Minera Alamos expects to achieve steady gold production at its Sonora gold mine in Mexico in early 2022.
November production amounted to approximately 1,200 ounces of gold, and the company has tripled the total number of gold ounces under active leaching operations since the start of November.
Gold inventory on the leach pad, at 7,330 ounces, has exceeded initial year-end targets. Current gold recovery rates are near 70%, and the company is working at increasing this rate.
Production is slated to increase as the available Nicho Norte starter pit operating areas increase.
Minera Alamos is optimising several parts of its project, including conducting testwork to quantify the relationship between overall gold recoveries and rock particle sizes.
Minera Alamos plans to start mining at the Nicho Main Zone to expand current mine production from the Nicho Norte starter pit. At the plant, Minera Alamos is optimising the mineral crushing circuit parameters using on-site equipment.
The company also plans to complete all of its new project laboratory facilities to cut down costs and wait times for product sample analysis.
Minera Alamos is also modifying blast patterns to minimise the amount of drilling and explosives required for rock fragmentation.