Kootenay Silver’s Columba Project Delivers Stellar High-Grade Silver Drills: A Silver Bull’s Dream Come True
Kootenay Silver Inc. (TSXV: KTN) has released Q2 2025 drill results from its Columba High Grade Silver Project in Chihuahua, Mexico, revealing exceptional mineralization across multiple veins and a new target area. The results underscore the project’s potential to become a cornerstone of Mexico’s silver mining renaissance, with standout intervals of up to 1,455 grams per tonne (gpt) silver, 30.57% combined lead-zinc, and grades increasing significantly with depth.
Drill Highlights: High-Grade Silver and Base Metals
The current phase of drilling focused on the F Vein, I Vein, and La Preciosa structure, targeting gaps in geological models and testing depth extensions. Key results include:
- F Vein:
- Hole CDH-24-186 returned 522 gpt silver over 2.33 meters within a 21-meter interval averaging 126 gpt silver, while Hole CDH-24-194 hit 1,455 gpt silver over 0.5 meters.
The F Vein’s vertical extent now exceeds 350 meters, with potential to reach 700 meters based on intermediate sulfidation characteristics.
I Vein:
Hole CDH-24-188 intersected 551 gpt silver over 3.73 meters and 139 gpt silver over 4.2 meters at deeper levels, while Hole CDH-24-194 delivered 30.57% combined lead-zinc (3.92% lead and 5.83% zinc) in a high-grade intercept.
La Preciosa Structure:
- Grades increased with depth, rising to 75 gpt silver over 2 meters at ~180 meters, with trace elements like barium and antimony suggesting proximity to deeper, hotter mineralized zones.
Geological Context: A Pristine Epithermal System
The Columba Project is a high-grade epithermal vein system hosted in a volcanic caldera spanning 4 km by 3 km at surface. Key geological insights include:
- Vertical Mineralization: Veins remain open to depth, with untested potential exceeding 700 meters vertically.
- Grade Line: Silver grades surpass economic thresholds below 1,750 meters above sea level, with high-grade shoots preserved due to minimal erosion.
- Historical Mining: The F Vein was briefly mined in the early 1900s and 1950s–1960s, yielding ~100,000 tonnes of ore. Modern drilling has expanded exploration to depths untested historically.
Strategic Implications and Exploration Upside
- Resource Potential: The 50,000-meter drill program aims to deliver a maiden mineral resource estimate, with the current 20,000-meter phase nearing completion. Over 49,000 meters of drilling across 200+ holes since 2019 have already defined a robust framework for resource modeling.
- Structural Complexity: The discovery of “breccia negra” (hydrothermal breccia) in the I Vein and La Preciosa’s depth-related grade improvements highlight exploration upside in under-tested areas.
- Operational Security: A 24-year surface access agreement ensures continuity of exploration and potential development, a critical advantage in politically sensitive jurisdictions like Mexico.
The Investment Case: Silver’s Next Big Thing?
- Market Context: Silver prices have risen steadily, reaching $25.50/oz in Q2 2025, driven by industrial demand and inflation hedging. Columba’s high-grade intercepts align with investor demand for silver-dominant assets with exploration leverage.
- Valuation: With a market cap of ~$50 million (as of Q2 2025) and minimal debt, Kootenay is undervalued relative to its resource potential. A maiden resource estimate could catalyze a re-rating.
- Byproduct Value: Lead and zinc credits (evident in assays like 5.83% zinc) add incremental value to silver production, improving project economics.
Conclusion: A Silver Bull’s Dream
Kootenay Silver’s Columba Project is positioned to deliver a rare combination of high-grade silver, strategic exploration upside, and operational security. With drill results confirming continuity of high-grade zones, expanding depth potential, and a technical team aligned with modern QA/QC standards, Columba has all the hallmarks of a next-generation silver mine.
The company’s 50,000-meter drill program—already 40% complete—will be the key catalyst in 2025, with the maiden resource estimate likely to redefine Kootenay’s valuation. For investors seeking exposure to Mexico’s silver boom, Columba represents a compelling opportunity to own a project with kilograms-per-tonne silver grades at depth and a geological setting comparable to historic districts like Panuco.
In a sector hungry for high-grade discoveries, Kootenay Silver is fast becoming the poster child for Mexico’s silver revival. The drills are talking, and the message is clear: Columba is a silver bull’s dream come true.