Production has resumed at the Black Pine silver mine near Philipsburg, Mont., Inspiration Resources reports. Operations were suspended at the U.S. mine site in March, 1986, because of low silver prices.
Production levels at the mine will be increased during the next six months to an annual rate of 126,000 tons of ore. The silver-bearing concentrate, which contains minor amounts of copper, gold and lead, will be sold to custom smelters and yield about 1.1 troy million oz of refined silver annually.
Underground exploration and development will be conducted at the site in support of the planned production. Current mine reserves are two million tons grading 5.2 troy oz silver per ton.
Within the reserves total is a higher grade portion of 213,000 tons grading 11.7 oz. Initial mining will be carried out in this higher grade area.
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