In releasing their first quarter 2017 financial results Hudbay President Alan Hair reported increased production but some lower grades in their Manitoba operations.  He says ore production at the Manitoba mines for the first quarter increased slightly compared to the fourth quarter of 2016 as a result of higher production at the Lalor and Reed Mines.  He says zinc grades at Lalor and Triple Seven were sequentially higher offset by lower copper grades reflecting the areas being mined.

Hair added in support of their plan to grow Lalor’s ore production rates to 45 hundred tonnes per day, substantial operating and capital development work was undertaken during the first quarter of this year and is expected to continue throughout the remainder of the year. He also reported unit costs at the Stall Lake concentrator were 66 percent higher compared to the first quarter of last year as a result of damage to the crusher last December which necessitated the use of higher cost temporary crushing facilities but repairs have been made and the mill resumed use of its permanent crushing circuit last month.