MAG Silver Corp. (TSX:MAG) (NYSE American: MAG) announces an Agreement to consolidate and acquire 100% of the silver-rich Deer Trail Carbonate Replacement Deposit “CRD” project in Piute County, Utah. The Project includes 111 patented and 682 unpatented claims (approximately 5,600 Ha) encompassing the historic Deer Trail Mine and the adjoining Alunite Ridge area. This is the first time since the early 1980s that these properties have been consolidated, allowing MAG to apply an integrated district-scale exploration approach based on the continuum of mineralization styles from CRD through Skarn to Porphyry Copper-Molybdenum shown by many related systems worldwide. This model suggests that the high-grade silver, gold, lead, zinc and copper CRD sulfides of the Deer Trail mine are linked by kilometres of continuous mineralization to a Porphyry Copper-Molybdenum centre lying to the west near Alunite Ridge.
Phase I exploration, focused on following the silver-rich Deer Trail mine CRD mineralization to depth, is well advanced using a combination of historic and new data reinforced by an underground seismic survey planned for late September. Initial drill pads are permitted and drilling is planned for early October, 2020.
“Deer Trail has been on my exploration radar since 1982, as it displays the most important characteristics of a large Porphyry-related CRD system. Consolidating the property lets us apply our integrated exploration model and apply new technology to the search for the entire suite of mineralization styles that we expect to occur on the property,” said Dr. Peter Megaw, MAG Silver’s Chief Exploration Officer. “Our experienced CRD exploration team is excited to see what unfolds over the next few months as we begin drilling for more extensive high-grade silver-gold-lead-zinc CRD and skarn mineralization below the historic mine.”
“Utah is a new jurisdiction for MAG and we are very pleased with the outpouring of positive support for the Deer Trail Project from this historically mining-friendly community,” said George Paspalas, MAG Silver’s President and CEO. “As we integrate into the community, we are operating in a manner that reflects our values; commitment to health, safety, social responsibility and environmental stewardship. We expect to be here for some time.”
Fall 2020 Phase I Drill Program
A fully permitted 6,500-meter Phase I surface drilling program is set to start in early October 2020. Initial targeting is based on an integrated 3D Leapfrog Geo® project combining a large historic data set with MAG’s CRD exploration model plus extensive new surface and underground mapping, core relogging and geophysical reprocessing. Final drillhole angle and depth refinements will be guided by the results of an underground seismic survey slated for September 2020. Phase I drilling priorities include:
COVID-19 – Deer Trail Project
Safety is one of MAG’s key core values, and now during the COVID-19 pandemic, the health, well-being, and support of our people assumes more importance than ever. MAG is following protocol guidance from governmental public health agencies and to date, no MAG employees or contractors at the Deer Trail Project site have tested positive for COVID-19.
About Deer Trail
The Deer Trail CRD was intermittently mined for high-grade silver, gold, lead, zinc and copper sulfides until 1985 when the mine closed leaving faces in massive sulfide. The Alunite Ridge area, 2-6 km west of Deer Trail is cut by numerous gold-quartz and alunite veins that were prospected and locally mined from 1914 to 1945. This veining and surrounding alteration has long been suspected to be the surface expression of buried Porphyry Molybdenum-Copper mineralization centre(s), which is supported by high-grade molybdenite-bearing quartz veins found recently by MAG in unsampled historic core (see below). MAG’s model suggests that these inferred intrusions are the source for continuous mineralization traceable to (and from) the Deer Trail mine CRD mineralization. Notably, this CRD-Skarn-Porphyry Cu/Mo continuum is well expressed by the nearby giant Bingham Canyon Porphyry Copper District, which is of similar age and lies on the same regional fault system as Deer Trail (see below).
The Agreement (all dollars referenced in US dollars):
MAG executed an Agreement, effective December 20th, 2018 to consolidate the historic Deer Trail Mine and surrounding Alunite Ridge area. The counterparties to the Agreement (the “Parties”) contributed their respective Deer Trail claims and property rights to a newly formed company for a 99% interest in the company, with MAG holding the other 1% interest. MAG is the Project Operator and has the right to earn a 100% interest in the company and the Deer Trail Project, with the Parties retaining a 2% NSR. In order to earn in 100%, MAG must make a total of $30 million in escalating annual expenditures ($2.8 million expended to June 30, 2020) and $2 million in royalty payments ($150,000 paid to June 30, 2020), both over 10 years, which commenced December 2018. Importantly, combined optional annual commitments do not exceed $2.5 million/year until after 2025, and all minimum commitments under the agreement have been satisfied.
The combined property package comes with decades of information generated through prior exploration programs focused on the historic Deer Trail mine itself, the inferred Porphyry centres and veins scattered throughout the property. These data include: extensive surface and underground geological maps; geochemical sampling results; logs, core and chips from over 20,000 meters of historic drilling; a districtwide airborne magnetic survey; 15 line kilometers of Audio Magneto-Telluric (AMT) geophysics; 2.5 km of U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) certified underground workings; and an active mining permit. Infrastructure and access to the property are excellent. Disturbances identified by MAG have been proactively remedied and reviewed by governmental regulators, leaving no significant environmental legacy issues.
Deer Trail satisfies MAG’s top criteria when exploring for large CRD systems. These include:
MAG’s two-fold exploration strategy works both ends against the middle.
Qualified Persons:
Dr. Peter Megaw, Ph.D., C.P.G., and Lyle Hansen, M.Sc., P.Geo have acted as the Qualified Persons as defined in National Instrument 43-101 for this disclosure and supervised the preparation of the technical information in this release. Dr. Megaw has a Ph.D. in geology and more than 38 years of relevant experience focussed on Carbonate Replacement Deposits worldwide. He is a Certified Professional Geologist (CPG 10227) by the American Institute of Professional Geologists and an Arizona Registered Geologist (ARG 21613). Dr. Megaw is not independent as he is Chief Exploration Officer and a Shareholder of MAG. Dr. Megaw is satisfied that the results are verified based on an inspection of the core and underground exposures, a review of the sampling procedures, the credentials of the professionals completing the work and the visual nature of the silver and base metal sulphides within a district where he is familiar with the style and continuity of mineralization. Mr. Hansen is a registered Professional Geologist with Engineers and Geoscientists BC (149624) and has more than 10 years experience in exploration and deposit modeling. Mr. Hansen is not independent as he is Geotechnical Director of MAG.
About MAG Silver Corp.
MAG Silver Corp. is a Canadian advanced stage development and exploration company focused on becoming a top-tier primary silver mining company, by exploring and advancing high-grade, district scale, silver-dominant projects in the Americas. Its principal focus and asset is the Juanicipio Project (44%), being developed in a joint venture with Fresnillo (56%). The Juanicipio Project is located in the Fresnillo Silver Trend in Mexico, the world’s premier silver mining camp. The Juanicipio Joint Venture is currently constructing and developing the surface and underground infrastructure on the property to support a 4,000 tonnes per day mining operation, with the operational expertise of Fresnillo, the project operator. As well, an expanded exploration program is in place at Juanicipio on multiple highly prospective targets.
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