Resources and Development

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Third Week of September 2022

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By Jorge Cirett
During the 37th week of the year (September 12th to September 18th, 2022), at least 27 companies working in Mexico released news on their properties. Four companies posted exploration advances on their properties, one on the resumption of activities after an illegal blockade, one updated on its work plan for the rest of 2022 and one more updated on the commissioning of its new mine. One company begun trading on the OTCQB Venture Market, one more is to pay services with shares, one cancelled its public offering due to market conditions and one more closed its private placement raising $264 K. Eleven companies released drilling results, informed on exploration, updated resource estimates, provided metallurgical test results, released historic drill results and about commissioning on their advanced properties. One company sold a mine in care and maintenance, one is awaiting permits for the operation of a processing plant, one is to switch a mining property to exploration and pursue acquisition opportunities, and two more announced the formation of a JV to mine a deposit.  ON MEXICO ISSUES, Grupo Mexico’s VP alerted on the risk of insufficient supply of minerals for the energy transition. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Infinitum Copper released drilling results from La Adelita; Tocvan Ventures defined a solid target at El Picacho. In Chihuahua, Golden Minerals released drilling results from Yoquivo; Reyna Silver provided results from surface and underground sampling at Batopilas. ON MINING, Equinox Gold informed on the termination of an illegal blockade at Los Filos. Golden Minerals updated on plans for Velardeña, and Rodeo. SilverCrest Metals updated on the commissioning of Las Chispas mine. ON FINANCING, Regency Silver begun trading at the OTCQB Venture Market. Bear Creek Mining had the payment in shares to a service provider approved. Ranchero Gold withdrew the announced public offering due to market conditions. Silver Spruce closed its financing round having raised $264 K.  ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, GR Silver Mining released drilling results from its Plomosas project in Sinaloa. Vizsla Silver reported drilling results from the Panuco project in Sinaloa, including one of the highest silver intercepts here recorded. Orla Mining updated on exploration results at the Camino Rojo Sulfides project and exploration on regional targets in Zacatecas. Americas Gold and Silver updated on resources and exploration at its Cosalá property in Sinaloa. Chesapeake Gold informed on metallurgical test results from Metates, in Durango. Guanajuato Silver Company released historic drill hole results from the Valenciana complex in Guanajuato. Mag Silver updated on the commissioning of Juanicipio in Zacatecas Silver Tiger released results from drilling at El Tigre, in Sonora, and on rehabilitation of underground workings. Torex Gold released drilling results from ELG Underground in Guerrero. Pan American Silver provided an updated resource estimate on the La Colorada Skarn deposit in Zacatecas. GoGold Resources released drilling results on Los Ricos North, in Jalisco. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Endeavour Silver entered into an agreement to sell El Compas property in Zacatecas to a Mexican company. Xali Gold informed Sun River Gold is about to receive the permit for the processing of tailing at El Oro, in Estado de Mexico. Excellon Resources is evaluating the creation of a spin-out company to pursue acquisitions and looking for partners to explore the Platosa property in Durango. Teck Resources and Agnico Eagle Mines reached an agreement to form a JV to mine the San Nicolás VMS deposit in Zacatecas. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, no relevant news.
ON MEXICO ISSUES
·        Xavier García de Quevedo, V.P. of Grupo Mexico, alerted about the risks on the energy transition if the mining industry does not rise its production of minerals. The race to zero emissions is augmenting the demand for lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and graphite for the elaboration of batteries, as well of copper, aluminum, zinc, silicon and rare earths for electricity transmission and renewable energy generation. He pointed out that the time frame to obtain environmental permits, land acquisition, water usage permitting, resolution of social conflicts, community development and human capital are founding stones for the future development of mining.
ON EXPLORATION
·        Golden Minerals Co. reported assay results from 15 holes on the third drill program at Yoquivo, in Chihuahua. “Drilling was designed to follow up on high-grade intercepts reported in earlier drill campaigns and to explore the Pertenencia vein system with sufficient drill density to enable a maiden resource estimate in Q1 2023”. Highlighted true width (tw) intervals comprise 4.4 m @ 1.58 gpt Au, 205 gpt Ag; 5.6 m @ 0.83 gpt Au, 110 gpt Ag; 3.7 m @ 2.53 gpt Au, 379 gpt Ag; 24.8 m @ 0.30 gpt Au, 66 gpt Ag; 2.1 m @ 6.70 gpt Au, 339 gpt Ag. Highlighted core length intervals comprise 3.7 m @ 4.49 gpt Au, 767 gpt Ag; 9.3 m @ 0.28 gpt Au, 209 gpt Ag; 1.7 m @ 2.72 gpt Au, 646 gpt Ag; 4.6 m @ 11.42 gpt Au, 155 gpt Ag.
·        Infinitum Copper Corp. released results from two drill holes at La Adelita, in Sonora. Highlighted core length intervals comprise 20.60 m @ 1.91% Cu, 2.00 gpt Au, 41 gpt Ag; 9.15 m @ 0.14% Cu in the Cerro Grande zone. “The mineralization consists of chalcopyrite, bornite and covellite …….. The magnetite content is estimated to vary from 15% to 75% over the 20.60 m length and iron values average 24%”.
·        Tocvan Ventures Corp. completed the compilation and surface evaluation of the San Ramon prospect within El Picacho project in Sonora. “The target area currently consists of a 500-meter by 500-meter area focused around historic workings trending south along the contact of a regional fault”. Historic sampling at one old working returned an average of 3.6 gpt Au in nine samples and an average of 5.0 gpt Au in 23 samples on a second old working. Three historic reconnaissance holes returned 59.3 m @ 0.2 gpt Au: 39.0 m @ 0.2 gpt Au; 15.0 m @ 0.1 gpt Au.
·        Reyna Silver Corp. provided results from surface and underground sampling from Batopilas in Chihuahua. The 2021 and 2022 work has outlined two gold zones, the East Belt and the Teodoro Gold zone, and better defined the high-grade Silver Zone (that made the district famous with its hypogene native silver) with 300 to 1,500 m extensions to the veins. Six percent of 1,458 samples returned 199 to 14,170 gpt Ag and more than 10% between 1.1 to 32.6 gpt Au. Two geochemical distinct gold events have been recognized to be superimposed on earlier silver. Highlighted results comprise 0.6 gpt Au, 14,170 gpt Ag; 0.1 gpt Au, 3,120 gpt Ag; 32.6 gpt Au, 16 gpt Ag; 30.6 gpt Au, 16 gpt Ag; 22.9 gpt Au, 22 gpt Ag; 16.4 gpt Au, 67 gpt Ag; 8.8 gpt Au, 91 gpt Ag; 19 gpt Au, 2,090 gpt Ag. “a new district-scale magneto-telluric (MT) geophysical survey and a detailed structural reanalysis….. will be combined to define targets for the next round of drilling”.   
ON MINING
·        Equinox Gold Corp. reported that after a meeting with Mezcala community leaders, the illegal blockade at the Los Filos mine in Guerrero was removed and operations were resumed.
·        Golden Minerals Co. announced that “Further review of the results from the Company’s test-mining activities at Velardeña (Durango) over the summer and a review of the mine plans have led Golden to the decision to undertake a development and exploration drill program at Velardeña prior to proposing the restart of mining”. At Rodeo, in Durango, Golden maintains its production guidance for 2022 of 12 to 14 K Oz Au and 42 to 47 K Oz Ag.
·        SilverCrest Metals Inc. provided an update on the commissioning of Las Chispas mine in Sonora. Daily throughput and metallurgical recoveries are trending ahead of projections with actual average recoveries of 96.2% Au, 85.6% Ag and 784 tonnes per day (tpd) processing. The project is fully energized by grid power still to achieve complete reliability. Underground mining is ramping up to 600 to 700 tpd (750 tpd design) with continued focus in dilution and recovery. “In 2022, an additional 5.1 km of underground development has been completed at the Mine, bringing the total to 22.6 km. In-vein drifting represents 5.5 km of this total. A total of 109,000 tonnes of ore have been mined from development and stoping activities in 2022 up to the end of August 2022, approximately 9% below the Feasibility Study target”.
ON FINANCING
·        Regency Silver Corp. announced that its common shares have begun trading on the OTCQB Venture Market, a US platform that is operated by the OTC Markets Group in New York (Dios Padre, Sonora).
·        Bear Creek Mining Corp. has received approval for its shares for services with Unison Mining Consulting Pte. Ltd. Bear Creek issued Unison 555 K common shares (Mercedes, Sonora).
·        Ranchero Gold Corp. terminated its marketed public offering due to market conditions. The company is in discussion with investors to fund the continued exploration work that is currently underway at its Santa Daniela gold project and will provide a financing update shortly (Santa Daniela, Sonora).
·        Silver Spruce Resources Inc. announced a second and final closing of its private placement for gross proceeds of $147 K to reach a total of $264 K on the private placement (El Mezquite and Diamante in Sonora).
ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT
·        GR Silver Mining Ltd. released drilling results that are part of the ongoing resource update program at Plomosas, in Sinaloa. Highlighted core length intervals comprise 5.7 m @ 514 gpt Ag, 0.1 gpt Au, 0.4% Pb, 0.5% Zn (including 1.0 m @ 1,634 gpt Ag, 0.28 gpt Au, 1.2% Pb, 1.0% Zn. 7.3 m @ 55 gpt Ag, 8.66 gpt Au, 2.7% Pb, 6.6% Zn, 0.5% Cu; 5.0 m @ 88 gpt Ag, 0.33 gpt Au, 5.1% Pb, 2.8% Zn, 0.2% Cu; 21.2 m @ 2.1% Pb, 1.3% Zn. “The Company’s underground drilling and mapping program, currently in progress in the Plomosas Mine Area, has identified un-mined zones that will be incorporated into the upcoming resource estimate.
·        Vizsla Silver Corp. reported results from nine holes from the Copala structure at its Panuco project in Sinaloa. Highlighted true width (TW) intervals comprise 10.20 m @ 1,404 gpt Ag, 10.94 gpt Au (including 0.38 m @ 23,058 gpt Ag, 205.0 gpt Au); 7.31 m @ 743 gpt Ag, 2.59 gpt Au (including 1.01 m @ 3,560 gpt Ag, 8.60 gpt Au); 14.24 m @ 632 gpt Ag, 4.30 gpt Au (including 0.71 m @ 1,575 gpt Ag, 11.00 gpt Au and 1.07 m @ 3,510 gpt Ag, 22.80 gpt Au). “The drilling in the northwestern portion of Copala has traced mineralization along approximately 1,000 metres of strike length and approximately 400 metres down dip”.
·        Orla Mining Corp. provided an update on the 2022 exploration program. Phase 2 drilling continues at Camino Rojo Sulfides, with highlighted core length intercepts of 41.5 m @ 2.56 gpt Au; 52.5 m @ 3.08 gpt Au; 61.2 m @ 1.95 gpt Au; 36.60 m @ 3.20 gpt Au; 27.0 m @ 2.13 gpt Au. Orla expects the new drilling to support a new underground development scenario. Reverse circulation drilling on regional exploration targets is to continue through the second half of 2022. The 2022 exploration budget for Mexico was $10 M.
·        Americas Gold and Silver Corp. informed the measured and indicated resources are almost unchanged year-over-year at Cosalá, in Sinaloa. “The Company recently reinterpreted historic geophysical information and, after incorporating new data from an IP survey completed this summer, has identified seven major IP/Mag anomaly trends on property near San Rafael and EC120.  A 17‐hole drill program is planned to test this area”.
·        Chesapeake Gold Corp. provided a metallurgical update for its Metates project in Durango. Samples of ½” material stored for several years were subject to oxidation and then leached with a standard lime cyanide solution for 90 days with recoveries of almost 60% Au and just over 50% Ag. Further tests of new material with no pre-oxidation returned 35% Au, 20% Ag, but when subjected to oxidation, the oxidation rate was slower than at the first test. A second round of testing is underway, including “crushing finer to ¼”, using High Pressure Grinding Rolls (HPGR) to crush finer, different reagent strengths, different pH’s, on/off irrigation, and varying air addition rates”.
·        Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd. provided an exploration update emphasizing historical drill hole data from the Valenciana mines complex in Guanajuato, which “encompasses approximately 4.2 km of strike length along the Veta Madre regional fault structure”. Highlighted true width intervals comprise 1.54 m @ 4.94 gpt Au, 658 gpt Ag; 6.16 m @ 0.97 gpt Au, 140 gpt Ag; 3.07 m @ 2.86 gpt Au, 367 gpt Ag; 12.49 m @ 1.6 gpt Au, 213 gpt Ag; 8.42 m @ 2.84 gpt Au, 389 gpt Ag; 0.62 m @ 14.38 gpt Au, 1,565 gpt Ag; 2.01 m @ 5.0 gpt Au, 866 gpt Ag; 5.25 m @ 0.95 gpt Au, 145 gpt Ag; 1.24 m @ 2.97 gpt Au, 101 gpt Ag.

·        Mag Silver Corp. informed it has been notified by Fresnillo PLC, operator of the Juanicipio project JV in Zacatecas, that the connection of the processing plant installations to the national grid is being tested under caution to protect the grid from undue fluctuations. “The Fresnillo project team indicates that power for final commissioning and start of operations should be available by the end of October, and that production ramp up will commence in Q4 of this year”.

·        Silver Tiger Metals Inc. released drilling results from El Tigre project in Sonora. Highlighted core length results comprise 8.1 m @ 554 gpt Ag, 0.17 gpt Au, 0.92% Cu, 2.5% Pb, 3.6% Zn (including 2.0 m @ 1,270 gpt Ag, 0.2 gpt Au, 1.66% Cu, 2.8% Pb, 4.3% Zn);  0.5 m @ 2,010 gpt Ag, 0.27 gpt Au, 2.51% Cu, 1.5% Pb, 5.0% Zn; 1.1 m @ 3,096 gpt Ag, 1.79 gpt Au, 0.68% Cu, 1.2% Pb, 0.2% Zn; 0.6 m @ 3,097 gpt Ag, 2.47 gpt Au, 0.32% Cu, 1.0% Pb, 0.8% Zn. Silver Tiger “contracted Cominvi, a Mexican underground contract mining and development company to rehabilitate the Historic El Tigre Mine. Cominvi are progressing well in the underground rehabilitation of the Historic El Tigre Mine and have already completed over 400 meters of rehabilitation in Level 7, which was the main portal to the mine”.

·        Torex Gold Inc. reported assay results from the drill program at El Limón Guajes (ELG) underground mine in Guerrero, including the Sub-Sill and El Limón Deep zones. Highlighted core length intervals comprise 17.5 m @ 16.96 gpt Au; 9.7 m @ 16.87 gpt Au, 0.22% Cu; 11.7 m @ 10.39 gpt Au; 5.5 m @ 13.49 gpt Au, 8 gpt Ag, 0.22% Cu; 8.2 m @ 8.52 gpt Au, 23 gpt Ag, 1.69% Cu; 5.0 m @ 10.37 gpt Au, 10 gpt Ag, 0.51% Cu; 12.5 m @ 5.48 gpt Au, 0.15% Cu; 21.3 m @ 7.18 gpt Au, 26 gpt Ag, 0.77% Cu; 9.7 m @ 10.01 gpt Au, 11 gpt Ag, 0.30% Cu; 8.9 m @ 7.66 gpt Au, 0.12% Cu; 12.1 m @ 7.65 gpt Au, 0.40% Cu; 5.1 m @ 9.72 gpt Au, 0.15% Cu. The drilling budget for ELG Underground is $6 M for 27,000 meters. For Media Luna, a total of $19 M is budgeted for 64,000 m of infill, step-out and initial infill drill program at the adjacent EPO deposit. An additional $9 M is budgeted for 28,500 m of drilling across the broader land package and further $5 M for ore control and definition drilling in the ELG open pit and underground. “The ELG mining complex…. is hosted in the Mesozoic carbonate-rich Morelos Platform, which has been intruded by Paleocene granodiorite stocks, sills, and dikes. Skarn-hosted gold mineralization is developed along the contacts of the intrusive rocks and the enclosing carbonate-rich sedimentary rocks…. The style of mineralization at Sub-Sill South is like Sub-Sill and ELD, and is characterized by gold, which is strongly associated with bismuth and variable amounts of silver and copper. Gold occurs in variably sulfidized, pyrrhotite-rich skarn, while silver and copper mineralization is controlled primarily by the degree of sulfidation of the host skarn. Mineralization is associated with retrograde alteration characterized by the occurrence of phlogopite, amphibole, chlorite, calcite and lesser amounts of quartz and epidote, and local magnetite”.

·        Pan American Silver Corp. released an updated mineral resource estimate for its La Colorada Skarn deposit in Zacatecas. The estimated indicated mineral resource totals 95.9 M tonnes containing 94.4 M Oz Ag, 2.7 M tonnes Zn, 1.2 M tonnes Pb, with the estimated inferred mineral resource totaling 147.8 M tonnes containing 132.9 M Oz Ag, 3.4 M tonnes Zn, 1.5 M tonnes Pb. A total of 234,000 m of drilling have been completed to date on the deposit. “The polymetallic skarn mineralisation is concentrated in three zones, which cover an area of 1,500 metres by 1,100 metres laterally, and a depth of between 600 metres and 1,900 metres below surface…. The deposit is oriented in a north-northwest to south-southeast direction and is below the currently active Candelaria mine workings.

·        GoGold Resources Inc. released results from 21 holes at El Nayar and Gran Cabrera areas within Los Ricos North property in Jalisco. Highlighted core length intervals comprise 10.5 m @ 0.18 gpt Au, 61 gpt Ag; 5.3 m @ 0.38 gpt Au, 66 gpt Ag; 0.9 m @ 6.66 gpt Au; 9.3 m @ 0.15 gpt Au, 89 gpt Ag; 18.2 m @ 1.54 gpt Au, 125 gpt Ag at El Nayar, and 60.10 m @ 45 gpt Ag; 18.0 m @ 0.13 gpt Au, 105 gpt Ag; 18.0 m @ 0.21 gpt Au, 62 gpt Ag; 9.6 m @ 0.17 gpt Au, 74 gpt Ag; 6.8 m @ 0.31 gpt Au, 78 gpt Ag; 8.7 m @ 0.23 gpt Au, 128 gpt Ag; 4.1 m @ 0.26 gpt Au, 200 gpt Ag; 30.7 m @ 64 gpt Ag; 17.3 m @ 0.19 gpt Au, 118 gpt Ag (including 1.6 m @ 1.28 gpt Au, 809 gpt Ag). “The Gran Cabrera mega-system contains stockworks, breccia hosted ore bodies, and large vein feeder sub-systems…”. Dozens of historical underground workings are present along an E-W trending structure over 1,700 m along strike with widths extending more than 20 m. El Nayar consists of multiple subvertical veins and stockwork mineralization and limited historical workings.
ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES
·        Endeavour Silver Corp. entered into an agreement with Grupo ROSOGO S.A. de C.V. to sell a 100% interest on the El Compas property and the lease on the La Plata processing plant in Zacatecas. ROSOGO is to pay Endeavour $5 M cash over five years, with an initial payment of $250 K. Installment payments of $500 K will be made every six months other than the third payment, which will be $750 K.
·        Xali Gold Corp. informed Sun River Gold expects to receive the permit for tailings removal at El Oro, in Estado de Mexico, within a month. Sun River is also working on a permit to install and operate a reprocessing plant outside of El Oro town. “Xali Gold is to receive a 5% Net Profits Interest as well as the first US$1.5M due to the Municipality of El Oro from SRG’s El Oro tailings operations”. In Nayarit Xali is in negotiations to partner with a local Mexican mining group to operate the San Dieguito de Arriba plant and explore nearby mining properties. At El Dorado in Nayarit the company is in the process to obtain the drilling permit. The Cocula property in Jalisco exploration agreement has been terminated.
·        Excellon Resources Inc. provided a corporate update stating the evaluation of a spin-out exploration company, the pursue of acquisitions opportunities with emphasis in Mexico and exploring partnership opportunities to take Platosa in Durango from production to an interesting exploration prospect.
·        Teck Resources Ltd. and Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. announced an agreement under which Agnico Eagle is to gain 50% interest in the San Nicolás project in Zacatecas. “Teck and Agnico Eagle will become 50/50 joint venture partners at San Nicolás”. Agnico Eagle is to buy US$580 M in shares of a Teck subsidiary. These proceeds will be used for study and development costs, and the contributions made as the costs are incurred, with no up-front payment by Agnico and funding for the first two years estimated at US$50 M. “post-closing costs with subsequent funding to be contributed according to each partner’s ownership percentage”.  San Nicolás is the largest undeveloped volcanic hosted massive sulfide deposit in Mexico, estimated to contain 105.2 M tonnes of proven and probable mineral reserves averaging 1.12% Cu, 1.48% Zn, 0.4 gpt Au, 22 gpt Ag. The development capital costs are estimated to be in the range of US$1,000 M to US$1,100 M, for an open pit operation with a 15 year mine life.    
ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
·        No Relevant News.
On the image below: Bladed calcite casts in an epithermal quartz vein in the Sonoran Desert. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico; Highlights on the First Week of September 2022

/ Gambusino Prospector / Leave a comment

By Jorge Cirett

During the 35th week of the year (August 29th to September 4th, 2022), at least 21 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. Five companies posted exploration advances on their properties and three presented production results for the second quarter, while one more provided an operational update. One company sold a portfolio of royalties in Mexican properties, one declared a dividend and closed a $5 M concentrate pre-payment facility. On advanced properties, one company reported metallurgical results, one updated its resource base, one released PEA numbers and one more released drilling results. One company is looking for partners for its projects and one more informed on the completion of the bought of their flagship property.  ON MEXICO ISSUES, the lithium government company is to be run by the son of one federal government executive in Sonora. The rescue effort on ten coal miners in Coahuila is changing to a recovery mission. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Tocvan Ventures released drilling results from Pilar; Prismo Metals received the Lidar survey processed data on Los Pavitos. In Chihuahua, Radius Gold presented drilling results from Amalia. Kootenay Silver released drilling results from Columba. In Zacatecas, Zacatecas Silver reported drill results from El Cristo vein. ON MINING, Impact Silver, Santacruz Silver and Magna Gold financial/operational results for the second quarter 2022. Guanajuato Silver Company provided and operational update on Topia, San Ignacio and El Cubo and Valenciana complexes. ON FINANCING, Millrock Resources sold a portfolio of royalties in Mexican properties to Osisko Gold Royalties. Alamos Gold declared a quarterly dividen, Guanajuato Silver Company closed on a $5 M concentrate pre-payment facility.  ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Discovery Silver reported metallurgical results from its Cordero project in Chihuahua. Starcore International Mines updated on NI 43-101 complaint resources at its San Martin mine in Queretaro. Southern Silver Exploration released numbers on the recently completed PEA at its Cerro Las Minitas project in Durango. Capitan Mining reported drilling results from the Jesus Maria target at its Cruz de Plata project in Durango. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Mexus Gold US is seeking a partner for its Santa Elena property in Sonora. Minaurum Gold completed the acquisition of its Alamos Silver property in Sonora, with a final payment in cash and shares. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Vizsla Silver released its environmental social and governance (ESG) initiative.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • LitioMx. The federal government operation of its newly created Lithium Mining Company (LitioMx) is still hazy, but the possibility has been raised that private companies might participate, also that the current Sonora governor might be involved, and a director has been named, which happens to be a relative of the presidency representative in the State (Although eager to advertise its different way of doing things, this government is making a great effort to replicate the worst practices of past governments).
  • Trapped Coal Miners. Blame put aside, the fate of the 10 trapped miners in Coahuila after the flooding of the coal mine on August 3 is almost defined, and the effort is now changing from rescue to body recovery, which might take months.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Prismo Metals Inc. received results from the Lidar survey carried out at its 5,289 ha Los Pavitos project in Sonora. “Mineralization at Los Pavitos consists of quartz veins and stockworks hosted in metasediments, in shear zones and parallel to foliation and crossing foliation”.
  • Tocvan Ventures Corp. released results from the four final holes drilled at its Pilar project in Sonora. Highlighted drill length intervals comprise 16.78 m @ 0.11 gpt Au; 18.30 m @ 0.24 gpt Au; 50.33 m @ 0.14 gpt Au, 10 gpt Ag (including 10.68 m @ 0.59 gpt Au, 40 gpt Ag); 21.35 m @ 0.13 gpt Au. “All four drill holes were drilled in new areas and intersected alteration and structures known to host gold-silver mineralization at Pilar”.
  • Zacatecas Silver Corp. reported results from the completed phase one diamond drilling at El Cristo vein system in the Zacatecas Silver project in Zacatecas. Highlighted core length intervals comprise 2.1 m @ 204 gpt Ag; 9.0 m @ 149 gpt Ag; 0.53 m @ 200 gpt Ag, 0.34 gpt Au, 0.8% Pb, 0.8% Zn; 0.82 m @ 84 gpt Ag, 0.14 gpt Au, 11.8% Pb, 3.7% Zn; 0.85 m @ 45 gpt Ag, 0.82 gpt Au, 1.9% Pb, 2.4% Zn; 3.0 m @ 250 gpt Ag; 0.55 m @ 198 gpt Ag, 1.6 m @ 175 gpt Ag. “Drill holes targeted the near surface depth extension of the larger surface workings and/or the depth extension of veins around the deeper historical shaft. The 28 holes drilled to date by the Company have been scout holes also designed to test select veins over at least 2 km of strike extension”.
  • Radius Gold Inc. reported results from three drill holes on El Cuervo target at the Amalia project in Chihuahua (Radius 35%, Pan American Silver 65%). Highlighted core length drill results comprise 17.00 m @ 438 gpt Ag, 0.80 gpt Au (including 2.0 m @ 3,182 gpt Ag, 4.49 gpt Au); 13.55 m @ 841 gpt Ag, 10.25 gpt Au (including 5.65 m @ 1,560 gpt Ag, 19.6 gpt Au). “Drilling at El Cuervo has defined mineralization similar to the Amalia structure, consisting of epithermal quartz veins, breccias and veinlets stockworks hosted within rhyolite volcanics along a major fault system. El Cuervo remains open to expansion along strike and to depth”.
  • Kootenay Silver Inc. released another batch of results from its phase 4 drilling program at Columba, Chihuahua. Highlighted core length results comprise 3.90 m @ 574 gpt Ag, 0.2% Pb, 0.7% Zn (including 0.90 m @ 949 gpt Ag, 0.4% Pb, 1.1% Zn) in the D vein, and 17.00 m @ 95 gpt Ag, 0.1% Zn (including 2.05 m @ 221 gpt Ag, 0.2% Zn); 0.4 m @ 325 gpt Ag, 0.2% Pb, 0.6% Zn; 1.58 m @ 425 gpt Ag, 0.1% Pb, 0.3% Zn; 2.97 m @ 91 gpt Ag, 0.2% Zn; 1.63 m @ 2,330 gpt Ag, 0.8% Zn; 6.5 m @ 156 gpt Ag, 0.1% Pb, 0.1% Zn (including 1.05 m @ 769 gpt Ag, 0.5% Zn); 1.00 m @ 305 gpt Ag, 0.2% Pb, 0.2% Zn; 1.00 m @ 194 gpt Ag, 0.2% Pb, 0.2% Zn.

ON MINING

  • Impact Silver Corp. announced financial and operating results for the second quarter 2022. At its Real de Zacualpan project in Estado de Mexico, 37.2 K tonnes averaging 159 gpt Ag were milled during the period, to sell 151.3 K Oz Ag. Impact has no long term debt and cash on hand stands at $18.4 M. Two underground and two surface rigs continue with the 20,000 meters drilling program for the year.
  • Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. reported its financial and operating results for the second quarter 2022. At Zimapan, in Hidalgo, 200 K tonnes were milled to produce 914.5 K Oz AgEq at $16.71 cash cost per Oz AgEq and an AISC of $20.64 per Oz AgEq.
  • Magna Gold Corp. announced operating and financial results for the second quarter of 2022. At the San Francisco mine in Sonora 5.9 M tonnes were mined, of which 1.4 M tonnes averaging 0.39 gpt Au were placed on the heaps to produce 10,795 Oz Au. Cash at the end of the period was $1.4 M, while working capital was negative $35.4 M. “management believes it is prudent to preserve capital by reducing mining rates and secondary activities across the Company’s portfolio of assets……… the Company’s board and management determined that previously stated guidance for FY 2022 will be retracted and revised at a later date when a more accurate estimate of production impacts is known”.
  • Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd. provided an operational update detailing the integration of El Cubo mine and milling complex with the recently acquired Topia (Durango) and San Ignacio (Guanajuato) mines from Great Panther Mining Ltd. and the San Ignacio mine and Valenciana mines complex (both in Guanajuato). At El Cubo, the development of a 150 m tunnel and ramp reduced the total haulage distance from 7.2 km to 2.5 km with a strong impact on the project economics. Mineral from the San Ignacio mine is being transported to El Cubo mill for processing, and is expected to provide 5 to 6 K tonnes of material per month to the end of the year. At the Valenciana Mines Complex opportunities are being reviewed to restart mining and to process the material at the Cata mill in 2023. At Topia, the sale of 99.2 dry tonnes of Pb-Zn-Au concentrate 97.7 dry tonnes of Zn-Ag concentrate has been reported since the completion of the acquisition.

ON FINANCING

  • Millrock Resources Inc. sold a portfolio of royalties to Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd. with gross proceeds of $1.2 M. The Mexican properties involved include Santa Rosalía (Sonora), El Valle, El Pima (Sonora), Violeta and Guadalcazar (San Luis Potosi).
  • Alamos Gold Inc. informed the company’s board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of US$0.025 per common share (Mulatos, Sonora).
  • Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd. reported that in conjunction with the acquisition of the Topia mine in Durango and the Mine Complex in Guanajuato from Great Panther Mining Ltd., has closed a US$5 M concentrate pre-payment facility with Ocean Partners UK Ltd. “Interest on the loan will be calculated at 12-month LIBOR + 7.5%” (Guanajuato Mine Complex, Guanajuato).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Discovery Silver Corp. reported results from the metallurgical test program on the pre-feasibility study (PFS) from its Cordero project in Chihuahua. Recoveries of 94-98% Ag, 89-97% Pb, 92-96% Zn were achieved on high grade samples of all major rock types, and recoveries of 83-92% Ag, 85-92% Pb, 81-89% Zn on medium grade samples of blended rock types. “Oxide-sulphide blend testwork establish oxide-specific recoveries of ~60% for silver, ~40% for lead and ~85% for zinc via flotation; co-processing oxide mineralized material via flotation eliminates the need for heap leach processing”.
  • Starcore International Mines Ltd. released its updated NI 43-101 reserve and resource estimates for its San Martin mine in Querétaro. Proven and probable reserves stand at 1.35 M tonnes @ 1.74 gpt Au, 13 gpt Ag containing 75,353 Oz Au, 573 K Oz Ag, and indicated and inferred resources of 1.48 M tonnes @ 1.78 gpt Au, 14 gpt Ag, containing 160,352 Oz Au, 1.22 M Oz Ag. The exploration program for 2022 envisages 10,000 meters of diamond drilling near the current operations.
  • Southern Silver Exploration Corp. reported results from its preliminary economic assessment (PEA) on its Cerro Las Minitas project in Durango. The study’s base case envisages an after-tax NPV5% of $349 M, an IRR of 17.9% with Ag at $21.95 per Oz, Cu at $3.78 per Lb, Pb at $0.94 per Lb, Zn at $1.33 per Lb. The indicated mineral resources included on the study comprise 12.3 M tonnes @ 106 gpt Ag, 0.16% Cu, 1.3% Pb, 3.3% Zn containing 42.1 M Oz Ag, 44 M Lb Cu, 358 M Lb Pb, 895 M Lb Zn, while inferred resources comprise 19.6 M tonnes @ 117 gpt Ag, 0.23% Cu, 1.2% Pb, 2,3% Zn, totaling 73.6 M Oz Ag, 98 M Lb Cu, 500 M Lb Pb, 1,009 M Lb Zn. Only sulfide mineralization was included in the study to produce Cu, Pb and zinc concentrates with the recoveries estimated at 91.6% Ag, 60% Cu, 88% Pb, 93% Zn.
  • Capitan Mining Inc. reported exploration results from five reverse circulation holes at its Cruz de Plata project in Durango. “All drillholes were successful in intersecting Jesus Maria style mineralization, expanding the zone between 43m and 114m down-dip along section”. Highlighted drill length intervals comprise 3.0 m @ 52 gpt Ag, 0.10 gpt Au, 1.3% Pb, 3.4% Zn; 19.8 m @ 29 gpt Ag, 0.08 gpt Au, 0.4% Pb, 0.6% Zn; 13.7 m @ 69 gpt Ag, 0.17 gpt Au, 0.5% Pb, 1.0% Zn; 21.3 m @ 84 gpt Ag, 0.05 gpt Au, 0.6% Pb, 0.7% Zn (including 1.5 m @ 189 gpt Ag, 0.02 gpt Au; 2.3% Pb, 2.3% Zn.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Mexus Gold US. continues to seek the right partner for production and/or exploration of its Santa Elena property in Sonora (not to mistake for First Majestic’s Santa Elena mine, also in Sonora).
  • Minaurum Gold Inc. announced the completion of the acquisition of 100% interest in the Alamos Silver project in Sonora. The 37,928-hectare property encompasses the historical 200 M Oz Ag Alamos district including 26 epithermal veins. Minaurum completed all work commitments and option payments and made a final compensation of C$300 K in cash and 443.6 K shares.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Vizsla Silver Corp. announced the continued progression on its environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives through safety, sustainability and commitment to communities.

On the image below: Banded Specularite-quartz-calcite vein in the Sonoran Desert. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Third Week of August 2022

/ Gambusino Prospector / Leave a comment

By Jorge Cirett

During the 33rd week of the year (August 15th to August 21st, 2022), at least 21 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. Four companies posted exploration advances on their properties and two presented production results for the second quarter. Two companies reported on underground sampling and drilling on their advanced properties. One company announced the staking of an epithermal vein system and one more sold the final 20% interest it held on a property.  ON MEXICO ISSUES, no relevant news. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Minaurum commenced the rehabilitation and sampling of historic workings at Alamos; Tocvan Ventures released results from the Pilar project. In Chihuahua, Kootenay Silver released drilling results from Columba. In Sinaloa, Prismo Metals commenced drilling at Palos Verdes. ON MINING, Mag Silver and Starcore International presented financial/operational results for the second quarter 2022. ON FINANCING, Sierra Madre Gold and Silver elaborated on the private placement for $10 M in conjunction with the acquisition of La Guitarra project. Canuc and Minera Alamos closed financing rounds for C270 K and $4.37 M. Prismo Metals intends to complete a non brokered private placement for $150 K. Torex Gold finalized an agreement increasing the available credit from $150 M to $250 M.  ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Sonoro Gold reported results from underground sampling at Cerro Caliche, in Sonora. Silver Dollar reported results from four holes at La Joya, in Durango. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Orogen Royalties staked the La Verdad epithermal project in Zacatecas. Gold79 Mines sold its remaining 20% interest on Taviche, Oaxaca, to Minaurum Gold. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, no relevant news.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • No Relevant News.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Kootenay Silver Inc. released results from the first holes of the 15,000 m phase 4 drilling program at its Columba project in Chihuahua. Highlighted core-length results on the D vein comprise 11.3 m @ 449 gpt Ag (including 1 m @ 795 gpt Ag); 7.0 m @ 108 gpt Ag; 2.85 m @ 183 gpt Ag; 7.74 m @ 416 gpt Ag (including 1.5 m @ 1,395 gpt Ag, 0.9% Pb, 5.3% Zn); 2.0 m @ 190 gpt Ag, and 1.95 m @ 103 gpt Ag; 1.0 m @ 151 gpt Ag; 6.0 m @ 107 gpt Ag on the F vein.
  • Prismo Metals Inc. commenced the 2,000 m drill program at its Palos Verdes project in Sinaloa. “Previous shallow drilling has intersected high grade mineralization with the best intercept of 2,336 g/t Ag and 8.42 g.t Au over a true width estimated at 0.8 meters within a larger mineralized interval with 1,098 g/t Ag and 3.75 g/t Au over a true width of 2.3 meters.
  • Minaurum Gold Inc. begun rehabilitation of underground historic workings at its Alamos project in Sonora. “Initial rehabilitation to facilitate mapping and sampling of more than 1 km of workings will take several months to complete and will consist of securing and cleaning all underground areas, and removing and stockpiling backfill for possible future processing”. The Promontorio vein can be traced for more than 1 km on the surface and underground; the mine closed in 1896, having produced 70 M Oz Ag. In the 1960’s material from surface dumps and underground backfill was processed, with access cleared to the main haulage level and to the lower levels of the Promontorio mine. Minaurum is to re-log all Promontorio drill core, rehabilitate, map and sample the underground workings.
  • Tocvan Ventures Corp. released results from three drill holes at its Pilar project in Sonora. Highlighted core-length results comprise 16.8 m @ 0.1 gpt Au, 18 gpt Ag (including 6.1 m @ 0.3 gpt Au, 47 gpt Ag; 1.5 m @ 0.6 gpt Au, 185 gpt Ag); 138.8 m @ 0.1 gpt Au (including 30.5 m @ 0.4 gpt Au; which includes 1.5 m @ 7.6 gpt Au). Two of the holes support the presence of a third subparallel trend northeast of the main and 4-T trends.

ON MINING

  • Mag Silver Corp. announced financial results for the Q2 2022.  At Juanicipio (46% Mag Silver, 56% Fresnillo PLC), in Zacatecas, 154.1 K tonnes were processed through the Fresnillo plants. Producing 2.2 M Oz Ag, 5,119 Oz Au, 1,016 tonnes Pb, 1,599 tonnes Zn. The Juanicipio processing plant is about to be connected to the national electrical grid, with 85-90% of the 4,000 tonnes per day capacity expected to be reached by the end of 2022. By the end of the period Mag had $47.7 M of working capital, including $44.6 M in cash.
  • Starcore International Mines Ltd. presented production results for the Q1 2023, ended July 31, 2022. At the San Martin mine in Queretaro, 55.26 K tonnes were milled, averaging 1.70 gpt Au, 21.3 gpt Ag, recovering 89.4% Au, 49.1% Ag, to produce 2,925 Oz AuEq.  

ON FINANCING

  • Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd. amended the terms of the previously disclosed “best efforts” brokered private placement. The offering is to raise now up to $10 M and is being conducted in conjunction with the proposed acquisition of the La Guitarra property in Estado de Mexico.
  • Canuc Resources Corp. announced the closing of a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of C$270 K (San Javier, Sonora).
  • Prismo Metals Inc. intends to complete a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $150 K (Palos Verdes, Sinaloa).
  • Torex Gold Resources Inc. finalized a credit agreement with a syndicate of banks to increase the credit available form $150 M to $250 M and to extend the maturation of the facilities from 2023 to 2025. Torex expects the $311 M of cash on hand, no debt, strong forecast cash flow from El Limón Guajes and the $250 M available under the latest credit facilities place Torex on solid footing to fund the development of the Media Luna project. (El Limón-Guajes, Guerrero).
  • Kootenay Silver Inc. clarified that the news release headlined “Kootenay Resources Inc. Announces Private Placement financing of up to $800,000” is related to Kootenay Resources Inc. a private reporting issuer not related to the common stock of Kootenay Silver Inc. a TSX Venture listed company. Kootenay Resources Inc. is a spin-out from Kootenay Silver Inc. focused on British Columbia exploration, of which Kootenay Silver holds 3.2 M shares (Columba, Chihuahua).
  • Minera Alamos Inc. announced the closing of its non-brokered private placement for aggregate gross proceeds of $4.37 M, with no finder’s fees paid (Cerro de Oro, Zacatecas).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Sonoro Gold Corp. reported results from underground sampling at Cerro Caliche, in Sonora. A rotary handheld saw was used to obtain 34 continuous channel samples of vein and breccia material from the Cabeza Blanca underground workings. Three segments of one tunnel were sampled, averaging 3.9 @ 0.40 gpt Au, 3.5 m @ 3.07 gpt Au, 1.86 m @ 1.79 gpt Au. The highest interval sample returned 2 m @ 7.68 gpt Au. “The current resource estimate classified this 100-meter section as an inferred resource, but the underground sampling results, together with over 7,200 meters of new drilling data, will be included in an updated resource calculation being completed on the project”.
  • Silver Dollar Resources Inc. reported initial assay results from phase II drilling ongoing at the Noria portion of the La Joya project in Durango. A total of 1,899 m have been completed in 10 holes, with core length highlighted results on the first four comprising 26.85 m @ 1.0 gpt Au; 17.05 m @ 1.0% Zn; 9.90 m @ 0.9% Zn; 9.13 m @ 0.7% Zn; 19.35 m @ 192 gpt Ag, 0.27 gpt Au, 1.0% Pb, 2.2% Zn (including 5,0 m @ 451 gpt Ag, 0.62 gpt Au, 2.3% Pb, 4.6% Zn); 4.93 m @ 120 gpt Ag, 0.8% Pb, 0.8% Zn; 3.00 m @ 74 gpt Ag, 0.6% Pb, 2.2% Zn; 5.79 m @ 114 gpt Ag, 0.18 gpt Au, 0.4% Pb, 1.7% Zn; 4.43 m @ 23 gpt Ag, 0.26 gpt Au, 5.6% Zn.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Orogen Royalties Inc. announced the acquisition by staking of the La Verdad project in Durango. The 264-hectare project contains a low-sulfidation epithermal system with two subparallel quartz veins, Santa Rita and La Verdad along 2.5 kilometers of strike length, hosted in Cretaceous limestone. “Multiple stages of white, yellow and green quartz veins outcrop and display classic low sulfidation style textures. The Santa Rita and La Verdad veins may extend beneath shallow alluvium which covers over 40 percent of the potential vein strike”. A minor drilling program in 2013 tested only 100 m of strike length of the system.
  • Gold79 Mines Ltd. monetized its remaining 20% interest in the Taviche project, in Oaxaca. The transaction allows for the dissolution of the Mexican subsidiary and reduce costs. Additionally, Gold79 will not proceed with the previously announced private placement and will receive a C$230 K loan from management. Minaurum Gold Inc. has exercised the option for C$1 M for the remaining 20% interest in the Taviche project, “Once the option exercise is completed in accordance with its terms along with certain other transactions between the parties, Gold79 will pay CDN$800,000 for a full and final release regarding any claims associated with the project to Minaurum”.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • No Relevant Nes.

OBITUARY

  • Endeavour Silver and Aztec Mineral announced the sudden decease of Bradford Cooke, founder of those companies and a long-time promotor of the mining industry in Mexico. He will be missed.

On the image below: Silicified structure tens of meters wide running for several kilometers in the Sonoran Desert. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico; Highlights on the First Week of August, 2022

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By Jorge Cirett

During the 31st week of the year (August 1st to August 7th, 2022), at least 21 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. To note, six companies posted exploration advances on their properties and four presented production results for the second quarter. Only one company reported on the closing of a private placement, one on the granting of incentive options to officers, directors and consultants, one on a $5 M loan facility and one in a share consolidation plan. One company filed an amended report. One company closed the sale of its Mexican properties and one more amended the option agreement of a property.  ON MEXICO ISSUES, no relevant news. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Silver Spruce completed an RC drilling program at Diamante; Tocvan Ventures informed on drilling at Pilar. In Chihuahua, Kootenay Silver informed on drilling at Columba; Mammoth Resources presented drilling results from Tenoriba. In Zacatecas, Alien Metals updated on work at Donovan 2 and San Celso. In Oaxaca, Vortex Metals updated on exploration at Riqueza Marina and Zaachila projects. ON MINING, Coeur Mining, Torex Gold, Equinox Gold and First Majestic Silver presented financial and operational results for the second quarter 2022. ON FINANCING, Heliostat closed a private placement for $3 M. Bear Creek Mining entered into a US$5 M loan facility. Tocvan is granting incentive stock options and Ridgestone Mining is proposing consolidation of its shares.  ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Discovery Silver is filing an amended technical report for the Cordero project in Chihuahua. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Great Panther Mining closed the sale of its Mexican properties to Guanajuato Silver Company. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Grupo Mexico’s metallurgical complex at Nacozari, in Sonora, was granted the “Great Place to Work” certification.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • No Relevant News.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Silver Spruce Resources Inc. along with Colibri Resource Corp. completed its phase 1 drilling program at the 1,057 ha Diamante project in Sonora. The 2,005 m reverse-circulation program in 19 holes, up to 135 m in depth, covered the La Prieta, and Pillado targets. “Mineralization is reported visually as pyrite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, argentiferous galena, argentite, hematite and probable metal oxides, carbonates and sulphates, including copper carbonate (malachite), copper sulphates and plumbojarosite”.
  • Vortex Metals Inc. provided an update in exploration of its Riqueza Marina and Zaachila projects in Oaxaca. The late David Jones identified this area in the early 2000’s …”Copper-gold mineralization within both the Riqueza Marina and Zaachila projects is associated with geologic processes operative in the Late Jurassic to Middle Cretaceous within a back-arc sequence of bi-modal volcanics and volcaniclastics deposited on the sea floor. Early exploration conducted by Dave Jones identified several copper and gold anomalies over a broad area but clearly associated with specific rocks, i.e. exhalite, rhyolite debris aprons or breccia. These associations prompted the identification of a geologic environment which incorporated these features. The Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide (VMS) model incorporates the geologic and geochemical features observed to date”.
  • Kootenay Silver Inc. informed significant progress has been made on the 15,000 m drilling campaign at Columba, in Chihuahua. The current program will test extensions of the F, D, B and JZ veins and exploratory step-outs on other prospective veins. The V vein has been traced for over 700 m of strike and 200 m of depth with an average of 2 m in width, the D vein has been hit along 430 m of strike and 340 m of depth with an average of 6.9 m in width.
  • Tocvan Ventures Corp. informed that seven reverse circulation drill holes for a total of 1,382 m have been completed on the phase III drill program at Pilar, in Sonora.
  • Alien Metals Ltd. updated on exploration work at its San Celso and Donovan 2 projects in Zacatecas. Three holes totaling 201 m were drilled at San Celso and four holes at Donovan 2 for 410 m. No significant intersections were returned for San Celso. At Donovan 2, a 1.87 m interval returned 0.33% Cu, although the recovery was in the 15-20% range. A weak Zn anomaly correlates with a similar zone in a previous hole.
  • Mammoth Resources Corp. provided results from four holes at its Tenoriba project in Chihuahua. The four holes totaled 388.95 m brining the total to 2,623.55 m in 21 holes. Highlighted intercepts comprise 81.0 m @ 0.45 gpt Au, 2 gpt Ag (including 12.0 m @ 1.03 gpt Au, 3 gpt Ag); 10.6 m @ 1.14 gpt Au, 18 gpt Ag; 30.0 m @ 0.32 gpt Au, 3 gpt Ag; 48.0 m @ 1.11 gpt Au, 7 gpt Ag (including 4.5 m @ 2.88 gpt Au, 4 gpt Ag).

ON MINING

  • Coeur Mining Inc. reported second quarter 2022 financial results, including figures from its operations in Mexico. At Palmarejo, in Chihuahua, 539.6 K tonnes were milled @ 1.68 gpt Au, 125 gpt Ag, recovering 92.4% Au, 84.2% Ag, to produce 27,109 Oz Au, 1.79 M Oz Ag. Four drill rigs are to be active in the third quarter 2022 on infill drilling of the Hidalgo and Nacion zones and expansion drilling on the NW Hidalgo and La Carmela zones.
  • Torex Gold Resources Inc. released financial and operating results for the second quarter 2022. During the period, 123,363 Oz Au were produced at its El Limon-Guajes project in Guerrero, at total cash cost $703 per Oz Au and AISC of $911. Construction at Media Luna (close to El Limon-Guajes), is well underway, with a physical progress of 5%, including the development of 2,100 m at the Guajes tunnel and 700 m at South Portal. At the end of the period the company had net cash of $306.3 M with no debt and an undrawn $150.0 M credit facility.
  • Equinox Gold Corp. announced its second quarter 2022 financial and operating results. The report includes the sale of the Mercedes mine in Sonora to Bear Creek Mining Corp., but does not elaborate on production numbers for Mercedes or Los Filos in Guerrero, other than a guidance of 155-170 K Oz Au production from Los Filos in 2022.
  • First Majestic Silver Corp. presented financial results for the second quarter 2022. During the quarter the company negotiated and signed a conclusive agreement with the Mexican tax authority (SAT) though the office of the taxpayer ombudsman (PRODECON) to settle an uncertain tax position relating to intercompany debt financing in Mexico, with a one-time payment of $21.3 M. Consolidated production in Mexico was 6.16 M Oz AgEq, as shown in the table below.

ON FINANCING

  • Bear Creek Mining Corp. entered into a US$5.0 M loan facility with Auramet International LLC.. Bear Creek will sell Auramet 100% of the outrun from the Mercedes mine in Sonora until the note is paid in full and 50 K Oz thereafter (Mercedes, Sonora).
  • Heliostar Metals Ltd. closed its non-brokered private placement offering for gross proceeds of $3 M (Oso Negro and El Picacho, Sonora).
  • Tocvan Ventures Corp. announced the approval of the grant of 1.3 M incentive stock options to officers, directors and consultants of the company (Pilar, Sonora).
  • Ridgestone Mining Inc. intends to seek shareholder approval at its upcoming annual general meeting to consolidate its commons shares in a 20 to 1 ratio. “The proposed Consolidation remains subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary shareholder and regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange”.

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Discovery Silver Corp. is filing an amended technical report on the Cordero project in Chihuahua. The phrase “the Cordero project is technically and economically viable” was removed, as “the economic analysis is a preliminary economic assessment and cannot demonstrate economic viability”. Discovery is well advanced on a pre-feasibility study (PFS) to be completed on Q4 2022, which is to outline the technical and economic viability of the project.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Great Panther Mining Ltd. closed the previously announced sale of the Guanajuato Mine Complex (Guanajuato), the Topia mine (Durango) and the El Horcón and Santa Rosa projects (Guanajuato) to Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd.. The deal comprised US$8 M in cash, plus additional cash of US$1.35 M, US$6.7 M in GSilver shares, US$500 K when Topia produces an aggregate of 2.5 M Oz Ag and US$750 K if the silver price rises above US$27.50 per Oz for a month within two years of closing, and US$750 K if the silver price closes above US$30.00 per Oz for a month within three years of closing.
  • Ridgestone Mining Inc. announced the amendment of the property agreement on the Guadalupe y Calvo project in Chihuahua. The revised option agreement with Endeavour Silver extends the cash, share and work commitments of year 2 from February 2023 to March 2024, that of year 3 from February 2024 to March 2025 and that of year 4 from February 2025 to March 2026.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Grupo Mexico’s metallurgical complex in Nacozari, Sonora, obtained the certificate “Great Place to Work”. The certification is recognized in more than 60 countries.

On the image below: Quartz-specularite veining on a project in the Sonoran Desert. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Third Week of July, 2022

/ Gambusino Prospector / Leave a comment

By Jorge Cirett

During the 29th week of the year (July 18th to July 24th, 2022), at least 28 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. To note, three companies posted exploration advances on their properties and six presented production results for the second quarter. Remarkably six companies reported on the opening or closing of financing rounds for a total of US$24.4 M, and C$0.4 M, one on the opening of a distribution agreement for up to $100 M, one that began trading at the OTCQB and one other provided a by-weekly default status report. Three companies posted on work at its advanced properties and one reported on a possible closure if a labor strike continues.  ON MEXICO ISSUES, no relevant news. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Aloro Mining reported on the resumed drilling at Los Venados. In Chihuahua, Radius Gold updated on work by Pan American Silver at its Amalia project. In Sinaloa, Prismo Metals selected a drill contractor for Palos Verdes. ON MINING, Americas Gold and Silver, Avino silver, Santacruz Silver Mining, First Majestic Silver, Excellon Resources and Great Panther Mining presented production results for the second quarter 2022; Empress Royalty received the first silver ounces from the Tahuehueto stream agreement. ON FINANCING, eight companies posted on financing rounds: Minera Alamos ($4.4 M), Starcore International ($1.2 M), Infinitum Copper ($1 M), Guanajuato Silver Company ($10.7 M), First Majestic Silver ($100 M), Fabled Silver (C$0.4 M), Ranchero Gold (5 M) and Prime Meridian Resources ($1.5 M). Benjamin Hill Mining is now trading on the OTCQB. Gatos Silver presented its by-weekly default report.  ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Prime Mining released drilling results form Los Reyes in Sinaloa. Pan American Silver released spectacular drill results from La Colorada Skarn project in Zacatecas. Tocvan Ventures presented metallurgical test results from Pilar, in Sonora. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Korea Resources, through its Minera El Boleo subsidiary, is considering the closing of its El Boleo mine in Baja California Sur, as a labor strike continues. ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Discovery Silver released its 2021 Environmental, Social and Governance report.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • No Relevant News.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Radius Gold Inc. updated on work by Pan American Silver at its Amalia project in Chihuahua. Three main targets have been drill-tested, for a total of 23,058 m in 67 drill holes. Highlighted results include 44 m @ 309 gpt Ag, 12.39 gpt Au at Amalia; 26.9 m @ 353 gpt Ag, 2.59 gpt Au at California; 61.2 m @ 232 gpt Ag, 0.65 gpt Au at El Cuervo. A new core length intercept at El Cuervo returned 4.35 m @ 401 gpt Ag, 0.79 gpt Au. Pan American has completed US$1.5 M option payments, enabling the company to earn an initial 65 % interest. “Pan American may earn an additional 10% by advancing the property to preliminary feasibility”.
  • Aloro Mining Corp. reported that Alamos Gold Inc. has resumed drilling exploration at the Los Venados project in Sonora. “Alamos’ current drill program is focusing on the high sulfidation gold mineralized area in the south, where gold mineralization was identified in Aloro’s initial drill program”. Alamos has the option to acquire a 70% interest on the property by incurring in US$5 M in exploration expenses, and certain cash payments over the course of three years.
  • Prismo Metals Inc. selected a drill contractor for the upcoming drilling campaign on its Palos Verdes property in Sinaloa.

ON MINING

  • Americas Gold and Silver Corp. reported production for the second quarter 2022, including figures from its Mexican operations. At Cosalá, in Sinaloa, 128 K Oz Ag, 3.9 M Lb Pb, 9.9 M Lb Zn were produced. The cash and cash equivalents balance at the end of the period was $8.8 M.
  • Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. reported its second quarter 2022 production results. A t the Avino mine, in Durango, 118.2 K tonnes were milled @ 65 gpt Ag, 0.46 gpt Au, 0.69% Cu, recovering 91% Ag, 78% Au, 92% Cu, to produce 225.5 K Oz Ag, 1,350 Oz Au, 1.64 M Lb Cu.
  • Empress Royalty Corp. announced it has received the first silver ounces from the silver stream agreement on the Tahuehueto mine, in Durango, owned by Alta Ley Mining.
  • Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. reported second quarter 2022 production results. At Zimapan, in Hidalgo, 200 K tonnes were milled @ 72 gpt Ag, 0.61% Pb, 2.05% Zn, 0.39% Cu, recovering 69% Ag, to produce 317.1 K Oz Ag, 1,043 tonnes Pb, 3,055 tonnes Zn, 568 tonnes Cu (914.5 K tonnes Oz AgEq).
  • First Majestic Silver Corp. announced production results for the second quarter 2022, including figures from its Mexican operations. Consolidated production on its three mines in Mexico, San Dimas in Durango, Santa Elena in Sonora and La Encantada in Coahuila, was 6.16 M Oz AgEq consisting of 2.75 M Oz Ag, 40,759 Oz Au. Silver recovery averaged 81% and gold recovery 93%. During the quarter 11 rigs were operating at San Dimas, six at Santa Elena and two at La Encantada.
  • Excellon Resources Inc. presented Q2 2022 production results from the Platosa mine in Durango. During the period 21.5 tonnes were mined, 23,550 tonnes milled, grading 449 gpt Ag, 4.19% Pb, 4.70% Zn, recovering 90.4% Ag, 75.5% Pb, 86.0% Zn, to produce 307.5 K Oz Ag, 1.64 M Lb Pb, 2.1 M Lb Zn. “As previously disclosed, the Company expects to wind down operations at Platosa during Q3 2022”.
  • Great Panther Mining Ltd. reported production results for the second quarter of 2022, including figures from its Mexican operations. At Topia, in Durango, 17.0 K tonnes were mined, 17.2 K tonnes milled, averaging 315 gpt Ag, 0.74 gpt Au, recovering 92% Ag, 64% Au, to produce 159.5 K Oz Ag, 260 Oz Au, 336 tonnes Pb, 480 tonnes Zn, or 266.9 K Oz AgEq. The Guanajuato Mine Complex is currently on care and maintenance. The company is in the process of divesting its Mexican properties.

ON FINANCING

  • Minera Alamos Inc. closed its non-brokered private placement for aggregate gross proceeds of $4.37 M. Minera Alamos intends to use the proceedings to advance the Cerro de Oro project in Zacatecas (Santana, Sonora).
  • Starcore International Mines Ltd. closed its non-brokered private placement, raising $1.2 M in gross proceeds (San Martin mine, Queretaro).
  • Benjamin Hill Mining Corp. has began trading on the OTCQB (Sonora Gold, Sonora).
  • Infinitum Copper Corp. closed the previously announced non-brokered private placement financing, with oversubscribed gross proceeds of $1.04 M (La Adelita, Sonora).
  • Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd. closed its equity financing of subscription receipts totaling US$ 10.72 M. The funds are on escrow management until the announced acquisition of Great Panther mining assets (Topia, Guanajuato Complex) in Mexico. GSilver has also signed a concentrate pre-payment facility term sheet with Ocean Partners, to provide US$5 M on financing towards the purchase price (El Cubo, Guanajuato).
  • First Majestic Silver Corp. entered into an equity distribution agreement with BMO Capital Markets and TD Securities, pursuant to which the company may sell through these agents common shares of the company as would result in aggregate gross proceeds of US$100 M, until June 18, 2023 (San Dimas, Durango).
  • Fabled Silver Gold Corp. closed the first tranche of a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of C$415 K (Santa Maria, Chihuahua).
  • Ranchero Gold Corp. filed a preliminary short form prospectus in connection with a proposed marketed public offering of up to $5 M (Santa Daniela, Sonora).
  • Prime Meridian Resources Corp. announced a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of up to $1.5 M. (La Verde, Sonora).
  • Gatos Silver Inc. provided its by-weekly default status report as ordered. “The Company believes that it will be able to file its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, and its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 in the second half of 2022” (Cerro Los Gatos , Chihuahua).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Prime Mining Corp. released results from step-out and infill drilling its Los Reyes project in Sinaloa. Highlighted true width (tw) core results at San Miguel East comprise 16.9 m @ 2.72 gpt Au, 130 gpt Ag; 2.6 m @ 1.24 gpt Au, 14 gpt Ag; 2.3 m @ 1.12 gpt Au; 6.1 m @ 4.86 gpt Au, 151 gpt Ag; 1.2 m @ 1.51 gpt Au; 2.6 m @ 1.88 gpt Au, 284 gpt Ag; 5.4 m @ 1.25 gpt Au, 67 gpt Ag. To date, Prime has drilled 83,235 m in 323 holes at Los Reyes. “Mineralization at San Miguel East consists primarily of white to grey crystalline to chalcedonic quartz, quartz breccia and stockwork exploiting 45-degree southwest dipping fault structures within or along the margins of rhyolite dykes that intrude both andesitic tuffs and rhyolite. Quartz is massive-to-crustiform, locally displaying colliform to bladed replacement textures”.
  • Pan American Silver Corp. released results from 22 new infill and exploration drill holes totaling 18,071 m at its La Colorada Skarn project in Zacatecas. Highlighted (spectacular) core length results comprise 292.5 m @ 234 gpt Ag, 0.09% Cu, 6.4% Pb, 5.7% Zn (including 97 m @ 654 gpt Ag, 0.16% Cu, 15.3% Pb, 11.4% Zn); 188.5 m @ 59 gpt Ag, 3.1% Pb, 4.8% Zn; 40 m @ 99 gpt Ag, 3.6% Pb, 4.5% Zn; 117.65 m @ 35 gpt Ag, 2.7% Pb, 3.9% Zn; 69.10 m @ 48 gpt Ag, 3.8% Pb, 4.8% Zn; 188.7 m @ 68 gpt Ag, 0.11% Cu, 4.7% Pb, 6.2 % Zn; 160.9 m @ 82 gpt Ag, 0.16% Cu, 3.7% Pb, 6.3% Zn. These intercepts define a silver rich zone, mineralization widths of up to 90 m and maintain several directions open for growth.
  • Tocvan Ventures Corp. completed the latest drilling stage with 1,382 m in seven holes at its Pilar project in Sonora. Metallurgical column leach tests by a non-certified assayer returned gold recoveries above 85%; previous bottle roll studies by SGS had returned between 90.6% and 91.6% Au recoveries.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Korea Resources through its subsidiary Minera Boleo announced the commencement of proceedings for a closing of its El Boleo mine, in Baja California Sur. This a as a result of the strike by the local miner’s union.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Discovery Silver Corp. released its 2021 Environmental, Social and Governance report. The report highlights $10.3 M in goods and services purchased to Mexican businesses, $4.9 M in salaries and benefits to local employees, and a total workforce of 154 that includes 67 employees and 87 contractors.

On the image below: All rocky outcrops in this picture are part of copper-gold bearing silicified structures on a project in the Sonoran Desert. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

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

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By Jorge Cirett

During the 27th week of the year (June 4th to July 10th, 2022), at least 26 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. To note, three companies posted exploration advances on their properties, one company poured its first gold and silver, one presented production results for the second quarter. Four companies reported on the opening or closing of financing rounds for a total of US$4.5 M and C$13.3 M, one company reported on a relevant investor share purchase. Five companies posted on work at its advanced properties, one company is to produce a PFS report and one other presented a NI 43-101 compliant report on reserves and resources of its recently acquired mine. One company informed on details of government resolutions on its mining concessions and an incoming indigenous consult.  One more company agreed with the Union representing its workforce on a profit-sharing scheme. The completion of the acquisition of a large silver property was announced.  ON MEXICO ISSUES, Mining companies on the BMV are resenting the lower prices on metals. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Tocvan Ventures released surface sample results from El Picacho. In Chihuahua, Golden Minerals reported drilling results from nine holes at Yoquivo. In Zacatecas, Zacatecas Silver released drilling results at the El Cristo project, within its Zacatecas Silver concessions. ON MINING, SilverCrest Metals reported the first pour of gold and silver on its Las Chispas mine in Sonora. Endeavour Silver presented Q2 production results. ON FINANCING, Sonoro Gold closed its oversubscribed financing for $3 M. Silver Viper Minerals closed the final tranche of the private placement raising $306 K. Guanajuato Silver increased its private placement to C$13.3 M.  ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Zacatecas Silver is to prepare a PFS on its Esperanza project in Morelos. Bear Creek Mining filed a NI 43-101 compliant report on reserves and resources for its Mercedes mine in Sonora. GoGold Resources released results from drilling at El Favor deposit on its Los Ricos North project in Jalisco. Vizsla Silver reported drilling results from the San Antonio vein at the Panuco project in Sinaloa. Torex Gold released results from resource expansion and exploratory drilling in the broader Media Luna area in Guerrero. Mithril Resources released drilling results from El Refugio at its Copalquin project in Durango. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Almaden Minerals has been notified its Ixtaca mining concessions in Puebla are “ineffective”, but the filing of applications made in conformity with the law. Newmont Corp. reached a profit-sharing agreement with the Union representing the workforce of its Peñasquito mine in Zacatecas. Endeavour Silver completed the acquisition of the Pitarrilla project in Durango.  ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Almaden Resources will participate on a pilot program conducted by United Nations Expert Group Resource Management and the Economy Secretariat on sustainable development. Grupo Mexico continues to work on cultural development of mining communities.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • Mining companies on the Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (BMV) impacted by lower metal prices. From the start of the year to now, Industrias Peñoles shares have fallen 21.7%, Fresnillo 23.2%, Frisco 16.9% and Grupo Mexico 8.9%. During the year the year gold has depreciated 5.2%, silver 18.2% and copper 21.6%.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Tocvan Ventures Corp. released surface rock sample results from its El Picacho project in Sonora. A total of 65 samples were collected at the Murcielago prospect, of which 14 returned values over 0.1 gpt Au. Selected results from the sampling program comprise 7.19 gpt Au, 36 gpt Ag, 4.3% Pb; 4.52 gpt Au, 197 gpt Ag, 0.17% Cu; 4.8% Pb, 7.1% Zn; 3.25 gpt Au, 66 gpt Ag, 1.6% Pb; 2.71 gpt Au, 25 gpt Ag, 1.9% Zn; 2.71 gpt Au, 12 gpt Ag, 1.6% Pb, 1.3% Zn; 2.18 gpt Au, 15 gpt Ag, 1.3% Pb, 1.1% Zn; 1.50 gpt Au, 176 gpt Ag, 1.2% Zn. The samples are from a brecciated dolomitic limestone unit along a 450 m long trend with historic artisanal workings showing significant lead and zinc mineralization with gold and silver, in Jurassic sedimentary rocks.
  • Golden Minerals Co. reported results from the first nine holes on the third drill program at its Yoquivo project in Chihuahua. Highlighted true width results comprise 80.1 m @ 0.89 gpt Au, 64 gpt Ag (including 8.2 m @ 3.93 gpt Au, 120 gpt Ag; which includes 2.2 m @ 10.21 gpt Au, 139 gpt Ag); 0.4 m @ 30.80 gpt Au, 5,260 gpt Ag; 4.2 m @ 0.16 gpt Au, 229 gpt Ag; 1.7 m @ 0.13 gpt Au, 355 gpt Ag. “This most recent drilling has focused on testing the Pertenencia vein system to extend the known mineralized strike length into previously untested areas. The Pertenencia vein has continued to return strong gold-silver grades, and the vein remains open to depth and to the north”.
  • Zacatecas Silver Corp. released results from drilling at El Cristo project, on its Zacatecas Silver property in Zacatecas. Highlighted core length intervals comprise 9.53 m @ 167 gpt Ag; 1.45 m @ 11 gpt Ag, 0.18 gpt Au, 0.5% Pb, 1.6% Zn; 0.8 m @ 94 gpt Ag; 1.08 m @ 90 gpt Ag; 0.65 m @ 1.2 gpt Au, 565 gpt Ag, 1.3% Pb, 2.7% Zn; 1.2 m @ 134 gpt Ag, 0.1 gpt Au, 0.2% Zn; 4.36 m @ 48 gpt Ag, 0.19 gpt Au, 1.5% Pb, 2.7% Zn; 0.5 m @ 20 gpt Ag, 0.23 gpt Au, 1.0% Pb, 17.5% Zn. The epithermal intermediate sulfidation system at El Cristo crops out within a dilational zone that is at least 4 km long and up to 600 m wide.

ON MINING

  • SilverCrest Metals Inc. reported the first pour of silver and gold at Las Chispas mine, in Sonora. The plant commissioning is on track to reach its 1,250 tonnes per day capacity. “The plant started in late May 2022 and milled an estimated 12,700 tonnes of low-grade ore during June 2022”.
  • Endeavour Silver Corp. presented second quarter production results of 1.36 M Oz Ag, 9,289 Oz Au, or 2.1 M Oz AgEq. At Guanaceví, in Durango, 94 K tonnes were processed at 1,045 tonnes per day (tpd), grading 465 gpt Ag, 1.37 gpt Au, recovering 85.0% Ag, 88.9% Au, to produce 1.19 M Oz Ag, 3,680 Oz Ag. At Bolañitos, in Guanajuato, 107.3 K tonnes were processed at 1,193 tpd, averaging 54 gpt Ag, 1.77 gpt Au, recovering 88.6% Ag, 91.8% Au, to produce 165 K Oz Ag, 5,609 Oz Au. On other developments: Recent drilling has intercepted high-grade gold and silver at Guanceví; Drilling continued to intersect high-grade mineralization on the La Colorada structure at Parral, in Chihuahua; In the coming months the company expects to make a formal construction decision on La Terronera, in Jalisco.    

ON FINANCING

  • Sonoro Gold Corp. closed an oversubscribed non-brokered private placement for aggregate gross proceeds of $3 M (Cerro Caliche, Sonora).
  • Starcore International Mines Ltd. approved a non-brokered private placement in July 4, 2022, to raise up to $1.2 M in gross proceeds. On the next day Starcore reported the closing of the placement confirming $1.2 M in gross proceeds (El Creston, Sonora; San Martin, Queretaro).
  • Sonoro Gold Corp. informed that R. Stuart Angus reported the acquisition in June of $485 K in shares of Sonoro Gold, operation after which he owns 9.95 M shares and 8.35 M warrants of the corporation, representing 7.1% of the outstanding shares on a non-diluted basis and 12.4% on a partially diluted basis (Cerro Caliche, Sonora).
  • Silver Viper Minerals Corp. closed the final tranche of its non-brokered private placement for aggregate gross proceeds of $306 K (La Virginia, Sonora).
  • Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd. expanded the size of its previously announced brokered private placement to C$13.3 M with the option to increase the financing an additional 15%. (Topia, Durango; El Cubo, Guanajuato).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Zacatecas Silver Corp. announced the engagement of Palaris Ltd. to lead a pre-feasibility study (PFS) on the Esperanza project in Morelos.
  • Oroco Resource Corp. resumed drilling at its Santo Tomas project in Sinaloa. Operations started at the end of federal military operations in the area. “Core logging and assaying have continued during the period of drill stoppage, with an improvement in methods of handling and analysis, thereby better preparing the geological team for an increase in the rate of core processing”.
  • Bear Creek Mining Corp. filed a NI 43-100 compliant technical report on its Mercedes mine, in Sonora. The report provides a mineral reserves and resources estimate to December 31, 2021.
  • GoGold Resources Inc. released results from six holes from El Favor East deposit at its Los Ricos North project in Jalisco. Highlighted core length intercepts comprise 18.8 m @ 0.62 gpt Au, 156 gpt Ag (including 7.4 m @ 1.50 gpt Au, 344 gpt Ag); 11.4 m @ 0.37 gpt Au, 90 gpt Ag; 4.5 m @ 0.27 gpt Au, 76 gpt Ag; 2.8 m @ 0.36 gpt Au, 76 gpt Ag; 2.0 m @ 0.37 gpt Au, 127 gpt Ag; 1.8 m @ 0.24 gpt Au, 138 gpt Ag; 2.2 m @ 0.80 gpt Au, 227 gpt Ag; 9.3 m @ 0.64 gpt Au, 155 gpt Ag (including 0.7 m @ 5.23 gpt Au, 1,196 gpt Ag); 0.7 m @ 4.34 gpt Au, 1,295 gpt Ag.
  • Vizsla Silver Corp. reported results from seven holes on the San Antonio vein of the Cordon de Oro corridor at its Panuco project in Sinaloa. Highlighted true width intercepts comprise 6.40 m @ 5.76 gpt Au, 621 gpt Ag (including 0.57 m @ 34.2 gpt Au, 2,940 gpt Ag); 6.0 m @ 0.37 gpt Au, 124 gpt Ag; 4.89 m @ 0.60 gpt Au, 122 gpt Ag; 7.50 m @ 1.15 gpt Au, 213 gpt Ag; 3.15 m @ 2.29 gpt Au, 549 gpt Ag; 4.20 m @ 1.19 gpt Au, 202 gpt Ag; 2.0 m @ 4.75 gpt Au, 355 gpt Ag; 2.01 m @ 1.29 gpt Au, 226 gpt Ag.
  • Torex Gold Resources Inc. released results from resource expansion and exploratory drilling completed in the broader Media Luna area in Guerrero. The work extends mineralization to the south and west of the EPO deposit and identified a potential new zone of mineralization between the Media Luna deposit and the Media Luna West target. Highlighted true width results comprise 9.73 m @ 8.51 gpt Au, 33 gpt Ag, 1.57% Cu; 17.25 m @ 4.18 gpt Au, 25 gpt Ag 1.74% Cu; 35.63 m @ 2.05 gpt Au, 30 gpt Ag, 1.05% Cu; 16.48 m @ 8.70 gpt Au, 4 gpt Ag, 0.54% Cu; 6.31 m @ 4.00 gpt Au, 19 gpt Ag, 0.78% Cu; 5.10 m @ 2.79 gpt Au, 9 gpt Ag, 0.27% Cu. Infill, step-out, exploration, ore control and definition drilling budgeted includes $19 M at Media Luna, $6 M at ELG Underground, $9 M in near mine and regional and $5 M in definition and grade control in the ELG open pit and underground. “The Media Luna deposit is hosted within the Mesozoic carbonate-rich Morelos Platform, which has been intruded by Paleocene stocks, sills, and dykes of granodioritic to tonalitic composition. Skarn-hosted gold-silver-copper mineralization is developed within the sedimentary rocks along the contacts of intrusive rocks as well as within altered dykes of the skarn envelope….Mineralization at Media Luna is hosted in skarn that developed at the contact of the intrusive granodiorite and overlying sedimentary rocks. The skarn is characterized by a mineral assemblage of pyroxene, garnet, and magnetite. Metal deposition and sulfidation occurred during retrograde alteration and is associated with a mineral assemblage comprising amphibole, phlogopite, chlorite, and calcite ± quartz ± epidote as well as variable amounts of magnetite and sulfides, primarily pyrrhotite. Additional mineralization is associated with skarn developed within and along dykes and sills above the main granodiorite intrusion”.
  • Mithril Resources Ltd. released drilling results from deep drilling at El Refugio, at its Copalquin project in Durango. Highlighted core length results comprise 5.67 m @ 4.37 gpt Au, 174 gpt Ag (including 1.67 m @ 9.64 gpt Au, 399 gpt Ag); 1.0 m @ 1.68 gpt Au, 67 gpt Ag; 1.0 m @ 1.27 gpt Au, 46 gpt Ag; 0.50 m @ 2.13 gpt Au, 118 gpt Ag; 0.90 m @ 1.04 gpt Au, 11 gpt Ag.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Almaden Minerals Ltd. informed the Ministry of Economy has officially notified Almaden that the company’s mining concessions titles relating to the Ixtaca project in Puebla are “ineffective”, but that the title applications were filed in conformity with the law. This is understood to mean that “the mineral title has reverted to application status, and that these applications preserve the mineral rights for Almaden but do not allow the Company to engage in exploration, until such time as Economia completes its court-ordered indigenous consultation in the area covered by the mineral title applications”. Almaden also announced that the environmental permit application will be submitted once the Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) and the indigenous consultation process are finalized.
  • Newmont Corp. announced it has reached a profit-sharing agreement with the Union at its Peñasquito mine in Zacatecas. Newmont will pay its unionized workforce an uncapped profit-sharing bonus up to 10%, “with an immediate cost equivalent of $70 million, which is representative of the payments related to 2021 results”.
  • Endeavour Silver Corp. announced the completion of its acquisition of the Pitarrilla project in Durango. The deal involved the bought of $70 M in shares from Silver Standard Ventures Inc. subsidiary (SSR Durango S.A. de C.V.) and a further 1.25% NSR on Pitarrilla. Endeavour plans to invest $1.8 M for drilling and exploration to verify the historical data and define a current resource in 2022.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Almaden Minerals Ltd. reported the Ixtaca project in Puebla was selected to be included in a pilot project conducted by the United Nations Expert Group Resource Management (UNRMS) in coordination with Mexico’s Ministry of Economy (Secretaría de Economía). The UNRMS “considers a range of socio-economic, technological, and knowledge factors that are important for the sustainable development of each project”.
  • Grupo Mexico continues with its support for cultural development of the mining communities. This week the Orchestras and Choruses from Buenavista and La Caridad made a presentation in Hermosillo, Sonora, along with other cultural institutions and organizations, under the event “El Cobre Hecho Arte”.

On the image below: Weathered monzonite porphyry on a project in the Sonoran Desert. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Second Week of June, 2022

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By Jorge Cirett

During the 23rd week of the year (June 6th to June 12th, 2022), at least 11 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. This number reflects the summer decrease in press releases with one of the lowest numbers recorded since 2015 (the lowest being 9); notably, news in shares/financing were more than half of the total. There was no relevant news in the Mining and Resources and Development sections. To note, two companies posted exploration advances on their properties, two companies are to undertake financing rounds for up to $3 M and C$2 M, two companies increased/closed oversubscribed financing rounds to C$3.4 M and C$4 M, one company was upgraded to the OTCQX Best Market, one other cashed in a warrants exercise for C$18 M. A royalties company already with business in Mexico made an agreement on one other property. One company posted on metallurgical results on its property.  ON MEXICO ISSUES, The Instituto Politecnico Nacional celebrated the careers of five of its graduates on the Mexican mining industry. The Sonora Mining Cluster is hosting the Fifth International Forum on Full Safety. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Tocvan Ventures presented drill results from Pilar; Benjamin Hill Mining released drilling results from the Sonora Copper zone at its Sonora Gold project. ON MINING, no relevant news. ON FINANCING, Silver Viper and Sonoro Gold are to undertake non-brokered private placements to raise up to $3 M and C$2 M respectively. Aztec Minerals closed a non-brokered oversubscribed private placement for CAD$3.4 M. Reyna Silver increased the size of its private placement from C$3 M to C$4 M. Prime Mining informed on its upgrading to the OTCQX Best Market. Discovery Silver informed that the exercise of warrants resulted in C$18 M in gross proceeds. Orogen Royalties reported positive metallurgical results from tests at its San Javier project in Sonora.  ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Barksdale Resources released positive metallurgical results from its San Javier project in Sonora. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, no relevant news.  ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, no relevant news.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • The Instituto Politecnico Nacional (IPN) recognized the professional lifework on the Mexican mining industry of five of its graduates: Sergio Almazan Esqueda (current AIMMGM president),  Jaime Gutiérrez (current Camimex president), Karina Neri (Mining concession manager at Peñoles), Marco Gustavo Monroy (Centro de Estudios, Servicios y Consultorías Ambientales) and Armando Alatorre (current Colegio de Ingenieros de Minas, Metalurgistas y Geólogos de México president).
  • The Sonora Mining Cluster is hosting in Hermosillo, Sonora, the Fifth International Forum on Full Safety in Mining (Quinto Foro Internacional de Seguridad Integral en Minería), during June 23 and 24, 2022.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Tocvan Ventures Corp. presented drill results for two more reverse circulation holes at its Pilar project in Sonora. Both holes targeted parallel trends to the Main zone. Highlighted hole-length intervals on one hole comprise 54.9 m @ 0.3 gpt Au, 5 gpt Ag (including 13.7 m @ 0.6 gpt Au, 13 gpt Ag and 9.2 m @ 0.6 gpt Au, 3 gpt Ag). The other hole did not intercept relevant gold mineralization. ”Three zones of mineralization have been identified ….. the Main Zone, North Hill and 4-Trench. Structural features and zones of mineralization within the structures follow an overall NW-SE trend of mineralization. Over 24,200 m of drilling have been completed to date”. 
  • Benjamin Hill Mining Corp. released further drilling results from the Sonora Copper zone at its Sonora Gold project in Sonora. “The Sonora Copper quartz breccia vein system consists of two major sub-parallel veins …… Outcrops of the Sonora Copper vein system have been mapped over a surface length of approximately 850 m ….. The vein structures are composed of quartz with barite, sulfides and primary oxides …. The veins are hosted in granitoids and volcano-sedimentary rocks, with a close relationship to porphyry dikes”. Highlighted core length intervals comprise 1.45 m @ 0.62% Cu, 4.2 m @ 0.52% Cu (including 1.7 m @ 0.5% Cu, 1.08 gpt Au); 8.7 m @ 0.58% Cu (including 1.85 m @ 1.77% Cu, 0.25 gpt Au and 1.25 m @ 0.4% Cu, 0.49 gpt Au). The presence of a porphyry copper system at depth is suggested by historical magnetometry surveys by the SGM, induced polarization anomalies along wide structures kilometers in length on a geophysical survey completed this year and the high copper, gold, molybdenum and bismuth numbers on geochemical samples and core.

ON MINING

  • No Relevant News.

ON FINANCING

  • Silver Viper Minerals Corp. intends to undertake a non-brokered private placement financing to raise up to $3 M in gross proceeds (La Virginia, Sonora).
  • Sonoro Gold Corp. is to undertake a non-brokered private placement to raise up to C$2 M (Cerro Caliche, Sonora).
  • Aztec Minerals Corp. closed an oversubscribed CAD$3.4 M non-brokered private placement equity financing. Alamos Gold Inc. participated with CAD$2.4 M, after which Alamos holds a security percentage of 9.9% of shares on an undiluted basis, and 18% on a partially diluted basis, assuming the exercise of warrants (Cervantes, Sonora).
  • Reyna Silver Corp. increased the size of its previously announced private placement from C$3 M to C$4 M (Guigui and Batopilas, Chihuahua).
  • Prime Mining Corp. reported that the company has been upgraded and qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market from the OTCQB Venture Market (Los Reyes, Sinaloa).
  • Discovery Silver Corp. announced that exercise of purchase warrants resulted in gross proceeds of C$18 M. Mr. Eric Sprott owns, through 2176423 Ontario Ltd., 26.2% of outstanding shares on a non-diluted basis and 27.3.% on a partially diluted basis (Cordero, Chihuahua).
  • Orogen Royalties Inc. signed an agreement with Advanced Lithium Corp. to purchase 3% net smelter royalties on three prospective mineral licences in the Lake Victoria gold fields in western Kenya. “Upon closing of the Agreement, Orogen will pay Advance US$120,000 for the Royalties and transfer its interest in the Sarape Gold project to Advance. Orogen will retain a 1.5% net smelter return royalty on the Sarape project” (Sarape, Sonora).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Barksdale Resources Corp. reported positive results from the first phase of metallurgical test work at the San Javier project in Sonora. The study by McClelland Labs Inc. envisaged eight column tests on one inch material from four large diameter diamond core holes drilled on late summer of 2021. Oxide dominant samples had recoveries between 77% and 93% of acid soluble copper and between 72% and 89% for acid and cyanide soluble copper, with recovery still increasing after the 120 days of column tests. Significantly, acid agglomeration does not increase copper recovery, pointing to a favorable net acid consumption of approximately 2 to 3 kg per tonne.  

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • No Relevant News.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • No Relevant News.

On the image below: Quartz-specularite-barite vein in the Sonora Desert. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Fourth Week of May, 2022

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By Jorge Cirett

During the 21st week of the year (May 23rd to May 29th, 2022), at least 25 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. To note, six companies posted exploration advances on their properties, one released first quarter 2022 reports, one announced the commissioning commencement on its project, one updated on a merger, one on the significant ownership by one investor, one on the compliance to issue by-weekly reports until its management cease trade order is lifted, three released drilling results from their advanced projects and one commissioned a company to prepare a resource estimate for its property.  ON MEXICO ISSUES, SEMARNAT, the Mexican environmental agency, voiced its support for anti-mining organizations in Morelos. A miner’s Union has taken legal steps to get back to previous profit-sharing schemes by mining companies. The president of Mexico expressed the likelihood of its government going to court to stop a company from mining limestone in Quintana Roo. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Benjamin Hill Mining released results from drilling at its Sonora Gold property; Ranchero Gold updated on exploration at Santa Daniela; Silver Spruce Resources is preparing ground for drilling at Diamante; Tocavan Ventures released drill results from Pilar. In Nayarit, Sierra Madre Gold and Silver released results from drilling at La Tigra. In Veracruz, Azucar Minerals completed the first hole near the center of a large target at El Cobre. ON MINING, SilverCrest Metals announced the completion of construction of the processing plant at Las Chispas, in Sonora. Magna Gold presented its Q1 2022 operating and financial report. ON FINANCING, Sailfish Royalty received a lead order commitment in its path to create a silver exploration company starting with the Gavilanes project in Durango.  Eric Sprott owns 26.2% of outstanding shares of Discovery Silver. Gatos Silver is providing a by-weekly default status report.  ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Avino Silver & Gold Mines released drill results from the Oxide Tailings project at Avino, Durango. GR Silver released results from underground drilling at Plomosas, in Sinaloa. Sonoro Gold reported results from drilling at Cerro Caliche, in Sonora. Barksdale Resources engaged a company for the elaboration of the resource estimate at San Javier, in Sonora. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Sierra Madre Gold and Silver signed an agreement with First Majestic to acquire La Guitarra, in Estado de Mexico. Bear Creek Mining has been placed on the default list by the British Columbia Securities Commission, on concerns regarding the credentials of consultants that signed a technical report on the Mercedes mine, in Sonora. Discovery Silver updated on activities at Cordero, in Chihuahua.  ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, no relevant news.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • SEMARNAT, the Mexican environmental agency, pointed that it backs those against mining projects in Morelos. This statement was done regarding Alamos Gold’s Esperanza project near Temixco, in the process of acquisition by Zacatecas Silver Corp.. The agency stressed that the Mexican government maintains its commitment to not authorize any new open pit development in the country, based on ideological ideas (No mention was done whatsoever about the project complying or not with the law).
  • The Union “Sindicato Nacional Minero Metalúrgico FRENTE” informed on legal procedures taken by the organization to fight for the 10% of profits that previously were distributed among the workforce of mining companies in Mexico, same that were recently capped at three months of salary per worker.
  • The president of Mexico, Andrés M. López Obrador, stated that Mexico will take Vulcan Materials, a company mining limestone in Quintana Roo, to court if necessary. The company has stated in the past that it has all the needed permits for its operations.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Benjamin Hill Mining Corp. released results from diamond drilling at its Sonora Gold project in Sonora. A total of 34 holes were completed covering 5,800 m on seven targets in the 6,400 hectares property. Assays have been received for the first 20 holes. Highlighted intervals from the Sonora Copper area comprise 28.2 m @ 0.42% Cu (interval that includes 16 m @ 0.3 gpt Au; 3.5 m @ 26 gpt Ag; 1.44 m @ 2.99% Cu, 0.664 gpt Au, 103 gpt Ag) and 9.21 m @ 0.92% Cu (including 5.36 m @ 1.7% Cu, 1.95 gpt Au, 44 gpt Ag) in one hole; and 20.55 m @ 0.55% Cu (including 2 m @ 1.05% Cu, 0.379 gpt Au, 18 gpt Ag; 3.96 m @ 1.12%) in a second hole. Highlighted intervals from other areas comprise 1.2 m @ 0.43% Cu, 1.52 gpt Au; 0.90 m @ 0.14% Cu, 1.73 gpt Au; 0.60 m @ >10% Cu, 2.11 gpt Au, 52 gpt Ag).
  • Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd. announced results from the three first holes of its drilling program at La Tigra project, Nayarit. Highlighted core length intervals (interpreted as 90% of the core interval) comprise 9.0 m @ 0.46 gpt Au, 9 gpt Ag; 6.60 m @ 0.49 gpt Au, 6 gpt Ag; 5.10 m @ 2.21 gpt Au, 24 gpt Ag; 32.0 m @ 1.00 gpt Au, 4 gpt Ag (including 4.0 m @ 3.03 gpt Au and 4.45 m @ 2.72 gpt Au, 7 gpt Ag). An application was filed for a new 1,653 ha claim to the west of La Tigra, named Sabra.
  • Ranchero Gold Corp. provided an update on exploration at its Santa Daniela concessions in Sonora. Machine-learning technology has been applied in the 2,220 hectares land package to identify 47 exploration targets, of which nine are high priority. Follow-up field visits are ongoing to Rincon, San Francisco and Yaqui Sur.
  • Silver Spruce Resources Inc. is preparing access trails and pads for its incoming 2,000 m reverse circulation drilling campaign at its 1,057 hectares Diamante project in Sonora. The drilling company it to mobilize to site next week.
  • Azucar Minerals Ltd. announced the completion of the first hole (1,280 m of depth) in a large lithocap target at El Cobre, in Veracurz. This area has been targeted for drilling based on a mineral vectoring study utilizing chlorite and epidote that indicates a fertile medium to large sized porphyry system, a coinciding deep IP geophysical anomaly, surface pyrophyllite, spectral mineral mapping and high crystallinity illite over the entire target. Drill hole results are pending. “The closest hole to this deep core IP anomaly, which did not test the anomaly, intersected intense quartz pyrite sericite (QSP) phyllic alteration which provides further support to this new target representing a possible porphyry centre”.
  • Tocvan Ventures Corp. released diamond drill results from its Pilar property in Sonora. An infill hole in the Main zone intercepted a core-length interval of 108.6 m @ 0.8 gpt Au, 3 gpt Ag (including 31.9 m @ 2.4 gpt Au, 2 gpt Ag and 9.4 m @ 7.6 gpt Au, 5 gpt Ag). As part of the Phase III program, nine drill holes totaling 1,562 m have been completed.

ON MINING

  • SilverCrest Metals Inc. announced that Ausenco Engineering Canada Inc. has completed the construction of the processing plant at Las Chispas in Sonora. The processing plant commissioning is now underway, and expected to reach commercial production in Q4, 2022.
  • Magna Gold Corp. released operating and financial results for the first quarter of 2022. At San Francisco, in Sonora, 7.3 M tonnes were mined with a strip ratio of 6.7:1, processing 1.4  M tonnes to produce 11,874 Oz Au at cash cost $1,675 per Oz Au and AISC at $2,467 per Oz Au. The San Francisco deposit has measured and indicated resources of 99.7 M tonnes @ 0.446 gpt Au, containing 1,430 K OZ Au and inferred resources of 11.4 M tonnes @ 0.446 gpt Au, containing 171 K Oz Au.

ON FINANCING

  • Sailfish Royalty Corp. has received a lead order commitment from Barnwell Investments LLC. in connection to the private placement contemplated as part of a combination transaction with Swordfish Silver. The proposed transaction includes a private placement of Swordfish shares for US$5 M. The goal of the proposed transaction is to create a silver focused exploration and development company, resulting in the transfer of Sailfish’s Gavilanes property in Durango.
  • Ontario Ltd., a company Eric Sprott owns, announced the exercise of warrants on Discovery Silver Corp. for an aggregate consideration of $7 M. As a result of the warrant exercise Mr. Sprott owns 26.2% of the outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis and approximately 27.3% on a partially diluted basis.
  • Gatos Silver Inc. is providing a by-weekly default status report in accordance with National Policy 12-203 – Management Cease Trade Orders. “The Company believes that it will be able to file its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, and its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 in the second half of 2022. The Company is also evaluating the material weaknesses in its internal controls over financial reporting related to the mineral reserve reporting errors”.

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. released results from 17 short holes drilled on its Oxide Tailings project at Avino, in Durango. “The 2022 drill program included 17 drill holes for a total of 209 metres of drilling”. The average of 90 m drilled on the sulphide zone of the tailings returned 0.34 gpt Au, 30 gpt Ag, whereas those from the oxide zone averaged 0.49 gpt Au, 41 gpt Ag on a total of 90 m.
  • GR Silver Mining Ltd. announced results from underground infill drilling at the Plomosas Project in Sinaloa. Highlighted apparent width intervals comprise 2.9 m @ 190 gpt Ag, 0.1% Pb, 0.1% Zn; 14.0 m @ 146 gpt Ag; 6.5 m @ 1,458 gpt Ag, 0.2% Pb, 0.2% Zn.
  • Sonoro Gold Corp. reported results from 10 holes completed at its Cerro Caliche project in Sonora. The highlighted core length results from the El Colorado and Buena Suerte zones comprise 21.34 m @ 0.557 gpt Au (including 3.04 m @ 1.52 gpt Au); 1.52 m @ 2.19 gpt Au; 7.62 m @ 0.72 gpt Au; 10.67 m @ 1.183 gpt Au; 4.57 m @ 1.09 gpt Au; 1.52 m @ 9.57 gpt Au; 28.95 m @ 1.021 gpt Au (including 3.05 m @ 2.706 gpt Au). Results from further seven drill holes at Las Abejas are pending.
  • Barksdale Resources Corp. engaged Independent Mining Consultants Inc. (IMC) to prepare a resource estimate and NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Cerro Verde copper zone on the San Javier project in Sonora. Approximately 30,000 m of drilling data will be utilized in the process to create the report. The resource estimate is expected to be delivered to Barksdale within the next 30 days.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd. signed an arm’s length definitive agreement with First Majestic Silver Corp. to acquire the 39,714 hectare La Guitarra property in Estado de Mexico. La Guitarra is a past-producing underground mine with an on-site process facility that operated until 2018. Historical measured and indicated resources in the property amount to 7.45 M Oz AgEq and inferred resources to 10 M Oz AgEq. Sierra Madre will issue to First Majestic 69.06 M of its common shares, for an aggregate value of $35 M. Upon completion of the transaction First Majestic will become the largest shareholder of Sierra Madre.
  • Bear Creek Mining Corp. has been placed on the default list by the British Columbia Securities Commission. This as a result of the BCSC’s concerns regarding the credentials of certain independent third-party consultants to act as qualified persons under National Instrument 43-101 in respect of certain chapters of the Aprill 22 technical report on the Mercede mine, in Sonora. “Bear Creek estimates that the Amended Mercedes Report will be filed within approximately 30 days”.
  • Discovery Silver Corp.released its financial results for the first quarter 2022 and an update on activities. The Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) work for the Cordero project in Chihuahua is to be delivered on the fourth quarter 2022, the metallurgical test work on sulfides is 60% complete, the reserve definition drilling is now complete, and the first of three open pit geotechnical drill holes is underway. More than 30,000 m of drilling are planned this year on resource expansion targets and the first ever drilling of five targets within 10 km of Cordero. Cash and cash equivalents by the end of the period was at $61.2 M

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • No Relevant News.

On the image below: Sampling of quartz-barite vein in the Sonora Desert. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

The Mining and Exploration News in Mexico: Highlights on the Second Week of April, 2022

/ Gambusino Prospector / Leave a comment

By Jorge Cirett

During the 15th week of the year (April 11th to April 17th, 2022), at least 30 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico. To note, nine companies posted exploration advances on their properties, six released first quarter 2022 reports, one updated on project work, six reported drill results on their advanced properties and one signed an exploitation agreement on a small scale mine. ON MEXICO ISSUES, Mexico’s president Andrés M. López Obrador warned he will change the mining law to make a government’s monopoly on lithium, if his Energy bill is not approved. According to Miner Deck, three of the top ten gold intercepts on the second week of April were drilled by companies working in Mexico. Six of the top ten silver intercepts were by companies in Mexico. ON EXPLORATION, in Sonora, Tocvan Ventures provided drill results on the Pilar project; Infinitum Copper released trench results at La Adelita; Silver Spruce had the preventive report approved for drilling at Diamante; Reyna Gold started drilling at La Gloria; Aztec Minerals finished the phase 2 RC drill campaign at Cervantes. In Chihuahua, Reyna Silver released drill results from Batopilas. In Nayarit, Sierra Madre Gold and Silver released drilling results from Tepic. In Guerrero, Pantera Silver reported drill results from Nuevo Taxco. In Zacatecas, Defiance Silver completed drilling at the Lucita prospect in its Zacatecas Silver project. ON MINING, Endeavour Silver, Fortuna Silver, Avino Silver, Golden Minerals, Great Panther and Torex Gold released first quarter 2022 reports. ON FINANCING, No Relevant News.  ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Prime Mining released drill results from Los Reyes, in Sinaloa. Silver Tiger Metals provided drilling results for El Tigre, in Sonora. Silverton Metals released RC drilling results from Peñasco Quemado, in Sonora. Vizsla Silver reported drilling results from the Animas vein corridor at Panuco, in Sinaloa. Endeavour Silver informed on drill results from the El Curso property at its Guanaceví mine in Durango. Fabled Silver Gold is planning phase 2 drilling at Santa Maria, in Chihuahua. SilverCrest Metals announced drill results from Picacho, in Sonora. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Galore Resources entered into an exploitation agreement with Oztoc Metal Corp for mining at the Duraznillo mine in Zacatecas.  ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, no relevant news.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

  • Mexico’s president Andrés M. López Obrador, warned that, “if Congress does not approve a constitutional reform on electrical matters next week….. he will push for a rewrite of the country’s Mining Law”. He stated that modifying the Mining Law requires simple majority (which he has), “to make lithium a mineral that belongs to the nation, to the Mexicans”.
  • According to Miner Deck, three of the top ten gold intercepts on the second week of April were from companies working in Mexico: Prime Mining (fifth) with 4.23 m @ 52.08 gpt Au at Los Reyes, in Sinaloa; Tocvan Ventures (eighth) with 116.9 m @ 1.2 gpt Au at Pilar, in Sonora, and Silver Crest Metals (tenth) with 4.7 m @ 20.86 gpt Au at Picacho, in Sonora.
  • According to Miner Deck, six of the top ten silver intercepts on the second week of April were by companies in Mexico: Endeavour Silver (third) with 7.46 m @ 2,067 gpt Ag at Guanaceví, in Durango; Prime Mining (fourth) with 4.3 m @ 1,008 gpt Ag at Los Reyes in Sinaloa; Defiance Silver (sixth) with 3.33 m @ 709 gpt Ag, Vizsla Silver (seventh) with 2.4 m @ 959 gpt Ag at Panuco, in Sinaloa; Silver Tiger Metals (nineth) with 23.8 m @ 95 gpt Ag at El Tigre in Sonora; Sierra Madre Gold and Silver (tenth) with 2.55 m @ 878 gpt Ag at Tepic.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Silver Spruce Resources Inc. announced the approval by SEMARNAT (Environmental authority) of the preventive report for drilling at the 1,057 ha Diamante property in Sonora. The program envisages 2,000 m of reverse circulation drilling starting in May, on the La Prieta, Aguaje, El Chon, El Chon Oeste, La Olla, Calton, El Cumbro, and Mezquite-Raizudo targets.
  • Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd. released results from seven drill holes of the phase II drilling program at the Tepic project in Nayarit. “Four of the holes are up-dip extensions from the previously defined historic resource area while three are strike extensions”. Highlighted core-length intercepts comprise 7.05 m @ 125 gpt Ag, 0.90 gpt Au; 3.2 m @ 194 gpt Ag, 1.36 gpt Au; 12.1 m @ 146 gpt Ag, 0.64 gpt Au (including 1.5 m @ 489 gpt Ag, 0.77 gpt Au); 2.25 m @ 48 gpt Ag, 0.90 gpt Au; 1.5 m @ 7 gpt Ag, 1.89 gpt Au; 4.6 m @ 156 gpt Ag, 1.20 gpt Au; 4.8 m @ 106 gpt Ag, 1.48 gpt Au; 2.55 m @ 878 gpt Ag, 3.04 gpt Au; 1.05 m @ 11 gpt Ag, 2.66 gpt Au. True widths estimated at 90% of core-length intervals.
  • Reyna Gold Corp. reported channel and dump sample results from the Sombrero target at its La Gloria property in Sonora. Highlighted results comprise 8.68 gpt Au, 0.56% Cu, 64 gpt Ag, 0.4% Pb, 0.1% Zn; 8.17 gpt Au, 0.34% Cu, 49 gpt Ag, 0.1% Pb; 2.84 gpt Au, 0.17% Cu, 36 gpt Ag, 0.3% Pb, 0.2% Zn. “Reyna has started drilling at El Sombrero and expanded the number of planned holes from an initial 10 to now 22 holes in the El Sombrero target as part of its ongoing 10,000-meter drill program, which now comprises of a total of 36 holes”.
  • Pantera Silver Corp. reported initial drill results from the Nuevo Taxco project in Guerrero. Highlighted true width (tw) results comprise 0.55 m @ 98 gpt Ag; 1.15 m @ 0.10 gpt Au, 48 gpt Ag; 1.6 m @ 98 gpt Ag; 1.3 m @ 96 gpt Ag; 0.8 m @ 82 gpt Ag; 1.85 m @ 0.09 gpt Au, 225 gpt Ag on the Negrilla vein and 5.05 m @ 0.30 gpt Au, 108 gpt Ag; 1.75 m @ 0.42 gpt Au, 7 gpt Ag; 1.00 m @ 0.41 gpt Au, 14 gpt Ag; 0.86 m @ 1.86 gpt Au, 35 gpt Ag; 1.25 m @ 0.51 gpt Au, 9 gpt Ag; 4.29 m @ 0.78 gpt Au, 9 gpt Ag on the Creston de Maria vein. This drilling campaign tested 630 m along strike on two veins of 21 in the property, with a combined longitude of more than 11 km.
  • Tocvan Ventures Corp. announced results from one core hole at its Pilar property in Sonora. Highlighted core length intervals comprise 116.85 m @ 1.19 gpt Au, 7 gpt Ag (including 48.05 m @ 2.81 gpt Au, 9 gpt Ag, which includes 10.20 m @ 12.04 gpt Au, 23 gpt Ag). This core hole is a twin form a reverse circulation hole that returned 94.6 m @ 1.6 gpt Au. Nine holes totalling 1,562 m have been completed of phase III drilling.
  • Reyna Silver Corp. released results from 19 holes totalling 7,964 m of its 10,000 m stage 1 drill program at Batopilas, in Chihuahua. Highlighted core length intervals comprise 9.35 m @ 3.38 gpt Au (including 3.65 m @ 8.18 gpt Au, which includes 1.65 m @ 12.75 gpt Au); 1.45 m @ 6.87 gpt Au (including 0.35 m @ 18.95 gpt Au); 5.40 m @ 5.68 gpt Au (including 3.65 m @ 8.18 gpt Au); 0.75 m @ 9.55 gpt Au; 1.8 m @ 4.06 gpt Au. Reyna Silver is doing more exploration work to define the extent of gold rich versus silver rich mineralization, and their relationship.
  • Aztec Minerals Corp. and JV partner Kootenay finished the phase 2 reverse circulation program with 26 holes totaling 4,649 m at Cervantes, in Sonora. Highlighted hole length intervals comprise 88.41 m @ 1.10 gpt Au (including 15.24 m @ 3.96 gpt Au); 108.2 m @ 0.37 gpt Au; 45.7 m @ 0.45 gpt Au, 167.20 m @ 1.00 gpt Au, (including 24.4 m @ 4.25 gpt Au); 136.8 m @ 1.49 gpt Au (including 51.68 m @ 3.42 gpt Au); 100.32 m @ 0.75 gpt Au; 12.2 m @ 0.92 gpt Au; 7.6 m @ 0.68 gpt Au; 54.72 m @ 0.88 gpt Au; 7.6 m @ 0.74 gpt Au; 86.64 m @ 0.50 gpt Au; 138.32 m @ 0.53 gpt Au; 132.2 m @ 0.43 gpt Au; 9.1 m @ 0.46 gpt Au; 152.4 m @ 0.97 gpt Au (including 33.5 m @ 2.05 gpt Au); 54.9 m @ 0.48 gpt Au.  The focus of the program was to “better define the open pit, heap leach gold potential of the porphyry oxide cap at California, evaluate the potential for deeper copper-gold porphyry sulfide mineralization underlying the oxide cap, test for north and west extensions of the California mineralization at California North and Jasper, and assess the breccia potential of Purisima East”.
  • Infinitum Copper Corp. released trenching results from La Adelita project in Sonora-Sinaloa. Trench 2 returned a true thickness of 9.15 m @ 16.45 gpt Au, 1.90% Cu, 3 gpt Ag. Three magneto-telluric lines have been completed at Las Trancas, with interpreted results pending. Surface samples from Andalucia and Cerro Potreritos have returned up to 5.49 gpt Au, 1.34% Cu, 139 gpt Ag. “Additional surface sampling at Pericos confirmed the presence of skarn mineralization on the west limb of the Cerro Grande anticline, 800 m to the west of the Cerro Grande zone” with samples up to 1.38% Cu, 77 gpt Ag, 1.31 gpt Au.
  • Defiance Silver Corp. informed in the completed 4,750 m drill program at the 2,674 ha Lucita property, on Defiance’s Zacatecas project in Zacatecas. This is the first drilling in the central Lucita asset currently under option from Pan American Silver Corp.. Highlighted core length intervals comprise 3.33 m @ 0.06 gpt Au, 709 gpt Ag (including 1.15 m @ 0.11 gpt Au, 1,604 gpt Ag); 0.94 m @ 0.11 gpt Au, 107 gpt Ag; 2.73 m @ 0.16 gpt Au, 102 gpt Ag; 3.48 m @ 514 gpt Ag (including 1.9 m @ 940 gpt Ag); 1.05 m @ 0.19 gpt Au, 317 gpt Ag; 4.09 m @ 0.10 gpt Au, 137 gpt Ag (including 0.6 m @ 0.28 gpt Au, 618 gpt Ag); 1.51 m @ 0.76 gpt Au, 192 gpt Ag. “The dominant silver mineralization consists of pyrargyrite-proustite, acanthite, and argentite hosted in polyphase quartz and calcite veins, breccias, and stockwork veinlet zones”.

ON MINING

  • Endeavour Silver Corp. reported first quarter 2022 production. At Guanceví, in Durango, 101.2 K tonnes were produced at 1,125 tonnes per day (tpd) grading 407 gpt Ag, 1.19 gpt Au, recovering 85.6% Ag, 89.8% Au to produce 1.13 M Oz Ag, 3,477 Oz Au. At Bolañitos, in Guanajuato, 104.9 K tonnes were produced @ 61 gpt Ag, 1.73 gpt Au, recovering 85.9% Ag, 89.6% Au to produce 181.1 K Oz Ag, 5,218 Oz Au.
  • Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. released production results for the first quarter 2022, including figures from its operations in Mexico. In San Jose, in Oaxaca, 250.9 K tonnes were milled at a rate of 2,918 tpd, grading 185 gpt Ag, 1.13 gpt Au, recovering 91% Ag, 90% Au to recover 1.36 M Oz Ag, 8,239 Oz Au.
  • Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. reported first quarter 2022 production results. At Avino, in Durango, 111.1 K tonnes were milled, averaging 50 gpt Ag, 0.29 gpt Au, 0.56% Cu, recovering 92% Ag, 77% Au, 89% Cu, to produce 164.4 K Oz Ag, 801 Oz Au, 1.22 M Lb Cu (457.8 K Oz AgEq). During the quarter the acquisition of La Preciosa project was completed, and drill results from La Potosina of up to 2.95 m @ 668 gpt AgEq were released. “Avino is completing its conversion to dry stack tailings”.
  • Golden Minerals Co. reported production for the first quarter 2022. At Rodeo, in Durango, 203.6 K tonnes were mined, 10.9 K tonnes stockpiled awaiting process, 88.6 K tonnes in low grade stockpiles 47.4 K tonnes processed at a rate of 527 tpd, grading 3.1 gpt Au, 11.6 gpt Ag, recovering 75.4% Au, 82.8% Ag, to produce 3,608 Oz Au, 13.9 K Oz Ag (3,787 Oz AuEq).
  • Great Panther Mining Ltd. reported production first quarter 2022 results, including figures from its Mexican operations. At Topia, in Durango, 16.3 K tonnes were mined, 16.2 K tonnes milled, averaging 362 gpt Ag, 0.84 gpt Au, recovering 92% Ag, 64% Au, to produce 173.7 K Oz Ag, 282 Oz Au, 365 tonnes Pb, 525 tonnes Zn (3,876 Oz Au Eq). The Guanajuato Mine Complex is currently in care and maintenance, while waiting for the CONAGUA (water use authority) tailings dam permit.
  • Torex Gold Resources Inc. released production results for Q1 2022. At its Limon-Guajes mine in Guerrero, 12,600 tpd were processed, 1,260 tpd mined from underground, 11,780 tpd mined by open pit, to produce 112,440 Oz Au during the period.  

ON FINANCING

  • No Relevant News.

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Prime Mining Corp. released drill results for 26 holes at its Los Reyes project in Sinaloa. A second high-grade ore shoot and the deepest mineralization to date was identified in Guadalupe East, with bonanza-grades found in 550 m step out from the inferred open pit boundary. True width highlighted results comprise 4.0 m @ 52.0 gpt Au, 1,008 gpt Ag; 0.6 m @ 7.62 gpt Au, 1,970 gpt Ag; 18.3 m @ 1.38 gpt Au, 39 gpt Ag; 14.1 m @ 1.12 gpt Au, 38 gpt Ag; 2.5 m @ 4.09 gpt Au, 103 gpt Ag; 7.5 m @ 1.47 gpt Au, 40 gpt Ag; 1.9 m @ 3.72 gpt Au, 370 gpt Ag; 1.0 m @ 1.57 gpt Au; 0.6 m @ 1.19 gpt Au, 9 gpt Ag; 2.8 m @ 1.38 gpt Au, 63 gpt Ag.
  • Silver Tiger Metals Inc. provided drilling results from its El Tigre project in Sonora. The seven drill holes targeted down dip under El Tigre historic workings at the North end, highlighted core-length intervals comprise 27.8 m @ 0.08 gpt Au, 18 gpt Ag; 1.0 m @ 0.09 gpt Au, 158 gpt Ag; 26 m @ 0.06 gpt Au, 25 gpt Ag; 2.1 m @ 0.23 gpt Au, 250 gpt Ag; 10.2 m @ 1.63 gpt Au, 6 gpt Ag (including 1.5 m @ 10.7 gpt Au, 23 gpt Ag); 1.2 m @ 0.04 gpt Au, 104 gpt Ag; 0.5 m @ 1.69 gpt Au, 101 gpt Ag; 23.8 m @ 0.19 gpt Au, 95 gpt Ag (including 2.3 m @ 0.94 gpt Au, 542 gpt Ag); 0.5 m @ 2.21 gpt Au, 1,200 gpt Ag. Underground rehabilitation is progressing at the historic El Tigre mine, with 215 m completed to date.
  • Silverton Metals Corp. released results from its step-out reverse circulation drilling at Peñasco Quemado, in Sonora. Highlighted hole-length intervals comprise 6.75 m @ 0.10 gpt Au, 46 gpt Ag; 1.00 m @ 75 gpt Ag, 0.37% Cu; 0.97 m @ 69 gpt Ag, 0.42% Cu; 5.10 m @ 27 gpt Ag; 11.30 m @ 54 gpt Ag (including 0.95 m @ 438 gpt Ag, 0.62% Cu); 3.74 m @ 47 gpt Ag; 11.85 m @ 17 gpt Ag; 19.70 m @ 27 gpt Ag; 5.30 m @ 46 gpt Ag; 54.10 m @ 23 gpt Ag; 6.45 m @ 73 gpt Ag; 7.45 m @ 26 gpt Ag; 10.30 m @ 31 gpt Ag; 5.60 m @ 42 gpt Ag. A total of 2,105 meters were drilled in nine holes.
  • Vizsla Silver Corp. reported results for 19 holes targeting the Animas vein corridor at its Panuco project in Sinaloa. Highlighted true width intercepts comprise 5.84 m @ 39 gpt Ag, 0.48 gpt Au, 0.2% Pb, 1.9% Zn; 3.09 m @ 84 gpt Ag, 1.30 gpt Au, 0.2% Pb, 0.3% Zn; 5.25 m @ 85 gpt Ag, 0.50 gpt Au; 1.14 m @ 121 gpt Ag, 2.21 gpt Au, 1.9% Pb, 3.2% Zn; 4.71 m @ 391 gpt Ag, 2.23 gpt Au, 1.5% Pb, 1.1% Zn; 7.13 m @ 39 gpt Ag, 1.16 gpt Au, 0.1% Pb, 0.8% Zn; 4.62 m @ 29 gpt Ag, 1.24 gpt Au, 0.2% Zn; 1.10 m @ 195 gpt Ag, 1.17 gpt Au; 5.66 m @ 124 gpt Ag, 0.98 gpt Au, 0.4% Pb, 1.3% Zn; 1.14 m @ 312 gpt Ag, 1.23 gpt Au, 0.1% Pb, 0.2% Zn; 1.00 m @ 622 gpt Ag, 2.75 gpt Au; 1.26 m @ 787 gpt Ag, 3.65 gpt Au, 0.2% Zn. Highlighted core length intervals comprise 2.40 m @ 959 gpt Ag, 5.97 gpt Au; 2.10 m @ 486 gpt Ag, 2.68 gpt Au; 0.95 m @ 113 gpt Ag, 4.85 gpt Au, 0.1% Pb, 0.3% Zn.
  • Endeavour Silver Corp. informed on high-grade underground drill results from El Curso property at its Guanceví mine in Durango. Highlighted true width results from the underground program comprise 2.09 m @ 0.92 gpt Au, 296 gpt Ag; 4.22 m @ 0.93 gpt Au, 428 gpt Ag; 7.26 m @ 0.84 gpt Au, 324 gpt Ag; 7.23 m @ 0.63 gpt Au, 323 gpt Ag; 1.34 m @ 1.30 gpt Au, 498 gpt Ag; 4.18 m @ 2.63 gpt Au, 857 gpt Ag; 7.46 m @ 5.83 gpt Au, 2,067 gpt Ag (including 0.47 m @ 56.50 gpt Au, 22,562 gpt Ag); 7.57 m @ 1.89 gpt Au, 975 gpt Ag; 6.26 m @ 0.60 gpt Au, 354 gpt Ag; 1.80 m @ 1.33 gpt Au, 814 gpt Ag; 13.12 m @ 0.74 gpt Au, 214 gpt Ag; 7.99 m @ 1.52 gpt Au, 262 gpt Ag; 1.87 m @ 2.36 gpt Au, 807 gpt Ag. El Curso property, covers the Santa Cruz vein “between Endeavour’s previously mined Porvenir Cuatro orebody and the Milache orebody currently being mined”.
  • Fabled Silver Gold Corp. is currently planning the phase 2 diamond drill program at Santa Maria, in Chihuahua. The Santa Maria veins were found in phase 1 drilling to be “mineralized breccias at the contacts or within diorite dikes”, which has led to the definition of five mineral/structural trends to pursue.
  • SilverCrest Metals Inc. announced results from drilling at El Picacho property in Sonora. This release covers 56,780 m in 247 holes (of a total to date of 68,200 m in 289 holes by SilverCrest). The focus of this campaign was to redefine and expand the Picacho Main vein historical resource of 364.4 K tonnes @ 8.54 gpt Au, 40 gpt Ag, containing 100 K Oz Au, 473 K Oz Ag defined in 2010 with only 14 holes and underground workings. The Picacho Main vein is 550 m long, 300 min depth, with an estimated true width of 2.4 m @ 5.42 gpt Au, 24 gpt Ag (Best tw intercept: 3.7 m @ 20.86 gpt Au, 73 gpt Ag); The Picacho Hanging Wall vein is 500 m long, 200 m in depth, 1.5 m in width @ 4.38 gpt Au, 38 gpt Ag (Best tw intercept: 1.3 m @ 42.3 gpt Au, 542 gpt Ag); The Picacho Hanging Wall 2 vein is 200 m long, 135 m in depth, 0.8 m in width @ 6.32 gpt Au, 46 gpt Ag (Best tw intercept: 2.8 m @ 11.9 gpt Au, 21 gpt Ag); The Picacho Hanging Wall 3 vein is 80 m long, 100 m in depth, 0.5 m in width @ 8.7 gpt Au, 450 gpt Ag (Best tw intercept: 0.8 m @ 10.71 gpt Au, 7 gpt Ag); The Picacho Footwall vein is 100 m long, 175 m in depth, 1.3 m in width @ 9.45 gpt Au, 16.1 gpt Ag (Best tw intercept: 1.7 m @ 37.09 gpt Au, 32 gpt Ag).  

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

  • Galore Resources Inc. entered into an exploitation agreement between Oztoc Metal Corp. S. de R.L. de C.V. to reengage the mining activities that the previous tenant, URBYASA was conducting at the Duraznillo ranch in Zacatecas. The five-year contract includes the Los Gemelos I and Duende 7 mining concessions. Galore will receive 30% of gross revenues and OZTOC is to keep 70% for development, production and profit from the Duraznillo mine.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • No Relevant News.

On the image below: Banded quartz-barite vein in the Sonoran desert. Picture by Jorge Cirett.

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

/ gambusinoprospectormexico / Leave a comment
Flow banded rhyolite

By Miguel A Heredia

During the 14th week of the year (April 04th to April 10th, 2022), at least 22 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico, and one news published by the media, with nine reporting resources and developments of their properties, seven informing on exploration results, five communicating production and financial results, one disclosing deals and corporate issues, and one discussing social issues. ON MEXICO ISSUES, no relevant news.  ON EXPLORATION, In Sonora, Silver Spruce reported the approval of an Informe Preventivo for its second drilling permit at its Mezquite project, Ranchero Gold released results from its inaugural drilling program at its Santa Daniela project, and Starcore presented results from its drilling program conducted at its Opodepe project. In Chihuahua, Mammoth presented results from three holes drilled at its Tenoriba project, and Reyna Silver announced results from its 8,000m phase 2 drilling program conducted at its Guigui project. In Durango, Silver Wolf released results from 88 samples collected at its Ana Maria project. In Nayarit, Sierra Madre commenced a maiden drilling program at its La Tigra project. ON MINING, Gatos Silver reported Q1, 2022 production results from its 70%-owned Cerro Los Gatos mine, Chihuahua. GoGold announced Q1, 2022 production results from its Parral Tailings mine in Chihuahua. Mexus completed an open pit test heap leach Au recovery process that produced 278 Oz Au from 6 test pits at its Santa Elena mine in Sonora.  Minera Alamos announced Q1, 2022 production results from its Santana mine in Sonora. Orla presented Q1, 2022 production results from its Camino Rojo project in Zacatecas. ON FINANCING, no relevant news. ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Vizsla reported that it filed on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) an independent technical report on its Panuco project in Sinaloa. Azucar Minerals commenced to drill test a large lithocap target discussed previously at its El Cobre project, Veracruz. GR Silver reported results from three underground drill holes collared at its San Marcial project, Sinaloa. Avino published results from 110 holes drilled on the oxide tailings project at its Avino property in Durango. Golden Tag released results from hole 22-64 drilled at its San Diego mine, Durango. Silver Dollar announced that phase 2 exploration drilling program is underway at its la Joya project in Durango. Silver Viper conducted a TITAN-MT deep-penetrating geophysical survey centered on the El Rubi deposit, Paredones, and El Molino target areas at its La Virginia project in Chihuahua. Starcore provided an update on the diamond drilling program conducted at its San Martin mine in Querétaro. Zacatecas Silver announced results from its ongoing diamond drilling program on the Panuco North and Panuco Central Veins at its Zacatecas project in Zacatecas state.   ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Sailfish provided an update on its previously announced Swordfish silver transaction (Gavilanes project, Durango).  ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, Esperanza Silver has a Community Engagement Plan to meet the objectives proposed by the New Socially and Environmentally Responsible Mining Model.

ON MEXICO ISSUE

  • No relevant news.

ON EXPLORATION

  • Silver Spruce Resources Inc., reported the approval of an Informe Preventivo by the Mexican government Environmental Authority (SEMARNAT) for its second drilling permit at its Mezquite project in Sonora. The second drilling program will consists of 1,500-2,500m of Reverse Circulation (RC), which include twenty-four new pads on the northern, northwestern and southeastern sections of the property.
  • Ranchero Gold Corp., released results from its 16 holes, Phase 1 inaugural drilling program at the Maíz Azul prospect within its Santa Daniela project in Sonora. All of the 16 holes intersected Au mineralization and were planned to drill test shallow-near surface mineralization. Highlights include hole MA22-10 with 4 g/t Au over 31.5m; hole MA21-14 with 1.2 g/t Au over 21.2m; hole MA22-25 with 1.2 g/t Au over 15.6m, and hole MA21-11 with 1.1 g/t Au over 21m. Mineralization remains completely open at depth since it was only tested at depths of 100-150m below surface. The company is currently designing a second phase of drilling. The plan of this drilling program is to expand La Colmena zone eastward, initiate drill testing of the X-structure target, initiate drilling of new targets identified by the on-going modelling, and start definition drilling. In addition, Ranchero Gold is also advancing its regional reconnaissance program on the entire property. The company has identified from a previous Aster study, nine high-priority targets that warrant follow-up field work. “Ranchero Gold will continue its field investigation in parallel with the work conducted at Maíz Azul with the objective of identifying new drill targets by year-end.
  • Mammoth Resources Corp., presented results from three holes drilled at its Tenoriba project in Chihuahua. The most significant mineralized interval was encountered in hole TEN-21-13 on the Moreno Zone with 0.98 g/t Au and 15 g/t Ag (1.18 g/t AuEq) over 37.5m, including 1.13 g/t Au, 21 g/t Ag, and 0.55% Cu (2.34 g/t AuEq) over 18m.
  • Reyna Silver Corp., announced results from its 8,000m phase 2 drilling program conducted at its Guigui project in Chihuahua. Drilling highlights include hole GG21-31 with 130 g/t Ag, 0.2% Pb, and 0.2% Zn over 2.62m, including 338 g/t Ag, 0.4% Pb, and 0.4% Zn over 0.7m, including 1,040 g/t Ag, 1.5% Pb, and 0.5% Zn over 0.18m, plus 54 g/t Ag, 2.2% Pb, and 9.9% Zn over 3.15m, including 128 g/t Ag, 3.7% Pb, and 16% Zn over 1.85m; hole GG21-30 with 233 g/t Ag, 0.02% Pb, and 0.02% Zn over 2.11m; hole GG21-31 with 105 g/t Ag, 4.9% Pb, and 0.6% Zn over 1.20m; and hole GG21-33 with 106 g/t Ag, 0.9% Pb, and 0.1% Zn over 4.51m. The company reported that the mineralized skarn footprint now exceeds 0.5km2.
  • Silver Wolf Exploration Ltd., released results from 88 grab samples collected at its Ana Maria project in Durango. Highlights include 246 g/t Ag, 0.03% Cu, 4.5% Pb, and 1.7% Zn; 578 g/t Ag, 0.03% Cu, 11.9% Pb, and 0.3% Zn; 442 g/t Ag, 0.04% Cu, 11.4% Pb, and 1.5% Zn; 163 g/t Ag, 0.04% Cu, 6.2% Pb, and 0.5% Zn; 168 g/t Ag, 0.01% Cu, 4.1% Pb, and 0.2% Zn; 1,227 g/t Ag, 0.06% Cu, 25.7% Pb, and 0.6% Zn; 309 g/t Ag, 0.03% Cu, 2.3% Pb, and 4.8% Zn; 1,306 g/t Ag, 0.09% Cu, 20.4% Pb, and 7.4% Zn; and 792 g/t Ag, 0.04% Cu, 16.9% Pb, and 0.6% Zn. Silver Wolf is waiting for the final geophysical data interpretation to better define drill targets for later this year.
  • Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd., commenced a maiden drilling program at its La Tigra project in Nayarit. This is the first ever drill program undertaken within the district and is focused primarily on areas defined by the ongoing trenching program. Trenching highlights include 1.22 g/t Au and 7 g/t Ag (1.3 g/t AuEq) over 11.6m, including 2.52 g/t Au and 10 g/t Ag (2.7 g/t AuEq) over 4.3m; 1.45 g/t Au and 9 g/t Ag (1.57 g/t AuEq) over 12.8m, including 3.22 g/t Au and 35 g/t Ag (3.69 g/t AuEq) over 5.3m; 1.59 g/t Au and 3 g/t Ag (1.63 g/t AuEq) over 24.2m, including 5.58 g/t Au and 4 g/t Ag (5.64 g/t AuEq) over 4.7m; and 1.78 g/t Au and 6 g/t Ag (1.85 g/t AuEq) over 22.9m, including 2.2 g/t Au and 7 g/t Ag (2.3 g/t AuEq) over 7.1m.
  • Starcore International Mines Ltd., presented results from its drilling program conducted at its Opodepe project in Sonora. The drill program consisted of 3,289.6 m in 25 short holes. Drilling highlights include hole OPDS-21-001 with 4.79 g/t AuEq over 6.73m; hole OPDS-21-018 with 2.3 g/t AuEq over 1.91m; and hole OPDS-21-021 with 1.96 g/t AuEq over 2.19m. The first stage of drilling was focused on the upper part of the veins and has been considered as recognition drilling. “However, in this year 2022, the drilling is focused on the zone of the veins which the geologists have considered as favorable zones to find economic reserves”.

ON MINING

  • Gatos Silver Inc., reported Q1, 2022 production results from its 70%-owned Cerro Los Gatos mine, Chihuahua. The company milled 234,985 tonnes of 353 g/t Ag, 0.3 g/t Au, 2.2% Pb, and 4.1% Zn at metallurgical recoveries of 89.7%, 57.1% , 89.2%, and 64.3% respectively, to produce 2.39M Oz Ag, 1.3K Oz Au, 10.3M Lb Pb, and 13.8M Lb Zn. Gatos reported over USD $40M in cash as of March 31, 2022.
  • GoGold Resources Inc., announced Q1, 2022 production results from its Parral Tailings mine in Chihuahua. The company produced 186,655 Oz Ag, 2,791 Oz Au, and 280K Lb Cu (455,991 Oz AgEq).
  • Mexus Gold US completed an open pit test heap leach Au recovery process that produced 278 Oz Au from 6 test pits at its Santa Elena mine in Sonora.  The company is looking for a mining company to joint venture with at its Santa Elena mine. Mexus believes that the property contains > 1M Oz Au. It stated that is open to also JV its Ures Au-Ag-Cu property in Sonora.
  • Minera Alamos Inc., announced Q1, 2022 production results from its Santana mine in Sonora. It mined 600K tonnes to produce 3,390 Oz Au. Cumulative Au recovery from mineralization under leach for more that 30 days is now approximately 75% with additional recovery ongoing. The company reported that the total of Au inventory moved to leach pad to date is 14K Oz. In addition, the company announced that site preparation activities were initiated at the Nicho Main Zone with a goal to start mining activities at that deposit later in Q2-2022.
  • Orla Mining Ltd., presented Q1, 2022 production results from its Camino Rojo project in Zacatecas. The company mined 684,255 tonnes and processed 539,379 tonnes of 0.8 g/t Au to produce 23,031 Oz Au. Gold guidance for the full year 2022 is maintained by Orla at 90-100 Oz Au.

ON FINANCING

  • No relevant news.

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Vizsla Silver Corp., reported that it filed on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR), an independent technical report containing a maiden mineral resource estimate on its Panuco project in Sinaloa.
  • Azucar Minerals Ltd., commenced to drill test a large lithocap target discussed previously at its El Cobre project, Veracruz. The lithocap target was outlined by several exploration techniques, including geophysics, mineralogy, geochemistry and past drilling campaigns at the property.
  • GR Silver Mining Ltd., reported results from three underground drill holes collared at its San Marcial project, Sinaloa. The most significant drill intercepts were encountered in holes SM121-07 with 201 g/t Ag, 0.02 g/t Au, 0.2% Pb, and 0.3% Zn over a true width (TW) of 3.7m, including 1,413 g/t Ag, 0.11 g/t Au, 0.9% Pb, and 1.3% Zn over a TW of 0.2m, plus 124 g/t Ag, 0.01 g/t Au, 0.1% Pb, and 0.1% Zn over a TW of 8.5m, including, 223 g/t Ag, 0.01 g/t Au, 0.1% Pb, and 0.1% Zn over a TW of 2.4m, including 553 g/t Ag, 0.03 g/t Au, 0.2% Pb, and 0.4% Zn over a TW of 0.5m. Results confirmed a significant expansion of high-grade Ag mineralization approximately 300m down dip below the lower limit of the pit-constrained San Marcial mineral resource. A two phase 4,500m drilling program is planned for 2022 at San Marcial to support future resource expansion and an updated NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate.
  • Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd., published results from 110 holes drilled on the oxide tailings project at its Avino property in Durango. The drilling program consisted of 3,645m. The drill density of the current program should be sufficient to upgrade most of the existing inferred mineral resources to the measured and indicated categories, and to potentially expand the resources. Selected highlights are shown below:
·        Golden Tag Resources Ltd., released results from hole 22-64 drilled at its San Diego mine, Durango. This hole is part of an exploration program targeting bulk-tonnage mineralization and encountered several mineralized intervals. Key highlights include 0.07 g/t Au, 45 g/t Ag, 0.1% Pb, 0.1% Zn, and 0.02% Cu (60 g/t AgEq) over 73.5m, including 0.45 g/t Au, 882 g/t Ag, 0.7% Pb, 0.8% Zn, and 0.17% Cu (980 g/t AgEq) over 0.91m, 0.31 g/t Au, 371 g/t Ag, 0.7% Pb, 0.4% Zn, and 0.07% Cu (441 g/t AgEq) over 2.80m, plus 0.24 g/t Au, 385 g/t Ag, 0.5% Pb, 1.4% Zn, and 0.05% Cu (482 g/t AgEq) over 1.80m, plus  0.2 g/t Au, 475 g/t Ag, 1% Pb, 4.9% Zn, and 0.15% Cu (734 g/t AgEq) over 0.53m (all in the 57 target zone); plus 3.64 g/t Au, 18 g/t Ag, 0.04% Pb, 0.1% Zn, and 0.01% Cu (317 g/t AgEq) over 0.60m (on the Montanez zone), plus 0.18 g/t Au, 212 g/t Ag, 1.8% Pb, 2.9% Zn, and 0.07% Cu (405 g/t AgEq) over 0.70m (on the Canta target area), plus 0.32 g/t Au, 355 g/t Ag, 0.5% Pb, 0.5% Zn, and 0.08% Cu (422 g/t AgEq) over 0.63, and plus 0.08 g/t Au, 286 g/t Ag, 0.2% Pb, 0.6% Zn, and 0.06% Cu (331 g/t AgEq) over 1.04m (On the Rata target area). This result extends the open pit mineralization for over 290m vertical.
·        Silver Dollar Resources Inc., announced that phase 2 exploration drilling program is underway at its la Joya project in Durango. Phase 2 drilling will remain focused on the underexplored Noria portion of the Property and new targets that were identified in the results received to date from the Phase 1 drilling program, which consisted of 11 holes for a total of 2,424 m of drilling. Assays for the first seven holes were reported and results for the remaining holes are expected shortly.
·        Silver Viper Minerals Corp., conducted a TITAN-MT deep-penetrating geophysical survey centered on the El Rubi deposit, Paredones, and El Molino target areas at its La Virginia project in Chihuahua, to assist in targeting for deeper portions of the mineralized system. The TITAN Magnetotelluric (MT) survey is capable of acquiring information from depths in excess of 1,500m below surface. Geologist of the company have reviewed preliminary 2D imaging from the first of the MT survey lines and believe the method will be very effective at La Virginia property. Silver Viper expects to receive final deliverables in the coming weeks.
·        Starcore International Mines Ltd., provided an update on the diamond drilling program conducted at its San Martin mine in Querétaro. A total of 9,410m were drilled in 2021 until the end of March, 2022 which focused on two areas of the mine:  the first focusing on the northwest part of the operating mine, and the second searching for the extension of the orebodies of high – grade discovered during the 30 years of the mine’s life.  Highlights on the area 33 include hole DC3221-10 with 7.36 g/t Au and 28 g/t Ag over 3m; hole DC3221-11 with 2.21 g/t Au and 26 g/t Ag over 8m; hole DC3221-12 with 16.27 g/t Au and 7 g/t Ag over 0.5m; and hole DC3221-15 with 12.2 g/t Au and 10 g/t Ag over 0.60m. Highlights on the area 28 include hole DC2820-214 with 2.14 g/t Au and 57 g/t Ag over 2.4m; hole DC2820-215 with 2.42 g7t Au and 21 g/t Ag over 2.95m; and hole DC2821-217 with 8.08 g/t Au and 15 g/t Ag over 2.15m.
·        Zacatecas Silver Corp., announced results from its ongoing diamond drilling program on the Panuco North and Panuco Central Veins at its Zacatecas project in Zacatecas state. Drilling highlights include hole PAN2022-042 with 1,423 g/t Ag and 0.28 g/t Au (1,440 g/t AgEq) over 1.25m; hole  PAN2022-044 with 353 g/t Ag and 0.29 g/t Au (379 g/t AgEq) over 4.35m; hole PAN2022-043 with 358 g/t Ag and 0.28 g/t Au (379 g/t AgEq) over 1.55m; hole PAN2022-046 with 201 g/t Ag and 0.28 g/t Au (222 g/t AgEq) over 1.05m; and hole PAN2022-045 with 115 g/t Ag and 0.85 g/t Au (179 g/t AgEq) over 5.96m. “Following the recent grant of 27 additional drill pads, Zacatecas Silver will be able to test the depth extension of mineralization at south-eastern Panuco North over a strike length of 600 m and to complete a maiden drill program along the central part of the Panuco North vein over a strike length of 1.4 km”.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

·        Sailfish Royalty Corp., provided an update on its previously announced Swordfish silver transaction. The proposed transaction is expected to result in the transfer of the Company’s wholly owned Gavilanes silver property located in Durango, Mexico. Closing of the Gavilanes Acquisition is subject to, among other things, Swordfish acquiring the Commonwealth Silver-Gold Project in exchange for shares of Swordfish, a concurrent private placement financing for proceeds of USD $5M.

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

·        Esperanza Silver has a Community Engagement Plan to meet the objectives proposed by the New Socially and Environmentally Responsible Mining Model. It has the objective of developing a gold and silver mine in the lands of common use of the community of San Agustín Tetlamam, located in the municipality of Temixco in the state of Morelos. “This new way of developing mining, prioritizing social bonding and the use of techniques that allow avoiding, minimizing, mitigating and compensating for environmental impacts, is due to the genuine interest of Esperanza Silver de México and Alamos Gold Inc. in responding to the demands of a society interested in caring for the environment and the social environment.”

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, flow banded rhyolite in Durango, Mexico.  Photo by Miguel A Heredia.