Silver-Enriched High-Grade Polymetallic Mineralization at Cerro Las Minitas
VANCOUVER, BC - Southern Silver Exploration Corp. reported that recently received assays from 2012 drilling have identified silver-enriched high-grade polymetallic mineralization in several separate target areas on the Cerro Las Minitas project, located in Durango State, Mexico.
Drilling on the Blind zone continues the process of delineating both the extent and internal continuity of the mineralized zone. Assay results from drill hole 12CLM-030 returned a 1.1 metre interval averaging 250g/t silver, 10.7% lead and 16.95 zinc (1007g/t AgEq) at a vertical depth of approximately 270 metres. Drill hole 12CLM-034 tested the continuity of mineralization within the Blind zone and returned multiple intervals of high-grade silver-enriched polymetallic mineralization including 1.5 metres averaging 338g/t silver, 0.5% copper, 11.1% lead and 15.9% zinc (1096g/t AgEq).
Drilling has now tested the Blind zone in excess of 600 metres strike length and in excess of 300 metres depth with the zone remaining open in all directions. Orientations of the mineralization may vary from sub-vertical to near horizontal.
At the El Sol zone drill hole 12CLM-038 tested approximately 50 metres to the SE of previously reported hole 11CLM-027 (24.8 metres of 124g/t Ag, 1.9% Pb and 2.1% Zn) and identified 17.7 metre and 15 metre zones of polymetallic mineralization which included higher-grade intervals of 0.7 metres averaging 167g/t silver, 6.2% lead and 3.6% zinc (475g/t AgEq) and 1.8 metres averaging 98g/t silver 1.3% lead and 4.5% zinc (267g/t AgEq) respectively.
Two of three holes which tested the South Skarn target returned encouraging results. Drill hole 12CLM- 031 intersected oxidized skarn mineralization from 74.4 to 165.0 metres depth. Elevated zinc values (greater than 1000ppm Zn) occur through much of this drill intercept which includes a 2.4 metre interval averaging 16g/t silver, 0.2% copper and 9.8% zinc. Similarly, base and precious metal enriched skarn was intersected at the contact with the central monzonite porphyry in drillhole 12CLM-040 which is located approximately 300 metres to the northwest of hole 12CLM-031.
These two drill holes continue to demonstrate the widespread distribution of polymettalic mineralization throughout the Cerro Las Minitas project. Additional drilling is planned to further test and delineate these new zones of mineralization.
Drilling at the La Bocona target identified polymetallic mineralization in one hole that tested the skarn near the contact with the main monzonite porphyry. Testing of a single geophysical target located to the northeast of the monzonite (NE Geophysical target) returned sub-economic values.
Diamond drilling with two core rigs continues. One drill rig remains dedicated to the continued delineation of mineralization in the Blind and El Sol zones. The second drill rig is testing specific occurrences located within the area of historic mining and several targets derived from the recently completed surface sampling and an IP geophysical program. Multiple geological and geophysical targets remain to be tested and fully delineated within this portion of the property.
Twenty-nine drill holes totaling approximately 8,030 metres were completed on the project in 2011. An additional 4,073 metres in seventeen drill holes have been completed to date in 2012, two additional holes are in progress. Assays from eight drill holes are pending.
The company has scheduled 20,000 metres of core drilling in 2012, with the aim of completing a NI 43-101 compliant resource on these first set of targets by Q4 of 2012. This will be the initial milestone toward the Company's goal of delineating a larger, multi-million tonne, high-grade, silver-enriched polymetallic resource on the project.
The company's address is Suite 1100, 1199 West Hastings St., Vancouver, BC V6E 3T5, (604) 684-9384, fax: (604) 688-4670, email: [email protected].