Dual-listed precious metals producer McEwen Mining produced 36 959 oz of gold and 772 432 oz of silver, or 47 258 gold-equivalent ounces (GEOs), for the second quarter of this year.
Gold production compared well with the 35 069 oz produced in the first quarter of this year, and was higher than the 22 191 oz produced in the second quarter of 2017.
Silver production was also higher than the 695 651 oz produced in the first quarter, and the 229 487 oz produced in the second quarter of 2017.
McEwen’s Black Fox mine, in Canada, produced 14 055 GEOs in the second quarter, in line with the company’s full-year production guidance of 48 000 GEOs.
A $15-million exploration programme is ongoing across the Black Fox complex.
The El Gallo mine, in Mexico, produced 10 808 GEOs in the second quarter, which is in line with the company’s budget and full-year production guidance of 32 000 GEOs.
By the end of the second quarter, mining and crushing activities ceased and contractor equipment has been demobilised from the mine site.
Closure, reclamation and residual heap leach activities are ongoing and will continue for several years.
Additionally, the company published a preliminary economic assessment study earlier this month to potentially restart production from the El Gallo complex.
Further, the company’s 49%-owned San José mine, in Argentina, produced 12 139 oz of gold and 769 197 oz of silver, for a total of 22 395 GEOs.
Production is on track to achieve full-year guidance of 91 000 GEOs.
Meanwhile, during the second quarter, construction activities at the company’s Gold Bar mine, in the US, focused on the heap leach pad, and installation of the crushing and processing facility.
All major equipment and bulk materials have been bought.
Engineering for the project is complete and about 90% of contracts have been awarded. Construction has been advancing on schedule for completion by the end of this year, ahead of first production in the first quarter of 2019.
During the first three years of operation, Gold Bar is projected to produce 55 000 oz, 74 000 oz and 68 000 oz of gold respectively.