PERTH (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed Consolidated Zinc on Monday revealed that a group of armed bandits had entered its Plomosas mine, in Mexico, on November 16, and had taken the security guard and employees at the mine captive.
The employees were locked in a sea container, and the armed bandits stole 90 t of zinc and lead concentrates, valued at $90 000.
Consolidated Zinc told shareholders on Monday that all employees were unharmed during the incident, and were now being counseled.
Consolidated Zinc’s Mexican subsidiary Minera Latin American Zinc SAPI de CV is working with the Mexican Federal Police and Mexican Army who will provide enhanced security in and around Plomosas over the next few months.
The company said on Monday that it continues to review the impacts of the theft, which will include a deferral of plant upgrade capital expenditures of up to $90 000 planned for implementation during the fourth quarter of this year until the first quarter of 2022, and other initiatives may be implemented.
Consolidated Zinc in October inked an offtake agreement for all of the zinc concentrate produced at Plomosas for the entire 2022, after Latin American mining company Industrias Penoles S.A. de C.V. has exercised its purchase option.