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Additional Assays from El Pilar, Cuba
Antilles Gold Limited (“Antilles Gold” or the “Company”) (ASX: AAU, OTCQB: ANTMF) is pleased to advise assays from the 8 latest diamond drill holes at El Pilar in central Cuba.
Drilling has been completed for the Nueva Sabana gold-copper mine being planned for near term development on the oxide deposit at El Pilar, with assays still outstanding from the final 14 drill holes.
The MRE for the Nueva Sabana mine is expected to be published at the end of next month and be followed soon afterwards by a Scoping Study for the project aimed at producing gold and copper concentrates for export.
Sampling Techniques and Data are set out in the JORC Code 2012 Edition Template attached.
END
This announcement has been authorised by the Chairman of Antilles Gold Limited. For further information, please contact:
Brian Johnson, Chairman,
Antilles Gold Limited T: +61 (02) 4861 1740
E: brianjohnson@antillesgold.net
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Antilles Gold, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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Antilles Gold Limited
Overview
Antilles Gold (ASX:AAU, OTCQB:ANTMF) is an Australian mining company focused on gold and copper projects in Cuba through joint ventures with the Cuban Government’s mining company, GeoMinera.
With a change in the US‐Cuba relations, Cuba is becoming a destination for miners. To encourage foreign investments in its mining sector, the Cuban Government has instituted attractive investment laws and realistic mining and environmental regulations. The country also offers investment incentives, including a waiver of 15 percent income tax for eight years, no import duties, and no withholding tax on foreign services or dividends. Royalties on metal sales are fixed at an industry standard of 3 percent.
Additionally, the Cuban Government allows JV loans and sales proceeds to be deposited in a foreign bank account for disbursement directly to creditors, effectively eliminating country credit risk.
Several international companies have established operations in Cuba, including Toronto‐based mining giant Sherritt International and Australian oil & gas company Melbana Energy. Commodities trading company Trafigura also has a major presence in Cuba, commissioning the US$300‐million Castellanos base metals mine in 2017, which was developed in a joint venture with GeoMinera.
Antilles Gold’s partnership and excellent relations with GeoMinera has resulted in rapid project permitting and access to several new development opportunities for the Australian company.
Antilles Gold offers strong growth potential through two near‐term development projects, Nueva Sabana and La Demajagua, and two exploration projects, El Pilar porphyry system and Sierra Maestra copper concessions.
The Nueva Sabana is a near‐term, gold‐copper mine development within a 50:50 JV with GeoMinera, and is expected to initially produce around 55 grams per tonne (g/t) gold in a concentrate from a high‐grade gold cap followed by ~25 percent copper concentrate. Project development strategy includes finalizing the mineral resource estimate (MRE) in January 2024, completing the feasibility study by April 2024, and beginning the 10‐month construction program in June 2024. The project is expected to generate strong cash flow from mid‐2025.
The second proposed mine development is La Demajagua open-pit mine, which is likely to produce ~50,000 tpa of gold arsenopyrite concentrate (32 g/t gold, 27 percent arsenic), and ~10,000 tpa of gold antimony concentrate (28.8 g/t gold, 48 percent antimony, 1,200 g/t silver) for nine years. According to the plans, construction will commence in late 2024, with commissioning in mid‐2026. La Demajagua will also include the construction of a commercial concentrate processing facility to treat La Demajagua’s gold arsenopyrite concentrate and imported gold pyrite concentrate, with the capacity to produce 100,000 oz gold per year in dore, which will further increase JV profit and cashflow.
The company’s two exploration projects comprise the 17,800‐hectare El Pilar Concession in Central Cuba covering a cluster of three copper‐gold porphyry deposits (El Pilar, Gaspar and San Nicholas), and three concessions totaling 54,000 hectares within the producing Sierra Maestra copper belt in Southeast Cuba, with indications of porphyry deposits highly prospective for copper, gold and molybdenum.
Antilles aims to recommence drilling of the El Pilar porphyry system in mid‐2024 after its concession has been transferred to a new JV with GeoMinera. Importantly, there is a likelihood for Antilles to become the majority owner of the new JV, which would permit the future transfer of a controlling interest to a major mining group for any mine development.
Antilles intends to invest part of the expected surplus cash flow from the Nueva Sabana mine to fund the exploration of major copper targets, including the El Pilar copper‐gold porphyry system, and the Sierra Maestra copper belt.
Company Highlights
- Antilles Gold Limited is an Australian mining company listed on the ASX (AAU) and OTCQB (ANTMF).
- The company is focused on gold and copper projects in Cuba through joint ventures with the Cuban government’s mining company GeoMinera. The relationship with GeoMinera opens new development opportunities for Antilles and de-risks permitting processes.
- The company is engaged in four development projects: 1) Nueva Sabana gold‐copper mine; 2) La Demajagua gold mine; 3) El Pilar porphyry copper project; and 4) Sierra Maestra copper concessions. Of these, Nueva Sabana and La Demajagua offer near‐term development opportunities.
- The Nueva Sabana is a near‐term gold‐copper mine development project with a 10‐month construction beginning in June 2024. The project is expected to generate strong cash flow from concentrate sales from mid‐2025.
- The second mine development project is La Demajagua, an open-pit mine gold project where construction will commence in late 2024 and commissioning begins mid‐2026. The project includes the construction of a commercial concentrate processing facility capable of producing 100,000 oz of gold per year in dore. This project will also produce approximately 10,000 tons per annum (tpa) of antimony‐gold concentrate (30,000 oz gold equivalent per year).
- The company’s two exploration projects include the El Pilar copper‐gold porphyry system and three concessions in the Sierra Maestra copper belt.
- Investment in Cuba offers several benefits, including richness in minerals, lower operating costs and royalties, stable government and regulations, several investment incentives and the availability of a skilled workforce.
Key Projects
Nueva Sabana Project
Nueva Sabana is the company’s near‐term, gold‐copper mine development project. The project is held in a 50:50 JV with the Cuban Government’s mining company GeoMinera. It will be an open-pit mine developed on the El Pilar oxide deposit in central Cuba.
Results from 24,000 metres of historical drilling results, 1,800 metres drilled in 2022, and the 10,000 metres drilled in 2023 will be used to establish a mineral resource estimate (MRE) in January 2024. A feasibility study for the proposed development of the oxide deposit will follow soon after that, and the 10‐month construction phase is expected to begin in June 2024.
Recent drilling has shown outstanding grades for gold and copper, and increasing lateral and vertical boundaries of the copper domain. The results reinforce the prospect of near‐term development of the low‐capex Nueva Sabana mine at El Pilar. The outstanding grades in the gold domain extend from the surface to a depth of 40 to 50 metres, and robust grades in the underlying copper domain continue for a further 50 to 70 metres.
The proposed mining rate for the project will be 650,000 tpa of ore with a low waste‐to‐ore ratio. The anticipated initial production of 55 g/t gold concentrate will be followed by ~25 percent copper concentrate.
The estimated project cost is approximately $23 million, of which $3 million is shareholders equity with the balance of $20 million funded through an advance on purchases of the gold concentrate by an international commodities trader.
Chinese engineering group, Prominer Mining Technology, which has extensive experience in designing and constructing gold and copper concentrators, is expected to supply the crushing and flotation circuits for the Nueva Sabana mine.
Concentrator to be supplied for Nueva Sabana mine by Chinese Engineering Group ProMiner
La Demajagua Project
La Demajagua involves the development of a gold‐antimony‐silver deposit as an open-pit mine by the joint venture company, Minera La Victoria.
The project covers 900 hectares of mining concession on the Isle of Youth, 60 nautical miles from mainland Cuba. The project site is 35 kilometres from the port city of Nueva Gerona and enjoys excellent infrastructure in terms of accessibility by highway, and availability of water, electricity and fiber optic cable.
The project has an MRE of 905,000 oz gold equivalent for the open-pit operation. The MRE was calculated from results from 29,000 metres of drilling undertaken by the JV, and selective results from about 50,000 metres of historic drilling and revised after the receipt of additional antimony assays. The project expects mining of about 815,000 tpa ore to produce two concentrates: 50,000 tpa of gold‐arsenopyrite and 10,000 tpa of gold‐antimony‐silver for nine years.
The project will also include a commercial concentrate processing facility to produce gold dore. The facility will comprise a 75,000‐tpa two‐stage fluidized‐bed roaster and a 100,000‐tpa carbon-in-leach (CIL) circuit. It is expected to process 50,000 tpa gold arsenopyrite concentrate, and 35,000 tpa gold oxide ore from La Demajagua, and 25,000 tpa of imported gold pyrite concentrate. The overall production target is 100,000 oz gold per year in dore for overseas refining. Chinese engineering firm BGRIMM Technology Group, which has extensive experience in designing and constructing roasters, is expected to supply the turnkey process plant.
Total mine development cost is estimated at US$145 million, which will be funded by US$60 million in equity, which includes contribution by a third shareholder in the project, and the balance of US$85 million in debt. The life‐of‐mine cash surplus is estimated at ~US$600 million, with an NPV of about US$330 million based on US$1,800/oz gold, and US$13,000/t antimony.
Completion of the definitive feasibility study is expected in September 2024, and construction is anticipated to commence in late 2024, with commissioning targeted for mid‐2026.
El Pilar Copper‐Gold Porphyry System Project
El Pilar is an exploration project with a cluster of three copper‐gold porphyry deposits: El Pilar, Gaspar and Camilo. The project comprises 752 hectares of exploration licenses and 17,000 hectares of reconnaissance permits. The project will be transferred to a planned new joint venture, which is expected to permit majority foreign ownership.
The project site benefits from established infrastructure with access to a major highway, high‐tension power, and a 60 kilometre rail link to Palo Alto port.
Previous mapping, soil sampling, ground magnetics, an aeromagnetic survey and 24,000 metres of shallow drilling confirmed the existence of copper‐gold mineralization and identified the exposures as potentially a large, leached porphyry system. The surface exposures at El Pilar are leached phyllic caps to a cluster of copper‐gold porphyry cores. The extent of surficial hydrothermal alteration indicates the porphyry intrusions have large dimensions, and potential depths greater than 1,000 metres.
Ground magnetics and induced polarization surveys in early 2023 have confirmed a cluster of three potentially large porphyry intrusives – El Pilar, Gaspar and Camilo. A six‐hole initial program has demonstrated positive results with good copper intercepts in porphyry‐style veining and has indicated the proximity of drilling to the core of El Pilar porphyry intrusive. In particular, drill hole PDH‐004A assayed 1.23 percent copper over its length of 134 metres from 49 metres.
An extensive two‐year drilling program will be conducted from mid‐2024 and the company notes it may seek financial support for the program from a major mining company.
Surface mineralisation at El Pilar
Sierra Maestra Copper Belt Project
The project is an exploration project covering three highly prospective concessions for copper, gold and molybdenum in the Sierra Maestra copper belt in southeast Cuba. It includes a 3,600-hectare geological investigation license in La Cristina, a 49,000‐hectare reconnaissance license in Vega Grande, and a 1,100‐hectare reconnaissance license in Buey Cabon.
The copper belt spans more than 200 kilometres of Cretaceous‐age geology intruded by Eocene stocks, which are the source of widespread gold and base‐metals mineralization. The project is near the El Cobre mine which is the oldest operating copper mine in the Americas. The concessions incorporate a series of copper‐gold‐molybdenum zones that display significant footprints of hydrothermal alteration normally associated with potentially large porphyry systems.
An extensive, two‐year prospecting program will be carried out on the three concessions, commencing in Q1 2024, to identify drill targets.
Management Team
Brian Johnson – Executive Chairman
Brian Johnson is a graduate of civil engineering from the University of Western Australia and a member of the Institute of Engineers, Australia. He has rich experience in the construction and mining industries in Australia, Southeast Asia and North America. He was instrumental in establishing successful companies in the iron ore and coal sectors. Previously, he has served as a director of two listed gold producers, and of companies with stock exchange listings in London, New York, Vancouver and Australia.
James Tyers – Chief Executive Officer
James Tyers is a member of the AusIMM and has more than 30 years of experience in the mining industry, holding senior management roles in gold and iron ore operations. He has been associated with the Palm Springs Gold Mine in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, and the Cornishman Project, a JV between Troy Resources and Sons of Gwalia. He has experience developing and operating iron ore projects in the mid‐west of Western Australia. He was responsible for developing the Las Lagunas Project and is the project director for the La Demajagua gold mine in Cuba.
Ugo Carlo – Non‐executive Director
Ugo Carlo has more than 30 years of experience in the Australian mining industry. Throughout his career, he has served in several senior leadership roles at Rocklands Richfield, Austral Coal and Conzinc Rio Tinto Australia Group. He is also a former director of the Port Kembla Coal Terminal, the New South Wales Joint Coal Board, and interim chairman of the New South Wales Minerals Council.
Angela Pankhurst – Non‐executive Director
Angela Pankhurst has more than 20 years of experience as an executive and non‐executive director, primarily in the mining industry. She has been a senior executive for companies with projects in Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Vietnam, South Africa and Australia. She has held senior leadership positions at Antilles Gold and Central Asia Resources. She is currently a director of Consolidated Zinc and a director of Imritec.
Tracey Aitkin – Chief Financial Officer
Tracey Aitkin is a professional member of CPA Australia and has more than 30 years of rich experience in finance, administration and staff management across a range of industries, including mining, manufacturing, retail, transport and agriculture. She joined the company in 2009 and was named CFO in 2010.
Dr. Jinxing Ji – Technical Director
Dr. Jinxing Ji is a seasoned metallurgist with six years of research experience in universities and 26 years of practical experience in the mining industry related to gold, silver, copper, zinc and lead. His broad experience includes due diligence, metallurgical test work, pre‐feasibility study, feasibility study, detailed design, plant commissioning support, and operational support for projects in Turkey, Greece, Canada, China, Romania, Brazil and Papua New Guinea.
Steve Mertens – Mining Director
Steve Mertens is a mining engineer with more than 20 years of industry experience across a range of commodities, including nine years based in Latin America. He has been associated with the Goro Nickel Project in New Caledonia and the Mina de Cobre Project in Panama. Prior to his current role as general manager for the Minera La Victoria JV company, he was the mining manager for Antilles Gold’s Las Lagunas operation in the Dominican Republic.
Chris Grainger – Exploration Director
Chris Grainger holds a PhD in economic geology from the University of Western Australia. He is an Australian geologist with more than 25 years of international experience with involvement in grassroots and brownfield exploration, as well as resource definition and development, with a focus on precious and base metals in South and Central America and the Caribbean. He has been associated with Continental Gold’s Buritica gold‐silver project, and Cordoba Minerals’ Alacran copper‐gold project.
*This article was written in collaboration with Couloir Capital.
Falco Resources: Canadian Explorer in the Rouyn-Noranda Mining Camp
Falco Resources (TSXV:FPC) focuses on developing gold and base metal projects in the Rouyn-Noranda region of Quebec, an established mining camp with a long history of exploration and development. The camp has historically produced 19 million ounces (Moz) of gold and 2.9 billion pounds (Blbs) of copper, and yet it is still under-explored for gold.
Falcon’s principal property, Horne 5 project, holds 67,000 acres or nearly 67 percent of the total area of the entire mining camp and is located under the former Horne mine which produced 11.6 Moz of gold and 2.5 Blbs of copper. The 2021 feasibility study on the Horne 5 project suggests strong project economics with a total mine life of 15 years, after-tax NPV at 5 percent of US$761 million, and a payback period of 4.8 years, assuming gold prices at $1,600/oz. At the current gold prices of over $2,300/oz, the project economics will be even better.
Falco Resources operating license and indemnity agreement (OLIA) with Glencore Canada will enable Falco to utilize a portion of Glencore's lands. The agreement entails establishing a technical committee comprising two representatives from Glencore and two from Falco, tasked with safeguarding the uninterrupted operations of Glencore’s Horne copper smelter. Additionally, a parallel strategic committee will be formed. Glencore will nominate one representative to join Falco's board of directors.
The successful completion of the OLIA, coupled with life-of-mine copper-zinc concentrate offtake agreements with Glencore, positions Falco to advance its Horne 5 project towards construction. The company is advancing with the permitting and financing processes for the project.
Company Highlights
- Falco Resources is a Canadian explorer of base and precious metals focused on developing its mineral properties in the Rouyn-Noranda region in Quebec, Canada.
- The company holds 67,000 acres of mining claims in the Rouyn-Noranda mining camp, accounting for nearly 67 percent of the entire mining camp.
- Rouyn-Noranda has a long history of mining and exploration. The area has established infrastructure and has been host to 50 former producers, including 20 base metal mines and 30 gold mines.
- Falco’s principal asset is the Horne 5 project which is a gold project with significant base metal by-products. It is located under the former Horne Mine which produced 11.6 Moz of gold and 2.5 billion pounds of copper.
- The Horne 5 is a world-class deposit containing 7.6 Moz gold equivalent in measured and indicated resources and 1.7 Moz gold equivalent in inferred resources.
- The Horne 5 project represents a robust, high-margin, 15-year underground mining project with attractive economics. The 2021 feasibility study indicates after-tax NPV at 5 percent of US$761 million and after-tax IRR of 18.9 percent.
- The operating lease and indemnity agreement (OLIA) with Glencore coupled with EIA admissibility receipt from the government body positions Falco to advance its Horne 5 project towards construction.
This Falco Resources profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*
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Antilles Gold Takes Up Second $1.0 Million Convertible Note
Antilles Gold Limited (“Antilles Gold” or the “Company”) (ASX: AAU, OTCQB: ANTMF) advises that it has exercised its option to take up a second A$1.0M Convertible Note from Patras Capital Pte Ltd on the same commercial terms as the first A$1.0M Convertible Note which was issued on 8 March 2024.
The basic terms of the second Convertible Note are as follows;
Principal Amount | A$1,000,000 |
Maturity Date | 30 April2026 |
Interest | NIL |
Discount to Principal Amount | A$100,000 (in lieu of interest) |
Early Repayment | At the Company’s option at 110%of any outstanding balance of the Convertible Note within the first year after issue, and 115% in the second |
Conversion | TheNote holder may convert all or partof any outstanding amount of the Convertible Note at a conversion price equal to: i)$0.04 per share; or ii)A 10% discount to the numericaverage of the lowest 5 daily VWAP’s in the 15 trading days prior to conversion which can not be less than $0.015 per share |
Security | 40,000,000 AAU shareson the issueof the Convertible Note which can be applied to any conversion. |
Law & Jurisdiction | Queensland |
Antilles Gold has sufficient placement capacity under Listing Rule 7.1, or 7.1A for the second Convertible Note.
The Company has issued 27,000,000 AAU shares at $0.02 each to Patras Capital as Security Shares for the second Convertible Note from existing capacity under Listing Rule 7.1A.
The balance of the Security Shares (13,000,000) will be issued in due course.
The majority of the funds raised will be applied to subscribing for shares in the Cuban joint venture company, Minera La Victoria, for it to continue pre-development activities for the Nueva Sabana gold-copper mine.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Antilles Gold, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
March 2024 Quarterly Report
Astral Resources NL (ASX: AAR)(Astral or the Company) is pleased to report on its activities during the quarter ended 31 March 2024 (the Quarter).
HIGHLIGHTS
Mandilla Gold Project – near Kalgoorlie, WA
- Assays results reported for the final three holes of the six-hole/1,832 metre Theia diamond drilling (DD) program completed during November 1.
- The Theia DD program was targeting extensional and in-fill mineralisation at the Theia deposit.
- Planning underway for further drilling programs and commencement of Mandilla Pre-Feasibility Study.
Feysville Gold Project – near Kalgoorlie, WA
- Assay results reported for the three-hole/495 metre DD program completed at the Kamperman prospect during the previous Quarter 2.
- A total of 4,924 metres of drilling completed during the Quarter, inclusive of:
- oA 67-hole/2,248 metre regional air-core (AC) Program on prospecting licences P26/4351-4353;
- oA three-hole/217 metre slimline reverse circulation (RC) program at the Kamperman Prospect; and
- oA 19-hole/2,459 metre RC program at the Kamperman Prospect.
- Assay results from the AC Program and slimline RC Program reported during the Quarter 3.
- Assay results from the Kamperman RC Program reported during and subsequent to the end of the Quarter 4, 5.
Corporate
- Cash of approximately $0.62 million as at 31 March 2024.
- Mr Mark Connelly elected Chair following the resignation of Mr Leigh Warnick as Director.
- Share placement of 140 million shares at $0.05 per share to raise $7 million (before costs) announced on 28 March 2024 (Placement), with funds received after Quarter’s end.
- Directors of the Company subscribed for an additional 2.1 million shares at $0.05 per share, subject to the approval of shareholders at a meeting to be held on 20 May 2024 (Director Participation Shares).
- Astral is now well-funded to pursue its various exploration programs and commence the Mandilla Pre-Feasibility Study.
Figure 1 – Project Location Map
MANDILLA GOLD PROJECT
The Mandilla Gold Project (Mandilla) is situated in the northern Widgiemooltha greenstone belt, approximately 70 kilometres south of the significant mining centre of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia (Figure 1).
Mandilla is covered by existing Mining Leases which are not subject to any third-party royalties other than the standard WA Government gold royalty.
The Mandilla Gold Project includes the Theia, Iris, Eos and Hestia deposits.
Gold mineralisation at Theia and Iris is comprised of structurally controlled quartz vein arrays and hydrothermal alteration close to the western margin of the Emu Rocks Granite and locally in contact with sediments of the Spargoville Group.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Astral Resources, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Antilles Gold Limited (ASX: AAU) – Trading Halt
Description
The securities of Antilles Gold Limited (‘AAU’) will be placed in trading halt at the request of AAU, pending it releasing an announcement. Unless ASX decides otherwise, the securities will remain in trading halt until the earlier of the commencement of normal trading on Tuesday, 30 April 2024 or when the announcement is released to the market.
Issued by
ASX Compliance
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Antilles Gold, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Rio Silver
Overview
Rio Silver (TSXV:RYO) is a precious metals mining and exploration company with a focus on the acquisition, exploration and development of precious metals deposits in South America. The company is currently focused on advancing its 100 percent-owned Niñobamba silver-gold project in Peru. The company has decades of experience navigating the mining regulatory landscape of Peru and considers itself to be well-positioned for the coming mining cycle.
Rio Silver’s flagship Niñobamba property is located in the Department of Ayacucho about 330 kilometers southeast of Lima. The 3,933-hectare property is wholly owned by the company and the project is drill ready. The Niñobamba project is partially comprised of a 2,200 hectare property which was previously owned by Newmont Mining (NYSE:NEM) and Southern Peru Mining. The balance was held by AngloGold Ashanti and Bear Creek Mining but has since been strategically acquired and consolidated into Rio Silver’s property. The Ninobamba project engulfs an a colaped caldera, an anchient volcano, where the Niñobamba North and South zones were mineralized in a hot spring environment within the wall rock of the caldera surrounded by areas that contain high-sulfidation mineralization with near surface silver and gold deposits modeled for Rio Silver using leapfrod 3D software. The neighbouring Jorimina deposit, 6.5 kilometers to the west, where Newmont spent more than US$7 million, concluded an internal, positive, preliminary economic assessment, detailing a predominantly gold-rich, low to mid-sulfidation, deposit found in the floor structure of this collapsed caldera.
The company’s management and advisory team is made up of experienced industry veterans, some with as many as 25 years of experience working in Peru. The team has an in-depth understanding of the regulatory processes associated with mining exploration in the country.
To date, Rio Silver and other historical operators have completed US$10 million in exploration expenditure on the Niñobamba property. The company has low overhead expenditure and strong alliances in Peru that are helping it achieve new initiatives for enhanced sustainability.
The company now holds a 3 percent net smelter return (NSR) royalty with guaranteed minimum payments from a recent property sale and these initiatives enable more exploration by helping Rio Silver with sustaining costs.
Rio Silver is currently working on additional silver-focused initiatives, yet to be announced and the company has achieved social license and has successfully completed an access agreement at Jorimina with immediate plans to expand on the successful internal preliminary economic assessment (PEA), conducted by Newmont in 2012 through a diamond drilling campaign in Q3 2024 to delineate this resource.
Company Highlights
- Rio Silver owns six mineral concessions covering 4,100 hectares of wholly-owned land in a historic Peruvian mining district.
- The property was historically surrounded by big-name miners (Newmont, Southern Peru Copper) and is now wholly owned by Rio Silver.
- Experienced management team with more than two decades of mining experience in Peru.
- Extensive trenching completed at the Niñobamba zone.
- The management team holds a 29 percent stake in the company.
- US$10 million in exploration expenditure completed to date by Rio and historical operators.
- All the historical data has been collected from previous owners.
- Historical drilling on the Niñobamba property intersected 130 meters of 2.55 oz/t silver and 72.3 meters of 1.19 g/t gold.
- New gold zone identified including 56 meters at 98.9 g/t silver and 21.77 meters at 1.32 g/t gold, 102.46 g/t silver.
Key Project
Niñobamba Silver Project, Peru
Located 330 kilometers southeast of Lima in the Department of Ayacucho, the Niñobamba property is 100 percent wholly owned by Rio Silver. The property includes 6 mineral concessions covering 3,933 hectares. The district has historically been mined by major international gold miners including Newmont Goldcorp and Southern Peru Mining.
The property was initially explored by AngloGold (JSE:ANG) in 2001. Anglo drilled five widely-spaced core holes totaling 861 meters focusing in an area of intense hydrothermal surface alteration. AngloGold’s drilling highlights included assay results of 87.0 grams per tonne (g/t) silver over a drilled interval of 130 meters starting from a depth of 9 meters reported from drill hole DDH-2 and 54.0 g/t silver over a drilled interval of 96 meters starting from 23 meters reported from the AN-04 drill hole.
Adjacent zones acquired from major miners.
In 2016, Rio Silver consolidated its property by acquiring the surrounding 2,200 hectares of adjoining land from Newmont Mining and Southern Peru Copper. These included the Jorimina zone, which is located about 6.5 kilometers west of the Niñobamba and is believed to be part of the same high-sulfidation silver-gold system identified in the main Niñobamba zones. Along with the property came an extensive database of information including results and reports from an exploration program by the mining majors which encompassed 553 hectares. Newmont’s exploration included mapping, 2,147 rock samples and induced polarization geophysics. This historic exploration indicated a gold anomalous area of more than 700 meters by 1,000 meters as well as four strong chargeability anomalies coinciding with gold-silver in rock anomalies. Newmont’s historic data includes samples of 17.4 meters of 3.06 g/t gold and 200 meters of 0.26 g/t gold. Historic exploration in the Jorimina zone conducted by Newmont in 2009 and 2010 shows highlights of 72.3 meters of 1.19 g/t gold starting at 53-meter depth.
Exploration and trenching results
To date, extensive trenching has been completed by Rio Silver on the Niñobamba property. In 2012, the company began conducting surface trenching in areas proximate to historical drilling locations. Exploration has focused primarily on the north and south zones of silver mineralization approximately 400 meters apart with variable thicknesses. Surface sampling near trenches in the north zone returned highlights of 1.32 g/t gold and 102.46 g/t silver. Sampling near trenches in the south zone returned highlights of 42.62 meters of 130.98 g/t silver. Additional highlights can be found on Rio Silver’s website.
Management Team
Chris Verrico - President, CEO, and Director
Chris Verrico has extensive experience with rural-remote infrastructure construction and contract mining throughout BC, the Yukon, Alaska and Nunavut. He has been a director for a dozen startup junior mining companies, most which have become public companies. Verrico has managed numerous exploration projects in North America, Mexico and throughout western South America. He is currently the director of Juggernaught Exploration.
Christopher Hopton - CFO
Christopher Hopton has over 25 years of experience in senior accounting and financial roles. He is currently the CFO of Sirona Biochem.
Steve Brunelle - Chairman
Steve Brunelle is the former officer and director of Corner Bay Silver, which was acquired by Pan American Silver. He has 35 years of experience in mineral exploration throughout the Americas and is currently an Officer and Director for several TSXV companies.
Jeffrey J Reeder - Advisor
Jeffrey J Reeder is a professional geologist with more than two decades of experience working in Peru. Reeder possesses an in-depth understanding of the rules, practices, and processes involved in conducting mining and exploration in the country and is currently the president of Peruvian Metals that owns a custom toll milling facility in northern Peru.
Edward J Badidaa, - Director
Edward J Badidaa is a professional accountant with over 40 years of financial management and corporate governance experience. He currently serves as a director for Patagonia Gold.
Richard Mazur - Director
Richard Mazur is the co-founder and past managing director of RLG International operating in over 30 countries worldwide with more than 300 employees.
James Henry Anderson: Gold Facing Tectonic Shift, US$2,400 Will Look Cheap
James Henry Anderson, senior market analyst at precious metals dealer SD Bullion, shared his thoughts on gold and silver, including what factors are moving the metals right now and where they could go in 2024.
In his view, the precious metals sector is undergoing a tectonic shift with far-reaching impacts. "Ultimately I think US$2,400 (per ounce gold) is going to be looked back in time as being cheap," he said.
Watch the interview above for more of Anderson's thoughts on gold and silver.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.
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