Rodeo gold project, Mexico : Golden Minerals Company begins mining operations

US-based Golden Minerals Company has commenced mining operations at its Rodeo gold project in the Mexican state Durango.

The company said that it had started blasting at the open-pit gold operation last week.

Golden Minerals Company has drilled initial blastholes on the 1460 bench in an area that has outcropping mill-grade gold mineralization along with thin overburden material. In the first pattern, 48 holes have been drilled and blasted.

In the coming few weeks, the Delaware-based miner will continue to develop the current and adjacent benches, which are said to be designed to be five meters each in height.

Golden Minerals Company expects to transport the first loads of material from the Rodeo gold project to its Velardeña oxide mill, which is nearly 60 miles from the project site, for processing in January 2021. This is subject to the current pace of work being maintained.

At the Velardeña oxide mill, processing is anticipated to start shortly as enough material containing over 3g per tonne gold has been hauled to the mill site to enable continuous operation.

Golden Minerals Company is targeting first gold pour from the Rodeo gold project by the end of January 2021.

Warren Rehn – Golden Minerals President and CEO said: “Thanks to the efficiency of our team in Mexico and the experienced and capable contract mining group, we have started mining at Rodeo about two weeks ahead of schedule.

“The installation of the second ball mill at our processing plant is also ahead of schedule. We expect to fulfill our plan to be producing gold and silver doré bars for sale in January 2021.”