Aztec to Resume Drilling at the Tombstone Gold-Silver District in Southeastern Arizona - Seite 2

View: Tombstone 2023 Core Drilling Plan
View: Tombstone Idealized 2023 Drill Plan Cross Section

The planned Tombstone core drilling program is expected to consist of 10 - 12 holes at approximately 225m depth as inclined step-outs along the 900m length of the Contention pit to both sides (East, West) and at depth, with a target of potentially expanding the volume of the known Au-Ag mineralization. The core drilling program is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2023 for a period of 60 days and is subject to available funds and Tombstone JV management committee approval. Planned drill core diameters are PQ, HQ and NQ to 225m, noting that multiple core diameters will be required to complete through the historic underground mine workings.

To date the review of exploration data has defined the following target types for exploration at Tombstone:

• Shallow, bulk tonnage, "heap leachable"-type mineralization typical of Tombstone, composed of mesothermal Au-Ag oxides associated with the enrichment of sediment hosted mineralization on favorable horizons and structures, and with crosscutting, mineralized Qfp dikes and sills, mesothermal veins and hydrothermal breccias. This is the target type of Aztec's exploration focus since 2019.
• Sub-water table (below ~200m depth) extensions of the typical Tombstone Au-Ag mineralization, composed mostly of secondary enrichment minerals and focused by the same horizon and structure types as the extensively mined shallow deposits above.
• Deeper, high grade, "Taylor"- style carbonate replacement silver-lead-zinc-copper-gold deposits (CRD) in the extensive carbonate section (~ 2 kms estimated thickness) below the Bisbee formation.
• The potential for a mineralized porphyry-type deposit as a source of the Tombstone mineralization.

Data obtained from the core drill holes is expected to supplement the previous, shallow RC drilling by providing extensive knowledge of geological relationships and testing at the depth of the water table and below the Contention system across its width and along its length. Notably, Aztec's previous drilling terminated above the water table where typically the enrichment of Ag occurs, and that the main host horizons of the Tombstone district are found at this depth in the Contention target.