Tocvan Ventures commenced trenching and sampling operations for Pilot Mine feed at its Gran Pilar Project in Sonora. The company considers its technical features and its social licence poise it for growth in 2026.
According to Tocvan Ventures, site preparation for the 50,000t Pilot Mine facility is currently underway. Activities include clearing and leveling ground for the heap leach pad and containment ponds. Heavy machinery cuts are being executed across key target areas to facilitate channel sampling and to establish access roads and leveling for processing equipment.
The company also reported receiving approval from the local community council for the development, a necessary step under Mexican regulations for maintaining social license and operational permits. “We are thrilled to have solidified this partnership with our neighboring communities, which reflects our dedication to building lasting relationships based on trust and shared value. This engagement not only strengthens our social license to operate but also positions us for efficient progress toward near-term production at Gran Pilar,” said Brodie Sutherland, CEO, Tocvan Ventures, adding that with permits secured and infrastructure work proceeding, the project is building momentum into 2026.
The Pilot Mine facility is designed to process 50,000t of material. Metallurgical studies reported by the company indicate a 62% gold recovery rate from a bulk sample processed over a 46-day leaching period, with a calculated head grade of 1.9g/t gold. Additional agitation leach testing yielded gold recoveries ranging from 95% to 99%.
Exploration and Drilling Updates
Concurrent with the development of the Pilot Mine in the South Block, exploration continues in the North Block. Maiden drilling in this sector is ongoing, with the first results expected in the early part of the New Year. Recent surface sampling in the North Block has identified mineralization in previously untested areas, including a 2m chip sample returning 5.6g/t gold and 106g/t silver.
The company reports that the South Block Main Zone expansion is following up on 2025 drill results, which included an intercept of 19.4g/t gold over 3.1m. Historic data and recent soil sampling in the Placer Corridor have also yielded samples up to 21.2g/t gold.