Aztec Drills 48.6m of 133.1 gpt AgEq from Surface at Tombstone Project, Arizona and Expands Drill Program by 3,500m
Aztec Doubles Down on Tombstone with Drill Program Expansion as Shallow Oxide Grades Hit Double Digits
The news release dated January 15, 2026, reports high-grade silver-equivalent (AgEq) results from the ongoing Reverse Circulation (RC) drill program at the Tombstone Project in Arizona. Highlight hole TR25-26 returned 48.6 meters of 133.1 gpt AgEq (1.06 gpt Au and 58.9 gpt Ag) starting from the surface. Additionally, the company announced a significant 41% expansion of the current drill program, increasing it from 8,500 meters to 12,000 meters. This expansion includes a minimum of 2,500 meters of core drilling specifically targeting deeper Carbonate Replacement Deposit (CRD) style mineralization. To date, 42 RC holes have been completed, with a deep core hole (TC25-03) currently at a depth of 444.5 meters.
The news is materially positive for three primary reasons: - Operational Momentum: Increasing a drill program by 3,500 meters mid-stream indicates management's high confidence in the data being received from the laboratory and visual observations in the field. - Grade Continuity: The 48.6m intercept from surface (TR25-26) continues to validate the "bulk-tonnage oxide" thesis for the Contention Mine area, showing that high-grade mineralization is not just restricted to narrow veins but exists in broader intervals accessible via open pit. - Strategic Shift: The commitment to 2,500m of core drilling confirms the company is moving beyond shallow oxide exploration to test the high-reward "Taylor-type" CRD targets identified by previous AMT geophysics. Success in the CRD target would be a "game-changer" given the scale of similar deposits in the region (e.g., South32’s Hermosa).
Aztec Minerals is an exploration company focused on two primary assets: - Tombstone Project (Arizona): An 85/15 JV with Dragoon Resources. It hosts a historic high-grade silver-gold district. The current focus is a dual-track strategy: defining a shallow, bulk-tonnage oxide gold-silver resource (Contention Zone) and exploring for a world-class, deep CRD deposit. - Cervantes Project (Mexico): 100% owned. A porphyry gold-copper discovery in Sonora. It has a well-defined oxide cap (California Zone) with preliminary metallurgical recoveries of 75-87% and potential for a large sulphide system at depth.