Zacatecas Silver Receives Drill Permit and Finalizes Maiden Drill Program at Oso Negro, Sonora
Zacatecas secured the Oso Negro permit and is preparing to commence a maiden 2,500m drill program at the deposit.
Zacatecas Silver Corp. (ZAC) has received the final drill permit from SEMARNAT and secured surface access for its Oso Negro project in Sonora, Mexico. The company has finalized a 2,500-metre maiden diamond drill program targeting the Prospecto and Tere low sulphidation epithermal vein systems.
Drilling will commence from 20 pads using shallow angled holes designed to intersect veins 40 to 80 vertical metres below high-grade surface rock chip samples. Surface sampling has returned up to 20.3 g/t Au and 3,480 g/t Ag across more than 3 kilometres of mapped vein strike. The company stated that shallow targets and multi-hole pads maximize the number of intersections per metre drilled, reducing targeting risk.
A drill permit application for the adjacent Cumaro project is also in progress, with drilling expected to run concurrently.
Zacatecas Silver Corp. (ZAC) has initiated a planned drilling program, marking the next execution step following extensive surface sampling campaigns conducted in June and July 2026 and the closure of a $2.5 million private placement in July 2026. The company secured the necessary SEMARNAT permit, confirming operational readiness for the work ahead.
The announcement validates management's ability to advance projects on schedule, though maiden drilling at undrilled epithermal systems carries inherent geological risk, as surface grades do not guarantee depth continuity. This development is incremental to the existing exploration narrative and does not introduce new financial data, unexpected grade extensions, or strategic shifts.
Zacatecas Silver Corp. (ZAC) is an exploration-stage company focused on gold and silver projects across Mexico. The company’s flagship asset is the Zacatecas Silver Project, which hosts the Panuco and El Cristo vein systems. The Panuco deposit holds an Inferred Resource of 20.5 million ounces AgEq, calculated at 3.41 Mt at 187 g/t AgEq.
Other key assets include the Esperanza Gold Project in Morelos, a heap-leach oxide gold deposit with a 956 koz AuEq M&I resource. Development of the Esperanza project is currently stalled due to Mexican regulatory opposition to open-pit mining.
The company has recently expanded its portfolio by optioning four properties from Heliostar Metals—Cumaro, La Lola, Oso Negro, and Ejutla—and acquiring an option for Lourdes in Guanajuato, building a multi-asset exploration pipeline. Management is led by CEO Eric Vanderleeuw and Chief Geologist Chris Wilson.