it was a hiatus of 51 years. the silver standard mine shut down in 1958, and the company has not produced an ounce of silver since then...until today:

SAN SALVADOR DE JUJUY, ARGENTINA--(MARKET WIRE)--Apr 7, 2009 -- Silver Standard Resources Inc. (Toronto:SSO.TO - News)(NasdaqGM:SSRI - News) is pleased to report that the President of the Republic of Argentina, Dra. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, accompanied by Governor Walter Barrionuevo of Jujuy, Secretary of Mining, Jorge Mayoral and other federal and provincial dignitaries inaugurated the Pirquitas Mine yesterday at a ceremony in San Salvador de Jujuy. Robert Quartermain, President & CEO, and senior corporate and in-country management represented the company at the ceremony.

it looks like they had every government official from the province on up to the governor, the secretary of mining, and the president herself on hand for the inauguration.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Silver...