Ground Hog
Arizona Silver-Gold Project with Historical Resource & Skarn Potential
| Location | Historic Resources | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Cochise County, Arizona |
1.1 Moz Silver |
Under Contract |
Summary and Location
Historical resource includes 1.1 Moz silver (38 g/t Ag). Mineralization (Ag-Pb-Zn-Au) traced over 600 feet on main NE-SW vein system (138-ft level), open. Recent drilling hit 204 g/t Ag & 0.38 g/t Au over 1.5m. Project advanced for production in late 80s after financing; skarn potential also identified.
The Ground Hog project is located in Cochise County, Arizona, within the Tombstone Mining District, approximately 1.5 miles east of Charleston Road (Section 22, Township 20 South, Range 22 East).
Geology
The project targets a primary NE-SW trending silver-lead-zinc (+/-gold) vein system, dipping approximately 73° NW, situated along a significant northeast fault zone. This vein system has been historically explored on the 138-ft level for over 600 feet in length and cuts Paleozoic sediments (Bisbee Fm., Naco Group).
In addition to the vein system, skarn mineralization is a key target, believed to be present beneath low-angle thrust faults at a limestone-volcanic contact. Metals confirmed include silver, gold, lead, and zinc, with recent drilling intersecting 204 g/t silver, 0.38 g/t gold, and 1.19% combined lead-zinc over 1.5 meters. The geological setting is marked by structural complexity, including potential overturned beds or thrust faults, and historical reports note silver values are enhanced where fractures intersect.
Exploration and Resources
The Ground Hog mine, featuring early development through three shafts including a 600-foot deep vertical southern shaft, saw significant renewed exploration by Alanco Ltd. in the mid-1980s. In 1984, Alanco initiated a comprehensive program involving surface mapping, air-track drilling, and extensive underground rehabilitation. This included detailed mapping and sampling of the 138-ft level along its 600-foot strike length on the NE-SW trending vein system, and the main southern shaft was repaired and cleaned to 180 feet.
Exploration continued into 1985 with further surface drilling, alongside surveying and sampling of the 100-foot underground level. By April 1988, Alanco reported a historical resource (200,000 tons of low-grade silver with associated gold) and had successfully secured $6 million in financing. The company formulated plans to reopen the nearby Charleston Road Mill, intending to process Ground Hog dump material and undertake custom milling, clearly positioning the project for imminent renewed production before these plans were halted. Subsequent exploration, including a notable drill intercept of 204 g/t silver and 0.38 g/t gold over 1.5m in hole SS21-012, continues to affirm the property’s robust silver and gold mineralization.