Southern Empire Summarizes its 2022 México Gold Exploration Programs and Proposes that the "Mapimí Gold Corridor" may be a new Carlin-style Gold Belt
Southern Empire Summarizes its 2022 México
Gold Exploration Programs and Proposes that
the "Mapimí Gold Corridor" may be a new
Carlin-style Gold Belt
VANCOUVER, BC
,
Feb. 14, 2023
/CNW/ - Southern Empire Resources Corp. (Southern Empire)
(TSXV: SMP) (
Frankfurt
: 5RE) (OTC: SMPEF) announces that detailed Synchrotron radiation micro-
X-Ray Fluorescence (Synchrotron Micro-XRF or SRµ-XRF) mineralogical studies of gold-enriched
drill core samples from its Pedro Gold Project in Durango, México, reveal certain, specific
mineralogical similarities to the unique ore mineralization of the world-class
Carlin
gold deposits in
north-central
Nevada
. Although preliminary in nature, this mineralogical work together with many
other noted geological similarities supports the possibility that a new belt of Carlin-style gold
deposits, named the "Mapimi Gold Corridor" by Southern Empire, may exist in north-central México.
"The idea that there could be a metallogenic trend of bulk-minable, sediment-hosted gold deposits
in north-central México makes for a very compelling exploration strategy," explained
Dale Wallster
,
Southern Empire's CEO adding, "Now, with the Synchrotron Micro-XRF analyses of Pedro drill
core specimens, we have strong mineralogical evidence that further supports the classification of
the Pedro gold mineralization as "Carlin-style", an important concept that will be applied to our
exploration modelling."
Also herein, Southern Empire provides a summary of its 2022 north-central México exploration
strategies, property acquisitions, and an update regarding option agreement amendments with
Commander Resources Ltd. (Commander).
Pedro Gold Project: Drill Core Synchrotron Micro-XRF
Mineralogical Study
Detailed mineralogical studies were conducted at the
U.S.A.
Department of Energy's
Argonne National Laboratory Advanced Photon Source (APS)
in
Chicago
, one of the most
technologically complex research facilities in the world, by Dr. Lisa Van Loon of LISA CAN Analytical
Solutions Inc. (
LISA CAN
) in collaboration with Dr.
Neil Banerjee
of
Western University
. There,
synchrotron facilities that generate ultra-bright, high-energy X-rays were used to map microscopic
pyrite grains in core samples collected from Southern Empire's Pedro Gold Project drill hole (DDH)
P22-02; see
Photo 1
showing DDH P22-02 core interval
46.10m
to
47.14m
.
In the
Carlin
-type gold deposits of north-central
Nevada
, a ubiquitous suite of "pathfinder" or
"indicator" trace elements, which include arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), thallium (Tl) and antimony (Sb),
often occurring together with submicron-sized gold (Au) particles in As-rich rims (a chemical zonation
feature referred to as "
fuzzy
" rims) that formed around unmineralized pyrite cores during ore-
mineralizing processes (Longo, Cline and Muntean, 2009; Palenik et al, 2004 & Barker et al, 2009;
cited in Gopon et al, 2019).
The initial LISA CAN SRµ-XRF mineralogical study further supports Southern Empire's hypothesis
that gold mineralization at Pedro is potentially Carlin-style (see
Photo 2
). A summary of this study
follows:
SRµ-XRF analyses were conducted on representative pyrite grains in sample SER-2B.
The exceptional operating conditions (<2µm spot size) allowed the identification of trace
elements Hg and Tl associated with pyrite grains and the arsenic (As) altered rims of pyrite
grains.
Hg and Tl occur together in the As-rich rim of pyrite grain SER-2B-1-1 (see
Photo 2
).
Although the core interval assayed 0.750 grams gold/tonne (g Au/t; an average of repeated
samples S43451 & S43451R), no gold was identified in the limited number of samples studied
using SRµ-XRF.
Hg and Tl are not associated with each other.
Hg is heterogeneously distributed in most pyrites.
Characteristic Sb L-edge XRF emission peaks could not be resolved from strong Ca-K edge
XRF emission peaks.
Photo 1: Source drill core interval of Pedro Gold Project DDH P22-02 for Synchrotron Micro-XRF
mineralogical study of microscopic pyrite grains. The section above, from 46.10m to 47.14m
(outlined in green) assayed 0.750 g Au/t (average of repeated samples S43451 & S43451R) and
exhibits zones of disseminated blebs to semi-massive clots of orpiment (As2S3; yellow mineral) in
intervals of silicified, brecciated limestone conglomerate containing microscopic pyrite grains. (CNW
Group/Southern Empire Resources Corp.)
Photo 2: SRµ-XRF multi-element mineral mapping shows the distribution of iron (Fe), arsenic (As),
mercury (Hg) and thallium (Tl). Hg and Tl occur together in an As-rich rim on a pyrite grain (the
orange/red mineral in the Fe map). Tl also occurs elsewhere in the sample where Hg is not present.
(CNW Group/Southern Empire Resources Corp.)
Table 1: Similarities between Southern Empire’s Mapimí Gold Corridor projects and Carlin gold
deposits (CNW Group/Southern Empire Resources Corp.)
About Synchrotron Micro-XRF Analysis
Synchrotron Micro-XRF analysis is a non-destructive analytical study technique that enables
screening for elemental constituents within mineral grains of interest, thus providing important
mineralogical data to be applied to mineral deposit classification and exploration. Using a tuneable
synchrotron X-ray source provides an intensity that cannot be matched by normal laboratory X-ray
fluorescence (XRF) sources. LISA CAN has used the technique in various capacities, including on
gold-enriched specimens from various geological deposit settings.
Review of 2022 and Update:
México
Gold Exploration
and the
Mapimí Gold Corridor
During 2021 and 2022, Southern Empire acquired by option and staking three gold projects with
bulk-tonnage scale potential in north-central México:
Centauro Gold Project, Jiménez Municipality, Chihuahua State;
Pedro Gold Project, Mapimí Municipality, Durango State; and,
La Loma Gold Project, Nazas & Lerdo Municipalities, Durango.
These three separate gold projects are located along an approximately 150-kilometre (km),
southeast trending, Oligocene tectonostratigraphic geological belt that Southern Empire is referring
to as the Mapimí Gold Corridor.
The Centauro and Pedro Gold Projects have been the subject of significant historical exploration
work, including detailed geological and satellite spectral alteration mapping, grid-controlled soil
geochemistry, magnetic and induced polarization geophysical surveys, and drilling (Centauro: 5,795
metres (m) core in 27 holes; Pedro:
1,265.0 m
core in 8 holes and
1,335.5 m
reverse circulation in 9
holes).
On July 23, 2021, Southern Empire entered into an option agreement (the Pedro Agreement) with
Commander allowing Southern Empire to acquire a 100% beneficial interest in the Pedro Gold
Project in northeastern Durango State, México by acquiring Commander's Mexican subsidiary,
Minera BRG C.V. de S.A. (Minera BRG; see Southern Empire News Release dated, July 26, 2021).
On February 1, 2022, Southern Empire and Commander signed an amendment (the First
Amendment) foregoing the need for a definitive agreement, formalizing the option payment terms of
the Pedro Agreement and accepting October 23, 2021 as the effective date.
On October 26, 2022, Southern Empire and Commander agreed to a "Second Amendment" such
that if Southern Empire staked, optioned or purchased "Additional Properties" in the name of Minera
BRG, then Southern Empire is responsible for all costs and maintenance of those Additional
Properties, and if it fails to acquire Minera BRG, then all rights and titles in those Additional
Properties will immediately be assigned and transferred to a Mexican subsidiary designated by
Southern Empire. No changes to the underlying payment structure of the July 23, 2021 option result
from either the First or Second Amendment.
On November 10, 2022, Southern Empire, through Minera BRG, signed a comprehensive Option
Agreement to acquire 100% rights to the Centauro mineral property with the owner, a Mexican
geologist. At the time of entering into the Centauro Option Agreement, the Centauro mineral
property consisted of two mineral concessions totaling 600 hectares.
In December, 2022, Southern Empire (through Minera BRG) staked and registered two new claims
at Centauro and one new claim at
La Loma
. These new claims, while duly registered, require final
approval, which is pending pursuant to a ruling from México's Federal Government. Taxes are not
due until the claims are approved, although some exploration is permissible.
Details regarding the Pedro, Centauro and
La Loma
property acquisitions are provided in Southern
Empire's news releases dated: July 26, 2021, December 12, 2022 and December 19, 2022.
The "Mapimi Gold Corridor"
At Centauro and Pedro, and to an extent, the lesser studied
La Loma
, a range of similar and specific
geological, mineralogical, alteration and geochemical features are noted and these that support
Southern Empire's theory of the Mapimí Gold Corridor being a unique, newly recognized
metallogenic belt potentially hosting Carlin-style gold deposits (see
Table 1
).
The Mapimí Gold Corridor (see
Figures 1a
and
1b
) is situated along the northwestern end of the
Cretaceous carbonate stratigraphy of the Mexican Fold and Thrust Belt where east-west Oligocene
extension led to the development of the Northern México Basin and Range physiographic province.
The Mapimí Gold Corridor is highlighted by the occurrences of gold and a suite of specific elements
(arsenic, antimony, mercury, thallium) that are indicators of Carlin-style gold mineralization, all of
which are present at Southern Empire's Centauro, Pedro and
La Loma
properties.
As observed at both Centauro and Pedro, gold mineralization is predominantly associated with
hematite-stained, weak- to moderately-silicified, brecciated limestone conglomerates of the Eocene
to Oligocene Ahuichila Formation. On both properties, the Ahuichila Fm. is predominately
represented by limestone dominated, polymictic conglomerates associated with linear NNW trending,
probable graben structures. The silicified auriferous breccia zones are typically linear, paralleling the
NNW graben trend. The silicified conglomerate zones at both Centauro and Pedro are highlighted by
kilometre-scale, coincident geochemical soil anomalies of gold (Au; >10 ppb), arsenic (As; >100
ppm), plus antimony (Sb), thallium ("Tl") and mercury ("Hg"). The Ahuichila Fm. stratigraphically
overlies the Late Cretaceous to Eocene Caracol Formation. Overlapping with the period of
Oligocene extension, and following the same NNW trend, are scattered various intrusive plutons and
plugs of Paleogene monzodiorite to granodiorite.
Centauro Gold Project, Jiménez Municipality, Chihuahua State; Pedro Gold Project, Mapimí
Municipality, Durango State; and, La Loma Gold Project, Nazas & Lerdo Municipalities, Durango.
(CNW Group/Southern Empire Resources Corp.)
Historical drill results from Southern Empire's Centauro and Pedro Gold Projects include wide
intercepts (up to ~112 m) of highly anomalous gold grades; see
Table 2
. Historical drilling at both
properties has been widely spaced (drill collars typically spaced >
300m
apart) and relatively
shallow, with most holes penetrating to vertical depths of less than
200 m
.
Figures 1a: North Mexican Fold & Thrust Belt and 1b: North México Basin & Range Physiographic
Province (CNW Group/Southern Empire Resources Corp.)
Table 2: Gold Assay results from historical drilling at the Pedro and Centauro Gold Projects (CNW
Group/Southern Empire Resources Corp.)
Further discussions of the Centauro, Pedro and
La Loma
properties are provided in Southern
Empire's news releases and quarterly filings of Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A),
available on
SEDAR
.
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 (QP) within the context of Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument
43-101;
Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects
(NI 43-101). Some of the historical analytical
data presented in this news release were obtained from public disclosures and data of the
Secretaria de Economia de
Mexico
(SGM), Silver Spruce Resources Inc. and Mundoro Capital Inc.
and have not been verified by the QP.
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-percent
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 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.
Figures 3a & 3b: Centauro (left) and Pedro (right) properties showing historical drill holes with
significant intercepts from Table 2. (CNW Group/Southern Empire Resources Corp.)
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 10:28e 14-FEB-23