Jun 21 2017
Mexican Gold Corp. is pleased to announce a 3,000 metre diamond drilling program for its Las Minas gold - copper - silver project. The drilling program targets expansion of the recently discovered mineralization at the Cinco Senores zone as well as step-out drilling at the El Dorado / Juan Bran zone to extend the on-strike and down-dip mineralization.
Additionally, a field exploration program, consisting of trenching, sampling and mapping will be carried out at the Santa Cruz zone to test the upward continuation of the zone above the area of previous drilling. Trenching, sampling and mapping will also be undertaken at the Pueblo Nuevo concession to further outline the quartz veins recently sampled at the site.
Brian Robertson, President and CEO, stated, "The exploration program is focused on three high priority mineralized zones at Las Minas. The program combines a geophysical survey with expansion and discovery diamond drilling and preliminary field exploration work. We believe the program will expand the resource at El Dorado - Juan Bran and lead to the discovery of new zones of mineralization at both Cinco Senores and Santa Cruz. The Pueblo Nuevo concession, with its numerous historical high-grade mines, is a high-priority target area."
Exploration Drilling at Cinco Senores Zone
Widespread mineralization has been outlined at the Cinco Senores zone by numerous historical mine workings, a large ground magnetic geophysical anomaly, plus mapping and sampling. Extensive sampling of the mineralized zone outlined a wide area of highly mineralized skarn (see press release dated February 2, 2011). Recent drilling at Cinco Senores intersected a high-grade 2.0 metre interval with massive chalcopyrite grading 10.8 g/t gold, 41.7 g/t silver and 2.8% copper or 15.98 g/t Au Eq. in hole LM-17-CS-04.(see press release dated May 15, 2017). The strong presence of chalcopyrite-mineralized magnetite at the targeted skarn elevation in the step-out hole, when combined with earlier drilling and sampling results (see press releases dated February 2, 2011 and August 8, 2011) is believed to be indicative of a potential El Dorado/Juan Bran type zone at the Cinco Senores zone. The Cinco Senores zone is located 670 metres west of the El Dorado/Juan Bran zone. The mineralization occurs on the same contact of a district-scale diorite sill with the overlying Cretaceous platform as the large scale El Dorado/Juan Bran zone - see Figure 1.
Figure 1: Cross Section of Cinco Senores, El Dorado/Juan Bran and Santa Cruz Zones
The exploration program at the Cinco Senores zone will commence with a detailed ground magnetic geophysical survey to identify high priority targets for diamond drilling. Ground magnetic geophysical surveys at Las Minas have proven to be very successful for identifying highly mineralized zones. An earlier geophysical survey at Cinco Senores outlined a large magnetic anomaly coincident with historical mine workings (see press release dated February 4, 2013). Following the geophysical survey, a diamond drilling program will be undertaken to test high-priority drill targets and extend the mineralization discovered in Hole LM-17-CS-04.
Expansion Drilling at El Dorado / Juan Bran Zone
The Phase 1 drilling program at the Eldorado/Juan Bran zone was successful in expanding the El Dorado/Juan Bran zone both on-strike and down dip. The drilling results are being incorporated in a mineral resource estimate. The Eldorado/Juan Bran zone remains open both on strike and down dip. The Phase 2 drilling program will focus on expansion of the current footprint of the mineralized zone, which has been outlined up to 420 metres in width, extending over 600 metres down dip, with thicknesses varying from 6 to 38 metres.
Exploration at High-Grade Santa Cruz Zone
The Santa Cruz zone has been partially outlined by high-grade diamond drill hole intersections, including 10.06 g/t Au Eq over 16.0 metres within 2.70 g/t Au Eq over 97.2 metres in hole LM-14-SC-03, 4.36 g/t Au Eq over 25.0 metres in LM-14-SC-07, and 24.1 g/t Au Eq over 9.6 metres within 3.57 g/t Au Eq over 99.0 metres in hole LM-14-SC-08 (see press releases dated May 31, 2017, April 7, 2014 and August 6, 2014). Recent field work identified highly mineralized boulders dislodged from the area above the drill sites. Additionally, in-situ mineralization has been identified in the upward extension area of the known mineralized zone. The area is also the site of a large magnetic geophysical anomaly. A field exploration work program, including trenching, sampling and mapping, is scheduled to identify the upward extension of the high-grade Santa Cruz zone.
Exploration at High-Grade Pueblo Nuevo Concession
The Pueblo Nuevo concession is host to several historical underground mines and adits, including the La Miqueta, La Miqueta Alta, Tamiagua, Marangola, Murcielagos, Dos Rios and El Cobre. The La Miqueta mine was extensively mined in the past and has 21 known levels. Historic mining activity was carried out on narrow (10-20 cm) quartz veins in both diorite and marble, extending approximately 100 metres on strike and over 100 metres down-dip. A recent sampling program at the Tamiagua 1 vein structure yielded up to 24.86 g/t gold and 17.8 g/t silver or 25.13 g/t Au Eq over 0.25 metres, contained within a 0.72 metre interval grading 19.09 g/t gold and 10.6 g/t silver or 19.24 g/t Au Eq (see press release dated May 31, 2017). The Phase 2 field exploration program will consist of trenching, sampling and mapping to extend the known veins on strike and explore for parallel vein systems. All of the vein structures at Pueblo Nuevo strike NNE to NE, indicative of a potential series of parallel vein structures.
Status of Mineral Resource Estimate
Mexican Gold contracted John T. Boyd Company to complete a mineral resource estimate for the El Dorado/Juan Bran and Santa Cruz zones. The required site visit has been completed and the estimate is well advanced. Because of the steep topography at Las Minas and heavy vegetation cover, the existing PhotoSat survey of the area did not provide sufficient survey accuracy for bare ground elevations. A ground or LiDAR survey is required to obtain the accuracy required for the estimate. Mexican Gold is working with companies providing LiDAR and ground surveys in Mexico. The mineral resource estimate is now expected to be completed by late July, following a LiDAR or ground survey of the resource area.