Centenario Gold Corp. (TSXV: CTG) has completed the first phase exploration program at its Los Reyes Project in Chihuahua, Mexico, which included mapping and sampling of old mine dumps and underground workings. The project, located 225 km south of Chihuahua City along Highway 49, consists of two mineral claims: El Rey (36.0 hectares) and El Rey 2 (9.3 hectares). The El Rey claim hosts the most significant old mine workings, originally developed by ASARCO in the late 1800s to early 1900s, which reportedly produced approximately 200,000 tons of Cu-Zn-Ag material.
The exploration program focused on reviewing existing geological data from IMMSA (1992) and Valterra Resources Corporation (2019) and conducting a systematic rock sampling program across surface pits and underground tunnels. A total of 58 rock samples were collected: 7 from surface outcrops, 11 from waste dumps and shallow pits near the Tuesda shaft, 12 from underground at the Tuesda mine, and 28 from underground at the Jibosa mine. The samples were collected by a senior geologist and sent to ALS Chemex in Chihuahua for analysis using fire assay for gold and acid digestion for 34 other elements.
The Cu-rich skarn mineralization at El Rey occurs sporadically along an 800-meter north-south trending granodiorite-limestone contact, with surface alteration zones up to 120 meters wide. The mineralization includes chalcopyrite, bornite, malachite, azurite, and chalcocite within irregular, semi-tabular lenses up to 60 meters wide. Historical mining by Asarco targeted zones exceeding 125 meters in length. At the Tuesda shaft, the mineralized zone showed thicknesses up to 20 meters, while at Jibosa, the mineralized body was up to 15 meters thick. The presence of magnetite and specularite in old dumps suggests potential for Cu-Au skarn-type mineralization.
Assay results from the 58 samples are expected by mid-June. This data will help the company understand the controls and distribution of mineralization, leading to the next phase: a 1,500-meter drill program planned for July. The drilling will target down-dip extensions greater than 50 meters below surface near the Jibosa and Tuesda shafts. The qualified person for this release is Derrick Strickland, an independent Qualified Person under NI 43-101.
Centenario Gold Corp. is a Vancouver-based mineral exploration company focused on gold, copper, and silver projects in the Americas. The company is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and continues to evaluate expansion opportunities. Further information can be found on the company's website at www.centenariogold.com.
