3000 kW Backup Power Commissioned at Mexico's La Guitarra Silver-Gold Mine

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 14, Sierra Madre Gold and Silver announced that the installation of two 1500 kW diesel generators at its La Guitarra silver-gold mine in Mexico has been completed, bringing total backup power capacity to 3000 kW, and the system has entered the commissioning phase. The two generators primarily provide backup power to the processing plant during outages, in order to reduce production interruptions caused by weather and grid failures. The company previously disclosed that multiple power outages in the second quarter of 2026 had already increased operating costs.

The existing processing plant at the La Guitarra mine has a nominal throughput capacity of 500 tonnes per day, and the company is advancing a two-phase expansion. The first phase aims to increase throughput to 750–800 tonnes per day by the end of the third quarter of 2026; the second phase plans to further increase it to 1200–1500 tonnes per day by the third quarter of 2027. The company's latest disclosure shows that, following modifications to the existing processing circuit and the installation of high-capacity pumps, daily throughput has reached as high as 672 tonnes, an increase of approximately 34% over the original 500 tonnes per day.

In addition to the two 1500 kW generators for the processing plant, Sierra Madre has also procured a 1250 kW diesel generator to provide backup power for the two underground mining areas, Coloso and Nazareno. This equipment is still in the installation phase. The company is also advancing construction of the foundation for a new ball mill, supporting equipment, and the plant enclosure structure at La Guitarra, and has completed the installation of a bridge crane.

La Guitarra resumed commercial production on January 1, 2025. The company currently sources ore from multiple mining areas, including La Guitarra, Coloso, and Nazareno. Coloso resumed mining at the end of the first quarter of 2025, while Nazareno began full production from long-hole stopes at the 180 level at the end of April 2026. Once the backup power is commissioned, it will primarily serve existing mine production and the ongoing expansion projects.