(via TheNewswire)
Westside Area of
Tombstone project identified as high potential shallow gold-silver expansion target.Crew have mobilized and commenced 2024 exploration program at Tomsbtone project.
News Release -
In 2023, the Tombstone JV acquired the Westside patented claim (see new release dated
Aztec’s recent exploratory work has confirmed several mineralized structures crossing the Westside area. From the study of historic reports, maps and sections, examination of historic workings and drillhole logs, the individual mineralized structures are strong targets, with indicative evidence of their intersections potentially hosting broad gold-silver mineralization at levels near the surface.
Figure 1- Tombstone Property – Westside Area and 1982 Planned Pit Expansion for Gold-Silver Oxide Shallow Mineralization
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Link to Figure 1
A review of historical data has confirmed that the Westside anticline was mined along multiple, replaced sediment layers near the axis to its crest in the sediments over all its 450+ m length, noting that, at its intersection with the
Most of the Westside area and its multiple targets have yet to be explored. The Westside -Sulphuret mine workings reached to the 7thand 8thlevels (210-250 m), and historic drilling has significant CRD intercepts at 500 to 600 m depths.
The 1982 historic mine development plan (see Figure 2 below) shows that the full width and depth of the shallow gold-silver mineralization was not included in the mine planning. It is thought that the Blue limestone layer and the sediments immediately above and below it, also shown in Figure 2, would have the best potential to host oxidized gold-silver mineralization
Figure 2. Westside 1982 Pit Expansion Plan Section View
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Link to Figure 2
Current Exploration Program
Aztec also announces that crews have mobilized to site and have commenced the 2024 Tombstone exploration program (see news release dated
The ongoing exploration program is expected to add knowledge into the expansion potential of the bulk tonnage, gold-silver oxidized mineralization, and from that, continue drilling and mineralization footprint. The focus of this exploration program is to better define the three styles of mineralization known to exist on the property and to identify top priority targets for drilling. The three types of known mineralization at the
Silver-gold bearing, north-northeast striking felsic intrusive dikes hosting mesothermal stock-works and hydrothermal breccias that cut the
Cretaceous Bisbee Group and the underlying Paleozoic carbonates, on which the historic Contention underground mine and later the 1980’s open pit heap leach mine was developed, which now is known to extend laterally and vertically beyond the Contention pitHigh-grade, silver-gold quartz stringer vein lodes striking northeast cutting the
Cretaceous Bisbee Group clastic sediments and the Paleozoics, which are related to several of the historic mines in theTombstone districtTombstone’s well known, high grade, oxidized, silver-gold rich base metal carbonate replacement deposits (“CRD”), which lie in the lowermost
Bisbee Group and in the underlying Paleozoic carbonates, have a geologic setting very similar to the world-classHermosa Taylor base metal sulfide deposit of South32, located 65 kilometers southwest ofTombstone . Strong structural controls of the Tombstone CRD deposit locations related parallel to the crests of anticlines, usually with vertical (“reef”) stacking on multiple, favorable horizons
Positive indications for mineralization at
The
Bisbee sediments exhibit widespread fracturing, silica-pyrites-sericite-clay alteration, quartz veinlets, stockworks, and hornfelsing and in the limestones jasperoids, dolomitization and skarn developmentThe Contention open pit mine is centered along a strong NNE fault structure with large, mineralized felsic dikes possibly related to a deeper intrusion
The underground Contention mine mined the dike mineralization to over 300 m depth
Historic drilling by Newmont and
Santa Fe to over 700 m depth have intersected narrow to wide, high grade CRD mantos, evidence that the Paleozoic limestones are prospectiveThe presence of several manganese-silver rich mines surround the Property are considered indicative of distal mineralization to CRD deposits worldwide
Tombstone Project Overview
Aztec holds a 75% interest in the Tombstone Property Joint Venture, which includes most of the original patented mining claims in the main district as well as some recently acquired properties.
The main target of the 2023 core drill program was to continue testing the shallow, bulk tonnage, heap leachable, mesothermal gold-silver oxide mineralization adjacent and below the previously mined Contention pit by infill and step-out drilling. Core drilling was deemed needed in order to penetrate the multiple historic workings and to acquire needed geological data. Future drilling is expected to focus on strike and dip extensions of the shallow oxide mineralization, and move deeper to test for larger, deeper “Taylor-type” CRD targets along and adjacent to the Contention structure.
The
The district geology consists of a complicated mix of shallow-level, oxidized Au-Ag and base metal deposits related to CRD and skarns hosted in folded and thrusted sediments, intrusive dikes and lode veins, and as well the under explored, sulfide versions located below the water table.
Host rocks to the mineralization are primarily the clastic sediments of the lowest portion of the Cretaceous Bisbee Formation. Between 50 and 300 meters (m) in depth, the
Although the historic silver mines at
Note: Gold equivalents are calculated using a80:1 silver:gold ratio in 2020 and 2023 and a 70:1 silver:gold ratioin 2021. Reported lengths are apparent widths, not true widths. The Contention Au-Ag mineralization zones are generally west dipping at around 60-80 degrees, associated with the quartz-feldspar porphyry dikes. However, these dikes also extend as sills in shallow angles out from the Contention fault along fold noses in the
*Grade-Thickness in meters-grams/tonne means the result of multiplying a drill hole intercept length, measured in meters, by the grade of the gold values in the intercept, the resulting compiled number is measured in grams/tonne. Grade thickness is not to be construed as gross metal value nor as a resource.The
Summary Tombstone Project Highlights
Well located propertyon patented (33) and unpatented (42) claims (452.02 hectares/1,116.94 acres), covers much of the historic
Tombstone silver mining district, great infrastructure, local town, road access, full services, water, powerHistoric silver districtproduced 32 million oz silver from 1878-1939, in high grade, oxidized, silver-gold-lead-zinc-copper vein, breccia and CRD deposits, and small open pit heap leach production in late 1980’s
Drilling by Aztec in 2020-23has demonstrated that the
Contention Pit target has significant, shallow. oxidized Au-Ag bulk tonnage mineralization which is open in all directionsMultiple other prospective targets in Cretaceous and Paleozoic rocks related to major NW and NNE trending structures hosting porphyritic intrusions crosscutting a possible caldera ring structure
The following are highlights of recent drilling intersections supporting the conceptual exploration model for mineralized footprint growth.
TR21-22: 2.44 gpt Au and 66.56 gpt Ag(3.39 gpt AuEq)over 65.5m (including 16.80 gpt Au and 374.36 gpt Ag over 7.6m)
TR21-03 -5.71 gpt Au and 40.54 gpt Ag (6.28 gpt AuEq) over 32.0m
TC 23-01:3,477 gpt Ag over 1.52mfrom a zone of733.9 gpt Ag over 7.6 m within 125 m of 1.63 gpt AuEq
TR21-10: 1.39 gpt Au and 56.40 gpt Ag(2.20 gpt AuEq) over 96.0m
TR21-13: 1.8 gpt Au and 36.9 gpt Ag(2.33 gpt AuEq) over 70.1 m
TR21-17: 1.73 gpt Au and 56.20 gpt Ag(2.53 gpt AuEq) over 64.0m
TR21-08: 2.09 gpt Au and 47.1 gpt Ag(2.76 gpt AuEq) over 39.6m
Hole TC23–02 – 1.69 gpt gold and 29.07 gpt silver(2.03 gpt gold AuEq) over 45.3 m, including 10.1 m grading 6.63 gpt gold and 72.81 gpt silver (7.49 AuEq)
TC23-05 – 2.816 gpt gold and 176.64 gpt silver(5.02 gpt AuEq) over 36.0 m, including 6.45 gpt gold and 408.47 gpt silver (11.554 gpt AuEq) over 15.5 m
The company in conjunction with its exploration sampling programs uses quality assurance-quality control as part of its sampling-assaying-assessments. Samples and their collection are controlled by an industry standard conforming QAQC program including insertions of certified standards, blanks and sample duplicates. The samples are being regularly shipped to and received by the
Core and RC drilling samples are continuously collected over 5 foot (1.52m) sample intervals from all drill holes. The samples were analyzed for gold with a 30-gram sample size using the fire assay method FA430 followed by multi-element MA300, including silver. Over limits, when present, are analyzed by MA370 or FA530. All holes contain certified blanks, standards, and duplicates as part of the quality control program.
“Simon Dyakowski”
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