Canada-listed Tinka Resources Limited (TSXZ: TX) has announced a maiden inferred tin resource at its Ayawilca zinc project  in Central Peru of 5.4 Mt at 0.76% Sn, or 41,000 tonnes of contained tin.

The Tin Zone also includes copper and silver mineralisation with the reported tin-copper-silver resource totalling 5.4 Mt at 0.89% Sn Eq. Both these estimates were calculated at a 0.45% Sn Eq. grade cut-off based on an underground mining scenario.

The Tin Zone is located below the zinc, indium, silver and lead mineralisation (“Zinc Zone”) and the two mineralisation styles remain entirely separate. The Zinc Zone has been the main focus of exploration prior due to its earlier discovery with an updated inferred mineral resource of 18.8 Mt at 8.2 % Zn Eq. announced alongside the maiden tin resource.

Dr. Graham Carman, Tinka’s President and CEO, stated: “We are very pleased to report a tin-copper-silver Mineral Resource estimate for the first time. The updated zinc and first tin resources remain open for expansion in most directions, and will be tested through an extensive drill programme later in 2016, subject to obtaining final approvals… Tinka is well placed to take advantage of a supply shortfall in base metals as the mining cycle continues and as Tinka continues to prove the potential of a significant zinc/tin deposit at Ayawilca.”