Key Highlights – Updated mineral resource estimate
Silver-equivalent ounces in Measured and Indicated categories
increased by 100%
Silver-equivalent grade and tonnage in Measured and Indicated
categories increased by 34% and 48%, respectively
Updated mineral resource estimate positions Reliquas project for
PEA completion in Q1 2024
Measured and Indicated resource estimate of 1.275 Mt @ 4.34 oz/t
Ag, 0.42 g/t Au, 3.14% Zn, 2.06% Pb, and 0.33% Cu
Additional Inferred resource estimate of 1.706 Mt @ 4.07 oz/t Ag, 0.43 g/t Au, 2.96% Zn,
1.84% Pb, and 0.28% Cu
TORONTO, Feb. 7, 2024
/CNW/ - Silver Mountain Resources Inc. ("Silver Mountain" or
"the Company") (TSXV: AGMR) (OTCQB: AGMRF) is very pleased to
announce an updated mineral resource estimate (the "MRE") for its
100% owned Reliquias project, central Peru. The new estimate incorporates 18,586.95
metres of additional diamond drilling completed in 2023, and 5,247
channel samples collected from rehabilitated underground
tunnels.
Alvaro Espinoza, President and
CEO of Silver Mountain, remarked: "We have been looking forward
to receiving the results of the new mineral resource estimate from
the Reliquias project since completing our Phase 2 drill program
last October. These results exceed our expectations, with a notable
increase in the overall confidence in the resource itself,
converting a significant portion of the Inferred portion of the
mineral resource estimate into the Indicated category and,
crucially, incorporating maiden mineral resource estimates for
the Vulcano, Perseguida, Beatita, and Natividad veins, which
were not included in previous estimates. The significant increase
in contained silver ounces, our success in converting Inferred
resources into the Indicated category, and the increase in the
Inferred resource category, give us confidence that we can continue
to grow the size of the deposit, and incorporate new areas into
future mine plans once we complete our Preliminary Economic
Assessment, due in March
2024."
Mr Espinoza continued, "Our technical team and our contractor
partners have worked tirelessly throughout 2023 to deliver this
great result for our Company, and we look forward to what we expect
will be a transformational 2024 for Silver Mountain as we move
towards production."
Discussion of Updated Mineral
Resource Estimate
The MRE has been prepared by Antonio
Cruz, P.Geol. (MAIG #7065) and incorporates the second phase
of the 2023 drill program, and the underground channel samples
completed in 2023. The dataset used includes 177 diamond drill
holes and 1,776 channel samples, with 21 different mineralized
veins modelled. Table 1 shows the summary of the mineral resource
estimate.
Table 1: Mineral Resource Estimate for the Reliquias Project,
effective date January 1, 2024
Category
|
Tonnes
(kt)
|
Ag
(oz/t)
|
Au
(g/t)
|
Zn
(%)
|
Pb
(%)
|
Cu
(%)
|
AgEq
(oz/t)
|
Contained
Ag (oz)1
|
Contained
AgEq (oz)2
|
Measured
|
221
|
5.22
|
0.55
|
3.03
|
1.95
|
0.28
|
10.57
|
1,162,800
|
2,410,400
|
Indicated
|
1,054
|
4.15
|
0.39
|
3.16
|
2.08
|
0.34
|
9.02
|
4,404,600
|
9,770,300
|
M+I
|
1,275
|
4.34
|
0.42
|
3.14
|
2.06
|
0.33
|
9.20
|
5,567,400
|
12,180,700
|
Inferred
|
1,706
|
4.07
|
0.43
|
2.96
|
1.84
|
0.28
|
8.71
|
7,163,800
|
15,308,700
|
Notes:
|
The Resource statement
was determined using the following parameters:
|
|
• Mineral Resources are
those defined in the definition of the CIM Standards on Mineral
Resources and Mineral Reserves, 2014.
|
|
• Mineral Resources are
reported at US$52.02 NSR cut-off for the polymetallic veins and the
prices of the metals considered were Silver US$24.00/oz, Gold
US$1,921.00, Copper US$4.06/lb, Zinc US$1.22/lb, and Lead
US$0.94/lb.
|
|
• Metallurgical
recoveries for polymetallic veins are based on current locked cycle
testson the Matacaballo, Meteysaca, Sacasipuedes and Pozo Rico
vein: Ag= 88.11%, Au=74.83%, Pb= 93.19%, Zn= 83.55%, Cu=
90.85%.
|
|
• The average density
used for the tonnage calculation 2.71 t/m3.
|
|
• The reported Mineral
Resource Estimate is not diluted.
|
|
• The Mineral Resource
Estimate does not include mined-out areas.
|
|
• Estimated Mineral
Resource tonnages are rounded to the nearest thousand to reflect
their relative precision and totals may not add due to
rounding.
|
|
• Antonio Cruz is not
aware of any environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation,
sociopolitical, marketing, or other relevant issues that could
materially affect the potential development of the Mineral Resource
Estimate.
|
A comparison of the MRE with the previously reported mineral
resource estimates effective as of March 18,
2023 is set out in Table 2 below.
Table 2: Comparison between the updated January 2024 and the March
2023 Mineral Resource Estimates
January 2024
MRE
|
March 18 2023
MRE
|
|
Category
|
Tonnes
(kt)
|
Ag (oz/t)
|
Contained
Ag (Moz)
|
Category
|
Tonnes (kt)
|
Ag (oz/t)
|
Contained
Ag (Moz)
|
Difference in
Contained
Metal (Ag) 2024 vs
2023
|
Measured
|
221
|
5.22
|
1.16
|
Measured
|
107
|
3.37
|
0.36
|
+222 %
|
Indicated
|
1,054
|
4.15
|
4.40
|
Indicated
|
754
|
3.21
|
2.42
|
+82 %
|
M+I
|
1,275
|
4.34
|
5.57
|
M+I
|
861
|
3.23
|
2.78
|
+100 %
|
Inferred
|
1,706
|
4.07
|
7.16
|
Inferred
|
969
|
3.20
|
3.10
|
+131 %
|
Mineralized veins have been subdivided into three vein systems,
or regions. Regions 1 and 3 are mainly NW-SE striking structures,
while Region 2 are E-W veins parallel to the Matacaballo vein.
Figure 1 shows the distribution of the veins into the three
Regions. Region 1 includes the Ayayay, Sacasipuedes, Natividad and Pozo Rico veins, all located on
the western and southwestern sections of the Reliquias Mine and all
subparallel, except for the NAT vein. Region 2 includes the
Matacaballo, Sorpresa and Vulcano veins, roughly aligned in an E-W
corridor centered around the MTC vein. Region 3 includes the
Meteysaca, Pasteur and Perseguida veins, located on the eastern
sector of the vien system.
Reliquias Project Updated
Mineral Resource Estimate Notes
- Wireframes were built for 21 mineralized structures in the
Reliquias mine.
- A composite length of 0.5m was
used.
- Two interpolation methods were used. ID2 was used for 16 veins,
and Ordinary Kriging was used for 5 veins.
- The block model used 4m x
1m x 4m
blocks, with a minimum sub-block size of 0.5m x 0.25m x
0.5m
- The mineral resource was classified as follows:
Measured Category: 3 samples within 30 metres and presence of data
from underground working
Indicated Category: First or second pass with at least 2 samples
within 60 metres
Inferred Category: Maximum distance of 80 metres with a geological
control defined by drilling.
The Company is planning to complete a preliminary economic
assesmtent ("PEA") by the end of Q1 2024, and move forward towards
production in H1 2025.
A technical report is being prepared in respect of the MRE in
accordance with National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of
Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI-43-101") and will be available
on the Company's website and filed on SEDAR+ within 45 days of the
date of this release. The effective date of the MRE is January 1, 2024.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors of Silver Mountain Resources
Inc.
Alvaro Espinoza, Chief Executive
Officer
Qualified Person
Antonio Cruz Bermudez, P. Geo.
Registered Member MAIG is an independent consultant of the
Company and the Qualified Person (within the meaning of NI 43-101)
responsible for the MRE and has reviewed and approved the
scientific and technical information contained in this news
release.
About Silver Mountain
Silver Mountain Resources Inc. is a silver explorer and mine
developer planning to restart production at the Reliquias
underground mine and undertake exploration activities at its
prospective silver camps at the Castrovirreyna Project in
Huancavelica, Peru.
For additional information in respect of the Castrovirreyna
Project, please refer to the Company's technical report, titled NI
43-101 Technical Report Mineral Resource Estimate for the Reliquias
Mine, Huancavelica- Peru, dated
March 27, 2023, effective date
March 18, 2023, available at
https://sedarplus.ca.
For further information about our drill program, including cross
sections of the main veins with drill hole locations, please refer
to our corporate presentation, available on our website at
www.agmr.ca
Silver Mountain's subsidiary Sociedad Minera Reliquias S.A.C.
owns 100% of its concessions and holds more than 60,000 hectares in
the district of Castrovirreyna, Huancavelica, Peru.
Neither 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.
Sampling, QA/QC, and Analytical
Procedures
Silver Mountain follows systematic and rigorous sampling and
analytical protocols which meet industry standards. These protocols
are summarized below.
All drill holes are diamond core holes with BQ, HQ or NQ core
diameters. Drill core is collected at the underground drill site
where recovery measurements are taken before the core is
transported by truck to the core logging facility at the Caudalosa
Grande mine camp, where it is photographed and geologically logged.
The core is then cut in half with a diamond saw blade with half the
sample retained in the core box for future reference and the other
half placed into a pre-labelled plastic bag, sealed with a plastic
zip tie, and identified with a unique sample number. The core is
typically sampled over a 1 - 2 metre sample interval unless the
geologist determines the presence of an important geological
contact. The bagged samples are then stored in a secure area
pending shipment to a certified laboratory sample preparation
facility.
Rock channel samples were collected with an electric percussion
hammer and do not exceed 1.0 m in
length. Channels are broken at obvious geologic boundaries to
correctly separate rock types and mineralization styles. The sample
bags were sealed with a plastic zip tie and identified with a
unique sample number, pending shipment to a certified laboratory
sample preparation facility.
Samples are sent by batch to the ALS or Certimin laboratories in
Lima for assay. Silver Mountain
independently inserts certified control standards, fine and coarse
blanks, and duplicates into the sample stream to monitor data
quality. These standards are inserted "blindly" to the laboratory
in the sample sequence prior to departure from the core storage
facilities. At the laboratory, samples are dried, crushed, and
pulverized and then analyzed using a fire assay-AA finish analysis
for gold and a full multi-acid digestion with ICP-AES analysis for
other elements. Samples with results that exceed maximum detection
values for the main elements of interest (Ag, Zn, Pb, Cu) are
re-analyzed using precise ore-grade ICP analytical techniques,
while high gold values are re-analyzed by fire assay with a
gravimetric finish.
Forward Looking
Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements and
forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian
securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking
statements") that relate to Silver Mountain's current
expectations and views of future events. Any statements that
express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs,
plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance
(often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as
"will likely result", "are expected to", "expects", "will
continue", "is anticipated", "anticipates", "believes",
"estimated", "intends", "plans", "forecast", "projection",
"strategy", "objective" and "outlook") are not historical facts and
may be forward-looking statements and may involve estimates,
assumptions and uncertainties which could cause actual results or
outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in such
forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that these
expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking
statements included in this news release should not be unduly
relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this
news release.
Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions
and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of
which are beyond Silver Mountain's control, which could cause
actual results and events to differ materially from those that are
disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such
risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the
factors set forth under "Risk Factors" in the Company's
annual information form dated August 14,
2023 and other disclosure documents available on the
Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Silver Mountain undertakes
no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise,
except as may be required by law. New factors emerge from time to
time, and it is not possible for Silver Mountain to predict all of
them or assess the impact of each such factor or the extent to
which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to
differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking
statement. Any forward-looking statements contained in this news
release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this
cautionary statement.
SOURCE Silver Mountain Resources Inc.