VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 14, 2017 / Aztec Minerals Corp. ("Aztec") (TSX-V: AZT) announces that the Phase 1 drilling program is now underway on the Cervantes gold-copper porphyry property in Sonora State, Mexico. The "Informe Preventivo" drilling permit was granted by SEMARNAT, and Aztec has obtained surface access to build roads and pads on the California and Jasper targets on the Property.
The Phase 1 drill program will consist of diamond core drilling of 14 to 17 holes totalling approximately 3,000 metres. The objectives of the drill program are as follows:
- Drill-test the gold oxide cap on the California zone where 50m x 50m spaced soil sampling identified a 600m wide by 900m long gold anomaly, over which prior soil samples averaged 0.44 grams per tonne ("gpt") . Gold-copper mineralization in the California zone is hosted primarily within quartz-feldspar porphyry intrusive and intrusive breccias. Core test holes will be drilled to approximately 150m based on new and enhanced geological, geochemical, structural, and geophysical data.
- Drill-test the gold-copper oxide mineralization on the Jasper target, where Aztec recently identified 92.4m of 0.62 gpt gold and 0.52% copper in trenching, as more fully described in Aztec's news release dated October 3, 2017.
- Drill one hole to approximately 500m depth to test one of the geophysical chargeability/resistivity anomalies identified by the induced polarization survey conducted by Aztec last year for gold-copper sulfide mineralization.
"We are excited to initiate the Phase 1 drill program now that the rain season has passed and climate conditions are good for drilling. We have well defined drill targets at the California and Jasper porphyry oxide gold-copper targets due to the trench sampling, soil sampling, and detailed vein mapping we have completed to date" said Joey Wilkins, President and CEO.
Joey Wilkins, B.Sc., P.Geo., is the Qualified Person who will supervise the upcoming field work. All samples, including certified standards, blanks, and duplicates, will be submitted to Bureau Veritas Laboratories in Hermosillo, Sonora. Samples will measure 1.5 to 2.0 meter intervals, depending upon nature of mineralization. The samples will be driven in a company vehicle from the project directly to the laboratory in Hermosillo under Mr. Wilkins' supervision. All samples will be analyzed by a 30 gram fire assay fusion with an AAS finish followed by a 45 element 4-acid ICP-MS analysis. Mr. Wilkins has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure in this news release.
The Cervantes Property is held under an option to purchase agreement with Kootenay Silver Inc. (KTN: TSX-V) whereby Aztec can acquire up to 100% interest in the property in two stages.
For further information regarding the sampling program conducted on the California zone, see Aztec's technical report titled, "Geology and Exploration of the Cervantes Project Municipality of Soyopa Sonora State, Mexico," dated January 11, 2017, which was prepared and authorized by P. Craig Gibson, PhD, CPG.
About Aztec Minerals
Aztec is a mineral exploration company focused on the discovery of large porphyry gold-copper deposits in the Americas. Our first project and core asset is the prospective Cervantes gold-copper property in Sonora, Mexico. Aztec's shares trade on the TSX-V stock exchange under the symbol AZT.
