Southern Empire Acquires the La Loma Property in Durango, México and Expands the Centauro Property in Chihuahua, México
Southern Empire Acquires the La Loma
Property in Durango, México and Expands the
Centauro Property in Chihuahua, México
VANCOUVER, BC
,
Dec. 19, 2022
/CNW/ - Southern Empire Resources Corp. (Southern Empire)
(TSXV: SMP) (
Frankfurt
: 5RE) (OTC: SMPEF) announces the acquisition of the 23,750 hectare
("ha"; 58,687 acre) La Loma gold property by staking. La Loma is located in Durango State, México
approximately 50 kilometres ("km") southeast of Southern Empire's Pedro Gold Project and 35 km
west-southwest of the major city of
Torreón
(see
Figure 1
).
Southern Empire also announces the expansion of its recently optioned Centauro Gold ("Au") Project
(see
Southern Empire news release dated
December 12, 2022
) located near Jiménez, Chihuahua
from an original 600 ha to 4,432 ha (10,951 acres) with the staking of the Tauros and Centauro 2
claims.
"Southern Empire's La Loma, Pedro and Centauro gold projects support our theory that a northwest
trending metallogenic belt of "Carlin-style" and/or low sulphidation epithermal gold deposits extends
through northern central México. Our projects all exhibit many of the geological and mineralogical
features that define these important precious metal deposit types," stated
David Tupper
, Southern
Empire's VP of Exploration.
La Loma Property
Southern Empire's La Loma, Pedro, and Centauro Gold Projects occur within the north Mexican
Oligocene Basin and Range physiographic province. These three project areas define a 150-
kilometre trend of gold occurrences that are associated with arsenic-mercury-antimony
mineralization, together with silica and clay alteration, all hosted in the same package of Cretaceous
limestones and mudstones and Tertiary ignimbrite eruptive and polymictic conglomerate lithologies.
As part of the "Laramide" Lower Cretaceous to early Tertiary, Mexican Fold and Trust Belt, the
stratigraphy of the area exhibits repeated, elongate north-south folds that are regularly interrupted
by moderate- to high-angle thrusts and later extensional faulting (see
Figure 2
).
A significant portion of the La Loma property covers "Terrano Naccional" (federal land) and is
therefore unencumbered by private or communal Ejido ownership (see
Figure 2
). Access is limited
to several broad, ephemeral riverbeds (arroyos) extending from the south.
Figure 1: La Loma Property location, Durango, Mexico. (CNW Group/Southern Empire Resources
Corp.)
The La Loma property covers a large, unexplored area having Au, arsenic ("As"), antimony ("Sb"),
mercury ("Hg"), molybdenum ("Mo"), and silver ("Ag") stream sediment geochemical anomalies as
reported by the Secretaria de Economia de México, ("SGM") in 2006 (see
Figure 3
). This
government stream sediment sampling survey was completed at a low, regional density.
Additionally, much of the regional geological mapping was accomplished with the aid of stereoscopic
interpretation.
Hyperspectral mapping (ASTER 2003/06; see
Figure 2
) shows that these geochemical anomalies
are often coincident with zones of strong silica alteration.
Figure 2: La Loma Property Silica (ASTER, 2003 & 2006) hyperspectral alteration map. (CNW
Group/Southern Empire Resources Corp.)
The SGM regional geochemical sediment sample results also suggest significant potential for
Carbonate Replacement Deposit ("CRD") mineralization in the La Loma area, especially with the
Ojuela and La Platosa CRD mines (both now closed) located only 50 km to the north. Significant
anomalies supporting the prospectivity for CRD mineralization also occur to the southeast of the La
Loma claim, however this is a protected area.
At La Loma, Southern Empire has planned exploration programs for spring 2023 that will include:
Higher density stream sediment sampling
Prospecting and preliminary geological mapping
Figure 3: La Loma Property Comparison of stream catchment areas anomalous in Au, As, Sb, Mo &
Pb. (CNW Group/Southern Empire Resources Corp.)
Centauro Property Expanded by Staking
The Centauro property has been significantly expanded by staking two claims totalling 3,832 ha that
surround the 600-ha claim block, which is held under option by Southern Empire. This staking
extends the project area up to 7 kilometres to the west (see
Figure 4
).
The Tauros and Centauro 2 claims cover areas of silica and kaolinite alteration, and lesser alunite
and buddingtonite alteration, as recently identified and mapped (by analysis of Worldview-3
hyperspectral data) along trend and to both the northwest and the northeast of the original Centauro
claim block. These suites of probable alteration mineralization are often spatially associated with
"Carlin-style" and/or low sulphidation epithermal gold mineralization observed at Centauro to date.
Figure 4: Centauro Property Map showing Southern Empire's two newly staked claims, Centauro 2
and Tauros (CNW Group/Southern Empire Resources Corp.)
Southern Empire has initiated negotiations to secure surface access rights at the Centauro Gold
Project with the local rancher owners who have worked with the claim owner for more than 30
years.
Qualified Person (QP)
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 within the context of Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-
101; Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101). The historical analytical data
contained in this news release was obtained from public disclosures and data of the Secretaria de
Economia de
Mexico
, Silver Spruce Resources Inc. and Mundoro Capital Inc. and has not been
verified by the Qualified Person.
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. At Pedro, in the spring of 2022,
Southern Empire drilled gold mineralization approximately 800 metres from 2014 drilling by a
subsidiary of Newmont Mining Corporation. Gold mineralization, associated with highly anomalous
arsenic (orpiment and realgar common), antimony, mercury and thallium, has been identified hosted
in permeable basal conglomerates deposited during Oligocene extensional deformation, the
latter forming widespread Basin and Range physiography along the easter part of Sierra Madre
Occidental. Gold is present in 12 of the 17 holes drilled at Pedro to date. 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
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.
Cautionary Notice Regarding Exploration
Work Programs
The timing and the ability to conduct Southern Empire's exploration programs are, among other
things, contingent on: governmental regulations allowing for the issuance of permits; affects of the
COVID-19 pandemic; and the availability of property access, 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
.
SOURCE
Southern Empire Resources Corp.
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For further information:
For further information on Southern Empire please visit: www.smp.gold
and SEDAR or contact: Lubica Keighery, (778) 889-5476, [email protected].
CO: Southern Empire Resources Corp.
CNW 12:53e 19-DEC-22