en.Wedoany.com Reported - Starcore International Mines Ltd. has released production figures for the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ending April 2026 at its flagship San Martín mine.
During the quarter, the company produced a total of 1,722 gold equivalent ounces, impacted by a simultaneous decline in both throughput tonnage and ore grade. Throughput tonnage was 45,550 tonnes, a 13% decrease compared to the previous quarter. The company attributed the production decline to unforeseen geological challenges: a high-grade vein located in the "Manto" orebody was situated between a structural fault and extremely soft material, a condition that increased ore dilution and mining difficulty.
In response to this situation, Starcore swiftly adjusted its operational strategy, developing a new high-grade orebody in another area of the mine and successfully gaining access to it by the end of the quarter. Salvador Garcia, the company's Operations Director, stated that the stabilization strategy, focused on processing oxide and carbonaceous ores, began to show results starting in the second half of April. He detailed that the carbonaceous ore entering the plant averaged grades of 3 grams per tonne gold and 25 grams per tonne silver, with recovery rates approaching 80%; by the quarter's end, the grinding capacity for this material had been increased to 100 tonnes per day.
On an annual basis, the San Martín mine processed a total of 204,366 tonnes of ore over the past 12 months, a 3% increase compared to 2025; cumulative production reached 7,874 gold equivalent ounces.
Regarding deep exploration, the company reported the completion of a two-phase geophysical study covering 70% of its 13,000-hectare concession area. The related research work included a mobile magnetotelluric survey over 91.5 square kilometers and induced polarization analysis over 5.2 square kilometers. Final results are expected to be announced by the end of May to identify new drilling targets.
This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com
