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Mexico
San Martin Mine

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 Location:
250 km N from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

  Address:
Km. 0.5 Carr. a la Joya
San Martin de Bolanos
Jalisco, Mexico
46350
Phone  ...  Subscription required
Fax01-(437)-952-5351
WebsiteWeb
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  • Overview
  • Owners
  • Geology
  • Mining
  • Processing
  • Production
  • Reserves
  • Costs & Financials
  • Fleet
  • Personnel
  • Filings & News

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Overview

StatusTemporary Suspension
Mine TypeUnderground
Commodities
  • Silver
  • Gold
Mining Method
  • Cut & Fill
Processing
  • Agitated tank (VAT) leaching
  • Counter current decantation (CCD)
  • Merrill–Crowe
  • Cyanide (reagent)
Mine Life2022
In July 2019, First Majestic Silver Corp. temporarily suspended all mining and processing activities at the San Martin operation due to a growing insecurity in the area and safety concerns for our workforce. The Company is working with government authorities to secure the area in anticipation of restarting the operation in early 2020, although the exact date is currently not determinable.


Owners & OPERATOR

Source: p. 73
CompanyInterestOwnership
First Majestic Silver Corp. 100 % Indirect
Minera El  Pilón S.A. de C.V. (operator) 100 % Direct
The San Martín Silver Mine is owned and operated by the Company’s wholly-owned indirect subsidiary, Minera El Pilón, S.A. de C.V.

Deposit Type

  • Epithermal
  • Vein / narrow vein


Summary:

The San Martín mine is considered to be a typical example of a low sulfidation epithermal deposit, and the geological model used for exploration as well as the mineral resource estimation is that of a low sulfidation vein type deposit. Epithermal deposits form at shallow depths in volcanic-hydrothermal and geothermal environments, typically at temperatures between 160°C and 300°C (White and Hedenquist, 1995). They define a spectrum with two end members, low and high sulfidation (Hedenquist et al., 1998).

Fluid inclusion microthermometry carried out in sphalerite, quartz and fluorite for the Zuloaga vein indicates average homogenization temperatures and salinities of 297°C and 4.1 wt% NaCl eq (Albinson et al., 2001). The homogenization temperatures and low salinities (diluted fluids) in the Zuloaga vein and the alteration-mineral assemblage (interstratified illite/smectite in Zuloaga and Rosario) are consistent with low sulfidation vein-type deposits described by White and Hedenquist (1995) and Hedenquist et al. (1998). The presence of epidote in Zuloaga, Rosario and Other Veins is also consistent with the homogenization temperatures around 300°C determined for Zuloaga by Albinson et al (2001).

In the opinion of the QP, the deposits in the San Martín mine area are considered to be examples of low sulfidation epithermal deposits. The Miocene age of the mineralization and its association with volcanic rocks of the Upper Volcanic Series is also found for other low sulfidation deposits in Mexico. Additionally, structural-textural features, such as hydrothermal breccias cemented by quartz-calcite, stockworks and cymoid loops, are also common in other low sulfidation epithermal vein-type deposits in Mexico.

Mineralization in the San Martín mine occurs in east–west, northwest–southeast, northeast southwest and north–south fault structures in the form of stockworks, sheeted veinlets, veins, and breccias. The veins in the San Martín mine can be described as fault veins or mineralized faults, given that the amount of gangue minerals such as quartz, calcite, fluorite, epidote, ankerite and adularia are very limited, i.e., they do not form massive or banded veins typical of open space-filling veins.


Mining Methods

  • Cut & Fill


Summary:

San Martín veins and deposits are hosted on the side of a mountain range. Access to the workings is through adits developed horizontally, followed by ascendant and descendent ramps developed in waste.

All mine workings in San Martín are located above the water table, and no evidence of water bodies have been found during exploration. There are water inflows in the workings close to surface, mainly during the rainy season, but these inflows are managed by pumping.

Geotechnical studies have been completed in support of design parameters for the excavations, as well as ground support requirements.

San Martín currently uses cut-and-fill mining using resue to extract the mineralization. Resue is a mining variation that implements a two-phased process where the ore is extracted first and then the mining section is extended to allow access to mining equipment for subsequent cuts. A combination of jumbo and conventional (hand-held pneumatic) drills are used and the type of drill used depends on mining widths and availability of the jumbos.

The current minimum mining width used at site for cut-and-fill mining is 0.8 m, and 2.5 m for equipment access. After the resue portion is mined (typically the mineralization), additional waste is mined to allow for equipment access. Mined waste either reports to the surface waste storage facility or is used as fill for subsequent lifts. When mineralization that is greater than 2.5 m in width is mined, no additional waste is mined. Each drift is mined 3 m high where six drifts are mined to extract 18 m of a 20-m-high panel. Updated designs incorporate a minimum stand-off distance of 20 m to locate ramps away from mineralization. Planned development includes: access drifts; sills (development on mineralization); operating waste development (sills mining material below cut-off); sumps; escapeways and accesses to the escapeways; return airways and accesses to the return airways; stockpiles; and ore passes and access to the ore passes, where required. Vertical development will primarily be completed by conventional mining techniques up to a size of 1.5 m by 1.5 m. Large diameter raises will be excavated either by a raisebore machine (contract) or by longhole raising.

Where necessary, all future production voids will be backfilled. As the operation uses sill pillars to separate active mining blocks, the backfill is uncemented waste rock.

The existing load-and-haul fleet currently handles up to 900 tpd (27 kt per month), with haulage requirements met by the onsite contractor through the provision of conventional haulage trucks. The mine plan uses development rates and productivities based on the existing fleet.


Crushing and Grinding


Processing

  • Agitated tank (VAT) leaching
  • Counter current decantation (CCD)
  • Merrill–Crowe
  • Cyanide (reagent)

Flow Sheet: Subscription required

Summary:

Gold and silver are extracted at the processing plant which operates 24/7, normally processing 860 tpd. The plant has a name plate capacity of 1,300 tpd, which provides ample operational flexibility.

The processing plant comprises several areas: crushing, grinding, leaching, tailings dam, Merrill-Crowe circuit (auto jet and precipitation), and refinery. A project is currently underway to build a new tailings filter dry stack tailings area.

The crushing area normally operates 18 hours per day, allowing six hours a day for maintenance and housekeeping tasks. Run of Mine (ROM) ore is transported to the crushing area where it is stockpiled in a yard near the primary (jaw) crusher. With the help of a front-end loader, ore is fed through a chute into the primary (24” x 36”) crusher, which is capable of handling a maximum rock size of 14”. The crushing circuit is equipped with a stationary hydraulic hammer to break oversized ROM material when present.

The prim ........

Recoveries & Grades:

CommodityParameter201920182017201620152014
Silver Recovery Rate, %  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Silver Head Grade, g/t 191218239241260213
Gold Recovery Rate, %  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Gold Head Grade, g/t 0.530.60.8
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Production:

CommodityProductUnits201920182017201620152014
Silver Payable metal oz  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required1,820,4751,901,0602,293,5251,826,284
Silver Metal in doré oz  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required1,822,2971,902,9632,296,9651,833,618
Gold Metal in doré oz  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Silver Equivalent Metal in doré oz  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Operational Metrics:

Metrics201920182017201620152014
Tonnes milled  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required297,802 t349,193 t363,951 t
Daily milling capacity  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required1,300 t1,300 t
Daily milling rate  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Daily mining capacity  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Reserves at December 31, 2019:

CategoryOreTypeTonnage CommodityGradeContained Metal
Measured Oxide 44 kt Silver 293 g/t 410 koz
Measured Oxide 44 kt Gold 0.24 g/t
Measured Oxide 44 kt Silver Equivalent 312 g/t 440 koz
Indicated Oxide 719 kt Silver 321 g/t 7,390 koz
Indicated Oxide 719 kt Gold 0.61 g/t 14 koz
Indicated Oxide 719 kt Silver Equivalent 369 g/t 8,530 koz
Measured & Indicated Oxide 763 kt Silver 319 g/t 7,800 koz
Measured & Indicated Oxide 763 kt Gold 0.58 g/t 14 koz
Measured & Indicated Oxide 763 kt Silver Equivalent 366 g/t 8,970 koz
Inferred Oxide 2,078 kt Silver 229 g/t 15,270 koz
Inferred Oxide 2,078 kt Gold 0.43 g/t 29 koz
Inferred Oxide 2,078 kt Silver Equivalent 263 g/t 17,570 koz

Commodity Production Costs:

CommodityUnits201920182017201620152014
Credits (by-product) Silver USD -4.58 / oz -2.66 / oz -2.9 / oz -2.88 / oz
Cash costs Silver USD 10.7 / oz 9.19 / oz 8.65 / oz 11.7 / oz
Total cash costs Silver USD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required 11.3 / oz 9.72 / oz 9.18 / oz 12.4 / oz
Total cash costs Silver USD  ......  Subscription required†  ......  Subscription required† 6.69 / oz† 7.07 / oz† 6.29 / oz† 9.47 / oz†
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) Silver USD  ......  Subscription required†  ......  Subscription required† 9.06 / oz† 9.4 / oz† 9.22 / oz† 14 / oz†
† Net of By-Product.
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Operating Costs:

Units201920182017201620152014
UG mining costs ($/t milled) USD 25.120.920.119.8
Processing costs ($/t milled) USD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Total operating costs ($/t milled) USD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Financials:

Units201920182017201620152014
Sustaining costs M USD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Capital expenditures M USD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required 9.06   14.6  
Revenue M USD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required 43.1   42.8  
Operating Income M USD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required 13.6   12.4  
Subscription required - Subscription is required


Heavy Mobile Equipment as of December 31, 2016:
HME TypeSizeQuantity
Drill (long hole) 1
Drill jumbo (single boom) 2
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) 1 cu. yd 1
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) 2 cu. yd 4
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) 3.5 cu. yd 6
Truck (haul) 11 cu. yd 6

Mine Management:

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jun 5, 2020
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jun 5, 2020
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jun 5, 2020
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Staff:

EmployeesContractorsTotal WorkforceYear
Subscription required Subscription required Subscription required 2013

Corporate Filings & Presentations:

DocumentYear
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2018
................................... Subscription required 2018
Form 40-F 2017
Annual Report 2016
Financial Review 2016
Technical Report 2016
Form 40-F 2015
Technical Report 2013
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Subscription required - Subscription is required.

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