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Mexico
Cusi Mine (Cusi Mine Expansion Project)

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 Location:
86 km SW from Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico

  Regional Office:
Blas Cano de los Ríos No. 500
Chihuahua
Chihuahua, Mexico
31203
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  • Overview
  • Owners
  • Geology
  • Mining
  • Processing
  • Production
  • Reserves
  • Costs & Financials
  • Fleet
  • Personnel
  • Filings & News

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Overview

StageProduction
Mine TypeUnderground
Commodities
  • Silver
  • Lead
  • Zinc
  • Gold
  • Copper
Mining Method
  • Bench & Fill
  • Sub-level Retreat
  • Room-and-pillar
Processing
  • Flotation
  • Leaching plant / circuit
  • Cyanide (reagent)
Mine Life16 years (as of Jan 1, 2020)
Gold and silver were first discovered and exploited in the Cusi area within the San Miguel and La Candelaria zones by a Spaniard, Antonio Rodríguez, in 1687.
Latest NewsSierra Metals Announces Filing of NI 43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment Technical Report for a Doubling of Output at Its Cusi Mine in Mexico...     January 6, 2021


Owners

Source: p. 5
CompanyInterestOwnership
Sierra Metals Inc. 100 % Indirect

Deposit Type

  • Epithermal
  • Vein / narrow vein


Summary:

The Cusi Project area lies within a possible caldera that contains a prominent rhyolite body interpreted as a resurgent dome. The rhyolite dome hosts mineralization and trends northwest-southeast with an exposure of roughly 7 by 3 km. It is bounded (cut) on the east side by strands of the NW-trending Cusi fault and on the west by the Border fault. The Cusi fault has both normal and right-lateral slip senses. Strands of the Cusi fault are intersected by NE-trending faults, some of which indicate left-lateral strike-slip shear. NE trending veins associated with these faults dip steeply either NW or SE. High-grade and wide alteration and mineralization zones exist in the areas of intersection of NW and NE structures.

The Cusi fault is a regional fault that may have controlled the location of the caldera and resurgent dome. Continued movement on the Cusi and related faults cut and brecciated the caldera and dome rocks and provided conduits for mineralizing fluids.

Numerous mineralized veins on the property, typically moderately to steeply dipping to the southeast, southwest, and north, range from less than 0.5 m to 2 m thick, extend 100 m to 200 m along strike and up to 400 m down-dip. There are at least six major mineralized veins within the Cusi area, described below. Small open pits were typically developed at vein intersections. Mineralization mainly occurs in faults, epithermal veins, breccias, and fractures ranging from 1 to 10 meters thick.

Two of the mineral resource areas, Promontorio and Santa Eduwiges, are modeled as structurally complex zones at the intersection of NW and NE trending structures that display discrete vein mineralization as well as a disseminated-style to highly fractured/stockworked mineralization surrounding discrete veins. The remaining two resource areas, San Juan and La India, are modeled as simple, typical epithermal vein deposits with one or a few easily identified, discrete veins.

The La India and San Juan resource areas are more traditional epithermal vein structures. These areas were modeled as discrete veins based on high grade intervals and surface structural mapping.


Mining Methods

  • Bench & Fill
  • Sub-level Retreat
  • Room-and-pillar


Summary:

Current production at Cusi comes from the Promontorio and Santa Rosa de Lima mineralized zones.

Each mine area is accessed from a spiral ramp (4 meters square), as well as a single shaft in each area. Minimal development is needed to exploit mineralized zones, and contract miners are developing ramps at both mines to exploit ores at depth.

Mineralized material is currently hauled to the surface using one of several adits or declines accessing the mineralized zones, and is then dumped onto small pads outside of the portals.

The mining sequence through this method is of a descending type, that is, the upper levels are mined, while in the lower ones the necessary preparations are made to start mining once the mineralized material has been extracted from the upper stopes. Within a sublevel, mining is carried out in retreat, starting at the ends of the stope and retreating towards the entrance.

Bench and Fill
In veins less than 3 m wide, sublevels are vertically spaced 16 m, and the access drift is 4 m x 4 m. Blastholes are vertically drilled 8.5 m thus leaving a sill pillar of 3.5 m under the overlying stope.

In veins wider than 3 m but less than 5, sublevels are vertically spaced 16 m, and the access drift is 4 m x 4 m. Blastholes are vertically drilled 8.5 m thus leaving a sill pillar of 3.5 m under the overlying stope.

Room and Pillars
Where veins are wider than 5 m, levels are spaced every 16 m and mining is carried out using the room and pillar mining method. Pillars are 7 m x 7 m and square rooms span 7 m x 7 m.

Stopes have access drifts of 4 m x 4 m. Fanned blastholes are drilled to develop the room with a maximum vertical height excavated to 12.5 m (as measured from floor) thus leaving a 3.5 m sill pillar under the overlying stope.


Crushing and Grinding
Crusher / Mill TypeModelSizePowerQuantity
Jaw crusher ....................... Subscription required 1
Cone crusher ....................... Subscription required 2
Ball mill 8' x 7' 250 HP 1
Ball mill 8' x 14' 600 HP 1
Ball mill 7' x 10' 250 HP 1

Summary:

The concentrator's processing facilities include a crushing circuit consisting of a 50 t bulk hopper, a Metso TK9-32-22V vibratory feeder, a C96 Metso jaw crusher, an HP300 secondary cone crusher, a tertiary cone crusher HP300, a 6’x 20’ Trio double-bed primary vibrating screen, a 6’x20’ Trio double-bed secondary vibrating screen and a 5’x14’ double-bed secondary vibrating screen. The material is crushed to 90% passing -5/16" and is then deposited into three fine hoppers with an aggregate storage capacity of 1000 t.

The grinding circuit consists of a 7’x 10’ ball mill with a 250 HP motor, an 8’x 7’ ball mill with a 250HP motor and an 8’x14’ ball mill with a 600HP motor, and the classification system consists of D20 hydrocyclones.


Processing

  • Flotation
  • Leaching plant / circuit
  • Cyanide (reagent)

Flow Sheet: Subscription required

Summary:

The Cusi processing facilities include two interconnected process plants, which are the Mal Paso mill purchased from Rio Tinto, and the El Triunfo (Triungo) mill. Both mills are conventional ball mill and flotation plants fed from a single crushing circuit. The flotation circuit has the ability to produce lead concentrate and zinc concentrate, although the Pb circuit represents a comparably higher percentage of concentrate production.

El Triunfo includes a cyanide leach plant that has been used to process legacy tailings and, at times, fresh tails from Mal Paso. The leach plant was idled in mid2012 with no indication that it is scheduled to restart.

Cusi’s Mal Paso processing facility consists of a conventional concentration plant including crushing, grinding, flotation, dewatering of final concentrate, and a tailings disposal facility.

The Triungo circuit, which has a capacity of 400 tpd, produces a copper concentrate and a zinc concentrate. The Mal ........

Recoveries & Grades:

CommodityParameter2019201820172016201520142013
Silver Recovery Rate, %  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Silver Head Grade, g/t 129.05140.17164.93171.78175.88166.69166.65
Lead Recovery Rate, %  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Lead Head Grade, % 0.190.361.121.210.780.780.55
Gold Recovery Rate, %  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Gold Head Grade, g/t 0.150.160.260.260.220.42
Zinc Recovery Rate, %  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Zinc Head Grade, % 0.41.131.16
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Production:

CommodityProductUnits2019201820172016201520142013
Silver Metal in concentrate koz  ......  Subscription required700337740873630423
Lead Metal in concentrate k lbs  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Gold Metal in concentrate oz  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Silver Equivalent Payable metal koz  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Silver Equivalent Metal in concentrate koz  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Copper Equivalent Payable metal k lbs  ......  Subscription required
Zinc Metal in concentrate k lbs  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Operational Metrics:

Metrics201920182017201620152014
Tonnes processed  ......  Subscription required186,889 t88,011 t186,898 t202,033 t155,269 t
Daily processing capacity  ......  Subscription required938 t650 t600 t600 t
Daily processing rate  ......  Subscription required534 t251 t534 t577 t444 t
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Reserves at August 31, 2017:

CategoryTonnage CommodityGradeContained Metal
Measured 362 kt Silver 225 g/t 2.6 M oz
Measured 362 kt Lead 0.55 % 4.4 M lbs
Measured 362 kt Zinc 0.68 % 5.4 M lbs
Measured 362 kt Gold 0.13 g/t 1.5 koz
Measured 362 kt Silver Equivalent 268 g/t 3.1 M oz
Indicated 1,990 kt Silver 237.1 g/t 15.2 M oz
Indicated 1,990 kt Lead 0.53 % 23.3 M lbs
Indicated 1,990 kt Zinc 0.53 % 23.3 M lbs
Indicated 1,990 kt Gold 0.16 g/t 10.1 koz
Indicated 1,990 kt Silver Equivalent 283 g/t 18.1 M oz
Indicated 4,195 kt Silver 217 g/t 29.2 M oz
Indicated 4,195 kt Lead 0.64 % 59 M lbs
Indicated 4,195 kt Zinc 0.66 % 60.8 M lbs
Indicated 4,195 kt Gold 0.21 g/t 28.7 koz
Indicated 4,195 kt Silver Equivalent 267 g/t 36 M oz
Measured & Indicated 4,557 kt Silver 217.6 g/t 31.8 M oz
Measured & Indicated 4,557 kt Lead 0.63 % 63.4 M lbs
Measured & Indicated 4,557 kt Zinc 0.66 % 66.2 M lbs
Measured & Indicated 4,557 kt Gold 0.2 g/t 30.2 koz
Measured & Indicated 4,557 kt Silver Equivalent 267.1 g/t 39.1 M oz
Inferred 1,200 kt Silver 305.3 g/t 11.8 M oz
Inferred 1,200 kt Lead 0.51 % 13.5 M lbs
Inferred 1,200 kt Zinc 0.64 % 17.1 M lbs
Inferred 1,200 kt Gold 0.14 g/t 5.6 koz
Inferred 1,200 kt Silver Equivalent 354 g/t 13.7 M oz
Inferred 1,633 kt Silver 158 g/t 8.3 M oz
Inferred 1,633 kt Lead 0.54 % 19.6 M lbs
Inferred 1,633 kt Zinc 0.84 % 30.4 M lbs
Inferred 1,633 kt Gold 0.16 g/t 8.3 koz
Inferred 1,633 kt Silver Equivalent 207 g/t 10.87 M oz

Commodity Production Costs:

CommodityUnits201920182017201620152014
Cash costs (sold) Zinc Equivalent USD  ......  Subscription required 1.33 / lb
Cash costs (sold) Copper Equivalent USD  ......  Subscription required
Cash costs (sold) Silver Equivalent USD  ......  Subscription required 15.7 / oz 15.4 / oz 10.3 / oz 9.03 / oz 8.04 / oz
All-in sustaining costs (sold) Zinc Equivalent USD  ......  Subscription required 1.87 / oz
All-in sustaining costs (sold) Copper Equivalent USD  ......  Subscription required
All-in sustaining costs (sold) Silver Equivalent USD  ......  Subscription required 22.1 / oz 33.9 / oz 20.4 / oz 26.8 / oz 31.2 / oz
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Operating Costs:

Units201920182017201620152014
Total operating costs ($/t milled) USD 63.664.38748.838.937.5

Financials:

Units201920182017201620152014
Capital expenditures M USD  ......  Subscription required10  17.3   5.6   16.5   16.7  
Sustaining costs M USD  ......  Subscription required2.13  5.32   4.4   12.9   13.4  
Revenue M USD  ......  Subscription required11.3  6.02   12.6   12.1   11.9  
Gross profit M USD  ......  Subscription required1.54  -2.51   5.33   3.21  
After-tax Income M USD  ......  Subscription required-1.23  
EBITDA M USD  ......  Subscription required2.79  -1.4   6.44   5.45  
Subscription required - Subscription is required


Heavy Mobile Equipment as of August 31, 2020:
HME TypeModelSizeQuantity
Bolter 1
Jumbo ....................... Subscription required 2
Jumbo ....................... Subscription required 2
Loader (FEL) 1
Loader (mini) 1
Scoop Tram ....................... Subscription required 6 cu. yd 2
Scoop Tram ....................... Subscription required 3.5 cu. yd 1
Scoop Tram ....................... Subscription required 6 cu. yd 1
Truck (service) 1
Truck (underground) ....................... Subscription required 10 t 11
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Mine Management:

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 20, 2021
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Staff:

EmployeesContractorsTotal WorkforceYear
Subscription required 2020
Subscription required Subscription required Subscription required 2019
Subscription required 2017
Subscription required 2016
Subscription required 2014

Corporate Filings & Presentations:

DocumentYear
................................... Subscription required 2021
................................... Subscription required 2021
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2019
Corporate Presentation 2018
Press Release 2018
Press Release 2018
Technical Report 2018
Corporate Presentation 2017
Management Discussion & Analysis 2017
Technical Report 2017
Annual Information Form 2016
Corporate Presentation 2016
Management Discussion & Analysis 2016
Annual Information Form 2015
Management Discussion & Analysis 2015
Management Discussion & Analysis 2014
Technical Report 2014
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

News:

NewsDate
Sierra Metals Announces Filing of NI 43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment Technical Report for a Doubling of Output at Its Cusi Mine in Mexico... January 6, 2021
Sierra Metals Announces Filing of NI 43-101 Technical Report for Significantly Increased Mineral Resource Estimate for Cusi Silver Mine, Mexico December 22, 2020
Sierra Metals Announces Positive Preliminary Economic Assessment Results for a Doubling of Output at Its Cusi Mine in Mexico to 2,400 Tonnes Per Day... December 10, 2020
Sierra Metals Significantly Increases Mineral Resource Estimate for Cusi Silver Mine, Mexico November 18, 2020
Sierra Metals Announces Restart of Production at Its Cusi Silver Mine, Mexico July 28, 2020
Sierra Metals Confirms New High-Grade Silver Zone at Its Cusi Mine, Mexico, Including 17 Meters True-Width of 428 Grams Per Ton Silver... June 18, 2020
Sierra Metals Announces Extensions of Shutdowns at Its Peruvian and Mexican Operations in Compliance With Their Government Extended Suspensions of All Non-Essential Activities to Contain the Advancement of COVID-19 April 27, 2020
Sierra Metals Announces PEA results for a 315% Output Expansion at its Cusi Mine in Mexico Yielding 75% IRR June 18, 2018

Aerial view:

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