Photo by: Trevali Mining
TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – Zinc-focused miner Trevali Mining this week reported lower output from its flagship Santander mine, in Peru, mainly the result of modifications and optimisation of underground production workings and the mine plan within the Magistral North deposit.
For the three months ended June 30, the miner reported output of 12-million pounds of zinc, down 18% when compared with 14.6-million pounds in the first quarter. Lead output totalled 4.4-million pounds, down 20% from 5.5-million, while payable silver ounces produced totalled 187 000 oz, down from 269 000 oz in the first quarter.
Trevali said the optimisation programme was aimed at incorporating the recently discovered Rosa zone into production scheduling, where it intersects the Magistral North zone.
In these areas the mineral body widths thicken considerably from about 6 m to 8 m, to 15 m to 18 m on average. The modifications to the Magistral North-Rosa mine plan were reported to be “essentially” complete and Trevali expected quarterly metal output to increase in future.
The company said it remained on track to achieve its full year production forecast of between 42-million and 45-million pounds of zinc, 15-million to 17-million pounds of lead and between 700 000 oz and 720 000 oz of silver.
During the second quarter, the company produced 13 048 t of zinc concentrate with an average grade of 49% zinc and 3 680 t of lead/silver concentrate, grading 57% lead, and 48.8 oz/t silver.