In western La Estera, from 208 metres to 342 metres down-hole, BUSY325 intersected three vein families from the La Estrella vein system with high silver/gold and high silver and zinc grades in two of these vein families, including 1.1 metres @ 3.1 g/t gold, 1,857 g/t silver and 3.2% zinc (from 246.2 metres down-hole) and also 0.9 metres @ 4.8 g/t gold, 538 g/t silver and 2.6% zinc (within a broader mineralized interval from 283.4 metres down-hole, around an elevation of 1,643 metres above sea-level). Further down-hole (from 368.3 metres) and to the north, BUSY325 encountered a high-grade auriferous vein set, 2.3 metres @ 9.2 g/t gold and 18 g/t silver with relatively low base-metal content. These veins are interpreted to represent fault offset western extensions of geochemically similar La Estrella veins intersected previously in BUSY292 and also the La Estrella workings (see September 13, 2012 news release).
A deep intercept (from 1,288 metres down-hole; at an elevation of 680 metres above sea-level) in BUSY325 (1.53 metres @ 4.4 g/t gold and 11 g/t silver) may correlate with visual intercepts in BUSY332, further west, and also with base metal-poor, gold-rich intercepts deep in BUSY282 to the east (see September 13, 2012 news release).
Some 300 metres east of BUSY325, drill-hole BUSY331 intersected two families of precious metal-bearing veins that are part of the Laurel vein system, the more southerly of which exhibits high-grade gold accompanied by high base-metal contents. Intercepts in this vein family include, 1.05 metres @ 21.3 g/t gold, 96 g/t silver and 3.5% zinc (at an elevation of 1,448 metres above sea-level) and 2.75 metres @ 13.6 g/t gold, 135 g/t silver and 12.8% zinc (at an elevation of 1,437 metres above sea-level). These vein families may prove to be continuous with mineralization (discussed in the previous paragraph) further west, outlining the Laurel vein system in the northern La Estera Area. This broad east-west vein system has a potential strike length in excess of 400 metres, and depth extent of potentially more than 1,000 metres. High silver/gold intercepts with high zinc contents encountered near-collar in BUSY327, such as (from 44 metres down-hole, at an elevation of 1,734 metres above sea-level), 3.1 metres @ 2.0 g/t gold, 100 g/t silver and 16.9% zinc (including 1.25 metres @ 2.1 g/t gold, 230 g/t silver and 39.7% zinc) may also be included in the Laurel vein system.
BUSY319 drilled from north to south resulted in the discovery of three families of multiple, closely-spaced veins to the east of mineralized intercepts in BUSY331. These veins are interpreted to be part of the La Estrella vein system. The two deepest intercepts of interest are the most southerly yet encountered in the La Estera area, and include intercepts of: (from 811.6 metres down-hole, at an elevation of 1,100 metres above sea-level) 0.4 metres @ 15.9 g/t gold, 22 g/t silver and 6.6% zinc; (from 975.1 metres down-hole, at an elevation of 975 metres above sea-level) 0.4 metres @ 36.6 g/t gold, 84 g/t silver and 6.1% zinc; and, (from 1,016.3 metres down-hole, at an elevation of 944 metres above sea-level) 1.0 metres @ 8.3 g/t gold, 11 g/t silver and 3.9% zinc. Encouragingly, these veins project vertically up to broad zinc and precious metal soil anomalies and also shallow artisanal workings. Further drilling is planned to clarify the depth and lateral extents of the La Estrella vein system.
Three holes were drilled in the eastern La Estera area proximal to a small artisanal working named La Suliman, some 500 metres east of BUSY319. Drilled northwards, BUSY322 encountered multiple, base metal-poor veins at low elevations, including 2.13 metres @ 15.9 g/t gold and 19 g/t silver (from 350 metres down-hole, at an elevation of 1,080 metres above sea-level). Drilled east-west to clarify the potential for bedding sub-parallel vein sets, BUSY288 encountered multiple vein intervals including, 0.75 metres @ 6.0 g/t gold, 20 g/t silver and 0.6% zinc. BUSY328, drilled southwards, also encountered multiple vein intervals, including the most southerly vein sets drilled to-date in eastern La Estera. These southerly vein sets underly artisanal workings and potentially correlate with the La Estrella vein system intersected in BUSY319, some 500 metres to the west.
Far West AreaSignificant new drill intercepts are listed below in Table II and arereferenced in Figure 1 and Figure 2.Table II: Drilling highlights, Far West area----------------------------------------------------------------------------Drill- From To Interval(i) Gold Silver Zinc Elevationhole (m) (m) (m) (g/t) (g/t) (%) (m)--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------BUSY280 373.10 375.20 2.10 0.13 150.1 0.1 1576--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------BUSY314 379.33 379.80 0.47 0.59 19.5 2.3 1580---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 403.60 404.20 0.60 1.05 5.4 1.3 1560---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 413.90 414.50 0.60 1.35 24.2 1.7 1552---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 417.40 418.90 1.50 1.86 17.5 4.2 1549----------------------------------------------------------------------------(i)Intercepts calculated at 1 g/t gold + 30 g/t silver cut-off grades forminimum intervals of 0.4 metres, with up to 30% internal dilution. Truewidths not accurately known but generally are between 30% and actual truewidth of the down-hole interval.
