Aztec Completes Step Out Drilling Program at the Cervantes Project Expanding the Mineralization Footprint

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / December 20, 2023 / Aztec Minerals Corp. (TSX-V:AZT)(OTCQB:AZZTF) announces the completion of 13 reverse circulation "RC" holes totaling 1,646 meters (m) at its 100% owned Cervantes project in Sonora, Mexico. The RC drilling program was increased from an originally planned 11 holes and RC chip logging of the 13 completed holes indicate favorable geology to support potential expansion of the gold zone mineralization in the vicinities of the area previously drilled (Figure 1.). The 13 holes were drilled on the primary California gold zone target with step out drilling focused on expanding the zone to the north, west, east and south of previous drilling where Aztec had discovered extensive shallow, wide oxide gold mineralization (please see summary news release dated January 10, 2023).

Drill results are pending with samples from the recently completed holes having been shipped to the Bureau Veritas Minerals Laboratory for geochemical analysis. Geological logging indicated attractive alteration for potential gold mineralization in multiple holes of the 13 hole program. The visual logging of the RC chip samples shows evidence of wide zones of oxidized, strongly altered rocks with multiple veinlets, similar to previously drilled zones at the Cervantes Project.

Foto: Accesswire

View Figure 1: Cervantes California Target Expansion RC Drilling Program *

The gold mineralization at Cervantes is characterized by oxidized and unoxidized stockwork veinlets of A, B, and C types and disseminated sulfide sites, with silicification and phyllic alterations, typical of large porphyry Au hosted deposits in similar geological settings. Potassic alteration is present in places and is associated with sulphide mineralization as well. The company continues exploration on the step-out areas (Green Zone - Figure 1), to support expansion of the altered, potentially gold bearing zones for future drilling, aiming to define a much larger gold bearing, oxidized, mineralized zone, potentially amenable to heap leaching.

The thirteen holes were drilled in a general "grid pattern" used at the California target with general orientations of azimuth 250, inclined at 60-75 degrees as "step outs" to expand the California target. The California porphyry gold-copper mineralization is interpreted to be at the top of a large porphyry system. Present in the zone is Diagnostic UST (unidirectional solidification textures) and abundant breeched blocks of metasediments in the intrusives. The mineralization is primarily hosted in two lithologic units, quartz-feldspar porphyry (Qfp) and hydrothermal breccias (Hbx) associated with it. All thirteen holes completed in drilling have intersected the mineralized Qfp and Hbx with silicification and phyllic alterations, pervasive oxidation and, at depth, sulfide mineralization.