Mining companies unshaken by Salvadoran earthquake

Denver — The 7.6-magnitude earthquake that rocked El Salvador in mid-January caused little to no damage to mining operations in the region.

Dayton Mining (DAY-T) President William Myckatyn tells The Northern Miner the company experienced no damage at the El Dorado gold-silver project, northeast of the capital of San Salvador.

Also, Intrepid Minerals (IAU-T) reported no damage at its two main properties in the eastern part of the country. Fortunately, the exploration projects had little in the way of infrastructure, which could have been damaged in the quake.

Farther afield, Glamis Gold (GLG-N) reported uninterrupted operations at its new San Martin gold mine, northeast of Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Although the quake was reportedly felt as far away as Mexico City, some 600 miles to the northwest, Glamis spokesman David Hyatt says “our people didn’t feel a thing.”

The earthquake, which at prestime had resulted in a death toll exceeding 600, caused massive landslides that wiped out a neighbourhood in Las Colinas, west of San Salvador. Thousands were left homeless.