Great Panther Mining Limited (TSE:GPR) (NYSEAMERICAN:GPL) said its operations have restarted in Mexico, with mining and processing beginning once more at the Topia mine in Durango state.

Processing at its other asset in the country  - the Guanajuato Mine Complex - is expected to start next week, the precious metals miner said.

READ: Great Panther Mining closes US$16.1 million financing to advance Tucano exploration

The move comes amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and a Mexican government order adding mining to the list of 'essential services'.

"We are pleased to be resuming our Mexican operations and are conducting the ramp-up in a safe and cautious manner to protect the health and well-being of our most valuable assets: our people," Great Panther's CEO Rob Henderson said in a statement.

On the operational front, Great Panther noted that at the Topia mine, permitting for its Phase III tailings storage facility (TSF) project is underway.

In the interim, the miner plans to use its temporary tailings capacity to allow adequate time for the granting of the Phase III permit or the recommissioning of the Phase II TSF. 

Moreover, the miner said it does not expect "any interruption of operations caused by lack of tailings storage capacity" at Topia for 2020.

Meanwhile, at the Tucano gold mine in Brazil, Great Panther said it is continuing to work under strict protocols to limit the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) and was collaborating closely with municipal and state government agencies.

In May this year, the firm closed a previously announced bought deal financing that raised US$16.1 million which will go towards exploration near the Tucano gold mine as well as projects further afield in the region.

The financing was originally set for US$14 million but an overallotment option was exercised by the underwriters to provide an additional US$2.1 million.

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