Toronto-based Kuya Silver Corporation has published a maiden mineral resource estimate on the Bethania silver project, in Queensland, Australia.

This follows the completion of 5 000 m of shallow diamond drilling in 2021 and previously collected underground rock chip samples.

The estimate states indicated resources of 5.8-million ounces of silver equivalent, at an average grade of 451 g/t contained in 404 000 t; and inferred resources of 80-million ounces of silver equivalent, at an average grade of 356 g/t silver equivalent contained in 700 000 t.

Silver represents 74% of the gross metal value in the indicated resource and 70% of the gross metal value in the inferred resource.

About 63% of the indicated silver equivalent ounces are located above the main historical production adit level (4670 level).

The resource estimate also groups 18 veins into three main mineralisation structures, with the resource model extending to a maximum depth of 230 m from surface. However, all three structures seem to remain open along strike and depth.

Kuya CEO and president David Stein says the data collected to date will help guide the exploration strategy, as well as the design for the underground development of Bethania.

“This is a great start to our growing silver project. The quality of our understanding of the Bethania resource potential has increased considerably as we have now identified numerous other veins and their spatial relationship to one another.

“This understanding will be hugely important as we continue to explore these veins at depth and along strike towards the northeast."

COO Christian Aramayo adds that the amount of mineralised material estimated to be above the current mine workings is a pleasant surprise.

“While this initial mineral resource estimate confirmed our understanding of the mine geology, our drilling to date has been relatively shallow and we look forward to exploring the Bethania vein system at depth in the next campaign while ramping up development in preparation for planned future production."