Slide 1: History, Production and Geology of the El Tigre District
History, Production and Geology of the El Tigre District History, Production and Geology of the El Tigre District
Slide 2: Location of El Tigre District
Location of El Tigre District Located in the Sierra El Tigre, northeastern Sonora, Mexico District located 90 kilometers SSE of Aqua Prieta on the US-Mexico border
Slide 3: Location of Main Features
Location of Main Features North Area El Tigre Town Site South Area Main Production
Slide 4: Economic Term of Reference-Silver Price
Economic Term of Reference-Silver Price Operation Anaconda Period Period > < ><
Slide 5: 1896 to 1903—The Discovery Period
1896 to 1903—The Discovery Period The district was discovered in about 1896 by James Taylor, an American prospector Taylor found gold streaks in the Gold Hill area near the Brown shaft The name “El Tigre” comes from one of Taylor’s men shooting a mountain lion or ocelot near the discovery. Thi
Slide 6: 1896 to 1903—The Discovery Period
1896 to 1903—The Discovery Period Looking South Gold Hill Looking North El Tigre Vein Silver averaged $0.56/oz
Slide 7: 1903 to 1910 Early Mine Development
1903 to 1910 Early Mine Development Mining initiated in 1903 in the Brown Shaft area for gold Focus soon switched to silver because of very high grades Milling operation started at 75 tons per day, soon after increased to 100 tons per day Level 7 driven to haul ore from mine to mill Concen
Slide 8: 1903 to 1910 Early Mine Development
1903 to 1910 Early Mine Development Power for mill supplied by boilers fired by charcoal Charcoal cost $15/ton, Wood at $4.32/cord, 13,500 cords/yr Charcoal created in 4 ovens supplied by 50 men, 150 mules Forests extensively logged off above town site Continued mill expansion made charcoa
Slide 9: 1903 to 1910 Early Mine Development
1903 to 1910 Early Mine Development
Slide 10: 1910 to 1920 Mexican Revolution
1910 to 1920 Mexican Revolution Silver Averaged $0.73/oz High was $1.33 in 1919
Slide 11: 1910 to 1920 Mexican Revolution
1910 to 1920 Mexican Revolution Period of Major Expansion The Mexican Revolution was a revolt against a dictatorship and a desire for freedom The Revolution greatly impacted the mine in 1912 Some Tigre miners joined the revolt All Americans were evacuated Nearby Mormon wheat farmers at Col
Slide 12: 1910 to 1920 Mexican Revolution
1910 to 1920 Mexican Revolution Period of Major Expansion Electric power from a 65 mile line is delivered from Douglas in June 1911 to run new mill Charcoal production abandoned Mining expanded into multiple levels Milling operation increased to 200 tons per day Cyanide introduced in 1910,
Slide 13: 1910 to 1920 Mexican Revolution
1910 to 1920 Mexican Revolution Period of Major Expansion A Crime is Committed July 10, 1918 – Murder of the Mine Superintendent Byron Janes shot in back by Pedro Cabajal near mine office on trail from Level 4 Disgruntled ex-employee, was a trammer Never captured Family settled for $25,000
Slide 14: 1910 to 1920 Mexican Revolution
1910 to 1920 Mexican Revolution Period of Major Expansion Technical Advances Recorded in Public Documents 1912, Forbes, Treatment of El Tigre Silver Ores 1913, Malcolmson*, Electric Power Installation 1917 – Mischler, Determining Capacities of Slime Tanks * Malcolmson, Mine Manager up to Dec
Slide 15: 1910 to 1920 Mexican Revolution
1910 to 1920 Mexican Revolution Period of Major Expansion Technical Advances Recorded in Public Documents 1920 – Mischler, Geology of El Tigre District Silver Averaged $0.73/oz High was $1.33 in 1919
Slide 16: 1910 to 1920 Mexican Revolution
1910 to 1920 Mexican Revolution Rock Types El Tigre Tuff Granite Basement Cliff Fm Flat Fm-thin bedded tuffs Nodular Fm Devitrified glass
Slide 17: 1910 to 1920 Mexican Revolution
1910 to 1920 Mexican Revolution Period of Major Expansion Total Production of the mine from 1903 to early 1920 700,000 tons ore Gold averaged 0.25 opt Silver averaged 39.0 opt Copper averaged 0.25% Lead averaged 1.0% Zinc averaged 1.5% Total Silver produced was 27,300,000 ounces To
Slide 18: 1921 to 1928 Peak Production to Decline
1921 to 1928 Peak Production to Decline Total Production of the mine from 1903 to end of 1924 1,000,000 tons ore Gold averaged 0.25 opt Silver averaged 40.0 opt Copper averaged 0.4% Lead averaged 1.1% Zinc averaged 1.5% Total Silver produced was 40,000,000 ounces Total Gold produce
Slide 19: 1921 to 1928 Peak Production to Decline
1921 to 1928 Peak Production to Decline Technical Advances Recorded in Public Documents 1925, Mischler, Mining Methods and Ore Estimation Silver Averaged $0.73/oz 1925, Mischler, Mining Methods and Ore Estimation High was $1.33 in 1919
Slide 20: 1921 to 1928 Peak Production to Decline
1921 to 1928 Peak Production to Decline Ore Mineralogy Tetrahedrite Stromeyerite Sphalerite Galena Pyrite Chalcopyrite Gangue content Kaolinized rhyolite Silicified rhyolite Grade Clean sulfide concentrate was 550 opt silver ET 26 Vein seams of 1.7 feet ran 73 opt Ag 731 gm
Slide 21: 1921 to 1928 Peak Production to Decline
1921 to 1928 Peak Production to Decline 1928 Annual Production 82,480 tons (about 225 tons per day) 2,599,485 oz Ag 9,684 oz Au Average grades calculated at 31.5 opt Ag and 0.12 opt Au Total forward calculated production through 1928 at 225 tpd is: 1,330,000 tons 50,400,000 oz Ag 2
Slide 22: 1929 to 1932 Decline
1929 to 1932 Decline 1930 El Tigre Vein Development 1930 Seitz Kelly Vein Development 1930 Sooy Vein Development Silver Averaged $0.34/oz
Slide 23: 1933 to 1938 The End of the Early Era
1933 to 1938 The End of the Early Era Very little known about this Period Development focuses on Seitz Kelly vein and remnants Mine reported to be shut down in 1938 due to continued low silver prices and uneconomic grades remaining Abundant lower grade (10-15 opt Ag) remains in mine Estima
Slide 24: 1933 to 1938 The End of the Early Era
1933 to 1938 The End of the Early Era Seitz Kelly Silver Averaged $0.48/oz
Slide 25: Other Operations of Lucky Tiger
Other Operations of Lucky Tiger Lucky Tiger Combination Mining Company El Tigre Mining Company—El Tigre Mine/Mill El Tigre Leasing Company—La Quemada Mine/Mill, Jalisco North Tigre Mining Company—Leased Protectora Vein Mine/Mill Buckskin National Mine, Nevada American Girl Mine, Californ
Slide 26: 1982 to 1984 The Anaconda Period
1982 to 1984 The Anaconda Period Exploration option obtained from Talaman Oct 81 to Feb 84 • Extensive geologic mapping, rock sampling and general reconnaissance work • Drilled 21 core holes, 7,813 meters • Drove 352 meter tunnel into Fundadora vein, North Area Original objective was to find hig