Mining Intelligence and News
China

Gaocheng (GC) Mine

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Overview

Mine TypeUnderground
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Silver
  • Lead
  • Zinc
Mining Method
  • Shrinkage stoping
  • Resue mining
Backfill type ... Lock
Production Start... Lock
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotGaocheng (GC) operations consist of a ~310 ktpa underground mine and a sulphide flotation plant.

In 2023, the production decrease can be attributed mainly to the upgrades made to the ventilation and electric power facilities at the GC Mine to comply with newly implemented safety production regulations.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Silvercorp Metals Inc. 99 % Indirect
Yangtze Mining Ltd. (“Yangtze Mining”) was incorporated on February 11, 2002, under the laws of the BVI. It holds a 100% interest in Yangtze Mining (H.K.) Ltd. (“Yangtze Mining HK”). Yangtze Mining HK holds a 95% interest in Guangdong Found Mining Co. Ltd. (“Guangdong Found”), a company incorporated on October 26, 2008 under the laws of the People’s Republic of China, that holds a 100% interest in the silver, lead and zinc exploration permits on the project in Gaocheng (the “GC Mine” or “Gaocheng”) in Guangdong Province. In October 2018, Silvercorp Metals (China) Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, acquired an additional 4% interest in Guangdong Found, and as a result, the Company now beneficially owns a 99% interest in Guangdong Found.

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Mesothermal
  • Vein / narrow vein

Summary:

The poly-metallic mineralization of the GC deposit belongs to the mesothermal vein infill style of deposit and exhibits the following characteristics:

• The mineralization occurs as veins which are structurally controlled within broader alteration zones. The alteration can reach more than a few metres along the faults distributing in both hangingwall and footwall.
• The veins have a sharp contact with the host rocks and steeply dip at angles between 60 – 85°.

In general, the Ag-Zn-Pb mineralization occurs along the strike of the faults. The veins have true widths varying from just over 0.1 m to over 10 m. They have been traced for over 1,250 m along strike, and approximately 550 m down dip.

Ag-Zn-Pb mineralization at the GC deposit can be divided into two types: primary and oxidized. The primary mineralization is mainly composed of galena-sphalerite-silver minerals which occur sparsely, as disseminations, veinlets and lumps. Primary mineralization accounts for 95% of the entire Mineral Resource. Oxide mineralization occurs on and near the surface.

Mineralized veins in the GC area occur in relatively permeable fault-breccia zones. These zones are extensively oxidized from the surface to depths of about 40 m. Veins in this zone exhibit open space and boxwork lattice textures resulting from the leaching and oxidation of sulphide minerals. Secondary minerals present in varying amounts in this zone include kaolinite, hematite, and limonite.

The dominant sulphide mineral is pyrite, typically comprising a few percent to 13% of the vein. Other constituents are a few percent of sphalerite, galena, pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite, magnetite, and less than a percentage of chalcopyrite and cassiterite. Metallic minerals in much smaller amounts include argentite, native silver, bornite, wolframite, scheelite, and antimonite. Metallic minerals occur in narrow massive bands, veinlets or as disseminations in the gangue. Gangue minerals include chlorite, quartz, fluorite, feldspar, mica, hornblende, with a small or trace amount of kaolinite, tremolite, actinolite, chalcedony, garnet, zoisite, apatite, and tourmaline.

Alteration minerals associated with the GC vein systems include quartz, sericite, pyrite, and chlorite, together with clay minerals and limonite. Silicification commonly occurs near the centre of the veins. Chlorite and sericite occur near and slightly beyond the vein margins.

Quartz, pyrite, fluorite, and chlorite are closely related to the mineralization.

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

CommodityUnits20242023202220212020201920182017
Silver koz  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe630570600
Lead M lbs  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe8.76.77.1
Zinc M lbs  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe161214
All production numbers are expressed as metal in concentrate. ^ Guidance / Forecast.

Operational metrics

Metrics20242023202220212020201920182017
Tonnes milled  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe288,995 t244,338 t260,696 t
Annual processing capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Ore tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe284,218 t245,783 t260,746 t
Waste  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe153,400 t
Daily processing capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
^ Guidance / Forecast.

Production Costs

CommodityUnits2023202220212020201920182017
Credits (by-product) Silver USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe -36.87 / oz   -35.59 / oz   -26.18 / oz  
Total cash costs (sold) Silver USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe -12.97 / oz **   -12.37 / oz **   -6.47 / oz **  
All-in sustaining costs (sold) Silver USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe -6.28 / oz **   -3.69 / oz **   0.2 / oz **  
All-in costs Silver USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe -5.49 / oz **   -2.88 / oz **   0.8 / oz **  
** Net of By-Product.

Operating Costs

Currency202220212020201920182017
UG mining costs ($/t mined) USD 50.6  47.7  46.4  46  45.7  40  
Processing costs ($/t milled) USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe

Financials

Units20242023202220212020201920182017
Capital expenditures (planned) M USD  ....  Subscribe
Sustaining costs M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 1   1.9   1.1  
Capital expenditures M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Revenue M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 29   27.9   20.7  
Operating Income M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 7.5  

Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Dec 13, 2023
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Dec 13, 2023

EmployeesContractorsTotal WorkforceYear
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2023
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2022
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2021
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2020
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2019
...... Subscription required 2018
...... Subscription required 2017

Aerial view:

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