Gatos Silver, Inc. (NYSE/TSX: GATO) (“Gatos Silver” or the
“Company”) today provided an update on the drilling and exploration
programs in the Los Gatos district (“LGD”) in Mexico. The update
includes new intercepts of mineralization in the South-East Deeps
(“SE Deeps”) zone of its 70%-owned Cerro Los Gatos (“CLG”) mine,
along with an update on the drill results of the recently initiated
regional exploration program.
“We are pleased with the latest results which
show further potential in the South-East Deeps zone beyond what we
will be including in our next reserve and resource estimates
update, which we continue to expect to complete in the third
quarter of 2024,” said Dale Andres, CEO of Gatos Silver. “The
second quarter also highlighted the shift in prioritization to
explore the broader Los Gatos district, as drilling continued in
Portigueño and commenced on both the Central Deeps and San Luis
targets, with early exciting results.”
Chad Yuhasz, VP Exploration and Technical
Services added: “Preliminary drill results clearly support our
elevated interest within the LGD, with the first two holes in our
San Luis target returning wide quartz vein and silicified breccia
intersections, including intervals of anomalous precious metals in
our first hole and elevated base metal results in our second hole,
which we consider to be a very positive start to our district
drilling programs.”
Q2 2024 Highlights
-
Resource definition drilling in the SE Deeps zone of CLG
intercepted additional mineralization along strike and down-plunge,
continuing to extend the known mineralized zone. The most
significant intercepts are included below (see Table 1 for complete
intercept details).
-
3.5m (2.9m estimated true width, or "ETW") at 214 g/t Ag, 19.00%
Zn, 12.23% Pb, 0.18 g/t Au and 0.25% Cu (SE-600)
-
3.0m (2.7m ETW) at 81 g/t Ag, 9.94% Zn, 3.88% Pb, 0.81 g/t Au and
0.15% Cu (SE-594)
-
2.0m (1.6m ETW) at 181 g/t Ag, 2.04% Zn, 0.92% Pb, 0.02 g/t Au and
0.42% Cu (SE-598)
-
2.0m (1.6m ETW) at 108 g/t Ag, 5.56% Zn, 3.17% Pb, 0.79 g/t Au and
0.44% Cu (SE-598)
-
6.5m (6.0m ETW) at 43 g/t Ag, 4.52% Zn, 1.78% Pb, 0.14 g/t Au and
0.28% Cu (SE-602)
-
Greenfields exploration work in the LGD ramped up during the
quarter, with drilling continuing at the Portigueño target,
drilling initiated on both the San Luis and the CLG Central Deeps
targets, and field mapping continuing in the Lince, San Agustin,
and La Paula districts to support additional drill target
definition for later this year and into 2025.
-
Portigueño Drilling
-
We completed four more holes at the Portigueño target (~2km from
CLG) in addition to the two holes reported in Q1. The drilling
continues to intercept veining and alteration with anomalous grades
of silver, gold, zinc and lead but low copper, with an interesting
intersection in PO-06 with elevated molybdenum values. The drilling
continues to test multiple mapped structures within the district,
as we explore for a potential host structure within the expected
depth profile of the systems. The metal composition of the
anomalous drill results continues to be consistent with a location
high in the profile indicating potential for further mineralization
deeper in the zone (see Table 2 for complete intercept details).
-
0.7m (0.6m ETW) at 3.11 g/t Au and no significant silver or base
metals (PO-05)
-
1.6m (1.2m ETW) at 49 g/t Ag, 1.69% Zn, 0.32% Pb, 0.09 g/t Au,
0.02% Cu and 0.23% Mo (PO-06)
-
1.9m (1.5m ETW) at 15 g/t Ag, 1.59% Zn, 0.82% Pb, 2.59 g/t Au and
0.02% Cu (PO-07)
-
San Luis Drilling
-
In May we mobilized a drill rig to the San Luis target (~4.5km from
CLG) to test the depth potential of the mapped surface expression
of what is interpreted to be an intersection of the main Cerro Los
Gatos structure with a secondary structure known as the Iguana
Fault. The first two holes tested mineralization potential at
approximately 150m below surface along a strike length of 200
metres. The first hole (SL-24-01) intersected a wide quartz vein
filled fault structure returning intervals of anomalous precious
metals, while the second hole (SL-24-02) returned a wide strongly
silicified breccia filled fault structure with intervals of
elevated base metal mineralization (see Table 2 for complete
intercept details).
- 8.9m (7.2m ETW) at 66 g/t Ag and 0.17
g/t Au and no significant base metals (SL-24-01) including:
-
2.5m (2.0m ETW) at 111 g/t Ag and 0.14 g/t Au and no significant
base metals
-
1.6m (1.3m ETW) at 88 g/t Ag and 0.17 g/t Au and no significant
base metals
-
4.2m (3.3m ETW) at 51 g/t Ag, 5.65% Zn, 0.94% Pb, 0.07 g/t Au and
0.14% Cu (SL-24-02) including:
-
1.6m (1.2m ETW) at 62 g/t Ag, 13.25% Zn, 1.98% Pb, 0.07 g/t Au and
0.18% Cu
-
Cerro Los Gatos Central Zone Deep Extension
Drilling
-
In June we mobilized a drill rig to begin a deep (~1,200m)
geological framework hole, testing for the potential extensions or
repeating fault-offset systems on deeper in-ramp graben-based
structures, similar to the SE Deeps system. The hole is located in
an untested area down plunge of the CLG Central and NW zones,
towards the basin. Results of this hole will be used to update
geological models and to plan additional drilling. Drilling had not
reached the projected area of interest prior to the end of the
quarter.
-
Early-Stage District Mapping and Target Readiness
-
Detailed mapping and rock geochemistry sampling work continued in
the Lince, San Agustin and La Paula areas to support drill target
generation.
CLG South-East Deeps Resource Definition
Drilling
The SE Deeps mineralization extends
approximately 1km laterally and 400m vertically, which adjoins the
existing SE mineral reserve, and remains open along strike. During
the 12-month period starting in April 2023 to the end of March
2024, we completed 66,300m of diamond drilling focused on infilling
the higher-grade areas of the SE Deeps zone to 50m spacing. This
drilling data is being used in the mineral reserve and mineral
resource update planned for the third quarter of 2024, with the
database cutoff at the end of the first quarter.
As expected, the tighter drill spacing has shown
that variability within the zone exists, with higher grade in some
areas although on average, silver grades are significantly lower
than our current mineral reserve with base metals including copper
representing a higher proportion of the in-situ value.
Drilling in the second quarter of 2024 shifted
focus back towards resource extension drilling, testing for the
limits of mineralization potential along strike, down-plunge and
shallower within the overall SE Deeps zone. Drilling results during
the quarter continued to successfully demonstrate the extension of
this mineralization beyond what will form the base of the 2024
mineral reserve and resource work, continuing to highlight
additional potential of the system.
Figure 1: Long section of CLG1
showing SE resource definition drilling intercepts received
since our press release dated April 25, 2024. See Table 1 for
complete intercept details including true width
estimates.2
1 The 2023 Mineral Reserve and 2023 Mineral Resource is
disclosed in the Technical Report Summary dated October 20, 2023
(the “Los Gatos Technical Report”) which is filed with the SEC and
available on the Company’s website (https://gatossilver.com). A
corresponding technical report has also been filed on SEDAR+.
2 See press releases dated July 18, 2023,
October 23, 2023, January 25, 2024, and April 25, 2024 for further
information relating to the other previously reported SE Deeps
drill intercepts received since the 2023 resource database cutoff
date of March 31, 2023.
Figure 2: Cross-section through SE Deeps at drillhole
SE-600 showing intercepts
Los Gatos District Exploration Update:
Current Near-mine Focus Plus District Scale Potential
The LGD is comprised of a large land package
covering over 103,000 hectares with an established pipeline of
prospects and more than 50 targets identified to date. We undertook
a target ranking exercise in the second quarter, grouping the
targets into zones, to ensure work is prioritized on the top-ranked
target areas for drilling. Field mapping, drone image surveys and
geochemical sampling programs continue to add new targets to the
pipeline.
Portigueño Target
During the second quarter of 2024 drilling
continued within the Portigueño area, with two drill rigs operating
from April to mid-May, and reduced to one drill rig when the San
Luis drill program was initiated. We finalized four drillholes
during the quarter: PO-04, PO-05, PO-06 and PO-07.
The Portigueño area is located approximately 2km
southeast of CLG (see Figure 6). Drillholes PO-04 and PO-05 were
completed along strike to the south-east of the two drillholes
(PO-02 and PO-03) completed in the first quarter (directly along
strike of CLG). Drillholes PO-06 and PO-07 were completed targeting
the structural intersection corridor of the Antigatos-2, Dragon,
Tule and Roja fault structures.
All four drillholes intersected good widths of
brecciation, alteration and veining, with PO-05 intersecting a
narrow interval of elevated gold mineralization, and PO-06
intersecting anomalous silver and zinc mineralization, and
interestingly high molybdenum values (see Table 2 for complete
intercept details).
Drilling in the third quarter will continue to
explore south-east along the interpreted Roja fault zone and test
the potential strike length extensions of the main CLG structure
intersected in holes PO-04 and PO-05.
Figure 3: Cross-section through Portigueño at drillhole
PO-07 showing intercepts
San Luis Target
Located approximately 4.5km northwest of CLG
along the Los Gatos fault (see Figure 6), San Luis continues to be
an important and exciting target area for our greenfields
exploration team. A large width of quartz-calcite veining exists in
the area with indications of multiple pulses of fluid flow, like
what is observed in the South-East zone at CLG.
Drilling was initiated with one drill rig,
starting in mid-May, with two holes being completed within the
quarter (SL-24-01 and SL-24-02). Both holes returned promising
results.
The first hole SL-24-01 intersected the Iguana
fault, manifesting as a 42m (35m ETW) wide fault intersection with
massive white quartz vein infill, returning anomalous precious
metal results (silver and gold) throughout the interval, and
localized elevated intervals including 2.0m ETW at 111 g/t Ag and
0.14 g/t Au around 150m below surface level.
The second hole SL-24-02 was drilled to test the
strike extension of hole SL-24-01 approximately 200m to the
south-east, and also returned a wide fault intersection of 52.5m
(44.6m ETW) with intervals of strongly silicified breccia returning
anomalous precious metals and elevated base metal values, including
1.2m ETW at 62 g/t Ag, 13.25% Zn, 1.98% Pb, 0.07 g/t Au and 0.18%
Cu (see Table 2 for complete intercept details).
Both drillholes returned geologically interesting intersections,
with the geology and geochemical signatures of each intersection
showing considerable variability. Drilling will continue into the
third quarter to advance the exciting start to the San Luis
exploration program.
Figure 4: Cross-section through San Luis at drillhole
SL-24-01 showing intercepts
Figure 5: Cross-section through San Luis at drillhole
SL-24-02 showing intercepts
Cerro Los Gatos Central Zone Deep
Extension Target
A deep geological framework hole, testing for
the potential extensions or repeating fault-offset systems on
deeper in-ramp graben-based structures similar to the SE Deeps
system, was started towards the end of the second quarter. It is an
area of untested and unknown geology with no previous drilling
within approximately 500m in all directions.
The information gathered from this hole is
expected to considerably upgrade the CLG geological model and
direct further drilling in the target. The target model is to
locate the potential for another SE Deeps style zone at depth and
offset from the Central and NW zones.
Early-Stage District Mapping and Target
Readiness
The early-stage Lince and Los Veranos targets
were advanced during the quarter, with drone surveys, detailed
field mapping and surface geochemical sampling programs. Data
integration and interpretation work of the Lince district will
continue in the third quarter, as we advance towards defining our
drill ready targets. The completion of a drone survey data in the
Los Veranos district will allow for the greenfields team to begin
detailed field mapping in the area (see Figure 7 below for
locations of Lince and Los Veranos districts).
Figure 6: Plan view of near-mine prospects, select
high-priority drill targets and drillholes in SE Deeps, Portigueño
and San Luis Targets (PO-04, 05, 06 and 07 in Portigueño and
(SL-24-01 and 02 in San Luis)
Figure 7: Plan view of the Los Gatos district with
select prospects and high priority drill targets
Table 1: Resource Definition Drilling
Results1
DHID |
|
From |
To |
Drill Width |
ETW |
Ag |
Zn |
Pb |
Au |
Cu |
|
|
m |
m |
m |
m |
g/t |
% |
% |
g/t |
% |
GA-SE-594 |
|
823.4 |
843.0 |
19.6 |
17.6 |
36 |
2.71 |
1.09 |
0.26 |
0.045 |
GA-SE-594 |
including |
831.0 |
834.0 |
3.0 |
2.7 |
81 |
9.94 |
3.88 |
0.81 |
0.149 |
GA-SE-594 |
and |
879.0 |
880.5 |
1.5 |
1.4 |
61 |
12.15 |
2.13 |
0.10 |
0.302 |
GA-SE-595 |
|
808.5 |
812.0 |
3.5 |
2.6 |
50 |
1.37 |
2.09 |
0.02 |
0.037 |
GA-SE-DV-597 |
|
843.7 |
845.2 |
1.5 |
1.2 |
46 |
4.65 |
3.49 |
0.18 |
0.249 |
GA-SE-DV-598 |
|
763.8 |
773.0 |
9.2 |
7.7 |
61 |
2.16 |
0.55 |
0.06 |
0.485 |
GA-SE-DV-598 |
including |
769.0 |
771.0 |
2.0 |
1.6 |
181 |
2.04 |
0.92 |
0.02 |
0.415 |
GA-SE-DV-598 |
and |
777.0 |
780.0 |
3.0 |
2.6 |
71 |
5.78 |
2.36 |
0.49 |
0.459 |
GA-SE-DV-598 |
and |
794.0 |
796.0 |
2.0 |
1.6 |
108 |
5.56 |
3.17 |
0.79 |
0.441 |
GA-SE-599 |
|
859.9 |
865.5 |
5.7 |
4.3 |
28 |
5.74 |
0.88 |
0.12 |
0.128 |
GA-SE-599 |
and |
909.4 |
910.9 |
1.5 |
1.2 |
20 |
12.70 |
1.73 |
0.21 |
0.066 |
GA-SE-600 |
|
859.8 |
863.3 |
3.5 |
2.9 |
214 |
19.00 |
12.23 |
0.18 |
0.247 |
GA-SE-600 |
and |
951.3 |
958.0 |
6.7 |
5.6 |
23 |
2.58 |
0.62 |
0.12 |
0.093 |
GA-SE-600 |
including |
951.3 |
954.7 |
3.4 |
2.9 |
37 |
3.38 |
0.94 |
0.06 |
0.133 |
GA-SE-601 |
|
731.5 |
735.5 |
4.0 |
3.4 |
59 |
0.50 |
0.45 |
0.05 |
0.357 |
GA-SE-602 |
|
834.0 |
840.5 |
6.5 |
6.0 |
43 |
4.52 |
1.78 |
0.14 |
0.280 |
GA-SE-602 |
Including |
834.0 |
837.0 |
3.0 |
2.7 |
47 |
4.64 |
2.27 |
0.21 |
0.350 |
GA-SE-602 |
Including |
838.8 |
840.5 |
1.8 |
1.6 |
55 |
7.50 |
2.58 |
0.12 |
0.130 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 Received since our press release dated April
25, 2024. Results from drillhole GA-SE-596 was reported previously
(see the Company’s press release dated April 25, 2024).
Table 2: Greenfield Exploration Drilling
Results1
DHID |
|
From |
To |
Drill Width |
ETW |
Ag |
Zn |
Pb |
Au |
Cu |
Mo |
|
|
m |
m |
m |
m |
g/t |
% |
% |
g/t |
% |
% |
DDH-PO-04 |
|
837.0 |
837.6 |
0.6 |
0.5 |
14 |
1.50 |
1.20 |
0.05 |
0.169 |
|
DDH-PO-05 |
|
410.9 |
413.7 |
2.8 |
2.2 |
12 |
0.17 |
0.15 |
0.97 |
0.004 |
|
DDH-PO-05 |
including |
413.0 |
413.7 |
0.7 |
0.6 |
6 |
0.15 |
0.06 |
3.11 |
0.002 |
|
DDH-PO-06 |
|
700.6 |
702.1 |
1.6 |
1.2 |
49 |
1.69 |
0.32 |
0.09 |
0.015 |
0.23 |
DDH-PO-07 |
|
736.2 |
741.0 |
4.9 |
3.9 |
14 |
1.01 |
0.72 |
1.33 |
0.023 |
|
DDH-PO-07 |
including |
736.2 |
738.0 |
1.9 |
1.5 |
15 |
1.59 |
0.82 |
2.59 |
0.017 |
|
DDH-PO-07 |
and |
757.2 |
758.5 |
1.3 |
1.0 |
3 |
2.38 |
0.05 |
0.02 |
0.008 |
|
SL-24-01 |
|
200.3 |
209.3 |
9.0 |
7.2 |
66 |
0.40 |
0.28 |
0.17 |
0.037 |
|
SL-24-01 |
including |
200.3 |
202.8 |
2.5 |
2.0 |
111 |
0.39 |
0.22 |
0.14 |
0.043 |
|
SL-24-01 |
including |
207.7 |
209.3 |
1.6 |
1.3 |
88 |
0.98 |
0.86 |
0.17 |
0.050 |
|
SL-24-01 |
and |
243.8 |
244.6 |
0.8 |
0.6 |
20 |
5.27 |
0.89 |
0.03 |
0.029 |
|
SL-24-02 |
|
343.0 |
347.2 |
4.2 |
3.3 |
51 |
5.65 |
0.94 |
0.07 |
0.137 |
|
SL-24-02 |
including |
344.5 |
346.0 |
1.6 |
1.2 |
62 |
13.25 |
1.98 |
0.07 |
0.178 |
|
1 Intercepts shown are anomalous and
geologically significant but are below current NSR x thickness
cutoff for CLG.
Table 3: Drillhole
Locations
Drillhole |
Target |
Easting |
Northing |
Elevation |
Azimuth |
Dip |
Hole Depth |
GA-SE-594 |
Resource Extension |
370,131 |
3,047,337 |
1,593 |
225 |
-52 |
906 |
GA-SE-595 |
Resource Extension |
370,059 |
3,047,196 |
1,572 |
226 |
-59 |
850 |
GA-SE-DV-597 |
Resource Extension |
369,950 |
3,047,412 |
1,609 |
217 |
-62 |
921 |
GA-SE-DV-598 |
Resource Extension |
369,459 |
3,047,776 |
1,616 |
208 |
-59 |
810 |
GA-SE-599 |
Resource Extension |
370,051 |
3,047,331 |
1,575 |
222 |
-60 |
942 |
GA-SE-600 |
Resource Extension |
370,200 |
3,047,296 |
1,593 |
222 |
-58 |
975 |
GA-SE-601 |
Resource Extension |
370,059 |
3,047,197 |
1,572 |
224 |
-55 |
759 |
GA-SE-602 |
Resource Extension |
370,228 |
3,047,177 |
1,584 |
227 |
-52 |
859 |
DDH-PO-04 |
Greenfields Exploration |
370,535 |
3,046,823 |
1,573 |
236 |
-63 |
960 |
DDH-PO-05 |
Greenfields Exploration |
370,499 |
3,046,331 |
1,554 |
230 |
-75 |
663 |
DDH-PO-06 |
Greenfields Exploration |
370,547 |
3,045,833 |
1,549 |
250 |
-63 |
819 |
DDH-PO-07 |
Greenfields Exploration |
370,653 |
3,045,623 |
1,557 |
260 |
-59 |
803 |
SL-24-01 |
Greenfields Exploration |
365,680 |
3,050,305 |
1,641 |
31 |
-45 |
288 |
SL-24-02 |
Greenfields Exploration |
365,681 |
3,050,304 |
1,641 |
74 |
-45 |
474 |
About Gatos Silver
Gatos Silver is a silver dominant exploration,
development and production company that discovered a new silver and
zinc-rich mineral district in southern Chihuahua State, Mexico. As
a 70% owner of the Los Gatos Joint Venture, the Company is
primarily focused on operating the Cerro Los Gatos mine and on
growth and development of the Los Gatos district. The LGJV consists
of approximately 103,000 hectares of mineral rights, representing a
highly prospective and under-explored district with numerous
silver-zinc-lead epithermal mineralized zones identified as
priority targets.
Quality Assurance/Quality
Control
The half core samples from the LGJV’s surface
exploration drillholes are shipped directly in sealed bags to the
ALS Limited (“ALS”) preparation facilities in Chihuahua City,
Mexico. After sample preparation in Chihuahua, sample pulps are
shipped to ALS in North Vancouver, Canada for analysis. The
remaining half core is retained on site. Samples sent for analysis
are sawn half-core NQ or HQ in diameter and normally 2m in length
but varied based on geological contacts. Samples are prepared using
a method whereby the entire sample is crushed, and a subset is
pulverized. Samples are analyzed for base metals and silver using
inductively coupled plasma methods. Gold and overlimit silver are
assayed using fire assay techniques. Sample batches include
intermittent blanks, duplicates, and certified standards. The
results of the assaying of the QA/QC material included in each
batch are tracked to ensure the integrity of the assay data. ALS is
a third-party independent laboratory.
Qualified Person
Scientific and technical disclosure in this
press release was approved by Chad Yuhasz, P.Geo., Vice President
of Exploration and Technical Services of Gatos Silver who is a
“Qualified Person” as defined in S-K 1300 and NI 43-101.
Qualification Regarding Exploration and
Drilling Results
Any statements herein regarding ranges of
potential tonnage and grade or quality of any exploration target
are conceptual in nature, there has been insufficient exploration
of the relevant properties to estimate a mineral resource; it is
uncertain whether further exploration will result in the estimation
of a mineral resource; and any exploration target therefore does
not represent, and should not be construed to be, an estimate of a
mineral resource or mineral reserve (mineral resource and mineral
reserve estimates are stated exclusively in the Los Gatos Technical
Report).
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that
constitute “forward looking information” and “forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of U.S. and Canadian securities
laws. All statements other than statements of historical facts
contained in this press release, including statements regarding
exploration or development programs at the CLG mine or in the Los
Gatos district, potential of the SE Deeps and Central Deep zones or
the Portigueño and San Luis targets, timing of the updated Reserve
and Resource estimate, mine life extension potential, resource
conversion and expansion and timing thereof, prospects for
potential development, future drilling, new high priority targets
or zones, economic potential of drilling results, and
interpretations of mapping, or of geological, geophysical or
geochemical indicators are forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are based on management’s beliefs and
assumptions and on information currently available to management.
Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual
results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in
the forward-looking statements, and such other risks and
uncertainties described in our filings with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission and Canadian securities commissions. Gatos
Silver expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update
the forward-looking statements contained in this press release to
reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events,
conditions, or circumstances on which such statements are based
unless required to do so by applicable law. No assurance can be
given that such future results will be achieved. Forward-looking
statements speak only as of the date of this press release.
Investors and Media Contact
André van NiekerkChief Financial
Officerinvestors@gatossilver.com(604) 424-0984
Photos accompanying this announcement are available
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Gatos Silver (NYSE:GATO)
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From Oct 2024 to Nov 2024
Gatos Silver (NYSE:GATO)
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From Nov 2023 to Nov 2024