TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – Cerro Grande Mining’s Pimenton mine, in Chile, has been shut owing to a severe winter storm dumping 3.14 m of snow over three days last week, the company reported on Monday.
The mine, located in the Chilean Andes mountains at an elevation of about 3 350 m above sea level, is a narrow-vein high-grade gold and copper operation covering 3 121 ha and is prone to experience light to heavy snow conditions during the Chilean winter season from May to October.
According to Cerro Grande, the mine shut down and lack of access to the mine would also cause severe financial difficulties for subsidiary Compania Minera Pimenton. The snow storm was the worst storm to hit the mine operations since 2005 and the company advised that it was currently reviewing its options.
The Pimenton mine last year produced 6 633 oz of gold, a 28% decline year-on-year as grades fell.
Cerro Grande Mining Corporation is a minerals producing, exploration and development company with properties and activities currently focused in Chile.