oz Au, 474 tonnes Pb, 661 tonnes Zn. At the Guanajuato mine Complex 70.4 K tonnes @ 129 gpt Ag, 2.01 gpt Au were processed, recovering 87.2% Ag, 84.4% Au to produce 254.4 K Oz Ag, 3,833 Oz Au. Reflecting low metal prices, operations at the Guanajuato Mine Complex is shifting all production to the San Ignacio mine for 2019.
  • United States Antimony Corp. reported the status of beneficiation of ore at Los Juarez, Queretaro, where 30 K tonnes have been mined. The crusher and flotation circuits at the Puerto Blanco mill (in Guanajuato) are ready for production, while the tailings installation is nearly complete. Most of the cyanide leach plant has been built and is being installed. The caustic leach plant at Madero to process the flotation concentrates is operational and has recovered the precious metals with close to a 100% recovery, and pilot production of Au, Ag and Sb is about to start in Q1 2019.
  • Sierra Metals Inc. informed it is on track on its staged mine production increase from 3,000 to 3,600 tonnes per day (TPD) in Q1 2019 (and 5,000 TPD by 2020) at its Bolivar mine in Chihuahua. “Completion of the expansion included the installation of a refurbished mill, an electrical substation with 1250 KVA of capacity, a secondary crusher and a hydrocyclone cluster that allows for finer grind size optionality that is estimated to provide a 6% increase in copper recoveries from 80% to 86% at Bolivar Mine”.

Endeavour Silver Corp. reported consolidated production of 5.5 MOz Ag, 52,967 Oz Au (9.5 MOz AgEq) in the fourth quarter 2018.  Drilliing at Bolañitos returned multiple high-grade intersections, including 1.1 m (TW) @ 1,415 gpt Ag, 2.25 gpt Au in the San Miguel mine. Parral drilling and underground sampling returned  multiple high.grade intersections, including 4.2 m (TW) @ 934 gpt Ag, 0.21 gpt Au, 3.0% Pb, 5.9% Zn. El Compas commissioning has been delayed by metallurgical and plant issues that have been or are in the process of being corrected, while the mine development has been completed and and a 10K tonnes stockpile produced. At Guanaceví, the Milache and SCS orebodies development commenced. At Bolañitos, drilling outlined several mineralized areas and extensions to known areas, with potential to extend the mine life. At El Cubo, drilling of new targets failed to intersect any economic mineralization, and production is to be halved to increase mine life while more reserves are sought.

  • New Gold Inc. presented fourth quarter results, including figures from the Cerro San Pedro property in San Luis Potosi.  Mine closure activities continued at the Cerro San Pedro mine, and 1,448 Oz Au were recover by residual leaching of heap pads.
  • Torex Gold Resources Inc. announced 354 K Oz Au were produced at its El Limon-Guajes mine in Guerrero.
  • Capstone Mining Corp. released preliminary fourth quarter production results for 2018, including figures from its operations in Mexico. At Cozamin in Zacatecas, 278.8 K tonnes were processed at a rate of 3,030 tonnes per day (TPD) @ 1.61% Cu, 1.29% Zn, 0.41% Pb, 50.2 gpt Ag, recovering 94.3% Cu, 65.9% Zn, 58.5% Pb, 75.5% Ag to produce 9.36 M Lb Cu, 5.22 M Lb Zn, 3.15 M Lb Pb, 339.2 K Oz Ag, 68 Oz Au.

ON FINANCING

  • Silver One Resources Inc. closed its previously announced private placement financing for gross proceeds of C$623.7 K. Silver One also commented it is not aware of any information other than that previously disclosed in its public filings, news releases or statements, which would result in the levels of trading activity and change in the share price recorded in recent days (Peñasco Quemado, Sonora; La Frazada, Nayarit).
  • Gainey Capital Corp. received conditional approval by the TSX Venture Exchange to close the first tranche of its non-brokered private placement of up to $1.15 M announced on November 28, 2018. In this tranche the closing accrued gross proceeds of $750 K (El Colomo, Nayarit).
  • SilverCrest Metals Inc. informed the completion its non-brokered private placement with Pierre Beaudoin, for gross proceeds of Cdn$292 K (Las Chispas, Sonora).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Oceanus Resources Corp. informed that during 2018 carried a regional prospecting and mapping program on its El Tigre property in Sonora. The objective was to know the extent of El Tigre Formation, the rock package that hosts the historic El Tigre mine. Such formation was found to extend 5 km to the south reaching the Lluvia de Oro prospect, and 3 km further to the south at La Mancha workings. Prospecting and mapping was carried out also to the east, where several historical underground workings were located. Given the positive results, Oceanus applied for an additional 4,465 hectares, increasing its land position to 26,307 hectares. The company will continue prospecting, mapping and sampling during 2019 to establish drill targets.
  • SilverCrest Metals Inc. released further in-fill results from its Las Chispas property in Sonora. The 20 reported in-fill holes targeted the high-grade Area 51 zone, Babicanora Central zone and Babicanora Footwall and Hangingwall veins. On previous drilling (used for the past resource calculation) the Area 51 had an estimated average 2.7 m of true width (TW) @ 7.13 gpt, 614 gpt Ag (1,148 gpt AgEq); the weighted average of the 28 in-fill holes to date is 3.9 m (TW) @ 11.36 gpt Au, 1,064 gpt Ag (1,915 gpt AgEq). The latest results include the best drilling interception to date: 9.3 m @ 39.66 gpt Au, 3,361 gpt Ag (including 0.4 m @ 252 gpt Au, 9,740 gpt Ag; 0.9 m @ 92.7 gpt Au, 7,570 gpt Ag; 0.4 m @ 47.30 gpt Au, 7,790 gpt Ag).
  • Excellon Resources Inc. announced results from underground exploration at the Platosa mine in Durango. The high-grade 623 Manto has been further defined with diamond drilling results, of which the next results were highlighted: 6.6 m @ 0.1 gpt Au, 704 gpt Ag, 5.8% Pb, 10.1% Zn (including 2.7 m @ 0.1 gpt Au, 1,669 gpt Ag, 13.2% Pb, 24.4% Zn); 4.9 m @ 2,802 gpt Ag, 12.% Pb, 5.4% Zn (including 2.8 m @ 4,789 gpt Ag, 20.4% Pb, 9.0% Zn; 3.7 m @ 775 gpt Ag; 7.3% Pb, 6.4% Zn; 4.2 m @ 150 gpt Ag, 0.1% Pb, 2.0% Zn. The Company continues to test priority targets within the north-south trending Platosa corridor while defining new targets at Jaboncillo, PDN, Saltillera North and South and San Gilberto. A 3D induced polarization program was completed at Jaboncillo and PDN in late 2018 in preparation for drilling programs on both targets in the coming months   

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Great Panther Silver Ltd. filed its management information circular in respect of the friendly acquisition of Beadell Resources Ltd. Once the acquisition is completed, the company will have a diversified portfolio of producing mines in Mexico and Brazil, and an advanced stage development project in Peru, with additional near-term resource growth potential from Bradell’s in and near mine targets to add to the growth potential from Great Panther’s advanced stage Coricancha project in Peru (Topia, Durango).
  • Prize Mining Corp. disclosed its failure to file its annual financial statements for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2018. As a result, the British Columbia Securities Commission issued a cease trade order on Jan 7, 2019 against the company and securities have been halted from trading on the TSX Venture Exchange. The company is working to finalize and file the needed documents and seek to have the cease trade order revoked. (Manto Negro, Coahuila).
  • Riverside Resources Inc. outlined its corporate outlook for 2019. Highlighted in it the presence of exciting drill targets at Cecilia in Sonora and Peñoles in Durango, as well as the advancing of potential joint venture partnerships and strategic alliance discussions with major companies. Riverside expects to expand outside of Mexico, beyond its participation in Croesus Gold Corp. Partner-funded exploration is expected to commence at La Silla project in Sinaloa.
  • Americas Silver Corp. and Pershing Gold Corp. announced their respective shareholders have provided the requisite approvals for their previously announced business combination (Cosala, 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-sulfide sheeted veinlets with silicified halos in argillitized fragmental tuff on a project in Jalisco. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

Highlights on the Second Week of August, 2018. Mining and Exploration News in Mexico

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223 - copia

By Jorge Cirett

During the 32nd week of the year (August 6th to August 12th, 2018), at least 16 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. Sable, Oroco, Millrock and One World Lithium updated on exploration advances. Hecla, Torex, Golden Minerals, Argonaut, Alio and Odyssey Marine Exploration released Q2 2018 reports. HarvestGold closed the final tranche of a financing round. Hecla, Alio and Consolidated Zinc reported advances on the development or exploration of their resource base. Three companies announced deals on projects, or company mergers. ON MEXICO ISSUES, The Mexican Core Shack now counts with displays from three properties in Chihuahua and two in Durango. The newly elected president of Mexico seems to have mining development as one of its 25 key projects. ON EXPLORATION, In Sonora, Millrock reported drill results from its Navidad project. In Chihuahua, Sable Resources released wide, high-grade silver intercepts from its Margarita property. In Sinaloa, Oroco received the title for a concession on the Santo Tomás district. In Baja California, One World Lithium is preparing to drill its Salar del Diablo project.   ON MINING Hecla, Torex gold, Golden Minerals, Alio Gold, Argonaut and Odyssey Mineral Exploration released Q2 2018 reports.  ON FINANCING, Harvest Gold closed the final tranche of its non-brokered private placement, accruing C$857 K in gross proceeds. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Hecla, Alio Gold and Consolidated Zinc reported on actions and programs to affect their resource estimates or development to mining. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Golden Reign and Marlin Gold reported on their merger agreement, Megastar closed a deal on three properties in Oaxaca and San Marco optioned the Chunibas project in Oaxaca to Antofagasta.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • The Mexican Core Shack added images of drill core from Hecla’s San Sebastian project in Durango, at https://gambusinoprospector.com/mexican-core-shack/durango/san-sebastian/ . The Mexican Core Shack now displays three properties in Chihuahua and two in Durango.
  • The newly elected president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, presented 25 priority projects for his coming tenure, one of which is mining development, on a meeting with the Colegio de Ingenieros Civiles de México (Civil Engineers Association of Mexico), the Unión Mexicana de Asociaciones de Ingenieros A.C. and the Engineering Faculty of the Universidad Autónoma de México (UNAM). Carlos Slim was among the cohort of industry leaders in the luncheon held at the Palacio de Minería (Mining Palace) in Mexico City. No details were exposed.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Sable Resources Ltd. released results from a third drill hole on the Margarita vein of its Margarita property in Chihuahua (near Sunshine’s Los Gatos property). The most recent intercept confirms vein continuity over 500 m of longitude. The vein was intercepted 40 m from surface, returning 12.4 m @ 514 g/t AgEq (with Pb and Zn credits, no details released), including 4.10 m @ 902 g/t AgEq, which includes 1.0 m @ 1,048 g/t AgEq and 1.05 m @ 1,035 g/t AgEq. Other five holes have been finished, with similar vein textures having been intersected across similar widths down to a depth of 100 m from surface.
  • Oroco Resources Corp. announced that the Papago 17 concession in Sinaloa has been granted by the government, and the company is now to register its 77.5% interest (got on a deal with a private owner) in the Mexican Public Registry of Mining. The 213 ha Papago 17 concession lies south from the Santo Tomás porphyry copper project, and contains quartz monzonite dikes and hornfelsed andesite.
  • Millrock Resources Inc. reported second phase drilling results from its Navidad project in Sonora. The program focused on targets identified by soil and rock sampling, geophysical surveys and trenching, as well as the Crossover and El Cobre prospects. In total 2,969 m in 14 holes were drilled. Highlighted core length intercepts include 3.9 m @ 1.78 g/t Au; 12.5 m @ 1.14 g/t Au; 8.0 m @ 0.46 g/t Au; 6.3 m @ 0.39 g/t Au, 3.3 m @ 3.84 g/t Au; 8.7 m @ 0.43 g/t Au, 9.0 m @ 0.39 g/t Au; 5.5 m @ 0.72 g/t Au; 8.5 m @ 0.39 g/t Au; 2.6 m @ 1.73 g/t Au; 6.3 m @ 0.43 g/t Au; 7.9 m @ 2.34 g/t Au; 6.0 m @ 0.45 g/t Au; 17.4 m @ 1.61 g/t Au; 9.2 m @ 0.71 g/t Au.
  • One World Lithium Inc. has accepted the Lithium Partnership’s final report summarizing pre-drilling programs for its Salar del Diablo project in Baja California. Eleven drill hole locations have been selected to test the three geophysical anomalies and two geochemical targets. One World intends to commence drilling on the latter part of October 2018.

ON MINING

  • Hecla Mining Co. reported second quarter 2018 results, including figures from its San Sebastian project in Durango, where 559,647 Oz Ag, 3,872 Oz Au were produced during the period. The mill operated at an average of 415 tpd (tons per day). Cash cost was $9.79 per Ag Oz and AISC $17.15 per Ag Oz, reflecting the higher cost of transitioning from open pit to underground mining. “A reduction in per ounce costs is expected in the second half of the year as underground production continues to ramp up”.
  • Torex Gold Inc. reported its financial results for the second quarter 2018. Mine production at Limon-Guajes totaled 7.15 Mt (tonnes), averaging 78,629 tpd (tonnes per day) of which 1.28 Mt was ore processed at 11,140 tpd. Mined ore averaged 2.45 g/t Au and processed ore 2.86 g/t Au, for the production of 78,796 Oz Au, with 87% Au recovery in the period and cash cost of $680 per Oz Au and AISC of $1,017 per Oz Au. Cash held at the end of the period was $117.9 M.
  • Golden Minerals Co. announced financial results for the second quarter 2018. During the quarter Golden reported final drill results from the Santa Maria project (Chihuahua) 2017-2018 drill program and announced the preparation of an updated technical report and preliminary economic assessment (PEA). In August 2018, Golden entered into a non-binding letter of intent with The Electrum Group LLC upon which Electrum is to purchase Golden’s remaining interest in the Celaya property in Guanajuato for a payment of $3 M. Cash and cash equivalents stood at $2.5 M at the end of the period.
  • Argonaut Gold Inc. released financial results for the second quarter 2018. During the period the company produced 38,441 GEOs (Gold equivalent ounces) at cash cost $704 per Oz Au and AISC of $832 per Oz Au. At El Castillo, in Durango, 2.22 Mt (tonnes) of waste, and 2.15 Mt (tonnes) were moved, with 2.12 Mt ore @ 0.37 g/t Au crushed to the pads to produce 10,079 Oz Au, 8,111 Oz Ag at cash cost $992 per Au Oz. At San Agustin in Durango, 618 Kt of waste, 1.85 Mt of ore were moved, with 1.88 Mt of ore @ 0.36 g/t Au crushed to the pads to produce 15,528 Oz Au, 55,781 Oz Ag. At La Colorada, in Sonora, 1.81 Mt of waste, 1.06 Mt of ore were moved (32 K tpd), with 1.14 Mt of ore @ 0.36 g/t Au crushed to leach pads to produce 11,503 Oz Au, 29,360 Oz Ag at cash cost $833. “The Company expects the third quarter 2018 will see lower production due to the lower grades stacked on the leach pad during the second quarter 2018 and also expects higher costs during the third quarter 2018 associated with drilling, blasting and hauling costs for normal state operations”.” While the Company’s explosives permit has been reinstated at La Colorada, the legal action brought against the Secretary of National Defense and the Municipality of La Colorada continues through the Judiciary court process”.
  • Alio Gold Inc. reported second quarter 2018 results. The San Francisco mine in Sonora produced 14,466 Oz Au, 7,661 Oz Ag at by-product cash cost $950 per Oz Au, while AISC was $1,172 per Oz Au. The Company is reducing stripping and focuses mining on more profitable ounces to maintain cash neutral operations. As a result of the reduced stripping, the ”production guidance of 90,000 to 100,000 ounces of gold for 2018 will not be met.” At Ana Paula in Guerrero, all development work including the construction of the underground decline, the completion of the feasibility study and further exploration have been temporarily suspended as result of the recent decline in the gold price.
  • Odyssey Marine Exploration Inc. reported second quarter 2018 results. “Odyssey holds a controlling interest in Oceanica Resources, S. de R.L., and ExO, a subsidiary of Oceanica. ExO controls exclusive 50-year mining permits in an area in Mexican waters that contains a large amount of phosphate mineralized material”.” On March 21, 2018, the 11-judge panel of the Superior Court of the Federal Court of Administrative Justice in Mexico ruled unanimously in favor of ExO, nullifying the original denial of the environmental permit application.“ (Don Diego, Pacific Ocean cost of Baja California Sur)

ON FINANCING

  • Harvest Gold Corp. closed a fourth and final tranche of its non-brokered private placement to raise CDN$200 K for a total of CDN$857 K gross proceeds. “The Company paid finder’s fees of 8% cash and 8% warrants to Canaccord Genuity Corp. on certain funds”. Harvest delivered $700 K to Evrim Resources Corp. to fund the Cerro Cascaron project (in Chihuahua) drill program of up to 3,000 m, beginning the third week of September.

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Hecla Mining Co. reported on brownfield exploration on its mining units, including on the San Sebastian project in Durango, where it continues to expand high-grade polymetallic zones on the Middle and Francine veins. Additional oxide mineralization is being defined along the Professor and East Francine veins. On the Francine vein mineralization has been traced for over 360 m on surface, and over 240 at depth, but once incorporated the newly defined East Francine vein the total strike length of continuous mineralization along the Francine Vein exceeds 2,400 m and can be traced to a depth of over 600 m. Proven and probable reserves stand at 398 K tons @ 3.42 g/t Au, 432 g/t Ag, containing 43,000 Oz Au, 5.52 M Oz Ag and Measured and Indicated resources of 1.5 M tons @ 2.25 g/t Au, 186 g/t Ag, 2.9% Pb, 3.8% Zn, 1.7% Cu, containing 103,000 Oz Au, 8.8 M Oz Ag, 15,520 tons Pb, 20,350 tons Zn, 9,020 tons Cu.Hecla-Q2-2018-ExplorationUpdate1 - copia
  • Alio Gold Inc. informed on the update of mineral reserve estimates at its San Francisco mine in Sonora. “Mining depletion of Mineral Reserves was partly offset by expansion of the reserves in Phases 6 through 9 of the San Francisco Pit. Total proven and probable mineral reserves totaled 854,472 ounces of gold (55.5 million tonnes at 0.49 g/t) as of July 1, 2018, an approximate decrease of 74,228 ounces of gold or 8% from April 1, 2017.”
  • Consolidated Zinc Ltd. informed on its plan to start pilot plant production at its Plomosas project in Chihuahua. The mining scoping studies focus on sulfide mineralization of the updated resource, starting with a 20,400 tonnes indicated resource @ 13.8% Zn, 2.4% Pb. The capital cost is expected to be low, including plant refurbishment and tailings dam upgrade.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Golden Reign Resources Ltd. and Marlin Gold Mining Ltd. Entered into a definitive agreement to combine businesses and amend stream agreement with Sailfish Royalty Corp. Golden Reign will acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Marlin and satisfaction of all closing conditions of the business combination by way of plan of arrangement. As a condition to closing the Transaction, Sailfish has agreed to restructure its existing gold stream on San Albino (La Trinidad, Sinaloa).
  • Megastar Development Corp. closed the transaction to acquire 100% interest on the Rama de Oro, Magdalena and Yautepec projects in Oaxaca. Megastar paid USD$45 K and issued 1.5 M common shares to Minera Zalamera S.A. de C.V., as contemplated in the option agreement. “Furthermore, Mr. David M. Jones, president of Minera Zalamera, has been appointed to the board of directors of Megastar.”
  • San Marco Resources Inc. signed an earn-in agreement with Antofagasta plc on the Chunibas project, located in Sonora. Antofagasta can acquire a 70% interest in the project by spending US$8 M in exploration, and making cash payments on the aggregate of US$200 K over a period of 4 years. A firm commitment of US$700 K will be used primarily for an initial drill program, including $100 K of reimbursement to San Marco of recent exploration expenditures. “The Project consists of stratiform, volcanic hosted coppersilver mineralization, similar to several ore deposits in northern Chile and is a style of mineralisation not previously discovered in Mexico.”

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

On the picture below, open cut in one of the structures of the Pozos District, Guanajuato. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

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Highlights on the Second Week of June, 2018. Mining and Exploration News in Mexico

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By Jorge Cirett

During the 24th week of the year (June 11th to June 17th, 2018), at least 16 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. Four companies updated on exploration advances, and one the commencement of mining activities. Four companies announced financing rounds, loans and bonds for an aggregate of over $55 M. One company disclosed news on drilling near resources and development while one other released metallurgical test results. ON MEXICO ISSUES, mining companies are awaiting a Supreme Court resolution on a Zacatecas State tax imposition on mining. ON EXPLORATION, In Sonora, Aloro updated on exploration work at Los Venados; Colibri finished drilling at El Pilar, and released results from a soil survey; Colibri disclosed drilling results by Agnico at its Pitaya project. In Veracruz, Azucar Minerals started a drilling campaign on the Norte zone and the north part of the Villa Rica zone at its El Cobre porject. ON MINING, Mexus started pilot mining at its 8 Hermanos property in Sonora. ON FINANCING, Alamaden raised $9.4 M; Starcore launched a private placement for CDN$3 M; Telson paid US$8 M and obtained a loan for US$8.5 M; Endeavour Silver is to sell common shares for an aggregate of up to $35.7 M. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, SilverCrest Metals released high-grade results from drilling of the Granaditas vein on Las Chispas project, in Sonora. Azure Minerals released metallurgical test results from Oposura, also in Sonora. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Starcore decided not to go ahead with the acquisition of the Santa Fe property in Sinaloa. Defiance Silver entered into an agreement to acquire Mag Silver’s properties in the Zacatecas District.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • Fresnillo PLC and Mag Silver Corp. are awaiting a Supreme Court (Suprema Corte de la Nación) resolution on a mining duty attached to environmental impact, set by the state of Zacatecas. The federal government challenged the State’s right to impose such a duty back in 2017.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Aloro Mining Corp. updated on its exploration of the Los Venados project in Sonora. Mapping and sampling have defined a rhyodacitic volcanic dome associated with high sulfidation style alteration with Au-Bi-Mo anomalies. Several felsic dome/silica breccia complexes have been located, with the highest priority target on the dome at the southeast part of the property, where gold in soil anomalies and IP anomalies coincide. A new environmental report is being submitted to the authorities, seeking permit for 12 reverse circulation holes.
  • Colibri Resource Corp. completed the final 900 m of its 3,000 m phase 1 drilling program on its Pilar project in Sonora. Samples have been taken to the lab and results are pending. A 56 sample soil survey returned 10 samples greater than 0.1 g/t Au, and 3 samples over 1 g/t Au.
  • Colibri Resource Corp. released results from drilling on its Pitaya project in Sonora, by joint venture partner Agnico Eagle. Highlighted results from the last four holes comprise 9 m @ 0.26 g/t Au; 26 m @ 0.19 g/t Au; 34 m @ 0.22 g/t Au. During 2016-2017, Agnico drilled 7,641 m in 27 drill holes.
  • Azucar Minerals Ltd. has begun drilling the North zone and the north end of the Villa Rica zone of its El Cobre project in Veracruz. Preparations for this drilling campaign include surface and soil geologic and alteration focused mapping and sampling. “The current drilling at Villa Rica is focused on the Naranjo zone, a new area of exposed porphyry alteration and mineralisation located approximately 500 metres north of the previous Villa Rica drilling and about 1.2 kilometres south of the Norte Zone.”

ON MINING

  • Mexus Gold US begun mining at the 8 Brothers/370 project in Sonora. “The company has mined 1000 tons of material containing an average of 9 grams Au and 50 grams Ag per ton. This material is currently being run through a crushing system and placed into an aerated VAT holding tank”. Its portable Merril Crowe system has been installed and tested.

ON FINANCING

  • Almaden Minerals Ltd. closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement, raising gross proceeds of $9.44 M. Finders fees of $384.9 K cash and finder warrants of 192,450 shares at $1.35 until June 7, 2020 were paid to arms-length, licensed securities dealers on a portion of the offering (Ixtaca, Puebla).
  • Starcore International Mines Ltd. launched a private placement of secured bonds for CDN$3 M. “The Bonds will bear interest at 8% per annum, payable on maturity, and will mature 24 months from the date of closing” (San Martin mine, Queretaro).
  • Telson Mining Corp. announced the payment of US$8 M to Nyrstar Mining Ltd. as partial payment, and entered into a loan agreement with Nyrstar Canada (Holdings) Ltd. that converts the final US$8.5 M due on the Campo Morado acquisition agreement into a loan that extends the payment terms for eight months. The principal due is US$8.5 M that are to be paid starting July 13, 2018 with a monthly minimum of US$1 M plus interest, plus 70% of the free cash flow generated by Telson and any monthly excess cash balance above US$500 K.
  • Endeavour Silver Corp. is to sell from time to time and its discretion common shares for an aggregate of up to US$35.7 M, through “at the market” distributions (Terronera, Jalisco).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  •  SilverCrest Metals Inc. announced new drill results for the Granaditas vein at its Las Chispas property in Sonora. Highlighted true width (TW) intervals comprise 1.5 m @ 3.63 g/t Au, 190 g/t Ag; 1.8 m @ 12.14 g/t Au, 1,440 g/t Ag (including 0.40 m @ 47.50 g/t Au, 5,620 g/t Au); 1.3 m @ 3.24 g/t Au, 339 g/t Ag; 1.2 m @ 1.23 g/t Au, 114 g/t Ag. The vein has a high-grade footprint currently at 150 m long by 100 m high and 1.5 m average true width, grading 5.69 g/t Au, 596 g/t Ag.
  • Azure Minerals Ltd. released metallurgical test work results on its Oposura project in Sonora. Azure highlights a 34% overall increase in the recovery of Pb and Zn using a dense media separation technique.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Starcore International Mines Ltd. completed its due diligence and review of the Santa Fe project in Sinaloa, under a previously signed LOI (letter of intent). Starcore will not be proceeding with the acquisition.
  • Defiance Silver Corp. entered into an agreement to acquire Mag Silver’s Zacatecas silver district holdings. Mag Silver is to receive 5 M common shares of Defiance, approximately a 5% investment position. Defiance is to receive a 100% interest in the Lagartos project, along with a regional database. The company is to control 1,506 ha, including 65% of the Veta Grande vein and the San Acacio silver deposit.

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

On the picture above, intense kaolinitization of felsic volcanic rocks on a shallow epithermal system in Guanajuato. Picture by Jorge Cirett.