Fortuna reports heavy seasonal rains caused an overflow in a contingency pond of the dry stack tailings facility at the San Jose Mine, Mexico
VANCOUVER, Oct. 11, 2018 - Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. (NYSE: FSM) (TSX: FVI) reports that in the early morning of October 8th, abnormally high rainfall caused a contingency pond to overflow at the dry stack tailings facility at the San Jose mine located in Oaxaca, Mexico. The contingency pond collects water from a ditch system at the dry stack facility designed to capture and manage rain water. The Company wants to emphasize that no industrial process water was discharged in this incident and that the San Jose operation uses a cyanide-free process to produce concentrate.
The dry stack contingency pond’s holding capacity is 7,000 cubic meters and it is equipped with a 600 cubic meter per hour pumping capacity that was surpassed by the volume of rain fall. The overflow occurred for about two hours at approximately 4:00 am and resulted in the spill of approximately 1,500 cubic meters of water carrying sediment and minor amounts of fine tailings from the facility’s drainage system into the nearby Coyote Creek. The Company is mitigating the risk of future overflows by immediately increasing its pumping capacity at the contingency pond. No damage has occurred to the tailings dam or to the dry stack infrastructure and both are fully operational. San Jose tailings are monitored and sampled continuously, are free of heavy metals or other contaminants, and are characterized as sterile.
Officials at the Procuraduría Federal de Protección al Ambiente (PROFEPA) were notified of the overflow on the day of the incident. The Company is currently working with federal, state and local authorities as they conduct inspections of our facilities at San Jose and the Coyote Creek.
About Fortuna Silver Mines Inc.
Fortuna is a growth oriented, precious metals producer focused on mining opportunities in Latin America. Our primary assets are the Caylloma silver Mine in southern Peru, the San Jose silver-gold Mine in Mexico and the Lindero gold Project in Argentina. The company is selectively pursuing acquisition opportunities throughout the Americas and in select other areas. For more information, please visit our website at www.fortunasilver.com.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Jorge A. Ganoza
President, CEO and Director
Fortuna Silver Mines Inc.
Trading symbols: NYSE: FSM | TSX: FVI
Investor Relations:
Carlos Baca
T (Peru): +51.1.616.6060, ext. 0
Forward looking Statements
This news release contains forward looking statements which constitute “forward looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, “Forward looking Statements”). All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are Forward looking Statements and are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the Forward looking Statements. The Forward looking Statements in this news release may include, without limitation, statements about the Company’s plans for its mines and mineral properties; the Company’s business strategy, plans and outlook; the merit of the Company’s mines and mineral properties; mineral resource and reserve estimates; timelines; the future financial or operating performance of the Company; expenditures; approvals and other matters. Often, but not always, these Forward looking Statements can be identified by the use of words such as “estimated”, “potential”, “open”, “future”, “assumed”, “projected”, “used”, “detailed”, “has been”, “gain”, “planned”, “reflecting”, “will”, “containing”, “remaining”, “to be”, or statements that events, “could” or “should” occur or be achieved and similar expressions, including negative variations.
Forward looking Statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the Forward looking Statements. Such uncertainties and factors include, among others, changes in general economic conditions and financial markets; changes in prices for silver and other metals; technological and operational hazards in Fortuna’s mining and mine development activities; risks inherent in mineral exploration; uncertainties inherent in the estimation of mineral reserves, mineral resources, and metal recoveries; governmental and other approvals; political unrest or instability in countries where Fortuna is active; labor relations issues; as well as those factors discussed under “Risk Factors” in the Company's Annual Information Form. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in Forward looking Statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended.
Forward looking Statements contained herein are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management, including but not limited to expectations regarding mine production costs; expected trends in mineral prices and currency exchange rates; the accuracy of the Company’s current mineral resource and reserve estimates; that the Company’s activities will be in accordance with the Company’s public statements and stated goals; that there will be no material adverse change affecting the Company or its properties; that all required approvals will be obtained; that there will be no significant disruptions affecting operations and such other assumptions as set out herein. Forward looking Statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any Forward looking Statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by law. There can be no assurance that Forward looking Statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on Forward looking Statements.
