Mining Intelligence and News
Mexico

San Sebastian Mine

Click for more information

Categories

Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit & Underground
StatusCare and Maintenance
Commodities
  • Silver
  • Gold
  • Lead
  • Zinc
  • Copper
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
  • Cut & Fill
Production Start... Lock
SnapshotProduction at San Sebastian mine ceased in the fourth quarter of 2020, and exploration activities are currently ongoing.

At San Sebastian, regulatory approvals and landowner consents are required to successfully develop new mineralization.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Hecla Mining Company 100 % Indirect
The Property, which includes the San Sebastian and Andrea projects, is 100% owned by Hecla through its Mexican subsidiary, Minera Hecla S.A. de C.V (Minera Hecla).

Deposit type

  • Epithermal
  • Vein / narrow vein

Summary:

Mineralization at the project occurs as low and intermediate sulfidation epithermal veins within the Saladillo valley area. Historically, the most important veins at the project have been the Francine, East Francine, Middle and North veins located at the north end of the Saladillo valley and the Andrea Vein located 4 miles to the south. The veins are hosted within a series of shales with interbedded fine-grained sandstones interpreted to belong to the Cretaceous Caracol Formation. Most of the veins strike to the west-northwest and vein dips vary from steep toward the west to shallow toward the east. True vein widths range from 5 to 30 feet, and the average true width of the veins in the district is 8 feet.

Mineralization occurs in an epithermal setting at various paleo-depths. High-grade gold and silver occur both in the very shallow environment in the upper 1,000 feet of the crust and in deep silver-gold-lead-zinc root zones of the system at depths between 2,000 and 3,500 feet below the paleo-water table. Hypogene minerals include sphalerite, galena, argentite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, native silver and gold in electrum. The veins are oxidized down to approximately 300 feet below surface and the oxidized portions of the veins contain limonite, hematite, silver halides and various copper carbonates. Matrix minerals include fine-grained to coarsely crystalline quartz bands and chlorite-quartz-adularia bands and late calcite fill. Mineralization within the vein structures is generally deposited in high-grade “shoots” bound both laterally and horizontally by sharp gradients in grade-thickness.

Reserves

Lock

- subscription is required.

Mining Methods

Lock

- subscription is required.

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

Lock

- subscription is required.

Production

CommodityUnits202020192018201720162015
Gold oz  ....  Subscribe15,67314,97925,17734,042870
All production numbers are expressed as metal in doré.

Operational metrics

Metrics202020192018201720162015
Daily milling rate  ....  Subscribe479 tons429 tons395 tons391 tons
Tonnes milled  ....  Subscribe174,713 tons156,733 tons144,197 tons143,267 tons6,602 tons
Daily milling capacity  ....  Subscribe550 tons550 tons550 tons550 tons

Production Costs

CommodityUnits2020201920182017
Credits (by-product) Silver USD  ....  Subscribe -11.75 / oz   -9.38 / oz   -9.71 / oz  
Cash costs Silver USD  ....  Subscribe 19.8 / oz   19.1 / oz   6.35 / oz  
Cash costs Silver USD  ....  Subscribe 8.02 / oz **   9.69 / oz **   -3.36 / oz **  
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) Silver USD  ....  Subscribe 23.9 / oz   24.1 / oz   9.45 / oz  
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) Silver USD  ....  Subscribe 12.1 / oz **   14.7 / oz **   -0.26 / oz **  
** Net of By-Product.

Operating Costs

Currency20202019201820172016
UG mining costs ($/t milled) USD
Combined mining costs ($/t milled) USD 100.8  135.87  33.4  68.5  
Processing costs ($/t milled) USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Total operating costs ($/t milled) USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe

Financials

Units2020201920182017
Capital expenditures M USD  ....  Subscribe 3.9   8.5   11.2  
Operating Income M USD  ....  Subscribe 0.6   0   53.6  
Gross profit M USD  ....  Subscribe 5.7   8.4   62.1  
Book Value M USD  ....  Subscribe 10.8   15.1   13.7  

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Fleet data has not been reported.

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 27, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 27, 2024

EmployeesYear
...... Subscription required 2020
...... Subscription required 2019
...... Subscription required 2018
...... Subscription required 2017

Aerial view:

Lock

- subscription is required.