Is This Company's Mining Project Evolving To Meet Colombia's Plans Of Going Green?

Colombia has gained a reputation as a hotbed for mining. 

A number of the world’s largest mining companies (and some juniors) are constantly turning their exploration lenses toward the country because of its rich mineral deposits and history.

Thanks to one of the world’s longest mountain ranges — the Andes — running through the country, Colombia has seemingly been blessed with an enviable array of natural resources.

The Andes, which runs along South America’s western side, has varied terrain encompassing glaciers, volcanoes, grassland, desert, lakes and forest. It shelters pre-Colombian archaeological sites, wildlife and mineral resources like copper.

The importance of metallurgy — the science and technology of metals and alloys is indisputable. Historically, copper (Cu) was essential for the wealth of pre-and post-colonial societies in the Andes.

History Of Copper In The Region

Comprehensive archaeological findings point to the first sophisticated Cu metallurgy around 200–800 A.D. during the Moche civilization in northern Peru. Meanwhile, peat-bog records from southern South America suggest the earliest pollution from Cu smelting occurred as far back as 2000 B.C.

These historical records have inspired a thriving mining industry with some of the world’s leading players pitching camp in Colombia to prospect for copper, gold, silver and other metals.

Some of these players, including GCM Mining GCM TPRFF and Max Resource Corp. MAX MXROF, are reportedly ramping up exploration following reports that Colombia has great potential for copper and molybdenum.

After falling by about 26% in 2020 because of a contraction in production and export of thermal coal, Colombia’s mining sector started to bounce back with about 15% growth in 2021.

The country is looking to drive diversification in the industry — particularly toward copper and molybdenum, which have great potential because they lie within the Andean copper belt.

The diversification drive has resulted in a lot of mining activities in the country. On June 27, for example, Serafino Iacono, Executive Chairman of GCM Mining, announced how their latest exploration results continue to highlight the potential to extend the mine life and grow production at their Sandra K and El Silencio mines. They are looking to move these and a number of other promising exploration projects forward in 2022.

The multiple high-grade intercepts from the latest 32 diamond drill holes (8,299 meters) are from the in-mine and near-mine 2022 drill programs, and add to an additional 28 diamond drill holes (7,735 meters) from brownfield drill programs, all at its Segovia Operations in Colombia. 

Transformational Mining?

Another player that reports working to disrupt the regional copper industry is Max Resource. The mineral exploration company says it is advancing the newly discovered district-scale CESAR copper-silver project in Colombia.

The project sits along the Colombian portion of the Andean belt — the world’s largest producing copper belt — in the presence of world-class infrastructure and global mining majors like Glencore plc GLEN and Chevron Corp. CVX.

In 2021, Max was granted 100% ownership of 19 mining concessions covering a total area of 186 square kilometers. More recently in 2022 it was granted 11 mining concessions covering an additional 99 square kilometers.

The company reports that it is working closely with Endeavour Silver Corp. EDR EXK exploring the property and providing the necessary financial support to significantly expand its 100%-owned landholdings at CESAR. Endeavour will hold an underlying 0.5% NSR (net smelter royalty) on all future projects in Colombia.

Max says its goal is to create value by advancing the CESAR basin toward mining copper, the key metal for Colombia’s transition to clean energy.

Sample from CESAR copper-silver project

CESAR Copper-Silver Project Highlights

CESAR lies along the copper-silver-rich 200- kilometer-long Cesar Basin in northeastern Colombia.

The region provides access to major infrastructure resulting from oil and gas and mining operations, including Cerrejón, the largest coal mine in South America, owned by global miner Glencore. Max’s mining concessions cover an area in excess of 179 square kilometers.

Max is focusing a 2022 drill program on three major high-grade copper-silver zones located along the CESAR 90-kilometer-long belt and plans to expand the zones and define drill targets:

• URU zone - returned high-grade sample assays from true widths 7 m at 8.5% copper and 143 grams per tonne (g/t) silver, 16.8 m at 8.3% copper and 146 g/t silver, and 48m at 5.3% copper+44 g/t silver (open).
• Conejo zone - averages 4.9% copper (2% cutoff) over 3.7 km.
• AM North zone with highlight values of 34.4% copper and 305 g/t silver 

Read more about the CESAR copper-silver project at https://www.maxresource.com/?cesar.

This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice.

Featured photo by maxresource.com