After drilling a stellar intercept of 136.8m @ 1.49g/t Au three weeks ago from the California Zone at their majority owned and operated (65/35 JV with Kootenay Silver) Cervantes gold project in Sonora, Mexico, Aztec Minerals Corp. (AZT: TSX-V, OTCQB: AZZTF) continues to publish more goodies, this time somewhat more normal highlights of 138.3m @ 0.58g/t Au and 54.7m @ 0.88g/t Au.

While Ukraine has been completely invaded by Russia further disturbing supply/demand chains around the world, which already see commodity prices soaring and consequently increasing inflation to levels not seen in decades, precious metals, and more specifically gold, are doing well with gold hovering at US$1,915/oz.

1. Introduction

Recently I used the proverb “in order to find a new mine, look in the shadow of the headframe of an old or existing mine”. However, there is not even the need to even find a new mine in the case of Omai Gold Mines (TSXV:OMG), as they are working on revitalizing the existing Omai gold mine in Guyana, which closed in 2005 due to low gold prices.

Preview:

Fancamp Exploration Ltd. (TSXV:FNC)  currently has a very extensive exploration project and royalty portfolio, a huge cash and liquid equity position of C$25M and high-quality core investor base, and is at a pretty attractive entry point as it is trading at just a C$17.5M market capitalization.

1. Introduction

An old adage in mining says that to find a new mine, look in the shadow of the headframe of an old or existing mine. This is exactly what Vior Inc. (TSXV:VIO)(FRA:VL51) has been doing at the moment, as it has been exploring their flagship Belleterre Gold project in Quebec, which contains the historic high grade Belleterre gold mine (produced 759koz @ 10.73g/t Au from 1936 to 1959).

After announcing a strong and potentially game changing drill result (60.4m @ 2.25% CuEq) at Sesmarias on January 25, 2022, followed by a C$1M private placement on February 8, 2022, Avrupa Minerals (TSXV:AVU)(OTC:AVPMF) managed to increase this amount, and raised C$1.25M on March 2, 2022.  

After a failed hostile take over attempt of Dolly Varden Silver (DV.V)(DOLLF.US) in in the past, Hecla Mining (HL.US) now resorts to maintaining their pro-rata equity interest in the company these days, as it exercised its anti-dilution right regarding the Homestake Ridge transaction.

After completing the first 26 holes of their Phase 2 RC drill program at the California target, part of their Cervantes gold-copper project in Sonora, Mexico on January 26, 2022, Aztec Minerals Corp. (AZT: TSX-V, OTCQB: AZZTF) doesn’t seem to suffer a lot from the common and extensive lab delays, and continues to release excellent drill results after the first hole was returned just over a week ago.

During times of relative stockmarket unrest, caused by more hawkish Fed policies regarding potential interest rate hikes and reduction of bond buying programs, Blue Sky Uranium (TSXV: BSK; US-OTC: BKUCF) is busy drilling several Ivana targets at their flagship Amarillo Grande uranium project in Argentina.

Several weeks after Avrupa Minerals (TSXV:AVU)(OTC:AVPMF) announced the acquisition of four exploration properties in Finland, the company was happy to finally announce a significant drill result at the Sesmarias target, part of their flagship Alvalade project in Portugal. As they were looking for large mineralized intercepts for almost two years now, scanning the complex folded structure stepping out hole by hole, management was delighted to finally hit a mineralized intercept of no less than 113.8m in total.