VANCOUVER, BC, Dec. 19,
2022 /CNW/ - Southern Empire Resources Corp.
(Southern Empire) (TSXV: SMP) (Frankfurt: 5RE) (OTC: SMPEF) announces the
acquisition of the 23,750 hectare ("ha"; 58,687 acre) La Loma gold
property by staking. La Loma is located in Durango State, México
approximately 50 kilometres ("km") southeast of Southern Empire's
Pedro Gold Project and 35 km west-southwest of the major city of
Torreón (see Figure 1).
Southern Empire also announces the expansion of its recently
optioned Centauro Gold ("Au") Project (see Southern Empire news
release dated December 12, 2022)
located near Jiménez, Chihuahua from an original 600 ha to 4,432 ha
(10,951 acres) with the staking of the Tauros and Centauro 2
claims.
"Southern Empire's La Loma, Pedro and Centauro gold projects
support our theory that a northwest trending metallogenic belt of
"Carlin-style" and/or low sulphidation epithermal gold deposits
extends through northern central México. Our projects all exhibit
many of the geological and mineralogical features that define these
important precious metal deposit types," stated David Tupper, Southern Empire's VP of
Exploration.
La Loma Property
Southern Empire's La Loma, Pedro, and Centauro Gold Projects
occur within the north Mexican Oligocene Basin and Range
physiographic province. These three project areas define a
150-kilometre trend of gold occurrences that are associated with
arsenic-mercury-antimony mineralization, together with silica and
clay alteration, all hosted in the same package of Cretaceous
limestones and mudstones and Tertiary ignimbrite eruptive and
polymictic conglomerate lithologies.
As part of the "Laramide" Lower Cretaceous to early Tertiary,
Mexican Fold and Trust Belt, the stratigraphy of the area exhibits
repeated, elongate north-south folds that are regularly interrupted
by moderate- to high-angle thrusts and later extensional faulting
(see Figure 2).
A significant portion of the La Loma property covers "Terrano
Naccional" (federal land) and is therefore unencumbered by private
or communal Ejido ownership (see Figure 2). Access is
limited to several broad, ephemeral riverbeds (arroyos) extending
from the south.
The La Loma property covers a large, unexplored area having Au,
arsenic ("As"), antimony ("Sb"), mercury ("Hg"), molybdenum ("Mo"),
and silver ("Ag") stream sediment geochemical anomalies as reported
by the Secretaria de Economia de México, ("SGM") in 2006 (see
Figure 3). This government stream sediment sampling survey
was completed at a low, regional density. Additionally, much of the
regional geological mapping was accomplished with the aid of
stereoscopic interpretation.
Hyperspectral mapping (ASTER 2003/06; see Figure 2) shows
that these geochemical anomalies are often coincident with zones of
strong silica alteration.
The SGM regional geochemical sediment sample results also
suggest significant potential for Carbonate Replacement Deposit
("CRD") mineralization in the La Loma area, especially with the
Ojuela and La Platosa CRD mines (both now closed) located only 50
km to the north. Significant anomalies supporting the prospectivity
for CRD mineralization also occur to the southeast of the La Loma
claim, however this is a protected area.
At La Loma, Southern Empire has planned exploration programs for
spring 2023 that will include:
- Higher density stream sediment sampling
- Prospecting and preliminary geological mapping
Centauro Property Expanded by Staking
The Centauro property has been significantly expanded by staking
two claims totalling 3,832 ha that surround the 600-ha claim block,
which is held under option by Southern Empire. This staking extends
the project area up to 7 kilometres to the west (see Figure
4).
The Tauros and Centauro 2 claims cover areas of silica and
kaolinite alteration, and lesser alunite and buddingtonite
alteration, as recently identified and mapped (by analysis of
Worldview-3 hyperspectral data) along trend and to both the
northwest and the northeast of the original Centauro claim block.
These suites of probable alteration mineralization are often
spatially associated with "Carlin-style" and/or low sulphidation
epithermal gold mineralization observed at Centauro to date.
Southern Empire has initiated negotiations to secure surface
access rights at the Centauro Gold Project with the local rancher
owners who have worked with the claim owner for more than 30
years.
Qualified Person (QP)
The scientific and technical information contained in this news
release has been prepared, reviewed and approved by David Tupper, P.Geo. (British Columbia), Southern Empire's VP
Exploration and a Qualified Person within the context of Canadian
Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101; Standards of
Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101). The historical
analytical data contained in this news release was obtained from
public disclosures and data of the Secretaria de Economia de
Mexico, Silver Spruce Resources
Inc. and Mundoro Capital Inc. and has not been verified by the
Qualified Person.
About Southern Empire Resources Corp.
Southern Empire is focused on the acquisition, exploration and
development of metals and minerals deposits in North America.
In northeastern Durango State, México, Southern Empire
has an option to acquire a 100-per-cent beneficial interest in the
1,750-hectare Pedro Gold Project. At Pedro, in the spring of 2022,
Southern Empire drilled gold mineralization approximately 800
metres from 2014 drilling by a subsidiary of Newmont Mining
Corporation. Gold mineralization, associated with
highly anomalous arsenic (orpiment and realgar common),
antimony, mercury and thallium, has been identified hosted in
permeable basal conglomerates deposited during
Oligocene extensional deformation, the latter forming
widespread Basin and Range physiography along the easter part of
Sierra Madre Occidental. Gold is present in 12 of the 17 holes
drilled at Pedro to date. Please see Southern Empire's news
releases posted on SEDAR for further details.
In the Cargo Muchacho mountains of Imperial County, California, Southern Empire
owns 100 percent of the historical gold-producing American Girl
mine property and holds options to acquire a 100 percent interest
in the adjacent 2,160-hectare (5,338-acre) Oro Cruz Property
located approximately 22.5 kilometres (14 miles) southeast of the
operating Mesquite gold mine of Equinox Gold Corp.
At Oro Cruz, extensive historical drilling and large-scale
open-pit and underground mining of the American Girl, Padre y
Madre, Queen, and Cross oxide gold deposits by the American Girl
Mining Joint Venture ("AGMJV") occurred between 1987 and 1996.
During that time, gold was recovered by either heap leaching of
lower-grade, or milling of higher-grade ores until AGMJV operations
ceased in late 1996 because of declining gold prices leaving the
Oro Cruz Property with many gold exploration targets in addition to
a historical inferred resource estimate, reported In 2011 by
Lincoln Mining Corp., totaling 341,800 ounces gold based on
4,386,000 tonnes averaging 2.2 grams gold per tonne (g Au /t) at a
cut-off grade of 0.68 g Au/t (4,835,000 tons at 0.07 ounce gold per
ton; please refer to the Cautionary Notice Regarding the Oro Cruz
Property Historical Resource Estimate below).
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Southern Empire
Resources Corp.,
Dale
Wallster, CEO and Director
Cautionary Notice on Forward-Looking Information
Information provided in this news release may contain
forward-looking information or forward-looking statements that are
based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. Such
information or statements reflect management's current estimates,
beliefs, intentions, and expectations and are not guarantees of
future performance. Southern Empire cautions that all
forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual
performance may be affected by many material factors, many of which
are beyond its respective control. Such factors include, among
other things: risks and uncertainties relating to Southern Empire's
limited operating history, the need to comply with environmental
and governmental regulations, results of exploration programs on
its projects, and those risks and uncertainties identified in its
annual and interim financial statements and management discussion
and analysis. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions,
and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs,
intentions, and expectations expressed or implied in the
forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable
securities legislation, Southern Empire undertakes no obligation to
publicly update or revise forward-looking information.
Cautionary Notice Regarding Historical Resource
Estimate
The Oro Cruz Project historical resource estimate is disclosed
in a technical report dated April 29,
2011, prepared for Lincoln Mining Corp. by Tetra Tech, Inc.
and filed on Canadian Securities Administrators' System for
Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval ("SEDAR"). It is termed
an inferred mineral resource, which is a category set out in NI
43-101. It was based on historical reverse circulation and core
drill hole sample, underground channel sample, and blasthole sample
assay results and calculated using ordinary kriging to estimate
gold grades in 10-foot-by-10-foot-by-five-foot blocks. Accordingly,
Southern Empire considers this historical estimate reliable as well
as relevant as it represents key targets for future exploration
work. However, a QP has not done sufficient work to verify or
classify the historical estimate as a current mineral resource and
Southern Empire is not treating this historical estimate as current
mineral resources.
Cautionary Notice Regarding Exploration Work
Programs
The timing and the ability to conduct Southern Empire's
exploration programs are, among other things, contingent on:
governmental regulations allowing for the issuance of permits;
affects of the COVID-19 pandemic; and the availability of property
access, exploration personnel, drill contractors, equipment,
lodging, etc. Southern Empire will adhere to COVID-19 directives
regarding safe working practices putting worker and community
health and safety first and will proceed with exploration and
development work programs only if potential COVID-19 risks can be
effectively managed.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation
Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the
Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of
this release.
SOURCE Southern Empire Resources Corp.
