The tequila was flowing as Mexican civil servants joined managers of Hecla Mining (NYSE) to cut the ribbon on La Choya, a new gold mine in Sonora state.
Situated 30 miles south of the U.S. border, the open-pit, heap-leach producer is the largest gold mine in Mexico (measured by tons mined per day). It is also Hecla’s first operation outside the U.S. and Canada. The Feb. 10 opening included a blessing by Archbishop Carlos Quintero Arce and a keynote address by Hecla Chairman Arthur Brown. Also on hand was Ernesto Cadena Beraud, Sonora state’s secretary of economic development, who welcomed Hecla to the country.
Dignitaries and guests toured both the mine and carbon-recovery processing plant, which are equipped with strict environmental safeguards. The leach pad is double-lined, and the mining operation features a closed-circuit system which ensures nothing is discharged into the environment. Hecla also intends to implement a 1.5-year reclamation program, following production. Toward this end, the company was the first in Mexico to save cacti through a transplant program.
La Choya contains 6.1 million proven and probable tons grading 0.037 oz. gold per ton, equivalent to 225,000 contained ounces of gold. Hecla expects to recover 200,000 oz. during the 3-year mine life.
Hecla spokesperson April Robertson said the property has good potential for increasing reserves. “We have an aggressive exploration program under way and are looking at other opportunities,” she said. “We hope to continue being part of Mexico’s (economic) boom.”
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