Endeavour Silver Advances Pitarrilla With New Studies

Endeavour Silver provided an update on the ongoing exploration and evaluation of its Pitarrilla project in Durango. The company noted engineering firms are conducting technical studies that will inform an economic assessment of the project, expected by the end of 2025.

Since acquiring the Pitarrilla project in July 2022, Endeavour Silver has focused on re-logging historical drill core to refine its understanding of the site's geology and mineralization. According to the company, a priority has been identifying high-grade feeder structures, interpreted to be the source of the site's silver, lead, and zinc sulfide mineralization, which extend through the high-grade manto previously outlined by SSR Mining. 

Endeavour Silver reported advances in the site’s underground infrastructure, refurbishing an existing ramp and extending it by over 1.3km. The company noted the ramp passes through targeted feeder structures, enabling the construction of drill stations aimed at interpreting and testing high-grade zones and feeder structures through core drilling. The work has confirmed the geological interpretation of several structures, identified as the Palmito, Danna, Victoria, and Casas Blancas veins, which appear to extend through the manto.

The company recently conducted nine diamond drill holes, six from the surface and three from the underground, targeting both the manto and various veins. Endeavour reported that these drill holes successfully intersected the planned mineralization, supporting the geological model and the potential for bulk-tonnage underground mining.

Endeavor estimates that the four primary feeder veins extend vertically between 600m and 800m, with strike lengths of up to 700m, open to further depth. The largest vein, Danna, has an estimated vertical extent of 800m and a strike length approaching 500m. Typical widths for these structures average around 3m. This geological data is being assessed to evaluate the potential for bulk underground mining centered on high-grade structures and manto.

Don Gray, CEO, Endeavour Silver, noted the combined features of Pitarrilla, including favorable grades, strike length, and continuity, support the prospect of underground bulk mining. "Our exploration team’s careful attention while relogging the historic drill results provided an alternative geologic model. Not only are ongoing drilling and underground development work confirming this model, but they are also validating our original decision to acquire Pitarrilla. We are quite confident Pitarilla will create significant shareholder value and prove to be Endeavour’s next cornerstone asset,” he added.

Endeavour Silver also engaged a team of engineering and consulting firms, including SGS Canada, SGS Bateman, JDS Energy & Mining, T Engineering, Stantec, and SRK Consulting, to advance preliminary work on the project. Their focus will include conducting metallurgical testing, assessing historical data, and addressing areas such as mine design, rock mechanics, backfill testing, hydrology, and tailings storage facility design. This effort is intended to build on SSR Mining’s prior work at Pitarrilla, forming the groundwork for an economic study projected for completion by the end of 2025.

Pitarrilla covers 4,950ha across five concessions and benefits from significant existing infrastructure, including access to utilities and essential permits for underground mining. Endeavour Silver considers this asset to be an underdeveloped large mining project.