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VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Silvercorp Metals
Inc. ("Silvercorp" or the "Company") (TSX: SVM) (NYSE American:
SVM) is pleased to report on innovative waste reduction initiatives
undertaken at the Company's mines. Silvercorp's key values –
respect, equality, and responsibility – guide the Company's
environmental, social, and governance ("ESG") efforts. Silvercorp
strives to create "Green Mines" and pursue sustainable development
initiatives throughout the mining lifecycle by integrating
efficient technology and innovative systems into mine planning and
ESG management practices.
Silvercorp Chairman and CEO, Dr. Rui
Feng, commented, "As part of our commitment to safety,
efficiency, and environmental stewardship, we are pleased to
introduce technology that converts solid wastes such as tailings
and waste rock into resources. Our management of waste generated
from the Company's mines is integral to the strategic land
reclamation activities and reducing the costs and liabilities
associated with waste management. We are proud to integrate
innovative sustainable development initiatives at our
operations."
Background
A billion tonnes of tailings and waste rock are generated each
year in China and produce a series
of environmental issues, such as land usage, vegetation
destruction, and air pollution. The mining activities at the Ying
Mining District have historically produced volumes of waste rock
that require a substantial amount of land for storage. Through the
use of a treatment plant, waste rock can be converted to sand and
gravel aggregate thereby reducing the consumption of primary
resources, land, environmental risks, and overall costs.
Luoyang Hongfa Building Materials Co., Ltd - Ying Mining
District, Henan Province,
China
In April 2020, Silvercorp, in
conjunction with Luoning City Investment Company, commenced
construction of a one million tonne per year aggregate waste rock
treatment plant. The plant was designed to reduce the Ying Mining
District's surface waste rock impoundments on-site and maximize the
recovery and recycling processes. Silvercorp provided approximately
USD$4.4 million to construct the
plant and will recoup its capital costs prior to the plant's
profits being distributed to the partners, providing an additional
economic benefit to the local community through the
commercialization of the sand and gravel for the construction
industry of Luoning County and neighbouring areas. The aggregate
production line was officially commissioned in April 2021.
Technology, Innovation, and the Environment
The development of a low-carbon system that reduces waste, land
use, and costs was a key consideration in improving the waste rock
management practices at the Ying Mining District. Adherence to high
national and provincial standards for emissions guided the
construction and design of the plant. As a result, the Company is
pleased to report that the plant will be classified as an
"ultra-low emission" facility. In building the plant, the main goal
was to maximize the recovery and recycling processes through
efficient development. Key processes of the plant include: a
vertical shaft impact crusher, an automated
PLC1 production control system, and a fully
enclosed production line.
History of Community Collaboration and Waste Reduction - GC
Mine
At Silvercorp's GC Mine in Guangdong
Province, waste rock recycling processes have been in place
since the mine's construction. The GC mine has not accumulated any
waste rock in surface stockpiles, as over 90% of the waste rock
produced is donated to the local community for processing at their
aggregate production facilities, with the balance being used as
backfill. Silvercorp has also purchased the end products for its
construction projects periodically. In addition, in Q3 Fiscal 2021,
Silvercorp completed the construction of a paste backfill plant at
the GC mine at a cost of USD$1.5
million, where approximately 40% of the mine's dewatered
tailings are mixed with cement and pumped underground to fill mined
out stopes, with the balance stored in a dry stack tailings
management facility. This investment enables the GC mine to
return a significant portion of the tailings back underground as
fill for mined out areas, which is expected to reduce the future
costs and risks associated with the operation of above ground
tailings facilities.
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Programmable logic controller
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Future Waste Reduction Initiatives Under
Investigation
In Q4 Fiscal 2021, Henan Found Mining Co. Ltd., Silvercorp's
subsidiary in the Ying Mining District, was recognized as a High
and New Technology Enterprise "HNTE" at the national level.
Silvercorp continues to investigate innovative ways to
operate more efficiently and sustainably, with the goal of reducing
the consumption of inputs (electricity, fossil fuels, etc.) and the
generation of wastes (solid, liquid, gaseous, etc.). One
example is a current study underway investigating the potential use
of mine tailings in the manufacturing of certain ceramic
products.
About Silvercorp
Silvercorp is a profitable Canadian mining company producing
silver, lead and zinc metals in concentrates from mines in
China. The Company's goal is to
continuously create healthy returns to shareholders through
efficient management, organic growth and the acquisition of
profitable projects. Silvercorp balances profitability, social and
environmental relationships, employees' wellbeing, and sustainable
development. For more information, please visit our website at
www.silvercorp.ca
CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMER - FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS
Certain of the statements and information in this news
release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning
of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of
applicable Canadian provincial securities laws (collectively,
"forward-looking statements"). Any statements or information that
express or involve discussions with respect to predictions,
expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions
or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words
or phrases such as "expects", "is expected", "anticipates",
"believes", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "assumes", "intends",
"strategies", "targets", "goals", "forecasts", "objectives",
"budgets", "schedules", "potential" or variations thereof or
stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could",
"would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the
negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not
statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements relate to, among other
things: the price of silver and other metals; the accuracy of
mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates at the Company's
material properties; the sufficiency of the Company's capital to
finance the Company's operations; estimates of the Company's
revenues and capital expenditures; estimated production from the
Company's mines in the Ying Mining District and the GC Mine; timing
of receipt of permits and regulatory approvals; availability of
funds from production to finance the Company's operations; and
access to and availability of funding for future construction, use
of proceeds from any financing and development of the Company's
properties.
Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known
and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause
actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the
forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, risks
relating to: social and economic impacts of COVID-19; fluctuating
commodity prices; calculation of resources, reserves and
mineralization and precious and base metal recovery;
interpretations and assumptions of mineral resource and mineral
reserve estimates; exploration and development programs;
feasibility and engineering reports; permits and
licences; title to properties; property interests; joint
venture partners; acquisition of commercially mineable mineral
rights; financing; recent market events and conditions; economic
factors affecting the Company; timing, estimated amount, capital
and operating expenditures and economic returns of future
production; integration of future acquisitions into the Company's
existing operations; competition; operations and political
conditions; regulatory environment in China and Canada; environmental risks; foreign exchange
rate fluctuations; insurance; risks and hazards of mining
operations; key personnel; conflicts of interest; dependence on
management; internal control over financial reporting; and bringing
actions and enforcing judgments under U.S. securities laws.
This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect
any of the Company's forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements are statements about the future and are inherently
uncertain, and actual achievements of the Company or other future
events or conditions may differ materially from those reflected in
the forward-looking statements due to a variety of risks,
uncertainties and other factors, including, without limitation,
those referred to in the Company's Annual Information Form for the
year ended March 31, 2021 under the
heading "Risk Factors". Although the Company has attempted to
identify important factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results
not to be as anticipated, estimated, described or intended.
Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements.
The Company's forward-looking statements are based on the
assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management as of
the date of this news release, and other than as required by
applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any
obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or
management's assumptions, beliefs, expectations or opinions should
change, or changes in any other events affecting such statements.
For the reasons set forth above, investors should not place undue
reliance on forward-looking statements.
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SOURCE Silvercorp Metals Inc