153,481 Ounces Silver & 7,225 Ounces Gold

 

VANCOUVER, BC - SilverCrest Mines Inc. reported production figures for the first quarter of 2013 from its 100% owned Santa Elena Mine located in Sonora, Mexico.

Production Highlights of Q1, 2013 vs Q4, 2012; Silver production of 153,481 ounces was consistent with 153,863 ounces in Q4; Gold production decreased by 8% to 7,225 ounces; Ore Tonnes crushed decreased 18% to 252,830 tonnes due to focus on removing more waste tones; Waste to ore ratio increased to 4.27 from 3.07 due to planned increased waste stripping; Crusher throughput averaged 2,809 tonnes per day compared to 3,355 tonnes per day in Q4, 2012; Stacking conveyors replaced truck haulage of crushed ore with cost savings in Q1; Grades for ore loaded on the pads increased 4% and 9% for silver and gold respectively.

The Company has elected to accelerate waste removal (+19%) in advance of the hotter summer months when equipment availability and efficiencies have historically declined. The accelerated waste removal resulted in less ore processed (-18%) and silver equivalent ounces produced (-5%) during the first quarter. This sets the stage for a significant reduction in strip ratios and more ore tonnes processed with higher metal production in the second half of 2013. The Company maintains its corporate market guidance of 625,000 ounces of silver and 33,000 ounces of gold for 2013.

J. Scott Drever, President said, "Our decision to accelerate waste removal is consistent with our overall mine plan for 2013 operations. We are comfortable that as the ultimate strip ratio declines and the ore grades in the pit continue to increase we will meet our production and cost projections for the year. We expect the positive results of improvements in these two metrics to become apparent in the second half of 2013."