Outcrop Silver & Gold has unveiled a remarkable new discovery at its Santa Ana Project in Colombia, showcasing high-grade silver and gold mineralization at the Morena vein. This exciting revelation is part of a broader exploration campaign within the historically rich Mariquita District, carrying significant implications for the company’s future resource estimates. According to the latest press release, a new high-grade shoot at Morena revealed an exceptional intercept of 0.55 meters grading 1,877 grams of silver per ton and 4.26 grams of gold per ton, equating to a staggering 2,197 grams of silver equivalent per ton.
This latest breakthrough continues a string of high-grade shoots identified since April 2024, underscoring the ongoing success of Outcrop’s exploration endeavors under the adept leadership of Guillermo Hernandez, the Vice President of Exploration. The confirmation of this new shoot not only amplifies the potential of the Santa Ana project but also reflects an evolving understanding of the region’s geological potential. These findings align with a comprehensive drilling program and systematic fieldwork around the La Ye target, revealing consistent mineralization and promising further developments on the horizon.
The Significance Of The Morena Discovery
The moraine discovery signifies the sixth high-grade shoot uncovered at the Santa Ana project, further solidifying the project’s potential to evolve into a prominent silver and gold mining operation. Notably, the veins at Morena have shown exceptional grades; for instance, drilling hole DH471 has recorded intervals with 1,877 grams of silver and 4.26 grams of gold per ton over 0.55 meters. To provide perspective, these figures are extraordinarily high compared to average exploration projects in silver and gold, where typical grades often fall below 100 grams per ton of silver and only a few grams for gold.
The exploration at the Morena vein commenced with soil geochemistry and trenching, pinpointing a structural corridor teeming with mineralization. Follow-up drilling confirmed vein continuity over several hundred meters both along strike and down dip, suggesting a robust system with significant resource potential. Given the vein’s high grade, this discovery is poised to positively influence Outcrop’s ongoing resource evaluation, which is set for an update soon, potentially incorporating Morena’s newly defined mineralization into future resource estimates.
Drilling Success And High-Grade Intercepts
Outcrop’s systematic drilling campaign at Morena has yielded impressive results, with notable high-grade intercepts reported recently. Hole DH471 stands out, intersecting 1.87 meters grading 680 grams per ton of silver and 1.52 grams per ton of gold, equivalent to 794 grams silver equivalent per ton. Within this interval lies a remarkable 0.55-meter zone showcasing extraordinarily high grades of 1,877 grams of silver and 4.26 grams of gold. Such results represent some of the highest grades reported by Outcrop during the current drilling phase, clearly showcasing the rich mineralization present at Morena.
Moreover, Hole DH467 has highlighted the ongoing potential of the region, intersecting 2.29 meters with 233 grams of silver and 0.37 grams of gold per ton, translating to 261 grams silver equivalent. Although these grades aren’t as high as others reported, they still provide robust evidence of the mineral system’s scale and potential. With over 2,900 meters drilled at Morena thus far, the results have meticulously outlined a mineralized footprint spanning approximately 400 meters along strike and nearly 300 meters down dip, positioning the Morena vein as a prime candidate for future resource calculations.
Structural Geology and Host Rocks
Understanding the geology at Morena provides insight into the success of drilling within the area. The vein itself trends between 220 and 230 degrees and dips at angles ranging from 45 to 75 degrees. This structural orientation combined with the presence of green schists as host rocks significantly contributes to the high-grade mineralization observed during drilling campaigns. Such characteristics facilitate exploration teams in targeting specific zones along strike and down dip, which is essential for effective drilling and resource modeling.
Outcrop’s exploration team has leveraged the structural controls prevalent in the region effectively. As drilling continues, targeting the vein’s continuity, the team remains optimistic about expanding the footprint of high-grade mineralization at Morena. The favorable geological features of the region support a consistent model guiding drilling efforts, maximizing the potential for additional high-grade discoveries akin to those encountered thus far.
