SilverCrest Metals, a Canadian precious metals exploration and production company, has started commercial production at its Las Chispas Mine in Sonora, Mexico.

The miner has embarked on commercial production after successfully operating the processing plant at a minimum capacity of 80% for its nameplate design of 1,250 tonnes per day (tpd) or 1,000tpd during the commissioning period.

From 1 September 2022 to 31 October 2022, the Las Chispas Mine processing plant showed a combined gold and silver recovery or silver equivalent recovery of over 85%, said SilverCrest Metals.

For the same period, the mine processing facility is said to have processed 62,146 tonnes of ore for an average of 1,019tpd and achieved an average metallurgical recovery of 96.7% gold and 96.8% silver, or 96.7% silver equivalent.

Pierre Beaudoin — SilverCrest Metals COO said: “We have been impressed by the early performance of the Las Chispas processing plant and continue to work to fine tune and complete the ramp up.

“Our underground mining team also continues to ramp up the operation with a focus on refinement of mining methods and implementation of grade control procedures.”

The underground gold and silver mine in Sonora with a target to exit 2022 is also progressing its ramp-up at a rate of 600 to 700tpd.

SilverCrest Metals said during the commissioning period, the processing facility executed on par or ahead of all feasibility study metrics while processing ore that was mainly sourced from stockpiles.

The construction work on the processing plant at Las Chispas Mine began in February 2021 and was completed in May 2022.

N. Eric Fier — SilverCrest Metals CEO said: “Moving Las Chispas from discovery to production in less than seven years is a monumental achievement. We are extremely proud of the dedication and execution from all involved.

“We now look forward to finishing our ramp-up to designed levels, generating revenue with subsequent free cash flow, and releasing an updated Technical Report in H1, 2023.”

  Las Chispas project, Mexico, N. Eric Fier, Pierre Beaudoin, SilverCrest Metals, Sonora