Silvercorp Metals drills 4.31 g/t gold over 8.24 metres at HPG, China

Silvercorp Metals Inc. [TSX-SVM, NYSE American] reported results of the high-grade gold-silver-lead-zinc intercepts from its continuing diamond drilling program at the HPG mine in the Ying mining district, China.

Highlights in core lengths: Surface hole ZK1645 intersected an 8.24-metre interval of vein H4 grading 4.31 g/t gold, 15 g/t silver and 2.10% lead from a 56.28-metre depth at an elevation of 819 metres.

Underground hole ZK02N36 intersected a 0.61-metre interval of vein H5E grading 3.86 g/t Au, 6,132 g/t Ag, 6.45% Pb, 8.47% zinc and 0.33% copper from a 72.36-metre depth at an elevation of 331 metres.

Surface hole ZK3421 intersected a 0.63-metre interval of vein H17-1 grading 23.80 g/t Au and 14 g/t Ag from a 71.95-metre depth at an elevation of 761 metres.

Underground hole ZKH12N21 intersected a 4.60-metre interval of vein H17 grading 1.23 g/t Au, 193 g/t Ag, 7.56% Pb, 3.79% Zn and 0.38% Cu from a 68.67-metre depth at an elevation of 329 metres.

Underground hole ZK21N11 intersected a 2.05-metre interval of vein H16-3 grading 3.75 g/t Au, 128 g/t Ag, 2.26% Pb and 1.05% Zn from a 148.72-metre depth at an elevation of 381 metres.

Underground hole ZKH21N20 intersected a 2.69-metre interval of vein H16-3 grading 2.72 g/t Au, 269 g/t Ag, 1.02% Pb, 0.69% Zn and 0.80% Cu from a 147.79-metre depth at an elevation of 338 metres.

Underground hole ZKH27N03 intersected a 1.70-metre interval of vein H14a grading 10.49 g/t Au, 18 g/t Ag, 1.02% Pb and 0.75% Zn from a 181.11-metre depth at an elevation of 440 metres.

Underground hole ZKH21N22 intersected a 0.95-metre interval of vein H16-3 grading 6.62 g/t Au, 507 g/t Ag, 1.77% Pb, 1.35% Zn and 0.97% Cu from a 151.45-metre depth at an elevation of 350 metres.

Underground hole ZK19N15 intersected a 0.45-metre interval of vein H10-1 grading 25.80 g/t Au and 216 g/t Ag from a 148.64-metre depth at an elevation of 599 metres.

Underground hole ZK04N14 intersected a 1.01-metre interval of vein H13 grading 0.62 g/t Au, 930 g/t Ag, 25.93% Pb, 0.30% Zn and 1.24% Cu from a 63.67-metre depth at an elevation of 683 metres.

From January 1, 2022, to November 15, 2023, a total of 45,046 metres in 297 diamond drill holes, including 215 underground holes and 82 surface holes, were completed at the HPG mine. Assay results for 270 holes have been received, with 139 holes intercepting mineralization. Currently, there are eight rigs drilling at the HPG mine.

The drilling program at the HPG mine has been focused on three main areas: near-surface gold-silver-lead-zinc vein structures within the resource area, which have seen limited exploration drilling and tunnelling (Upper zone); infill drilling above or below previously mined stopes, where production stopped due to higher-than-expected variability in grades, vein thicknesses and attitudes of the vein structures (Production zone); and testing the Au-Ag-Pb-Zn mineralization potential and extent within a rhyolitic breccia dike that is situated within the current underground mining infrastructure (Breccia zone).

Drilling near-surface Au-Ag-Pb-Zn vein structures within the resource area – Upper zone. Previous drilling was primarily focused on testing the strike and downdip extent of known vein structures with a limited focus being placed on the up-dip potential at shallower elevations above 600-metre above mean sea level. Extensive drilling from surface and underground drill carbines yielded intercepts of high-grade Au-Ag-Pb-Zn vein structures at higher elevations, which include the H13 series, H15 series, H16 series, H17 series, H32 series, H42 series, H5, H13, H14, H18 and H29.

Drilling above or beneath previously mined stopes within the resource area – Production zone: The majority of the drilling campaign targeted areas of known Au-Ag-Pb-Zn vein structures that were previously underexplored due to higher-than-expected variation in the thickness and trend of the high-grade ore shoots of the veins within the resource areas below the 600-metre amsl elevation. The high-grade intercepts are mainly associated with the northwest-dipping H5 series, H15 series, H16 series, H17 series, H11, H13 and H14, and the east-dipping H20 series, H41 series, H32 series, H29, H40 and H42 veins. These intercepts have led to significant expansion and upgrading of high-grade resources.

Testing Au-Ag-Pb-Zn mineralization within the rhyolitic breccia dike – Breccia zone: Drilling has been in progress to test the mineralization within a northwest-trending rhyolitic breccia dike (Breccia zone B8) hosting disseminated Au-Ag-Pb-Zn-Cu mineralization across a currently defined zone measuring 50 metres long, 30 metres high and 20 metres wide. The newly discovered B8 orebody has been mined since October 2023 by means of long-hole stoping.

In addition to the drilling outlined, which focused on drilling vein structures within the current mining infrastructure, some drill holes were aimed at testing the downdip extension of major vein structures, including H15, H16 and H17 below 300-metre amsl elevation within the Deep zone. Initial drilling confirmed notable mineralization and downdip extension of mineralization along the targeted vein structures.

Silvercorp is a profitable Canadian mining company, producing silver, lead and zinc metals in concentrates from mines in China.