Silver Viper Minerals Corp. (TSX-V: VIPR) is pleased to announce the first batch of analyses from its initial drilling program at La Virginia Gold-Silver project, in eastern Sonora, 220 kilometres east-northeast of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico.  To date Silver Viper has submitted 8 batches of samples for analysis and has received complete results for the first five holes.  

The 2018 ongoing drilling programme at La Virginia is designed as a combination of confirmation/exploration holes, with a strong emphasis on exploration.  Initial work targeted areas within or close to the known extents of mineralization. Subsequent holes were designed to test for additional mineralization along the regional trend and in parallel structures.

Drillholes reported herein were collared in and around the Las Huatas prospect area located in the southern portion of the known mineralized trend.  Drillholes LV18-189 and 190 were designed to test thin mineralized structures parallel to the main trend, but hole LV18-190 was abandoned before reaching target depth.

Drillholes LV18-191, 192 and 193 targeted the main mineralized trend previously identified and tested by Minefinders/Pan American Silver.  Silver Viper drilling intercepted mineralization at expected depths and reflect generally expected widths and grades.  The intercepts are characteristic of previous hits on the project, where gold and silver bearing quartz veining/stockwork/breccia fill is often hosted in close proximity to the fractured contact between andesites of the lower volcanic succession and pre-mineral dacite dykes.  Mineralization is hosted by both lithologies with the intervals often exhibiting strong silica overprint.

Silver Viper’s President and CEO Steve Cope states, “The initiation of exploration activities at La Virginia after a 5 year pause is a significant milestone.  We are very happy to see respectable grades returned from our first batches of samples from these drillholes and look forward to exploring new targets on the property.”  

The drilling program is ongoing and will target several untested showings/prospect areas in 2018. Silver Viper’s regional exploration effort continues to prospect and refine additional targets slated for drill testing before the end of the year.  

All results reported herein represent analyses of halved diamond drill core submitted by Silver Viper staff directly to Bureau Veritas, Hermosillo, Sonora.  Samples were prepped and analysed for gold by lead collection fire assay fusion on a 30g split with AAS finish, and for a multi-element suite by multi-acid digest with ICP-ES/MS finish.  Silver Viper monitors QA/QC using commercially sourced standards and locally sourced blank material inserted within the sample sequence at regular intervals.

Dale Brittliffe, P.Geo., Vice President of Exploration is a ‘Qualified Person’ under National Instrument 43-101, and has approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release.

About the Company

Silver Viper Minerals Inc is a Canadian-based junior mineral exploration company focused on precious metals exploration in the northwestern Mexican state of Sonora.  The company currently has an option to acquire a one hundred percent (100%) interest in the Rubi-Esperanza group of claims.  The claims were most recently explored by Pan American Silver and form the core of the greater La Virginia group of claims, owned by Pan American Silver, over which Silver Viper has a current LOI and is proceeding toward a definitive agreement.  The project is an early stage exploration property targeting a series of laterally extensive intrusive dykes and breccia zones hosting low-sulphidation epithermal gold-silver mineralization.  Silver Viper is under management provided by the experienced Belcarra Group Management Ltd  The Belcarra Group is comprised of highly qualified mining and financial professionals.