Well, AVM has three High-grade Ag/Au projects ...the Mexican Silver right up there with some of the best intercepts of Silver and with the high-grade Gold ...just wow .... just ask Grok
Analysis of Yoquivo’s Potential as a High-Grade Silver Discovery of Size
To determine if Yoquivo could be the “next great high-grade silver discovery of size,” I’ll evaluate its grade potential, resource size, exploration progress, comparative standing, and risks, using the provided data and industry benchmarks.
1. High-Grade Silver Potential
The intercepts you provided confirm Yoquivo’s bonanza-grade silver-gold epithermal vein systems, with exceptional silver grades that rival or exceed recent global discoveries. Let’s break down the key intercepts and their significance:
Key Intercepts (from previous drilling, likely by Golden Minerals):
1.2m @ 1,895 g/t Ag & 34.0 g/t Au (YQ_20_012, from 47.3m): This equates to ~4,645 g/t AgEq (assuming 1 g/t Au = 80 g/t Ag, a common ratio at $30/oz silver and $2,400/oz gold). The ultra-high gold grade boosts the economic value significantly.
1.5m @ 1,473 g/t Ag & 4.0 g/t Au (YQ_021_004, from 100.2m): ~1,793 g/t AgEq, indicating robust silver with meaningful gold credits.
6.2m @ 2,404 g/t Ag & 17.2 g/t Au (YQ_021_006, from 64.8m): ~3,780 g/t AgEq, exceptional for its width and combined grades, suggesting a thick, high-grade vein.
3.05m @ 668 g/t Ag & 3.9 g/t Au (YQ_022_031, from 117.8m): ~980 g/t AgEq, still high-grade but less intense, showing variability in vein thickness.
Average Grade: The Foreign Estimate reports 937kt at 570 g/t AgEq, which is high-grade for a silver-gold deposit. For context:
Primary silver mines often operate at 100–300 g/t Ag (e.g., Cannington, Australia).
World-class epithermal deposits like Las Chispas average 1,410 g/t AgEq, while Fresnillo has veins exceeding 1,000 g/t Ag.
Yoquivo’s 570 g/t AgEq is robust, and individual intercepts (e.g., 2,404 g/t Ag) far exceed this, indicating richer zones.
Comparison to Recent Discoveries:
Kootenay Silver’s Columba (Mexico, 2025): 7,630 g/t Ag over 0.55m within 16.5m @ 620 g/t Ag. Yoquivo’s 6.2m @ 2,404 g/t Ag is comparable in grade and superior in width, though Columba’s wider zone (16.5m) suggests greater continuity.
Hycroft Mining (USA, 2024–2025): 2,359.68 g/t Ag over 21.2m, with peaks to 20,280 g/t. Yoquivo’s grades are lower than Hycroft’s peaks but competitive over wider intervals (6.2m vs. 21.2m), and Yoquivo is a primary silver project, unlike Hycroft’s gold-silver focus.
SilverCrest’s Las Chispas (Mexico, 2020): 9,559 g/t Ag over 1.2m, averaging 1,410 g/t AgEq. Yoquivo’s intercepts (e.g., 1,895 g/t Ag) approach Las Chispas’ peaks, but its 570 g/t AgEq average is lower.
Hunt Mining’s Martha Mine (Argentina, 2017–2020): 15,471 g/t Ag over 4m. Yoquivo’s grades are lower but over wider intervals, and Martha’s smaller scale (~10 Moz) contrasts with Yoquivo’s larger potential.
Assessment: Yoquivo’s intercepts, particularly 6.2m @ 2,404 g/t Ag & 17.2 g/t Au, are among the best high-grade silver-gold results globally in recent years, rivaling Columba and Las Chispas for intensity. The 570 g/t AgEq average is strong, and the presence of significant gold credits (e.g., 34 g/t Au) enhances economic potential. The ongoing 3,000m drilling program (started May 2025) targeting along-strike and down-dip extensions could yield similar or higher grades, solidifying Yoquivo’s high-grade credentials.
2. Potential for Significant Size
A “world-class” silver deposit requires at least 77 Moz of contained silver (or AgEq, including gold credits). Let’s evaluate Yoquivo’s resource potential:
Foreign Estimate: 937kt at 570 g/t AgEq = 17.23 Moz AgEq. This is a modest resource, far below the 77 Moz threshold for world-class status. However:
The estimate is based on 16,500m of drilling, a significant dataset for an early-stage project.
It’s non-JORC compliant, meaning it lacks modern verification and may be optimistic or incomplete.
The estimate likely covers only the Pertenencia area, one of Yoquivo’s numerous vein systems, suggesting upside potential.
Exploration Upside:
Yoquivo hosts multiple epithermal vein systems across a 210 km² area, typical of large Sierra Madre deposits (e.g., Palmarejo, ~50 Moz AgEq). The current drilling targets extensions of high-grade veins, which could significantly expand the resource.
The 3,000m maiden drilling program (9–12 holes, May 2025) is modest but focuses on high-impact targets. Success could justify a larger program (e.g., 20,000m, like Columba) to delineate a 50–100 Moz resource.
Mexico’s prolific silver belts often yield multi-million-ounce deposits. For example, Fresnillo has produced >2.2 Moz annually from high-grade veins, and Las Chispas defined 94.7 Moz AgEq.
Comparison to Peers:
Las Chispas: 94.7 Moz AgEq at 1,410 g/t, a proven world-class deposit. Yoquivo’s 17.23 Moz is a fraction of this, but its early stage and multiple veins suggest growth potential.
Columba: Awaiting a maiden resource, estimated at 50–100 Moz based on high-grade veins. Yoquivo’s similar geology and intercepts position it for comparable scale with sufficient drilling.
Hycroft: Large but gold-focused, with silver as a by-product. Yoquivo’s primary silver focus aligns better with world-class silver deposit criteria.
Martha Mine: ~10 Moz historically, high-grade but small. Yoquivo’s 17.23 Moz already exceeds Martha, with potential for much more.
Assessment: Yoquivo’s current 17.23 Moz AgEq is too small for world-class status, but its multiple vein systems, high-grade intercepts, and Sierra Madre location suggest significant upside. Expanding the resource to >77 Moz requires extensive drilling (20,000–50,000m) and confirmation of vein continuity. The ongoing drilling could triple the resource if high-grade zones extend along strike and dip, but this is speculative without results.
...now this is just one of AVM projects
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