GREAT PANTHER SILVER LIMITED (TSX:GPR) has announced that the second section of diamond drill holes at the San Ignacio Mine Property, Guanajuato has intersected numerous zones of silver-gold mineralization, some of which appear to correlate well with the first two holes and others that appear to be new zones.
Two holes, ESI10-03 and 04, were drilled easterly at angles of -40° and -60° from a drill setup approximately 45 metres north of holes ESI10-01 and 02 (see news releases dated October 28th & November 15th 2010).
Hole ESI10-03 intersected 15 silver-gold mineralized zones, including the Melladito zone, which returned 212g/t silver and 1.99g/t gold over 4.3 metres, the Nombre de Dios zone with 850g/t silver and 3.75g/t gold over 3.1 metres, and a footwall stockwork zone with 680g/t silver and 1.94g/t gold over 3.85 metres. The fourth hole, ESI10-04, was drilled under ESI10-03 and intersected five silver-gold mineralized zones, including the Melladito zone with 240g/t silver and 0.8g/t gold over 5.8 metres, the Nombre de Dios zone with 2,020g/t silver and 7.80g/t gold over 0.9 metres, and a footwall stockwork zone with 660g/t silver and 1.73g/t gold over 3.25 metres, including 0.80 metres assaying 2,380g/t silver and 6.57g/t gold.
Both ESI10-03 and 04 were longer holes, and as such drilled deeper and further east, than ESI10-01 and 02. New and more easterly footwall stockwork zones were intersected in ESI10-03 and 04, the interpretation of which is still tentative, but the Company is pleased that previously unknown silver-gold mineralized zones are being intersected as the drilling is extended eastward.
The deepest stockwork intersection in ESI10-04 (3.25 metres of 660g/t silver and 1.73g/t gold) is at a vertical depth below surface of approximately 420 metres. This may correlate with the zone of similar grades and width at the bottom of hole ESI10-03 (3.85 metres of 680g/t silver and 1.94g/t gold) and represents a significant vertical interval of high grade silver-gold mineralization, down to 1,980 metres above sea level ("masl"). Typically in the La Luz vein camp, the bottoms of the mineralized zones are at 2,100 – 2,150 masl. Interpretation of the various structures is ongoing and as down-dip infill drilling commences a better understanding will emerge.
In light of the success of the 2010 drilling at San Ignacio, Great Panther's Board of Directors has approved a new 2011 budget of $2.8 million for the exploration and development of the San Ignacio property. As soon as the appropriate permits are in place, an expanded drilling program will commence. Potential sites to establish a portal for an underground ramp are also being evaluated. Due to the proximity of the San Ignacio Property to the Company's main Guanajuato operation, any mineralization intersected in the course of underground exploration and development can be trucked to the plant for processing. In this way, cash flow provided by the additional tonnage can be used to offset the cost of the exploration and development program.
The San Ignacio Mine property covers approximately 4 kilometres of strike length on the La Luz vein system, which is parallel to, and 5 kilometres west of, the principal Veta Madre structure that hosts the main Guanajuato mines. The La Luz district marks the site of the first discovery of silver in the area, in the year 1548, which led to the discovery of the Veta Madre silver-gold deposits in 1550. It comprises a swarm of generally north-northwest striking, vertical to west dipping quartz veins and breccias with associated low sulphidation silver-gold mineralization, along an approximate 8 kilometre long trend.
Robert F. Brown, P. Eng. and Vice President of Exploration for the Company is the Qualified Person for the Guanajuato Mine, under the meaning of NI 43-101. A full QA/QC program is being followed including the regular insertion of splits, blanks, and standards into the core sampling sequence. Analysis of the drill core samples is being conducted at the Guanajuato Mine on-site laboratory, independently operated by SGS.
Source: GREAT PANTHER SILVER LIMITED