2018-2019 Exploration
In the Santana project area, gold mineralization is related to a series of hydrothermal breccias ( ≥300-500m in diameter) hosted by batholithic intrusions and porphyritic stocks and by roof pendants of volcanic host rocks. The breccia bodies extend from surface to significant depths.
As part of the ongoing drilling activities, Minera Alamos is engaged in a systematic review of the entire project concession area in order to identify additional zones of mineralization with the potential for resource definition.
2018
The 2018 Phase 1 drill program (10 holes; ~1500 m) was the first exploration drilling conducted at Santana since 2011. Results are included in the October 10, 17, 25 and November 1, 2018 news releases.
Holes S18-114 and S18-115 targeted a satellite zone of gold mineralization immediately to the northeast of the Nicho deposit and examined its potential continuity with the main gold system. Both holes intersected multiple zones of gold mineralization.
Holes S18-116-119 and S-18-123-124 were step-out holes to assess the continuity of mineralization to the southwest of the Nicho Main zone. All of the holes intersected broad zones of near surface mineralization, including 80.4 m of 1.05 g/t Au and 127.3 m of 0.81 g/t Au.
Holes S18-123 and 124 tested the southwest limits of the Nicho Main zone. Both holes ended within the mineralized horizon, indicating the potential for deep mineralization extensions.
Hole S18-121, drilled approximately 200 m north of the known mineralization limits at the Nicho and Nicho Norte zones, returned 95.7 m of 0.85 g/t Au, 9.8 g/t Ag and 0.33% Cu from 32 m downhole. This new polymetallic mineralized system, named Divisadero, had been traced at surface over an extent of 300-400m before it disappeared under surface cover.
2019
Following the successful Phase 1 results, Minera Alamos planned a second drill program designed to demonstrate the potential of the project to host multiple “Nicho-style” mineralized systems that could be combined to supply feed material for an expanded regional production facility.
The Phase 2 drilling was designed to test the limits of the open pit at the Nicho and Nicho Norte deposits and explore a number of high priority targets including Divisadero, Zata, Benjamin and Ubaldo.
A target to the east of the Nicho deposit was also investigated resulting in the discovery of Gold Ridge zone that can be traced at surface for almost 1,000m. Assays of 147 rock samples indicated that about one-third of the samples had grades suitable for heap leaching (see September 5, 2019 release).