Defiance Silver Delineates High-Grade Polymetallic and Precious Metal Systems at Its Lucita Property
Defiance Silver Delineates High-Grade
Polymetallic and Precious Metal Systems at Its
Lucita Property
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 15, 2024) - Defiance Silver Corp. (TSXV: DEF)
(OTCQX: DNCVF) (FSE: D4E) (WKN: A1JQW5) ("Defiance" or the "Company") is pleased to provide
an update on the results from the ongoing mapping and surface sampling campaign at its Lucita
property in Zacatecas, Mexico. Work to date includes surface geochemical sampling in both new and
historically sampled zones and has led to a revised interpretation of the geology at Lucita. The surface
work will be used to support further delineation of drill targets for future exploration. The results presented
in this release demonstrate the district-scale potential of Defiance's Zacatecas district land package.
Highlights
Lucita North
: Widespread, high-grade, polymetallic Ag-Zn-Pb±Au±Cu mineralization was encountered
over a multi-kilometer strike length, suggesting the presence of a large mineral system with multiple
mineralizing events.
Lucita South
: High-grade Ag-Au dominant mineralization has been encountered in drilling and surface
sampling along multiple structures. The mineralization is characteristic of low-sulfidation epithermal vein
systems.
Individual surface sampling highlights include:
Lucita North
Gloria Zone
Sample 430012: 331 g/t Ag, 0.15 Au, 6.94% Pb, 14.70% Zn, and 0.35% Cu
Sample 430009: 552 g/t Ag, 1.34% Pb
Aurora Zone
Sample 430179: 298 g/t Ag, 3.15% Pb, 0.14% Zn
Sample 430027: 795 g/t Ag
Plomosa Zone
Sample 430106: 652 g/t Ag, 0.32 g/t Au, 6.48% Pb, 2.26% Zn, and 0.60% Cu
Lucero Vein
Sample 110785: 460 g/t Ag, 4.76 g/t Au, 6.33% Pb, 31.50 % Zn, and 0.87% Cu
Lucita South
Paty Vein
Sample 4208: 2350 g/t Ag and 0.27 Au
Lucita Vein
Sample 110895: 497 g/t Ag, 1.28 g/t Au
Palenque Vein
Sample 110834: 712 g/t Ag, 0.26 g/t Au
Lucita Property Overview
The Lucita property is the northernmost portion of the Company's Zacatecas district land package
(Figure 1). The Lucita property was acquired under an option agreement with Pan American Silver Corp.
(Pan American or PanAm) in 2020 and is now 100% owned by Defiance (see News Releases
December 2, 2020
,
and
January 10, 2024
)
. Pan American completed several work programs at Lucita,
including surface sampling and reconnaissance drilling in 1996, 2011, and 2012. These work programs
identified numerous near-surface vein systems with high-grade Ag, Au, Zn, and Pb values.
Defiance's Lucita North (previously called Panuco) and Lucita South projects are located in the
Zacatecas mining district within the Central Mexican Silver Belt, a northwest-trending belt of world-class
mining districts including Sombrerete, Fresnillo, Zacatecas, and Guanajuato. The mineralized systems at
both Lucita and Defiance's San Acacio project have similar characteristics to other ore deposits in the
belt, such as Juanicipio (Mag Silver/Fresnillo), Santo Niño (Fresnillo), Cozamin (Capstone), Francisco I.
Madero (Peñoles), and San Nicolas (Agnico Eagle/Teck).
Figure 1. Plan map of Defiance Silver Corp.'s Lucita property, including Lucita North and Lucita South,
with highlights of various vein systems mapped to date (in red) and historic and recent drilling locations.
Coordinates are in UTM WGS84 Zone 13N.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2950/205501_90d73138e438eb75_001full.jpg
Surface Work
The Company has been actively exploring at the Lucita property since 2021. Recent work has been
focused on property-wide systematic data collection using industry best practices. Surface work to date
includes geological mapping at various detailed scales, surface geochemical rock sampling, and
spectral mineral alteration mapping. As of this release approximately sixty percent of the first-pass
surface geological work at the Lucita property has been completed.
Surface work commenced at Lucita South and led to a first-pass drill program along the Palenque
structure (see News Release
April 13
th
, 2022
and
August 9
th
, 2022
). Recent surface work has focused
on the Lucita North project. Surface geochemical results (Table 1) and the abundance of mapped veins
demonstrate the potential for undiscovered and untested to poorly-tested, high-grade Ag-Au vein
systems and Ag-Zn-Pb±Au±Cu polymetallic mineralized systems at Lucita South and Lucita North,
respectively.
Selected Surface Rock Geochemical Sampling Results
Project
Vein System
Ag
ppm
Au
ppm
Pb %
Zn %
Cu %
Sample Type
Channel
Width
QAQC
Sample ID
Lucita North
Gloria
-Aurora-Plomosa
552
0.09
1.34
0.06
0.02
Previously Mined Material
a
430009
Lucita North
Gloria
-Aurora-Plomosa
416
0.11
1.07
0.16
0.03
Previously Mined Material
b
111089
Lucita North
Gloria
-Aurora-Plomosa
372
0.07
1.36
3.26
0.02
Previously Mined Material
b
111080
Lucita North
Gloria
-Aurora-Plomosa
331
0.15
6.94
14.70
0.35
Previously Mined Material
a
430012
Lucita North
Gloria
-Aurora-Plomosa
324
0.05
0.60
1.33
0.03
Previously Mined Material
b
111091
Lucita North
Gloria
-Aurora-Plomosa
322
0.59
0.46
0.21
0.01
Previously Mined Material
b
111061
Lucita North
Gloria-
Aurora
-Plomosa
942
0.08
0.43
0.11
0.03
Previously Mined Material
b
110967
Lucita North
Gloria-
Aurora
-Plomosa
795
0.12
0.44
0.16
0.01
In Situ
a
430027
Lucita North
Gloria-
Aurora
-Plomosa
509
0.24
0.61
0.21
0.03
Previously Mined Material
b
111019
Lucita North
Gloria-
Aurora
-Plomosa
342
0.16
0.38
0.19
0.02
In Situ
0.35 m
b
110956
Lucita North
Gloria-
Aurora
-Plomosa
321
0.45
0.34
0.36
0.03
Previously Mined Material
b
111014
Lucita North
Gloria-
Aurora
-Plomosa
298
0.06
3.15
0.14
0.06
Previously Mined Material
a
430179
Lucita North
Gloria-Aurora-
Plomosa
652
0.32
6.48
2.26
0.60
Previously Mined Material
a
430106
Lucita North
Gloria-Aurora-
Plomosa
332
0.32
3.79
0.79
0.16
Previously Mined Material
b
110617
Lucita North
Lucero
460
4.76
6.33
31.50
0.87
Previously Mined Material
b
110785
Lucita North
Lucero
396
0.21
0.27
0.13
0.01
In Situ
a
430262
Lucita North
Lucero
366
0.32
0.16
0.19
0.01
Previously Mined Material
b
110778
Lucita North
Pilitas
430
0.21
0.01
0.04
0.01
In Situ
a
430116
Lucita North
Pilitas
397
0.10
0.01
0.01
0.00
Previously Mined Material
b
111206
Lucita North
Tules
346
0.63
0.21
0.05
0.02
In Situ
a
430090
Lucita North
Chucho Blanco
306
0.12
0.36
0.73
0.03
Previously Mined Material
b
111042
Lucita South
Paty
2350
0.27
0.04
0.08
0.01
Previously Mined Material
a
4208
Lucita South
Lucita
728
0.84
0.01
0.01
0.03
In Situ
0.45 m
b
110890
Lucita South
Lucita
497
1.28
0.01
0.03
0.02
Previously Mined Material
b
110895
Lucita South
Lucita
461
0.05
0.21
0.20
0.01
Previously Mined Material
b
110931
Lucita South
Lucita
458
0.11
0.17
0.10
0.02
In Situ
0.40 m
b
110932
Lucita South
Lucita
405
0.04
0.01
0.00
0.01
Previously Mined Material
b
110939
Lucita South
Lucita
361
0.27
0.07
0.18
0.00
Previously Mined Material
a
4164
Lucita South
Palenque
712
0.26
0.01
0.01
0.02
In Situ
0.35 m
b
110834
Lucita South
Palenque
324
0.32
0.06
0.38
0.01
Previously Mined Material
b
110673
Lucita South
Palenque
312
0.12
0.06
0.10
0.01
Previously Mined Material
a
4152
Table 1. Selected surface rock geochemical sampling results from Defiance's Lucita property. Bolded
names in the vein system column indicate the sampled zone.
Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QAQC)
Defiance Silver sampling (2021-2024)- surface rock sampling QAQC procedures discussed at the
end of this news release.
In Situ: outcrop composite chip samples perpendicular to the strike of the exposed structure
Previously Mined Material:
selective grab samples from dumps of previously mined material
Historic Pan American sampling (2011-2012)- surface rock sampling QAQC procedures
discussed at the end of this news release.
In Situ: outcrop channel samples
Previously Mined Material: selective grab samples from dumps of previously mined material
Lucita North
The mineralized systems at Lucita North show a strongly polymetallic signature, both at surface and in
shallow, historic drill holes. Multiple mapped structures have returned high-grade Ag and highly
anomalous to high-grade Pb, Zn, Au ± Cu along the majority of their exposed strike length (e.g., Gloria-
Aurora-Plomosa, Lucero, Pilitas, and Chucho Blanco; Table 1 and Figure 2). Various highlighted surface
results from in situ and previously mined material are presented in Table 1. Vein system widths at
surface in Lucita North range from 0.1 - 19 meters.
In particular, the Gloria-Aurora-Plomosa system is a high-priority target for the Company. This system
contains 3 distinct zones from northwest to southeast: Gloria, Aurora, and Plomosa. This system has one
of the best polymetallic surface geochemical anomalies in the district and is prospective for both
intermediate-sulfidation epithermal vein and potential carbonate-replacement-style mineralization at
depth.
Figure 2. Plan map of Lucita North showing new and historic surface silver geochemical results and
anomalous lead, zinc, and gold zones. Historic Pan American drill hole collars and traces are shown.
Coordinates are in UTM WGS84 Zone 13N.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2950/205501_90d73138e438eb75_002full.jpg
Lucita South
Mapping and sampling at Lucita South have highlighted east-west vein systems with a dominantly silver
and gold signature at surface. Several mapped structures have returned high-grade samples (e.g., Paty,
Palenque, and Lucita; Table 1 and Figure 3), including a sample from the Paty vein grading
2350 g/t Ag
.
Additionally, substantial historic workings and multiple mineralized surface samples were encountered
along the Palenque structure. Widths of these structures at surface in Lucita South range from 0.1 - 4
meters.
These encouraging surface results led to the Company's first-pass diamond drill program at Palenque
(see News Release
April 13
th
, 2022
and
August 9
th
, 2022
).
Drilling along the Palenque structure
confirms the continuation of silver and gold grades at depth and identified blind mineralization in low-
angle faults and within specific stratigraphic units.
Well-mineralized samples from both surface and drill core, as well as the potential for very high grades
as demonstrated in the Palenque, Paty, and Lucita veins, present significant exploration upside in the
Lucita South project.
Figure 3. Plan map of Lucita South showing new and historic surface silver geochemical results and
anomalous gold zones. Defiance drill hole collars and traces are shown, with several previously reported
drill result highlights from the 2021-2022 program. Coordinates are in UTM WGS84 Zone 13N.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2950/205501_90d73138e438eb75_003full.jpg
Chris Wright, Chairman & CEO, noted:
"These surface results indicate that there is a robust polymetallic system present at Lucita North.
When coupled with our excellent first-pass drilling results on the Palenque structure in Lucita South,
the exploration prospectivity of the Lucita property remains high. We believe that the property contains
several of the top targets in the Zacatecas district."
Previous Drilling summary
Lucita South
In 2021 and 2022 the Company completed a first-pass, 3801.8m diamond drill program on the undrilled
Palenque vein system (Figure 3). The widely spaced drill holes returned very encouraging results over a
multi-kilometer strike length. Highlights include:
DDLU-21-05: 3.48m of 513.57 g/t Ag from 152.52 to 156.00m, including 0.25m of 3260.00 g/t Ag
(
See News Release April 13
th
, 2022
)
DDLU-22-10: blind discovery of a wide 49.87m zone with 58.79 g/t Ag from 370.23m to 420.1m
including 3.05m of 264.29 g/t Ag and 2.25m of 235.29 g/t Ag (
See News Release August 9
th
,
2022
)
Lucita North
Pan American previously conducted two diamond drill programs in 1996 and 2011-2012 for a total of
5103.35m (Figure 2). These programs shallowly tested several vein systems, including Plomosa near
the historic Plomosa silver mine and Lucero. Drilling encountered positive results (
see News Release
December 2
nd
2020
). Ongoing relogging and sampling of the historic drill core continue to reveal high-
level alteration zones and high-grade intercepts that warrant follow-up both down dip and along strike.
Discussion of Results
The most prominent structures at Defiance's Lucita property are northwest-southeast and east-west
trending mineralized veins, breccias, and alteration zones. These structural orientations are
characteristic of the most important mineralizing events of the world-class ore deposits in the Central
Mexican Silver Belt. Intersections of these two mineralizing events often localize zones of significant
mineralization.
A remarkable feature of the Lucita property is the presence of both polymetallic Ag-Zn-Pb±Au±Cu style
mineralization and Ag-Au dominant low-sulfidation epithermal-style mineralization. The most prospective
targets in the Lucita North project are the Gloria-Aurora-Plomosa system, the Pilitas-Tules intersection
zone, and the Lucero vein.
In Lucita South the Palenque, Lucita, and Paty veins are high-priority follow-up
drill targets.
Lucita North
The Gloria-Aurora-Plomosa vein system is a large, regional structure similar in orientation and length to
Defiance's Veta Grande system. The Gloria-Aurora-Plomosa system contains a high-density of altered
and mineralized structures with high grades at and near surface.
The mineralization style is dominantly multiphase, intermediate-sulfidation epithermal style veins and
breccias; this is best exhibited in the Aurora zone. The Gloria zone also contains an outstanding
example of polymetallic, breccia-style mineralization with metal assemblages and textures reminiscent of
carbonate-replacement style deposits. The eastern portion of the Plomosa remains to be mapped, but
preliminary findings indicate the presence of multiple mineralization styles (Figure 4).
Figure 4. Photos of various polymetallic mineralization along the Gloria-Aurora-Plomosa system,
representing high-grade to highly anomalous Ag, Pb, Zn, Au and Cu in semi-massive sulfides and oxide
material in Gloria (A & B), Aurora (C) and Plomosa (D). Samples are highlighted in Table 1.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2950/205501_90d73138e438eb75_004full.jpg
The Pilitas-Tules intersection zone is of particular interest due to the presence of east-west Ag-rich
structures that intersect earlier northwest-southeast structures. The northwest-southeast breccia-vein
zones are understood to be exposed at a high-level of the epithermal system, and therefore present
important drill targets at depth. This architecture and mineralization style is reminiscent of the structures
that are known to host significant mineralization in the Fresnillo district.
Lucita South
The Palenque, Lucita, and Paty veins are east-west structures that display Ag-Au dominant
mineralization characteristic of low-sulfidation epithermal vein systems. This style of mineralization was
targeted by Mag Silver in the Fresnillo district and led the discovery of the Juanicipio mine.
An important intersection of the east-west Paty vein, which contains the highest-grade surface sample
from previously mined material (
2350 g/t Ag
), with a northwest-southeast trending structure represents
an additional Fresnillo-style target.
Discussion of Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QAQC) and Analytical Procedures
QAQC for Defiance rock sampling (2021-2024)
: Samples were selected based on the lithology,
alteration, and mineralization characteristics; sample size averaged 3.3 kg. At least one blank or
one standard was included within every 20 samples. Standard materials are certified reference
materials (CRMs) from OREAS; the suite of standards contains a range of Ag, Au, Cu, Pb, and Zn
values. Blanks and standards have been used to confirm the validity of the analytical results.
Samples were analyzed by ALS Limited. Sample preparation was performed at their Zacatecas,
Mexico, prep facility, and analyses were performed at the Vancouver, Canada, analytical facility.
All elements except Au and Hg were analyzed by a multi-element geochemistry method utilizing a
four-acid digestion followed by ICP-MS detection [ME-MS61m]; mercury was analyzed after a
separate aqua regia digest by ICP-MS. Overlimit assays for Ag, Pb, and Zn were conducted using
the OG62 method (multi-acid digest with ICP-AES/AAS finish). Gold was measured by fire-assay
with an ICP-AES finish [50g sample, Au-ICP22].
QAQC for historical Pan American sampling (2011-2012):
Details of sample selection are
understood to be in accordance with industry best practice; however, detailed procedures of
historical sampling are not recorded.
The Pan American Lucita property report states that
standards and blanks were included in laboratory submissions of surface samples. This report
also describes the QAQC protocol for the drilling conducted in 2011 and 2012; certified reference
material from GEOSTAT was used as a standard, and sterile basalt drill core from the La Preciosa
project in Durango was used as blank material.
Both sample preparation and sample analysis were performed by SGS Labs in Durango, Mexico. All
elements except Au were analyzed first by a multi-element geochemistry method utilizing a two-acid
Aqua Regia digest with an ICP-AES finish [ICP14B]. Reported Ag values were assayed using AAS21E
(3 acid digest with AAS finish), and overlimit Ag samples (>300 ppm) were analyzed by fire-assay with a
gravimetric finish [30g sample, AAS21E]. Method ICP90Q (sodium peroxide fusion with ICP-OES finish)
was used for overlimit samples of other elements (e.g. Pb, Zn, Cu). Gold was measured by fire assay
with an AAS finish [30g sample, FAA313].
Corporate Announcement
Defiance also announces that it has granted the following awards pursuant to the Company's Omnibus
Equity Incentive Plan (the "
Plan
"):
Incentive Stock Options
- an aggregate of 3,188,750 incentive stock options ("
Options
") have been
granted to certain directors, officers, employees, and consultants to purchase an aggregate of
3,188,750 common shares of the Company (each, a "
Common Share
") at an exercise price $0.18, in
accordance with the Plan. The Options are exercisable for five years from the date of grant and vest
equally over a three-year period beginning on the date of grant.
Deferred Share Units
- an aggregate of 715,000 Deferred Share Units ("
DSUs
") have been granted to
directors, in accordance with the Plan.
Each DSU represents a right of the holder to receive one
Common Share effective as at the date the holder ceases to serve as a director of the Company.
The
DSUs vest on the one-year anniversary of the date of grant.
Performance Share Units
- an aggregate of 45,000 Performance Share Units ("
PSUs
") have been
granted to certain officers of the Company, in accordance with the Plan.
Each PSU entitles the holder to
acquire one Common Share on the vesting date. The PSUs vest on the one-year anniversary of the date
of grant, subject to certain corporate and individual performance criteria.
Restricted Share Units
- an aggregate of 538,750 Restricted Share Units ("
RSUs
") have been granted,
to certain directors, officers, employees, and consultants, in accordance with the Plan.
Each RSU
entitles the holder to acquire one Common Share on vesting.
The RSUs vest equally over a three-year
period beginning on the one-year anniversary of the date of grant.
All of the forgoing Options, DSUs, PSUs and RSUs are subject to the terms of the Plan, the applicable
grant agreement, and the requirements of the TSX Venture Exchange.
About Defiance Silver Corp.
Defiance Silver Corp. (TSXV: DEF) (OTCQX: DNCVF ) (FSE: D4E) is an exploration company
advancing the district-scale Zacatecas project, located in the historic Zacatecas Silver District, and
the 100% owned Tepal Gold/Copper Project in Michoacán state, Mexico. Defiance is managed by a