Avino Silver & Gold Mines: Working to Re-Open the Historic Avino Mine
Post by Melissa Pistilli, Silver Reporter

OverviewAvino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. is a Vancouver based mining\exploration company focused on precious and base metals in Mexico and Canada. Avino is currently working to re-activate the Avino mine, an important historical producer of silver, gold, copper, lead, and zinc located in the Durango State of North Central Mexico. Current work is focused on four key goals: Chief PropertiesThe Avino Mine
Avino Silver & Gold Mines’ primary asset is the historic Avino Mine located in the Durango province of North Central Mexico. The area was first mined in the 1500’s when Spanish Conquistadors dubbed it the mountain of silver. Small scale mining continued on the property intermittently until the late 19th century when The British began large scale development of the project. Mining continued by the British up until the Mexican revolution of 1912 when foreign companies were forced to flee the country. In 1968 Avino became one of the first Canadian based junior resource exploration companies to form a joint venture partnership with Mexican nationals after the Revolution. Back then by Mexican law foreigners could only own 49% of a property partnership. (Avino has since increased it’s ownership to 89.5%). The mine operated continuously for 27 years between 1972 and 2001 producing 16 million ounces silver, 96 thousand ounces gold and 24 million pounds of copper. When low metals prices and the closure of a key smelter forced the Avino mine to close in 2001, considerable metal along with infrastructure, fresh water and a pool of supportive local labor remained. With commodity prices significantly improved, Avino has undertaken an extensive program to expand known resources and investigate underexplored areas across its 1347 hectare property with the intent of resuming production. To identify targets Avino has conducted IP Geophysical surveys, soil sampling as well molecular resonance coupling. Between 2006 and 2007 Avino drilled 82 holes totaling over 18 thousand meters. Drilling continues in 2008 with an exploration crew working on the property full time. The areas explored most extensively are the Elena Tolosa (ET zone) and the San Gonzalo (SG zone). The ET zone was the system mined throughout Avino’s 27 year production history; drilling at depth in 2007 produced very promising results. Following the old adage that the best place to look for a new mine is below or beside an old mine, The San Gonzalo zone also exits beneath the workings of a historical producer. Highlights from both zones as well as Avino’s tailings resource follows:
1. San Gonzalo zone
2. Elena Tolosa zone
3. Tailings Resource- (NI 43-101) 12 million ounces silver, 60,000 ounces of gold remain in the tailings pond from open pit operations prior to 1993 (Based on a study completed by Wardrop Engineering in 2006) British Columbia Properties (Located in the Historic Bridge River Valley in South Western BC)
Avino drilled four diamond core holes in 2006 to explore down dip extensions of gold bearing structures originally discovered trenching on the Minto North Zone in 1985. Drilling was highlighted by an 0.25m intersection in hole #MO-06-01 that graded 45.4 g/t Au. Yukon Territories (Eagle Property)
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