Vancouver, BC, April 13, 2023 – Aftermath Silver Ltd. (the “Company” or “Aftermath Silver”) (TSX-V: AAG) (OTCQB: AAGFF) (FRA: FLM1) has filed a technical report (the “Berenguela Technical Report”) on the Berenguela Silver-Copper-Manganese Project, located in Peru (“Berenguela”) pursuant to National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”) under the Company’s profile on SEDAR.
The Berenguela Technical Report, titled “Berenguela Mineral Resource Estimate NI 43-101 Aftermath Silver Ltd., Province of Lampa, Department of Puno, Peru” has an effective date of March 30, 2023 and was prepared by AMC Mining Consultants (Canada) Ltd (AMC). The Qualified Persons for the Berenguela Technical Report are D. Nussipakynova, P. Geo. (BC & ON), W. Rogers, P.Eng. (BC), and D Kappes, PE (NV). The Report presents a new Mineral Resource estimate for the Berenguela Silver-Copper- Manganese Project together with recommendations for further metallurgical and engineering work with the objective of completing a preliminary economic analysis during 2024. The company is now proceeding to initiate advanced metallurgical testwork programs on bulk drill core samples from key mineralized domains targeted in the drill program. This testwork will encompass flowsheets for silver, copper and zinc recovery and ultimately identify the potential manganese products including focusing on battery grade manganese sulphate (MnSO4).
Mineral Resource Estimate
Table 1. Berenguela Ag-Cu-Mn deposit Mineral Resource as of 31 January 2023
| Resource Classification | Tonnage Mt |
Grade | Contained Metal | ||||||
| Ag | Mn | Cu | Zn | Ag | Mn | Cu | Zn | ||
| g/t | % | % | % | Moz | Mt | Mlb | Mlb | ||
| Measured | 6.152 | 101 | 8.89 | 0.85 | 0.30 | 20.0 | 0.55 | 115.3 | 41.2 |
| Indicated | 34.024 | 74 | 5.60 | 0.63 | 0.34 | 81.2 | 1.90 | 473.7 | 258.1 |
| Measured and Indicated | 40.176 | 78 | 6.10 | 0.67 | 0.34 | 101.2 | 2.45 | 589.0 | 299.3 |
| Inferred | 22.287 | 54 | 3.57 | 0.42 | 0.25 | 38.8 | 0.80 | 204.3 | 122.8 |
Notes:
Source: AMC, (2023).
- CIM Definition Standards (2014) were used for reporting the Mineral Resources.
- The effective date of the estimate is 31 January 2023.
- The Qualified Person is Dinara Nussipakynova, P.Geo., of AMC Mining Consultants (Canada) Ltd.
- Mineral Resources are constrained by an optimized pit shell using the assumptions in Table 2.
- No dilution or mining recovery applied.
- Silver equivalency (AgEq) formula is AgEq = Ag+ Cu%*121.905+Mn%*22.809+Zn%*41.463 based on the parameters in Table 2.
- Cut-off grade is 80g/t AgEq.
- Bulk density used was estimated and variable. but averaged 2.30 tonnes/m3 for mineralized material and 2.25 tonnes/m3 for waste.
- Drilling results up to 13 October 2022.
- Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.
- The numbers may not compute exactly due to rounding.
- Mineral Resources are depleted for historic mined out material.
- The relative value in the Mineral Resource by metal is as follows, Ag=26% Cu=26%, Mn=44%, Zn=4%.
The Mineral Resource estimate used conceptual open pit mining constraints for reporting purposes and is presented in Table 1. Mineral Resources are stated at a cut‐off grade of 80 g/t silver equivalent (AgEq) which equates to a 3.55% manganese equivalent cut-off grade. The relative value in the Mineral Resource by metal is as follows, Ag=26%, Mn=44%, Cu=26%, Zn=4% using metal prices for Agri-MnSO4 which generally trades at a considerable discount to battery grade manganese sulphate. The model is depleted for historical mining activities.
The assumptions for the open pit optimization exercise to constrain the Mineral Resource and confirm reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction are shown in Table 2.
Table 2. Assumptions for pit optimization
| Activity | Items | Unit | Value |
| Mining | Mining (all types) | $/t material | 2.25 |
| Pit slopes | degrees | 45 | |
| Processing | Processing - Cost | $/t ROM | 41.0 |
| Processing rate | Mtpa | 2.5 | |
| Process Recoveries - Ag | % | 81.0 | |
| Process Recoveries - Cu | % | 81.0 | |
| Process Recoveries - Zn | % | 76.0 | |
| Process Recoveries - Mn | % | 81.0 | |
| Metal Prices | Ag | $/oz | 22.50 |
| Cu | $/lb | 4.00 | |
| MnSO4 (Agri-MnSO4) | $/t | 530 | |
| Zn | $/lb | 1.45 | |
| Other costs | Admin and Support (G&A) | $/t ROM | 4.0 |
| Land Freight | $/t Product | 30.0 | |
| Port Charges | $/t Product | 20.0 | |
| Marketing | % of Revenue | 0.50% | |
| Royalty – Silver Standard | % of Revenue | 1.00% | |
| Royalty – VDM Partners | % of Cu revenue | 2.00% | |
| Other | Conversion | Mn:MnSO4 % | 32 |
Source: AMC, (2023).
Qualified Person
The Mineral Resource estimate, QA/QC review and data verification was completed by Ms Dinara Nussipakynova, P.Geo., Principal Geologist with AMC who is the QP for the purpose of NI 43‐101 for all technical information pertaining to the current Mineral Resource. Aftermath’s quality assurance and quality control program was reviewed by the QP who has also reviewed the technical content of this news release for Berenguela and has approved its dissemination.
Michael Parker, a Fellow of the AusIMM and a non-independent director of Aftermath, is a non‑independent qualified person, as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Parker has reviewed the technical content of this news release and consents to the information provided in the form and context in which it appears.
About Aftermath Silver Ltd.
Aftermath Silver Ltd. is a leading Canadian junior exploration company focused on silver, and aims to deliver shareholder value through the discovery, acquisition and development of quality silver projects in stable jurisdictions. Aftermath has developed a pipeline of projects at various stages of advancement. The Company's projects have been selected based on growth and development potential.
- Berenguela Silver-Copper-Manganese Project. The Company has an option to acquire a 100% interest through a binding agreement with SSR Mining. The project is located in the Department of Puno, in southern central Peru. A NI 43-101 Technical Report on the property was filed in February 2021 (available on SEDAR and the Company’s web page). The Company is currently drilling at Berenguela and planning to advance the project through a pre-feasibility study.
- Challacollo Silver-Gold project. The Company recently completed the acquisition of a 100% interest in the Challacollo silver-gold project from Mandalay Resources; see Company news release dated August 11, 2022. A NI 43-101 mineral resource was released on December 15, 2020 (available on SEDAR and the Company’s web page). The Company is currently permitting road access in anticipation of an upcoming drill program.
- Cachinal Silver-Gold project. The Company owns a 100% interest in the Cachinal Ag-Au project, located 2.5 hours south of Antofagasta. On February 15, 2023, Aftermath announced it had signed a Share Purchase Agreement an agreement to sell Cachinal to Honey Badger Silver Inc. On September 16, 2020, the Company released a CIM compliant Mineral Resource and accompanying NI 43-101 Technical Report (available on SEDAR and on the Company's web page).
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
“Ralph Rushton”
Ralph Rushton
CEO and Director
604-484-7855
The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
Certain of the statements and information in this news release constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian provincial securities laws. Any statements or information that express or involve discussions with respect to interpretation of exploration programs and drill results, predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as “expects”, “is expected”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “plans”, “projects”, “estimates”, “assumes”, “intends”, “strategies”, “targets”, “goals”, “forecasts”, “objectives”, “budgets”, “schedules”, “potential” or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements or information.
These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward‐looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward‐looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward‐looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward‐looking statements include, but are not limited to, changes in commodities prices; changes in expected mineral production performance; unexpected increases in capital costs; exploitation and exploration results; continued availability of capital and financing; differing results and recommendations in the Feasibility Study; and general economic, market or business conditions. In addition, forward‐looking statements are subject to various risks, including but not limited to operational risk; political risk; currency risk; capital cost inflation risk; that data is incomplete or inaccurate. The reader is referred to the Company’s filings with the Canadian securities regulators for disclosure regarding these and other risk factors, accessible through Aftermath Silver’s profile at www.sedar.com.
There is no certainty that any forward‐looking statement will come to pass and investors should not place undue reliance upon forward‐looking statements. The Company does not undertake to provide updates to any of the forward‐looking statements in this release, except as required by law.
Cautionary Note to US Investors - Mineral Resources
This News Release has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of Canadian National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (''NI 43-101'') and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum Definition Standards, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators that establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. Canadian public disclosure standards, including NI 43-101, differ significantly from the requirements of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), and information concerning mineralization, deposits, mineral reserve and resource information contained or referred to herein may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies.