Endeavour Silver Corp. (TSX: EDR) (NYSE: EXK) reports updated NI 43-101 silver and gold reserve and resource estimates for its three producing mines in Mexico: the Guanaceví Mine in Durango State and the Bolañitos and El Cubo Mines in Guanajuato State; as well as one exploration project, the Terronera Project in Jalisco State, as of December 31, 2015.
Endeavour replaced its proven and probable silver reserves in 2015 notwithstanding a lower metal price assumption ($16 per ounce (oz) silver vs $18 per oz) compared to 2014. Measured and indicated silver resources increased 6% and gold resources decreased 17% in 2015 due respectively to upgrading of inferred silver resources at Guanacevi and Bolanitos and depletion of gold resources at Bolañitos.
Bradford Cooke, CEO of Endeavour, stated, "We are gratified to have replaced our P&P reserves and boosted our M&I silver resources given the challenging metal price environment last year. Our exploration efforts were successful in identifying new mineralization at each mine and the Terronera mine project should be a significant driver of new reserves and resources in 2016."
In past years, Endeavour has used three-year trailing price averages for silver and gold in estimating reserves and resources. At the end of 2015, the trailing price averages for gold and silver were approximately $1,279 per oz gold and $19.52 per oz silver, which management views as too high for use in the estimation of reserves and resources. Instead, management used a US$1,150 per oz gold price and US$16 per oz silver price to more reasonably reflect the near-term outlook.
2015 Reserve/Resource Highlights (Compared to December 31, 2014)
Work on Endeavour's other exploration projects in Mexico (the Guadalupe y Calvo and Parral projects in Chihuahua and the Arroyo Seco project in Michoacán) did not change the resources, and previous estimates remain unchanged. The Guadalupe y Calvo resources were estimated in 2012 and the Parral and Arroyo Seco resources were estimated at the end of 2010. The Terronera resource estimate is the same one used in the Preliminary Economic Estimate (PEA) released in May 2015.
Mineral Reserve and Resource Estimates at December 31, 2015
Godfrey Walton, M.Sc., P.Geo., President and COO of Endeavour, is the Qualified Person who reviewed and approved the technical information contained in these mineral resource estimates. The Qualified Persons for the mineral resource and reserve estimates were Zachary Black, QP, SME-RM and Jeffery Choquette, P.E., QP, MMSA of Hard Rock Consulting. Technical reports for Guanaceví, Bolañitos, and El Cubo will be completed and filed on SEDAR by March 6, 2016.
These reserve and resource statements were classified following the definitions and guidelines of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum CIM standards and definitions of mineral resources and reserves and the guidelines contained in National Instrument 43-101.
2015 Updated Exploration Highlights
Endeavour Silver Corp. (TSX: EDR) (NYSE: EXK) also released today an update of the Company's final exploration drill results in 2015. Last year, the focus was on brownfields exploration around the three operating mines to replace reserves and expand resources, and on infill drilling the Terronera discovery to better define the resources for mine planning and economic modelling.
Luis Castro, Endeavour's Vice President of Exploration, commented, "Our exploration programs continued to deliver solid drill results in 2015, notwithstanding a reduced budget due to lower metal prices. In particular, deep drilling at Terronera intersected the highest grades yet on the property, and surface sampling of several other veins identified multiple new high grade drill targets for 2016. Last year, we spent US$7.2 million on exploration excluding capitalized property costs and drilled 36,385 metres (m) or 119,373 feet (ft) in 151 drill holes."
Terronera Property
Endeavour drilled 6,130 m in 27 holes at Terronera to infill the recently discovered, thick, high-grade silver-gold mineralization within the Terronera vein. Recent drilling highlights include 3,875 gpt silver and 4.36 gpt gold over 5.58 m true width (122.5 opT silver equivalent over 18.3 ft based on a silver: gold ratio of 75:1) in hole TR09-5 (link to longitudinal section).
This hole, drilled below a low grade hole TR09-3 which was previously thought to be the bottom of the bonanza mineralized zone, intersected the highest grades yet on the property, including a core zone grading 15,533 gpt silver and 10.0 gpt gold over 0.39 m true width (16,283 gpt silver equivalent over 1.3 ft based on a silver: gold ratio of 75:1). This part of the deposit remains open for further drilling.
Surface grab and chip sampling of three other veins on the Terronera property identified new areas of high grade silver-gold mineralization over mineable widths. The La Luz vein was traced for 1.7 km in length, ranges from 2 to 7 m wide and grades from nil up to 951 gpt silver and 26.7 gpt gold. The El Padre vein was traced for 1.8 km along strike, ranges from 0.4 to 4 m wide and grades from nil up to 358 gpt silver and 10.1 gpt gold. The Democrata vein was traced for 850 m in length, ranges from 0.3 to 2 m wide and grades from nil up to 534 gpt silver and 9.3 gpt gold. Each of these veins exhibit small historic mine workings but have never been explored or drilled in modern times.
Bolañitos Mine
In 2015, Endeavour drilled 9,500 m in 39 holes at Bolañitos to outline high-grade, gold-silver vein mineralization in the Bolañitos North and Puertecito South areas. Recent drilling highlights include 29 grams per tonne (gpt) silver and 19.0 gpt gold over 1.69 m true width (42.4 ounces per ton (opT) silver equivalent over 5.5 ft based on a silver: gold ratio of 75:1) within the San Miguel HW vein in hole MG-03 (link to longitudinal section). The San Miguel HW vein intercepts are a shallow extension of the historic San Miguel mine, and the mineralization is wide open along strike.
El Cubo Mine
Endeavour drilled 11,200 m in 47 holes last year at El Cubo to delineate new high-grade, gold-silver vein mineralization in the V-Asunción and other veins. Recent drilling highlights include 223 gpt silver and 3.72 gpt gold over 6.06 m true width (14.6 opT silver equivalent over 19.9 ft based on a silver: gold ratio of 75:1) within the Nayal vein in hole CNY-04 (link to longitudinal section). The Nayal vein intercepts are very shallow and the mineralized zone remains open along strike.
Guanaceví Mine
In 2015, Endeavour drilled 9,550 m in 38 holes at Guanaceví to expand previously discovered high-grade silver-gold mineralization in the Santa Cruz vein at the Santa Cruz and Porvenir Norte mines. Recent drilling highlights include 1,661 gpt silver and 3.11 gpt gold over 1.03 m true width (55.2 opT silver equivalent over 3.4 ft based on a silver: gold ratio of 75:1) in hole UG-07 (link to longitudinal section).
The Santa Cruz vein intercepts are depth extensions of the Santa Cruz mine and remain open at depth.
About Endeavour Silver – Endeavour Silver is a mid-tier precious metals mining company that owns three high grade, underground, silver-gold mines in Mexico. Since 2004 the company has grown from no operations to 11.4 million ounces of silver equivalent production in 2015. We find, build and operate quality silver mines in a socially, economically and environmentally responsible manner to create real value for all stakeholders. Endeavour Silver's shares trade on the TSX under the symbol EDR and on the NYSE under the symbol EXK.
Attachment Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/1/21/11G079615/Longitudinal_Terronera-8f1a26d89df28f15bb803a528a33827b.pdf Attachment Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/1/21/11G079615/Longitudinal_Santa_Cruz-6a75ce172830be379423855ee09a6521.pdf Attachment Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/1/21/11G079615/Longitudinal_San_Miguel-684a634e3e1f9b35a0ebb801f46007b2.pdf Attachment Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/1/21/11G079615/Longitudinal_Nayal-33ee6b75fa2fbfdab36a044dd265bd2e.pdf
