Golden Queen declares commercial production at Soledad Mtn
Stacking of ore on the heap leach pad at the Soledad Mountain Mine in the Mojave Desert, California. Source: Golden Queen Mining Co. Ltd.
Golden Queen Mining Co. Ltd. [TSX-GQM; OTCQX-GQMNF] announced that commercial production has been declared at Soledad Mountain Project 5 miles south of Mojave, Kern County, north of Los Angeles, California, effective December 19, 2016.
Commercial production at Soledad Mountain has been declared as the process plant is now operating in line with both design specifications and management expectations. Over the past 60 days of operations the process plant has achieved an average of 80% of design throughput capacity.  The Company processed an average of 10,500 tons per operating day during the months of October and November.
Following the declaration of commercial production, the company’s operations team will continue to focus on increasing ore output and grade from the mine and improving the process plant to further enhance its overall operational performance.
“Announcing commercial production at Soledad Mountain represents a major milestone for Golden Queen,” stated Thomas M. Clay, Chairman and CEO. “This achievement, which is a culmination of decades of effort, is a testament to the dedication and determination of our entire team including our valued contractors and partners.”
The project has shipped approximately 17,800 ounces of gold and approximately 184,875 ounces of silver since the first pour on March 1 of this year.