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Bolivar Mine

Bolivar is our growing Copper Mine

As of December 31, 2018

Contribution
to Total Revenue
Notes

Source: 2018 Annual Management Discussion and Analysis

Revenue Mix
By Metal in 2018
Notes

Source: 2018 Annual Management Discussion and Analysis

Copper Equivalent Pounds
Produced in 2018 (000's)
21,323
Notes

Source: 2018 Annual Management Discussion and Analysis

All-in-Sustaining Cost
(per copper equivalent pound sold)
$2.73
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. AISC is a non-IFRS number. Please see 2018 Annual Management Discussion and Analysis for a reconciliation of non-IFRS numbers to comparable IFRS numbers.

Quick Facts

Location Mexico
Ownership 100%
Type of Mine Underground
Mining Methodology Long-hole mining
Processing Method Crushing & grinding, floatation
Milling/Processing Capacity 3,600 TPD
Number of Employees & Contractors 379 (FT), 287 (Contract)
Copper Eq Production (000’s) -guidance for 2019 29,877 - 33,449 pounds
Cash Costs - guidance for 2019 $1.35/pound sold
AISC - guidance for 2019 $2.08/pound sold

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 7,925 19 0.86 0.25 1.14 199
Proven & Probable 7,925 19 0.86 0.25 1.14 199
Resources
Measured - - - - - -
Indicated 13,267 23 1.04 0.30 1.37 402
Measured & Indicated 13,267 23 1.04 0.30 1.37 402
Inferred 8,012 22 0.96 0.42 1.35 238

Notes:

  1. The effective date of the mineral reserve and resource estimate is October 31, 2017.
  2. Details of the estimate are provided in the Company's May 22, 2018 press releases with a NI 43-101 technical report to be filed on SEDAR on July 5, 2018.
  3. Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resources include Proven and Probable Reserves. CuEq is based on the following metal prices: US$18.25/oz Ag, US$3.00/lb Cu and US$1,291 Au. Totals for proven and probable are diluted for internal waste.
  4. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

(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