Tocvan Ventures Corp. (the "Company") (CSE:TOC)(OTCQB:TCVNF)(WKN:TV3/A2PE64), is pleased to announce new surface exploration results from its Gran Pilar Gold Silver Project in mine-friendly Sonora, Mexico. A total of 188 rock samples and 9 infill soil samples were analyzed from the Southern Block of the 100% controlled Expansion Area. Four new target areas have been identified spanning an area 1.8-kilometers long and 1.0-kilometer wide. A summary of the top surface results is provided in Table 1 and Figure 1. An additional area 2.1-kilometers by 1.4-kilometers remains unsampled to the east. Five kilometers to the north in an area referred to as the North Alteration Zone, early geochemical sampling, alteration mapping and satellite data interpretation suggests a separate large scale (3.2-kilometers long by 1.5-kilometers wide) epithermal target exists. The Company plans to continue the steady advancement of these areas as they present significant exploration targets.
Core drilling continues at Pilar's Main Zone where four drillholes have been completed so far totaling over 408-meters. As drilling continues logging and sample preparation is underway to evaluate the core results for incorporation into a resource model. The aim of the core program is to build out a more robust geological model across the area. Each hole completed has successfully intersected lithologies and structures (vein zones, breccia zones and/or large fault gouges) known to host and control gold - silver mineralization at Pilar that will aid in modelling. The Company cautions these are visual indications, assay results are pending to verify the grade of mineralization. RC drilling will recommence shortly on the expansion area to continue to test the northern extension of mineralization.
"The latest surface exploration results are adding to our list of targets across the Southern Block." commented, CEO Brodie Sutherland. "Given how early we are in development of this area, it has yielded encouraging results across a large footprint that extends two kilometers east and 900-meters north of our Main Zone. What excites us about these targets is the fact that back at our Main Zone historic sampling yielded similar results where there is significant exposure across roadcuts and trenches. Here in the Expansion Area, we are only seeing naturally exposed windows into the subsurface, we will look to advance these through trenching and drilling this year. Much of the southern area now has road access, speeding up the advancement of the area. The Southern Block has kept us occupied, we have not yet begun to detail sample and evaluate the potential of the Northern Block. Early recon sampling has shown significant potential for a large-scale epithermal system, we think is separate to what is observed to the south proximal to our Main Zone. Field observations lead us to believe the two areas represent potential for two separate mineralized systems across the project area greatly expanding our resource potential."
Figure 1. Surface Rock Sampling Results from Gran Pilar Southern Block.
Figure 2. Soil Sampling Results from Gran Pilar Southern Block.
Table 1. Summary of Top Rock Sample Results from Latest Exploration Work across Gran Pilar.
Table 2. Summary of new infill soil sample results from Gran Pilar.
Figure 3. Gran Pilar Project Overview, > 22km2 of prospective ground.
Pilar Drill Highlights:
2024 RC Drilling Highlights include (all lengths are drilled thicknesses):
42.7m @ 1.0 g/t Au, including 3.1m @ 10.9 g/t Au
56.4m @ 1.0 g/t Au, including 3.1m @ 14.7 g/t Au
16.8m @ 0.8 g/t Au and 19 g/t Ag
2022 Phase III Diamond Drilling Highlights include (all lengths are drilled thicknesses):
116.9m @ 1.2 g/t Au, including 10.2m @ 12 g/t Au and 23 g/t Ag
108.9m @ 0.8 g/t Au, including 9.4m @ 7.6 g/t Au and 5 g/t Ag
63.4m @ 0.6 g/t Au and 11 g/t Ag, including 29.9m @ 0.9 g/t Au and 18 g/t Ag
2021 Phase II RC Drilling Highlights include (all lengths are drilled thicknesses):
39.7m @ 1.0 g/t Au, including 1.5m @ 14.6 g/t Au
47.7m @ 0.7 g/t Au including 3m @ 5.6 g/t Au and 22 g/t Ag
29m @ 0.7 g/t Au
35.1m @ 0.7 g/t Au
2020 Phase I RC Drilling Highlights include (all lengths are drilled thicknesses):
94.6m @ 1.6 g/t Au, including 9.2m @ 10.8 g/t Au and 38 g/t Ag;
41.2m @ 1.1 g/t Au, including 3.1m @ 6.0 g/t Au and 12 g/t Ag ;
24.4m @ 2.5 g/t Au and 73 g/t Ag, including 1.5m @ 33.4 g/t Au and 1,090 g/t Ag
15,000m of Historic Core & RC drilling. Highlights include:
61.0m @ 0.8 g/t Au
21.0m @ 38.3 g/t Au and 38 g/t Ag
13.0m @ 9.6 g/t Au
9.0m @ 10.2 g/t Au and 46 g/t Ag
Pilar Bulk Sample Summary:
62% Recovery of Gold Achieved Over 46-day Leaching Period
Head Grade Calculated at 1.9 g/t Au and 7 g/t Ag; Extracted Grade Calculated at 1.2 g/t Au and 3 g/t Ag
Bulk Sample Only Included Coarse Fraction of Material (+3/4" to +1/8")
Fine Fraction (-1/8") Indicates Rapid Recovery with Agitated Leach
Agitated Bottle Roll Test Returned Rapid and High Recovery Results: 80% Recovery of Gold and 94% Recovery of Silver after Rapid 24-hour Retention Time
Additional Metallurgical Studies:
Gravity Recovery with Agitated Leach Results of Five Composite Samples Returned
95 to 99% Recovery of Gold
73 to 97% Recovery of Silver
Includes the Recovery of 99% Au and 73% Ag from Drill Core Composite at 120-meter depth.
Based on management's strong belief in the project's potential, the Company is outlining a permitting and operations strategy for a pilot facility at Pilar. The facility would underpin a robust test mine scenario with aims to process up to 50,000 tonnes of material. Timelines and budget are being prepared with the aim of moving forward with the development early in 2025. With gold prices hitting all-time highs, the Company believes the onsite test mine will provide key economic parameters and showcase the mineral potential of the area. In 2023, the Company completed an offsite bulk sample that produced important data showcasing the potential to recover both gold and silver through a variety of methods including heap leach, gravity and agitated leach (see August 22, 2023, news release for more details).
About Tocvan Ventures Corp.
Tocvan's advancing gold-silver projects are located in the mine-friendly jurisdiction of Sonora, Mexico. Through ongoing exploration programs, Company is unveiling the high-potential at its Gran Pilar Gold-Silver Project where it holds 100% interests in over 21 square kilometers of prospective area and a majority ownership (51%) in a one square kilometer area shared with Colibri Resources. The Company also holds 100% interest in the Picacho Gold-Silver project in the Caborca Trend of northern Sonora, a trend host to some of the major gold deposits of the region. Management feels both projects represent tremendous opportunity to create shareholder value. Tocvan has approximately 56 million shares outstanding.
Quality Assurance / Quality Control
Rock samples were shipped for sample preparation to ALS Limited in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico and for analysis at the ALS laboratory in North Vancouver. The ALS Hermosillo and North Vancouver facilities are ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 certified. Gold was analyzed using 50-gram nominal weight fire assay with atomic absorption spectroscopy finish. Over limits for gold (>10 g/t), were analyzed using fire assay with a gravimetric finish. Silver and other elements were analyzed using a four-acid digestion with an ICP finish. Over limit analyses for silver (>100 g/t) were re-assayed using an ore-grade four-acid digestion with ICP-AES finish. Control samples comprising certified reference samples and blank samples were systematically inserted into the sample stream and analyzed as part of the Company's robust quality assurance / quality control protocol.
Soil Samples were shipped for sample preparation to ALS Limited in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico and for analysis at the ALS laboratory in North Vancouver. The ALS Hermosillo and North Vancouver facilities are ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 certified. Gold and multi-element analysis of soils was completed by aqua regia digestion and ICP-MS finish using a 50-gram nominal weight. Over limit gold values greater than 1 g/t were re-assayed with a more robust aqua regia digestion ad ICP-MS finish. Over limit analyses for silver (>100 g/t) were re-assayed using an ore-grade four-acid digestion with ICP-AES finish. Control samples comprising blank samples and certified reference materials were systematically inserted into the sample stream and analyzed as part of the Company's robust quality assurance / quality control protocol.
Brodie A. Sutherland, CEO for Tocvan Ventures Corp. and a qualified person ("QP") as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this release.
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
This news release contains "forward-looking information" which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements regarding the use of proceeds from the Offering. Such forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words and phrases such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved.
These forward-looking statements, and any assumptions upon which they are based, are made in good faith and reflect our current judgment regarding the direction of our business. Management believes that these assumptions are reasonable. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, risks related to the speculative nature of the Company's business, the Company's formative stage of development and the Company's financial position. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, except as may be required by applicable securities laws.
There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.
For more information, please contact:
TOCVAN VENTURES CORP. Brodie A. Sutherland, CEO 820-1130 West Pender St. Vancouver, BC V6E 4A4 Telephone: 1 888 772 2452 Email: ir@tocvan.ca
