Artemis Gold’s Blackwater mine at final commissioning stage
Artemis now expects to feed first ore to the ball mill in the next few weeks and continues to target first gold pour before year end.
GoGold Resources (TSX: GGD) has released its initial resource estimate for the Los Ricos North silver project in Jalisco state, Mexico. The indicated resource contains 87.8 million oz. silver-equivalent in 22.3 million tonnes grading 122 g/t silver-equivalent.
The indicated resource is divided into a silver-gold oxide zone containing 14.5 million tonnes grading 0.35 g/t gold and 100 g/t silver and the El Orito sulphide zone with 7.8 million tonnes grading 0.06 g/t gold and 28 g/t silver (plus copper, zinc and lead).
The inferred resource is likewise divided. In the silver-gold oxide zone there are 15 million tonnes grading 0.28 g/t gold and 91 g/t silver. The El Orito sulphide zone contains 5.5 million tonnes grading 0.06 g/t gold and 28 g/t silver (plus copper, zinc and lead).
In terms of contained metal, there are 186,000 oz. of gold and 53.5 million oz. of silver in the indicated resource and 148,000 oz. of gold and 49 million oz. of silver.
GoGold is planning 100,000 metres of drilling next year to expand the resources.
The company is also testing the Los Ricos South project on the same property. Here a measured and indicated resource of 10 million tonnes grading 0.91 g/t gold and 119 g/t silver containing 293,000 oz. of gold and 38 million oz. of silver has been estimated.
There is also an inferred resource of 3.3 million tonnes grading 0.88 g/t gold and 112 g/t silver for 93,000 contained oz. of gold and 11.8 million contained oz. of silver.
In January, the company released a preliminary economic assessment for Los Ricos South with an after-tax net present value at a discount rate of 5% of C$295 million and an after-tax internal rate of return of 46%.
In a mine life of 11 years, the project would produce 42.9 million oz. of silver, 352,000 oz. of gold, and 4.5 million lb. of copper.
The initial capex would be C$125 million, and the all-in sustaining costs would be $11.35 per oz. of silver-equivalent.
(This article first appeared in the Canadian Mining Journal)
