At
- SCR-141 intercepted 3.05 m averaging 1.479 g/t Au, including 1.52 m averaging 2.591 g/t Au
- SCR-142 intercepted 7.62 m averaging 1.322 g/t Au and 12.19 m averaging 0.965 g/t Au
- SCR-143 intercepted 12.19 m averaging 0.687 g/t Au, including 1.52 m averaging 1.741 g/t Au
- SCR-148 intercepted 27.44 m averaging 1.170 g/t Au, including 3.05 m averaging 4.696 g/t Au
- SCR-149 intercepted 12.19 m averaging 0.498 g/t Au from a depth of 4.57 m
In the southeastern extension of the zone, drill holes SCR-141, SCR-142 and SCR-143 demonstrated an increase in the lateral width of the zone to approximately 150 meters with at least four different segments. In the northwestern extension, SCR-148 and SCR-149 have extended the zone approximately 100 meters to the northwest from where, as previously reported on
The geology of the main extent of both the Buena Suerte and Japoneses gold zones consists of strongly fractured Mesozoic clastic sedimentary rocks, quartzite and fine-grained shale units. Parts of the Buena Suerte zone are crosscut by fractured and veined rhyolitic intrusives possibly related to the Oligocene rhyolite flow dome unit that forms the crest of Cerro Caliche peak located approximately two kilometers to the northeast. The crest of Cerro Caliche peak shows strong silicification with moderate argillic alteration and quartz veining with gold anomalous surface outcrops. Rock textures and mineralization sampled on surface show this area to be within the low sulfidation epithermal system’s ideal boiling zone, adding to its potential for future targeting.
Hole | Target | From | To | Interval | Au | Ag | AuEq | |
(meters) | g/t | g/t | g/t | |||||
SCR-141 | 3.05 | 10.67 | 7.62 | 0.500 | 13.0 | 0.69 | ||
and | 13.72 | 22.86 | 9.14 | 0.210 | 1.50 | 0.23 | ||
and | 68.58 | 71.63 | 3.05 | 1.479 | 0.80 | 1.49 | ||
includes | 68.58 | 70.10 | 1.52 | 2.591 | 0.80 | 2.60 | ||
and | 94.49 | 97.54 | 3.05 | 0.286 | 0.55 | 0.29 | ||
and | 103.63 | 121.92 | 18.29 | 0.337 | 4.56 | 0.40 | ||
and | 137.16 | 147.83 | 10.67 | 0.304 | 0.70 | 0.31 | ||
SCR-142 | 0.00 | 4.57 | 4.57 | 0.625 | 10.90 | 0.78 | ||
includes | 1.52 | 3.05 | 1.53 | 1.418 | 19.80 | 1.70 | ||
and | 9.14 | 15.24 | 6.10 | 0.401 | 2.10 | 0.43 | ||
and | 50.29 | 57.91 | 7.62 | 1.322 | 18.80 | 1.59 | ||
includes | 54.86 | 57.91 | 3.05 | 2.150 | 38.60 | 2.70 | ||
and | 62.48 | 67.06 | 4.58 | 0.296 | 12.70 | 0.48 | ||
and | 74.68 | 86.87 | 12.19 | 0.965 | 19.50 | 1.24 | ||
includes | 77.72 | 80.77 | 3.05 | 2.650 | 69.90 | 3.65 | ||
and | 103.63 | 111.25 | 7.62 | 0.185 | 6.70 | 0.28 | ||
SCR-143 | 28.96 | 32.00 | 3.04 | 0.398 | 23.60 | 0.74 | ||
and | 41.15 | 44.20 | 3.05 | 1.015 | 41.0 | 1.60 | ||
includes | 41.15 | 42.67 | 1.52 | 1.798 | 71.90 | 2.83 | ||
and | 54.86 | 57.91 | 3.05 | 0.202 | 0.40 | 0.21 | ||
and | 74.68 | 77.72 | 3.04 | 0.468 | 3.40 | 0.52 | ||
and | 88.39 | 92.96 | 4.57 | 0.480 | 1.50 | 0.50 | ||
and | 99.06 | 111.25 | 12.19 | 0.687 | 2.10 | 0.72 | ||
includes | 99.06 | 100.58 | 1.52 | 1.741 | 10.90 | 1.90 | ||
SCR-145 | JAPONESES | and | 59.44 | 62.48 | 3.04 | 0.206 | 2.00 | 0.23 |
and | 65.53 | 88.39 | 22.86 | 0.568 | 8.40 | 0.69 | ||
and | 91.44 | 102.11 | 10.67 | 0.449 | 4.20 | 0.51 | ||
and | 112.78 | 117.35 | 4.57 | 0.166 | 0.70 | 0.18 | ||
and | 138.68 | 144.78 | 6.10 | 0.209 | 0.80 | 0.22 | ||
SCR-146 | JAPONESES | 21.34 | 25.91 | 4.57 | 0.238 | 9.40 | 0.37 | |
and | 67.06 | 80.77 | 13.71 | 0.599 | 8.00 | 0.71 | ||
includes | 77.72 | 79.25 | 1.53 | 2.479 | 43.8 | 3.11 | ||
and | 83.82 | 86.87 | 3.05 | 0.279 | 0.20 | 0.28 | ||
and | 94.49 | 103.63 | 9.14 | 0.261 | 0.60 | 0.27 | ||
SCR-147 | JAPONESES | and | 77.72 | 88.39 | 10.67 | 0.405 | 4.30 | 0.47 |
and | 128.02 | 140.21 | 12.19 | 0.361 | 0.50 | 0.37 | ||
SCR-148 | 1.52 | 6.10 | 4.58 | 0.409 | 0.30 | 0.41 | ||
and | 16.76 | 44.20 | 27.44 | 1.170 | 2.40 | 1.20 | ||
includes | 25.91 | 27.43 | 1.52 | 3.101 | 2.20 | 3.13 | ||
includes | 39.62 | 42.67 | 3.05 | 4.696 | 3.40 | 4.75 | ||
SCR-149 | 4.57 | 16.76 | 12.19 | 0.498 | 0.60 | 0.51 |
Drill collar locations, azimuths and dips for the drill holes included in this release are provided in the table below and have been posted to the Company’s website for all drill holes.
Drill Collar Locations (NAD 1927 | |||||||
Drill Hole | Zone | Easting | Northing | Elevation | Depth (m) | Dip | Azimuth |
SCR-141 | 536578 | 3365025 | 1363 | 170.69 | -45 | 232 | |
SCR-142 | 536545 | 3364987 | 1365 | 131.06 | -45 | 228 | |
SCR-143 | 536546 | 3364949 | 1347 | 121.92 | -45 | 230 | |
SCR-145 | Japoneses | 536736 | 3365290 | 1350 | 170.69 | -48 | 232 |
SCR-146 | Japoneses | 536715 | 3365349 | 1329 | 140.21 | -45 | 243 |
SCR-147 | Japoneses | 536758 | 3365380 | 1325 | 140.21 | -45 | 232 |
SCR-148 | 536419 | 3365282 | 1319 | 121.92 | -45 | 250 | |
SCR-149 | 536394 | 3365325 | 1286 | 134.11 | -45 | 246 |
At Japoneses, three infill RC holes, SCR-145, SCR-146 and SCR-147, located in the northern portion of the zone, were drilled at a 45° angle on a 225° azimuth. All three drill holes, which are outside the Company’s pit constrained NI 43-101 inferred resource estimate reported in 20191, represent mineralized intervals that help to define the northwestern part of the Japoneses mineralized zone. The topographic location of these drill holes is on the north facing canyon slope where the inclusion of the new mineralized material may be incorporated into the proposed conceptual plan for a heap leach mine operation (HLMO) for the main body of the Japoneses zone to the southeast.
Additional Assay Results and Recommencement of Drilling
Assay results from six RC holes and nine core holes completed in
Drilling is planned to re-start
To date, an Air Track (AT) drilling program has resulted in the completion of 703.5 meters of drilling in 27 drill holes, averaging 26 meters depth per hole. The AT holes are located mainly in the Guadalupe Vein area, parallel to the western boundary of the Cabeza Blanca zone, where it crosses several access-road cuts. The samples obtained from AT drilling are being assayed at an independent laboratory. AT drilling will also be utilized this month for condemnation purposes in areas that have been identified as possible sites for the proposed mine’s heap leach pad and the disposal site for what is predominantly oxide waste rock.
A Strong Case for a Larger HLMO Following an Exceptionally Productive 2nd Half of 2020
The latest drill results and the Company’s plan to increase the conceptual throughput for a proposed mine plan up to 20,000 tonnes per day (tpd) are the culmination of what management considers an exceptionally productive second half of 2020. This achievement was in part the consequence of a comprehensive geological review and planning based on the Cerro Caliche project’s extensive data set. The results of the review followed by the proposed drill campaign and the mine proposal enabled the successful closing of an $8 million financing, supported by
The financing was immediately followed by the execution of a two-pronged drilling campaign. The first focused on exploring and developing the current shallow oxide gold zones, while the second tested multiple higher risk, potential high-grade gold targets. Details regarding this initial campaign can be viewed on the Cerro Caliche project page of the Company’s website. Based on the subsequent flow of positive drill results, Sonoro is now examining a materially larger mine development proposal with a conceptual throughput of up to 20,000 tpd. The proposed design of a larger operation is a consequence of the work of Sonoro’s technical team in
2021 Outlook: Independent Metallurgical Study, Updated Resource Estimate and PEA Scheduled for Completion in Q2-2021
During 2019, Sonoro conducted internal metallurgical column leach tests on the identified near surface mineralization. In
The Company’s 2020 drilling campaign was, in part, designed to increase drilling density to support an increase in the existing NI 43-101 compliant 201,000 oz. Au inferred resource estimate (filed on SEDAR on
The resource estimate and the metallurgical tests are expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2021 with D.E.N.M. completing the PEA shortly afterwards. These independent consultants will address key material conditions that must be met for the Company to accomplish its goal of commencing gold production as early as
Drilling Campaigns Continue at Cerro Caliche
Sonoro’s campaign of higher-risk, high-grade core exploration drilling, together with low-risk RC drilling of the 17 shallow gold mineralization zones, are to continue until
High Grade Targets Potentially Within the Lower Boundaries of Future Open Pit Mining
Initial core drilling results at Cerro Caliche have established the probable boundaries of Cerro Caliche’s epithermal, ideal boiling zone, which is roughly defined as the paleo-elevation’s most favourable for the deposition of high-grade gold. These results have established that the boiling zone is higher (shallower) in the system than the elevations of several of the earlier high-grade targets. It has also shown the rock units to have tilted approximately 20 degrees since they were formed. The Company believes this means that the higher-grade potential likely is much closer to and, in some cases, adjacent to the shallow oxide gold mineralization. While the viability of the proposed development at Cerro Caliche has yet to be confirmed, any high-grade gold zones which are found to be within the lower boundaries of future low-cost bulk mining are likely to positively impact on the Cerro Caliche’s economics.
2021 Upcoming Key Corporate Milestones
Company management is confident that the upcoming technical reports will detail substantial increases in both the current inferred resource’s size and grade, while noting that this is being accomplished with less than 20% of the Cerro Caliche’s mapped gold zones having been drilled. In addition to the potential for a high-grade gold discovery or additional substantial increases in the shallow inferred gold resource, the release of both the Cerro Caliche’s metallurgical test results and the updated resource technical report, together with the contemplated PEA, are key milestones for the Company and as such are also significant potential share price catalysts. Considerable work has already been carried out and continues to be done which underpins management’s expectation that the PEA will be positive. As this occurs, the methodical work by
Quality Assurance/Quality Control (“QA/QC”) Measures and Analytical Procedures
Drill samples are collected with an airstream cyclone and passed into a splitter that divides each sample into quarters. The quartered samples are then bagged and sealed with identification. The sample group has blanks, standards and duplicates inserted into the sample stream.
Bureau Veritas (BV) collects the samples and transports them directly to the preparation laboratory in
No QA/QC issues were noted with the results received from the laboratory.
Geologic Description
Cerro Caliche is located 45 kilometers east southeast of
Host rocks include Jurassic-Cretaceous meta-sedimentary rock units including argillite, shale, quartzite, limestone, quartz pebble conglomerate and andesite. Younger intrusive rock consisting of medium coarse-grained granodiorite-granite is present in the westerly parts of the concessions near the historic
Qualified Person Statement
About
On behalf of the Board of | |
Per: | “Kenneth MacLeod” |
President & CEO | |
For further information, please contact: | |
Email: info@sonorogold.com |
Forward-Looking Statement Cautions: This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, relating to, among other things, the Company's plans for the exploration, development and operations at the above-described Cerro Caliche Concessions, located in the municipality of
Neither the
_____________________
1 NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Cerro Caliche Property,
2021 GlobeNewswire, Inc., source