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Yanque

Overview

The Yanque area is approximately 30 kilometres southwest of the Accha mineral deposit. In the 1990s the concessions comprising this area were held by RTZ Mining and Exploration Ltd. In 1995 and 1996, RTZ carried out an exploration program that consisted of prospecting, geochemical rock and soil sampling, stream sediment sampling, geological mapping and diamond drilling. The Yanque area was acquired by Southwestern Resources in 2000 when RTZ failed to renew the concessions.

Within the Yanque area geological mapping, prospecting, soil and rock sampling and drilling of 13 short holes indicated the presence of zinc-lead oxide mineralization over an area measuring 1200 metres by 400 metres.

A NI 43-101 compliant inferred mineral resource of 6.6 million tonnes at an average grade of 5.3% zinc and 3.5% lead has been calculated for the Yanque area based on the RTZ data.

Stewart Winter is the Qualified Person, in accordance with the requirements of National Instrument 43-101, who has prepared, or supervised the
preparation of, the scientific and technical information regarding
the Accha-Yanque property.

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History

The Yanque area is approximately 30 kilometres southwest of the Accha mineral deposit. In the 1990’s the concessions were held by RTZ. In 1995 and 1996, RTZ carried out an exploration program that consisted of prospecting, geochemical rock and soil sampling, stream sediment sampling, geological mapping and diamond drilling. The Yanque area was acquired by Southwestern Resources in 2000 when RTZ failed to renew the concessions.

The Dolores concessions are immediately adjacent to the east of the Yanque area. In 2003 zinc-lead values of potential economic interest were obtained from surface sampling.

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Geology

Please see the Accha geology section for additional information.

The Yanque area lies within the axial region of the northeast-trending anticline with the result that the predominant rock units in the area are those of the Mara Formation. Overlying them in this area are Ferrobamba limestones and calcareous breccias. These units generally trend east-west and dip to the south and southeast at low to moderate angles although there are some reversals. The uppermost unit, measuring about 800 metres in diameter appears to be a relatively flat-lying diorite sill considered to be related to the Apurimac batholith. Steeply dipping faults in the area trend northwesterly.

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Mineralization

Yanque Area

Within the Yanque area geological mapping, prospecting, soil and rock sampling and drilling of 13 short holes indicated the presence of zinc-lead oxide mineralization over an area measuring 1200 metres by 400 metres.

Zinc-lead mineralization post-dates the major brecciation event and occurs in veins and fractures which cut the calcareous units and as matrix replacements of the original breccias. Zinc mineralization in outcrop consists entirely of secondary oxide-carbonate minerals (hemimorphite, smithsonite, zincite, Mn-Zn oxide minerals). Lead mineralization occurs both as galena and cerrusite. Limonites after pyrite occur sporadically, although the system appears to be generally pyrite-poor.

The overall form of the mineralized bodies is not well understood and require significantly more drilling for this to be achieved. On the basis of the available data, RTZ (Carman, 1996) considered that several tabular bodies each up to tens of metres thick and possibly inter-connected, host oxide Zn mineralization (1%-10% combined) in calcareous breccias within 100 metres of the surface. Within this larger mineralized interval, high-grade bodies (+15% combined Pb-Zn) occur locally in fault or breccia controlled pods. A general zonation of Zn-rich mineralization overlying Pb-rich mineralization was observed in several drill holes.

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Metallurgy

No test work has been done on the Yanque mineralization, which appears to be very similar to that at Accha.

Please see the Accha metallurgy section for additional information.

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Maps and Images

Click here to view the related maps and images.