Pinnacle Silver and Gold has prepared an inaugural underground drilling program for the high-grade El Potrero gold-silver project in Durango, Mexico.
Systematic underground channel sampling has been conducted since acquiring the project
at the end of February and comprises 773 samples in the three historic mine workings along 500 metres of the Dos de Mayo epithermal vein system.
This work has identified several shoots of high-grade gold-silver mineralization in the three mines, with individual grades running at up to 85.1 grams per tonne gold and 520 grams silver.
In addition, several hundred surface channel samples above the historic mines grading up to 37.4 grams gold and up to 2,280 grams silver imply continuity of the mineralization to
surface.
As the underground sampling was limited to the extent of the mine workings, detailed drilling is necessary to determine the ultimate size, shape and grade of the mineralized zones.
Consequently, Pinnacle’s geological team has compiled the results and created 3D models of the Dos de Mayo vein and the exposed mineralization in the three mines in order to create a program of systematic drilling whereby the vein structure will be tested every 12.5 metres along strike and vertically.
As the holes will be collared either in or immediately adjacent to the vein structure, holes will be relatively short, in the range of 20 metres-to-25 metres in length.
At present, it is anticipated that the entire program will comprise approximately 2,600 metres in 112 holes and take about six weeks to complete.
A certain amount of development work will be required in the historic workings to create enough room for the drill setups and make sure that the drillers will have a safe working environment. This work will begin early in the New Year and will take about one month to complete, with drilling to follow as soon as possible.
“The underground drilling will be a significant step in the development of the Potrero Project,” said Robert Archer, Pinnacle’s chief executive.
“It is not common that the first drill program on a new project is underground. However, we are fortunate to have good access to at least some of the mineralization through the historic mine workings and this detailed program will essentially be delineation drilling rather than exploration. With the results of this program, we will gain a very good understanding of the principal mineralized zones such that we can begin putting together a preliminary mine plan. Follow-on surface drilling can then test the areas between the mine workings in addition to less developed veins like El Capulin and La Estrella that are being sampled for the first time.”
View from Vox
Good to see Pinnacle outlining drill plans for the near-term. This year has been one in which the company has really established itself at El Potrero and gained a real handle on what potential might be on offer. Which sets up 2026 nicely as the year of delivery.