Vancouver-based First Majestic Silver has five operating mines in Mexico, including La Encantada.
First Majestic Silver Corp. estimates its output this year will be nearly 40 per cent higher than in 2012 which was, in turn, 20 per cent higher than in 2011.
The Vancouver-based company, which has five operating mines in Mexico, expects to produce the equivalent of between 12.3 million and 13 million ounces of silver in 2013, including other metals mined as a byproduct.
That is up from 9.1 million silver-equivalent ounces in 2012 and 7.5 million in 2011.
The 2012 average realized price per ounce of silver was $31.10 (U.S.), down 12 per cent from $35.38 in 2011. However, there was an improvement in the fourth quarter, when the average realized price was $32.42 – up from $31.70 in the fourth quarter of 2011.
The company is using a $32-an-ounce price assumption in its estimates.
Last year's output included 2.6 million silver-equivalent ounces in the fourth quarter, up from 2.1 million in the year-earlier quarter.
First Majestic, which reports in U.S. currency, also said Tuesday it had a $22.4-million profit or 19 cents a share in the fourth quarter, with $71-million of revenue.
A year earlier, it had a $21.3-million profit, or 20 cents a share, with less stock outstanding, on $60.8-million of revenue.
For the full year, First Majestic's profit was $88.9-million or 80 cents with $247.2-million of revenue. That compares with year-earlier profit of $103.6-million or $1 with $245.5-million revenue.