TSX: AYA.TO
Gold: US $
Silver: US $
Zinc: US $
Copper: US $
About Us Portfolio Investors In the news
Contact

Amizmiz (Au)

About Amizmiz

Maya holds both exploration and exploitation licences for this property, which is located near our Azegour mine. Since 2009, our exploration program has confirmed the property has polymetallic gold-bearing veins in multiple zones.

Profile

The mineralization consists of polymetallic (copper, zinc, lead), oxidized,  gold-bearing veins, up to a metre in thickness and a decameter in length, in close proximity to mafic sills and interbedded in Lower Cambrian limestone (marble) (Figure 3).

Most gold-bearing veins occur along a NNW-trending corridor that can be traced from our Azegour mine. Gold is found as inclusions in altered iron oxide, carbonate, quartz, arsenopyrite or in muscovite. Their unoxidized counterparts contain pyrite, pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite and malachite with rare galena and chalcopyrite.

From 2009 to 2011, Maya carried out geological mapping, trenching and channel sampling resulting in the identification of 57 mineralized sites. Nearly 6,000 metres of drillcore on specific mineralized targets followed ground-based induced polarization (IP) and magnetic geophysical surveys.

A total Inferred Mineral Resource of 819,769 t grading 12.98 g/t was calculated with the chemical data base provided by the Az and TRN zones.

*The  cut-off grade was set at 1.74 g/t Au for a thickness of 1.55 m (dilution= 0 g/t Au). It must also be stated that the above Inferred Mineral Resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability.

Location

The Amizmiz property is in the Occidental Range of the High Atlas mountains in the province of Marrakech. It is situated 54 kilometres NNE from the town of Marrakech and 7.2 kilometres WSW of the town of Amizmiz, and 12 kilometres directly north of our Azegour mine.

Access

From Marrakech, a paved highway leads to Amizmiz from which a narrow paved road (P202) branches northwestward and leads eight kilometres to the village of Tizguine. A well-maintained road can be taken for 3.5 kilometres to reach the showings in the TRN zone of the property. The general area of the AZ zone is accessible via a series of back roads going south from the P202 road (Figure 2).

Surface area

From Marrakech, a paved highway leads to Amizmiz from which a narrow paved road (P202) branches northwestward and leads eight kilometres to the village of Tizguine. A well maintained road can be taken for 3.5 kilometres to reach the showings in the TRN zone of the property. The general area of the AZ zone is accessible via a series of back roads going south from the P202 road (Figure 2).

Production

The mineralization consists of polymetallic (copper, zinc, lead), oxidized, gold-bearing veins, up to a metre in thickness and a decameter in length, in close proximity to mafic sills and interbedded in Lower Cambrian limestone (marble) (Figure 3).

Most gold-bearing veins occur along a NNW-trending corridor that can be traced from our Azegour mine. Gold is found as inclusions in altered iron oxide, carbonate, quartz, arsenopyrite or in muscovite. Their unoxidized counterparts contain pyrite, pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite and malachite with rare galena and chalcopyrite.

From 2009 to 2011, Maya carried out geological mapping, trenching and channel sampling resulting in the identification of 57 mineralized sites. Nearly 6,000 metres of drillcore on specific mineralized targets followed ground-based induced polarization (IP) and magnetic geophysical surveys.

A total Inferred Mineral Resource of 819,769 t grading 12.98 g/t was calculated with the chemical data base provided by the Az and TRN zones.

*The cut-off grade was set at 1.74 g/t Au for a thickness of 1.55 m (dilution= 0 g/t Au). It must also be stated that the above Inferred Mineral Resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability.

Geological and Structural Framework

The property straddles the Quaternary Haouz Plain and the Sub-Atlasic Zone which are separated by the Amizmiz Fault. Exposed rocks are principally of Lower to Upper Cambrian age and comprise a series of schist (schist, schistose and calcareous schist), marbleized limestone, overlying a volcanic assemblage of felsic pyroclastic rock, andesite and basalt. The Hercyninan Azegour pluton intruded the volcanosedimentary sequence. A thick Cretaceous continental and marine sedimentary sequence unconformably overlie part of the Azegour pluton and the Cambrian lithologies. The intense folding which affects the Cambrian rocks of the Amizmiz-Azegour area was attributed primarily to the Hercynian Orogeny. The deformation is characterized by strong schistosities, tight folding, overthrusting and nappes.

Mineralization

The mineralization consists of polymetallic (copper, zinc, lead, silver), oxidized, gold-bearing veins injected in Lower Cambrian marble and located in close proximity to interbedded mafic sills. Most gold-bearing veins occur along a NNW-trending corridor of regional extent that can be traced from the Azegour Mine up to the TR-AZ structures. The veins appear as layers of red brown argillite, are oriented parallel to the S2 schistosity and display near vertical dips (> 80°) (Figures 3 and 4). The veins are formed by carbonate, quartz, muscovite, hematite, goethite and arsenates. X-ray (EDX) and scanning electron microscopy analyses indicated the presence of several gold grains (up to 50 μm), with 85% contained in electrum. Gold is also found as inclusions in altered iron oxide, carbonate, quartz, arsenopyrite or in muscovite. The unoxidized counterpart of the gold-bearing argillite veins contains pyrite, pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite and malachite with rare galena and chalcopyrite.

Deposit Type

Several characteristics of the Amizmiz polymetallic Au veins suggest a carbonate replacement origin in a distal environment relative to a parent intrusive.

  • The relatively discrete alteration of the wall rock carbonate rock which is manifested  by sporadic silicification and sericitization
  • The strong oxidation of sulfide minerals in the mineralized veins attesting of the high level of  emplacement and the availability of meteoric waters
  • The relative enrichment in gold and arsenic relative to silver, copper, zinc, and lead. (Figure 6).

The degree of rock schistosity, fracturation, porosity or impermeability has played an important role in the apparent stratigraphic control of the mineralization. In particular, the strong penetrative S2 vertical schistosity has acted as a favorable conduit for the emplacement of mafic sills, porphyritic dykes and mineralized veins.

Exploration

From 2009 to 2011, Maya’s exploration on the Amizmiz property consisted of mapping, trenching, channel sampling, drilling on specific mineralized zones and a ground-based geophysical survey along a newly established grid.

Maya has performed detailed geological and structural mapping of the property since its acquisition. Particular attention was devoted to detailed mapping of the mineralized zones consisting of polymetallic Au-bearing oxidized veins (Figure 3). The exploration team carried out extensive channel sampling on at least 57 of these zones. The principal mineralized vein systems, AZ and TRN, provided for the best gold values as seen below:

 

Zone Aug (g/T) Width (m) Length (m) No. of samples
AzS1 11.90 1.78 16.00 8
AzN 12.30 0.54 16.00 11
TRNA 26.16 0.98 34.00 17
TRNC 9.46 1.68 19.55 10

Magnetic and IP/Resistivity surveys were conducted in 2009 on 42.8 linear kilometres of gridlines established in the northern segment of the Amizmiz permits. The Reduced to Pole (RTP) contour map highlights elliptical shaped, NS to NE-SW-oriented anomalies reflecting the presence of thin veins or basic dykes. Chargeability anomalies are related to the Az and TR Au-mineralized zones and are largely controlled by the presence of sulphide minerals.

Drilling at the Amizmiz property was conducted on four main sites (TR, Tiqlit, Az, T Hill) (Figure 5). Twenty-nine (29) DDH totaling 5,900 metres yielded significant gold intersections which are summarized below:

 

DDH # From (m) To (m) Width (m) True Width(m) Au (g/t)
Tiqlit Zone
A3 92.00 100.00 8.00 8.00 7.05
(Incl.) 92.00 112.00 20.00 20.00 3.02
A11 180.00 181.00 1.00 1.00 1,27
AZ Zone
SCAZ-1 10.70 12.00 1.30 1.30 8.70
A-5 109.00 110.00 1.00 1.00 1.07
118.00 119.00 1.00 1.00 1.56
TR Zone
SCTR-1 25.47 26.97 1.50 1.50 25.16
25.87 26.67 0.80 0.80 45.92
SCTR-5 69.94 73.31 3.37 3.37 0.59
SCTR-6 28.10 29.70 1.60 1.60 21.99
T Hill
SCCT-2 137.40 138.40 1.00 1.00 1.20
132.40 133.40 1.00 1.00 1.26

Amizmiz mine December 2010

Technical report

History

2009 – 2011

Maya acquired property and performed exploration work including mapping, trenching, channel sampling and drilling.

2008

Accord withdrew from the Amizmiz project.

2007

Accord and SEGM agreed to a joint venture. Ground magnetic and IP survey were then conducted by SAGAX Maghreb over the Amizmiz structure. The detailed mapping campaign revealed new mineralized zones.

2006

SEGM excavated several trenches on the T, AzS and Az10 zones.

2005

SEGM excavated and sampled six adits in the Amizmiz structure.

2004

Reminex completed the due diligence on the Amizmiz project on behalf of SEGM and the Compagnie Minière de Guemassa (ONA Group).The work consisted of geological mapping, rock sampling, geochemistry and stream sediment geochemical surveys.

2001 – 2002

SEGM and SOFREMAR sunk 18 diamond drill holes on several sites of the Amizmiz structure. The drilling campaign was accompanied by a more aggressive exploration program that consisted of mapping, prospecting, geochemical survey and some trenching.

1999

Discovery of an gold-silver-bearing gossan by a shepherd at the base of a marbleized limestone cliff prompted Mr. El Mourabit to incorporate the SEGM company to investigate the region.