Azure Minerals Ltd (ASX:AZS) has intersected high-grade zinc, lead and silver mineralisation in drilling at its Oposura project in Mexico.
The results come from the middle of the project’s central zone which is more than 200 metres from the east and west zone resource boundaries.
This confirms the potential for Azure to expand the current Oposura mineral resource into this previously under-explored area.
READ: Azure Minerals delivers initial base metals resource at Mexican project
Azure managing director Tony Rovira said: “These latest, high-grade, massive sulphide drill intersections from the sparsely drilled central zone confirm that this area has the potential to significantly increase Oposura’s resource base.
“They continue to build on the very positive results from the Oposura scoping study and confirm potential to extend the mine life and further improve the already impressive project economics.”
High-grade mineralisation extends across zones
Highlighted assays from the central zone include: 12 metres at 7.7% zinc-lead from 44 metres, including 4.1 metres at 12.5%; and 9.5 metres at 18.9% zinc-lead from 23.05 metres, including 6.2 metres at 26.6%.
Drilling also extended mineralisation from the east zone into the central zone.
Intersections from this area include: 4.8 metres at 19.3% zinc-lead and 122 g/t silver from 107.05 metres; 4.4 metres at 20.4% zinc-lead and 294 g/t silver from 99.05 metres; and 4.6 metres at 36.9% zinc-lead and 138 g/t silver from 107.55 metres.
Expected to improve project economics
Azure announced the results of its Oposura scoping study last week, which identified a mine life of 5.3 years underpinned by low-cost mining of near-surface high-grade mineralisation.
Given the central zone assays are of similar grade and near-to-surface, they are expected to increase the project’s mineral resource, extend the current mine life of 5.3 years and improve the project’s overall economics.