Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
December 04, 2025
Aztec Minerals Expands Tombstone Drilling, Targets Historic Arizona Gold-Silver District
TLDR
- Aztec Minerals expands its Tombstone drilling program to 8,500 meters, potentially uncovering significant gold-silver deposits ahead of competitors in the historic Arizona district.
- Aztec Minerals has completed 34 RC drill holes and 5,960 meters of drilling, with 21 holes pending analysis at Bureau Veritas laboratory using FA430 and MA300 methods.
- Aztec Minerals' expanded exploration could lead to responsible resource development, supporting local economies and advancing sustainable mining practices in Southeastern Arizona.
- Aztec is drilling into the same Paleozoic formations that host the massive Hermosa-Taylor deposit, exploring beneath a district that produced 32 million ounces of silver historically.
Impact - Why it Matters
This news matters because it represents significant progress in exploring one of North America's most historically productive mining districts, with potential implications for mineral resource development and economic activity in Southeastern Arizona. The expanded drilling program and improved laboratory turnaround times suggest accelerated exploration that could lead to new discoveries in a region with proven mineralization. For investors, Aztec's systematic approach and expansion of operations indicate confidence in the project's potential, while the focus on both shallow oxide and deeper sulfide targets addresses multiple mineralization models. The Tombstone district's historical production of 32 million ounces of silver provides context for the scale of mineralization possible, and successful exploration could revitalize mining activity in the area, creating jobs and economic benefits. Additionally, the project's location near established infrastructure reduces development risks compared to more remote exploration targets.
Summary
Aztec Minerals Corp. (AZT: TSX-V, OTCQB: AZZTF) has announced significant progress and expansion of its drilling program at the Tombstone Property in Southeastern Arizona. The company reports completing 34 reverse circulation (RC) drill holes totaling 5,960 meters, with 21 holes awaiting geochemical analysis at the Bureau Veritas laboratory. The program has been expanded from 7,500 meters to at least 8,500 meters, extending operations into the first quarter of 2026, with expectations of improved analytical turnaround times due to recent laboratory staffing additions and equipment repairs. Core drilling has resumed, advancing to 465 meters total depth in drillhole TC25-03, targeting previously identified conductive bodies beneath the historic gold-silver district through NSAMT surveys.
The Tombstone project represents a major exploration opportunity in a historically rich mining district that produced an estimated 32 million ounces of silver and 250,000 ounces of gold between 1878 and 1939. Aztec holds an 85% interest in the joint venture covering most of the original patented mining claims and recently acquired properties. The current drilling focuses on testing shallow, bulk tonnage, potentially heap-leachable mesothermal gold-silver oxide mineralization adjacent to and below the previously mined Contention pit. Future drilling will target strike and dip extensions of shallow oxide mineralization and deeper sulfide zones, with the company viewing the district as highly prospective for discovering both mesothermal and carbonate replacement deposit (CRD) mineralization similar to the nearby Hermosa-Taylor deposit.
The project benefits from excellent infrastructure, road access, water, and power, covering 663 hectares across 106 claims in the historic Tombstone silver district located 100 kilometers southeast of Tucson. Aztec's exploration since 2017 has included geological mapping, geochemical sampling, and geophysical surveying to identify prospective areas for mineralization. The company maintains rigorous quality assurance-quality control protocols, with samples regularly shipped to the Bureau Veritas Minerals laboratory in Hermosillo, Mexico. For more information, investors can view the original release on www.newmediawire.com, which provides comprehensive details about this expanding exploration program in one of Arizona's most storied mining districts.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by NewMediaWire. Read the original source here, Aztec Minerals Expands Tombstone Drilling, Targets Historic Arizona Gold-Silver District
