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Mexico
La Guitarra Mine

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 Location:
108 km SW from Mexico City, Mexico, Mexico

  Address:
Carretera a Valle de Bravo
Temascaltepec
Mexico, Mexico
51300
Phone  ...  Subscription required
Fax01-(716)-266-5650
WebsiteWeb
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  • Overview
  • Owners
  • Geology
  • Mining
  • Processing
  • Production
  • Reserves
  • Costs & Financials
  • Fleet
  • Personnel
  • Filings & News

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Overview

StatusCare and Maintenance
Mine TypeUnderground
Commodities
  • Silver
  • Gold
Mining Method
  • Overhand Cut & Fill
  • Longhole stoping
  • Dry waste backfill
Processing
  • Filter press plant
  • Flotation
Mine Life7 years (as of Jan 1, 2015)
The La Guitarra milling and mining operations were placed under care and maintenance effective August 3, 2018. No mining or exploration is being carried out at this time.
Latest NewsSierra Madre to Acquire the La Guitarra Silver-Gold Mine in Mexico from First Majestic Silver Corp     May 25, 2022


Owners

Source: p. 94
CompanyInterestOwnership
First Majestic Silver Corp. 100 % Indirect
The La Guitarra Silver Mine is owned and operated by the Company’s wholly-owned indirect subsidiary, La Guitarra Compañia Minera S.A. de C.V.

Deposit Type

  • Vein / narrow vein
  • Epithermal


Summary:

Vein deposits at La Guitarra have physiochemical and mineralogical characteristics of the Intermediate Sulphidation epithermal type and fit thevein deposit model proposed by Buchanan(1981). Epithermal deposits form atshallow depths in volcanic-hydrothermal and geothermal environments. They define a spectrum with two end members, low and high sulfidation (Hedenquist et al., 1998). Intermediate Sulphidation epithermal deposits form part of the epithermal spectrum and their genesis is complex due to the involvement of fluids with meteoric or magmatic origin during their formation and to the fluid evolution.

There are in excess of one hundred epithermal veins within the property in five main vein systems: Comales–Nazareno, Coloso (Jessica and Joya Larga veins), La Guitarra (NW, Central and SE zones), Mina de Agua and El Rincón. The vein systems at La Guitarra property form a belt with an approximate width of 4 km that strikes NW – SE in excess of 15 km. Individual veins pinch and swell and vary in width from tens of centimetres to more than twenty metres. Economic zones, widths usually between 1 and 4 metres, are embedded in quartz (vein structure) having widths up to 20 metres (e.g. Guitarra vein). The ore shoots or economic zones can either be localized in the hanging wall or the foot wall of the vein structure.

Gangue mineralogy consists of banded quartz, amethyst quartz, colloform chalcedony, finegrained crystalline quartz, calcite, fluorite, pyrite, marcasite, barite, anhydrite, illite–smectite, adularia and alunite. Anhydrite and alunite veins are observed mostly filling narrow fractures. The ore mineralogy consists of proustite – pyrargyrite solid solution, electrum, acanthite, polybasite, sphalerite, galena and chalcopyrite. Secondary minerals such as malachite and smithsonite – hydrozincite (calamines) have been observed in some of the veins at Mina de Agua. According to Camprubí et al. (2006), the vein stratigraphy of the La Guitarra deposit can be grouped in three mineralization stages: a) stage I is dominated by a base-metal sulfide association whereas stages II and III contain most of the precious-metal assemblages. Relative mineral abundance in each mineralization stage shows an increase on the content of Ag–Au bearing phases with time (Camprubí et al., 2006). Stage II is the most important in volume and contains the main mineralization. Base-metal sulfides precipitated early in all mineralization stages, their relative content increases with depth at any stage (Camprubí et al., 2006).

The main textures observed in the veins are coarse banding, fine banding, colloform, bladed quartz, and breccia textures. Fine banding, colloform banding (particularly dark bands containing fine grain sulfides) and bladed quartz textures have been observed to correlate with higher silver and gold concentrations. This association is not surprising since colloform banding (chalcedony) and bladed textures are commonly associated with boiling and boiling is an important mechanism for deposition of precious metals in the epithermal environment. The breccias usually contain angular quartz clasts that range in size from a few millimetres to tens of centimetres and are supported by a silicified matrix or cemented by quartz or quartz and marcasite.

Spatial association, orientation, mineralogy as well as gas chemistry and microthermometry analysis suggest that the veins along the property may have had a common source and therefore could be cogenetic. Thus, the aforementioned characteristic could apply to the five vein systems.


Mining Methods

  • Overhand Cut & Fill
  • Longhole stoping
  • Dry waste backfill


Summary:

The La Guitarra Silver Mine comprises two operating mines, La Guitarra and Coloso, and three past producing areas, the Nazareno, Mina de Agua and El Rincón, which are now considered as exploration areas.

Given the narrow vein conditions, mining in La Guitarra Silver Mine is undertaken using primarily the conventional overhand cut-and-fill mining method, with limited application of longhole stoping in areas where the vein is found with thickness of 3 or more metres in width.

The cut-and-fill stoping cycle is started with blast holes drilled using hand held jackleg drills followed by blasting using conventional mining explosives. After blasting, LHD’s are used to muck the blasted ore. The cut and fill stopes are generally 100 m in length along strike and extend between levels which are typically spaced 15 to 30 m apart vertically. Each cut is 2.5 to 3.0 m in height. Depending on ground conditions, the blast holes are drilled either upward or horizontally. Waste and mineralized material below cut-off grade is blasted down and used as backfill as needed.


Crushing and Grinding
Flow Sheet: Source
Crusher / Mill TypeModelSizePowerQuantity
Jaw crusher 10" x 24" 1
Ball mill ....................... Subscription required 8' x 6' 300 HP 1
Ball mill ....................... Subscription required 5' x 9' 100 HP 1
Ball mill 7' x 10' 1
Ball mill ....................... Subscription required 6' x 6' 100 HP 1

Summary:

ROM material delivered from the mine is dumped into a masonry coarse ore bin of a 100 tonnes capacity. The coarse ore bin is equipped with a steel rails grizzly in its upper part. The grizzly has openings of 10” x 10”; oversize material is reduced in size using a hydraulic hammer.

Crushing circuit include 24” x 36” primary jaw crusher.

The grinding section is comprised of four independent milling circuits. The dimensions and sizes
of the equipment that form the 4 milling circuits are listed below:
- 5’ x 9’ Marcy Mill (100 HP), 10” cyclone, SRL Denver 3”x3” 15 HP pumps;
- 8’ x 6’ Allis Chalmers Mill (300 HP), 15” cyclone, SRL Denver 5”x4” 20 HP pumps;
- 6’ x 6’ Marcy Mill (100 HP), 10” cyclone, SRL Denver 3”x3” 15 HP pumps;
- 7’ x 10’ Chinese manufacture mill, 15” cyclone, Goulds 5”x4” 25 HP pumps.


Processing

  • Filter press plant
  • Flotation

Flow Sheet: Subscription required

Summary:

The mill at the La Guitarra flotation plant processes a silver and gold–bearing mineral through a flotation method producing a bulk Au/Ag concentrate. The installed plant capacity of the processing plant is 520 tonnes per day.

The processing plantf lowsheet consists of two-stage crushing, ball mill grinding, and a bulk flotation of the ore to concentrates, followed by thickening and filtering of the concentrates.

Recoveries & Grades:

CommodityParameter20182017201620152014
Silver Recovery Rate, % 7879818484
Silver Head Grade, g/t 177189228201127
Gold Recovery Rate, % 79
Gold Head Grade, g/t 1.7

Production:

CommodityProductUnits20182017201620152014
Silver Payable metal oz 340,973581,120875,967895,684620,393
Silver Metal in concentrate oz 358,919611,705923,597945,662636,301
Gold Metal in concentrate oz  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Silver Equivalent Metal in concentrate oz  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Operational Metrics:

Metrics202120202019201820172016
Daily milling capacity  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required500 t500 t500 t
Tonnes milled  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required80,435 t127,842 t155,696 t
Daily milling rate  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required385 t365 t
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Reserves at December 31, 2021:

CategoryOreTypeTonnage CommodityGradeContained Metal
Measured Sulphide 57 kt Silver 217 g/t 390 koz
Measured Sulphide 57 kt Gold 1.55 g/t 2.8 koz
Measured Sulphide 57 kt Silver Equivalent 347 g/t 630 koz
Indicated Sulphide 644 kt Silver 228 g/t 4,740 koz
Indicated Sulphide 644 kt Gold 1.19 g/t 24.6 koz
Indicated Sulphide 644 kt Silver Equivalent 328 g/t 6,810 koz
Measured & Indicated Sulphide 701 kt Silver 227 g/t 5,130 koz
Measured & Indicated Sulphide 701 kt Gold 1.22 g/t 27.4 koz
Measured & Indicated Sulphide 701 kt Silver Equivalent 330 g/t 7,450 koz
Inferred Sulphide 1,044 kt Silver 240 g/t 8,040 koz
Inferred Sulphide 1,044 kt Gold 0.71 g/t 23.7 koz
Inferred Sulphide 1,044 kt Silver Equivalent 299 g/t 10,020 koz

Commodity Production Costs:

CommodityUnits20182017201620152014
Credits (by-product) Silver USD -11.06 / oz -10.92 / oz -8.16 / oz -12.46 / oz
Cash costs Silver USD 19.9 / oz 13.8 / oz 10.4 / oz 14.5 / oz
Total cash costs Silver USD 22.4 / oz 22.6 / oz 18.2 / oz 15 / oz 21 / oz
Total cash costs Silver USD 9.79 / oz† 11.5 / oz† 7.23 / oz† 6.86 / oz† 8.53 / oz†
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) Silver USD 16.1 / oz† 19 / oz† 13.3 / oz† 13.4 / oz† 21.2 / oz†
† Net of By-Product.

Operating Costs:

Units20182017201620152014
UG mining costs ($/t milled) USD 34.734.82018.1
Processing costs ($/t milled) USD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Total operating costs ($/t milled) USD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Financials:

Units2018201720162015
Sustaining costs M USD 2.1   4.2  
Capital expenditures M USD 5.3   9.8   9   7.8  
Revenue M USD 9.3   15.4   21.6   17.3  
Operating Income M USD -3.3   -3.3   3.3   0.9  


Heavy Mobile Equipment as of March 15, 2015:
HME TypeModelSizeQuantity
Dozer (crawler) ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required
Excavator ....................... Subscription required 2 t ....................... Subscription required
Excavator ....................... Subscription required 1.5 t ....................... Subscription required
Jumbo ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required
Jumbo ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required
Loader (FEL) ....................... Subscription required 3 cu. yd ....................... Subscription required
Scoop Tram ....................... Subscription required 3.5 cu. yd ....................... Subscription required
Scoop Tram ....................... Subscription required 2 cu. yd ....................... Subscription required
Scoop Tram ....................... Subscription required 3.5 cu. yd ....................... Subscription required
Scoop Tram ....................... Subscription required 1.7 cu. yd ....................... Subscription required
Truck (underground) ....................... Subscription required 10 t ....................... Subscription required
Truck (underground) ....................... Subscription required 15 t ....................... Subscription required
Truck (underground) ....................... Subscription required 15 t ....................... Subscription required
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Mine Management:

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Apr 18, 2022
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Apr 18, 2022
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Staff:

EmployeesContractorsYear
Subscription required Subscription required 2015

Corporate Filings & Presentations:

DocumentYear
................................... Subscription required 2021
................................... Subscription required 2021
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2019
Annual Information Form 2018
Annual Report 2018
Corporate Presentation 2018
Press Release 2018
Corporate Presentation 2017
Form 40-F 2017
Annual Report 2016
Financial Review 2016
Form 40-F 2016
Form 40-F 2015
Technical Report 2015
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

News:

NewsDate
Sierra Madre to Acquire the La Guitarra Silver-Gold Mine in Mexico from First Majestic Silver Corp May 25, 2022

Aerial view:

Subscription required - Subscription is required.

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