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Mexico
Palmarejo Mine

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 Location:
66 km SE from Cholate, Chihuahua, Mexico

  Address:
Ejifo Palmarejo s/n
Chinipas de Aldama
Chihuahua, Mexico
33365
Phone635 457 2802
Fax635 457 7000
WebsiteWeb
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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
  • Gold
Mining Method
  • Transverse stoping
  • Longitudinal stoping
Processing
  • Flotation
  • Agitated tank (VAT) leaching
  • Counter current decantation (CCD)
  • Concentrate leach
  • Merrill–Crowe
  • Cyanide (reagent)
On-Site Camp yes
Mine Life7 years (as of Jan 1, 2020)
Latest NewsCoeur Reports Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2020 Results     February 17, 2021


Owners & OPERATOR

Source: p. 21
CompanyInterestOwnership
Coeur Mining, Inc. 100 % Indirect
Coeur Mexicana S.A. De C.V. (operator) 100 % Direct
Coeur owns 100% of Coeur Mexicana S.A. de C.V., which operates the Palmarejo processing facility; the Guadalupe underground mine, located about eight kilometers southeast of the Palmarejo mine; the Independencia underground mine, located approximately 800 meters northeast of the Guadalupe underground mine, and other nearby deposits and exploration targets (together, the “Palmarejo complex”).

Deposit Type

  • Breccia pipe / Stockwork
  • Vein / narrow vein
  • Hydrothermal

Source: Source p.67, 68

Summary:

Mineralization at Palmarejo is hosted in northwest-striking and west-dipping structures that cut through a volcano-sedimentary sequence of reworked volcaniclastic, massive and pyroclastic deposits. The volcaniclastic rocks include ash-rich mudstones and sandstones. The massive rocks include microcrystalline massive basalt, fine grained massive andesite and plagioclase crystal-rich massive andesite. The pyroclastic unit includes tuffaceous sandstone, lapillistone tuff and breccias (Galvan, 2007).

Palmarejo mineralization can be divided into three domains: the La Prieta and La Blanca vein domains, and the footwall and hangingwall stockwork domain developed along each of the two vein domains. The La Prieta vein domain consists of the La Prieta vein/breccia that dominated historic production from the area. The La Prieta footwall domain encompasses quartz stockwork mineralization and silicification within epiclastic rocks and andesitic tuffs. The La Prieta hangingwall domain consists of extensive sheeted-quartz-stockwork mineralization that is well exposed in the underground workings. The predominant geologic unit within this domain is an amygdaloidal andesite that lies between the La Prieta and La Blanca vein domains. The La Blanca vein domain consists of the La Blanca vein/breccia, which lies between porphyritic andesite on the hangingwall and amygdaloidal andesite and andesitic tuffs on the footwall. The La Blanca hangingwall domain includes quartz-stockwork mineralization within the porphyritic andesite.

The La Prieta structure extends for at least 3.5km, has a variable strike that averages about 115°, and dips to the southwest at 35° to 85°. The La Blanca structure strikes about 160°, has an average dip of about 50° to the southwest, and is thought to be a listric normal fault (Corbett, 2004) that parallels the trend of the regional faults in the SMO. Masterman et al. (2005) estimated up to 300m of throw on the La Blanca fault. Faults with similar orientations are the most commonly mineralized structures in the district.

A broad zone of mineralized quartz stockwork formed at the intersection of the La Blanca and La Prieta structures. North-trending splays from other north-northweststriking structures at Palmarejo may offset both the La Blanca and La Prieta faults (Beckton, 2004).

Gold-silver veins and vein/breccias occur within, and at the intersection of, the westnorthwest-striking La Prieta structure and the north-northwest-striking La Blanca structure. Multiple stages of hydrothermal activity and mineralization filled these structures with quartz veins and formed quartz stockwork mineralization within the wedge of rock formed by the intersection of the structures. Both the La Prieta and La Blanca veins have polymetallic silver-gold vein/breccias with an epithermal silver-gold overprint that forms high-grade shoots in the steeper-dipping portions of the listric normal faults (Corbett, 2004). Early mining focused on the La Prieta vein, where highgrade silver mineralization was present as bands of fine grained acanthite and galena within the vein.


Mining Methods

  • Transverse stoping
  • Longitudinal stoping

Source: p.220

Summary:

Palmarejo is mined using longhole stoping methods with backfill. Stoping is carried out using transverse and longitudinal methods.

Transverse longhole mining is planned for the remaining Mineral Reserves in the Rosario Clavo. This area will be mining from underground, and will break through into the mined out open pit. Backfill (rockfill) will be placed into the mined void from the open pit. Approximately 280m of lateral development is required to mine this area.


Crushing and Grinding
Source: Source p.243-244
Crusher / Mill TypeModelSizePowerQuantity
Jaw crusher Metso Nordberg C140 1.1m x 1.4m 1
SAG mill 6.7m x 7.5m 1
Ball mill 6.7m x 7.5m 1

Summary:

Palmarejo‘s processing flowsheet consists of a standard crushing and grinding circuit (Jaw crusher - SAG mill – ball mill).

Crushing
Ore is delivered from the underground and open pit mining activities either to a Run of Mine (ROM) stockpile located adjacent to the primary crusher area or directly to the primary crusher dump hopper. The dump hopper has a fixed grizzly on top with an approximate opening of 20 inches and an apron feeder at the discharge. The ROM is fed with a front end loader and oversize is broken with a backhoe fitted with a hammer. The installed jaw crusher is a Nordberg C-140 with an opening of approximately 1.1m by 1.4m capable of handling 350 tonne/hr at a 5? CSS (Close Side Setting).

Crushed ore is discharged from the jaw crusher onto a conveyor and delivered to a 1,250 tonnes capacity stockpile. Two variable vibrating feeders reclaim the crushed ore onto a belt conveyor to delivery to the Semi-Autogenous Grind (SAG) mill for further comminution.

Grinding
Crushed ore is directly fed to the grinding circuit from the crushed ore stockpile. The grinding circuit consists of a SAG mill and a Ball mill operating in a closed circuit with a battery of cyclones for classification. The cyclone battery consists of nine 80-inch Krebs cyclones with an apex opening of 4.25 inches and vortex opening of 6 inches. Cyclone operational pressure is maintained in a range from 14 to 16 psi. The cyclone battery underflow reports to the ball mill to maintain a recirculating load to have a better control on the flotation feed size, while the cyclone overflow reports to flotation.

Both mills are 6.7m in diameter and 7.5m. long. Grinding circuit feed and product is 80% passing sizes of 120,000 µm and 75 µm, respectively.


Processing

  • Flotation
  • Agitated tank (VAT) leaching
  • Counter current decantation (CCD)
  • Concentrate leach
  • Merrill–Crowe
  • Cyanide (reagent)

Flow Sheet: Source

Summary:

Palmarejo‘s processing flowsheet consists of a standard crushing and grinding circuit (Jaw crusher - SAG mill – ball mill), followed by flotation, where the flotation concentrate is subjected to an intensive cyanide leach and flotation tailing is treated in agitated cyanidation. Finally, a Merrill Crowe circuit is used to recover gold and silver from the leachates.

The plant is designed to achieve an overall recovery of approximately 94.0% of the gold and 91.0% of the silver as a doré.

The ball mill cyclone overflows at a nominal 80% minus 75 µm in size with a pulp density of 30% solids flows by gravity to the rougher conditioner tank, where the slurry is conditioned with Aero 404 and potassium amyl xanthate (PAX). The conditioner tank overflows to feed a bank of six 100m3 capacity tank cells. Rougher flotation occurs at the first bank of two tank cells, and scavenger flotation occurs sequentially down the bank. Frother and PAX are added to rougher feed and during the scavenging flotation.

Cleaner flotation tailings are recycled to the rougher flotation conditioner tank or alternatively to the 3rd or 5 th rougher cell for additional treatment.

Flotation tailings are transferred to the tailings thickener for dewatering, and tailings thickener overflow reports to the grinding circuit as recycled water. Thickener underflow, at approximately 60% solids, is transferred to the Float Tails agitated leach circuit for cyanide leaching and dissolution of residual gold and silver values.

The concentrate leaching circuit is located in the Leaching/Recovery Area of the mill facilities and is comprised of four agitated leach tanks, each with a nominal capacity of 200m3, providing a total leaching time of 48 hours.

Thickened flotation concentrate is pumped to the concentrate leach circuit. The slurry is then diluted to approximately 50% solids, and sodium cyanide solution is added to maintain a concentration of 10 g/L NaCN. Oxygen is injected to the concentrate leach tanks to enhance the silver dissolution process, and also enables cyanide solution strength reduction from 50 g/L to 10 g/L NaCN, resulting in a substantial reduction of cyanide consumption.

Leached slurry from the concentrate leach circuit is then pumped to a triple stage countercurrent decantation (CCD) circuit to recover the dissolved gold and silver values. Each stage consists of a high rate, 9.0m diameter thickener and an inter-stage mixing tank to enhance washing efficiency. Pregnant solution containing metal bearing overflows from the first CCD thickener is pumped to the pregnant solution tank for subsequent delivery to the Merrill Crowe circuit, located at the refinery building for further treatment. Thickened underflow from the final CCD thickener is pumped to an agitated leach circuit for additional leaching and potential recovery of residual metal values.

The flotation tailings leaching circuit is also located in the Leaching/Recovery Area of the mill facilities.

Pregnant solution from the flotation concentrate leach CCD first thickener overflow is pumped to one of three batch solution tanks, and then pumped to a Merrill Crowe system, at a flow rate ranging from 55 to 60m 3/hr.

The precipitate produced by Merrill Crowe is dried in two electrical dryer ovens before being smelted in a 600kg/hr capacity electric induction furnace and poured into 30kg dore ingots.

Dore ingots are shipped by armored truck to a refinery.

Recoveries & Grades:

CommodityParameter201920182017201620152014
Silver Recovery Rate, % 79.383.88688.484.377.5
Silver Head Grade, oz/ton 4.856.495.624.683.783.97
Gold Recovery Rate, % 84.388.99086.580.680.5
Gold Head Grade, oz/ton 0.080.10.090.080.050.05

Production:

CommodityUnits2019201820172016201520142013
Silver oz 6,762,2657,516,3907,242,0824,442,1645,148,6126,558,0917,603,144
Gold oz 111,932122,722121,56973,91370,92286,673116,536
All production numbers are expressed as metal in doré.

Operational Metrics:

Metrics2019201820172016201520142011
Tonnes milled 1,755,957 tons1,382,471 tons1,498,421 tons1,078,888 tons1,616,668 tons2,135,088 tons1,723,056 tons
Ore tonnes mined 1,083,906 tons1,590,094 tons

Reserves at December 31, 2018:

CategoryTonnage CommodityGradeContained Metal
Proven 1,283,000 tons Silver 4.97 oz/ton 6,376,000 oz
Proven 1,283,000 tons Gold 0.084 oz/ton 108,000 oz
Probable 8,118,000 tons Silver 5.39 oz/ton 43,788,000 oz
Probable 8,118,000 tons Gold 0.072 oz/ton 585,000 oz
Proven & Probable 9,401,000 tons Silver 5.34 oz/ton 50,164,000 oz
Proven & Probable 9,401,000 tons Gold 0.074 oz/ton 693,000 oz
Measured 604,000 tons Silver 4.77 oz/ton 2,880,000 oz
Measured 604,000 tons Gold 0.086 oz/ton 52,000 oz
Indicated 7,544,000 tons Silver 4.27 oz/ton 32,194,000 oz
Indicated 7,544,000 tons Gold 0.054 oz/ton 407,000 oz
Measured & Indicated 8,149,000 tons Silver 4.3 oz/ton 35,074,000 oz
Measured & Indicated 8,149,000 tons Gold 0.056 oz/ton 458,000 oz
Inferred 5,875,000 tons Silver 4.36 oz/ton 25,609,000 oz
Inferred 5,875,000 tons Gold 0.065 oz/ton 384,000 oz

Commodity Production Costs:

CommodityUnits201920182017201620152014
Total cash costs (sold) Silver USD 9.13 / oz 7.64 / oz 9.96 / oz
Total cash costs (sold) Gold USD 685 / oz 561 / oz 588 / oz
Total cash costs (sold) Silver Equivalent USD 8.48 / oz 9.44 / oz 10.7 / oz 14.1 / oz 15.4 / oz

Financials:

Units201920182017201620152014
Capital expenditures M USD 32.7  29.4  29.9   35.8   36   26.1  
Sustaining costs M USD 22.5   22.7  
Revenue M USD 252.7  245.76  274.81   141.27   169.13   244  
After-tax Income M USD 21.7  25.2  16   43.5   -206.58   -563.23  
Operating Cash Flow M USD 50.5  139.9   26.7   52.7  


Heavy Mobile Equipment as of November 2, 2015:
Source: Source p.217
HME TypeModelQuantity
Drill Atlas Copco 5
Loader (FEL) Caterpillar 992G 2
Loader (FEL) Caterpillar 988H 2
Truck (haul) Caterpillar 740B 4
Truck (haul) Caterpillar 777G 11

Mine Management:

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
Maintenance Superintendent José Gregorio Cardona Villafaña LinkedIn Mar 12, 2021
Mine Manager Sergio Leonel Sotelo Alcantar LinkedIn Mar 12, 2021
Process Manager Oscar León LinkedIn Mar 12, 2021

Staff:

EmployeesYear
850 2020
876 2019
860 2018
878 2017
825 2016
765 2015

Corporate Filings & Presentations:

DocumentYear
Corporate Presentation 2020
Form 10-K 2020
Corporate Presentation 2019
Other 2019
Press Release 2019
Form 10-K 2018
Press Release 2018
Year-end Mineral Reserves 2018
Annual Report 2017
Year-end Mineral Reserves 2017
Annual Report 2016
Press Release 2016
Year-end Mineral Reserves 2016
Annual Report 2015
Technical Report 2015

News:

NewsDate
Coeur Reports Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2020 Results February 17, 2021
Coeur Provides Update on Palmarejo Complex May 14, 2020
Coeur Provides Update on Palmarejo Complex, COVID-19 Preparedness and Full-Year 2020 Guidance April 7, 2020

Aerial view:

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