Overview

Mine Type	Open Pit
Status	Closing / Closed
Commodities	Gold
Mining Method	Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start	...
Snapshot	As of September 2022, reclamation of the La Trinidad open pit area was underway in accordance with a “Closure Plan.” During 2019, it was determined, through a comprehensive geological/engineering study, that a portion of the pit at La Trinidad would not be accessible to continue mining. This impact to operations was a result of pit instability incurred during the hurricane event in late 2018. As a result, the Company ceased mining activities in March 2019 and processed the remaining ounces on the leach pad during 2019. Nearly all of the mining and process plant equipment was moved to the United States, with the exception of the laboratory equipment, which was moved to Nicaragua.

Deposit type

• Epithermal
• Vein / narrow vein

Summary:

The Sierra Madre Occidental geologic province is richly endowed with precious metal deposits (Staude and Barton, 2001), most of which are considered related to porphyry Cu-(Au), and epithermal systems. Gold mineralization at Trinidad has been described as vein and hydrothermal and tectonic breccia-hosted low sulfidation epithermal style mineralization (Robertson and Thoman, 1994).

Potentially economic mineralization identified by Marlin Gold and Eldorado (Robertson and Thomson, 1994; Exploraciones Eldorado, 1995) at Taunus is consistent with intensely silicified tectonic and quartz-matrix hydrothermal breccia, with chlorite and hematite, and occasional adularia. Quartz-textures are described as massive, fine-grained and cherty, drusy coatings, colloform banding and cockscomb. Amethyst also occurs in the Taunus area. Distal alteration is described as quartz veinlets in both andesite and quartz-feldspar porphyritic rocks, and weak propylitic alteration in the andesite rocks. Carbonate minerals are not reported, but may occur outside of areas affected by sulfide weathering.

The breccia zones are hosted within a quartz-feldspar porphyry unit, and its contact with adjacent andesite rocks. This lithologic contact is described as both structural, and intrusive in nature.

Gold occurs in vugs and less commonly in a goethite replacement of pyrite or encapsulated withinthe quartz matrix.

The rock matrix is largely silicified and cut by quartz veinlets commonly with disseminated or aggregate specular hematite.

Three types of alteration were observed in the groundmass: 1) quartz-sericite-pyrite (now hematite), 2) hydrothermal biotite flooding and 3) hydrothermal specular hematite.

Results from the petrographic analysis are consistent with megascopic observations by Marlin Gold’s geologists who have described the HS zone as a matrix supported breccia where the matrix is composed of a red/orange hematitic rock flour/clay. Clasts are described as subangular multi-phase silica often displaying colliform banding of calcedonic quartz, goethite and a dark grey green mineral interpreted to be chlorite/biotite. Qualitatively the higher grades appear to be associated with the presence of fine laminations chlorite/biotite.

Visible gold is rare and has only been observed in a few core samples with assay grades over 30 g/t. When observed it has been very fine grained gold in open vugs or associated with vuggy hematite.

The Taunus deposit is a complex deposit composed of a number in individual zones. Ten individual solids were modeled in the Taunus area based on geology and grade. The two main zones are the Eldorado Zone and the HS Zone.

Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

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Processing

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Production

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