Prime Mining Corp. (“Prime” or the “Company”) (TSX:
PRYM) (OTCQX: PRMNF) (Frankfurt: 04V3) is
reporting expansion drilling results from the Company’s Los Reyes
Project (the “Project”), located in Sinaloa State, Mexico. These
results are from 2024 drilling at the
Z-T Trend
and are not included in the Company’s May 2, 2023, Mineral Resource
Estimate (“MRE”).
Expansion Drilling Highlights at
Z-T
The Company is reporting 11 core holes at
Tahonitas in the Z-T Trend with the following
highlights:
- 9.39 grams per tonne (“gpt”)
gold-equivalent (“AuEq”) (2.63 gpt Au and 522.1 gpt Ag) over 10.5
metres (“m”) estimated true width (“etw”) in hole 24TA-139,
including:
- 10.29 gpt AuEq (2.89 gpt Au and 572.0
gpt Ag) over 8.0 m etw,
- 4.55 gpt AuEq (2.87 gpt Au and 130.0
gpt Ag) over 4.1 m etw in hole 24TA-138, including:
- 8.06 gpt AuEq (5.23 gpt Au and 218.3
gpt Ag) over 2.1 m etw, and,
- 3.56 gpt AuEq (2.92 gpt Au and 49.2 gpt
Ag) over 4.6 m etw in hole 24TA-138, including:
- 5.57 gpt AuEq (4.84 gpt Au and 56.8 gpt
Ag) over 2.7 m etw,
- 2.95 gpt AuEq (2.88 gpt Au and 5.5 gpt
Ag) over 4.1 m etw in hole 24TA-135, including:
- 13.21 gpt AuEq (12.95 gpt Au and 20.3
gpt Ag) over 0.7 m etw, and,
- 4.24 gpt AuEq (4.08 gpt Au and 12.2 gpt
Ag) over 2.3 m etw in hole 24TA-135, including:
- 13.92 gpt AuEq (13.40 gpt Au and 40.4
gpt Ag) over 0.6 m etw.
Prime Mining Corp. Chief Executive Officer Scott
Hicks commented, “Expansion drilling results at Tahonitas in the
Z-T trend have been excellent, demonstrating continuity of very
high gold and silver grades down dip and within previous drilling
gaps. This can be seen in the highlighted holes, including 24TA-139
where high-grade extensions are supportive of underground
potential.”
Scott Smith, Executive Vice President of
Exploration, added, “The holes released today include some of the
southeastern-most holes we have drilled to date, collared at over
550m along strike from the southeast Z-T pit crest. These holes
intersected mineralization at elevations between 370m to over 450m
(above sea level). We know that the areas where mineralization
occurs in this structure also extend above and below these
elevations, which in turn provides great targets to continue to
expand Z-T in this direction.”
Figure 1: Expansion drilling
update
Tahonitas Drill Hole
Highlights1
Hole ID |
From (m) |
To (m) |
Interval (m) |
ETW (m)2 |
Au (gpt) |
Ag (gpt) |
AuEq3 |
Au Cut-off4 |
24TA-132 |
137.0 |
139.0 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
1.43 |
3.3 |
1.47 |
0.2 |
24TA-135 |
272.2 |
278.6 |
6.4 |
4.1 |
2.88 |
5.5 |
2.95 |
0.2 |
including |
274.5 |
276.0 |
1.5 |
1.0 |
1.20 |
1.4 |
1.22 |
1.0 |
& including |
276.4 |
277.5 |
1.1 |
0.7 |
12.95 |
20.3 |
13.21 |
1.0 |
24TA-135 |
306.6 |
310.1 |
3.5 |
2.3 |
4.08 |
12.2 |
4.24 |
0.2 |
including |
306.6 |
307.5 |
1.0 |
0.6 |
13.40 |
40.4 |
13.92 |
1.0 |
24TA-135 |
377.4 |
379.5 |
2.1 |
1.4 |
1.51 |
135.4 |
3.26 |
0.2 |
including |
377.4 |
378.4 |
1.0 |
0.7 |
2.71 |
280.0 |
6.33 |
1.0 |
24TA-137 |
384.80 |
391.30 |
6.50 |
4.60 |
0.78 |
33.85 |
1.22 |
0.2 |
24TA-138 |
404.5 |
410.2 |
5.7 |
4.1 |
2.87 |
130.0 |
4.55 |
0.2 |
including |
405.9 |
408.8 |
2.9 |
2.1 |
5.23 |
218.3 |
8.06 |
1.0 |
24TA-138 |
413.9 |
420.3 |
6.4 |
4.6 |
2.92 |
49.2 |
3.56 |
0.2 |
including |
413.9 |
417.7 |
3.8 |
2.7 |
4.84 |
56.8 |
5.57 |
1.0 |
24TA-139 |
194.3 |
195.8 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
4.76 |
887.0 |
16.24 |
1.0 |
24TA-139 |
206.7 |
217.2 |
10.5 |
10.5 |
2.63 |
522.1 |
9.39 |
0.2 |
including |
207.4 |
208.3 |
0.9 |
0.9 |
3.64 |
740.0 |
13.22 |
1.0 |
including |
208.1 |
216.0 |
8.0 |
8.0 |
2.89 |
572.0 |
10.29 |
1.0 |
Notes:
- A complete table of assay results
from all deposits and all secondary zones intersected utilizing a
0.20 gpt Au cut-off is on the Company's
website.
- Estimated True Widths (ETW) are
estimated based on drill hole geology or comparisons with other
on-section drill holes.
- Au Equivalent (AuEq) is calculated
as Au gpt + (Ag gpt x ($22/$1700)) where $22 and $1700 are the
price of one ounce of Ag and Au respectively (in US
dollars).
- Composite assay grades presented in summary tables are
calculated using a Au grade minimum average of 0.20 gpt or 1.0 gpt
as indicated in “Au Cut-off” column of Summary Tables. Maximum
internal waste included in any reported composite interval is 3.00
m. The 1.00 gpt Au cut-off is used to define higher-grade “cores”
within the lower-grade
halo.
INTERPRETATION
Tahonitas:
24TA-138: (1) returned higher Au and Ag grades
than estimated in the 2023 MRE block model, (2) was drilled at a
more favourable intercept angle than historical drilling in the
area and (3) is within the existing MI&I pit shell. As a
result, we anticipate that this drillhole will have a positive
impact on future Resource estimates at Z-T by improving both the
grade and Resource classification in this area.
24TA-139 is the best intercept to-date in the
newly identified high-grade shoot developing at the southern end of
the Z-T trend, returning exceptionally high Au and Ag grades over
significant thickness. Further, 24TA-132 and 24TA-136 confirm the
existence of this shoot at a distance of more than 500m from the
south-east pit crest, demonstrating the continuity of
mineralization along the Z-T structure along strike to the south.
The high-grade mineralization defined by 24TA-132, 24TA-136, and
24TA-139 remains open along strike and at depth and will continue
to be a focus for future drilling at Z-T.
24TA-137 returned one of our deepest intercepts
to-date at 200m above sea level, grading 1.22 gpt AuEq over 4.6m
etw. This hole demonstrates that the productive zone remains open
at depth and open to the southeast along strike.
The ongoing discovery of mineralization hosted
along strike and at depth continues to suggest the following:
- The Z-T structure continues to be
mineralized for more than 500m along strike from the current
south-east pit crest.
- The potential exists to discover
more high-grade plunging shoots with continued drilling below the
current resource pit bottom and within the new south-east strike
extension. These high-grade shoots have the potential to support
underground resource estimation.
- Several high-grade plunging shoots
identified to-date remain open at depth and along strike in
multiple areas along the Trend.
Figure 2: Z-T Trend drilling
update
Figure 3: Z-T
Trend long section with drill holes highlighted
(A-A’)
Figure 4: Z-T
Trend
(Tahonitas) cross section
B-B’
2024 Outlook
Given the results from Prime’s success-based
drilling program at mid-year, the Company approved the expansion of
its fiscal 2024 program to 50,000m from 40,000m. The drill program
will continue to be evaluated according to this success-based
approach. This evaluation will also include prioritization of
targets based on probability of resource development and generative
area discovery potential.
Four drill rigs are currently active on site at
Los Reyes, with 2024 exploration focused on:
- Extending the high-grade
Z-T Area shoots that remain open at depth, as well as
along strike, both north and south.
- Expanding the known
high-grade mineralization at Guadalupe East.
- Increasing the Central Area
resource through additions at Noche Buena and its
connection to San Miguel East.
- Generative target drilling
of high-grade intercepts at Las Primas, Mariposa,
Fresnillo, Mina and others to further develop the resource
potential at Los Reyes.
Links to Figures:
- Figure 1 - Expansion drilling
update
- Figure 2
- Z-T Area drilling update
- Figure 3 - Z-T
Area long section with drill holes highlighted (A-A’)
- Figure 4 - Z-T
Area (Tahonitas) cross section (B-B’)
Links to Tables:
- Table 1 – Drill Intercepts in this
Release
- Table 2 – Drill Intercepts to
Date
About the Los Reyes Gold and Silver
Project
Los Reyes is a rapidly evolving high-grade, low
sulphidation epithermal gold-silver project located in Sinaloa
State, Mexico. Since acquiring Los Reyes in 2019, Prime has spent
approximately CAD$55 million on direct exploration activities and
has completed over 198,500 metres of drilling. On May 2, 2023,
Prime announced an updated multi-million-ounce high-grade open pit
constrained resource (see the May 2, 2023, press release for more
details).
May 2, 2023 Resource
Statement
Assurance Category |
Ore TonnesMt |
Average Gold Grade (g/t) |
Contained Gold(k ozs) |
Average Silver Grade (g/t) |
Contained Silver(k ozs) |
Average AuEq Grade(g/t) |
Contained AuEq(k ozs) |
Measured (M) |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Indicated (I) |
27.2 |
1.16 |
1,013 |
40.40 |
35,263 |
1.68 |
1,470 |
M+I |
27.2 |
1.16 |
1,013 |
40.40 |
35,263 |
1.68 |
1,470 |
Inferred |
18.1 |
0.85 |
497 |
31.52 |
18,334 |
1.26 |
734 |
Drilling is on-going and suggests that the three
known main deposit areas (Guadalupe, Central and Z-T) are larger
than previously reported. Potential also exists for new discoveries
where mineralized trends have been identified outside of the
currently defined resource areas.
Historic operating results indicate that an
estimated 1 million ounces of gold and 60 million ounces of silver
were recovered from five separate operations at Los Reyes between
1770 and 1990. Prior to Prime’s acquisition, recent operators of
Los Reyes had spent approximately US$20 million on exploration,
engineering, and prefeasibility studies.
QA/QC Protocols and Sampling
Procedures
Drill core at the Los Reyes project is drilled
in predominately HQ size (63.5 millimetre “mm”), reducing to NQ
(47.6 mm) when required. Drill core samples are generally 1.50 m
long along the core axis with allowance for shorter or longer
intervals if required to suit geological constraints. After logging
intervals are identified to be sampled, the core is cut and one
half is submitted for assay. RC drilling returns rock chips and
fines from a 133.35 mm diameter tricone bit. The returns are
homogenized and split into 2 halves, with one half submitted for
analysis and the other half stored.
Sample QA/QC measures include unmarked certified
reference materials, blanks, and field duplicates as well as
preparation duplicates are inserted into the sample sequence and
make up approximately 8% of the samples submitted to the laboratory
for each drill hole.
Samples are picked up from the Project by the
laboratory personnel and transported to their facilities in Durango
or Hermosillo Mexico, for sample preparation. Sample analysis is
carried out by Bureau Veritas and ALS Labs, with fire assay,
including over limits fire assay re-analysis, completed at their
respective Hermosillo, Mexico laboratories and multi-element
analysis completed in North Vancouver, Canada. Drill core sample
preparation includes fine crushing of the sample to at least 70%
passing less than 2 mm, sample splitting using a riffle splitter,
and pulverizing a 250-gram split to at least 85% passing 75
microns.
Gold in diamond drill core is analyzed by fire
assay and atomic absorption spectroscopy of a 30 g sample (code
FA430 or Au-AA23). Multi-element chemistry is analyzed by 4-Acid
digestion of a 0.25-gram sample split (code MA300 or ME-ICP61) with
detection by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometer for a
full suite of elements.
Gold assay techniques FA430 and Au-AA23 have an
upper detection limit of 10 ppm. Any sample that produces an
over-limit gold value via the initial assay technique is sent for
gravimetric finish via method FA-530 or Au-GRA21. Silver analyses
by MA300 and ME-ICP61 have an upper limit of 200 ppm and 100 ppm,
respectively. Samples with over-limit silver values are re-analyzed
by fire assay with gravimetric finish FA530 or Au-GRA21.
Both Bureau Veritas and ALS Labs are ISO/IEC
accredited assay laboratories.
Additional Notes
Metres is represented by “m”; “etw” is
Estimated True Width and is based on drill hole geometry or
comparisons with other on-section drill holes; “Au” refers to gold,
and “Ag” refers to silver; “gpt” is grams per metric tonne; some
figures may not sum due to rounding; Composite assay grades
presented in summary tables are calculated using a Au grade minimum
average of 0.20 gpt or 1.0 gpt as indicated in “Au Cut-off” column
of Summary Tables. Maximum internal waste included in any reported
composite interval is 3.00 m. The 1.00 gpt Au cut-off is used to
define higher-grade “cores” within the lower-grade halo.
Gold equivalent grades are calculated based on
an assumed gold price of US$1,700 per ounce and silver price of $22
per ounce, based on the formula AuEq grade (gpt) = Au grade + (Ag
grade x ($22 / $1,700)). Metallurgical recoveries are not
considered in the in-situ grade estimate but are estimated to be
93% and 83% for gold and silver, respectively, when processed in a
mill, and 72% and 25% respectively when heap-leached. See the June
12, 2023, Los Reyes Technical Report for additional details.
Qualified Person
Scott Smith, P.Geo., Executive Vice President of
Exploration, is a qualified person for the purposes of National
Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical
content in this news release.
About Prime Mining
Prime is managed by an ideal mix of successful
mining executives, strong capital markets personnel and experienced
local operators all focused on unlocking the full potential of the
Los Reyes Project. The Company has a well-planned capital structure
with a strong management team and insider ownership. Prime is
targeting a material resource expansion at Los Reyes through a
combination of new generative area discoveries and growth, while
also building on technical de-risking activities to support
eventual project development.
For further information, please visit
https://primeminingcorp.ca/ or direct enquiries to:
Scott HicksCEO &
Director
Indi GopinathanVP Capital
Markets & Business Development
Prime Mining Corp.710 – 1030 West Georgia
St.Vancouver, BC V6E 2Y3 Canada+1(604)
238-1659info@primeminingcorp.ca
Cautionary Notes to U.S. Investors
Concerning Resource EstimatesThis news release has been
prepared in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws
in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of the U.S.
securities laws. In particular, and without limiting the generality
of the foregoing, the terms “mineral reserve”, “proven mineral
reserve”, “probable mineral reserve”, “inferred mineral resources,”
“indicated mineral resources,” “measured mineral resources” and
“mineral resources” used or referenced in this presentation are
Canadian mineral disclosure terms as defined in accordance with
National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral
Projects (“NI 43-101”) under the guidelines set out in the 2014
Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum Standards
for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, Definitions and
Guidelines, May 2014 (the “CIM Standards”). The CIM Standards
differ from the mineral property disclosure requirements of the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) in Regulation
S-K Subpart 1300 (the “SEC Modernization Rules”) under the U.S.
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). As a
foreign private issuer that is eligible to file reports with the
SEC pursuant to the multijurisdictional disclosure system, the
Company is not required to provide disclosure on its mineral
properties under the SEC Modernization Rules and will continue to
provide disclosure under NI 43-101 and the CIM Standards.
Accordingly, the Company’s disclosure of mineralization and other
technical information may differ significantly from the information
that would be disclosed had the Company prepared the information
under the standards adopted under the SEC Modernization Rules.
Forward Looking InformationThis news release
contains certain “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation
as may be amended from time to time, including, without limitation,
statements regarding the perceived merit of the Company’s
properties, including additional exploration potential of Los
Reyes, potential quantity and/or grade of minerals, the potential
size of the mineralized zone, metallurgical recoveries, and the
Company’s exploration and development plans in Mexico.
Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical
facts which address events, results, outcomes, or developments that
the Company expects to occur. Forward-looking statements are based
on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company’s management
on the date the statements are made, and they involve several risks
and uncertainties. Certain material assumptions regarding such
forward-looking statements were made, including without limitation,
assumptions regarding the price of gold, silver and copper; the
accuracy of mineral resource estimations; that there will be no
material adverse change affecting the Company or its properties;
that all required approvals will be obtained, including concession
renewals and permitting; that political and legal developments will
be consistent with current expectations; that currency and exchange
rates will be consistent with current levels; and that there will
be no significant disruptions affecting the Company or its
properties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such
statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future
events could differ materially from those anticipated in such
statements. Forward-looking statements involve significant known
and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual
results to differ materially from those anticipated. These risks
include, but are not limited to: risks related to uncertainties
inherent in the preparation of mineral resource estimates,
including but not limited to changes to the cost assumptions,
variations in quantity of mineralized material, grade or recovery
rates, changes to geotechnical or hydrogeological considerations,
failure of plant, equipment or processes, changes to availability
of power or the power rates, ability to maintain social license,
changes to interest or tax rates, changes in project parameters,
delays and costs inherent to consulting and accommodating rights of
local communities, environmental risks, title risks, including
concession renewal, commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations,
risks relating to COVID-19, delays in or failure to receive access
agreements or amended permits, risks inherent in the estimation of
mineral resources; and risks associated with executing the
Company’s objectives and strategies, including costs and expenses,
as well as those risk factors discussed in the Company's most
recently filed management's discussion and analysis, as well as its
annual information form dated March 25, 2024, available on
www.sedarplus.ca. Except as required by the securities disclosure
laws and regulations applicable to the Company, the Company
undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements
if management’s beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors,
should change.
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
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