VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - March 25, 2025 (NEWMEDIAWIRE) - Aztec Minerals Corp. (AZT: TSX-V, OTCQB: AZZTF) ("Aztec" or the "Company") announces the results of recent data compilation and analysis of RC drilling, surface channel sampling, and 3D data modelling at the Tombstone Property in Southeastern Arizona, USA. The data analysis has enhanced the understanding of the Multi-Element ("ME") geochemical relationships with the quartz-rich intrusive dikes and gold-silver mineralization in the main exploration areas, with implications for potential CRD mineralization below the near-surface gold-silver oxide mineralization. Aztec has now integrated the combined 2020-2024 drilling and surface ME and 3D modelling exploration data producing several distinct geochemical relationships and has provided vectors for high priority, shallow, oxide gold-silver mineralization and CRD targeting at the property.
The compilation of the data for the shallow, <250m depths of the project positions the Quartz-feldspar porphyry (QFP) dikes in relation with the Gold, Silver and ME mineralization in distinct patterns. For gold, the relationship is strongest in the Contention Pit and its QFP dike swarm whereas silver is strong throughout the property where drilled, suggesting two separate phases of mineralization (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Gold vs Silver Average Drillhole Grades
Copper and molybdenum distributions are interpreted to be related to two stages of metallization, with the Contention QFP dike swarm remobilizing an older base metal copper-molybdenum stage (potential CRD) within its area of influence, strongly depleting molybdenum (Figure 2).
Lead and zinc are frequently in close proximity, and zinc appears to be partly remobilized by the Contention QFP dike swarm; however, lead appears to be steady or even enriched by the later metallization stage (Figure 3).
Manganese is a very strong distal indicator and vector for CRD mineralization, while antimony is a strong indicator for gold mineralization in various environments from epithermal down to orogenic/catothermal. There is again evidence of duality of stages for the mineralization values at the Contention QFP dike swarm, with manganese depleted/remobilized relative to the rest of the property with antimony appearing to be enriched, potentially pairing it with gold and possibly lead (Figure 4).Figure 4: Manganese and Antimony Average Drillhole Grades
There is strong evidence of two stages of metallization which is supported by field and logging observations of a later stage of dark, chalcedonic quartz cutting the white, subhedral to euhedral, crystalline quartz veining that predominates in the property. The Westside Area appears to have a different tenor in its silver and base metals then the Contention Main Area, and the discovery drillhole TR24-13 demonstrates the Westside Area carries significant exploration potential.
Future exploration is expected to incorporate a thorough structural study of the dikes, fissures and anticlines present at the property. Noting it has been demonstrated by Aztec that the QFP dikes and their often adjoining hydrothermal breccias (HBX) do have pinches and swellings with plunges. It is planned to develop a model for the plunge of the main body of the QFP dike swarm with the HBX for exploring to depth, >300 m.
The 2024 exploration program developed a stronger understanding of the district's shallow gold-silver mineralization and has substantiated the 3D modeling generated to date. The program also helped substantiate the 2020 geophysical AMT survey identification of anomalous conductivity as possible mineralization at depth in the southern and central portion of the project. Geologic modeling for the Westside zone was successful with blind targeting and confirmed the historic reporting of underground mine workings in addition to Aztec's modeling. The Westside zone's first pass exploration drilling program encountered oxide silver-gold mineralization in every drillhole to date, nearly doubling the area of drill demonstrated exploration potential from the Contention zone alone.
The construction of the Tombstone 3D model of the mine workings and geology of the principal portion of the Tombstone district consists of the digitization of the historic maps and sections of the underground workings, stopes, drill holes and geology, geolocating them to the current surface and geology and geochemistry, and then interpreting/analyzing the results and developing both shallow and deep targeting. It was a successful tool in the targeting of the 2024 RC drilling program, such as the discovery hole TR24-13 on the Westside Anticline where an old mine working was intercepted within less than a meter of projected intercept.
Tombstone Project Overview
Aztec holds a 77.7% interest in the Tombstone Property Joint Venture, which includes most of the original patented mining claims in the main district as well as some recently acquired properties.
The main target of the 2024 drill program was to continue testing the shallow, bulk tonnage, potentially heap leachable, mesothermal gold-silver oxide mineralization adjacent and below the previously mined Contention pit by step-out drilling. Future drilling is expected to focus on strike and dip extensions of the shallow oxide mineralization, and move deeper to test for larger, deeper "Taylor-type" lead-zinc-silver CRD targets along and adjacent to the Contention structure.
The Tombstone project is located 100 kilometers (km) southeast of Tucson, Arizona and covers much of the historic Tombstone silver district. Tombstone is renowned for its high grade, oxidized, silver-gold mesothermal stringer lode veins, hydrothermal breccias and manto CRD orebodies that were mined in the late 1800's and early 1900's. The historic silver production in the Tombstone district from 1878 to 1939 was estimated at 32 million ounces and 250,000 ounces of gold(2).
The district geology consists of a mix of shallow-level, oxidized Au-Ag and base metal deposits related to CRD and skarns hosted in folded and thrusted sediments, intrusive dikes, and lode veins, and as well the under explored, sulfide versions located below the water table.
Host rocks to the mineralization are primarily the clastic sediments of the lowest portion of the Cretaceous Bisbee Formation. Between 50 and 300 meters (m) in depth, the Bisbee is underlain by approximately two kms thick of the same Paleozoic carbonate formations that host the 110 MT Hermosa-Taylor zinc-lead-silver deposit of South32 located 60 km southwest of Tombstone(3).**
Aztec believes that the historic silver mines at Tombstone could be related to a much larger mesothermal system with CRD mineralization below the old mines. Since 2017, Aztec has completed geological mapping, geochemical sampling and geophysical surveying to identify the most prospective areas for Au-Ag mineralization around and below the Contention open pit, and CRD zinc-lead-copper-silver-gold mineralization below the entire district. Aztec management views the district as highly prospective for the discovery of mesothermal and CRD mineralization.
Note: Gold equivalents are calculated using a 80:1 silver:gold ratio in 2020, 2023 and 2024, and a 70:1 silver:gold ratio in 2021. Reported lengths are apparent widths, not true widths. The Contention Au-Ag mineralization zones are generally west dipping at around 60-80 degrees, associated with the quartz-feldspar porphyry dikes and hydrothermal breccias. However, these dikes also extend as sills in shallow angles out from the Contention fault along fold noses in the Bisbee clastic sediments so the full range of mineralization dips vary from 20 to 80 degrees. True widths for the apparent mineralization intersection widths of the drill holes approximately range from 50 to 100% of the apparent widths, with the norm for the mineralized true widths being 60 to 90% of the apparent widths. Please see summary news releases dated: July 5, 2023, December 7, 2021, and January 12, 2021. Assumed economic cutoffs for reporting of 0.1 gpt Au and 8 gpt Silver.
Summary Tombstone Project Highlights
Well located property on patented (33) and unpatented (42) claims (452.02 hectares/1,116.94 acres), covers much of the historic Tombstone silver mining district, great infrastructure, local town, road access, full services, water, power
Historic silver district produced 32 million ounces of silver and 250,000 ounces of gold from 1878-1939, in high grade, oxidized, silver-gold-lead-zinc-copper vein, breccia and CRD deposits, and small open pit heap leach production in late 1980's
Drilling by Aztec in 2020-24 has demonstrated that the Contention Pit target has significant, shallow oxidized Au-Ag bulk tonnage mineralization which is open in all directions
Multiple other prospective targets in Cretaceous and Paleozoic rocks related to major NW and NNE trending structures hosting porphyritic intrusions crosscutting a possible caldera ring structure
The following are highlights of recent drilling intersections supporting the conceptual exploration model for mineralized footprint growth.
TR21-22: 2.44 gpt Au and 66.56 gpt Ag (3.39 gpt AuEq)over 65.5m (including 16.80 gpt Au and 374.36 gpt Ag over 7.6m)
TR21-03 - 5.71 gpt Au and 40.54 gpt Ag (6.28 gpt AuEq) over 32.0m
TC 23-01: 3,477 gpt Ag over 1.52m from a zone of 733.9 gpt Ag over 7.6 m within 125 m of 1.63 gpt AuEq
TR21-10: 1.39 gpt Au and 56.40 gpt Ag (2.20 gpt AuEq) over 96.0m
TR21-13: 1.8 gpt Au and 36.9 gpt Ag (2.33 gpt AuEq) over 70.1 m
TR21-17: 1.73 gpt Au and 56.20 gpt Ag (2.53 gpt AuEq) over 64.0m
TR21-08: 2.09 gpt Au and 47.1 gpt Ag (2.76 gpt AuEq) over 39.6m
Hole TC2302 1.69 gpt gold and 29.07 gpt silver (2.03 gpt gold AuEq) over 45.3 m, including 10.1 m grading 6.63 gpt gold and 72.81 gpt silver (7.49 AuEq)
TC23-05 2.816 gpt gold and 176.64 gpt silver (5.02 gpt AuEq) over 36.0 m, including 6.45 gpt gold and 408.47 gpt silver (11.554 gpt AuEq) over 15.5 m
TR24-10 0.672 gpt gold and 27.64 gpt silver (81.36 gpt AgEq) over 88.2 m, including4.23 gpt Au and 136.17 gpt Ag (5.93 gpt AuEq) over 9.1m
TR24-16 - 0.896 gpt gold and 76.23 gpt silver (147.9 gpt AgEq) over106.4m,including a bonanza 1.5m intercept of 3,669 gpt Ag and 44.7 gpt Au (7,269 gpt AgEq) within a zone of 3.483 gpt Au and 290.51 gpt Ag (569 gpt AgEq = 18.3 opt AgEq) over 25.8 m, then 22.9m of 0.029 gpt Au and 6.29 gpt Ag (8.61 gpt AgEq), and then 12.2m of 0.029 gpt Au and 6.29 gpt Ag (8.38 gpt AgEq)
The company uses quality assurance-quality control as part of its sampling-assaying-assessments in conjunction with its exploration sampling programs. Samples and their collection are controlled by an industry standard conforming QAQC program including insertions of certified standards, blanks and sample duplicates. The samples are being regularly shipped to and received by the Bureau Veritas Minerals laboratory in Hermosillo, Mexico for geochemical analysis.
Core and RC drilling samples are continuously collected over 5-foot (1.52m) sample intervals from all drill holes. For core the samples are cut with one half submitted for assay. The samples were analyzed for gold with a 30-gram sample size using the fire assay method FA430 followed by multi-element MA300, including silver. Over limits, when present, are analyzed by MA370 or FA530. All holes contain certified blanks, standards, and duplicates as part of the quality control program.
*Aztec has not verified these historic drill results and is not relying on them. Aztec has in its possession the historic drill logs, maps and reports but does not have any information on the quality assurance or quality control measures taken in connection with these historical exploration results.
**Aztec does not represent that the neighboring deposits signifies there are present such deposits on the Tombstone Project in size or scale.
Noted References:
1 "Zonge International, AMT Survey, Tombstone Project, Cochise County, AZ, Data Acquisition and Processing Report, Prepared for Aztec Minerals, 18 May 2020, Zonge Job #20013"
2 Greeley, Michael N., A Brief History and Review of Ore Grades and Production in the Tombstone Mining District with Emphasis on the Contention Mine Area, June 1984
3 - M3 Engineering and Technology Corp., Hermosa Project N.I. 43-101F1 Pre-Feasibility Study, January 2014
Allen David Heyl, B.Sc., CPG., VP Exploration of Aztec, is the Qualified Person under NI43-101, supervised the Tombstone exploration programs. Mr. Heyl has reviewed and approved the technical disclosures in this news release.
"Simon Dyakowski" Simon Dyakowski, Chief Executive Officer Aztec Minerals Corp.
About Aztec Minerals Aztec is a mineral exploration company focused on two emerging discoveries in North America. The Cervantes project is an emerging porphyry gold-copper discovery in Sonora, Mexico. The Tombstone project is an emerging gold-silver discovery with high grade CRD silver-lead-zinc potential in southern Arizona. Aztec's shares trade on the TSX-V stock exchange (symbol AZT) and on the OTCQB (symbol AZZTF).
Contact Information - For more information, please contact: Simon Dyakowski, President & CEO, Director Tel: (604) 685-9770 Fax: (604) 685-9744 Email: info@aztecminerals.com Website: www.aztecminerals.com
Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.
Forward-Looking Statements:
This news release contains "forwardlooking information or statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, which may include, without limitation, completing ongoing and planned work, statements relating to advancing the Tombstone Project, drill and sampling results including additional potential work and results therefrom, the Company's plans for its Tombstone Project, potential for further expansion of the mineralization at the Tombstone Project, expected results and outcomes, the technical, financial and business prospects of the Company, its project and other matters. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including the price of metals, the ability to achieve its goals, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms. Such forward-looking information reflects the Company's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of exploration results, risks related to the inherent uncertainty of exploration and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses, and those filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions, adverse weather or climate conditions, failure to maintain or obtain all necessary government permits, approvals and authorizations, failure to obtain or maintain community acceptance (including First Nations), decrease in the price of gold, silver and other metals, increase in costs, litigation, and failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations. The Company does not undertake to update forwardlooking statements or forwardlooking information, except as required by law.
