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Bolivar Mine

Bolivar is our growing Copper Mine

As of December 31, 2019

Contribution
to Total Revenue
Notes

Source: 2019 Annual Management and Discussion Analysis

Revenue Mix
By Metal in 2019
Notes

Source: 2019 Annual Management and Discussion Analysis

Copper Equivalent Pounds
Produced in 2019 (000's)
27,236
Notes

Source: 2019 Annual Management and Discussion Analysis

All-in-Sustaining Cost
(per copper equivalent pound sold)
$2.86
Notes

All-In-Sustaining-Costs (AISC) include total production cash costs incurred at Sierra Metals Mining operations including sustaining capex. Additionally, the Company includes treatment and refining charges, selling costs, general and administrative expenses. The measure seeks to reflect the full cost of production from current operations.

Quick Facts

Location Mexico
Ownership 100%
Type of Mine Underground
Mining Methodology Long-hole mining
Processing Method Crushing & grinding, floatation
Milling/Processing Capacity 5,000 TPD in 2020
Number of Employees & Contractors 379 (FT), 287 (Contract)
Copper Eq Production (000’s) -guidance for 2020 TBD
Cash Costs - guidance for 2020 TBD
AISC - guidance for 2020 TBD

Reserves & Resources

On July 5, 2018, the Company released an updated NI 43-101 compliant reserve and resources estimate for its Bolivar Mine, completed by SRK Consulting, Inc. of Denver, Colorado.

Category Tonnes
(x1000)		 Ag
(g/t)		 Cu
(%)		 Au
(g/t)		 CuEq
(%)		 CuEq
(M lb)
Reserves
Proven - - - - - -
Probable 7,184 13.2 0.68 0.22 0.86 144
Proven & Probable 7,184 13 0.68 0.22 0.86 136
Resources
Measured - - - - - -
Indicated 19,352 15 0.77 0.21 0.96 410
Measured & Indicated 19,352 15 0.77 0.21 0.96 410
Inferred 21,387 14 0.78 0.21 0.96 453

Notes:

  1. The effective date of the Bolivar mineral reserve and resource estimate is December 31, 2019. Details of the estimate are provided in the Company’s March 31, 2020 press releases and a NI 43-101 technical report will be filed on SEDAR within 45 days of the press release. Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resources include Proven and Probable Reserves. Copper equivalent is based on the following metal prices: US$17.82/oz Ag, US3.08/lb Cu and US$1,354 Au. Totals for Proven and Probable are diluted for internal waste. Metallurgical recovery assumptions are based on actual plant data for 2019 and are 78.6% Ag, 88% Cu, and 62.9% Au. The equivalency expression is designed to present an in-situ copper equivalent, considering the recovered value of the other metals expressed in the value of copper percent.
    The equation is: CuEq = ((Ag*Ag$*Agrec)+(Cu*Cu$*Curec)+(Au*Au$*Aurec)) / (Cu$*Curec).

(Complete details of the updated reserve and resource estimate will available in the upcoming NI 43-101 technical report - please click here)

The Bolivar Mine comprises of 12 mining concessions and is a contiguous portion of the 15,217 hectare Bolívar Property land package within the municipality of Urique, in the Piedras Verdes mining district of Chihuahua State, Mexico. During 2012, the Company achieved its first full year of commercial production at the Piedras Verdes plant, which is located 6 kilometers from the Bolivar Mine that had an initial capacity of 1,000 tonnes per day. In September 2013, the Piedras Verdes plant further increased its daily throughput capacity to 2,000 tonnes per day by installing a new circuit. Work continues on the installation of an additional mill in the fourth quarter which will help grind size optionality and improve recoveries at the plant. Production has increased incrementally in Q4 2018 and we should be at the 3,600 tonnes per day level during Q2 2019. A preliminary economic assessment released in July 2018, studies increasing production to 5,000 tonnes per day in 2020.

The ore is treated using a flotation process in a copper circuit and is extracted from various copper skarn deposits which include the following:

  • A copper skarn deposit, containing copper, silver and gold

Exploration

The Bolivar Property is situated within the Piedras Verdes Mining District, which is within the major north-northwest trending Sierra Madre Precious Metals Belt extending across the states of Chihuahua, Durango and Sonora in northwestern Mexico. In general, rocks in the area trend northwest and dip gently to the northeast. These rocks are also cut by several northwest and northeast-trending faults.

Skarn-type Cu-Zn-Ag-Au mineralization in the Bolivar area is structurally controlled and forms mineralized zones that are close to structures. Mineralized zones occupy pre-existing fault structures and extensional openings formed during mineralization.

The exploration program has the following goals:

  • Brownfield programs within and close to existing mines to exploit near mine targets that can be converted into resources and reserves and brought into the existing mine plans within a shorter period of time
  • Developing a pipeline of open pit and underground opportunities through a district scale study that incorporates various geological data layers, historical drill hole and mine data