Does Southern Empire's Pedro Gold Project Host "Carlin-Style" Gold Mineralization?
Does Southern Empire's Pedro Gold Project
Host "Carlin-Style" Gold Mineralization?
VANCOUVER, BC
,
April 27, 2022
/PRNewswire/ --
Southern Empire Resources Corp.
(Southern
Empire; TSXV: SMP;
Frankfurt
: 5RE; OTCQB: SMPEF) is pleased to present an analysis of its first
core drilling program, completed
February 14, 2022
, at the Pedro Gold Project, located in the
Mapimí mineral district, northeastern Durango State, México.
Dale Wallster
, Southern Empire's CEO commented,
"
Carlin
-type deposits are some of the
largest hydrothermal gold deposits in the world.
Not only does this first phase of drilling
confirm the wide-spread presence of stratabound gold on the Pedro property, it also
provides considerable support for the discovery of Carlin-Style gold mineralization, a very
rare occurrence outside of
Nevada
."
Southern Empire completed 6 core holes totalling 856.3 metres ("m"; 2,809 feet) targeting Induced
Polarization ("IP") chargeability geophysical anomalies within a two-kilometre ("km") gap previously
untested by Newmont Mining Corporation, which drilled 11 holes (2 core; 9 reverse circulation "RC")
totalling
1,744 m
on the Pedro property in 2014 (see
Figure 1
and the attached
Summary of 2022
Phase 1 Pedro Drilling Results
for details).
Core from Southern Empire drill holes P22-01, -02, -03 and -06 intercepted thick zones (intervals of
up to
19.2 m
; 63 feet) of moderately silicified, brecciated, limestone-clast-dominated conglomerate
of probable Oligocene age that is strongly anomalous in gold ("Au"; up to 1.18 grams Au per tonne;
"g Au/t") as well as trace elements typical of
Carlin
-type mineralization such as arsenic ("As"; up to
>10,000 parts per million "ppm"), antimony ("Sb"; up to 387 ppm), mercury ("Hg"; up to 23.4 ppm),
thallium ("Tl"; up to 280.0 ppm) and tellurium ("Te"; up to 1.95 ppm).
"The Au-As-Sb-Hg-Tl-Te geochemical suite associated with strong orpiment (As
2
S
3
) and
realgar (AsS) mineralization observed in the Pedro drill core is, in part, indicative of Carlin-
style gold deposits"
commented
Dave Tupper
, VP Exploration.
"When taken in conjunction with
the lithology, stratigraphic and extensional tectonic geological setting of the Pedro Gold
Project, the probability that the Pedro prospect is a Carlin-style gold occurrence becomes
compelling."
"Carlin-Style" Gold Deposit Criteria* Observed at Pedro Gold Project:
Extensional tectonic setting expressed by "Basin and Range" physiography/topography
"Dirty carbonates" hosting gold mineralization
Replacement and breccia mineralization with structural and stratigraphic ore controls
A lack of veins hosting gold mineralization
Au-Tl-As-Hg-Sb-(Te) geochemical signature
Hydrothermal alteration characterized by dissolution and silicification of carbonate and the
formation of clay minerals (argillization) of silicates
Gold is typically "no-see-um", "invisible" or microscopic, followed by late orpiment, realgar and
stibnite
Low to no silver ("Ag") values, typically with Ag/Au ratio < 1 and typically, low base metal
contents
*Criteria adapted from:
J.L. Muntean & J.S. Cline, Introduction: Diversity of Carlin-Style Gold
Deposits; 2018 Society of Economic Geologists, v20, pp 1-5
Additional "Carlin-Style" Gold Deposit Criteria* Requiring Further Study
:
Mineral paragenesis characterized by auriferous, arsenic-rich pyrite formed by sulphidation
during replacement (currently being investigated by Southern Empire)
Gold in the form Au
+1
in pyrite (currently being investigated by Southern Empire)
Temperatures and depth of formation (~180 - 240
o
C; < 2-3 km)
Lack of a clear relationship with upper crustal intrusions, as exemplified by a lack of
mineralogical or elemental zoning at scales of <5 to 10 km laterally and <2 km vertically
David Tupper
further commented,
"Although the evidence for the discovery of a Carlin-style
deposit is mounting, we don't forget that Pedro is situated in a prolific mineral belt also well
known for epithermal vein deposits, skarns and Carbonate Replacement Deposits ("CRD"),
including the historical Ojuela Mine, one of the original mines of Industrias Peñoles, which
produced an estimated
0.6 million ounces of gold in addition to 90 million ounces of silver
and 1.8 billion pounds of lead
through its 350 year production history."
To assist in the assessment and understanding of the Pedro gold deposit, Southern Empire has
contracted LISA CAN Analytical Solutions Inc. of
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
, in collaboration with
Western University
, to objectively determine similarities and differences between samples from the
Pedro project and
Carlin
-type deposits by utilizing X-Ray Fluorescence ("XRF") and Electron Probe
Micro Analysis ("EPMA") to analyze gold-mineralized Pedro drill core (Sample 643048, P22-02:
46.00 -
47.04m
; see attached
Summary of 2022 Phase 1 Pedro Drilling Results
).
XRF and EPMA are
complementary, highly sensitive non-destructive analytical techniques used to
determine the elemental composition of minerals at small spatial scales (as small as 1 micron
diameter). The resulting images allow the user to detect even small compositional variations within
textural context such as chemical zoning in minerals. These techniques will be used to identify
mineral assemblages commonly associated with
Carlin
-type deposits, determine their trace element
constituents and textural characterization. For the Pedro sample,
LISA CAN
will also identify the
chemical constituents of specific mineral grains, "map" sample mineralization, determine the
presence or absence of arsenic-rich rims on pyrite grains and outline mineral paragenesis. This
research is in progress.
Drill site for holes P22-02 and P22-03. (CNW Group/Southern Empire Resources Corp.)
Figure 1 - Pedro Gold Project - 2022 and 2014 drill locations and summary of gold assay results.
(CNW Group/Southern Empire Resources Corp.)
Highlights of Pedro Gold Project Drilling:
Southern Empire Phase 1 Drilling, 2022
Core Hole P22-02
0.311 g Au/t - core interval** 19.82 m
Core Hole P22-03
0.577 g Au/t - core interval** 15.22 m
Core Hole P22-06
0.327 g au/t - core interval** 14.75 m
Newmont Drilling, 2014
Core Hole LP14-011D
0.59 g Au/t - core interval** 6.0 m
** core interval; true widths not determined
For drill assay results and drill hole details see the attached
Summary of 2022 Phase 1 Pedro
Drilling Results
.
About the Pedro Gold Project
The Pedro Gold Project is located 80 Km from
Torreon
, México in the northeastern part of the
State
of Durango
and approximately 30 km west of the town of Mapimí. At Pedro, a gold exploration
target is outlined at surface by a gold in soil geochemical anomaly (>10 ppb) with dimensions of
4,000 m
by
1,000 m
where outcrop exposure comprises prominent hematite-stained, silica-rich
ridges of angular chalcedony fragments and silicified sedimentary rocks within a coarse breccia.
Historical sampling of these exposed zones returned gold values (in rock) ranging from background
levels to a maximum of 2.3 ppm (58 samples greater than 0.25 ppm Au and 11 greater than 1 ppm
Au). IP geophysics outlined the known zones as elevated chargeability and has identified discreet
deep features.
Southern Empire holds the Pedro Gold Project through an agreement with Commander Resources
Ltd. (TSX-V: CMD) that allows Southern Empire to acquire a 100% beneficial interest. Please see
Southern Empire's posted on
SEDAR
for further information about the Pedro Gold Project.
Quality Assurance/Quality Control
After drilling, the core is logged for geology, structure and geotechnical characteristics, marked up
for sampling, and photographed on site. Drill core recoveries were typically above 90 per cent. The
cores for analyses were marked for sampling based on geological intervals with individual samples
averaging
1.5 m
in length. The core was cut in half lengthwise, with a rock saw on site with one half-
core warehoused in lidded plastic core boxes in
La Cadena
for future reference. The other half-core
was bagged in individual plastic bags along with ID tag and sealed. All samples were delivered by
Southern Empire staff to the ALS Limited ("ALS") geochemistry preparation lab facility in Chihuahua,
Chihuahua State, México on
March 9, 2022
where they were crushed (>70% passing 6mm; "CRU-
21"), re-crushed (>70% passing 2mm) from which a 250g rotary split was pulverized (>85% passing
75 microns; PREP-31). Sample pulps were then shipped by ALS to its
Langley, British Columbia
facility for gold (50 g aliquot; Fire Assay with Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FA/AAS); Au-AA24)
and multielement analysis (0.5 g aliquot digested in aqua regia with Induced-Coupled Plasma - Mass
Spectrometry analysis (ICP-MS); ME-MS41
TM
).
A single lab check and sample duplicate was undertaken by Southern Empire. A quartered section of
core from hole P2202 (sample S43351: 46.00-
47.04m
) was collected (duplicating sample S643068),
couriered to the Saskatchewan Research Council ("SRC") Geoanalytical Laboratories in
Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan
for both Fire Assay with a Gravimetric ("FA-Grav") finish and an Atomic Absorption
Spectrometry ("FA-AAS") finish, and multielement ICP-MS. The results from the two labs are
considered comparable although adequate comparison is limited based on the number of sample
checks completed.
(CNW Group/Southern Empire Resources Corp.)
Southern Empire undertook a program of sample Quality Control and Quality Assurance
("QA/QC") during its 2022 Pedro Phase 1 drilling program that included the insertion of mineral
assay reference material (standards and blanks) into the sample stream. A total of 188 samples
were collected from core and 16 certified standards, 9 certified blanks and 7 field blanks were
inserted into the stream at regular intervals with sequential sample numbers.
Certified standards (CDN-ME-1709, CDN-GS-1PST, CDN-GS-6G) and blanks (CDN-BL-10) were
obtained from CDN Resource Laboratories in
Langley
, British Columbia. In addition to the certified
blank used, 7 samples of dacite volcanic from the area were added to provide a field blank. Both
ALS and SRC undertook internal QA/QC programs, complete with the insertion of lab standards,
blanks and repeats. All QA/QC analytical results were within acceptable ranges.
Historical samples mentioned in this release were prepared and analyzed at various times by ALS at
its labs in Chihuahua, México, and
Vancouver, Canada
. Soils were analyzed as part of a multi-
element inductively coupled argon plasma (ICP) package using aqua regia digestion with over-limit
results being reanalyzed with assay procedures using ICP-AES. Gold analyses for rocks were
performed on a 30-gram sub-sample by fire assay with an ICP-AES finish. See news dated
September 16, 2012
, and
July 2, 2014
(historical drill results) posted on SEDAR under Bearing
Lithium Corp., and news dated
February 19th, 2020
and
March 30th, 2021
and
July 27, 2021
for
Commander Resources Ltd.
Qualified Person
The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been prepared, reviewed,
and approved by
David Tupper
, P.Geo. (
British Columbia
), Southern Empire's VP Exploration and a
Qualified Person ("QP") within the context of Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument
43-101; Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101").
About Southern Empire Resources Corp.
Southern Empire is focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of metals and minerals
deposits in
North America
.
In northeastern Durango State, México, Southern Empire has an option to acquire a 100-per-cent
beneficial interest in the 1,750-hectare Pedro Gold Project where 2014 drilling by a subsidiary of
Newmont Mining Corporation encountered epithermal gold mineralization within a permeable basal
conglomerate related to extensional tectonics creating Basin and Range topography. Please see
Southern Empire's news releases posted on
SEDAR
for further details.
In the Cargo Muchacho mountains of
Imperial County, California
, Southern Empire owns 100 percent
of the historical gold-producing American Girl mine property and holds options to acquire a 100
percent interest in the adjacent 2,160-hectare (5,338-acre) Oro Cruz property located approximately
22.5 kilometres (14 miles) southeast of the operating Mesquite gold mine of Equinox Gold Corp.
At Oro Cruz, extensive historical drilling and large-scale open-pit and underground mining of the
American Girl, Padre y Madre, Queen, and Cross oxide gold deposits by the American Girl Mining
Joint Venture ("AGMJV") occurred between 1987 and 1996. During that time, gold was recovered
by either heap leaching of lower-grade, or milling of higher-grade ores until AGMJV operations
ceased in late 1996 because of declining gold prices leaving the Oro Cruz property with many gold
exploration targets in addition to a historical inferred resource estimate, reported In 2011 by Lincoln
Mining Corp., totaling 341,800 ounces gold based on 4,386,000 tonnes averaging 2.2 grams gold
per tonne (g Au /t) at a cut-off grade of 0.68 g Au/t (4,835,000 tons at 0.07 ounce gold per ton;
please refer to the Cautionary Notice Regarding the Oro Cruz Property Historical Resource Estimate
below).
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Southern Empire Resources Corp.,
Dale Wallster
, CEO and Director
For further information on Southern Empire please visit:
www.smp.gold
and
SEDAR.
Cautionary Notice on Forward-Looking Information
Information provided in this news release may contain forward-looking information or forward-looking
statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. Such information or
statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions, and expectations and are not
guarantees of future performance. Southern Empire cautions that all forward-looking statements are
inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by many material factors, many of
which are beyond its respective control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and
uncertainties relating to Southern Empire's limited operating history, the need to comply with
environmental and governmental regulations, results of exploration programs on its projects, and
those risks and uncertainties identified in its annual and interim financial statements and management
discussion and analysis. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions, and results may differ
materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions, and expectations expressed or implied in the
forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Southern
Empire undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.
Cautionary Notice Regarding Historical Resource Estimate
The Oro Cruz Project historical resource estimate is disclosed in a technical report dated
April 29,
2011
, prepared for Lincoln Mining Corp. by Tetra Tech, Inc. and filed on Canadian Securities
Administrators' System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval ("SEDAR"). It is termed an
inferred mineral resource, which is a category set out in NI 43-101. It was based on historical
reverse circulation and core drill hole sample, underground channel sample, and blasthole sample
assay results and calculated using ordinary kriging to estimate gold grades in 10-foot-by-10-foot-by-
five-foot blocks. Accordingly, Southern Empire considers this historical estimate reliable as well as
relevant as it represents key targets for future exploration work. However, a QP has not done
sufficient work to verify or classify the historical estimate as a current mineral resource and Southern
Empire is not treating this historical estimate as current mineral resources.
Work Programs During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The timing of Southern Empire's exploration programs are contingent on governmental regulations
regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and also the availability of exploration personnel, drill contractors,
equipment, lodging, etc. Southern Empire will adhere to COVID-19 directives regarding safe working
practices putting worker and community health and safety first and will proceed with exploration and
development work programs only if potential COVID-19 risks can be effectively managed.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is
defined in the policies of the Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy
of this release.
Summary of 2022 Pedro Drilling Results (Southern Empire News Release April 26,2022) (CNW
Group/Southern Empire Resources Corp.)
Summary of 2022 Pedro Drilling Results (Southern Empire News Release April 26,2022) (CNW
Group/Southern Empire Resources Corp.)
SOURCE
Southern Empire Resources Corp.
View original content to download multimedia:
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2022/27/c4872.html
%SEDAR: 00044214E
For further information:
Lubica Keighery, (778) 889-5476, [email protected]
CO: Southern Empire Resources Corp.
CNW 12:11e 27-APR-22