Trevali Mining reports that all ‘core’ site infrastucture is completed and operational at its Santander zinc-lead-silver project
in Peru, and its mining contractor is advancing underground development on three deposits. The mine
portal is visible in the far center of the photograph. (Photo courtesy of Trevali Mining)

At the 2,000-mt/d processing plant, the mills had been installed; the flotation building was in place, and the flotation cells had been installed; the crusher and zinc and lead thickener foundations were in place; new steel for mill and crusher buildings was on site and being erected, and the crushers were being installed; tail-ings dam sealing was ongoing; and miner-al stockpile preparation was advanced.

Mining contractors JRC Ingenieros was reported to be actively advancing under-ground development on the three Magistral deposits. All key underground service and support facilities were in place, including water, air, underground offices and training rooms, lamp room, various explosive maga-zines and equipment shops. Approximately 95,000 mt of mined material at grades of 5.61% zinc, 0.65% lead and 1.65 oz/mt silver were slated to be stockpiled and available for mill commissioning.

Santander is about 200 km by road northwest of Lima. The project is being developed under an agreement between Trevali and Glencore International, where-by Trevali retains 100% ownership of the project, while Glencore is constructing and will operate the mill and flotation plant to produce zinc and lead-silver concentrates. Glencore is also responsible for supervision of the contract mining operations and has entered into a long-term concentrate off-take agreement for 100% of Santander’s concentrate production.