Zacatecas Silver Launches 2026 Diamond Drilling Program at El Cristo Project
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Zacatecas Silver Corp. (TSXV: ZAC | OTCQB: ZCTSF | FRA: 7TV) has officially commenced its 2026 diamond drilling campaign at the El Cristo Project, situated within the prolific Zacatecas Mining District in Mexico. The company announced that the first drill hole was collared by Major Drilling Mexico on March 27 and successfully completed on March 30, marking a significant milestone in this year's exploration efforts.
First Drill Hole Intercepts Mineralized Structure
The initial diamond drill hole reached a downhole depth of 117 meters at an inclination of -60 degrees, specifically targeting the near-surface downdip extension of an intermediate sulphidation vein. During drilling operations, a brecciated and mineralized structure was intercepted between 89 and 108 meters downhole, revealing promising geological formations.
Eric Vanderleeuw, CEO and Director of Zacatecas Silver, expressed enthusiasm about the early results. "Intersecting the vein system with visible sulphides in our very first hole is exactly what we were aiming for," Vanderleeuw stated. "The presence of galena and sphalerite confirms we are in a fertile, mineralized system with clear potential for high-grade silver. This is an outstanding start, and we are eager to build on this momentum as the drill program progresses."
Detailed Mineralization Observations
The mineralization encountered is associated with multiphase and brecciated quartz veins, hosted within a highly fractured and strongly silicified andesitic and basaltic volcanoclastic sequence. Key observations from the drill core include:
- Pervasively silicified, fractured andesite and basalt
- Abundant pyrite, galena, and sphalerite mineralization
- Multiphase quartz veining and brecciation throughout the structure
- Very fine dark-grey sulphide that is pervasive throughout the zone
- Clotted sphalerite and galena with traces of chalcopyrite
These vein textures and mineralogical characteristics are consistent with the uppermost sections of silver-base metal mineralized intermediate sulphidation epithermal veins commonly found within the Zacatecas district. The company noted that analysis of rock chip samples from artisanal shaft dumps at El Cristo, referenced in a March 26, 2026 news release, demonstrates a strong correlation between high-grade silver assays and the presence of galena and sphalerite.
Sampling and Next Steps
Zacatecas Silver is currently sampling the completed drill hole and anticipates delivering these samples to ALS laboratory facilities in Zacatecas by the end of this week. This represents the next critical phase in evaluating the economic potential of the intercepted mineralization.
About Zacatecas Silver Corp.
The company maintains two primary projects in Mexico:
- Zacatecas Silver Project – Located in Zacatecas state within the highly prospective Fresnillo silver belt, which has historically produced over 6.2 billion ounces of silver. The company controls 7,826 hectares (19,338 acres) of ground that shows strong potential for low-sulphidation and intermediate-sulphidation silver base metal mineralization, along with possible low-sulphidation gold-dominant mineralization. The property is strategically positioned 25 kilometers southeast of MAG Silver Corp.'s Juanicipio Mine and Fresnillo PLC's Fresnillo Mine, sharing boundaries with former Pan American Silver Corp. (now Defiance Silver) claims and Endeavour Silver's El Orito property.
- Esperanza Gold Project – Situated in Morelos State, Mexico, representing another key asset in the company's portfolio.
Zacatecas Silver recently announced an increased silver resource estimate for its Panuco South and North underground deposits, now comprising 3.41 million tonnes at 187 g/t AgEq (173 g/t Ag and 0.18 g/t Au) for 20.5 million ounces AgEq (19.0 million ounces silver and 19.2 thousand ounces gold), as detailed in a May 31, 2023 news release.
The commencement of drilling at El Cristo represents a strategic advancement in the company's exploration activities, building upon previous geological work and positioning Zacatecas Silver for potential resource expansion in one of Mexico's most historically productive mining regions.
