VANCOUVER, May 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Wildcat Silver Corporation (TSX: WS) ("Wildcat" or "the Company") is pleased to announce the results for 31 additional drill holes completed on the Company's Hermosa property located in Santa Cruz County, Arizona. Results were mainly targeted at the expansion of the Upper Silver Zone, southeast of the current Hermosa resource. The majority of the drill holes encountering leachable Upper Silver Zone mineralization intersected thicknesses of up to 39.6 metres with average silver grades ranging from 32.6 g/t to 104.4 g/t.
Highlights
Holes HDS-255, HDS-261, HDS-236 and HDS-256 are located in the patented claim blocks to the southeast of the existing Hermosa resource and all returned significant Upper Silver Zone mineralization.
- HDS-255 intersected high grade Upper Silver Zone mineralization over 30.5 metres beginning at the surface which averaged 104.4 g/t silver.
- HDS-261 extends and leaves open the possible expansion of the Upper Silver Zone onto the unpatented claims to the north and northeast. This drill hole encountered five zones of Upper Silver Zone mineralization ranging in thickness from 4.6 metres to 14.3 metres with silver grades ranging from 34.5 g/t up to 92.8 g/t.
- HDS-236 encountered three zones of Upper Silver Zone mineralization with two zones returning 70.9 g/t silver and 75.7 g/t silver, both over 4.6 metres.
- HDS-256, located in close proximity to HDS-255, intersected an extensive interval of Upper Silver Zone mineralization from the surface down 39.6 metres, averaging 49.2 g/t silver.
Hole HDS-240, located in the northern portion of the existing resource, intersected six mineralized intercepts of the Manto Oxide Zone with the best intercept returning 148.9 g/t silver and 11.32% manganese over 16.8 metres. The bottom portion of the drill hole contained four mineralized intersections of Sulfide Skarn Zone, extending mineralization from the previously announced hole HDS-104. These mineralized intercepts contained significant silver, lead, zinc and manganese with one of the best intercepts returning 7.6 metres of 122.7 g/t silver, 8.03% manganese, 6.98% zinc, 5.15% lead and 0.42% copper.
Hole HDS-265, located in the northeast of the Hermosa patented claim block, expands the Upper Silver Zone and the Manto Oxide Zone to the east of the main portion of the Hermosa resource. This hole intersected four zones of Upper Silver Zone mineralization and two zones of Manto Oxide Zone mineralization. The best Upper Silver Zone intercept was 4.9 metres over 91.1 g/t silver and the best Manto Oxide Zone intercept was 21.5 metres of 65.8 g/t silver, 10.56% manganese and 3.68% lead.
The Company's most recent drill program was completed in March 2012, having drilled 212 holes for a total of approximately 55,700 metres. A total of 54% of the drill and assay values were included in the February 2012 mineral resource estimate for the Hermosa project. Wildcat expects to provide a further update to the current mineral resource to incorporate all of the drilling in the third quarter of this year. Following this announcement there are 57 drill holes with assays and analysis still in process, which are expected to be released by the end of this quarter.
The Company is also making significant progress on its metallurgical optimization studies and intends to complete pilot plant work mid-year. As a result, the Company intends to deliver a preliminary economic assessment in the third quarter of this year, which will include the new mineral resource as well as updated metallurgical testwork.
A summary of the drill results is provided below. Please also see attached map.
| Hole | From (metres) | To (metres) | Interval (metres) | Ag (g/t) | Mn % | Zn % | Cu % | Pb % | Ore Zone |
| HDS-236 | 7.6 | 12.2 | 4.6 | 70.9 | 0.09 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.29 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-236 | 16.8 | 25.9 | 9.1 | 49.4 | 0.03 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.03 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-236 | 39.6 | 44.2 | 4.6 | 75.7 | 1.28 | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.29 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-237 | 0 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 36.7 | 0.27 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.03 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-238 | 50.3 | 51.8 | 1.5 | 40.5 | 0.8 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.44 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-239 | 160.4 | 177.6 | 17.2 | 47.5 | 5.20 | 2.73 | 0.05 | 0.64 | Manto Oxide |
| HDS-240 | 83.8 | 86.9 | 3.0 | 91.2 | 8.20 | 0.42 | 0.14 | 0.97 | Manto Oxide |
| HDS-240 | 122.0 | 125.0 | 3.0 | 43.0 | 7.38 | 2.05 | 0.07 | 1.02 | Manto Oxide |
| HDS-240 | 278.8 | 285.5 | 6.7 | 43.3 | 0.06 | 0.05 | 0.01 | 0.74 | Manto Oxide |
| HDS-240 | 300.0 | 320.3 | 20.3 | 59.3 | 13.86 | 2.13 | 0.08 | 1.02 | Manto Oxide |
| HDS-240 | 320.3 | 323.8 | 3.5 | n.s.m. | Manto Oxide | ||||
| HDS-240 | 323.8 | 340.5 | 16.8 | 148.9 | 11.32 | 2.82 | 0.23 | 3.02 | Manto Oxide |
| HDS-240 | 364.9 | 368.0 | 3.0 | 36.2 | 8.68 | 2.02 | 0.29 | 2.13 | Manto Oxide |
| HDS-240 | 393.3 | 401.1 | 7.8 | 78.3 | 9.77 | 10.53 | 0.42 | 7.01 | Sulfide Skarn |
| HDS-240 | 412.2 | 419.8 | 7.6 | 122.7 | 8.03 | 6.98 | 0.42 | 5.15 | Sulfide Skarn |
| HDS-240 | 430.3 | 434.1 | 3.8 | 85.3 | 4.25 | 6.30 | 0.20 | 5.56 | Sulfide Skarn |
| HDS-240 | 497.6 | 500.6 | 3.0 | 131.8 | 0.94 | 2.40 | 0.75 | 8.17 | Sulfide Skarn |
| HDS-241 | 18.3 | 45.7 | 27.4 | 55.3 | 0.07 | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.08 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-241 | 149.4 | 166.2 | 16.8 | 100.3 | 5.80 | 0.54 | 0.07 | 0.98 | Manto Oxide |
| HDS-242 | 89.94 | 91.46 | 1.52 | 76.5 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-243 | 7.6 | 12.2 | 4.6 | 53.49 | 0.06 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.15 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-243 | 13.7 | 19.8 | 6.1 | 38.83 | 0.04 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.13 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-244 | 67.4 | 72.9 | 5.5 | 44.9 | 0.03 | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.10 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-244 | 82.2 | 87.5 | 5.3 | 41.6 | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.40 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-244 | 89.5 | 94.8 | 5.3 | 37.6 | 0.09 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.52 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-244 | 173.5 | 176.4 | 2.9 | 59.7 | 4.01 | 6.13 | 0.08 | 2.43 | Manto Oxide |
| HDS-244 | 229.6 | 250.3 | 20.7 | 55.4 | 11.10 | 2.62 | 0.10 | 1.81 | Manto Oxide |
| HDS-245 | 4.6 | 9.1 | 4.6 | 52.2 | 0.20 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.32 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-245 | 13.7 | 16.8 | 3.0 | 59.7 | 0.06 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.22 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-245 | 125.0 | 128.0 | 3.0 | 43.0 | 1.28 | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.35 | Upper Silver |
| HDS246 | 27.4 | 30.5 | 3.0 | 37.0 | 0.06 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.12 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-247 | 0.0 | 10.7 | 10.7 | 51.8 | 0.18 | 0.05 | 0.01 | 0.09 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-248 | 22.9 | 33.5 | 10.7 | 43.0 | 0.04 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.19 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-248 | 59.5 | 62.5 | 3.0 | 45.6 | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.02 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-249 | n.s.m. | ||||||||
| HDS-250 | 57.9 | 62.5 | 4.6 | 111.2 | 4.98 | 0.04 | 0.02 | 0.50 | Manto Oxide |
| HDS-251 | n.s.m. | ||||||||
| HDS-252 | 368.4 | 371.3 | 2.9 | 33.9 | 0.19 | 0.06 | 0.01 | 0.04 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-252 | 399.4 | 402.4 | 3.0 | 40.3 | 1.10 | 0.07 | 0.01 | 0.06 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-252 | 432.6 | 435.2 | 2.6 | 37.3 | 3.75 | 0.73 | 0.05 | 0.36 | Manto Oxide |
| HDS-252 | 449.1 | 451.8 | 2.7 | 46.5 | 6.53 | 0.55 | 0.01 | 0.19 | Manto Oxide |
| HDS-253 | 59.5 | 79.3 | 19.8 | 44.5 | 0.11 | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.05 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-254 | 9.1 | 32.0 | 22.9 | 45.4 | 0.14 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.07 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-254 | 35.1 | 39.6 | 4.6 | 72.8 | 0.04 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.10 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-255 | 0.0 | 30.5 | 30.5 | 104.4 | 0.53 | 0.04 | 0.01 | 0.40 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-256 | 0.0 | 39.6 | 39.6 | 49.2 | 0.22 | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.09 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-257 | 0.0 | 12.2 | 12.2 | 46.0 | 0.13 | 0.03 | 0.01 | 0.12 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-258 | 68.6 | 83.8 | 15.2 | 36.8 | 0.58 | 0.03 | 0.01 | 0.07 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-259 | 16.8 | 25.9 | 9.1 | 79.9 | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.09 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-260 | 30.5 | 44.2 | 13.7 | 43.0 | 0.12 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.12 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-261 | 51.5 | 65.9 | 14.3 | 74.8 | 0.06 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.09 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-261 | 135.5 | 144.1 | 8.5 | 92.8 | 0.56 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.98 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-261 | 207.3 | 216.5 | 9.1 | 34.5 | 0.06 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.05 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-261 | 235.7 | 245.4 | 9.8 | 81.0 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.29 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-261 | 254.1 | 258.7 | 4.6 | 45.8 | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.13 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-262 | 29.0 | 61.0 | 32.0 | 47.4 | 0.65 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.09 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-262 | 169.2 | 173.8 | 4.6 | 79.9 | 0.36 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.24 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-263 | 86.9 | 89.9 | 3.0 | 32.6 | 0.56 | 0.03 | 0.02 | 0.09 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-264 | 24.4 | 35.1 | 10.7 | 79.1 | 0.10 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.20 | Upper Silver |
| HDS-264 | 41.2 | 44.2 | 3.0 | 63.3 | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.04 | Upper Silver |
| HDS265 | 97.6 | 112.8 | 15.2 | 46.9 | 0.38 | 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.43 | Upper Silver |
| HDS265 | 118.9 | 126.5 | 7.6 | 35.0 | 0.18 | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.55 | Upper Silver |
| HDS265 | 139.8 | 142.4 | 2.6 | 49.0 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.31 | Upper Silver |
| HDS265 | 158.4 | 163.3 | 4.9 | 91.1 | 1.05 | 0.14 | 0.04 | 1.31 | Upper Silver |
| HDS265 | 244.4 | 265.9 | 21.5 | 65.8 | 10.56 | 4.29 | 0.18 | 3.68 | Manto Oxide |
| HDS265 | 287.2 | 297.9 | 10.7 | 59.5 | 6.34 | 3.20 | 0.14 | 5.69 | Manto Oxide |
| HDS-266 | 42.7 | 65.5 | 22.9 | 52.0 | 0.14 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.21 | Upper Silver |
| Note: | Intervals reported are drill thicknesses as measured along the core axis and are not true widths |
A complete list of all drill intercepts, location map and 3D model of the Hermosa mineralization are available on the company's website at www.wildcatsilver.com.
Qualified Person
The results of Wildcat's drilling results have been reviewed, verified
and compiled by Don Taylor, MSc., PG, President and Chief Operating
Officer for Wildcat Silver, a qualified person as defined by National
Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101). Mr. Taylor has more than 25 years of
mineral exploration and mining experience, and is a Registered
Professional Geologist through the SME. Mr. Taylor is also a Licensed
Professional Geologist in several US states.
Assays and Quality Assurance/Quality Control
To ensure reliable sample results, Wildcat has a rigorous QA/QC program
in place that monitors the chain-of-custody of samples and includes the
insertion of blanks, duplicates, and certified reference standards in
each batch of samples. Core is photographed and split in half with
one-half retained in a secured facility for verification purposes.
Sample preparation (crushing and pulverizing) is performed at Skyline
Laboratories, an ISO/IEC accredited lab located in Tucson, Arizona.
Skyline Laboratories prepares two pulps of all samples and completes
analysis of one pulp sample by ICP for Cu% (copper), Pb% (lead), Zn%
(zinc) and Mn% (manganese). The second pulp is shipped to Inspectorate
Labs, an ISO: 9001-2008 accredited laboratory in Reno, Nevada, where
the duplicate pulp is analyzed for Au (gold) and Ag (silver). Silver
values are determined by gravimetric fire assay (1 AT) with gold values
determined by an AA finish from the same dore bead: Final silver value
is the weight of the dore bead minus the AA gold value. In certain
drill holes Skyline completes analyses of pulps for gold (FA-1AT/AA)
and silver is determined by multi-acid digestion/AA finish. If the
silver value is greater than 150 gpt the sample is redone by
gravimetric FA (1AT) with the gravimetric gold value subtracted. At
both labs if the FA/AA Au value is greater than 3 gpt the Au assay is
repeated by FA gravimetric methods. Certain duplicate pulps have
gold-silver QA/QC checks run at Skyline by the above methods. Also
certain duplicate pulps also have Cu, Pb, Zn, Mn QA/QC checks a using
ICP/AA methods and 30 element spectral ICP determined at Inspectorate
after 4-acid digestion.
About Wildcat
Wildcat is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on development
of Hermosa, its 80% owned silver project located in Santa Cruz County,
Arizona. The project currently has an indicated mineral resource of
101.4 million tonnes averaging 53.18 grams per tonne silver for a total
of 171.3 million ounces of silver in addition to an inferred mineral
resource of 83.6 million tonnes averaging 36.42 grams per tonne silver
for a total of 98.6 million ounces of silver as announced in the
February 6, 2012 press release.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
Certain information contained in this press release constitutes
forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of
historical facts, are forward looking statements, including information
concerning the Company's plans for its mineral property in Arizonaincluding the preparation and timing of further mineral resource
updates, preliminary economic assessments and metallurgical testwork.
Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the
use of words such as may, will, seek, anticipate, believe, plan, estimate, budget, schedule, forecast, project, expect, intend, or similar expressions.
The forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions which, while considered reasonable by the Company, are subject to risks and uncertainties. In addition to the assumptions herein, these assumptions include the assumptions described in the Company's management's discussion and analysis for the period ended December 31, 2011 ("MD&A"). The Company cautions readers that forward-looking statements involve and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements and forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results, performance or achievement. These risks, uncertainties and factors include general business, economic, competitive, political, regulatory and social uncertainties; actual results of exploration activities and economic evaluations; fluctuations in currency exchange rates; changes in project parameters; changes in costs, including labour, infrastructure, operating and production costs; future prices of silver and other minerals; variations of mineral grade or recovery rates; operating or technical difficulties in connection with exploration, development or mining activities, including the failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; delays in completion of exploration, development or construction activities; changes in government legislation and regulation; the ability to maintain and renew existing licenses and permits or obtain required licenses and permits in a timely manner; the ability to obtain financing on acceptable terms in a timely manner; contests over title to properties; employee relations and shortages of skilled personnel and contractors; the speculative nature of, and the risks involved in, the exploration, development and mining business; and the factors discussed in the section entitled "Risks and Uncertainties" in the MD&A.
Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual performance, achievements, actions, events, results or conditions to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking information, there may be other risks, uncertainties and other factors that cause performance, achievements, actions, events, results or conditions to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Unless otherwise indicated, forward-looking statements contained herein are as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
About Reserves and Resources
This press release uses the terms indicated and inferred resources as a
relative measure of the level of confidence in the resource estimate.
Readers are cautioned that: (a) mineral resources are not economic
mineral reserves; (b) the economic viability of resources that are not
mineral reserves has not been demonstrated; and (c) it should not be
assumed that further work on the stated resources will lead to mineral
reserves that can be mined economically. In addition, inferred
resources are considered too geologically speculative to have any
economic considerations applied to them. It cannot be assumed that all
or any part of an inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a
higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral
resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility
studies or economic studies except for certain preliminary economic
assessments. Readers should also refer to the Company's Annual
Information Form for the period ended December 31, 2011 and other
continuous disclosure documents available at www.sedar.com, which is subject to the qualifications and notes set forth therein.
SOURCE Wildcat Silver Corporation
PDF available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/media/2012/05/10/20120510_C6192_DOC_EN_13529.pdf
