The Ontario-headquartered company has included Hochschild in its Preferred Partner Program and will now start a conceptual evaluation to determine if the use of its Sustainable Mining by Drilling method, or SMD, is economically viable for certain narrow vein deposits at Inmaculada.

"Hochschild [is] an innovative group willing to contemplate cutting edge solutions to mine mineral deposits in a safer and more sustainable manner. We appreciate their support during the development phase of our technology ..." said president and chief executive  Dustin Angelo.

Hochschild chief executive Ramon Barua added: "The Novamera team is introducing a technology that fits our values and we can see the potential of its expected capabilities. The economic evaluation will give us important preliminary insights into how we can integrate SMD into our core asset, Inmaculada."

SMD is an integrated system using directional drilling equipment and imaging technology that can help define the geometry of mineral deposits followed by a precise excavation technique that is sustainable, safe and economic.

It combines directional drilling equipment and ground penetrating radar technology with innovative improvements to reduce environmental impact.