Yauricocha is a carbonate-replacement ore deposit. This type of deposit is found on continental margins of orogenic belts and on the inner side of principal arcs where carbonate rocks representing miogeoclinal or stable platform depositional environments are widespread. The deposits are associated with magmatic intrusions that are believed to be a result of subduction.

Mineralization of the Yauricocha deposit is formed principally of pyrite, quartz, enargite, chalcopyrite, bornite and covellite in the core and central parts of the bodies. Loose masses of friable pyrite, galena, sphalerite and minor amounts of chalcopyrite in a gangue of limestone, clay and quartz occur in the periphery of the bodies. Native gold is associated with the sulfide minerals. Mineralogical zoning of the district is marked, with the core of the central part consisting of enargite located within the Jumasha limestone near the contact with the France Chert. Next to the west are rich bodies of bornite and chalcopyrite with predominance of enargite. Further to the west occur rich bodies of lead, zinc, silver and gold. The same zoning is observed at a smaller scale inside the ore body.

Mining at Yauricocha is accomplished by various extraction methods; principally sublevel caving and overhand cut-and-fill stoping. The larger mineralized bodies are both thicker (10-60 m) and longer along strike and down dip and the ore minerals are held in semi consolidated rocks which ravel easily with minor provocation by blasting. The smaller bodies are also in poor rock, however can be of quite high metal grades, averaging over 10 oz/tonne silver and 10% lead. During cut-and-fill stoping the mine uses timber in square sets to maintain the level open for safe access (mostly through breasting) and then fills the lower level after mining the upper level.

Approximately 93% of the ore and waste material is extracted through the Klepetko Tunnel located at Level 720. The tunnel has a section of 3 m x 3 m, is 4 km long and is equipped with 20 tonne trolley locomotive hauling ore cars of 110 to 160 ft3 capacity.

Because of the potential of the orebodies at depth, the company is currently sinking a hoist raise to hoist ore from deeper levels of the lead oxide, copper and polymetallic orebodies to the 720 haulage level. The new access will serve the Mascota, Cuye, Catas, Antacaca, Rosaura and Antacaca Sur orebodies in the Mina Central. Given the depth of current production below the surface, development drilling to convert the mineral resource to a mineable reserve is performed on an ongoing basis from underground workings.

The Chumpe Mill treats ore produced by the Yauricocha Mine using crushing, grinding and flotation. The ores are complex, carrying zinc, lead, copper, silver and gold values.

Three types of ore have been historically treated: polymetallic (PM), containing payable silver, lead, copper and zinc; copper ore, containing payable copper and silver; and lead oxide (PbOx), containing payable silver and lead. Gold occurs in the ores and is partially recovered; until recently it has not been tracked in the mill. Impurity elements such as arsenic and antimony are not routinely monitored. Currently the mine is processing limited quantities of copper ore. The Chumpe mill is operating two milling circuits only, one treating polymetallic ore and one treating lead-oxide ores. Current production of copper ore is being processed through the PM circuit.

The plant produces five concentrates: lead, copper and zinc concentrate in the polymetallic plant; copper and lead oxide concentrate in the lead oxide circuit. The sulfide lead concentrate from the oxide plant is combined with the sulfide lead in the polymetallic circuit.