San Marcial Geology and Mineralization

The San Marcial deposit consists of wide chlorite–hematite silver rich hydrothermal breccias within a favorable structural setting, formed by intersecting NW–NE oriented regional structures. These intersections host sizeable geological traps in porous volcanoclastic rocks, as part of a robust epithermal system hosted along the northern edge of a large, regional porphyry intrusive setting.

Chargeability Map and Resource Update

  • The San Marcial Area geology can be subdivided into two distinct rock types:

    • Basement: undeformed late Jurassic volcaniclastic rocks.

    • Overlying sequence: Early to Late Oligocene felsic ignimbrites, intermediate lavas, and basaltic layers, separated by an angular unconformity.

  • Several diorite porphyry bodies of Oligocene age intrude the stratigraphy.

  • Within the volcanic sequence, another angular unconformity separates two eruptive phases:

    • 30–28 Ma felsic ignimbrites.

    • 28–26 Ma volcanic phase.

  • The silver exploration targets are hosted along a NW-SE trending crustal fault dipping 60° NE, extending 1.5 km in strike length and nearly 600 m down dip.

Mineralization Styles at San Marcial

The San Marcial resource hosts a multi-phase system of high-grade silver hydrothermal breccias, indicating that the system remains open at depth.

Three main phases of breccia mineralization:

  1. Tectonic breccia - along the fault hanging wall, with hematite-rich matrix.

  2. Ore breccia filling stage - containing the highest silver grades at the centre of the structure.

  3. Post-crackle hydrothermal breccia - along the footwall.

Key features of the ore breccia filling stage:

  • Telescoping of Ag-Au-Pb-Zn epithermal vein systems.

  • Disseminated acanthite-argentite in calcite cement from a boiling event.

  • Thin calcite veins running parallel to the breccia.

Alteration and Mineral Associations

  • Upper system: barite, fluorite, magnetite.

  • Lower system: epidote, chlorite, tremolite, actinolite, tourmaline, apatite, titanite, muscovite.

  • Cross-cutting relationships suggest mineralization occurred within a short geologic window, bracketed between:

    • Dioritic intrusions (~27.6 Ma).

    • Younger rhyolitic dykes (~26.4 Ma).

Multi-Commodity Potential

While San Marcial is primarily a silver deposit, mineralization is multi-phase, also hosting:

  • Zinc, lead and copper closely associated with silver.

  • Gold mineralization in peripheral epithermal veins and stockworks.

  • Recent GR Silver Mining exploration drilling has identified additional occurrences beneath the hydrothermal breccia and beyond the resource area.

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409 Granville Street
15th Floor
Vancouver, BC, V6C 1T2
+1 647-293-8457

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GR Silver Mining white and yellow logo

409 Granville Street
15th Floor
Vancouver, BC, V6C 1T2
+1 647-293-8457

Get Company Updates

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