EV Resources has verified continuous high-grade antimony mineralisation reaching 25.2% Sb at its Los Lirios Antimony Project through systematic underground channel sampling, underpinning plans for a maiden JORC Resource by year-end.
- High-grade antimony confirmed up to 25.2% Sb
- Continuous Carbonate Replacement Deposit (CRD) system validated
- Structural vectoring tool identified for targeting high-grade zones
- Phase 2 diamond drilling planned to define maiden JORC Resource
- Sampling method reduces grade underestimation risks
High-Grade Antimony Continuity Validated Underground
EV Resources Ltd (ASX:EVR) has delivered compelling evidence of continuous, very high-grade antimony mineralisation at its Los Lirios Antimony Project in Mexico, with channel sampling returning grades up to 25.2% Sb. The systematic sampling across four historic underground adits, Guadalupana, San Pedro, Linda Vista and San Rafael, confirms a shallow, strata-bound Carbonate Replacement Deposit (CRD) mineralisation model that materially de-risks the geological understanding ahead of resource definition.
Sampling Methodology Enhances Grade Accuracy
Unlike diamond drilling, where fine high-grade mineralisation can be lost in slurry, EVR’s channel sampling in fractured, shallow ground captures the complete mineralised profile. This approach yields a more representative grade picture, providing a robust baseline for upcoming resource modelling. The standout intercept at Pit 1’s San Jose CRD unit delivered 0.9m at 25.2% Sb, while Guadalupana and San Pedro adits returned multiple intervals exceeding 10% Sb over true widths of around 1m.
Structural Controls Provide Vectoring Tool for Drilling
The mineralisation is structurally controlled, with high-grade antimony closely associated with feeder structures identified through detailed underground mapping. These structures act as fluid conduits within the silicified limestone replacement unit capped by a gypsum layer, which acts as a seal. EVR’s Managing Director Mike Brown highlighted the importance of this vectoring tool, stating it will guide Phase 2 drilling to target the highest grade zones within the CRD unit, a critical step towards delineating a maiden JORC Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) expected in Q4 2026.
Advancing Towards Maiden Resource amid Strategic Supply Concerns
The Los Lirios Project’s high-grade continuity and defined geological model come at a time of global antimony supply tightness, with Western governments seeking alternatives to Chinese sources. EVR’s near-term production ambitions are supported by its nearby Tecomatlán Processing Plant, where recent test work confirmed an 81% antimony recovery rate via flotation, streamlining the path to market-ready concentrate. The integration of the underground channel data with historical drilling and ongoing Phase 1 results sets the stage for a comprehensive resource model that could significantly enhance the project’s value proposition.
Next Steps Focus on Drilling and Resource Modelling
Phase 2 drilling is planned to leverage the structural vectoring insights, with a second rig to expedite shallow diamond drilling in targeted zones at Los Lirios 1, Cofradia, and Los Lirios 2. Surface structural mapping will continue to refine drill targeting. Meanwhile, resource estimation modelling is underway, incorporating the 54 channel samples with historical data to establish a spatially rigorous mineral resource framework. The project remains subject to ongoing legal proceedings over the Los Lirios 1 mining concession, a factor EVR is actively managing while advancing exploration.
Bottom Line?
The confirmation of high-grade antimony continuity and structural controls at Los Lirios sharpens EV Resources’ resource definition strategy, but upcoming drilling results and legal clarity on tenure will be pivotal.
Questions in the middle?
- Will Phase 2 drilling confirm the extent and continuity of the high-grade zones indicated by channel sampling?
- How will ongoing legal proceedings over the Los Lirios 1 concession affect project timelines and development?
- Can the structural vectoring tool reliably guide the delineation of a commercially viable resource in a complex CRD system?