Fresnillo hits silver production target as explosives ban continues

LONDON, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Mexican precious metals miner Fresnillo said on Tuesday it hit a 2013 production target for silver, while just missing a revised target for gold, as the company continues to push for a ban on the use of explosives at one of its mines to be lifted.

Fresnillo, the world's largest primary silver producer, produced 42.7 million ounces of attributable silver (including silverstream) - up 4.3 percent on the previous year and ahead of the 41 million ounces the company had forecast.

The FTSE 100 miner produced 425,831 ounces of gold, just below a revised guidance of 425,900 ounces.

Fresnillo cut its forecast for 2013 gold production by 8.4 percent to 425,900 ounces last December due to a ban on the use of explosives at one of its mines.

(Reporting by Stephen Eisenhammer; Editing by Silvia Antonioli)

((Stephen.Eisenhammer@thomsonreuters.com)(+44 207 542 5084)(Reuters Messaging: Stephen.Eisenhammer.thomsonreuters@reuters.net))

Keywords: FRESNILLO PRODUCTION