Bayhorse Silver Inc., (TSX-V: BHS) has reopened the silver rich, formerly productive Sunshine mineralized zone, at the Bayhorse Silver Mine, Oregon, USA.

Development work at the Sunshine zone has exposed veins, bands, seams and stringers of mineralization across the face, back and ribs of the workings. Silver bearing tetrahedrite (copper) is the main mineral.

The 140 foot long Sunshine zone was last mined in 1926. Historic smelter records show that 63,470 ounces of silver was recovered from the 2,558 tons mined from the zone. Development material currently extracted from the zone is being processed and upgraded at the Bayhorse Mine site.

Silver and copper mineralization at the Sunshine zone is reported to be up to 85ft wide south to north and open along strike to the west, through the Junction and Big Dog zones, for a known 840 ft. (Herdrick, 1981). An underground assay map developed by Cordex in 1976, to confirm prior assay maps, showed copper grades ranging from 1% to 3%.

Also, under the current re-development phase, work is progressing on re-opening the Big Dog zone that was extensively drilled by Silver King Mines. The Silver King drilling extended the 120 feet long Big Dog zone a further 200 feet along strike to the west.

Prior to mine closure in the fall of 1984, when silver prices dropped below US$5.00 per ounce, Silver King Mines focused its efforts mainly on the Big Dog zone that had yielded 20,832 ounces of silver from 558 tons from prior mining.

During its brief 1984 mining program, Silver King reported overall removal of 5,718 tons at an average grade of 16.7 opt Ag (572.5 g/t Ag) from the Big Dog and Junction zones.

Bayhorse CEO Graeme O’Neill, comments that, “The Company is pleased that the mineralization now exposed at both the Sunshine and Junction mineralized zones at the Bayhorse mine is as reported in the substantial historic documentation on the Mine.”

Figure 1: Sunshine Zone Mineralized Showing

In his Examination and Compilation Report dated April 1981, Melvin A. Herdrick, Consulting Geologist, estimated probable tonnages in the main orebody, based upon geology, to be as follows:

In his conclusions Herdrick (1981) stated, “Because mineralization is controlled by stratigraphy, close proximity to the fold axis, and co-incidence of the Sunshine Fault near mineralization, continuity of mineralization is projected to extend more than 600 ft westerly, beyond the previous exposures within the mine.”

He further stated, “Previous exposures verify that more than 400 ft of ore strike length is exposed from the upper level through the intermediate level. Projections of ore tonnages in the main body, based upon geology, yield a probable tonnage of approximately 160,000 tons within the 7.5 oz cutoff, having an grade of approximately 17 to 20 oz Ag/ton.”

Herdrick’s assumptions, parameters and methods used to calculate the grade and tonnage of the reported historic resource are unknown.

Herdrick (1981) also estimated in the report that if on-site milling was contemplated from the two levels and the west projection, he could quantify a larger possible tonnage using a 3.5 oz per ton cutoff, but while determining a possible tonnage, did not ascribe a grade to the tonnage.

The Company advises that a qualified person has not done sufficient work to verify the historical estimates nor classify the historical estimates as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. There can be no assurance that additional work will result in the definition of any current resource or reserve. The Company is not treating the historical estimates as current mineral resources or mineral reserves.

The Company advises it is not basing any decision to produce on a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability and also advises there is increased uncertainty and specific economic and technical risks of failure associated with any production decision.