U.S. Silver Proceeds With Development Work to Reopen Coeur Mine in Idaho
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U.S. Silver’s board of directors has approved the 2012 budget and operating plan.
Specifically, the company announces that it forecasts 2012 production to be approximately 2.4 million ounces of silver with by-product production of lead to be approximately 6.5 million pounds and copper to be approximately 1.2 million pounds.
U.S. Silver is now proceeding with development work to support the re-opening of the Coeur Mine, located adjacent and connected underground to the company’s operating Galena Mine, located in the prolific Silver Valley near Wallace, Idaho. First production from the Coeur Mine is targeted for the end of this year. Capital spending associated with this program in 2012 will total approximately $5 million. Total silver resources identified to date are approximately 6 million ounces of silver. Drilling in 2011 further defined the resource, allowing for the definition of optimal development and mine plans. It is expected that resources in the Coeur mine area will produce at the rate of up to 500,000 ounces per year once full production rates are achieved toward the end of 2013.
In addition, the company has planned for approximately 100,000 feet of exploration drilling in 2012, compared to 77,000 feet in 2011 and 47,000 feet in 2010. This will be a combination of underground drilling and the continuation of U.S. Silver’s surface program that began in 2011. The company will provide exploration results to the market as soon as they become available throughout the year.
About U.S. Silver
U.S. Silver, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, owns and/or operates the Galena, Coeur, Caladay and Dayrock silver-lead-copper mines in Shoshone County, Idaho, with the Galena mine being the second most prolific silver mine in US history. Total silver production from U.S. Silver’s mining complex has exceeded 217 million ounces of silver production since 1953. U.S. Silver controls a land package now totaling approximately 14,000 acres in the heart of the Coeur d’Alene Mining District. U.S. Silver is focused on expanding the production from existing operations as well as exploring and developing its extensive Silver Valley holdings in the Coeur d’Alene Mining District.
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