The latest intercept from the 7500m maiden drilling program, completed northwest of the revised resource envelope, delivered 88.4m at 79.6gpt AgEq from 212m, including a peak of 1.5m at 521.5gpt.

Antimony was also detected up to 0.02%.

A second hole drilled about 100m to the west appears to have intersected high-grade mineralisation, based on pXRF readings.

Executive director Gerard O’Donovan said the theory that the thick, high-grade mineralisation extended to the northwest had been proven.

Prior limited drilling in the area intersected grades up to 6216gpt silver. 

Assays are being used to calibrate the pXRF readings, with results so far suggesting silver is being underreported by the tool, but antimony appears to read accurately, which is good news considering recent scans of historical core returning readings up to 1.3% in holes drilled 1.3km apart.

The strategic mineral has been noted in all holes tested to date. Scanning continues of historical core given increased interest in the critical mineral since China’s recent export ban.

O’Donovan said the results so far suggested “strong momentum for the remainder of our extensional drilling program” and the likelihood of further resource upgrades.

Maverick remains open along strike and at depth.

August’s 45% upgrade to the 292Moz at 72.4gpt AuEq resource was based on historical data and remodelling.

Sun Silver suggests Maverick Springs is already a globally significant asset, describing it as the largest pre-production primary silver asset on the ASX at a time of rising silver prices and falling production.

The company raised $13 million at 20c in May and has around half the cash left. 

It has started the application process for a US$60 million tax credit for a proposed silver paste plant with the US government to support solar panel production.