Overview
Status | Temporary Suspension |
Mine Type | Underground |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
- Underhand Cut & Fill
- Longhole stoping
- Cemented backfill
|
Production Start | ...  |
Mine Life | 2025 |
Jerritt Canyon consists of the permitted and operating Jerritt Canyon processing plant and two producing gold mines – SSX-Steer Complex ("SSX") and Smith.
On March 20, 2023, First Majestic Silver Corp. (the "Company" or "First Majestic") announced it is taking action to reduce overall costs by reducing investments, temporarily suspending all mining activities and reducing its workforce at Jerritt Canyon effective immediately.
During the suspension, the Company intends to process approximately 45,000 tonnes of aboveground stockpiles through the plant. Exploration activities are expected to also continue throughout 2023. |
Latest News | First Majestic Temporarily Suspends Mining Activities at Jerritt Canyon March 20, 2023 |
Source:
p. 69
Jerritt Canyon is owned by Jerritt Canyon Gold LLC ("JCG"), an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of the First Majestic Silver Corp.
Contractors
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Deposit Type
- Carlin-type
- Carbonate hosted
Summary:
Jerritt Canyon is a Carlin-type gold deposit, hydrothermal in origin and usually structurally controlled.
Jerritt Canyon is hosted by silty carbonate or carbonaceous siliciclastic rocks originally deposited as shelf sedimentary rocks during the Paleozoic age. The Paleozoic host rocks have been imbricated, faulted, and folded through several orogenic events in the Paleozoic and Mesozoic. An early phase of intrusive igneous activity is represented by west-northwest mafic igneous dikes of Paleozoic age.
In general terms, the intersection of structures with favourable host rocks is the primary control and the form of mineralization ranges from apparently stratabound to fault hosted where the faults can be either highly discordant to bedding or bedding-parallel. Deposits at Jerritt Canyon are mostly stratabound or fault hosted. Gold occurs as very fine, micron sized, particles in pyrite and arsenian pyrite. Other sulfides are orpiment, realgar, and stibnite. Alteration includes decarbonatization, decalcification, and silicification (jasperoid).
Gold mineralization at Jerritt Canyon is hosted by Hanson Creek Formation units and the lower part of the Roberts Mountains Formation. The Saval discontinuity, being the contact between the Hanson Creek and the Roberts Mountain Formations, is interpreted as a primary control on gold mineralization at Jerritt Canyon. Gold mineralization is hosted by, or spatially associated, with high angle west-northwest- ........

Mining Methods
- Underhand Cut & Fill
- Longhole stoping
- Cemented backfill
Summary:
Jerritt Canyon has been in operation since 1981, with open pit operations occurring from 1981 to 1999, and underground operations commencing in 1993 at SSX and Smith. SSX and Smith are currently contractor operated.
SSX is accessed via ramp located in the southeast portion of the underground mine at the bottom of a historical open pit, and underground workings strike northwest to southeast, spanning approximately 10,000 ft. SSX is comprised of seven mining zones, with Zone 1 in the east and Zone 7 in the west. The zones overlap in areas due to overlapping orebodies in the vertical plane. SSX is ventilated via a series of raises and through the main ramps. Mineralized material is hauled from muck bays and stockpiled near the portal, where it is then delivered to the mill via larger haul trucks. All mining voids are filled with cemented rock fill (CRF).
Smith is accessed via a ramp located at the bottom of the inactive Dash open pit. Underground workings are extensive and access eight distinct mining zones, though only six zones have been considered by SLR in the estimation of Mineral Reserves. Smith is ventilated via a series of raises and through the main ramp. Similarly to operations at SSX, mineralized material is hauled from muck bays and stockpiled near the portal, where it is then delivered to the mill via larger haul trucks. All mining voids are filled with CRF.
Stoping Methods
Production at SSX and Smith utilizes the cut and fill ........

Source:

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Flow Sheet:
Summary:

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Production:
Since being acquired on April 30, 2021, the Jerritt Canyon mine has produced 68,567 ounces of gold or 5,013,999 silver equivalent ounces.
Commodity | Product | Units | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2017 | 2016 |
Gold
|
Metal in doré
|
koz
| ...... ^ | ......  | ......  | 129 | 141 |
Silver Equivalent
|
Metal in doré
|
koz
| ...... ^ | ......  | | | |
Silver Equivalent
|
Payable metal
|
koz
| | ......  | | | |
Gold Equivalent
|
Payable metal
|
oz
| | ......  | | | |
^ Guidance / Forecast.
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Operational Metrics:
Metrics | 2021 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Tonnes processed
| ......  | | 1,143,530 tons | 1,191,674 tons |
Daily processing capacity
| ......  | | | |
Daily processing rate
| ......  | 2,800 tons | 3,585 tons | 3,765 tons |
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Reserves at December 31, 2021:
Gold cut-off grades considered to constrain the resources were 2.8 g/t for underground mining and 1.4 g/t for open pit mining.
The cut-off grade used for the Mineral Reserves is 5.01 g/t Au.
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Proven
|
847 kt
|
Gold
|
5.23 g/t
|
142.5 koz
|
Proven
|
847 kt
|
Silver Equivalent
|
407 g/t
|
11,080 koz
|
Probable
|
1,682 kt
|
Gold
|
5.5 g/t
|
297.4 koz
|
Probable
|
1,682 kt
|
Silver Equivalent
|
428 g/t
|
23,120 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
2,529 kt
|
Gold
|
5.41 g/t
|
439.9 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
2,529 kt
|
Silver Equivalent
|
421 g/t
|
34,200 koz
|
Measured
|
4,068 kt
|
Gold
|
5.85 g/t
|
765 koz
|
Measured
|
4,068 kt
|
Silver Equivalent
|
421 g/t
|
55,050 koz
|
Indicated
|
4,482 kt
|
Gold
|
5.83 g/t
|
840 koz
|
Indicated
|
4,482 kt
|
Silver Equivalent
|
419 g/t
|
60,440 koz
|
Measured & Indicated
|
8,550 kt
|
Gold
|
5.84 g/t
|
1,604 koz
|
Measured & Indicated
|
8,550 kt
|
Silver Equivalent
|
420 g/t
|
115,490 koz
|
Inferred
|
6,927 kt
|
Gold
|
5.61 g/t
|
1,249 koz
|
Inferred
|
6,927 kt
|
Silver Equivalent
|
404 g/t
|
89,950 koz
|
Commodity Production Costs:
| Commodity | Units | 2022 | 2021 |
Total cash costs
|
Gold
|
USD
|
...... &nbs
|
......
|
All-in sustaining costs (AISC)
|
Gold
|
USD
|
...... &nbs
|
......
|
^ Guidance / Forecast.
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Operating Costs:
| Units | 2021 |
Total operating costs ($/t milled)
|
USD
| 172.2 |
Financials:
| Units | 2021 |
Sustaining costs
|
M USD
| ......  |
Capital expenditures
|
M USD
| ......  |
Revenue
|
M USD
| ......  |
Operating Income
|
M USD
| ......  |
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Corporate Filings & Presentations:
Document | Year |
Corporate Presentation
|
2022
|
...................................
|
2021
|
...................................
|
2021
|
...................................
|
2021
|
...................................
|
2021
|
...................................
|
2020
|
Technical Report
|
2018
|
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News:
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