Arizona Gold & Silver Inc (TSX-V:AZS, OTCQB:AZASF, FRA:A9J0) has reported assay results from two recent core holes at its Philadelphia project in Arizona, as the company continues to define mineralization within the Perry zone.
The holes, PC25-159 and PC25-160, were drilled on the northern and southern limits of the Perry zone. According to the company, both intersected low gold grades within previously unrecognized east-west fault structures that vertically offset mineralization hosted in the Arabian Fault.
Drilling is ongoing, with the rig currently testing the shallower portion of the Perry zone, up-dip of hole PC25-156.
Lex Lambeck, Arizona Gold & Silver’s senior vice president of exploration, said the results help refine the structural understanding of the zone.
“We did not expect to drill into bounding faults to constrain the strike length of the Perry zone,” Lambeck said. “Drilling continues however as the zone is not fully defined up dip and is completely open at depth. We expect to see good grades in both directions.”
Hole PC25-159 returned 28.41 metres grading 0.68 grams per tonne (g/t) gold and 6.04 g/t silver from 318.61 metres downhole. This included 3.96 metres at 1.66 g/t gold and 7.6 g/t silver, 1.40 metres at 2.99 g/t gold and 8.2 g/t silver, and 2.34 metres at 1.74 g/t gold and 12.85 g/t silver.
Hole PC25-160 intersected 66.39 metres grading 0.293 g/t gold and 1.364 g/t silver from 327.66 metres downhole. Higher-grade intervals within that section included 1.07 metres at 1.46 g/t gold and 1.2 g/t silver, and 1.34 metres at 1.87 g/t gold and 9.8 g/t silver. The company estimates true thickness at approximately 60% of drilled thickness.
Arizona Gold & Silver said the Perry zone is now defined over approximately 165 metres of strike length and is truncated by sub east-west structural complexities. These structures appear to crosscut the Arabian Fault, which hosts known mineralization at the project.
The company said hole PC25-159 appears to have been drilled structurally above the main mineralizing system, with the depth to the “pay zone” still undetermined. A similarly down-dropped block is proposed to the south in hole PC25-160, which is also interpreted to have been drilled above part of the mineralizing system.
Hole PC25-159 is located 60 metres north of the thick stockwork zone identified in hole PC25-158 and 165 metres north of a previously reported high-grade intercept in hole PC25-156. The mineralizing horizon in PC25-159 is interpreted to have been offset by a sub-east-west fault structure observed in earlier drilling, with the ore shoot remaining open down dip.
Hole PC25-160, located 60 metres south of PC25-156, encountered a narrowed and tightened ore zone that the company said may have formed an aquitard to gold-bearing fluids. Both holes are interpreted to have been affected by sub-east-west faulting that crosscuts the Arabian Fault in what the company described as a “piano key” effect, with both upward and downward fault movement.
Lambeck added that deeper drilling is planned once permitting is complete. “At depth we are awaiting a drill permit to move onto new drill pads to the east,” he said. “The permit is expected within months. These pads will provide cost effective setups for drilling the target zone to depth. Our model suggests grades will persist in that direction.”
Drill hole PC25-161, drilled south of PC25-160, has yet to be assayed. The vein zone in that hole appears visually to be approximately twice the width observed in previous holes, though quartz veining is less developed. The company said the significance of the increased width will be determined once assays are received.
Another hole, PC25-162, is currently in progress. It is designed as a shallower test of the Perry zone approximately 60 metres north of PC25-136, targeting the interpreted up-dip continuation of mineralization identified in holes PC25-156 and PC25-158.
Commenting on the broader geology, Lambeck said, “The Arabian fault is a major control for all Philadelphia mineralization. It continues along strike and is largely open at depth. Importantly, it dips below the conspicuous Red Hills hydrothermal alteration cap and similar alteration areas further east.”
In addition to drilling, the company has commenced a Controlled Source Audio Magnetotelluric (CSAMT) geophysical survey to support geological mapping and surface sampling and to refine existing targets. Zonge International has been contracted to complete 10 survey lines covering the eastern and northeastern portions of the property, as well as the southern extension of the Arabian Fault.
The new geophysical data will be integrated with historical hyperspectral coverage and legacy geophysical datasets to generate a comprehensive 3D model of the property. Arizona Gold & Silver said the integrated interpretation is expected to enhance target definition and help prioritize potential future drill targets.