Mesquite is a run-of-mine, heap leach operation. Ore is drilled and blasted within the open pit mine, loaded on trucks and subsequently transported to the leach pad for processing. There is no requirement for crushing, grinding or milling at Mesquite.

Mesquite’s process facilities consist of a lined heap leach pad that leads to a conventional carbon-in-column recovery plant. When Mesquite was brought back into production in January 2008, its construction included expansion of the leach pad and installation of a new carbon in column plant to process the run of mine ore. Run-of Mine ore is stacked on the leach pad and a solution percolates through the ore leaching gold and silver from the rock to produce a “pregnant solution” which is then pumped to the carbon-in-column plant to produce gold-silver doré.

Mesquite is expected to produce 145,000 to 155,000 ounces of gold in 2010 at a total cash cost of US$540 to $560 per ounce.