Aztec Minerals Corp. (TSX-V: AZT / WKN A2DRF0) has presented the results of the second, five RC drill holes part of its 2025 program on the Tombstone project (SE-Arizona). A total of 19 RC holes have now been completed. Based on the results, the JV management committee confirmed the geological model and approved an expansion of the program from the original 5,000 m to 7,500 m; the term is to be extended to the end of Q4/2025.
Highlights of the new drill sections
- TR25-06 (Little Joe area): 3.04 m with 556.5 g/t silver and 17.7 g/t gold (= 2,149.5 g/t silver equivalent at 90:1) within 28.9 m with 70.8 g/t silver and 1.993 g/t gold from 76.0 m depth.
- TR25-05: 4.5 m with 238.7 g/t silver and 3.91 g/t gold (= 590.4 g/t silver equivalent) within 47.1 m with 85.5 g/t silver equivalent (36.4 g/t silver and 0.55 g/t gold).
- TR25-08: two zones: 74.5 m with 36.4 g/t silver equivalent (19.8 g/t silver; 0.184 g/t gold) including 12.2 m with 155.8 g/t silver equivalent (94.5 g/t silver; 0.681 g/t gold) and 31.9 m with 13.7 g/t silver equivalent (6.0 g/t silver; 0.085 g/t gold).
- TR25-07: four zones with 13.7 m at 22.6 g/t silver equivalent, 10.6 m at 17.5 g/t silver equivalent, 18.2 m at 9.3 g/t silver equivalent and 41.0 m at 15.9 g/t silver equivalent (5.4 g/t silver; 0.117 g/t gold); hole ended in mineralization and leaves the western extension open.
- TC25-04: two low-grade but mineralized 3.04 m zones (37.2 g/t silver equivalent and 22.4 g/t silver equivalent) in the lower section.
CEO Simon Dyakowski emphasizes that the high-grade section in TR25-06 in particular underlines the potential of the historic Tombstone silver region; the zone is just under 200 m northeast of the best section of 2024 (TR24-16). He sees continuous intersections along the Contention mineralization zone, which is open to the west, and is pleased about the expansion to the company’s largest drilling program to date.
Geology, Targets and Progress
The 19 RC holes (3,414.3 m) to date are mostly part of a “fan grid” operated since 2020 over the Contention system and test its western and eastern boundaries, southern extensions and areas below the north-south striking main zone. The program repeatedly encounters strongly oxidized, hematite-rich, silicified hydrothermal breccias with quartz-feldspar porphyries – typical of material mined in the historic Contention mine. In addition, manganese displacement in limestone, skarns, quartz veins, sulfide relics and silicifications are mapped. TR25-07 is the deepest RC hole at -60° to 225.6 m (195.4 m vertical) and remained almost completely in oxidized mineralization.
At the same time, the core drilling section is underway to explore the previously identified AMT target below the Bisbee Formation in the thick carbonate Paleozoic rocks. NSAMT measurements had indicated several large, strong conductor bodies below the historic Au-Ag region.
Next Steps and Focus Areas
The successful drilling on the west side (including TR25-07) confirms the model and highlights this area in the expanded program. Further RC holes are planned for “Westside”; deeper core drilling is to test CRD/AMT targets. Overall, the 2025 program aims to expand the known, near-surface oxide Au-Ag mineralization to the west, north and south as well as to depth; early analyses support the exploration model.
Overview of the Tombstone Project by Aztec Minerals
Aztec holds 85% of the JV via the core claims and recent acquisitions. Tombstone is located approximately 100 km southeast of Tucson and comprises a large part of the historic silver district. Historically, 32 million oz of silver and 250,000 oz of gold (1878–1939) are estimated. The mineralization is primarily associated with the lower Bisbee Formation (50–300 m depth), which is underlain by up to ~2 km thick carbonate Paleozoic formations – the same rocks that host the Hermosa-Taylor deposit (~60 km southwest). Aztec sees possible connections between the historic mines and a larger mesothermal system with CRD mineralization below the old workings.
Conclusion: The current RC results – in particular TR25-06, TR25-05 and TR25-08 – confirm the continuity and western extension of the Contention mineralization. With the program increased to 7,500 m and extended to the end of Q4/2025, as well as ongoing core drilling on AMT/CRD targets, the Tombstone project remains clearly growth-oriented. Further results are pending.
