Southern Silver Exploration Corp. has reported today that crews have mobilized and drilling is underway at the Cerro Las Minitas Property, Durango, Mexico.
Up to 10,000 metres of core drilling is planned as part of the $US 2 million, 2015 exploration program and will target both known zones of mineralization and new discoveries on the property. An initial five holes will test the Blind and El Sol mineralized zones to up to 600 metres depth. Success in this drilling could significantly expand the depth and strike projection of these mineralized zones. Further holes will test for new zones of mineralization in the Mina La Bocona and the North Skarn zones and will test other geophysical and geochemical targets outboard of the Central Intrusion.
Soil sampling in the area of the Cerro has extended sample coverage outboard of the known areas of mineralization and now covers several geophysical anomalies outlined in earlier surveys. Approximately 450 samples have been collected and submitted for analyses and include samples for several soils lines over previously identified Western and Eastern biogeochemical anomalies on the larger 137 square kilometre property; assays are pending. Further soil sampling and prospecting is proceeding over the Eastern anomalies and in several key areas along the 25 kilometre strike-length. New drill targets will be defined based on the results of this work.
The 2015 program follows earlier exploration work by the Company totaling 23,310 metres of diamond drilling in 75 core holes resulting in the identification of two new mineral deposits known as the Blind and El Sol zones, airborne magnetic geophysics over the entire property and gravity and IP geophysics in specific targeted areas.
Metallurgical Testing
Southern Silver also reported encouraging results of preliminary metallurgical testing from the Blind - El Sol Zone. Work was performed at Dawson Metallurgical Laboratories of Midvale, Utah.
Testing was done on a composite of 10 samples taken from the high-grade dump at the La Lupita shaft. The head analyses of the composite returned 225g/t Ag, 0.06g/t Au, 0.11% Cu, 6.6%Pb and 5.4% Zn.
Both a lead and zinc concentrates were produced via batch flotation with the following results:
- Approximately 82% of the silver, 86% of the lead and 12% of the zinc was recovered into the lead rougher concentrate assaying 2000ppm Ag, 61.5% Pb and 7.2% Zn. The concentrate was later upgrade to 2300ppm Ag and 71.1% Pb, and
- Subsequent zinc flotation recovered 79% of the zinc into a rougher concentrate at a grade of 39.5% Zn. Two-stage cleaning of the concentrate increased the grade to 49.7% Zn
These preliminary results are significant in that two separate, high-grade concentrates were produced from mined material from the Blind zone. Additional test-work is recommended utilizing different reagents in order to further upgrade the final concentrates. Samples charges of the composite have been retained and this work will be completed after the next phase of exploration on the property.
Figure 1 and Figure 2 are available at the following address: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1015934_Figures.pdf