Piche Resources’ maiden RC drilling at Cerro Chacón reveals a widespread low-sulphidation epithermal gold-silver system, with assays confirming mineralisation over 10 km² at Toro Hosco and promising high-grade silver and gold intercepts.
- Low-sulphidation epithermal Au-Ag system confirmed over 10 km²
- High-grade silver intercept of 456.67 g/t and gold up to 2.75 g/t
- Maiden 53-hole RC drilling totals 5,911 m across three prospects
- La Javiela hole inconclusive due to early termination
- Next phase focuses on structural review, geophysics, and deeper drilling
Widespread Gold-Silver Mineralisation Confirmed at Toro Hosco
Piche Resources Limited (ASX:PR2) has wrapped up its maiden reverse circulation (RC) drilling campaign at the Cerro Chacón Gold Project in Argentina, confirming a substantial low-sulphidation epithermal gold-silver system. The final batch of assays from 10 RC holes drilled at Toro Hosco and La Javiela prospects underpin a mineralised footprint of approximately 10 square kilometres at Toro Hosco alone, stretching 2.5 km by 4 km.
The standout intercept came from hole THRC006, which returned a blistering 1 metre at 456.67 grams per tonne silver, while gold highlights include 1 metre at 2.75 grams per tonne from THRC002. These results align with earlier surface rock chip samples that recorded up to 15.77 g/t gold and 761 g/t silver, reinforcing the scale and grade potential of the system.
La Javiela Hole Cut Short, Mineralisation Model Validated
Drilling at La Javiela was less conclusive. The single hole (LJRC001) was terminated prematurely at 240 metres due to operational issues, failing to intersect the targeted structure. Piche cautions this result should not be interpreted as a negative indicator but rather inconclusive pending further work.
At Toro Hosco, all nine holes returned gold and/or silver mineralisation, confirming consistency across multiple sectors within the prospect. The company’s exploration model, which anticipates structurally controlled mineralisation, has been validated by these results, paving the way for deeper drilling to target high-grade zones.
Multi-Element Geochemistry and Structural Work to Guide Next Steps
Alongside gold and silver assays, multi-element ICP analyses are being processed to delineate geochemical zonation and refine vectoring strategies. Lead has emerged as a key pathfinder element, helping to pinpoint mineralisation trends and depth potential.
Piche is advancing a comprehensive review of structural controls, reinterpreting existing geophysics, and planning to extend magnetic surveys southward to cover the full Toro Hosco area. Additional soil and rock chip sampling will fill geochemical gaps across the 14 km mineralised corridor stretching from Chacón Grid to Toro Hosco.
Exploration Corridor Extends Over 14 Kilometres
The drilling campaign is part of a broader exploration corridor spanning 14 km, characterised by anomalous gold, silver, and pathfinder elements. The confirmed mineralisation at Toro Hosco represents a significant portion of this corridor, with structural and geochemical data suggesting continuity northward to La Javiela.
While the current drilling remains reconnaissance and insufficient for resource estimation, the data collected lays a solid foundation for targeted infill and step-out drilling planned in the next phase. Piche has identified at least 20 additional drill targets within the corridor, reflecting the project’s exploration upside.
Operational and Technical Details
The 10-hole RC program at Toro Hosco and La Javiela totalled 1,031 metres, part of a larger maiden program of 53 holes and 5,911 metres across three prospects. Drilling was conducted by ConoSur Drilling using a Drilltech D40KX rig. Sampling and assays were completed under rigorous QA/QC protocols by Alex Stewart International Argentina, an ISO-accredited lab.
True widths of mineralisation remain unconfirmed due to variable vein orientations and the early-stage nature of the program. Scissor holes drilled at Toro Hosco’s southern sector aim to clarify vein geometry and support future drilling design.
Bottom Line?
Piche Resources has established a credible epithermal gold-silver system at Cerro Chacón, with upcoming deeper drilling and refined targeting set to test high-grade potential and expand the mineralised footprint.
Questions in the middle?
- Will deeper drilling confirm the high-grade gold zones anticipated by the exploration model?
- How will the multi-element pathfinder data refine target prioritisation across the 14 km corridor?
- What impact will the extended magnetic surveys have on identifying new drill targets?