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Mexico
La Platosa Mine

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 Location:
48 km N from Torreón, Durango, Mexico

  Address:
Km. 5 Carretera Bermejillo-Ceballos, Pueblo Bermejillo
Mapimí
Durango, Mexico
35230
Phone  ...  Subscription required
Fax01-872-776-0196
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  • Overview
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  • Geology
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  • Processing
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Overview

StageProduction
Mine TypeUnderground
Commodities
  • Silver
  • Lead
  • Zinc
Mining Method
  • Overhand Cut & Fill
  • Bench stoping
Processing
  • Flotation
Mine Life4 years (as of Jan 1, 2020)
Latest NewsExcellon Drills 1,422 g/t Silver Equivalent Over 8.9 Metres at Platosa     February 25, 2021


Owners & OPERATOR

Source: p. 19
CompanyInterestOwnership
Excellon Resources Inc. 100 % Indirect
Minera Excellon de Mexico S.A. de C.V. (operator) 100 % Direct
Ownership Tree
The Platosa mine is 100 percent-owned and operated by Minera Excellon de Mexico S.A. de C.V., a wholly owned subsidiary of Excellon Resources Inc. (Excellon), a Canadian company listed on the TSX (symbol EXN) with its corporate office in Toronto, Ontario.

Deposit Type

  • Skarn
  • Manto
  • Carbonate replacement


Summary:

The principal mineral deposits in the Platosa area are high-temperature epigenetic silver-lead-zinc carbonate-replacement deposits (CRD).

The Mexican CRD belt hosts deposits in excess of 80 million tonnes. The Platosa property, with its combination of CRD and skarn mineralization, shares similarities with many of these systems and other North American manto/CRD systems and demonstrates potential for the discovery of additional mineralized zones.

The bulk of mineralization currently defined on the Platosa project occurs as shallow to steeply dipping bodies of massive carbonate-replacement deposits (CRD). These bodies have been identified and categorized as discrete pods or mantos based on structural setting and concentration of sulphides. The main manto bodies currently defined at Platosa are listed below from west to east:
• Mantos 6A/6B
• Mantos 4A-C
• Manto 5
• Guadalupe
• Guadalupe South
• Pierna
• Rodilla
• Manto 623
• Manto 674
• NE-1
• NE-1 South.

The footprint of the Platosa manto system currently measures approximately 400 by 700 metres. Mantos at Platosa dip in accordance with the stratigraphy towards the east where a series of late extensional features down-drop the mineralization so that its depth ranges from 60 metres below surface on the west side of the mine to approximately 320 metres below surface at the NE-1 manto, on the east side of the mine.

The main lead-, zinc-, and silver-bearing minerals are:
• Galena (main lead-bearing mineral)
• Sphalerite (main zinc-bearing mineral)
• Acanthite and lesser proustite (main silver-bearing minerals). Acanthite is predominant;
proustite is visible where grades typically exceed the average grade of the mineralized body.

The most significant mantos at Platosa are the Rodilla, Pierna, Guadalupe South, Manto 674, and 623 mantos, which are currently mined; and the NE-1 and NE-1 south mantos, which are included in the mine plan and that are open for expansion. These mantos have been defined in drilling from surface with an average drill spacing of 15 to 20 metres. In 2016, Excellon commenced a program of infill and expansion drilling ahead of production. This drilling was conducted on 10-metre-spacing in production areas and has been successful in discovering and defining additional mineralization near existing mine infrastructure, most notably in the 623 and Guadalupe South areas.

Mineralization is also seen in the form of vein, breccia, and skarn systems in the following propertyscale exploration prospects:

• San Gilberto. Anomalous mineralization of 10 g/t silver has been intersected in drilling of north-south-oriented structures in 2006 (hole EX06STS01). Other structures, believed to be parallel to this one, have been exploited by small-scale miners at San Gilberto where the target appears to be a black siliceous vein. Prospecting results in this area by Excellon geologists have returned samples with elevated silver and base metal values.

• Jaboncillo. A trend of anomalous silver and base metal values measuring more than 1.0 kilometre was identified by company geologists in 2017. This trend is believed to indicate the presence of hotter mineralized fluids venting off a sulphide bearing fluid system that could be analogous to the mineralization at Platosa.

• Saltillera North and South. Skarn mineralization including epidote, pyrite, and chalcopyrite as well as silver values in excess of 600 g/t have been intersected in a hornfelsed unit (EX08ST78). These targets are also the site of historical small-scale silver and base metal mining.

• Halcon. Multiple structural intersections have been mapped here which are believed to be related to the emplacement of deeper intrusions into this sequence. Surface samples were anomalous in silver, lead, zinc, and arsenic.

• PDN. This geophysical target is defined by a large gravity anomaly coincident with resistivity anomalies. Structures and veins (calcite veining, silica veining and jasperoids) have been mapped on surface. Grab and surface samples have returned anomalous silver, lead and zinc and elevated arsenic values.

• Refugio. Located 1.4 kilometres southwest of the Platosa mine on the western flank of the Sierra de Bermejillo where several small-scale historical mine workings are present; this prospect consists of outcrops of irregular silica breccias and jasperoid. The silica breccias cut beds of the Cuesta del Cura Formation and do not appear to be controlled by any obvious structure. Several historical samples of silica material returned gold values up to 7.79 g/t. Lead, zinc, and silver values have been reported in both the jasperoids and silica breccia boulders.

• Rincon Del Caido. Skarn mineralization was intersected in drilling at a depth of approximately 500 metres, most notably in diamond drillholes EX12LP1019, EX12LP1023A, EX12LP1024, EXLP1025 and EX12LP1030. The mineralized zone consists of green garnet with dispersed pyrite and subsidiary sphalerite and galena; it measures approximately 120 by 140 metres and extends down plunge for approximately 80 metres; it may indicate a larger skarn system in the area and the potential for additional mineralization at depth.

• Zorra. A set of old artisanal workings mined for silver, lead, and zinc.

• Cañón Colorado. Excellon drilled holes into what is believed to be a rhyolite tuff that was enriched in rare earth elements. This area, located at the intersection of two regional faults, is believed to have potential to be a high-level portion of a mineralizing system.

• Cañón de la Güera. Prospecting and mapping led to initial drilling in this area. No significant mineralization has yet been intersected, although it is located in a structurally complex part of the northern PSZ.


Mining Methods

  • Overhand Cut & Fill
  • Bench stoping


Summary:

The primary mining method has historically been a modified room and pillar, with the top of the manto being accessed first. For steeply dipping mantos, the area is benched down to a maximum height of 20 metres at which point a sill pillar is established. This process is repeated below the sill pillar until the bottom of the manto is reached. Historically, sill pillars were seldom necessary considering the flat-lying nature of the mantos, although these will become necessary where the mineralized body dips more steeply.

In 2019, the Platosa Mine transitioned the mining method from cut and fill/drift and fill to an overhand cut and bench method (“OCB”) to improve the overall mining cycle efficiency.

Primary stope accessesfor the OCB method are driven into the deposit horizontally and subsequent bench cuts are conducted until the sill elevation isreached. A cemented rock fill mat is placed on the sill elevation and the remainder of the stope filled with dry rock fill. The sill pillar above is then long hole drilled and blasted on retreat and mucked with a remote scooptram. It is then filled remotely when the pillar extraction is complete. The sequence has a higher cycle efficiency requiring fewer man-hours to extract the stopes than the previous cut and fill method. Development waste from active headings as well as waste that has been stockpiled underground is used to backfill the stopes.

The completion of a dewatering project has allowed the Platosa Mine to increase mechanization. Jacklegs have been replaced with jumbos in certain production areas, improving safety and productivity.

Mineralized material is hauled to surface using one 20-tonne haul truck and three 16-tonne haul trucks. The mineralized material is placed at surface at either the low-grade or high-grade stockpile. A wheel loader transfersthe material from the stockpilesinto the crusher; the material isthen crushed to lessthan 200 millimetres. The crushed material is hauled in 40-tonne covered trucks to Miguel Auza Mill, 220 kilometres away.


Crushing and Grinding
Crusher / Mill TypeModelSizePowerQuantity
Jaw crusher 2
Cone crusher 1
Ball mill 3.0m x 3.2m 1

Summary:

The Platosa 2,000 tonne-per-day primary jaw crusher reduces the run-of-mine mineralized material to less than 9.5 millimetres. Once crushed, the material is shipped by truck to the Miguel Auza processing facility located 220 kilometres south of the mine. An additional 1,000 tonne-per-day jaw crusher is located at Miguel Auza and can be used if the Platosa crusher is unavailable. Material is screened at the conveyor that feeds the 600-tonne capacity fine material bin; the oversize fraction is processed in a secondary cone crusher.

From the 600-tonne bin, the crushed material is fed into a 650 tonne-per-day ball mill. The ball mill is 3.0 metres in diameter and 3.2 metres in length and reduces the material to 35 µm. The ball mill operates in a closed circuit and uses cyclones to separate the fine particles and transfer them to the lead circuit.


Processing

  • Flotation

Flow Sheet: Subscription required

Summary:

Crushed mineralized material from Platosa is shipped to the Miguel Auza processing facility, located 220 kilometres south of the mine. The Miguel Auza mineral processing facility operates two circuits: one for lead-silver and one for zinc-silver.

The Miguel Auza processing facility has been treating silver-, lead-, and zinc-rich CRD Platosa mineralization since 2009. The facility was initially designed and constructed to process material from the lower-grade Miguel Auza mine at a rate of 650 tonnes per day. Modifications were made in 2009 to ensure that the facility would be able to process the higher-grade feed; the flotation cells have been operating at 325 to 350 tonnes per day since that time. The unused cells are still on site and can be put back into production if required. The Miguel Auza processing facility currently produces two concentrates: a lead-silver and a zinc concentrate.

Lead Flotation
Ball mill product enters a lead conditioning tank whe ........

Recoveries & Grades:

CommodityParameter202020192018201720162015
Silver Recovery Rate, %  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required89.390.589
Silver Head Grade, g/t  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required393456491
Lead Recovery Rate, %  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required80.982.177.7
Lead Head Grade, %  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required3.754.44.56
Zinc Recovery Rate, %  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required81.480.181.6
Zinc Head Grade, %  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required5.35.77.2

Production:

CommodityUnits2020201920182017201620152014
Silver oz  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required917,714718,460752,689794,2891,162,929
Lead lbs  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Zinc lbs  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Silver Equivalent oz  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
All production numbers are expressed as metal in concentrate.
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Operational Metrics:

Metrics202020192018201720162015
Ore tonnes mined  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required57,165 t53,234 t54,485 t
Tonnes milled  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required63,742 t55,593 t56,849 t
Daily milling capacity  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required350 t350 t
Daily ore mining rate  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required300 t
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Reserves at March 31, 2018:
Mineral Resources are estimated at a cut-off grade of 375 g/t AgEq.

CategoryTonnage CommodityGradeContained Metal
Indicated 485 kt Silver 549 g/t 8,562 koz
Indicated 485 kt Lead 5.6 % 59,752 k lbs
Indicated 485 kt Zinc 5.9 % 62,953 k lbs
Indicated 485 kt Silver Equivalent 1055 g/t 16,456 koz
Inferred 13 kt Silver 516 g/t 216 koz
Inferred 13 kt Lead 4.7 % 1,344 k lbs
Inferred 13 kt Zinc 6.5 % 1,859 k lbs
Inferred 13 kt Silver Equivalent 1014 g/t 426 koz

Commodity Production Costs:

CommodityUnits202020192018201720162015
Total cash costs (sold) Silver USD  ......  Subscription required†  ......  Subscription required† 9.48 / oz† 10.4 / oz† 13.4 / oz† 15.1 / oz†
All-in sustaining costs (sold) Silver USD  ......  Subscription required†  ......  Subscription required† 20.7 / oz† 28 / oz† 33 / oz† 22.6 / oz†
† Net of By-Product.
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Operating Costs:

Units2020201920182017201620152014
Total operating costs ($/t milled) USD 299300242266250275382

Financials:

Units2020201920182017201620152014
Capital expenditures M USD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required3.2  6.84   8.19   1.63   3.34  
Revenue M USD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required24.3  21.2   17   16.2   30.8  
Gross profit M USD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required0.73  0.4   0.65   -2.52   2.38  
After-tax Income M USD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required-7.7  -1.49   -0.55   0.03   0.44  
Operating Cash Flow M USD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required-2.91  
Subscription required - Subscription is required


Heavy Mobile Equipment:
HME TypeModelSizeQuantityLeased or
Contractor
Ref. Date
Drill jumbo (single boom) ....................... Subscription required 2 Mar 31, 2018
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) 3 cu. yd 1 Mar 31, 2018
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) ....................... Subscription required 5 cu. yd 1 Mar 31, 2018
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) 4 cu. yd 3 Mar 31, 2018
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) 2 cu. yd 1 Mar 31, 2018
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) ....................... Subscription required 1 cu. yd 1 Mar 31, 2018
Scissor Lift 1 Mar 31, 2018
Truck (haul) 40 t Leased Mar 31, 2018
Truck (underground) 12 t 1 Mar 31, 2018
Truck (underground) 20 t 1 Dec 31, 2020
Truck (underground) 16 t 3 Dec 31, 2020
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Mine Management:

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Sep 7, 2018
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Apr 14, 2021
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Apr 14, 2021
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Apr 14, 2021
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Staff:

EmployeesContractorsTotal WorkforceYear
Subscription required Subscription required Subscription required 2020
Subscription required Subscription required Subscription required 2019
Subscription required Subscription required Subscription required 2018
Subscription required 2017
Subscription required 2016
Subscription required Subscription required Subscription required 2015

Corporate Filings & Presentations:

DocumentYear
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2019
Annual Information Form 2018
Corporate Presentation 2018
Management Discussion & Analysis 2018
Press Release 2018
Technical Report 2018
Annual Information Form 2017
Corporate Presentation 2017
Financial Review 2017
Management Discussion & Analysis 2017
Press Release 2017
Annual Information Form 2016
Financial Review 2016
Management Discussion & Analysis 2016
Annual Information Form 2015
Management Discussion & Analysis 2015
Preliminary Economic Assessment 2015
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

News:

NewsDate
Excellon Drills 1,422 g/t Silver Equivalent Over 8.9 Metres at Platosa February 25, 2021
Excellon Drills 1,170 g/t Silver Equivalent over 4.2 Metres at Platosa February 1, 2021
Excellon Delivers Strong Q4 2020 Silver Production January 14, 2021
Excellon Provides Update on Restart of Operations June 1, 2020
Excellon Provides Update on Developments Related to COVID-19 Response April 2, 2020
Excellon Reports 2019 Annual and Fourth Quarter Financial Results March 31, 2020
Excellon Announces 2019 Production Results January 28, 2020

Aerial view:

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