Development to begin at the Chinchillas project

Puna Operations Inc. is a joint venture comprised of the Pirquitas property and the Chinchillas property, owned 75% and operated by SSR Mining. Chinchillas is a silver-lead-zinc deposit located approximately 42 km by road from the Pirquitas property. The pre-feasibility study on the Chinchillas project, filed under our profile on SEDAR on 31 May 2017, evaluates the development and construction of an open-pit mine and supporting infrastructure to supply ore to the Pirquitas processing facilities over an eight-year active mining period. The operation is expected to produce a silver-lead concentrate and a zinc concentrate with an average annual production of 6.1 million oz of silver, 35 million lbs of lead and 12.3 million lbs of zinc at cash costs of CAN$7.40 per payable oz of silver sold. The Chinchillas project has low capital intensity with an estimated CAN$81 million capital costs, based on initial capital expenditures and utilising certain property, plant and equipment from the Pirquitas property. The project has an attractive post-tax net present value of CAN$178 million, based on a 5% discount rate, and post-tax internal rate of return of 29%.

Paul Benson, President and CEO of SSR Mining, said: "Receipt of the EIA approval is another positive step forward for our growth strategy. Our team can now accelerate development and construction activities to begin processing ore in 2018. Brownfields development of Chinchillas is a low capital, short payback opportunity to create value and growth for our shareholders in the near term."

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/exploration-development/05012018/development-to-begin-at-the-chinchillas-project/