Belmont boosts output at heap leach mine

Since reopening in April, Belmont Resources has seen a steady increase in production at its Wonder gold mine in Churchill Cty., Nev.

From April to October, the leaching operation produced 32,000 oz silver and approximately 400 oz gold. Mining at a rate of 2,000 tons per day, Belmont produced 5,300 oz of silver and 80 oz gold in October and 9,300 oz silver and 140 oz gold in November (mining 3,000 tons daily). By year-end, the company expects to be mining 5,000 tons per day to produce a minimum 15,000 oz silver and 225 oz gold each month.

A new vein was discovered while mining a low grade surface area on the north side of Wonder Mountain. Within 50 ft of the surface, the vein has widened from 30 ft to 180 ft with assays averaging 7 oz silver per ton and 0.03 oz gold over the 180 ft, with sporadic values in the 40- to 50-oz-silver range. The company reports inferred tonnage from this zone is 1.2 million tons.