Name: El Compas mine.
Location: El Compas is located in Zacatecas, Mexico.
Mine Owner/s: Endeavour Silver.
Brief History: Endeavour Mining acquired the mine in 2016, through its acquisition of Oro Silver Resources, and started development in 2017. Commissioning started in 2019.
Brief Description: El Compas is Endeavour Mining’s fourth and newest mine and is located in the third-largest historic silver mining district in Mexico.
The project comprises 28 concessions fully permitted for mining. Of these, 22 concessions are subject to a 1.5% net smelter return (NSR) royalty, while six concessions are subject to a 3% NSR royalty.
Primary metals: Silver and gold.
Secondary metals: None stated.
Geology/Mineralisation: The Zacatecas mining district is located at the transition of the Sierra Madre Occidental and Mesa Central physiographic provinces in north-central Mexico and is marked by the north-west-striking Rio Santa Maria fault system.
The district covers a belt of Tertiary-aged epithermal vein deposits that contain silver, gold and base metals including copper, lead and zinc. The dominant structural features that localise mineralisation are of Tertiary age, and are interpreted to be related to the development of a volcanic centre with subsequent caldera development and north-westerly-trending basin-and-range structures.
The veins at El Compas strike predominantly north and north-west and are hosted partly in volcanic and sedimentary rocks of the Chilitos formation and partly in overlying volcanic rocks of the La Virgen formation.
The Compas and Orito veins have the characteristics of a low sulphidation epithermal vein system. They occur in a region characterised by numerous, high silver-grade intermediate sulphidation epithermal vein systems.
Reserves: Total proven reserves as at December 31, 2018, were estimated at 38 000 t grading 90 g/t silver and 3.99 g/t gold. Probable reserves were estimated at 29 000 t grading 94 g/t silver and 4.31 g/t gold.
Resources: Total measured resources as at December 31, 2018, were estimated at 3 000 t grading 33 g/t silver and 3.94 g/t gold. Total indicated resources were estimated at 77 000 t grading 80 g/t silver and 4.75 g/t gold. Inferred resources were estimated at 212 000 t grading 74 g/t silver and 5.37 g/t gold.
Mining Method: Mechanised longhole and cut-and-fill.
Major Infrastructure and Equipment: The mine includes a 250 t/d underground mining operation and a 250 t/d capacity flotation plant to produce high-grade bulk sulphide concentrates.
Prospects: Ten untested vein targets at El Compas and recently acquired Calicanto and Veta Grande properties have known veins, small historic mines and good exploration potential.
Contact Details:
Endeavour Mining
Tel +1 604 685-9775
Email info@edrsilver.com
Website https://www.edrsilver.com