Americas Gold & Silver Corp

Mining Operations

The current mining methods used at the Galena Complex are conventional cut and fill and mechanized cut and fill. Conventional cut and fill is done using the overhand method, utilizing hydraulically placed tailings (“sand fill”) as backfill, typically without the addition of cement. Mechanized cut and fill is done using both overhand and underhand methods. In the case of the overhand method, sand fill is used as backfill, typically without the addition of cement. For the underhand method, cement is typically added to the sand fill in order to provide the required strength to work underneath the placed backfill. Ore is hauled to either the Galena or #3 shafts via tracked locomotives and rail cars. Ore is loaded into the rail cars directly via ore chutes in stopes, pneumatic cavos, or in mechanized stoping areas, by diesel scooptrams/Load Haul Dump equipment. Waste associated with primary and secondary development is typically kept underground and placed as fill in old headings and open stopes. As needed, it can be hauled to the shaft, skipped to surface and placed on the existing surface waste rock storage facility. Material is currently skipped to surface from several levels of the mine using the #3 hoist. The Coeur mine is currently on care and maintenance. The Coeur shaft is used for ventilation purposes and provides an alternative means of egress.