Silvercorp Metals Inc (TSX:SVM, AMEX:SVM) has reported additional high-grade intercepts from its 2021 exploration program at the TLP mine, which is part of its flagship Ying Mining District project in the Henan province of China.
The Canadian mining company said that extensive exploration drilling and tunneling is currently underway at its TLP mine and all the other mines which are part of its Ying project.
From June 1 to December 31, 2021, Silvercorp said 43,573 metres (m) were drilled across 276 diamond drill holes, including 218 underground holes and 58 surface holes at the TLP mine. Assay results for 270 holes have been received, with 202 holes intercepting mineralization, according to the company.
READ: Silvercorp Metals hits high-grade silver and zinc at its SGX mine in China
Silvercorp also received assay results for 35 holes pending from the previous drilling program at the TLP mine from October 1, 2020 to May 31, 2021. Currently, there are 13 rigs drilling at the TLP mine.
The firm’s drilling strategy was fourfold and focused on drilling above or beneath the stopes that were previously mined but stopped due to more variation in grades and thickness to easily obtain ore; drill for high-grade silver-lead-zinc veins within the resource area; drill for silver-lead-zinc veins in the resource area at higher elevations and drill for high-grade silver-lead-zinc veins at the northwest side of the resource area to expand the resources.
Silvercorp said the holes drilled during the period targeted blocks of known silver-lead-zinc veins in production areas that were previously missed due to limited drilling or tunneling and changes in the strikes and dips.
The company said drilling above or beneath previously mined stopes produced the following high-grade intercepts at the TLP mine:
- Underground hole ZKG0712 intersected a 1.36m interval vein T11 grading 2,042 grams per tonne (g/t) silver (Ag), 36.86% lead (Pb), 6.73% zinc (Zn), 0.43 g/t gold (Au), and 0.83% copper (Cu) from 211.32m depth, at an elevation of 632m;
- Underground hole ZKG4T1601 intersected a 4.03m interval (2.27 m true width) of vein T16 grading 1,003 g/t Ag, 8.93% Pb, 0.83% Zn, 0.16 g/t Au, and 0.10% Cu from 79.56m depth, at an elevation of 762m;
- Underground hole ZKG0305 intersected a 1.11m interval vein T15W grading 1,597 g/t Ag, 14.71% Pb, 0.39% Zn, 0.08 g/t Au, and 0.41% Cu from 44.89m depth, at an elevation of 782m;
- Underground hole ZKT0210 intersected a 3.59m interval of vein T3 grading 581 g/t Ag, 8.83% Pb, 0.63% Zn, 0.05 g/t Au, and 0.05% Cu from 250.35m depth, at an elevation of 787m; and
- Underground hole ZKG0832 intersected a 1.40m interval of vein T15W grading 994 g/t Ag, 29.33% Pb, 0.77% Zn, 0.05 g/t Au, and 0.11% Cu from 70.64m depth, at an elevation of 810m.
Meanwhile, Silvercorp said drilling silver-lead-zinc veins within the resource area intersected unexpected high-grade gold veins as highlighted here:
- Surface hole ZKTDB3504 intersected a 1.46m interval of an unknown gold vein grading 8 g/t Ag, 0.02% Pb, 0.02% Zn, 13.96 g/t Au, and 0.01% Cu from 91.12m depth, at an elevation of 909m;
- Underground hole ZKT0016 intersected a 1.01m interval of gold vein T1W grading 12 g/t Ag, 0.12% Pb, 0.02% Zn, 13.91 g/t Au, and 0.01% Cu from 95.26m depth, at an elevation of 861m;
- Underground hole ZKT1124 intersected a 2.04m interval of vein T2 grading 281 g/t Ag, 3.32% Pb, 0.52% Zn, 6.83 g/t Au, and 0.59% Cu from 56.78m depth, at an elevation of 749m; and
- Underground hole ZKT1351 intersected a 1.31 m interval (0.88 m true width) of vein T1W1 grading 7 g/t Ag, 0.02% Pb, 0.03% Zn, 6.09 g/t Au, and 0.01% Cu from 97.95 m depth, at an elevation of 836m.
In addition, surface and underground diamond drilling tested certain blocks near the surface in the central and northeast parts of the TLP resource area, and intersected high-grade silver-lead-zinc veins T1, T2, T3 series, T4, T5, and T20.
The comprehensive results are detailed here.
Contact the author Uttara Choudhury at uttara@proactiveinvestors.com
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