Endeavour Silver Produces 5,672,703 Oz Silver and 37,858 Oz Gold (8.7 Million Silver Equivalent Oz) in 2023; Improved Fourth Quarter Production Delivers Annual Guidance
January 09 2024 - 6:50AM
Endeavour Silver Corp.
(“Endeavour” or the
“Company”) (NYSE: EXK; TSX: EDR)
(“Endeavour” or the “Company”) reports full year 2023 production of
5,672,703 silver ounces (oz) and 37,858 gold oz, for silver
equivalent (1) (“AgEq”) production of 8.7 million oz. Fourth
quarter production was 1,396,315 silver oz and 9,440 gold oz for
2.2 million silver equivalent oz.
“We are extremely pleased with our strong Q4
production results, which have been driven by initiatives our
Operations team implemented to improve both mine and mill
productivity” commented Dan Dickson, Chief Executive Officer. He
further added, “Implementing these initiatives allowed us to
successfully overcome the challenges that affected Q3 production.
Not only did Guanaceví’s production return to historical levels,
which is expected to be continue into 2024, our recovery plan more
than met expectations, allowing us to achieve our annual production
guidance with strong fourth-quarter performance. We have now
delivered three consecutive years of meeting or exceeding our
annual production guidance.”
Q4 Highlights
-
Production In-Line with Guidance: Consolidated
production in-line with guidance, representing the Company’s third
consecutive year of meeting or exceeding production guidance.
-
Guanaceví Improved Performance: Silver grades,
gold grades and plant throughput slightly exceeded plan. The plant
refurbishments and modifications enhance operational flexibility to
exceed the historical throughput of 1,200 tonne per day.
-
Bolañitos Performance Remained Steady: Increased
silver production from higher silver grades with similar throughput
was offset by lower gold production due to lower gold grades. The
variations in grades quarter from quarter is expected, while annual
ore grades were within 2% of annual planned grades.
- Metal
Sales and Inventories: Sold 1,332,648 oz silver and 9,417
oz gold during the quarter. Held 476,015 oz silver and 1,411 oz
gold of bullion inventory and 11,869 oz silver and 300 oz gold in
concentrate inventory at quarter end.
-
Encouraging Brownfields Exploration Results from Guanaceví
and Bolañitos: Drilling continued to intersect high-grade
silver-gold mineralization in the Santa Cruz vein at Guanaceví (see
news release dated October 18, 2023) and intersected multiple
mineralized structures near current workings at Bolañitos (see news
release dated November 27, 2023).
-
Positive Greenfields Exploration Results from the Parral
Project: Drilled over 6,500 metres testing the San
Patricio vein and other regional targets (see news release dated
October 25, 2023).
-
Appointment of Chief Financial Officer: Elizabeth
Senez brings over 20 years’ of experience in accounting, corporate
finance, and corporate treasury (see news release dated
December 5, 2023).
-
At-The-Market Offering for up to US$60 million:
Proceeds to be used for funding development of the Terronera
project and other growth initiatives (see news release dated
December 18, 2023).
Q4 2023 Mine Operations
Consolidated silver production decreased 23% to
1,406,423 ounces in Q4 2023 compared to Q4 2022, primarily driven
by lower silver production at the Guanaceví mine due to a reduction
in silver grade and slightly lower throughput. Although the grades
at El Curso have returned to historic averages during Q4 2023, the
Company was mining in higher grade areas in Q4 2022. Local
third-party ore continued to supplement mine production, totaling
14% of quarterly throughput.
Consolidated gold production decreased by 7% to
9,608 ounces compared to Q4 2022, primarily due to lower gold
grades mined at the Guanaceví mine. The lower gold production from
Guanaceví more than offset the higher gold produced from the
Bolañitos mine.
At Guanaceví, Q4 2023 throughput was 7% lower
than Q4 2022 with silver grades 18% lower and gold grades 17% lower
resulting in lower silver and gold production of 24% and 25%
respectively.
At Bolañitos, Q4 2023 throughput was 4% higher
than Q4 2022 with silver grades 10% lower and gold grades 8%
higher. Silver production decreased by 10% while gold production
increased by 8%. The change in grades was due to typical variations
in the mineralized body.
Production Highlights
Three Months Ended December 31, |
|
Twelve Months Ended December 31, |
2023 |
2022 |
% Change |
|
2023 |
2022 |
% Change |
220,464 |
224,289 |
(2%) |
Throughput (tonnes) |
874,382 |
834,542 |
5% |
1,406,423 |
1,830,835 |
(23%) |
Silver ounces produced |
5,672,703 |
5,963,445 |
(5%) |
9,608 |
10,370 |
(7%) |
Gold ounces produced |
37,858 |
37,548 |
1% |
1,396,315 |
1,816,813 |
(23%) |
Payable silver ounces produced |
5,627,379 |
5,912,509 |
(5%) |
9,440 |
10,196 |
(7%) |
Payable gold ounces produced |
37,189 |
36,901 |
1% |
2,175,063 |
2,660,435 |
(18%) |
Silver equivalent ounces produced (1) |
8,701,343 |
8,967,285 |
(3%) |
1,332,648 |
2,816,882 |
(53%) |
Silver ounces sold |
5,669,760 |
6,464,869 |
(12%) |
9,417 |
11,843 |
(20%) |
Gold ounces sold |
37,186 |
38,868 |
(4%) |
Mine-by-mine production in the fourth quarter and the year ended
December 31, 2023 was:
Q4 2023 Production by Mine
Production |
Tonnes |
Tonnes |
Grade |
Grade |
Recovery |
Recovery |
Silver |
Gold |
by mine |
Processed |
per day |
Ag gpt* |
Au gpt* |
Ag % |
Au % |
Oz |
Oz |
Guanaceví |
110,781 |
1,204 |
419 |
1.20 |
85.2% |
87.0% |
1,271,679 |
3,721 |
Bolañitos |
109,683 |
1,192 |
45 |
1.86 |
84.8% |
89.9% |
134,744 |
5,887 |
Consolidated |
220,464 |
2,396 |
233 |
1.53 |
85.1% |
88.8% |
1,406,423 |
9,608 |
*gpt = grams per tonneTotals may not add due to rounding
2023 Production by Mine
Production |
Tonnes |
Tonnes |
Grade |
Grade |
Recovery |
Recovery |
Silver |
Gold |
by mine |
Processed |
per day |
Ag gpt* |
Au gpt* |
Ag % |
Au % |
Oz |
Oz |
Guanaceví |
433,409 |
1,187 |
417 |
1.19 |
88.0% |
90.5% |
5,105,237 |
14,955 |
Bolañitos |
440,973 |
1,208 |
47 |
1.82 |
85.1% |
88.6% |
567,466 |
22,903 |
Consolidated |
874,382 |
2,396 |
230 |
1.51 |
87.7% |
89.3% |
5,672,703 |
37,858 |
*gpt = grams per tonneTotals may not add due to
rounding
Qualified Person
Dale Mah, Vice President Corporate Development,
a qualified person under NI 43-101, has approved the scientific and
technical information related to operations matters contained in
this news release.
2023 Financial Results and Conference Call
The Company’s annual 2023 financial results will
be released before markets open on Monday, March 11, 2024, and a
telephone conference call will be held the same day at 9:00 a.m. PT
/ 12:00 p.m. ET. To participate in the conference call, please dial
the numbers below.
Date & Time: |
|
Monday, March
11, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. PT / 12:00 p.m. ET |
|
|
|
Telephone: |
|
Toll-free in Canada and the US +1-800-319-4610Local or
International +1-604-638-5340Please allow up to 10 minutes to be
connected to the conference call. |
|
|
|
Replay: |
|
A replay of the conference call will be available by dialing
(toll-free) +1-800-319-6413 in Canada and the US (toll-free)
or +1-604-638-9010 outside of Canada and the US. The replay
passcode is 0627#. The replay will also be available on the
Company’s website at www.edrsilver.com. |
About Endeavour Silver –
Endeavour is a mid-tier precious metals mining company that
operates two high-grade underground silver-gold mines in Mexico.
Endeavour is advancing construction of the Terronera Project and
exploring its portfolio of exploration projects in Mexico, Chile
and the United States to facilitate its goal to become a premier
senior silver producer. Our philosophy of corporate social
integrity creates value for all stakeholders.
Contact Information:Galina Meleger, VP,
Investor RelationsEmail: gmeleger@edrsilver.comWebsite:
www.edrsilver.com
Follow Endeavour Silver on Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram and LinkedIn.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements
This news release contains “forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of the United States private
securities litigation reform act of 1995 and “forward-looking
information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities
legislation. Such forward-looking statements and information herein
include but are not limited to statements regarding the development
and financing of the Terronera Project, Endeavour’s anticipated
performance in 2024 including changes in mining operations and
forecasts of production levels, anticipated production costs and
all-in sustaining costs and the timing and results of various
activities. The Company does not intend to and does not assume any
obligation to update such forward-looking statements or
information, other than as required by applicable law.
Forward-looking statements or information
involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors
that may cause the actual results, level of activity, production
levels, performance or achievements of Endeavour and its operations
to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such
statements. Such factors include but are not limited changes in
production and costs guidance; the ongoing effects of inflation and
supply chain issues on mine economics; national and local
governments, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and
political or economic developments in Canada and Mexico; financial
risks due to precious metals prices; operating or technical
difficulties in mineral exploration, development and mining
activities; risks and hazards of mineral exploration, development
and mining; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and
development; risks in obtaining necessary licenses and permits; and
challenges to the Company’s title to properties; as well as those
factors described in the section “risk factors” contained in the
Company’s most recent form 40F/Annual Information Form filed with
the S.E.C. and Canadian securities regulatory authorities.
Forward-looking statements are based on
assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not
limited to: the continued operation of the Company’s mining
operations, no material adverse change in the market price of
commodities, forecasted mine economics as of 2024, mining
operations will operate and the mining products will be completed
in accordance with management’s expectations and achieve their
stated production outcomes, and such other assumptions and factors
as set out herein. Although the Company has attempted to identify
important factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or
information, there may be other factors that cause results to be
materially different from those anticipated, described, estimated,
assessed or intended. There can be no assurance that any
forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate
as actual results and future events could differ materially from
those anticipated in such statements or information. Accordingly,
readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking
statements or information.
End Note: (1) Silver equivalent calculated using
an 80:1 silver: gold ratio
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