TSX-listed Canadian gold miner Argonaut Gold is preparing to reopen operations in Mexico on May 18.
The Mexican government has extended the closure of all nonessential businesses until May 30, but is allowing businesses operating in municipalities with low, or no cases of Covid-19 transmission, to resume work earlier.
As the company operates heap leach mines, processing of leach solution and metal production and sales have continued since the original government decree to cease nonessential businesses on March 31.
On May 18, mining, crushing and stacking operations were expected to restart, and Argonaut Gold said on Friday it would take about one week to fully ramp up to normal run rates.
The Mexican federal government has created strict hygiene and health protocols to protect personnel, which Argonaut said it has, and would continue, to follow. The miner has also developed and implemented additional protocols for the protection of its workforce and communities where it operates.
To date, there are no known cases of Covid-19 infection at any of the company's operations, projects or corporate offices.