Rare Earths

México, lejos de liderar negocio de tierras raras por falta de infraestructura

/ Gambusino Prospector / Leave a comment

Por Christopher Calderón
junio 26, 2025

México tiene reservas de tierras raras y litio en estados como Chihuahua y Sonora, pero la falta de infraestructura, incertidumbre legal y restricciones estatales limitan su capacidad para competir en el mercado global.

Mientras tanto, Estados Unidos fortalece vínculos con otros países productores para reducir su dependencia de China, que domina el 70 por ciento de la producción mundial de estos minerales críticos para tecnologías limpias y sistemas de defensa.

“México podría ser un potencial proveedor para EU de tierras raras, pero como proveedor, lo vamos a ver hasta dentro de unos 10 o 15 años, que son los tiempos de la exploración minera y del minado de estos recursos”, señaló Raúl García Reimbert, presidente del Colegio de Ingenieros de Minas, Metalurgistas y Geólogos de México (CIMMGM).

Las tierras raras son indispensables para la transición energética y la fabricación de semiconductores, de hecho, se estima que la demanda global de estos minerales se triplicará hacia 2040, impulsada por la electrificación del transporte y nuevas tecnologías limpias.

Tan sólo un vehículo eléctrico requiere de entre 1.8 y 2.6 kilogramos de tierras raras, mientras que una turbina eólica puede contener hasta 600 kilogramos.

El problema para Donald Trump es que China domina la producción mundial de tierras raras. De hecho, en 2024, EU importó más del 80 por ciento de sus tierras raras desde China, lo que coloca al vecino del norte en una vulnerabilidad.

“Hay países como Brasil, Chile o Perú con potencial en tierras raras, pero tampoco tienen una industria desarrollada, por eso yo creo que México sería el socio ideal de EU para desarrollar esta industria, incluso también por la cercanía que tenemos con ellos”, agregó el presidente del CIMMGM.

México con potencial geológico, pero sin infraestructura


México, con reservas potenciales en Chihuahua, Sonora, Durango, Oaxaca y Baja California, ha sido identificado como un candidato estratégico para diversificar las fuentes en la región del T-MEC; no obstante, el país está lejos de entrar con fuerza en este mercado.

“No basta con tener yacimientos. La minería de tierras raras requiere capacidades técnicas sofisticadas, altos estándares ambientales y marcos regulatorios muy específicos. Además, se requieren inversiones mineras muy altas y para ello debe haber certidumbre para atraer a esas nuevas empresas”“, sostuvo García Reimbert.

Favor de continuar leyendo el artículo en la fuente: https://www.elfinanciero.com.mx/empresas/2025/06/26/mexico-lejos-de-liderar-negocio-de-tierras-raras-por-falta-de-infraestructura/

Ley Minera limita exploración de ‘tierras raras’ en México

/ Gambusino Prospector / Leave a comment

Las llamadas ‘tierras raras’ se usan para aplicaciones tecnológicas, electrónicas, medicina y en el sector automotriz.

Por Christopher Calderón                           diciembre 01, 2023 | 3:36 am hrs

México se encuentra en la mira para convertirse en un actor clave en la producción de tierras raras, un grupo de 17 elementos químicos esenciales y de alta demanda usados en aplicaciones tecnológicas, electrónicas, la medicina y el sector automotriz. Sin embargo, la atracción de inversiones se ve comprometida por una Ley Minera restrictiva que limita la exploración, advierten expertos del sector.

Raúl García Reimbert, presidente del Colegio de Ingenieros de Minas, Metalurgistas y Geólogos de México (CIMMGM) aseguró que, aunque existen indicios geológicos prometedores en Chihuahua, Coahuila, Zacatecas, Oaxaca, Guerrero y Guanajuato, la falta de trabajos de exploración formales, impuesta por la nueva legislación, deja a México en riesgo de depender de China, que controla el 90 por ciento de la producción mundial de tierras raras.

Favor de continuar leyendo en la fuente, El Financiero: https://www.elfinanciero.com.mx/empresas/2023/12/01/politica-minera-rezaga-a-mexico-en-minerales-de-alta-demanda/

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

/ Gambusino Prospector / Leave a comment

By Jorge Cirett                                            

During the 33rd week of the year (August 14th to August 20th, 2023), 18 companies working in Mexico posted news releases. Two companies informed on exploration work at its properties, three reported second quarter 2023 results and one more of a fatality on an underground mine. One company informed on a private placement and one more on incentive option granting to directors, employees and consultants. Four companies informed on technical reports, updated mineral resources, drilling results and metallurgical testing on their projects. The closing on the transfer of a property in Durango was announced. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Camimex ask for the government intervention to reach an end to the Peñasquito mine strike, which begun in early June, and also for speedier action on environmental permitting. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Colibri Resource received the permit to drill at Evelyn. In Coahuila, Monumental Minerals updated on its drilling program at Jemi. ON MINING, Guanajuato Silver reported a fatality on one of its mines. Sierra Metals, Discovery Silver and Americas Gold and Silver released production results for Q2 2023. ON FINANCING, Barksdale granted options to directors, employees and consultants. Oroco Resource raised $1.75 M. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Golden Tag updated the mineral resource estimate for La Parrilla, in Durango. GR Silver Mining released drilling results from the San Marcial deposit on its Plomosas project in Sinaloa. Sierra Madre Gold and Silver released drilling results from the Tepic project in Nayarit. Silver Tiger Metals released drilling results from El Tigre, in Sonora. Vizsla Silver announced positive metallurgical test results for the Copala resource area on its Panuco project in Sinaloa. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, First Majestic Silver and Golden Tag Resources closed the transaction on La Parrilla mine in Durango. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, no relevant news. ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • Camimex (Cámara Minera de México) asks relevant authorities to contribute in the solution to the Peñasquito strike in Zacatecas, and to act more speedily on the granting of environmental permits needed.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Colibri Resource Corp. received the necessary permit to drill up to 2,000 m on the Evelyn property in Sonora. The program is focusing on the Main Zone and West El Sahuaro areas.
  • Monumental Minerals Corp. provided an update on the current drill program at the Jemi project in Coahuila. To date 1,800 m have been drilled targeting rare earth mineralization, with 12 holes completed and a final one underway, with results expected in about three weeks. “Numerous intrusive peralkaline dykes, sills, and veins, with identifiable eudialyte … were intersected in the completed holes … These peralkaline dykes and sills tend to occur in structural zones that appear to be adjacent to larger bodies of syenitic intrusions and are associated with irregular skarn mineralization at the contacts with the host carbonate sedimentary rocks. These zones are as much as several tens of meters in width downhole. The syenite may be the feeders for the peralkaline features (parental rocks) and pegmatitic intrusive rocks. Light rare earth element (LREE) bearing minerals such as monazite and xenotime have also been identified by visual inspection.”

ON MINING

  • Guanajuato Silver Co. reported an employee fatality on August 12 due to an accident at the San Ignacio mine in Guanajuato.
  • Sierra Metals Inc. reported results for the quarter, including figures from its Mexican operations. At Bolivar, in Chihuahua, 4,640 tonnes were milled per day for a total of 406 K tonnes in the period, to produce 10.7 M Lb CuEq at cash cost $1.62 and an AISC of $3.02 per Lb CuEq. The Cusi mine in Chihuahua (a non-core asset) operated at 596 tpd and processed 51.7 K tonnes during the period to produce 241 K Oz AgEq.
  • Americas Gold and Silver Corp. reported consolidated financial and operational results for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, including figures from its Mexican operations. At Cosalá, in Sinaloa, 335 K Oz Ag, 3.2 M Lb Pb, 9.6 M Lb Zn were produced at cash cost $4.51 and an AISC of $11.10 per Oz AgEq.
  • Discovery Silver Corp. announced its financial results for the second quarter 2023 and provided an update on the quarter and subsequent events. The 2022 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) report was released. A marketed public offering raised C$51.75 M, “Completion of the reserve expansion and definition component of our Feasibility Study program consisting of an additional 35,000 m of drilling in over 100 drill holes completed since the cut-off for the Pre-Feasibility Study”. As of June 30, 2023, Discovery had cash and cash equivalents of $68 M.

ON FINANCING

  • Barksdale Resources Inc. announced the granting of incentive stock options to its directors, employees and consultants for up 1.3 M shares at a price of $0.59 per share. (San Javier, Sonora).
  • Oroco Resource Corp. closed a non-brokered private placement, raising $1.75 M (Santo Tomás, Sinaloa).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Golden Tag Resources Ltd. completed an updated mineral resource estimate for La Parrilla Silver Mine Complex in Durango. The resource includes 22 veins within the Rosarios, San Marcos and Quebradillas underground mines, currently on care and maintenance. Indicated resources are estimated at 615 K tonnes @ 176 gpt Ag, 0.08 gpt Au, 1.55% Pb, 1.39% Zn (or 263 gpt AgEq), containing 3.48 M Oz Ag, 1,700 Oz Au, 9.6 K tonnes Pb, 8.5 tonnes Zn, or 5.19 M Oz AgEq. Inferred resources stand at 1.26 M tonnes @ 191 gpt Ag, 0.12 gpt Au, 0.99% Pb, 1.01% Zn (or 256 gpt AgEq), containing 7.73 M Oz Ag, 5,000 Oz Au, 12.4 K tonnes Pb, 12.7 K tonnes Zn, or 10.33 M Oz AgEq.
  • GRSilver Mining Ltd. announced results from one step-out drill hole outside the mineral resource boundary in the San Marcial area of its Plomosas project in Sinaloa. Highlighted core length intervals comprise 20.2 m @ 187 gpt Ag, 0.05 gpt Au, 0.3% Pb, 0.7% Zn (including 5.7 m @ 513 gpt Ag, 0.05 gpt Au, 0.4% Pb, 0.8% Zn, which includes 0.8 m @ 2,041 gpt Ag, 0.14 gpt Au, 0.8% Pb, 1.9% Zn). The hole “intersected a multistage quartz-calcite-sulfide zone composed of irregular veins and breccias crosscutting other hydrothermal breccias …”.
  • Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd. announced results from six additional diamond drill holes of the current program at its Tepic project in Nayarit. The holes targeted the Taunas and Veta Tomas structures, with highlighted intercepts comprising 2.50 m @ 296 gpt Ag, 1.15 gpt Au; 0.60 m @ 111 gpt Ag, 2.06 gpt Au; 4.85 m @ 84 gpt Ag, 0.24 gpt Au; 10.05 m @ 158 gpt Ag, 0.46 gpt Au; 4.35 @ 258 gpt Ag, 0.68 gpt Au; 1.0 m @ 92 gpt Ag, 0.36 gpt Au. “The Tepic Project is a +2,600-hectare project where the previous operator completed 149 core holes totaling more than 31,000 meters. “
  • Silver Tiger Metals Inc. released results from drilling at El Tigre project in Sonora. Highlighted core length results from the Sooy vein and Sulfide Zone comprise 1.0 m @ 0.01 gpt Au, 178 gpt Ag, 0.22% Cu, 1.0% Pb, 1.7% Zn; 10.7 m @ 0.06 gpt Au, 74 gpt Ag, 0.08% Cu, 0.5% Pb, 0.5% Zn (including 2.3 m @ 0.06 gpt Au, 191 gpt Ag, 0.22% Cu, 1.4% Pb, 1.6% Zn); 4.7 m @ 0.15 gpt Au, 344 gpt Ag, 0.44% Cu, 0.6% Pb, 1.0% Zn; 0.5 m @ 0.26 gpt Au, 1,294 gpt Ag, 0.62% Cu, 3.8% Pb, 6.3% Zn; 3.4 m @ 1.57 gpt Au, 592 gpt Ag, 0.08% Cu, 0.4% Pb, 0.7% Zn; 10.5 m @ 1.98 gpt Au, 151 gpt Ag, 0.14% Cu, 1.4% Pb, 2.9% Zn (including 5.3 m @ 3.87 gpt Au, 249 gpt Ag, 0.22% Cu, 2.2% Pb, 4.4% Zn); 4.0 m @ 0.11 gpt Au, 786 gpt Ag, 0.68% Cu, 0.6% Pb, 1.3% Zn; 0.8 m @ 0.16 gpt Au, 1,549 gpt Ag, 1.73% Cu, 0.2% Pb, 0.7% Zn.
  • Vizsla Silver Corp. announced positive preliminary metallurgical test results for the Copala resource area at its Panuco project in Sinaloa. Drill core was first crushed and the subject to simple bulk flotation. Flotation + regrind + Cyanide Leach on flotation concentrate, coupled with Cyanide Leach of Rougher Tails recovered 90.6% Au, 93.7% Ag. “Further test work of material from the Napoleon, Tajitos and Copala deposits is planned to better understand and optimise grind size, cyanide consumption, leach kinetics, residence times and recoveries.”

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES             

  • First Majestic Silver Corp. and Golden Tag Resources Ltd. closed the transaction on the La Parrilla past producing mine in Durango. First Majestic received 143.7 M shares of Golden Tag (US$20 M), and is to receive up to US$13.5 M in the form of three milestone payments either in cash or shares. The first repayment of US$2.7 M is due 18 months on the closing, the second US$7.75 M payment upon receipt of a resource estimate of 5 M Oz AgEq in reserves or 22 M Oz AgEq in measured and indicated resources and the third US$5.05 M payment upon receiving a resource estimate of 12.5 M Oz Ag Eq measured and indicated resources in a new zone on La Parrilla. In addition, First Majestic purchased 18 M shares of Golden Tag and 9 M warrants. Following the closing First Majestic owns 40.8% of Golden Tag shares, and if the warrants are exercised will own 42.2% on a partially diluted basis.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • No relevan news.

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

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

/ Gambusino Prospector / Leave a comment

By Jorge Cirett                                             

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

ON MEXICO ISSUES

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

ON EXPLORATION

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

ON MINING

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

ON FINANCING

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

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

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

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES             

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

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • No Relevant News.

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

 [JC1]

 [JC2]

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the First Week of January, 2022

/ Gambusino Prospector / Leave a comment

By Jorge Cirett

During the 1st week of the year (January 3rd to January 9th, 2022), at least 17 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. To note, four companies posted exploration advances on their properties, one released its quarterly production figures, one is considering the end of mining operations, one is to mill third party ore, three posted on development and two on property deals. ON MEXICO ISSUES, three mining properties are to be commissioned during 2022 in Durango. According to Camimex, 60 thousand women work in the Mexican Mining industry. ON EXPLORATION, In Baja California, One World Lithium presented water sample results from drilling at Salar del Diablo. In Sonora, Riverside Resources reported high-grade results from surface sampling; Aztec Minerals informed on its ongoing RC drilling program at Cervantes. In Coahuila, Monumental Minerals is to carry on an airborne geophysical survey at its rare-earth Jemi project. ON MINING, Excellon Resources provided an update on its Platosa mine in Durango and on the exploration efforts in several projects. GoGold Resources presented Q4 2021 production results. Endeavour Silver announced its new Sustainable Strategy. Guanajuato Silver is to begin processing third party ores at its El Cubo mill.  ON FINANCING, no relevant news. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Fabled Silver released results from drilling at Santa Maria, in Chihuahua. GoGold Resources announced the acceleration of its drill program at Los Ricos North and South projects in Jalisco. Golden Tag Resources is to recommence drilling at its San Diego project in Durango. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Mexus Gold US optioned its Mabel property in Sonora to Irmex Mining. Xali Gold extended the earn-in agreement of Sun River Gold into the El Oro tailings project in Estado de Mexico. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Minera Media Luna (Torex Gold), Minera Pangea (McEwen Mining) and Equinox Gold  informed on social measures for the betterment of communities near its operations.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • Three new mining facilities to be inaugurated in Durango in Q1 2022, according to Gustavo Kienttzle Baille (Secretaría de Desarrollo Económico del Estado). The construction of two mines in Pueblo Nuevo and one in Tepehuanes started in 2021 with a total investment of US$46 M.
  • According to Camimex (Cámara Minera de México) 60 thousand women work in the Mexican mining industry. This is a great advance, as only a few decades ago women were prohibited by law to work in mining.

ON EXPLORATION

  • One World Lithium Inc. presented assay results from water samples from the Salar del Diablo project in Baja California. Multiple water samples were collected at different depths from four holes, two drilled in 2019 and two more in 2021, with depths ranging from 191 to 647 m. All samples returned less than 0.5 mg/L Lithium, less than 100 mg/L Potassium and less than 5 mg/L Boron, the detection limit for each element. “Drilling conditions were challenging as the fine grained and poorly consolidated nature of sediments that were only poorly to moderately cemented resulted in abundant borehole unravelling and “caving” during drilling”.
  • Riverside Resources Inc. reported high-grade sample assay results from its La Union project in Sonora. Highlighted results comprise 83.2 gpt Au; 0.3 gpt Au, 4,816 gpt Ag, 10.3% Pb, 3.5% Zn; nil-Au, 8 gpt Ag, 2% Pb, 21.4% Zn;  0.1 gpt Au, 176 gpt Ag, 3.8% Pb, 19.8% Zn; 6.1 gpt Au, 23 gpt Ag, 8.2% Pb; 8.8 gpt Au, 183 gpt Ag, 3.9% Pb, 3.4% Zn from chips, 22.6 gpt Au, 20 gpt Ag; 4.2 gpt Au, 42 gpt Ag, 2.3% Pb, 3.5% Zn from dumps and 0.8 m @ 9.4 gpt Au, 108 gpt Ag, 1.6% Zn; 1.6 m @ 9.9 gpt Au, 54 gpt Ag, 2.5% Zn; 0.6 m @ 3.6 gpt Au, 373 gpt Ag, 7.3% Pb, 7.3% Zn; 1.5 m @ 2.6 gpt Au, 170 gpt Ag, 0.7% Pb, 6.6% Zn in chip channels. “Mineralization is found on surface associated with low angle faults, folds, with the thicker mineralized intervals being where high angle fault intersect with other structures creating ‘traps’”.
  • Aztec Minerals Corp. informed on work carried out in 2021 at the Cervantes project in Sonora. The ongoing 5,000 m reverse circulation drill program commenced on Q4 2021, with 14 holes on the California target, one at the California North prospect, one at the Jasper prospect and four to six holes on the Purisima target.
  • Monumental Minerals Corp. is to carry an airborne magnetic and radiometric survey over its Jemi project in Coahuila. The property is host to several rare earth element occurrences, like Neodymium (Nd), Praseodymium (Pr), dysprosium (Dy) and Terbium (Tb), with associated Tantalum (Ta), niobium (Nb) and zirconium (Zr). “The high-resolution helicopter-borne magnetic and radiometric survey will be flown at 100 m line spacing over an area of approximately 100 km2 for a total of 1,120 line-km. It will be centred on the 8 km diameter Sierra La Vasca intrusion complex that hosts the Jemi HREE mineral occurrences”.

ON MINING

  • Excellon Resources Inc. provided an update on its Platosa operations in Durango and company-wide exploration plans. The company is evaluating the continuation of mining activities at Platosa (commissioned in mid-2005) beyond mid-2021 as a result of increased labour and energy costs at the time that mining is entering an area of the deposit where mineralization steepens, with fewer vertical-tonnes-per-meter than historically encountered. The company keeps exploring the Platosa property, with a 2,700 m drill program planned in 2022 on the PND skarn target and is conducting an O18 isotope study on the CRD–style Jaboncillo target, 11 Km northwest of the Platosa mine. At the nearby Evolución project, a 4,600 m drilling program is planned.
  • GoGold Resources Corp. informed on the production during the Q4 2021 of 2,558 Oz Au, 195.7 K Oz Ag, 123 tonnes Cu (444.1 K Oz AgEq) at its Parral tailings operation in Chihuahua.
  • Endeavour Silver Corp. introduced its new Sustainable Strategy, with three-year targets. The strategic plan involves increasing the positive social impact for people, elevate the environmental stewardship of the planet and lead a healthy, long term business (Terronera, Jalisco).
  • Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd. announced it will begin to process mineralized material from third parties at its El Cubo mill in Guanajuato. Approximately 4,000 tonnes form a mining operation in the Guanajuato area have been contracted “It is GSilver’s intention to use the approximately 20,000 tonne per month of excess capacity at the El Cubo mill to profitably process mineralized material from various potential sources in the Guanajuato area. Whether the business arrangement is designed as toll milling, raw material purchasing, or profit sharing, if it serves to contribute to our bottom line and helps to expand our presence in the 480-year-old mining camp of Guanajuato, then we will pursue it”.

ON FINANCING

  • No Relevant News.

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Fabled Silver Gold Corp. released results from drilling at its Santa Maria project in Chihuahua. Highlighted core length intercepts comprise 0.95 m @ 0.16 gpt Au, 154 gpt Ag; 0.2% Zn; 13.10 m @ 0.23 gpt Au, 86 gpt Ag, 0.1% Pb, 0.4% Zn (including 6.10m @ 0.34 gpt Au, 159 gpt Ag, 0.3% Pb, 0.8% Zn, 0.3% Cu, which includes 1.50 m @ 0.32 gpt Au, 283 gpt Ag and 1.25 m @ 0.46 gpt Au, 315 gpt Ag, 1.0% Pb, 2.8% Zn, 0.08% Cu). Samples from three more holes have been sent for assaying.
  • GoGold Resources Inc.  announced the acceleration of its drill program at Los Ricos North and South projects in Jalisco.
  • Golden Tag Resources Ltd. is to recommence diamond drilling at its San Diego project in Durango. “The current expanded 4,500 metre (“m”) diamond drill exploration program is a follow up to the 4,716 m of diamond drilling that had previously been completed and reported in 1H, 2021. As of December 20, 2021 a total of 2,350 m has been drilled, leaving approximately 2,150 m of additional drilling to be completed”. A total of 1,675 samples were sent to the lab for assaying and results are pending.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Mexus Gold US. Signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Irmex Mining, a Mexican corporation for its Mabel property in Sonora. The agreement on the 1,459 ha project will include cash and a 10% net profit interest (NPI). Mexus Gold is to focus in finding a JV partner for its flagship project Santa Elena, also in Sonora.
  • Xali Gold Corp. extended the Earn-In Option Agreement with Sun River Gold Corp. on the tailings project in El Oro, Estado de Mexico, in advanced exchange for net profits interests (NPI). Xali Gold granted Sun River a 6-month extension from October 31, 2021 to April 31, 2022 (Note.- This non-existent date is in the press release) for advanced NPI payments of US$17.4 K and additional eight months for additional payments. If commercial production is not achieved by May 1, 2022, Xali Gold agreed to grant a second extension until December 31, 2002 under the following terms: 1) Advanced NPI payments of US$15 K, commencing in May; 2) Advanced NPI payments of US$50 K per month once commercial production is reached during the first year of operation, and normal 5% NPI payments afterwards; paying the first US$1.5 M of the Municipality NPI owing to Xali Gold during the first three years of operation.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Minera Media Luna (Torex Gold) informed on social support towards the Cocula Municipality in Guerrero.
  • Minera Pangea informed on actions taken promoting the health of inhabitants near its operations in Northern Sinaloa.
  • Equinox Gold informed on social support to communities near Los Filos mine in Guerrero.

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