By Miguel A Heredia

During the 42^nd week of the year (October 18^th to October 24^th, 2021), at least 21 press releases were announced by companies working in Mexico and 14 news published by the media, with nine commenting on Mexican issues, six reporting resources and developments, six announcing financial issues, four communicating production and financial results, four informing on exploration results, four discussing social issues, and two disclosing deals and corporate issues.  ON MEXICO ISSUES, Governors of Guerrero, Chihuahua, and Durango showed their support for the mining industry during the inauguration of the XXXIV International Mining Convention in Acapulco. Jaime Gutiérrez Núñez, president of The Mining Chamber of Mexico (CAMIMEX) stated that the uncertainty will affect investments in the mining sector in Mexico. Tonatiuh Herrera Gutiérrez, Undersecretary of Promotion and Environmental Regulations of the Secretariat of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), warned that the agency will keep consultations on land use for the mining activity. Miguel Ángel Riquelme Solís, governor of Coahuila State and Grupo Mexico signed an agreement to regularize properties in the Carboniferous Region of Coahuila. The Mining Commission of the State Congress was installed in Sonora. Octavio Alvídrez, CEO of the Mexican precious metals Fresnillo plc stated that mining in Mexico currently has an “unfavorable” environment due to recent government policies. The Mexican Geological Service (SGM) will invest MXP $55.2M between this year and the next in the exploration of lithium. Karen Flores, director of the Mining Chamber of Mexico (CAMIMEX) stressed that due to lack of mineral concessions the mining industry in Mexico loses USD $25B. Sergio Almazán, president of the Association of Mining Engineers, Metallurgists and Geologists of Mexico (AIMMGM), highlighted the relevance of the mining industry for the country’s economy in the inauguration of the XXXIV International Mining Convention in Acapulco. ON EXPLORATION, In Baja California, One World Lithium announced that drill hole # 4 collared at its Salar del Diablo project, reached a total depth of 518m. In Sonora, Benjamin Hill reported that it has completed the location of 15 drill holes for the upcoming inaugural drill program at its Benjamin Hill project. In Nayarit, Sierra Madre released results of the first 11 trenches at its Tepic project. In Jalisco, Stroud provided an update of its 2021 Phase I drilling program conducted at its Santo Domingo project.  ON MINING, Excellon reported Q3, 2021 production results from its Platosa mine in Durango.  Mexus Gold announced a revenues increase at its Santa Elena mine in Sonora. Santacruz Silver announced Q3, 2021 production results from their Zimapan and Rosario mines located in Hidalgo and San Luis Potosi respectively. Sierra Metals reported Q3, 2021 production results from their Bolivar and Cusi mines in Chihuahua. ON FINANCING, Azucar Minerals granted stock options to a director to purchase 400K common shares at a price of $0.09 per share (El Cobre project, Veracruz). Barksdale provided an update regarding the secured loans that the company holds in Regal Resources (San Javier, Sonora). Canasil announced an initial non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of up to $500K and later on it increased to $650K with additional $150K via flow-through shares (Nora project, Durango). Heliostar closed the first tranche of a non-brokered private placement offering for gross proceeds of $1,300,225.50 (Cumaro project, Sonora). Xali announced a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of approximately CAD $500K (El Oro project, State of Mexico). ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT, Chesapeake announced that a 16 holes infill drill program will commence in November at its Metates project in Durango.  Discovery Silver reported an updated Mineral Resource Estimate on its flagship Cordero project in Chihuahua State. Fabled released results from three holes collared at its Santa Maria project, Chihuahua.  Golden Minerals presented results from 25 recently completed RC holes at its Rodeo property in Durango. Impact Silver released results from and underground development drilling program of its Guadalupe mine in the Zacualpan mining district in the State of Mexico. Silver Tiger announced high grade results from its ongoing drilling program conducted at its El Tigre project in Sonora. ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES, Minera Gorrión S.A. de C.V. , a subsidiary company of Almaden Minerals Ltd., announced the completion of a Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) for the Ixtaca mine development project in Puebla. One World Lithium announced the engagements of two new consultants (Salar del Diablo project, Baja California). ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, José Rosas Aispuro, Governor of Durango, highlighted that mining is synonymous with respect for human rights and has to be synonymous with respect for the environment. New Zealand Ambassador proposes to the Mexico mining industry to work with social inclusion and sustainability. The VP in Mexico of Torex Gold reiterated that its subsidiary Minera Media Luna is committed to the economic and social progress of the communities at the Guerrero mining corridor. Mulatos Mine of Alamos Gold, announced that it has reduced its lighting consumption by 70%, 10% in diesel and 25% in CO2 emissions.

ON MEXICO ISSUES

• Governors of Guerrero, Chihuahua, and Durango showed their support for the mining industry during the inauguration of the XXXIV International Mining Convention in Acapulco because it represents a lever for the economic development of the country. They promised to respect the rule of law to promote the investment in the sector that generates jobs and benefits to the communities where it operates.
• Jaime Gutiérrez Núñez, president of The Mining Chamber of Mexico Camimex stated that the suspension of new mining concessions as well as the effects of the possible approval of the electricity reform and the heavy tax burden is generating strong uncertainty in the mining sector in Mexico.
• Tonatiuh Herrera Gutiérrez, Undersecretary of Promotion and Environmental Regulations of the Secretariat of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), warned that the agency will keep consultations on land use for mining activity. Jaime Gutierrez Núñez, president of CAMIMEX responded that the companies affiliated to said organization do not oppose to the consultations on land use for mining activity, but emphasized that times should be established for conducting such consultations. Likewise, the Director of CAMIMEX, Karen Flores Arredondo stressed that “the rules of the game” must be clear and based on the General Consultation Law.
• Miguel Ángel Riquelme Solís, governor of Coahuila State and Grupo Mexico signed an agreement to regularize properties in the Carboniferous Region of Coahuila. This regulation agreement represents legal certainty for more than 400 families in the Carboniferous Region.
• The Mining Commission of the State Congress was installed, chaired by the deputy for Morena, Próspero Valenzuela Muñer to meet the demands and open a space for dialogue with the mining sector in Sonora. In that sense, he mentioned that it is important that said commission lays the foundations for the detonation of economic development and well-being in Sonora, taking advantage of the fact that this entity constitutes one of the main mining states in the country.
• Octavio Alvídrez, CEO of the Mexican precious metals Fresnillo plc stated that mining in Mexico currently has an “unfavorable” environment due to recent government policies. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has been criticized by the mining industry for his policy of not granting new concessions, as well as for what he has described as unprecedented regulatory delays. The president further fueled industry concerns by recently proposing to Congress a controversial energy constitutional reform that rejects concessions for Lithium.
• The Mexican Geological Service (SGM) will invest MXP $55.2M between this year and the next in the exploration of lithium  with a view to finding an economically viable deposit, informed its director, Flor de María Harp. Exploration work will be carried out in 52 areas during 2021 and in another 30 in 2022. She explained that the country needs hard data so that we are not talking about what we believe, imagine or assume, but about data that have a technical basis. The official insisted that in Mexico expectations have been generated around lithium that is not real, because there is still no hard data on the potential of the mineral.
• Karen Flores, director of the Mining Chamber of Mexico (CAMIMEX) stressed that due to lack of mineral concessions the mining industry in Mexico loses USD $25B with the consequent absence of jobs generation and the fiscal contribution. So far in this six-year term, no new concessions have been granted, in addition to the fact that there are procedures stopped that have also impacted on the continuity of some mining projects.
• Sergio Almazán, president of the Association of Mining Engineers, Metallurgists and Geologists of Mexico (AIMMGM), highlighted the relevance of the mining industry for the country’s economy in the inauguration of the XXXIV International Mining Convention in Acapulco. CAMIMEX, in its 2020 report stated that the industry currently generates around 408,000 direct jobs, plus almost 2 million indirect jobs. It means that many Mexican families literally live from mining. Mining activity stands out as the fifth earner of foreign currency to the country. He also highlighted that Mexican mining is a formal, modern, sustainable, safe, fiscally responsible industry, with competitive salaries and high quality standards.

ON EXPLORATION

• One World Lithium Inc., announced that drill hole # 4 collared at its Salar del Diablo project in Baja California, reached a total depth of 518m and that sampling has been completed between 331 to 338m and a second zone between 460 to 518m. Samples have been submitted to the lab and results will be released once are received.
• Benjamin Hill Mining Corp., announced that it has completed the location of 15 drill holes for the upcoming inaugural drill program at its Benjamin Hill project in Sonora. The goal of the drill program is to better understand the behavior of the mineralization at depth and drill-test the continuity of high-grade mineralization structures that are thought to be open down dip and on strike. 
• Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd., released results of the first 11 trenches at its Tepic project. Highlights include TZ005 with 68 g/t Ag and 0.3 g/t Au (91 g/t AgEq) over 10.5m; TZ011 with 39 g/t Ag and 1.06 g/t Au (119 g/t AgEq) over 10.1m,; and TZ 011A with 54 g/t Ag and 6.52 g/t Au (43 g/t AgEq) over 9.2m.
• Stroud Resources Ltd., provided an update of its 2021 Phase I drilling program conducted at its Santo Domingo project in Jalisco. Stroud has completed 14 diamond holes for a total of 5,725m with the aim to explore the extent of known vein-hosted silver mineralization that run parallel to the existing La Raya and Guadalupe vein systems. Sampling and assaying of the drill core has begun and results will be released once they become available.

ON MINING

• Excellon Resources Inc., reported Q3, 2021 production results from its Platosa mine in Durango. The company mined 21,592 tonnes and milled 21,302 tonnes of 526 g/t Ag, 4.9% Pb, and 5.4% Zn with metallurgical recoveries of 90.9%, 81.2%, and 78.3% respectively to produce 326.7K Oz Ag, 1.87M Lb Pb, and 1.98M Lb Zn (521.2K Oz AgEq).
• Mexus Gold US announced a revenues increase at its Santa Elena mine in Sonora. “Mineralized material run through the crushing circuit and placed on the heap leach pad is currently assaying at an average of 4.6 g/t Au and 8 g/t Ag. The company will begun a new round of blast hole drilling on October 18th. These efforts will produce 15,000 tons of high-grade gold material for processing through the crushing/leaching circuit”. These efforts indicate a potential 1.5M Oz Au resource on the property.
• Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd., announced Q3, 2021 production results from their Zimapan and Rosario mines located in Hidalgo and San Luis Potosi respectively. At Zimapan mine, Hidalgo, the company milled and processed 186,642 tonnes of 73 g/t Ag, 0.6% Pb, 2.53% Zn, and 0.35% Cu to produce 313.5K Oz Ag, 2.26M Lb Pb, 8.39M Lb Zn, and 1.1M Lb Cu (867.2K Oz AgEq). At Rosario mine, San Luis Potosi, the company milled and processed 2,306 tonnes of 41 g/t Ag, 0.15 g/t Au, 0.2% Pb, and 1.2% Zn to produce 2,548 Oz Ag, 8,960 Lb Pb, and 53.8K Lb Zn (5,698 Oz AgEq).
• Sierra Metals Inc., reported Q3, 2021 production results from their Bolivar and Cusi mines in Chihuahua. At Bolivar mine, Chihuahua, the company processed 364,941 tonnes of 0.61% Cu, 11 g/t Ag, and 0.1 g/t Au at metallurgical recoveries of 73.06%, 71.97%, and 73.23% respectively to produce 3.6M Lb Cu, 95K Oz Ag, and 899 Oz Au (796K Oz AgEq or 4.53M Lb CuEq). At Cusi mine, Chihuahua, Sierra Metals processed 61,071 tonnes of 161 g/t Ag, 0.18 g/t Au and 0.6% Pb at metallurgical recoveries of 82.63%, 55.89%, and 82.64% respectively to produce 261K Oz Ag, 193 Oz Au and 695K Lb Pb (306K Oz AgEq).

ON FINANCING

• Azucar Minerals Ltd., granted stock options to a director to purchase 400K common shares at a price of $0.09 per share, which expire on February 28, 2024 (El Cobre project, Veracruz).
• Barksdale Resources Corp., provided an update regarding the secured loans that the company holds in Regal Resources Inc. Regal owes approximately $1.8M to Barksdale. Regal has until October 24, 2021 to file a cash-flow forecast that needs to be reviewed and signed by its proposal trustee.  If Regal is unable to repay its creditors or fails to put forward a proposal that is accepted by the creditors, it will enter bankruptcy (San Javier, Sonora).
• Canasil Resources Inc., announced an initial non-brokered private placement of up to 4M units at a price of $0.125 for total gross proceeds of up to $500K. In addition to the non-brokered private placement the company will include up to 1M flow-through shares at $0.15 per flow-through share for a total of $150K. Canasil will use the gross proceeds from the non-brokered private placement to fund drill programs of their projects in Durango and Zacatecas (Nora and La Esperanza projects, Durango-Zacatecas).
• Heliostar Metals Limited, closed the first tranche of a non-brokered private placement offering of up to 5,714,285 units at a price of $0.70 per unit for gross proceeds of $1,300,225.50. Part of the gross proceeds will be used to advance their Mexican projects, focusing primarily on the proposed Cumaro drill program in Q4, 2021, as well as for working capital and general corporate purposes.
• Xali Gold Corp., announced a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of approximately CAD $500K. “Approximately CAD $250K of the gross proceeds will be used to further our permitting and targeting for drilling programs on our gold-silver projects and approximately CAD $250K will be used for working capital and general corporate purposes”  (El Oro project, State of Mexico).

ON RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

• Chesapeake Gold Corp., announced that a 16 holes infill drill program will commence in November at its Metates project in Durango. This infill program will consists of 6,700m with holes ranging from 250 to 650m depth, and will be drilled with the same orientation to maintain consistency with earlier drilling. “The infill drill program will further define the geological structural controls, expand drill density, and provide additional composite metallurgical samples for variability testing”.
• Discovery Silver Corp., reported an updated Mineral Resource Estimate on its flagship Cordero project in Chihuahua State. The company reported Measured + Indicated Resources for 541M tonnes with grades of  20 g/t Ag,  0.6 g/t Au, 0.3% Pb, and 0.5% Zn (48 g/t AgEq), for a total of 344M Oz Ag, 1.04M Oz Au, 3,424M Lb Pb, and 6,132M Lb Zn (837M Oz AgEq), and Inferred Resources for  108M tonnes of 14 g/t Ag, 0.03 g/t Au, 0.2% Pb, and 0.4% Zn (34 g/t AgEq) for a total of 49M Oz Ag, 99K Oz Au, 451M Lb Pb, and 909M Lb Zn (119M Oz AgEq). The Resource is pit-constrained with an estimated waste-to-ore ratio of 1.1 and is supported by 224,000m of drilling in 517 drill holes and reinterpreted structural and geological models of the deposit. 87% of the contained metal is in the Measured and Indicated category.
• Fabled Silver Gold Corp., released results from three holes collared at its Santa Maria project, Chihuahua. The most interesting drill interval was encountered in hole SM20-35 with 18.80m of 0.25 g/t Au, 9 g/t Ag (22 g/t AgEq), 0.2% Pb, and 0.5% Zn, including 0.50m of 1.1 g/t Au and 16 g/t Ag (73 g/t AgEq), 0.5% Pb, and 1% Zn, plus 1.65m of 1.93 g/t Au and 32 g/t Ag (131 g/t AgEq), 0.8% Pb, and 2% Zn. With these three holes concluded the Phase 1 exploration drill program and the plan now is to be focused on definition drilling to outline the previously discovered zones or trends. The company mentioned that Au is related to the northwest trending mineralized diorite dike encountered in present drilling. “The previous first modeled diorite dike was over 440 meters and now has been extended to a minimum of 1,000 meters in strike length and 400 meters at depth, open in all directions”.
• Golden Minerals Company presented results from 25 recently completed RC holes at its Rodeo property in Durango. The company has drilled 47 RC holes totaling 3,187m, focusing on resource expansion and exploration of several targets located adjacent to the open pit. Highlights from the RC drill program include hole RRC_021_018 with 1 g/t Au and 5 g/t Ag over 54m, including 2.3g/t Au and 5 g/t Ag over 18m; RRC_021_020 with 1.7g/t Au and 12 g/t Ag over 26m, including 2.4 g/t Au and 16 g/t Ag over 8m, hole RRC_021_021 with 1.3 g/t Au and 17 g/t Ag over 56m, including 2.2 g/t Au and 18 g/t Ag over 24m: hole RRC_021_022 with 1g/t Au and 4 g/t Ag over 56m, including 3.9 g/t Au and 5 g/t Ag over 8m; and hole RRC_021_025 with 1.3 g/t Au and 6 g/t Ag over 52m, including 2.9 g/t Au and 11 g/t Ag over 18m.
• Impact Silver Corp., released results from an underground development drilling program of its Guadalupe mine in the Zacualpan mining district in the State of Mexico. High grade drill intercepts were encountered in holes MPZ-UG-023-21 with 464 g/t Ag, 0.3%Pb, and 0.8% Pb over a true width (TW) of 6.04m at Carolina Vein and 300 g/t Ag, 0.3% Pb and 1.2% Zn over a TW of 3.44m at Dolores Bajo Vein; hole MPZ-UG-024-21 with 2,186 g/t Ag, 1.7% Pb, and 3.4% Zn over a TW of 3.38m at Carolina Vein; hole MPZ-UG-025-21 with 425 g/t Ag, 0.3% Pb, and 0.8% Zn over a TW of 3.47m at Carolina Vein and 527 g/t Ag, 0.9% Pb, and 1.9% Zn over a TW of 1.63m at Dolores Bajo Vein; hole MPZ-UG-028-21 with 486 g/t Ag, 0.3% Pb, and 1.2% Zn over a TW of 1.57m at La Rata Vein and 232 g/t Ag, 0.5% Pb, and 1% Zn over a TW of 5.94m at Kena Vein; and hole MPZ-UG-029-21 with 161 g/t Ag, 0.1% Pb, and 0.3% Zn over a TW of 2.12m at Carolina Vein, 269 g/t Ag, 0.2% Pb, and 0.4% Zn over a TW of 3.57m at Carolina Bajo Vein, and 427 g/t Ag, 0.5% Pb, and 0.6% Zn over a TW of 3.12m at Dolores Vein.
• Silver Tiger Metals Inc., announced high grade results from its ongoing drilling program conducted at its El Tigre project in Sonora. Highlights include hole ET 21-244 collared in the Sooy Vein with 0.16 g/t Au, 455 g/t Ag, 0.12 % Cu, 0.3% Pb, and 0.2% Zn (491 g/t AgEq) over 7.5m, including 0.33 g/t Au, 1,073 g/t Ag,  0.3% Cu, 0.8% Pb, and 0.3% Zn (1,156 g/t AgEq) over 2.5m, including 1.3 g/t Au, 3,531 g/t Ag, 1.06 % Cu, 3.6% Pb, and 1.2% Zn (3,856 g/t AgEq) over 0.5m, plus an interval in the FW zone of 0.13 g/t Au, 593 g/t Ag, 0.13% Cu, 0.3% Pb, and 0.06% Zn (624 g/t AgEq) over 1.8m, including 0.4 g/t Au, 2,030 g/t Ag, 0.46% Cu, 1% Pb, and 0.2% Zn (2,133 g/t AgEq) over 0.5m; and hole ET 21-243 collared in the Benjamin Vein with 0.02 g/t Au, 92 g/t Ag, 0.07% Cu, 0.1% Pb, and 0.1% Zn (107 g/t AgEq) over 6.8m, including 0.02 g/t Au, 138 g/t Ag, 0.07% Cu, 0.1% Pb, and 0.1% Zn (155 g/t AgEq) over 4.3m, including 0.05 g/t Au, 864 g/t Ag, 0.54% Cu, 0.5% Pb, and 1% Zn (965 g/t AgEq) over 0.5m.

ON DEALS AND CORPORATE ISSUES

• Minera Gorrión S.A. de C.V. , a subsidiary company of Almaden Minerals Ltd., announced the completion of a Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) for the Ixtaca mine development project in Puebla. The HRIA is one of the most innovative, comprehensive and proven effective tools worldwide to estimate the potential impacts and corresponding mitigation measures in favor of the human rights of the communities located within the area of ​​influence of this productive project. Minera Gorrión reiterates its commitment to the exercise of modern and avant-garde mining, absolutely committed to respecting Human Rights, caring for the environment and creation of opportunities for the communities of Ixtacamaxtitlán always with cultural relevance.
• One World Lithium Inc., announced the engagements of Rayleigh Capital and J&L Strategic Solutions LLC,  that offer different consulting services that are mutually beneficial to increase global market awareness and different financing opportunities that are less reliant on equity offerings.  Both consultants are very familiar with green technologies  (Salar del Diablo project, Baja California).

ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

• José Rosas Aispuro, Governor of Durango, highlighted that mining is synonymous with respect for human rights and has to be synonymous with respect for the environment.
• Sara Meymand, New Zealand Ambassador proposed to the Mexico mining industry to work with social inclusion and sustainability. She assured during the XXIV edition of the Acapulco Mining Convention that working in inclusion development and sustainability put up the mining activity internationally, focused on the preservation of the environment, dialogue with communities, gender perspective, use of new technologies, job creation and economic growth. She also stressed the importance of promoting a social license in the mining industry, which will allow companies to act with responsibility, commitment and subject to the care of the environment.
• The vice president in Mexico of Torex Gold Resourcers Inc., Faysal Rodríguez Valenzuela reiterated that Minera Media Luna (MML) maintains its commitment to the social and economic development of the 11 communities that make up the Guerrero mining corridor, located between the municipalities of Cocula and Eduardo Neri. He also pointed out that the social investment of each year is intended to help improve people’s quality of life and work towards the fulfillment of the sustainable development objectives.
• Mulatos Mine of Alamos Gold, reduced its power consumption on lighting by 70%, 10% in diesel and 25% in CO2 emissions. Alamos Gold seeks to contribute to the care of the environment reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.

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, boiling texture in an epithermal quartz vein system in a project in Sonora, Mexico.  Photo by Miguel A Heredia.