2014 Operations Highlights (Compared to 2013)

  • Achieved record metal production of 3,187,832 silver equivalent ounces ("Ag eq oz"), a 12% increase
  • Silver production increased 11% to a record 1,906,645 silver ounces ("Ag oz")
  • Gold production rose 5% to an annual record of 16,461 gold ounces ("Au oz")
  • Ore processed increased 18% to a record 335,199 tonnes

Fourth Quarter 2014 Operations Highlights (Compared to Fourth Quarter 2013)

  • Metal production increased 19% to a record 911,048 Ag eq oz
  • Silver production was up 13% to 550,010 Ag oz
  • Gold production rose 24% to a record 4,822 Au oz
  • Ore processed increased 33% to a quarterly record of 92,574 tonnes

"After a difficult start to the year, our team did an outstanding job of recovering and delivering record silver and gold production in 2014," stated Robert Archer , President & CEO. "We successfully brought the San Ignacio Mine into production this past year and discovered further high grade silver-gold mineralization there in the fourth quarter. We will be focusing on this area in 2015 and expect San Ignacio to play an increasingly important role in our overall growth. Topia also delivered strong and consistent operating results throughout 2014. Going forward, we will continue to focus on operational efficiencies and grade control with the objective of further optimizing our mining operations and reducing production costs."

Guanajuato Mine Complex

In the fourth quarter of 2014, ore processed at the GMC increased 38%, to 76,839 tonnes compared to the same period in 2013. Metal production for the quarter was a record 677,316 Ag eq oz and represented an increase of 22% compared to the same period in the prior year. This growth was primarily due to the ramp up in production from the San Ignacio Mine.

The San Ignacio Mine produced 18,373 tonnes of ore in the fourth quarter of 2014 and accounted for 20% of the overall metal production from the Guanajuato Mine Complex. This included 64,400 Ag oz and 1,136 Au oz, or 132,594 Ag eq oz, representing a 28% increase compared to the third quarter of 2014.

Silver and gold grades were lower at the GMC in the fourth quarter of 2014 compared to the same period in 2013. This was attributed to San Ignacio silver grades which were lower than the average from the rest of the GMC, and lower gold grades from the Santa Margarita zone at Guanajuato. In 2015, production at San Ignacio will focus on the newly identified, higher grade southern extension of the Intermediate vein.

Mining commenced late in the fourth quarter from recently developed ore zones at the Santa Margarita area that are supported by encouraging results from a combination of underground drilling and exploration development. In addition, exploration development and underground drilling was carried out at the Cata area on the 525 and 540 metre levels, verifying drilling results and exploring the depth extensions of the Veta Madre. Surface exploration drilling at San Ignacio comprised 3,728 metres for the fourth quarter of 2014.

Topia Mine

In the fourth quarter of 2014 ore processed at Topia increased 12%, to 15,735 tonnes, compared to the corresponding quarter in 2013. Total metal production also increased 12% compared to the same period in 2013, to 233,732 Ag eq oz, mainly due to the difference in base metal versus silver prices year over year.

Production at Topia originated mainly from the Durangueño, Argentina and Hormiguera mines. Due to the lower silver grades realized in Q4, more emphasis on targeted mining techniques is being employed for 2015 in order to reduce dilution.