Southern Silver Exploration Corp. reported today that assays results from core drilling continue to demonstrate both the continuity and thickness of mineralization on the Blind Zone, one of several silver-enriched, high-grade polymetallic targets at its Cerro Las Minitas project located in Durango State, Mexico.
Positive exploration results have prompted an expansion of the current exploration program from 13,000 metres to 18,000 metres.
Highlights from the latest assay results include:
- an 11.5 metre interval averaging 140g/t silver, 0.2% copper, 4.9% lead and 4.2% zinc which contains a 2.9 metre interval averaging 280g/t silver, 0.3% copper, 10.3% lead and 9.5% zinc from drill hole 11CLM-023, and
- a 1.3 metre interval averaging 126g/t silver, 3.1% lead and 3.6% zinc from drill hole 11CLM-019
Drill holes 11CLM-023 and 11CLM-019 tested the down-dip projection of the Blind Zone by 220 metres and 160 metres respectively. The holes form part of a program of systematic drill offsets designed to delineate the full dimension of this previously undiscovered gravel covered target. The Blind zone is outboard of both the main intrusive stock and the area of historic mining and exploration and is the first of several buried targets identified on the property through IP geophysics to be drill tested.
Drill hole 11CLM-017 continues to extend the lateral projection of the Blind Zone at shallow levels. Visually encouraging sulphide mineralization is observed in drill holes 11CLM-018, 11CLM-022 and 11CLM-026 which further extend the northwest projection of the Blind Zone. Assays for these holes and several additional intervals from 11CLM-023 are still pending. Total strike length of drill indicated sulphide mineralization in the Blind zone, including these three holes is 475 metres.
Exploration Program
Twenty-six drill holes totalling 6965 metres of an anticipated and fully funded 18,000 metre drill program have been completed on the project to date. Fourteen holes have now been completed on the Blind zone and assays for four of these drill holes are still pending.
Future drilling will target specific occurrences located within the area of historic mining and several targets derived from the recently completed surface IP geophysical program.
About the Cerro Las Minitas property
The Cerro Las Minitas property comprises 17 concessions which total 10,980 hectares and an approximate 25 kilometre lineal strike length. The property is located about 70 kilometres to the northeast of the city of Durango, Durango State, Mexico and is accessed easily by road.
Mining has been conducted on the property since colonial times and has identified several types of silver-, lead- and zinc-enriched massive-sulphide pipes, veins and carbonate-replacement deposits (CRDs), as well as mineralized skarns at the margins of a large intrusive body. The Santa Eulalia replacement deposit (45Mt of 310g/t Ag, 7.1% Zn and 8.2% Pb) and the skarn deposit of San Martin (60Mt of 118g/t silver, 0.9% copper and 3.9% zinc) are examples of two major Mexican mines occurring in similar geological environments.
The mineralized zones at Cerro Las Minitas have been exploited to depths of 300 metres and over widths of 60 metres.
About Southern Silver Exploration Corp.
Southern Silver Exploration Corp. is a precious/base metal exploration company and a member of the Manex Resource Group; a private company comprised of an exceptional multi-disciplinary team of professionals with specific expertise in all areas of exploration, development, corporate finance and public company administration.
The company's growth strategy is to acquire, explore and develop high-quality properties in progressive jurisdictions within North America. Its current projects include the silver-lead-zinc Cerro Las Mintas project and the copper-gold-silver Minas de Ameca in Mexico, the porphyry copper-molybdenum Dragoon project in Arizona and the gold-silver Oro project in New Mexico.