Pinnacle Silver returns more high grade gold and silver samples from El Potrero, now plans extensive drilling
Pinnacle Silver & Gold Corp is continuing to make good progress with systematic underground channel sampling at the historic Dos de Mayo mine at the El Potrero project in Durango, Mexico.
This work is providing a good look at the gold-silver distribution within the known mineralized zone.
Fifty-three channel samples, in 13 composite channels, have been taken within an inclined tunnel approximately 1.5 metres in diameter connecting two levels 25.5 metres apart.
Composite assays of up to 11.2 grams per tonne gold and 179 grams per tonne silver over 3.5 metres have been returned.
Other highlights include 15.55 grams gold and 222 grams silver over 1.1 metre, and 11.93 grams gold and 190 grams silver over 1.4 metres.
The weighted average of mineralized composites within the raise assayed 6.43 grams gold and 110 grams silver.
“As at the historic Pinos Cuates mine, the existing underground workings at Dos de Mayo are giving us an important understanding of the nature of the gold-silver mineralization at El Potrero,” said Robert Archer, Pinnacle’s chief executive.
“What we are seeing is consistent with these low-sulphidation epithermal systems, where pockets of high-grade mineralization, called “clavos” in Mexico, occur within a defined horizon, likely consistent with the “boiling zone” of the hydrothermal fluids. At both mines, the ‘main’ level appears to have been the haulage level as they are mostly unmineralized, although sporadic higher-grade assays were received. Despite the lack of historic production records, it seems likely that the haulage levels were constructed below, and outside of, the mineralized horizon.”
Archer added that the full extent of this particular 'clavo' - as at Pinos Cuates - is as yet unknown and will require drilling to determine.
“On a larger scale, the underground sampling is providing crucial information to better understand the distribution of gold and silver mineralization such that we can correlate with the surface sampling within the collective 500 metre strike length of the historic mines and then extrapolate along the entire 1,600 metre strike length that we have defined to date,” he continued.
“We are currently in the planning stages for an underground drilling program at all three main mines that will effectively be delineation drilling on a fairly detailed scale.”
The Dos de Mayo mine is the southeasterly of three historic mines along a 500 metre strike length on the Dos de Mayo vein system on the Potrero property. Underground sampling is now continuing at La Dura mine to the northwest. The vein system has been traced on surface for 1,600 metres and there are other parallel and splay veins that are being further defined and evaluated, as the property has never been systematically explored.”
View from Vox
The mine workings have now been accurately surveyed and individual 3D models are being created for each mine in Leapfrog. It’s a strong foundation for Pinnacle to build on, and no doubt the market will welcome the news here that a significant drilling effort is now planned.