Prime Mining Corp. (“Prime” or the
“Company”) (TSX-V: PRYM, OTCQX: PRMNF, Frankfurt:
04V3) is reporting drill results from its ongoing 60,000 metre
(“m”) drill program, of which about one half is focused on regional
exploration at Los Reyes. Today’s results are from the Las Primas
and Fresnillo generative targets (see Figure 1) at the Company’s
Los Reyes Project (the “Project”), located in Sinaloa State,
Mexico.
Newly discovered Las Primas mineralization
outside of the previously reported 2023 Mineral Resource Estimate
(“MRE”) contains high-grades and significant thicknesses in areas
located between the Central and Guadalupe Zones. The precious
metals mineralization is in high-grade plunging shoots, similar to
Guadalupe, Tahonitas and Nocha Buena areas, that contain a multiple
gram per tonne (‘gpt’) gold equivalent (‘AuEq’) center with an
outer, lower-grade halo. At Las Primas, mapping and
2023 drilling has confirmed continuity of at least two mineralized
structural corridors that remain open in all
directions.
Fresnillo is a highly prospective earlier stage
target, where drilling intercepted thick mineralized structures,
between the Z-T and Central Zones. Follow-up drilling is planned to
continue. Surface mapping and modelling of these structures is
ongoing.
Generative Target
Highlights
Las Primas Area:
The Company is reporting 12 core holes at the Las Primas target.
Las Primas is located in the southeast of the Project area between
the Central and Guadalupe Zones. Highlights are listed below:
- 12.34 gpt AuEq (10.85 gpt Au and 114.9
gpt Ag) over 2.5 metres (m) estimated true width (‘etw’) in hole
23LP-14, including:
- 17.50 gpt AuEq (15.40 gpt Au and 162.2
gpt Ag) over 1.7 m etw.
- 1.73 gpt AuEq (1.70 gpt Au and 2.3 gpt
Ag) over 9.6 m etw in hole 23LP-06, including:
- 4.94 gpt AuEq (4.88 gpt Au and 4.7 gpt
Ag) over 3.0 m etw.
- 1.20 gpt AuEq (0.87 gpt Au and 25.8 gpt
Ag) over 14.6 m etw in hole 23LP-07, starting just below
surface.
Fresnillo Area:
The Company is reporting 11 core holes at the Fresnillo target,
located between the south ends of the Z-T and Central Zones.
Highlights are listed below:
- 0.74 gpt AuEq (0.56 gpt Au and 14.3 gpt
Ag) over 23.8 m etw, and
- 0.48 gpt AuEq (0.41 gpt Au and 5.3 gpt
Ag) over 20.8 m in hole 23FRE-12.
- 1.65 gpt AuEq (1.06 gpt Au and 45.2 gpt
Ag) over 10.9 m etw in hole 23FRE-19, including:
- 12.30 gpt AuEq (6.63 gpt Au and 438.0
gpt Ag) over 0.85 m etw.
- 1.39 gpt AuEq (0.87 gpt Au and 40.4 gpt
Ag) over 7.5 m etw in hole 23FRE-20.
Prime Mining Corp. Chief Executive Officer
Daniel Kunz commented, “Today’s results demonstrate the growing
potential of our gold-silver exploration targets outside of the
current mineral resource zones. New mineralized areas like these
are expected to contribute to our goal of continued expansion of
the Los Reyes gold-silver resource. As Las Primas and Fresnillo are
proximal to existing resource zones, we anticipate incremental
value-add from these nearby generative targets.”
Scott Smith, Executive Vice President of
Exploration added, “We are successfully executing a two-pronged
approach to exploration: firstly, drilling resource expansions at
Z-T, Central and Guadalupe Zones, the three areas that form our
current mineral resource estimate, and secondly, exploring a
growing number of new, generative targets. Mapping, surface
sampling and modeling are ongoing to help guide generative
drilling. We have many additional generative targets at Los Reyes
identified that we have not yet had the opportunity to fully
drill-test. A strong focus on exploration access improvements has
facilitated this newly reported drilling and will allow more
efficient drilling of many of these generative targets going
forward.”
Prime is targeting a material resource expansion
at Los Reyes through a combination of new generative area
discoveries and growth, such as those being reported today, in
addition to on-going expansion along strike and down dip within
previously reported mineral resource areas. These recent regional
results are from the initial generative program which is expected
to be followed-up as the Company continues to evaluate the full
potential of Los Reyes.
Figure 1: Generative drilling
update
INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS
The drilling described in this news release is
the result of Prime’s success-based generative exploration program.
Currently drill-limited mineralized areas (500 m2 at Las Primas and
700 m2 at Fresnillo) are demonstrating potential to become
standalone deposits. Prime is the first to drill at both Las Primas
and Fresnillo.
Las Primas was first identified
through historical records and the Company’s earlier sampling and
mapping work. Prime conducted initial drill-testing at Las Primas
in 2021 using a portable rig due to limited road access. On August
4, 2021, Prime released the first three holes at Las Primas, that
included hole 21LP-02 at 1.8 gpt AuEq over 3.8 m etw, located 24 m
downhole. Today’s results are the product of Prime’s focused
generative drill program (see Figure 2 and 3), which has identified
what appears to be two or more major parallel vein sets.
The Las Primas area is located approximately 475
m east of the Noche Buena pit-constrained MRE in the Central Zone
and 500 m southwest of the Guadalupe East pit-constrained MRE in
the Guadalupe Zone. Similar to Guadalupe East, mineralization at
Las Primas is primarily hosted in quartz veins and breccias near
the intrusive contacts between feldspathic porphyry and
rhyolitic/dacitic intrusives. Drilling has defined mineralization
in multiple structures along a 300 m strike length and up to 240 m
down-dip and is open in all directions (see Figures 4a-c). The
potential to find structural intersections similar to those
identified in Guadalupe East is high.
Fresnillo was first drilled as part of Prime’s
2022 drill program. Prime published the first nine drill holes from
Fresnillo on February 27, 2023, highlighting hole 22FRE-09 at 1.7
g/t AuEq over 15.8 m etw.
Fresnillo is located between the Z-T and Central Zones, with
mineralization identified to date roughly 150 m from the Noche
Buena pit-constrained MRE in the Central Zone and 500 m from the
Z-T pit-constrained MRE to the west. Similar to the Z-T and Central
Zones, mineralization at Fresnillo is in high-grade, south-plunging
shoots surrounded by lower-grade mineralized halos. Mineralization
has been identified in multiple southwest-dipping structures, which
remain open both down-dip and along strike to the southeast (see
Figures 5 and 6).
Drill Hole Highlights - Las Primas &
Fresnillo Areas1
Hole ID |
From (m) |
To (m) |
Interval (m) |
ETW2 (m) |
Au (gpt) |
Ag (gpt) |
AuEq3 (gpt) |
Area |
23LP-05 |
0.00 |
6.00 |
6.00 |
5.80 |
1.45 |
7.60 |
1.55 |
Las Primas |
23LP-05 |
71.50 |
85.25 |
13.75 |
13.55 |
0.61 |
5.31 |
0.68 |
Las Primas |
23LP-06 |
0.00 |
5.40 |
5.40 |
5.20 |
0.41 |
9.90 |
0.54 |
Las Primas |
23LP-06 |
126.00 |
135.75 |
9.75 |
9.60 |
1.70 |
2.32 |
1.73 |
Las Primas |
including |
132.00 |
135.00 |
3.00 |
2.95 |
4.88 |
4.70 |
4.94 |
Las Primas |
including |
133.50 |
135.00 |
1.50 |
1.50 |
8.20 |
7.90 |
8.30 |
Las Primas |
23LP-07 |
0.00 |
4.50 |
4.50 |
4.45 |
0.36 |
18.93 |
0.60 |
Las Primas |
23LP-07 |
9.65 |
24.50 |
14.85 |
14.60 |
0.87 |
25.78 |
1.20 |
Las Primas |
including |
12.00 |
15.00 |
3.00 |
2.95 |
1.87 |
32.70 |
2.29 |
Las Primas |
23LP-07 |
54.45 |
62.50 |
8.05 |
7.95 |
0.94 |
20.89 |
1.21 |
Las Primas |
23LP-09 |
0.00 |
6.30 |
6.30 |
5.70 |
1.62 |
51.09 |
2.28 |
Las Primas |
including |
0.00 |
5.30 |
5.30 |
4.80 |
1.88 |
58.26 |
2.63 |
Las Primas |
23LP-09 |
20.25 |
21.40 |
1.15 |
1.15 |
5.39 |
72.50 |
6.33 |
Las Primas |
23LP-13 |
111.80 |
123.70 |
11.90 |
11.70 |
0.34 |
8.16 |
0.45 |
Las Primas |
23LP-14 |
117.25 |
119.75 |
2.50 |
2.45 |
10.85 |
114.86 |
12.34 |
Las Primas |
including |
117.25 |
119.00 |
1.75 |
1.70 |
15.40 |
162.20 |
17.50 |
Las Primas |
23LP-14 |
151.00 |
158.30 |
7.30 |
5.60 |
0.82 |
32.53 |
1.24 |
Las Primas |
including |
153.00 |
154.50 |
1.50 |
1.15 |
2.85 |
143.50 |
4.71 |
Las Primas |
23LP-15 |
36.30 |
39.50 |
3.20 |
2.75 |
2.40 |
98.66 |
3.68 |
Las Primas |
including |
36.30 |
38.75 |
2.45 |
2.10 |
2.92 |
117.90 |
4.45 |
Las Primas |
23LP-15 |
274.80 |
276.00 |
1.20 |
1.15 |
3.00 |
1474.00 |
22.08 |
Las Primas |
23FRE-12 |
214.00 |
241.50 |
27.50 |
23.80 |
0.56 |
14.28 |
0.74 |
Fresnillo |
23FRE-12 |
249.00 |
273.00 |
24.00 |
20.80 |
0.41 |
5.29 |
0.48 |
Fresnillo |
23FRE-14 |
208.00 |
218.50 |
10.50 |
9.10 |
0.41 |
3.61 |
0.46 |
Fresnillo |
23FRE-14 |
224.50 |
239.50 |
15.00 |
13.00 |
0.50 |
2.04 |
0.53 |
Fresnillo |
23FRE-17 |
28.50 |
29.65 |
1.15 |
1.10 |
7.86 |
1.30 |
7.88 |
Fresnillo |
23FRE-17 |
146.20 |
148.15 |
1.95 |
1.85 |
4.16 |
43.57 |
4.72 |
Fresnillo |
including |
147.20 |
148.15 |
0.95 |
0.90 |
8.08 |
60.90 |
8.87 |
Fresnillo |
23FRE-18 |
367.00 |
368.45 |
1.45 |
1.35 |
3.81 |
4.80 |
3.87 |
Fresnillo |
23FRE-19 |
273.60 |
286.20 |
12.60 |
10.90 |
1.06 |
45.22 |
1.65 |
Fresnillo |
including |
275.80 |
276.80 |
1.00 |
0.85 |
6.63 |
438.00 |
12.30 |
Fresnillo |
23FRE-19 |
292.30 |
308.10 |
15.80 |
13.70 |
0.48 |
13.40 |
0.65 |
Fresnillo |
23FRE-19 |
311.25 |
324.00 |
12.75 |
11.05 |
0.31 |
9.46 |
0.43 |
Fresnillo |
23FRE-20 |
238.50 |
250.25 |
11.75 |
10.20 |
0.31 |
7.17 |
0.40 |
Fresnillo |
23FRE-20 |
267.30 |
275.90 |
8.60 |
7.45 |
0.87 |
40.42 |
1.39 |
Fresnillo |
including |
270.45 |
271.50 |
1.05 |
0.90 |
2.02 |
108.70 |
3.43 |
Fresnillo |
23FRE-20 |
295.25 |
311.15 |
15.90 |
13.75 |
0.33 |
7.20 |
0.42 |
Fresnillo |
Table 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, as well as accompanying notes on composite
grades.
- 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).
Figure 2: Las Primas Area drilling
update
Figure 3: Las Primas Area drilling update
with grade shells
*Note: drill traces in blue are newly released.
Figure 4a: Las Primas Area cross sections
A-A’
Figure 4b: Las Primas Area cross sections
B-B’
Figure 4c: Las Primas Area cross sections
C-C’
Figure 5: Fresnillo Area drilling
update
Figure 6: Fresnillo Area drilling update
with grade shells
*Note: drill traces in blue are newly released.
Drilling at Los Reyes is ongoing through the current rainy
season (which is expected to end in the coming weeks) with four
drill rigs focusing on:
- extending the high-grade Z-T shoots
that remain open at depth, as well as along strike north and
south;
- expanding the two other MRE
resource areas, including the eastern extensions of the Guadalupe
Zone and Echeguren Shaft area; and,
- exploring multiple new generative
targets.
Prime has completed over 38,000 m of its planned
60,000 m 2023 drill program and will continue to evaluate its
drilling plans using its success-based approach.
Link 1 – PDF Figures
Link 2 – PDF Drill Hole
Tables
Note: Gold equivalent grades
are calculated based on an assumed gold price of $US 1700 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.
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 two 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.
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.
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.
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 US$30 million on direct exploration activities and
has completed over 120,000 m of drilling. On May 2, 2023, Prime
announced an updated multi-million-ounce high-grade open pit
constrained resource (see below, and refer to Note 1 and the May 2,
2023 press release for more details).
May 2, 2023 Resource
Statement
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.
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.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Daniel KunzChief Executive
Officer
For further information, please contact:
Daniel KunzChief Executive
Officer and DirectorPrime Mining Corp.1307 S. Colorado Ave.Boise,
Idaho 83706Telephone: +1 (208) 926-6379 officeemail:
daniel@primeminingcorp.ca
Scott HicksExecutive Vice
PresidentPrime Mining Corp.710 – 1030 West Georgia StreetVancouver,
BC, V6E 2Y3Telephone: +1 (604) 428-6128 officeemail:
scott.hicks@primeminingcorp.ca
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its
Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies
of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the
adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-Looking Information
This 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 April 22, 2022, available on
www.sedar.com. 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:https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/29a68a39-6940-4acb-8c4d-7b903f38014dhttps://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4381b492-294b-4435-9563-9138f8e6d0adhttps://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7f21272b-2eea-41fe-b2a6-02846b77cec9https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9c1047d6-c5c8-4d0c-9d88-0a0a176422f5https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/42ed5a1b-9ac5-496c-9a9b-4b3d9c2d94a9https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a4603a9d-22a6-4292-b410-916cac0c3d33https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/49f2c511-2f48-4e62-9f75-740ddb716b2bhttps://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/53ffae5c-e245-4e23-b1c9-c07c2d8faa15https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2cc39d53-cfc8-4ad6-aaf2-642884a56075
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