First Majestic Silver
First Majestic Silver Corp. is a Canadian mining company that specializes in silver. It operates in Mexico and the United States and runs four producing mines: San Dimas and Santa Elena in Mexico, La Encantada in Mexico, and Jerritt Canyon in the United States. The company also produces and sells its own silver bullion rounds and bars.
In 2018, First Majestic produced about 22.2 million ounces of silver equivalent (including 11.7 million ounces of pure silver). The company expected 2019 production from seven mines to be between about 24.7 and 27.5 million ounces of silver equivalent (14.2 to 15.8 million ounces of pure silver).
First Majestic was founded in 2002 by Keith Neumeyer. It has grown through acquisitions:
- 2006: Acquired First Silver Reserve, owner of the San Martin silver property.
- 2006: Took control of Desmin, operator of the La Encantada mine.
- 2009: Bought Normabec Mining Resources, expanding its portfolio (with some assets later separated into Magna Terra Minerals).
- 2018: Acquired Primero Mining and the San Dimas silver-gold mine in Durango, Mexico.
One notable project is Wirikuta, a sacred Huichol site in central Mexico. UNESCO has recognized Wirikuta as protected land due to its cultural and ecological importance. The company has faced controversy over mining there, including disputes about maintaining rights within protected areas. First Majestic says its mining plan uses underground methods and flotation with biodegradable reagents, adheres to environmental standards, and uses cyanidation leaching to extract silver. For La Encantada, production reached full capacity around 2010, processing about 3,500 tons of ore per day.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 08:41 (CET).