Heliostar Metals plans deeper Ana Paula drilling after 75m step‑out
Expansion Zone drilling targets growth beyond the preliminary mine plan; only part of the exploration results is expected to enter the feasibility study.
Mara Quinlan
Heliostar Metals Ltd. TSEHSTR OTCMKTSHSTXF FRARGG1 said on Monday it plans deeper drilling at Ana Paula in Mexico after a 75-metre step-out returned 18.85 metres grading 2.05 grams per tonne gold. About 10,000 metres of exploration drilling have tested the Expansion Zone beyond the preliminary mine plan, targeting potential additions to the gold resource.
Shares rose 2.48 per cent to C$2.48 at the Toronto close at 4:00 p.m. EDT on Monday TSEHSTR.
The completed program comprised 122 holes totalling 35,121 metres. About 25,000 metres targeted inferred mineralization within the preliminary mine plan for conversion into higher-confidence categories that could support reserve estimates in the feasibility study.
Only part of the recent exploration drilling is expected to enter the feasibility study. Heliostar says results left out could support a longer mine life.
Read more: Cambria Gold Mines drills 98.56 g/t gold over 8.2m at Silver Coin
"We remain confident that we can achieve our target for the Feasibility Study of an initial 10-year mine life averaging 100,000 ounces of annual production," chief executive Charles Funk said in Monday's release.
The 75-metre step-out was drilled in hole AP-26-412. Its results included 6.4 metres grading 5.19 grams per tonne gold from 565.3 metres.
Another intercept in the same hole returned 6.7 metres grading 3.07 grams per tonne gold from 639.0 metres. Heliostar interprets the zone as open beneath existing drilling and toward the south and west.
Heliostar interprets the mineralization as stemming from a deeper intrusion with an associated skarn. It plans to follow mineralization down-dip beneath the current drilling to test that target.
Hole AP-26-411 returned 8.0 metres grading 6.88 grams per tonne gold. That interval began at 469.0 metres, while reported lengths are drilled intervals with true widths unknown.
Hole AP-26-314A also returned 3.4 metres grading 10.64 grams per tonne gold. The intercept is about 45 metres from the nearest intersection at that elevation.
The shallower High Grade Panel supplied 52.4 metres grading 5.84 grams per tonne gold in hole AP-26-409. The interval started at 46.9 metres and included 12.6 metres grading 17.8 grams per tonne gold.
Another High Grade Panel interval returned 24.8 metres grading 5.14 grams per tonne gold from 43.0 metres.
The panel's resource conversion holes tested the breccia-hosted core, where Heliostar says the results confirm continuity of gold mineralization. Exploration continues, although site drilling has primarily shifted to infrastructure condemnation and geotechnical work in the second half of 2026.
Heliostar is a Canadian gold producer operating La Colorada and San Agustin in Mexico. Ana Paula is its wholly owned flagship development project in Guerrero state.
The company's project schedule targets an Ana Paula construction decision in the first half of 2027.
