SilverCrest Mines Reports 173,000 Ounces Silver and 3,995 Ounces Gold Produced in Q2

SilverCrest Mines Inc. (TSX:SVL) reported Q2 2014 silver and gold production results from its wholly owned Santa Elena mine in Sonora, Mexico. The mine produced 173,000 ounces of silver and 3,995 ounces of gold.

Currently, the Santa Elena mine is in transition from an open-pit heap leach to a conventional 3,000-tonne-per-day mill facility and underground operation. Accordingly, projected and actual production for Q2 2014 were both lower than they were in the second quarter of 2013.

As quoted in the press release:

Current market guidance of 3.3 to 3.6 million AgEq ounces for 2014 remains unchanged, since the second half of 2014 is expected to be heavily weighted with significantly higher metal recoveries, and full production through the mill. Market production guidance will be reviewed for possible revisions once mill commissioning is complete and underground stope production is underway.

SilverCrest President and COO N. Eric Fier said:

As expected, Santa Elena’s second quarter production was lower than the first quarter of 2014 as a result of closing the open pit ahead of schedule, phasing out production from the heap leach operation and starting up the new processing facility. There are always challenges when transitioning from an open pit, heap leach operation to an underground mine and milling circuit, but we are fortunate to have dedicated commissioning and operating teams that have consistently delivered steady progress towards full mill and underground production. Our current focus is to continue to address commissioning issues as they arise to assure the nameplate design capacity of 3,000 tpd continuous throughput is achieved by early August.

Click here to read the SilverCrest Mines Inc. (TSX:SVL) press release.