Mining trucks

[Lisa Andrews]

So last year we were producing about 1,200tpd with a goal to increase to 1,500tpd by the end of 2014 which we succeeded in. Then with the falling price our goal is to mine 2,200tpd which we are achieving this month for the first time.
Our mill can process about 1,800 tpd so we have to send the rest of it to Bolañitos mine since they have lowered their output. The problem at El Cubo is we don't have the grades to be able to mine higher quality mineral with higher grades, it's just what is in the ground.

The average grade for this month is 209 Silver equivalent, we have some gold in the dirt so this gets times-ed by 60 to work out the equivalent (you need to add the gold grade into your calculations it adds up quickly!).

At the mine itself we use 10t trucks that can go underground, the ones that are moving the dirt to seem to change a lot in capacity, there are 4 big ones lined up out there today, the transport ones my guess are 50-100t depending on which ones we use, they are run by contractors, they say Capricornio on the side (they could be the ones to contact but I can't see them caring too much, they just want to make money, I'm pretty sure I saw some racing through la presa yesterday). We tend to do campaigns so after today there should be a week off while we build up the stocks, I think the plan is to make it more regular so then there would only be like 4 trucks a day but it's Mexico so the plan changes by the minute/hour and I know towards the end of the month we will be sending as much as we possibly can!

El Cubo hasn't done great for years and has been known as a cursed mine according to people I have talked to but over the last year we have increased production significantly, and have found new deposits but with the silver prices struggling it's not an easy task. Think of the trucks as keeping guanajuato alive and more then 1,000 people in the town employed and letting you enjoy the silent peaceful times more?? And let's all hope for a rise in silver prices then Endeavor can upgrade the plant here so we don't have to truck it off :)