CONDESA PROSPECT
The Condesa Prospect is an old mine working in the Northeast Quadrant of the large property. It is located 360m southwest of the Cuchara Mine (The Cuchara Mine under option to IMPACT, is presently operating and shipping about 200 tonnes per day to the Zacualpan processing plant.)
IMPACT crews recently sampled and mapped the Condesa workings. Assays from seven chip samples along a 30m long portion of the vein averaged 363g/t silver and 0.03g/t gold across 0.8m (TW) ranging up to a high of 992g/t silver and 0.05g/t gold across 0.25m (TW). IMPACT personnel are now continuing to map and sample the continuation of this vein to the end of the mine workings and on surface.
SANTIAGO VEIN
The Santiago Vein is exposed in an old mine working in the Southeast Quadrant of the property. It is located about 1 km north of the optioned Compadres Mine. (High grade Silver Shoot #1 at Compadres is now being developed for mining. Earlier results from this Shoot reported a median value of 680g/t Ag and 0.3g/t Au over 0.90m to a high of 1,128g/t Ag and 0.2g/t Au over 1.9m (see IMPACT news release of October 22, 2004)).
IMPACT crews recently sampled and mapped the Santiago Vein in the old mine working. Assays from seven chip samples along a 40m long portion of the vein averaged 235g/t silver and 0.31g/t gold across 0.9m (TW) ranging up to a high of 1,320g/t silver and 0.99g/t gold across 0.3m (TW). A grab sample from a small mine dump returned 345g/t silver, 0.27g/t gold, 3.18% zinc and 0.67% lead. IMPACT crews are continuing to trace the Santiago and Compadres Veins on surface toward their projected intersection which is a structurally favourable site for mineralized shoots.
The discovery of veins with significant silver values in structures well away from the known zones of mining and development work has begun to demonstrate the upside exploration potential of the under explored parts of the Royal Mines of Zacualpan District. To date over 100 old silver prospects and historic mine workings have been catalogued by IMPACT geologists in the District. Most of the modern mine discoveries in the District were made by exploring beyond the limited extent of historic mine workings and IMPACT continues to use that as one of its exploration strategies in the District. IMPACT's ongoing Phase One work program is continuing to map and sample select numbers of these prospects and workings. This data will then be used to define priority targets for testing by a Phase Two drill program scheduled to begin in January. Mapping and sampling will continue during Phase Two in preparation for further drilling later in 2005. IMPACT's plans are to carry out extensive surface, underground and engineering studies in order to evaluate and make a purchase decision on the Zacualpan operations.
PRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT
Under terms of IMPACT's option agreements, the Mexican companies may continue mining and processing material from the properties until IMPACT exercises its purchase options for the operations, contracts and properties. Mining is presently continuing at the Cuchara and Alacran Mines with material being trucked to the central processing plant. Development in preparation for mining was recently begun on the Compadres Vein and the Negra Vein with plans to shift the bulk of production in 2005 to these higher grade zones (see attached map for locations). IMPACT geologists periodically visit and sample the active areas in these mines to keep directly informed of developments. Significant results from IMPACT's samples are reported as they are received and compiled.
ADDITIONAL STAKING
IMPACT is pleased to announce that it has staked an additional concession in the Zacualpan Silver District. This additional ground brings IMPACT's total land position to 125 square kilometers and gives the Company a dominant land position in the District. An updated concession map is attached to this news release and will be posted on the company's new website at www.IMPACTminerals.com .
Zacualpan is one of the oldest mining districts in North America with Spanish Colonial mining dating back to at least 1528. It is located 100km southwest of Mexico City and 25km northwest of the famous Taxco Silver Mine. Zacualpan is a classic Mexican epithermal silver district with an abundance of veins that have seen historic production. Statistics for the early centuries of production are sporadic but in modern times recorded production between 1975-2004 was about 17 million ounces of silver (26 million ounces silver equivalent with by-product gold, lead and zinc credits). Veins presently being mined on the property typically vary from 2 to 5 meters in width. Individual production shoots are often 50 to 150 meters long and predominantly steeply dipping.
Nigel Hulme, P.Geo., a Qualified Person under the meaning of Canadian National Instrument 43-101 directly supervised the field work and approved the technical information in this news release. Chip and channel samples were collected from cleaned rock faces in old mine workings and from bedrock outcrops over a continuous representative interval using a moil and hammer. A total of 5% assay standards and blanks were inserted into every sample shipment as a quality control measure. All samples were shipped to the ALS Chemex preparation laboratory in Guadalajara (Mexico) where they were fine crushed (70% passing a 2mm screen), pulverized (85% passing a 75 micron screen) and pulp split separated for assay by a riffle splitter. These pulps were shipped to the ALS Chemex laboratory in North Vancouver Canada where a 30 gram split of each was assayed for gold and silver by standard fire assay and a 10 gram split was analysed for an additional 30 elements by ICP spectrometry.
IMPACT Minerals International Inc. is a silver focused exploration and development company with projects in Mexico and the Dominican Republic. Interested parties are invited to view IMPACT's new website at www.IMPACTminerals.com where detailed information, maps and photos of the Royal Mines of Zacualpan are available. IMPACT is 39% owned by Energold Mining Ltd. (EGD:TSX.V)
On behalf of the Directors of IMPACT Minerals International Inc.
"Frederick W. Davidson"
President
For further information please contact:
Greg Werbowski, Investor Relations
Telephone: 604-516-9204
The TSX Venture Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved this news release.
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