Fresnillo plc continues to advance in its exploration activities and the development of precious metal projects.

In the first quarter of 2020, the company carried out 130,000 meters of drilling and covered 38,000 meters in exploration projects, with the main focus on the districts of Fresnillo and San Julián for the conversion of resources to reserves, as well as taking advantage of infrastructure close to mining operations.

According to its own evaluation, Fresnillo plc obtained “interesting results in areas of the Fresnillo district that deserve follow-up”; In most of the other projects, the reception of the drilling tests is pending.

In addition, the company carried out mapping, geophysical studies and prospecting in the districts of San Julián and Ciénega in order to locate new targets to increase its resources.

However, some of the projects have had to postpone exploration work due to travel restrictions, and personnel mobility, in the areas where they are located.

Fresnillo plc and its plants

Regarding the projects under development, the company continues to build a tailings flotation plant in Fresnillo as the second phase of the pyrites project, whose operation is expected to begin in the second half of 2020.

This project aims to increase gold and silver recoveries by processing current and historical tailings from Fresnillo and Saucito.

Once both phases reach nominal capacity, it is expected to contribute annual production of 3.5 MOz of silver and 13 kOz of gold.

Likewise, Fresnillo plc advanced in the Juanicipium project in Zacatecas, with the construction of the flotation plant and the necessary infrastructure as planned.

Continued mine development continued and the first production stretch is expected to be ready by the end of the third quarter of the year. Juanicipium is expected to contribute an average total annual production of 11.7 MOz of silver and 43.5 kOz of gold, with an initial useful life of 12 years.

The company is also working on the optimization of the Fresnillo beneficiation plant, whose objective is to increase the processing capacities to cope with the higher degrees of lead and zinc that are currently mined at the deepest levels of the mine.