In the fourth quarter of 2018, Agnico Eagle states that it completed the installation of an ore sorting pilotplant at Pinos Altos. “The goal of this plant is to improve feed grades to the processing facilities. Commissioning activities commenced in January 2019 and testing is expected to continue for approximately six months. Over this period, samples will be processed from all of the ore bodies at Pinos Altos and La India to determine the merits of implementing the technology at the company’s Mexican operations. Similar ore sorting pilot testing is being considered at the company’s other operating regions.”

The 100% owned Pinos Altos mine in northern Mexico achieved commercial production in November 2009. In 2018, Pinos Altos transitioned into a predominantly underground mining operation, with higher associated costs. The development of satellite deposits provides an opportunity to lower unit costs by filling available capacity at the processing and heap leaching facility. Optimisation opportunities are also being studied to reduce unit costs.