Silver Hammer Mining Corp. has announced the launch of its drilling program at the Silverton Project, located in Nye County, Nevada. The company fully owns this project. This initiative marks the beginning of Phase 1 of the exploration effort, which will involve approximately 5,000 feet of reverse circulation (RC) drilling. In preparation for this program, the company conducted extensive mapping and sampling across the project area, with assay results expected to inform the current drilling strategy.
The drill rig arrived on site, and drilling has commenced to explore deeper regions beneath the historic high-grade silver workings that operated nearly eight decades ago. According to Peter A. Ball, the President and CEO, the initial focus will be on priority targets identified in accompanying documentation. Additionally, the team is evaluating further projects for the upcoming period, having recently assessed the California Mine Patent claim, which is located within the Eliza Silver Project claim block and is nearing the finalization of its Plan of Operations permit for drilling.
Table of Contents:
Overview of the Silverton Project
At the Silverton Project, multiple drilling targets have been established. The technical team is prioritizing areas that require testing, aiming to investigate the mineralized zones located close to and beneath historic high-grade mines. The plan includes up to eight RC drill holes totaling the anticipated 5,000 feet. This program is specifically designed to evaluate the down-dip continuity of the high-grade silver mineralization previously extracted during operations in the 1930s and 1950s.
Historical context and exploration efforts
Silver was first discovered at the Silverton Mine in 1921, with production commencing in the 1930s and concluding in 1953, resulting in less than 100,000 tons of silver. Historical production grades varied significantly, ranging from 300 g/t to 933 g/t silver. Alongside the known 100-foot mining shaft, there are five identified adits; however, exploration beyond the surface has been limited, focusing primarily on small test pits and trenches.
The company’s exploration efforts have included rock and soil sampling, geological mapping, and satellite imagery, which have indicated the presence of two distinct mineralized systems: an eastern system, which is gold-dominant, and a western system, which is silver-dominant. Previous findings from the volcanic-hosted gold system reported grades from 0.06 g/t to 6.1 g/t gold, while the silver-rich system, found in silicified limestone, exhibited grades from 0.32 g/t to 692 g/t silver.
Geological insights and target areas
The Silverton Mine is strategically located within the expansive Williams Ridge Caldera, which spans over 30 miles in diameter. This caldera features various structural elements, including ring faults, radial faults, and low-angle faults, which have facilitated hydrothermal solutions following Tertiary volcanic activity. The geological layers above the caldera magma consist primarily of thick Devonian sedimentary rocks, mainly dolomite and arenite, making them promising for both CRD-type and epithermal-type mineral occurrences.
Alteration and mineralization
Geological alteration in the area includes widespread weak silicification in the Devonian carbonate units and weak argillic alteration in the Tertiary tuffs. Notably, alteration intensifies near mapped faults and shears, leading to two primary exploration targets:
- The Central Zone in the western section, characterized by significant silver mineralization and rich veins and stockwork zones.
- A secondary target in the eastern portion, featuring quartz veinlets and significantgoldmineralization.
Damir Cukor, P.Geo., has evaluated and endorsed the scientific and technical content of this announcement. He serves as a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 and as the Technical Director for the company.
About Silver Hammer Mining Corp.
Silver Hammer Mining Corp. is a junior resource entity focused on advancing previously active high-grade silver projects within the United States. The company owns 100% of seven past-producing silver mines, including those situated within the Silver Strand Project in Idaho and the Eliza Silver Project and Silverton Silver Mine in Nevada. Additionally, Silver Hammer oversees the Fahey Group Silver Project in Idaho and the Lacy Gold Project in British Columbia, Canada. The company’s main objective is to explore and develop silver projects adjacent to historically productive mines that have yet to be thoroughly tested while also maintaining exposure to copper and gold.
