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Mexico

La Parrilla Complex

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Overview

Mine TypeUnderground
StageRestarting
Commodities
  • Silver
  • Lead
  • Zinc
  • Gold
Mining Method
  • Mechanized Cut & Fill
  • Longhole open stoping
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SnapshotThe La Parrilla Silver Mine is a complex of five underground mines surrounding the mill, including Rosarios, La Rosa, San Jose, Quebradillas and San Marcos, and the Quebradillas open pit. The La Parrilla Silver Mine Complex was placed on care and maintenance in September 2019.

Initial resource estimate is based on prior drilling and production sampling. The drill programs are designed to increase resource confidence. Phase 2 drill program is underway, following up on the success of Phase 1.

Technical studies and a mine plan are expected to be completed in Q4 2024 to support the future restart of mining and processing activities.

San Diego is one of the largest undeveloped silver projects in Mexico. Investigating potential milling synergies with La Parrilla is further upside optionality.
Related AssetsLa Rosa-Rosarios-La Blanca Project, Quebradillas Project, San Marcos Project, Vacas Project

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Silver Storm Mining Ltd. 100 % Indirect
The Silver Storm Mining holds a 100% interest in the La Parrilla Silver Mine Complex.

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Vein / narrow vein
  • Mesothermal
  • Carbonate replacement
  • Intrusion related
  • Breccia pipe / Stockwork
  • Replacement

Summary:

Two mineral deposit models are proposed for La Parrilla: intrusion-related carbonate replacement deposits and mesothermal fault-veins.

Mineralization occurs as vein and replacement deposits, the locations of which are structurally controlled by pre-existing faults, fractures, and bedding planes. Veins can be either open space filling, forming massive sulphide and breccia veins, or fault-related, consisting of matrix-supported breccias or gouge containing disseminated sulphides and oxides. Gradations commonly occur between the two types in any vein system. Stockwork veining can occur at country rock/vein contacts. Replacement deposits occur as oblique or perpendicular splays to veins and faults, and as larger replacement deposits concordant with sedimentary bedding.

La Parrilla deposits contain primary sulphides such as galena, sphalerite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, covellite, acanthite, native silver, and silver sulphosalts (tetrahedrite freibergite- solid solution). Due to supergene oxidation, the primary sulphides in the upper parts of some deposits have been altered to cerussite, anglesite, hemimorphite, hydrozincite, jarosite, goethite, hematite, cervantite, malachite, chrysocolla, chalcanthite, and native silver.

The major mineralized zones are:
• Rosarios vein: strikes north 70 degrees (°) west on average, dips at 64° to the northeast (290°/64°) and has a known strike length of 2 kilometres (km). The mineralization extends vertically for 900 metres (m), with a variable thickness of 0.2–14 m.

• The C1100 vein strikes north 50° west on average, dips at 75° to the northeast (310°/75°) and has a known strike length of 500 metres. The vein is mineralized for a vertical extent of 430 metres, and its thickness varies from 0.5 to 1.5 m.

• San Marcos vein: strikes north 20° west on average, dips at 60° to the northeast (340°/60°), and has a known strike length of 650 m. The vein is mineralized for a vertical extent of 350 m, and its thickness varies from 0.5 to 17 m.

• Quebradillas N-S Vein: strikes north 45° west on average, dips at 71° to the northeast (315°/71°), and has a known strike length of 125 m. The vein is mineralized for a vertical extent of 465 m, and its thickness varies from 0.25 to 5.0 m.

• The Quebradillas Vein: strikes north 88° east on average, dips at 86° to the south (88°/86°) and has a known strike length of 280 m. The vein is mineralized for a vertical extent of 175 m and ranges in thickness from 1 to 2.5 m.

• Quebradillas Q-38: strikes north 7° west on average, dips at 68° to the northeast (353°/68°) and has a known strike length of 150 m. The zone is mineralized for a vertical extent of 180 m, and has a variable thickness of 0.3 to 8.7 m.

• Quebradillas 460 Replacement vein: strikes north 16° west on average, dips at 63° to the northeast (344°/63°), and has a known strike length of 425 m. The zone is mineralized for a vertical extent of 570 m, and ranges in thickness from 0.1 to 8.5 m.

• Quebradillas 550 Vein: strikes north 80° east on average, dips at 83° to the south (80°/83°) and has a known strike length of 315 m. The vein is mineralized for a vertical extent of 185 m and varies in thickness from 0.5 to 5.5 m.

• Quebradillas Tiro Vein: strikes north 60° west on average, dips at 56° to the northeast (300°/56°) and has a known strike length of 70 m. The vein is mineralized for a vertical extent of 120 m, and its thickness ranges from 0.50 to 4.0 m.

• Quebradillas Viboras Vein: strikes north 80° west on average, dips at 80° to the south (100°/80°) and has a known strike length of 700 m. The vein is mineralized for a vertical extent of 250 m, and its thickness varies from 0.3 to 3.5 m.

• Quebradillas El Recuerdo Vein: strikes north 80° west on average, dips at 70° to the northeast (280°/70°) and has a known strike length of 550 m. The vein is mineralized for a vertical extent of 150 m, and its thickness varies from 1.3 to 9.0 m.

• San Nicolas Vein: strikes north 25° west on average, dips at 70° to the northeast (335°/70°) and has a known strike length of 525 m. The vein is mineralized for a vertical extent of 470 m, and its thickness varies from 0.3 to 1.8 m.

• Vacas Replacement vein: strikes north 17° west on average, dips at 58° to the northeast (343°/58°), and has a known strike length of 200 m. The zone is mineralized for a vertical extent of 400 m, and its thickness varies from 0.2 to 18 m. This vein was mined out in 2016.

Mineralization at La Parrilla occurs in veins, breccias, stockworks and replacements that are hosted by the Cretaceous limestones and shales of the Indidura Formation and by the granodiorite–quartz monzonite intrusion. Contact metamorphism and metasomatism resulted in the development of marble, hornfels, skarnoid, and skarn at the intrusive contact. Because mineralization is related to the intrusive contact and skarn development, the deposits are proposed to be of the intrusion-related hydrothermal type and may represent mesothermal to epithermal environments.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

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Processing

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Production

CommodityProductUnits20192018201720162015

Operational metrics

Metrics2023202220192018201720162015
Daily processing capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe2,000 t2,000 t2,000 t2,000 t2,000 t
Ore tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe167,535 t491,637 t543,985 t
Tonnes milled  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe167,535 t491,637 t543,985 t610,509 t667,702 t
Daily milling rate  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe1,500 t

Production Costs

CommodityUnits201920182017
Credits (by-product) Silver USD -7.19 / oz  
Cash costs Silver USD 15.4 / oz  
Total cash costs Silver USD 30.1 / oz   23.1 / oz   18.3 / oz  
Total cash costs Silver USD 15.6 / oz **   12.8 / oz **   11.1 / oz **  
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) Silver USD 26.3 / oz **   19.6 / oz **   16.2 / oz **  
** Net of By-Product.

Operating Costs

Currency2019201820172016
Combined mining costs ($/t milled) USD 18.5  16.6  
Processing costs ($/t milled) USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Total operating costs ($/t milled) USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe

Financials

Units201920182017
Sustaining costs M USD 4.9   8   7.7  
Capital expenditures M USD 10.5   14.2   15.3  
Revenue M USD 14   29.9   36.3  
Operating Income M USD -5.6   21.8   -9.8  

Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jun 17, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jun 17, 2024
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Aerial view:

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