Mining Intelligence and News
Mexico

Rosario Mine

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Overview

Mine TypeUnderground
StatusCare and Maintenance
Commodities
  • Silver
  • Gold
  • Lead
  • Zinc
Mining Method
  • Shrinkage stoping
  • Longhole stoping
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SnapshotThe Rosario Project was placed on care and maintenance in August 2021. This decision was made following an extensive review by management of the Rosario Mine operations and strategic options available including the potential sale of the operation.

Certain assets related to the Rosario Project were sold in December 2021 as part of a tax restructuring of Impulsora Minera Santacruz, S.A. de C.V.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. 100 % Indirect
Rosario Mine is owned by Santacruz Silver Mining.

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Vein / narrow vein
  • Mesothermal

Summary:

Mineralization is hosted in two veins with a general strike of N60W, dipping between 45 to 60 degrees southwest. The host rock of the veins is comprised of the Zacatecas formation, a mid to late Triassic turbidite sequence, consisting of beds of dark grey, green and grayish-green shale, sandstone, conglomerate and siltstone. The veins extend over a length of 2.5 to 3.0 kilometers, and to a depth of at least 150 to 200 meters, as determined from available drilling data (Rodriguez et al., 1987). Each of the Rosario I and Rosario II veins vary in width from 0.4 to 2.5 meters. Mineralization appears to have occurred in three stages, with the third stage precipitating the silver bearing minerals. This deposit has been described as a mesothermal vein system based on temperature (195 to 338°C), although mineralization is typical of other deposits in Mexico which are described as epithermal. Abundant sulfides, sphalerite pyrite and galena with subordinate amounts of chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite and hematite, can be found within the veins. Additional minerals identified through electron microscopy include freibergite, tetrahedrite, boulangerite, pyrargyrite, argentite, stromeyerite, and diaphorite (Rodriguez et al., 1987).

The Rosario Veins at the Rosario Project are vein filled faults defined as mesothermal within epithermal limits.

Based on fluid inclusion work in quartz and calcite, Palacios and Arriaga (1994) postulated that the mineralization in the Rosario veins occurred in three stages, the most important of which was the latest stage in which argentiferous minerals were deposited. The temperatures during deposit formation were determined using fluid inclusions in quartz and calcite. The third stage occurred within epithermal temperature ranges between 195 to 262 degrees Celsius with salinity of 12% to 16%. Palacios and Arriaga state that fluid inclusion temperatures indicate that this is a mesothermal type deposit based on temperatures defined by Lindgren (1933) although based on the presence of adularia and silver sulfosalts, the Rosario veins more closely resemble an epithermal deposit.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Production

In October 2021, Santacruz Silver Mining ceased operations at the Rosario Mine and placed it on care and maintenance.
CommodityUnits2021202020192018201720162015
Silver oz  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe149,68774,981112,663425,838471,893
Gold oz  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe5084121,007496336
Lead t  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe287136157705781
Zinc t  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe1,3501,0811,4882,6351,896
Silver Equivalent oz  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe465,576304,461442,329828,094832,283
All production numbers are expressed as metal in concentrate.

Operational metrics

Metrics2021202020192018201720162015
Tonnes milled  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe76,088 t61,184 t78,963 t91,852 t79,249 t
Daily milling rate  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Daily milling capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe500 t

Production Costs

CommodityUnits20212020201920182017
Cash costs (sold) Silver Equivalent USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 19.3 / oz   34.3 / oz   21.8 / oz  
All-in sustaining costs (sold) Silver Equivalent USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 25.1 / oz   39.4 / oz   26 / oz  

Operating Costs

Currency202120202019201820172016
Total operating costs ($/t milled) USD 75.1  72.3  75.3  93.6  72.4  81.2  

Financials

Units2020201920182017
Revenue M USD  ....  Subscribe 4.6   2.3   4.2  
Gross profit M USD  ....  Subscribe -1.1   -4.6   -3.2  
Operating Income M USD  ....  Subscribe -1.1   -6.1   -18  
Pre-tax Income M USD  ....  Subscribe -1.1   -6.1   -18  

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Fleet data has not been reported.

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNamePhoneRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ........... Subscription required Aug 10, 2023

Aerial view:

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