The Cerro Bayo mine is 100% owned by Andean Silver. The mine covers 285sq.km and comprises over 70 contiguous exploration concessions as well as surface properties that covers the areas of the Laguna Verde mining district and processing facilities.
The Cerro Bayo Project was in production for over 15 years, producing more than 45Moz Ag and 650koz Au (~99Moz AgEq). The Project has been on care and maintenance since October 2022.
The Cerro Bayo mine is located 10km west of the town of Chile Chico in the Aysen region of Chile which is a 2.5hr commercial flight from Santiago that runs multiple times per day. Chile Chico has a population of ~4,000 people with skilled labour and major infrastructure including hospitals, schools and all weather road access to major deep-water regional ports.
The Cerro Bayo project has a high grade resource of 5.03Mt for 50.2Moz at 311g/t AgEq. This resource comprises the existing Taitao open pit resource and the high grade underground mines of Delia Sth and Coyita SE. The Resource is supported by significant historic mining over a number of years by both open pit and underground as well as significant investment in drilling and geological knowledge.
The mineralization is typical of a low sulphidation type and is interpreted to be of a multi-stage, open space filling epithermal origin resulting in mineralized veins, stockworks and breccias. Two different mineralization events can be recognized at Taitao. A mesothermal early stage Ag-Mo-Zn-Pb with subordinated gold, well exposed in the Taitao and Breccia zones; and, a late stage typical epithermal gold-silver rich system, of the low sulfidation type, representative of the main mineralization stage of the district, represented by the NW trending Condor vein systems.
Two main vein systems are recognized at Laguna Verde. NS to NNE trending brecciated veins and breccias varying in dip from vertical to 45º E, and N15ºW to N35ºW oriented veins varying in dip between vertical and 75º NW and SE. Strike lengths up to 1.5km have been recognized in some of the vein systems evaluated to date. Widths are highly variable between the different vein systems and in individual veins along-strike and down-dip varying from centimetres up to 50 meters in breccias and stockworks (sheeted zones).
There is extensive areas within the existing mine area as well as greenfields targets to support future resource growth. Approximately 50% of the tenure remains undrill tested with a further 25% under drilled. Established greenfield targets within the know tenure that have not been drill tested that will be targeted for future drilling includes the Raul West, Claudia Vein and Draught Master vein swarm.
Further greenfields exploration will be conducted East and Southeast of the Cerro Bayo Dome through to Sinter Hill where the topography increases and early stage programs such as IP and Magnetic surveys, Alteration studies and on ground mapping will need to be conducted to establish target zones. This area covers
The Cerro Bayo mine is 100% owned by Andean Silver. The mine covers 285sq.km and comprises over 70 contiguous exploration concessions as well as surface properties that covers the areas of the Laguna Verde mining district and processing facilities.
The Cerro Bayo Project was in production for over 15 years, producing more than 45Moz Ag and 650koz Au (~99Moz AgEq). The Project has been on care and maintenance since October 2022.
Exploration has historically focused around the Shaw River, Smiths bore and Coondina Ta-Sn-Li fields where alluvial mining occurred.
Andean's Hillside Project geology fits the regional model of the Moolyella field;
Comprised of a series of early and late granites
Relict greenstone belt marking the granite contacts
Preliminary field work undertaken by BellPark Minerals* has identified multiple late stage pegmatite occurrences and co-incidental anomalism
Proximal to Andean's project (12km West) these are associated with high grade Sn-Ta mineralisation at Coondina. This field was historically mined with workings up to 2.5km in strike
These pegmatites represent the initial high priority targets for follow-up
The Mt Alexander Project (E29/1167) is located on the western margin of the prospective Mt Alexander greenstone belt (GSB)
The belt has historically been associated with banded iron formations (BIF’s) and large tonnage magnetite projects (e.g. Mt Bevan and Mt Ida magnetite projects)
The Mt Bevan Eastern BIF unit crosses through E29/1167 striking NE/SW with significant historic rock chip assay results between 38-56% Fe and a target BIF unit of ~1.1km strike
Recent pegmatite discoveries within the Mt Alexander Belt include;
Red Dirt Metals (ASX:RDT)
Saint George Mining (ASX:SGQ)
Hawthorn Resources (ASX:HAW)
The lithium occurrences within the Mt Alexander GSB reflects the potential of entire belt and highlights the prospectivity of Andean's Tenure
The Araluen Project area covers 230km2 and abuts and covers the southern extents of the Braidwood Granodiorite, host of the Dargues Gold mine (AMI:ASX)
The project has a similar geological setting to the Dargues mine that has historically mined >300koz
NE/SW striking late faults
Same rocks and ages as Dargues
Preferentially located on the western margin of the Braidwood Batholith
Previously mined alluvial gold on NE/SW striking faults indicating hard rock gold source
Due to the nature of the mineralisation detailed field mapping is an integral first step for the Araluen Project
