Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2015) - Defiance Silver Corp. (TSXV: DEF) ("Defiance") is pleased to
announce that an Inferred Resource Estimate has been completed for the San
Acacio deposit by Giroux Consultants Ltd. and Jim Cuttle, B.Sc., P.Geo, updating
its initial Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resource (see News Release Dated
October 25, 2012).
Defiance has updated its previous Indicated and Inferred
Mineral Resource to ensure its consistency with the current mining environment
and metals economics. The updated Resource increased the Silver Equivalent
Cut-off Grade by 54% resulting in a new Silver Equivalent Grade of 192.50 g/t
Ag. Total contained Silver Equivalent ounces increased to 17,961,000.
Bruce Winfield, President and CEO, commented, "We are extremely
pleased to have completed a new resource. This estimate is based on our updated
geologic analysis of the San Acacio deposit and inclusion of trenching data
which has resulted in the identification of three veins, with the Veta Grande
(Veta G) being the most significant. By applying a higher cut-off to reflect an
underground mining scenario, the silver grade has increased significantly from
the previous 43-101 resource while maintaining the integrity of the
mineralization."
This inferred resource is hosted within 1km of the vein system
which is over 5.6km long and has vein widths up to 20m. With mineralization open
to depth as well as along strike for 4 kilometers, Defiance has initiated its
first drill program on the property that commenced in late 2014. The Company
believes there is excellent potential to rapidly and cost-effectively increase
this resource base through its drill program.
Highlights
Using a silver equivalent ("AgEq")* cut-off grade of
100 grams tonne ("g/t"), highlights of the estimate include:
San Acacio Inferred Resource
Vein |
AgEq Cut-off
(g/t) |
Tonnes > Cut-off
(tonnes) |
Grade>Cut-off |
Contained Metal |
Ag(g/t) |
Au (g/t) |
AgEq (g/t) |
Ag (ozs) |
Au (ozs) |
AgEq (ozs) |
VETA G |
100.0 |
2,150,000 |
192.43 |
0.19 |
204.66 |
13,302,000 |
10,000 |
14,147,000 |
VETA C |
100.0 |
739,000 |
153.28 |
0.08 |
158.66 |
3,642,000 |
1,900 |
3,770,000 |
VETA B |
100.0 |
13,000 |
76.53 |
0.45 |
105.98 |
32,000 |
190 |
44,000 |
TOTAL |
100.0 |
2,902,000 |
181.94 |
0.16 |
192.50 |
16,976,000 |
12,090 |
17,961,000 |
The Zacatecas Silver District is one of the most prolific
silver producing areas in the world, having produced in excess of 681 million
ounces of Silver during the period 1546 to 1895 (Geological Mining Monograph of
the State of Zacatecas). The San Acacio Mine controls approximately 50% of the
historic workings on the Veta Grande system which has estimated past production
of in excess of 200 million ounces of silver (Reference R. Burk, July 1994,
Summary of Property Evaluation Veta Grande, San Acacio for Minera Teck S.A. de
C.V.).
Mineral Resource Estimate
The data consists of diamond drill holes, underground chip
samples, underground drill holes and surface trench samples with assays for
silver, gold, copper, lead and zinc from three vein structures, Veta G (Main
vein), Veta B (Footwall vein or FW) and Veta C (Hanging wall vein or HW).
Samples include both mineralized quartz breccia vein and mineralized backfill
material in old stopes. Of a total of 203 composites across the three veins 99
had assays for Cu, Pb and Zn. While a few of the Pb and Zn values are
approaching economic grades the majority are well below. At this time only Ag
and Au were estimated into the resource. All of the resource is categorized as
inferred. Results at various silver equivalent cut-off grades are tabulated
below. San Acacio Veta G Inferred Resource
Ag Cut-off (g/t) |
Tonnes > Cut-off
(tonnes) |
Grade>Cut-off |
Contained Metal |
Ag (g/t) |
Au (g/t) |
Ag (ozs) |
Au (ozs) |
40.0 |
2,810,000 |
160.12 |
0.17 |
14,466,000 |
20,000 |
50.0 |
2,500,000 |
174.71 |
0.18 |
14,043,000 |
10,000 |
60.0 |
2,360,000 |
182.03 |
0.18 |
13,812,000 |
10,000 |
65.0 |
2,280,000 |
185.99 |
0.18 |
13,634,000 |
10,000 |
70.0 |
2,250,000 |
187.47 |
0.18 |
13,562,000 |
10,000 |
75.0 |
2,240,000 |
187.94 |
0.18 |
13,535,000 |
10,000 |
80.0 |
2,230,000 |
188.78 |
0.18 |
13,535,000 |
10,000 |
85.0 |
2,190,000 |
190.60 |
0.19 |
13,420,000 |
10,000 |
90.0 |
2,160,000 |
191.74 |
0.19 |
13,316,000 |
10,000 |
95.0 |
2,150,000 |
192.49 |
0.19 |
13,306,000 |
10,000 |
100.0 |
2,120,000 |
193.77 |
0.19 |
13,207,000 |
10,000 |
110.0 |
2,040,000 |
197.40 |
0.19 |
12,947,000 |
10,000 |
120.0 |
1,980,000 |
199.56 |
0.19 |
12,704,000 |
10,000 |
Table 28 San Acacio Veta C Inferred Resource
Ag Cut-off (g/t) |
Tonnes > Cut-off
(tonnes) |
Grade>Cut-off |
Contained Metal |
Ag (g/t) |
Au (g/t) |
Ag (ozs) |
Au (ozs) |
40.0 |
935,000 |
136.88 |
0.07 |
4,115,000 |
2,100 |
50.0 |
931,000 |
137.33 |
0.07 |
4,111,000 |
2,100 |
60.0 |
924,000 |
137.97 |
0.07 |
4,099,000 |
2,100 |
65.0 |
906,000 |
139.40 |
0.07 |
4,061,000 |
2,000 |
70.0 |
853,000 |
143.88 |
0.08 |
3,946,000 |
2,200 |
75.0 |
826,000 |
146.25 |
0.08 |
3,884,000 |
2,100 |
80.0 |
805,000 |
148.04 |
0.08 |
3,832,000 |
2,100 |
85.0 |
785,000 |
149.72 |
0.08 |
3,779,000 |
2,000 |
90.0 |
768,000 |
151.06 |
0.08 |
3,730,000 |
2,000 |
95.0 |
741,000 |
153.15 |
0.08 |
3,649,000 |
1,900 |
100.0 |
729,000 |
154.05 |
0.08 |
3,611,000 |
1,900 |
110.0 |
693,000 |
156.44 |
0.08 |
3,486,000 |
1,800 |
120.0 |
636,000 |
160.28 |
0.09 |
3,277,000 |
1,800 |
Table 29 San Acacio Veta B Inferred Resource
Ag Cut-off (g/t) |
Tonnes > Cut-off
(tonnes) |
Grade>Cut-off |
Contained Metal |
Ag (g/t) |
Au (g/t) |
Ag (ozs) |
Au (ozs) |
40.0 |
598,000 |
49.49 |
0.34 |
952,000 |
6,500 |
50.0 |
235,000 |
57.44 |
0.35 |
434,000 |
2,600 |
60.0 |
76,000 |
65.69 |
0.41 |
161,000 |
1,000 |
65.0 |
25,000 |
72.37 |
0.40 |
58,000 |
300 |
70.0 |
10,000 |
80.02 |
0.36 |
26,000 |
100 |
75.0 |
4,000 |
94.81 |
0.20 |
12,000 |
30 |
80.0 |
4,000 |
94.81 |
0.20 |
12,000 |
30 |
85.0 |
4,000 |
94.81 |
0.20 |
12,000 |
30 |
90.0 |
4,000 |
94.81 |
0.20 |
12,000 |
30 |
*2015 - The results can also be presented in terms of a Silver
Equivalent. Using a gold price of $1270/ oz Au and silver price of $19.60 the
silver equivalent value would be silver content plus 65 times the gold content.
(Note: total contained AgEq values may not add exactly because of rounding).
Metallurgical recoveries are not taken into account.
The resource estimate was completed by Gary Giroux, MASc.,
P.Eng. of Giroux Consultants Ltd. using industry standard methods that conform
with the CIM Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve definitions referred to in
National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, and
utilizing Gemcom GEMS V.6.2.3.2TM software. The data and methodology utilized
for the resource estimate is as follows:
Resource Estimation Process
- Mineral resources were estimated in conformance with the CIM Mineral
Resource and Mineral Reserve definitions referred to in NI 43--101, Standards
of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The data consisted of diamond drill holes,
underground chip samples, underground drill holes and surface trench
samples. Drill holes were accompanied by down hole surveys. Underground
samples and trenches were treated as drill holes and given a start point,
azimuth and dip. A total of 1,887 samples were provided with assays for Ag
(g/t), Au (g/t), Cu (%), Pb (%) and Zn (%).
- Silver Standard samples were analyzed by an aqua regia digestion, with
fire assay for gold and ICP atomic absorption or AA finish for Ag, As, Bi, Cu,
Hg, Mo, Pb, Sb, and Zn. Over limits for Ag were completed by fire assay with
gravimetric finish. Sterling Mining samples were analyzed by fire assay with
gravimetric finish. Source samples were analyzed using fire assay with AA
finish. For samples grading >100 g/t Ag the samples were reanalyzed using
fire assay with gravimetric finish.
- All drill holes are diamond drill core and were sampled mostly at 1.3 m
intervals. A comprehensive QA/QC program was in place during the Source drill
program, which included the insertion of standards and duplicates at regular
intervals. The QA/QC program on the Silver Standard and Sterling Mining
Company data is not known.
- Vein material was assigned a specific gravity of 2.69 g/cm3, the average
density of the Quartz Breccia samples from specific gravity determinations
made by American Assay Laboratories in 1999. The measurements were completed
using wax coating and the Archimedes weight in air-weight in water
methodology. Historical density of 1.75 for the mineralized fill was used for
the resource.
- Small unsampled backfill intervals were treated as missing data.
- Due to the data density on all three veins it was extremely difficult to
build 3D solids to constrain each estimate. Thickness in these styles of
deposit is clearly a variable with the veins pinching and swelling along
strike and down dip. As a result, this global resource estimate was completed
in two dimensions with all data points rotated into the plane of the
individual structures. This results in a value for true thickness and a grade
accumulation (thickness x grade) at each sample point. The grade at any given
sample point is based on different sample supports as the samples are
composited across a vein of varying thickness. It is therefore necessary to
work with grade accumulations for each vein intersection. The final step is to
divide the estimate grade accumulation by the estimated thickness to determine
the grade for the block.
- A single composite was made from samples that crossed each vein. The true
thickness for the composite was determined from sample length, dip of sample
and dip of vein. Backfill that was sampled was included in the composite
thickness and grade. The Veta G Main Vein was subdivided into higher grade
shoots and lower grade sections and the composites were separated into these
two domains.
- For this resource estimate a two dimensional approach was used and the
variables to be estimated were thickness and grade accumulation. All of the
composites for each of the veins were rotated into the plane of the structure
(strike at azimuth 125o) and then rotated into a vertical plane (dip assumed
at -72o). The estimation process was then treated as a two dimensional study.
Thickness was considered a variable since the vein will pinch and swell
between sample points.
- The grade distribution for each of the variables within each vein was
examined and erratic outliers capped to reduce their influence on the
estimate. The cap numbers by vein are: Veta G 810 g/t Ag; Veta B 120 g/t Ag;
and Veta C290 g/t Ag.
- Blocks 20 m along strike by 10 m down dip were created over a rotated long
section of each vein. Blocks were coded below surface topography and within 40
m of data points to determine which blocks to try and estimate.
Blocks were also compared to a long section view showing underground stopes.
Again blocks within stopes were coded and a backfill density was applied to
these blocks. A tonnage for each block was then 20 x 10 x Est. Thickness x SG.
For estimation purposes the blocks of the Veta G structure were subdivided
into higher grade shoots and lower grade sections. The composites were also
subdivided so the high grade shoots were estimated using only high grade
composites.
- Ordinary Kriging was used to interpolate values for thickness, silver
accumulation and gold accumulation into blocks for each structure using only
composites from the structure being estimated. The estimation was completed in
each case in a series of passes with the search ellipse for each pass a
function of the semivariogram range. In the first pass the dimensions of the
search ellipse were set to ¼ of the semivariogram range. A minimum of 4
composites were required to estimate a block. For blocks not estimated in pass
1 the search ellipse was expanded to ½ the semivariogram range and the
exercise was repeated. A third pass at the full range and a fourth pass at
twice the range followed. A final 5th pass was made with the same search
ellipse as pass 4 but with the minimum number of composites required reduced
to two. In all cases the maximum number of composites was set to 12. If more
than 12 were found the closest 12 composites were used.
- At this time the sample density is not sufficient to classify any material
as measured or indicated. All blocks are classified as inferred.
- The N.I. 43-101 report notes that there are mined stopes below the limits
of estimated blocks on the Main Veta Grande structure. Due to a lack of data,
blocks could not be estimated down to these limits at this time. There is
certainly potential resource to be determined down to the limits of historic
mining and future drill programs should be designed to test these areas. In
addition there is an abrupt reduction in grade near the Purisima Level that is
explained in part by mapping by Silver Standard which showed that the west
part of the Purisima Level is in the vein footwall. Apparently, the entire
width of the vein, in this area was not available for sampling. Examination of
the Veta Grande vein in the higher levels (Refugio Level) shows that the vein
is low grade in the foot wall and higher grade (as indicated by backfilled
stopes) in the hanging wall.
- A NI 43-101 report will be filed on SEDAR with a copy available on the
Company's website.
About Defiance Silver:
Defiance Silver Corp. is a silver explorer and developer
advancing the San Acacio Deposit, located in the historic Zacatecas Silver
District of central Mexico. Defiance is managed by a team of proven mine
developers with a track record of exploring and developing 12 operating mines to
date. Our corporate mandate is to expand San Acacio to become one of Mexico's
premier high grade silver deposits. For more information on the property please
visit Defiance's website at www.DefianceSilver.com.
Mr. Bruce Winfield, P.Geo., President of Defiance Silver Corp,
is the Qualified Person for information contained in this press release and is a
Qualified Person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101.
About Jim Cuttle B.Sc., P.Geo and Gary H Giroux, P.Eng., MASc
Jim Cuttle is a registered member in good standing of The
Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of the Province of
British Columbia. He is a geologist with over 34 years of experience in the
capacity of exploration and consulting geologist. His work has included project
generation, mineral property assessment, project management and data compilation
for various public and private mineral exploration companies in Canada and
Internationally. He specializes in precious and base metal exploration and have
experience in different types of epithermal mineralization similar to the San
Acacio silver vein.
Gary H. Giroux is a consulting geological engineer and a
graduate of the University of British Columbia in 1970 with a B.A. Sc. and in
1984 with a M.A. Sc., both in Geological Engineering. He is a member in good
standing of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of the
Province of British Columbia. He has over 35 years' experience calculating
mineral resources including a wide variety of vein deposits including the nearby
Cozamin deposit.
On behalf of Defiance Silver Corp.
"Bruce Winfield"
President and CEO
For additional information please visit the Company's website
at www.defiancesilver.com.
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