Centenario Gold Corp. (TSXV: CTG) has completed the first phase of exploration at its Los Reyes Project in Chihuahua, Mexico, encountering high-grade copper mineralization in underground sampling. The project, located 225 km south of Chihuahua City near Highway 49, encompasses two mineral claims: El Rey (36.0 hectares) and El Rey 2 (9.3 hectares), both covering segments of the intrusive-sediment contact where mineralization occurs.
The exploration program focused on mapping and sampling old mine dumps and underground workings from the late 1800s to early 1900s, originally developed by ASARCO. Old government records indicate approximately 200,000 tons of Cu-Zn-Ag material were mined from Los Reyes during that period. The program included collection of 58 rock samples: 7 from surface outcrops, 11 from waste dumps and shallow pits, 12 from the Tuesda mine underground, and 28 from the Jibosa mine underground.
At El Rey, copper-rich skarn mineralization occurs sporadically for over 800 meters along the north-south trending granodiorite-limestone contact, with the altered zone reaching up to 120 meters in width. The mineralization, including chalcopyrite, bornite, malachite, azurite, and chalcocite, forms irregular, semi-tabular lenses up to 60 meters wide. Some zones previously mined by Asarco reportedly exceeded 125 meters in length. The mineralized zone below the Tuesda shaft showed thickness up to 20 meters, while at Jibosa, thickness did not exceed 15 meters.
Higher sulfide content is believed to persist north of the Tuesda Shaft, with fragments of magnetite and skarn found in old mine dumps suggesting Cu-Au skarn-type mineralization. The company expects assay results from ALS Chemex by mid-June. These results will provide valuable geochemical data to better understand mineralization controls, distribution, and extension.
The second phase of exploration, a 1,500-meter drill program, is planned to begin in July. The drilling will target strike and down-dip extensions greater than 50 meters below surface, focusing on the Jibosa and Tuesda mining shafts. The company has not verified information on adjacent properties, but the results are promising for the potential of significant copper-gold skarn mineralization at Los Reyes.
