BREAKWATER ANNOUNCES RECORD ZINC PRODUCTION IN 1998
March 23, 1999...Breakwater Resources Ltd. (TSE-BWR) is
pleased to announce its production results for the year
ended December 31, 1998. The consolidated production
results are shown for all of Breakwater's mines that were in
commercial production in 1998.
1998 1997
Ore milled
(tonnes) 1,895,573 1,531,257
Metal Contained In Concentrate:
Zinc - (tonnes) 133,733 103,614
Lead - (tonnes) 7,796 5,930
Silver - (ounces)
1,893,251 1,917,823
Gold - (ounces) 2,307 2,375
Excludes production from the Caribou mine
Highlights:
* Zinc production increased 29% due
the commencement of production at the Bougrine mine in May
and increased production at the Nanisivik mine.
* Lead production increased 31% due to the addition of
Bougrine's production.
...
The Nanisivik mine achieved several new performance records
in 1998 including tonnes of ore mined and tonnes of ore
milled. As well, Nanisivik personnel established a new
productivity record of 16.5 tonnes mined per person shift.
These records were set at the same time that Nanisivik
achieved a new safety record.
Nanisivik 1998 1997
1st Q 2nd Q 3rd Q 4th Q Full Year
Full Year
Ore milled
(tonnes) 199,214 192,843 199,305 201,021 792,383 779,000
Average Ore Grade:
Zinc (%)
7.6 6.4 7.3 7.4 7.2 7.0
Silver (g/t)
27.1 28.6 26.9 28.2 27.7 29.5
Zinc Concentrate
Produced
(DMT) 25,615 20,483 24,290 25,958 96,346 93,306
Zinc Concentrate
Grade
(%) 57.1 57.8 57.5 57.1 57.3 56.3
Zinc Recovery
(%) 96.4 96.4 96.4 96.6 96.5 96.1
Zinc in Concentrate
Produced
(tonnes)14,623 11,846 13,962 14,813 55,244 52,561
Silver in Concentrate
Produced
(oz.) 140,823 114,095 126,621 130,406 511,945 539,374
Silver Recovery
(%) 81.1 64.0 73.6 71.2 72.5 73.0
...
El Mochito's production was lower in 1998 than in 1997 due
to production interruptions caused by Hurricane Mitch in
late October and early November. Mining and milling
operations were interrupted during the fourth quarter due to
large accumulations of water in the lower levels of the mine
and the loss of road access to and from the mine. The
management and employees of El Mochito took every action to
mitigate loss and operations returned to normal levels
quickly.
El
Mochito 1998 1997
1st Q 2nd Q 3rd Q 4th Q Full Year
Full Year
Ore milled
(tonnes) 146,201 143,094 159,876 120,305 569,476 593,800
Average Ore Grade:
Zinc
(%) 7.4 7.2 6.9 6.8 7.1 7.3
Lead
(%) 1.0 0.8 1.2 1.1 1.0 1.3
Silver
(grams/tonne) 85 80 95 92 87 83
Zinc Concentrate
Produced
(DMT) 19,353 18,240 19,180 14,263 71,036 77,527
Zinc Concentrate
Grade
(%) 51.0 51.4 52.0 52.0 51.6 50.9
Zinc Recovery
(%) 91.6 91.0 91.0 91.0 91.2 91.1
Zinc in Concentrate
(tonnes) 9,870 9,376 9,976 7,417 36,639 39,483
Lead Concentrate
Produced
(DMT) 1,735 1,290 2,342 1,499 6,866 9,255
Lead Concentrate
Grade
(%) 64.1 64.0 62.5 62.0 63.1 64.1
Lead in Concentrate
(tonnes) 1,112 826 1,464 928 4,329 5,930
Lead Recovery
(%) 74.5 70.2 74.5 73.5 73.5 79.2
Silver Recovery
(%) 86.6 85.2 88.1 87.1 86.9 86.5
Silver in Zinc
Concentrate
(oz.) 128,634 124,003 157,111 113,076 522,824 473,584
Silver in Lead
Concentrate
(oz.) 216,314 172,487 274,044 195,637 858,482 904,865
...
The Bougrine mine commenced operations on May 2, 1998 and
was considered to be in commercial production effective June
1, 1998. Operating results exceeded expectations on most
fronts.
Bougrine 1998
2nd Q(1) 3rd Q 4th Q Full Year(1)
Ore milled (tonnes) 61,230 104,975 109,909 276,114
Average Ore Grade:
Zinc (%) 10.0 12.6 11.1 11.4
Lead (%) 1.7 1.8 1.8 1.8
Zinc Concentrate
Produced (DMT) 9,585 21,816 20,710 52,111
Zinc Concentrate
Grade (%) 48.8 48.3 49.5 48.9
Zinc Recovery (%) 78.4 82.6 80.5 80.8
Zinc in Concentrate
Produced (tonnes)4,677 10,537 10,251 25,465
Lead Concentrate
Produced (DMT) 1,046 1,980 2,306 5,332
Lead Concentrate
Grade (%) 67.8 65.3 63.1 65.0
Lead Recovery (%) 66.6 67.5 76.0 70.7
Lead in Concentrate
Produced (tonnes)709 1,294 1464 3,467
(1)May 2, 1998 to December 31, 1998
...
Milling operations were suspended at El Toqui on September
7, 1998 in order to implement capital improvement plans
designed to reduce costs and increase production. The
improvements were completed at year end and milling
operations recommenced in early January 1999 following an
eighteen week shutdown. Mining operations, which were
temporarily suspended at year-end, recommenced in March,
1999.
El
Toqui 1998 1997
1st Q 2nd Q 3rd Q(1) 4th
Q(1) Full Year(1)Full Year
(2)
Ore milled
(tonnes) 94,727 94,249 68,624 n/a 257,600 158,457
Average Ore Grade:
Zinc
(%) 7.5 7.4 7.5 n/a 7.5 8.5
Gold
(grams/tonne) 1.0 0.8 0.6 n/a 0.8 0.7
Zinc Concentrate
Produced
(DMT) 12,976 12,151 9,023 n/a 34,150 24,130
Zinc Concentrate
Grade
(%) 48.0 47.5 48.6 n/a 48.0 48.2
Zinc Recovery
(%) 88.1 82.6 84.5 n/a 85.2 85.6
Zinc in Concentrate
Produced (tonnes)6,228 5,772 4,385 n/a
16,385 11,570
Gold Concentrate
Produced
(DMT) 351 564 437 n/a 1,352 627
Gold Concentrate Grade
(grams/tonne) 75 54 33 n/a 53 84
Gold Recovery
(%) 28.6 42.4 28.8 n/a 34.4 32.3
Gold in Concentrate
Produced
(oz.) 846 951 510 n/a 2307 2,375
(1)January 1, 1998 to September 7, 1998
(2)August 8, 1997 to December 31, 1997
...
Operations at the Caribou mine were suspended on August 2,
1998, pending additional technical and economic studies that
included further pilot plant testing.
During the last 8 days of operation prior to the shut-down
metallurgical performance, particularly for the zinc,
improved dramatically. Beginning in October a 330 tonne
pilot plant test was conducted at the Lakefield Research
Laboratories. Extended test runs were conducted on Caribou
underground ore only and a 50/50 blend of Caribou
underground and Caribou open pit ore. The results were very
encouraging and indicate that the flotation capacity in the
mill will have to be expanded and the primary grind
increased. A reopening feasibility study is currently being
prepared by Company personnel.
Caribou 1998 (1) 1997
(2)
Ore milled (tonnes) 494,449 322,827
Average Ore Grade
Zinc (%) 6.3 6.3
s16 Lead (%) 3.8 3.3
Silver (g/t) 105 102
Zinc Concentrate
Produced (DMT) 40,501 18,328
Zinc Concentrate Grade (%) 46.3 45.2
Zinc Recovery (%) 60.2 41.7
Zinc in Concentrate
Produced (tonnes) 18,748 8,286
Lead Concentrate
Produced (DMT) 38,266 11,446
Lead Concentrate Grade (%) 32.9 34.9
Lead Recovery (%) 67.1 35.7
Silver Recovery (%) 45.4 21.7
Lead in Concentrate
Produced (tonnes) 12,580 3,994
Silver in Lead
Concentrate (oz.) 724,790 239,639
(1)January 1, 1998 to August 2, 1998
(2)July 7, 1997 to December 31, 1997
For further information please contact:
Colin K. Benner
President and Chief Operating Officer
(416) 363-4798 Ext. 269
E. Ann Wilkinson
Corporate Secretary
and Investor Relations Officer
(416) 363-4798 Ext. 277
|
