Cerro Moro is located within the Deseado Massif, a tectonic block in the central portion of the Santa Cruz Province that covers an area of approximately 60,000 square kilometres. The Deseado Massif is host to several producing and past-producing gold and silver mines, all of the low-sulphidation gold-silver quartz vein deposit type. This deposit type is characterized by quartz veins, stockworks, and breccias that contain gold, silver, electrum, argentite, and pyrite with lesser and variable amounts of sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena, rare tetrahedrite and sulphosalt minerals that form in high-level (epizonal) to near-surface environments. At Cerro Moro, gold-silver mineralization is associated with low-sulphidation epithermal veins, stockwork, and breccia units. Phreatic breccias (unit Hbx) are commonly spatially associated with low- sulphidation veins consisting of quartz, some adularia, and variable concentrations of pyrite, acanthite, sphalerite, and other very minor base metal sulphides. The Cerro Moro property is underlain by Tertiary marine sediments, Quaternary gravels and volcanic rocks of Jurassic age assigned to the Bahía Laura Group by Panza et al. (1994). The current distribution of rock units is strongly controlled by faulting. Stratified rocks generally dip gently to the south but are displaced along numerous faults. Actual displacement vectors on faults are poorly defined and structural observations of veins and fault surfaces show a complex history, with ........

Cerro Moro consists of several open pit and underground mines which feed a single processing plant with a throughput capacity of approximately 1,150 tpd. Production from mines located close to the Run of mine (“ROM”) pad is hauled directly from the mine. For mines located at greater distances, ore is hauled to a stockpile located close to the portal or pit and then hauled to the ROM pad in hauling campaigns.

Open pit operations are currently carried out by a contractor. The open pit mining sequence consists of first pre-splitting both sides of the vein with holes spaced every 1 meter apart. Then, from the ramp access, waste polygons on the hangingwall side of the vein are mined to create a free face for the vein. Once the vein is fully exposed, the vein is blasted and mined separately to minimize dilution. Once the vein is completely extracted, the remaining waste polygons on the footwall are extracted.

All open-pit mining extraction requires drilling, blasting, loading, and hauling. The sequence consists of an initial pre-splitting of both sides of the vein with drill holes spaced one metre apart. Then, from the ramp access, waste polygons on the hanging-wall side of the vein are mined to create a free face for the vein. Once the vein is fully exposed, the vein is blasted and mined separately to minimize dilution. After the vein is completely extracted, the remaining waste polygons on the footwall are extracted. There is no progress to the next bench if ........

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