Southern Silver Exploration Corp. said today that drilling has started on its Minas de Ameca project, in Jalisco , Mexico . A total of 5,000 metres of “HQ” diamond drilling, on multiple precious and base-metal targets, is planned for the 2007 exploration season. Ground reconnaissance, mapping, sampling and IP geophysics continue to refine targets on this 322 sq. km property.
Up to twelve drill holes totaling approximately 2,500 metres will test a series of Au-Cu- enriched quartz-hematite veins in the San Luis and Cerro de la Cruz prospect areas. The veins, which occur along the contact between altered felsic and monzonitic intrusive rocks are interpreted as high-level (epithermal) expression of deeper, porphyry-related mineralization. Two early 2007 reconnaissance drill holes returned mineralized intervals of up to 30 metres grading 0.39g/t Au and 0.17% Cu . Recently conducted IP geophysics over this mineralized area has traced the associated geophysical anomaly an additional 400 metres along strike to the east and to over 400 metres depth.
An additional 2,500 metres of drilling is planned at the Magistral Mine area. The Magistral vein is exposed on surface for over 400m strike with the main vein averaging between 3 to 10 metres thick. High-grade gold and copper ores were mined from the vein system over a 10 year period in the early 1900’s and were accessed via a network of shafts and adits totaling 750 metres. Mexican government reports concerning the historic Magistral Mine indicate select samples carried high grade copper values, in the 4% to 7.5% range, with gold grades up to 2.5 g/t. The reports reveal that 100,000 tons of ore-bearing material was produced for the on-site 250 tpd mill, with another 120,000 tons of potential resources left behind within the mine (1) .
Other geophysical and geochemical targets on the Minas de Ameca concessions are currently being reviewed as part of an ongoing 2007 surface program.
Minas de Ameca Project
The Minas de Ameca project encompasses a 322 sq. km claim package assembled in part through option agreements between Southern Silver and Fury Explorations Ltd. (see NR-10-06) and Soltoro Ltd. (see NR-01-07) together with the purchase from the Mexican Government of the El Magistral claim.
The district is located along the western margin of the Sierra Madre Occidental terrane. Geological reconnaissance has identified several strongly mineralized, copper-rich breccias located at volcanic-intrusive contacts and numerous structurally controlled, quartz-hematite vein systems which occur along a 25 km long mineralized trend extending southeast through the project area. Historical workings consist of copper with gold rich deposits formed as tabular to pipe-like bodies within tourmaline rich intrusives.
Rob Macdonald, (P.Geo.), is the Qualified Person responsible for reviewing the technical results reported in this release.
(1). Resource and production estimates are from historical Consejo de Recursos Minerals reports. No attempt has been made to verify the historical estimates for the purposes of compliance with NI43-101 standards and can not therefore be relied on for accuracy. Southern Silver does not treat this historical estimate as a current mineral resource or mineral reserve and should not be relied on as such.
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
“Lawrence Page”
Lawrence Page QC, President, Director
Southern Silver Exploration Corp.
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