Minefinders Pours First Gold and Silver at Dolores


Minefinders Corp. reported in late October 2008 that it had initiated leaching operations at its newly developed Dolores gold mine in Chihuahua, Mexico, and three weeks later that the first gold and silver had been poured at the project. The crushing rate had reached 15,000 mt/d and was expected to increase to design capacity of 18,000 mt/d as minor commissioning issues were addressed. The processing facilities, mining operations, and support facilities, including the warehouse, assay lab and office complex, were fully operational, and maintenance facilities were nearing completion.

The operation is expected to have a mine life of more than 15 years as an open-pit mine, with additional potential as a high-grade underground mine in the future. The open-pit mine currently has 99.3 million mt of proven and probable reserves, containing 2.44 million oz of gold and 126.6 million oz of silver. Additional resources being considered for underground development occur at depth below the designed pit bottom and in several peripheral structures.


As featured in Womp 08 Vol 10 - www.womp-int.com