The mineralization in the San Albino project area is best interpreted in the context of an “orogenic gold” deposit model based on the association of gold mineralization with metamorphic host rocks, and the textures and mineralogy of the San Albino veins, the wallrock alteration, and the “gold-only” character of mineralization.

The principal commodity exploited in the historical San Albino and nearby mines was gold, which was extracted from both placer workings and quartz-bearing lodes sporadically since the Spanish Colonial period (Roberts and Irving, 1957). Silver accompanies gold at the San Albino Deposit, but its economic significance is relatively low.

Lode gold deposits at the San Albino project are largely hosted in shallow- to moderate-dipping, northeast-striking quartz veins and thin vein margins concordant with the metamorphic fabric developed in carbonaceous schist (English, 2009). The gold-bearing quartz veins dip to the west and appear to be localized in zones that show greater degrees of strain than surrounding argillite, suggesting these dominant veins are shear-parallel veins (or, “shear veins”), although the similarity in footwall and hanging wall rocks suggests modest displacement.

Mining at the historical San Albino mine occurred on three separate vein systems: Arras, Naranjo, and San Albino. Subsequent exploration drilling by Mako confirmed that the three gold-bearing vein systems exhibit down-dip continuity and comprise ........

San Albino, Nicaragua’s newest high-grade gold mine, is a high-margin open pit operation. Commercial production declared effective July 1, 2021.

Open Pit Mining (PEA 2015)
Pits slopes have been designed using P&E’s experience with similar rock materials, using a 40° inter-ramp angle.

Four open pits are envisaged for the Project. These include the West Pit; the NE Pit; the SW Pit and the Central Pit.

The proposed open pits would utilize conventional open pit mining equipment and drill/blast/load/haul technologies. Open pit mining would proceed as successive pre-strip and hard rock mining operations, and follow the trend of the mineralized deposit. Waste rock storage facilities will be constructed near the open pit exits.

Potential underground mining (PEA 2015)
An underground mining operation would access and extract mill feed located at depth and below the open pits. Access to the underground mine will be through an underground decline from surface.

The average true thickness of the underground mineralized zones is 2.6 m and the dip angle varies at approximately 26 degrees. The dip angle is below the angle of repose of broken rock and also is too steep for trackless equipment to move up or down dip within the mineralized zones. For this reason, the primary mining method is envisaged to be steep panel mining. Using hand held drills and slushers, the potential mill feed is blasted and scraped to the bottom of the ........

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