Outcrop Silver & Gold recently made headlines with its report of a new high-grade shoot discovered at the Morena vein within its Santa Ana project in Colombia. The standout intercept includes an impressive 0.55 meters grading 1,877 grams of silver per ton and 4.26 grams of gold per ton, translating into a remarkable 2,197 grams of silver equivalent per ton. This exciting development marks the sixth new high-grade shoot identified since April 2024, following systematic exploration efforts around the La Ye target. The findings come just ahead of a planned mineral resource update, fueling anticipation among investors and stakeholders.
The exploration program is spearheaded by Guillermo Hernandez, the Vice President of Exploration at Outcrop Silver & Gold Corporation. Hernandez expressed enthusiasm about the recent discoveries, stating, “We are excited to confirm the sixth new high-grade shoot at Santa Ana since the mineral resource was published with the discovery at Morena.”
Morena Silver Drill Cores
The drilling program has yielded impressive results, with Hole DH471 intersecting 1.87 meters grading 680 g/t silver and 1.52 g/t gold, totaling 794 g/t silver equivalent. This includes a narrower zone of 0.55 meters running at an astonishing 1,877 g/t silver and 4.26 g/t gold. When converting these intervals to U.S. measurements, they translate to approximately 6.1 feet and 1.8 feet, respectively.
In another notable result, Hole DH467 struck 2.29 meters at 233 g/t silver and 0.37 g/t gold, resulting in 261 g/t silver equivalent, a segment that measures about 7.5 feet. To date, the drilling program at Morena has totaled 2,905 meters, or approximately 9,530 feet, delineating a mineralized footprint nearing 400 meters along strike (about 1,310 feet) and nearly 300 meters down dip (around 984 feet).
Where Morena Silver and Gold Sits
The exploration at Morena emerged from extensive soil geochemistry and follow-up trenching around the La Ye site, where a structural corridor was identified. Surface sampling helped validate the continuity of the veins over several hundred meters, creating a strong basis for the subsequent drilling campaign.
The Morena vein trends between 220 and 230 degrees and dips from 45 to 75 degrees through green schists. This orientation along with the geological features offers a coherent model for drilling both along strike and down dip. Morena adds a promising new target to an already rich pipeline that includes Aguilar, Jimenez, Guadual, La Ye, and Los Mangos. Each of these targets is currently being evaluated for inclusion in the next mineral resource update, although no assumptions are being made about translating the current results directly into resources.
How Grades are Reported
Silver grades are conventionally reported in tons, which represents the grams of metal per metric ton of rock—a standard measurement used by agencies such as the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Several explorers also report equivalency grades that consolidate multiple metals into a single value based on current metal prices and recovery estimates.
Industry best practices emphasize that any equivalency should transparently disclose the underlying grades, evaluation prices, and recovery assumptions. This is an important facet for maintaining credibility among investors and stakeholders, particularly when recovery estimates may vary and cannot be precisely calculated.
For comparative context, Santa Ana’s latest technical report reflects an indicated resource of 24.2 million ounces of silver equivalent at 614 g/t, along with an inferred resource of 13.5 million ounces at 435 g/t. This foundation stands prior to any potential impact from the recent discoveries at Morena.
Rigorous Sampling and Analysis
The reliability of assay results hinges on meticulous procedures that include inserting blanks, duplicates, and certified reference materials at predetermined intervals. Regulatory bodies and professional organizations lay out the best practices to ensure accuracy and transparency in reporting, promoting ethical standards for both investors and local communities.
Independent laboratories routinely employ techniques like aqua regia digestion paired with ICP analysis to analyze multi-element chemistry. Rigorous quality controls for each batch and instrument ensure confidence in the reported values.
Core handling procedures are equally crucial; the practice of sawing core samples, sending half for assay and retaining the other half for verification, supports the integrity of the data and allows for future re-evaluation as the geological model matures.
Context for Santa Ana and Mariquita
Santa Ana is located in the historically rich Mariquita District, where mining records trace back to at least 1585. Archival evidence even indicates mining activity at the Santa Ana mines during the nineteenth century, underscoring the area’s longstanding mining tradition.
Geologically, the district is characterized by epithermal style silver and gold veins, a type of deposit known for its narrow yet highly concentrated grades, influenced strongly by structural controls. Descriptive models of epithermal systems, as outlined by the U.S. Geological Survey, elaborate on the mineralogy, textural characteristics, and temperature ranges crucial for guiding exploration in this district.
Academic research focusing specifically on Santa Ana has detailed its volcanic-hosted silver polymetallic system exhibiting multiple vein sets. This aligns closely with the ongoing exploration approach aimed at integrating both structural and chemical data.
What to Watch Next
The early outline of the Morena vein suggests practical next steps in exploration. Testing continuity and spacing through step-outs along strike and down dip will be crucial for developing resource models.
Furthermore, metallurgical testing holds significant weight, as it impacts potential calculations of silver equivalents and assesses whether byproduct metals can be efficiently recovered. Transparent disclosures of metal prices and recovery metrics will help maintain alignment with professional guidance rather than unsupported assumptions.
Investors and local stakeholders are increasingly focused on how swiftly new drilling can bridge the gaps surrounding current intercepts. Achieving consistent widths and grades, backed by robust quality assurance protocols and independent lab validation, will lay the groundwork for any potential resource additions.
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