TIDMPGD
RNS Number : 6467S
Patagonia Gold PLC
23 December 2016
23 December 2016
Patagonia Gold Plc
("Patagonia Gold" or the "Company")
Cap-Oeste Project Operations Update
Patagonia Gold Plc, the mining company with gold and silver
projects in the southern Patagonia region of Argentina, Chile and
Uruguay, is pleased to provide an update on its open pit mine and
heap leach processing facility at Cap-Oeste (the "Project").
Highlights
-- Completed updated pit optimisation and resource update for Cap-Oeste
- forecast total production from Cap-Oeste increased from 82,000 oz AuEq to 186,800 oz AuEq
- mine life extended from 2 years to 3 years of open pit to July 2019
-- Cap-Oeste guidance for 2016 reduced to 3,000 oz AuEq after
slower than anticipated initial leaching and percolation issues,
2017 guidance set at 69,800 oz AuEq
- installation of agglomeration circuit to improve recovery
rates underway with engineering advancing well and major items
ordered
-- Review of COSE suggests ability to extend the life of the
Cap-Oeste heap leach pad by an additional 19 months using ore from
the COSE underground mine
- further work being undertaken in this regard
-- RC drilling programme completed at Monte Leon to investigate
the potential to add further oxide ore to the heap leach pad at
Cap-Oeste
Cap-Oeste operations
Mining operations at Cap-Oeste are progressing as scheduled with
November being a record month with the Company mining, for the
first time, in excess of 500,000t of total material, including
114,000t of ore at an average grade of 1.58g/t Au and 25g/t Ag
being loaded onto the Cap-Oeste heap leach pad (the "Cap-Oeste
Pad") and placed under irrigation.
However, gold and silver recovery from the Cap-Oeste Pad to date
has been lower than expected, as a result of complications with the
recovery process due to lack of percolation of the leaching
solution due to a high clay content in the upper sections of the
Cap-Oeste orebody. As a result, the Company proposes to install a
500 tonnes per hour agglomeration circuit, in order to seek to
improve recovery rates from the Cap-Oeste ore. Agglomeration, with
an extremely low dosage of cyanide solution and cement, helps to
keep the leaching solution percolating freely and the Company
believes that this will increase the overall recovery to the
initial forecast recovery of 80% for Au and 40% for Ag.
The agglomeration circuit, including a higher capacity primary
impact crusher and conveyor system, has been engineered and all
major items have been ordered and are expected to be installed
during Q1 2017 at a total cost of approximately US$3.6 million,
which will be funded from supplier and debt financing.
Cap-Oeste pit optimisation and update resource
An updated pit optimisation for Cap-Oeste has been completed by
Kenmore Consulting in conjunction with a cash cost review and pit
resource update for Cap-Oeste completed by CUBE Consulting.
The pit optimisation was carried out at a price of US$1,300/oz
Au and US$20/oz Ag and has resulted in an increase in the current
pit life for Cap-Oeste from 2 to 3 years, with the pit now forecast
for completion in Q3 2019 with a total ore production of 2.03Mt @
2.99g/t Au and 138g/t Ag for a total recoverable estimated
production of 136,000 oz of Au and 3.2Moz of Ag, equating to
186,800 oz AuEq. Pursuant to the pit optimisation, the proposal is
to increase the size of the pit to mine the ore previously
delineated for the Cap-Oeste underground pit, resulting in the
overall material to be moved over the life of the mine increasing
from 7.2Mt to 25.2Mt, which will also increase the strip ratio from
3.7 to 11.44 and the ore being mined increasing from 1.55Mt to
2.03Mt. In order to mine the increased material, additional fleet
will be required to increase the monthly production with one
excavator and two fixed body dump trucks and one additional blast
hole drill required at an estimated cost of approximately US$2.5
million, which the Company anticipates funding from supplier and
debt financing.
The resource update includes the recently drilled 98 grade
control RC holes and was utilised for the short term planning. Set
out below is the updated JORC code compliant resource for
Cap-Oeste, which shows a slight reduction in the indicated and
inferred categories due to increased drill density and
re-interpretation of the mineralised envelope.
Table 1: JORC Code Compliant Gross Resource for Cap-Oeste -
December 2016
GROSS RESOURCE FOR CAP-OESTE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Resource Ore
Category type Tonnes Grade (g/t) Metal (oz)
----------- ----------- ----------- -------------------------------- -----------------------------------
Au LUC/OK Ag LUC/OK AuEq(1) Au Ag AuEq(1)
----------- ----------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- ---------- ----------- ----------
Measured Oxide 769,987 1.52 37.87 2.07 37,708 937,564 51,296
----------- ----------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- ---------- ----------- ----------
COSE(2) 23,233 4.01 177.11 6.57 2,993 132,294 4,910
----------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- ---------- ----------- ----------
Fresh(3) 32,406 3.27 63.86 4.19 3,406 66,538 4,371
----------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- ---------- ----------- ----------
Sub-Total 825,626 1.66 42.81 2.28 44,107 1,136,396 60,577
----------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- ---------- ----------- ----------
Indicated Oxide 2,993,697 1.2 39.7 1.77 115,047 3,821,524 170,429
----------- ----------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- ---------- ----------- ----------
COSE(2) 548,919 5.19 227.1 8.48 91,603 4,007,874 149,688
----------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- ---------- ----------- ----------
Fresh(3) 8,850,122 2.15 56.27 2.97 612,468 16,011,300 844,509
----------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- ---------- ----------- ----------
Sub-Total 12,392,738 2.06 59.84 2.92 819,118 23,840,698 1,164,626
----------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- ---------- ----------- ----------
Inferred Oxide 800,050 0.58 18.51 0.85 14,942 476,146 21,843
----------- ----------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- ---------- ----------- ----------
COSE(2) 160,479 0.63 21.86 0.95 3,263 112,776 4,897
----------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- ---------- ----------- ----------
Fresh(3) 4,492,004 1.5 31.57 1.96 216,849 4,559,323 282,921
----------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- ---------- ----------- ----------
Sub-Total 5,452,533 1.34 29.37 1.77 235,054 5,148,246 309,662
----------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- ---------- ----------- ----------
TOTAL 18,670,897 1.83 50.19 2.56 1,098,278 30,125,339 1,534,865
------------------------ ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- ---------- ----------- ----------
Table 2: JORC Code Compliant Net Resource for Cap-Oeste
Attributable to the Company- December 2016
NET ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE COMPANY(4)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Resource Ore
Category type Tonnes Grade (g/t) Metal (oz)
----------- ----------- ----------- -------------------------------- ---------------------------------
Au LUC/OK Ag LUC/OK AuEq(1) Au Ag AuEq(1)
----------- ----------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- -------- ----------- ----------
Measured Oxide 692,988 1.52 37.87 2.07 33,937 843,808 46,166
----------- ----------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- -------- ----------- ----------
COSE(2) 20,910 4.01 177.11 6.57 2,694 119,065 4,419
----------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- -------- ----------- ----------
Fresh(3) 29,165 3.27 63.86 4.19 3,065 59,884 3,934
----------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- -------- ----------- ----------
Sub-Total 743,063 1.66 42.81 2.28 39,696 1,022,756 54,519
----------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- -------- ----------- ----------
Indicated Oxide 2,694,327 1.2 39.7 1.77 103,542 3,439,372 153,386
----------- ----------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- -------- ----------- ----------
COSE(2) 494,027 5.19 227.1 8.48 82,443 3,607,087 134,719
----------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- -------- ----------- ----------
Fresh(3) 7,965,110 2.15 56.27 2.97 551,221 14,410,170 760,058
----------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- -------- ----------- ----------
Sub-Total 11,153,464 2.06 59.84 2.92 737,206 21,456,628 1,048,163
----------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- -------- ----------- ----------
Inferred Oxide 720,045 0.58 18.51 0.85 13,448 428,531 19,659
----------- ----------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- -------- ----------- ----------
COSE(2) 144,431 0.63 21.86 0.95 2,937 101,498 4,407
----------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- -------- ----------- ----------
Fresh(3) 4,042,804 1.5 31.57 1.96 195,164 4,103,391 254,629
----------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- -------- ----------- ----------
Sub-Total 4,907,280 1.34 29.37 1.77 211,549 4,633,421 278,695
----------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- -------- ----------- ----------
TOTAL 16,803,807 1.83 50.19 2.56 988,451 27,112,805 1,381,378
------------------------ ----------- ---------- ---------- -------- -------- ----------- ----------
Notes:
(1) AuEq values are calculated at a ratio of 68:1 Ag to Au
(2) COSE style mineralisation with free milling cyanide recoverable Au and Ag
(3) Fresh refractory sulphide mineralisation
(4) Cap-Oeste is 100% owned by Patagonia Gold S.A. ("PGSA"),
which is the operator of Cap-Oeste. The Company is interested in
90% of PGSA, with the remaining 10% being held by Santa Cruz
government's wholly-owned mining company, Fomento Minero de Santa
Cruz Sociedad del Estado. The net attributable resource, shows the
90% of the Cap-Oeste resource which is attributable to the
Company
Cap-Oeste production
As a result of the lower than expected recoveries to date, the
proposed installation of the agglomeration circuit in Q1 2017 and
the extension of the Cap-Oeste mine life, forecast production for
2016 from Cap-Oeste has been lowered to 3,000 oz AuEq and 69,800 oz
AuEq, 46,000 oz AuEq and 68,000 oz AuEq in each of 2017, 2018 and
2019 respectively.
COSE
The current scheduled mine life for the COSE underground mine is
30 months, including 11 months of pre-production development, with
a total of 104kt of ore to be mined at an average grade of 14.85g/t
Au and 775.4g/t Ag for a contained 87.5 koz AuEq. Accordingly,
subject to the development of the COSE underground mine, it is
proposed that the ore will be treated by the Cap-Oeste Pad and
agglomeration circuit, thereby extending the life of the pad by
around 19 months.
Monte Leon
The Company has now received the assay results from its 2,878
metres, 60 holes RC drilling undertaken at the Monte Leon prospect,
which is approximately 13 kilometres from the Cap-Oeste Pad, to
seek to delineate oxide gold mineralisation that may be scheduled
into the Cap-Oeste heap-leach operation after the Cap-Oeste open
pit reserves have been depleted.
The drilling has defined three apparent NNW striking corridors
of low grade mineralisation, with the central corridor having a
strike length of approximately 400 metres. All significant assays
of greater than 0.50 ppm Au are summarised below.
Depth
from Depth Length
Hole ID metres to metres (metres) Au (ppm)
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-047-R 2.0 20.0 18.0 0.70
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-048-R 10.0 14.0 4.0 0.89
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-048-R 38.0 40.0 2.0 0.73
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-049-R 4.0 16.0 12.0 1.61
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-050-R 36.0 38.0 2.0 0.53
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-052-R 30.0 36.0 6.0 0.64
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-053-R 34.0 42.0 8.0 0.81
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-054-R 38.0 46.0 8.0 1.13
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-055-R 2.0 14.0 12.0 1.37
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-056-R 4.0 32.0 28.0 1.04
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
including 14.0 30.0 16.0 1.28
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-057-R 42.0 52.0 10.0 1.09
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-058-R 40.0 42.0 2.0 1.15
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-059-R 20.0 50.0 30.0 0.97
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-060-R 4.0 6.0 2.0 1.03
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
and 12.0 16.0 4.0 0.98
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-060-R 36.0 40.0 4.0 0.64
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-061-R 34.0 64.0 30.0 1.53
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-062-R 20.0 24.0 4.0 0.55
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-063-R 4.0 22.0 18.0 1.12
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-064-R 6.0 12.0 6.0 1.29
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
and 28.0 44.0 16.0 0.66
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-065-R 2.0 18.0 16.0 0.61
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-066-R 38.0 58.0 20.0 0.62
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-067-r 18.0 26.0 8.0 0.78
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-068-R 28.0 30.0 2.0 1.36
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-069-R 10.0 16.0 6.0 0.80
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
and 26.0 38.0 12.0 1.57
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-070-R 50.0 60.0 10.0 0.62
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-072-R 38.0 42.0 4.0 1.22
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-073-R 48.0 52.0 4.0 1.38
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-074-R 6.0 18.0 12.0 0.98
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-075-R 24.0 28.0 4.0 0.71
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-077-R 2.0 4.0 2.0 49.25
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
and 18.0 22.0 4.0 0.55
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-079-R 28.0 30.0 2.0 1.00
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
and 42.0 44.0 2.0 1.16
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-081-R 16.0 22.0 6.0 2.43
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
and 28.0 46.0 18.0 0.82
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-082-R 12.0 46.0 34.0 1.22
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
including 34.0 46.0 12.0 2.03
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-083-R 20.0 40.0 20.0 0.60
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-084-R 2.0 14.0 12.0 0.56
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-085-R 2.0 10.0 8.0 0.73
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-090-R 8.0 18.0 10.0 0.70
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
MLN-091-R 6.0 12.0 6.0 1.23
----------- -------- ----------- ---------- ---------
An internal resource evaluation and pit design is underway and
subject to a positive cashflow outcome, the Mt Leon material may
become a source of additional heap leach feed for the Cap-Oeste
Pad. Based on the initial results and analysis, the Company
believes the potential exits for between 20,000 and 25,000 oz Au
contained in near surface low grade oxide hosted material, updates
will be provided as results become available.
Glossary of technical terms
Ag the chemical symbol for Silver
Au the chemical symbol for Gold
AuEq gold equivalent, taking into account
the amount of AG, calculated at a ratio
of 68:1 Ag to Au
g/t grammes per tonne
Indicated that part of a Mineral Resource for
Resource which quantity, grade or quality, densities,
shape and physical characteristics
are estimated with sufficient confidence
to allow the application of modifying
factors in sufficient detail to support
mine planning and evaluation of the
economic viability of the deposit.
Geological evidence is derived from
adequately detailed and reliable exploration,
sampling and testing and is sufficient
to assume geological and grade or quality
continuity between points of observation
Inferred Resource that part of a Mineral Resource for
which quantity and grade or quality
are estimated on the basis of limited
geological evidence and sampling. Geological
evidence is sufficient to imply but
not verify geological and grade or
quality continuity
JORC the Joint Ore Reserves Committee: The
Australasian Code for Reporting of
Exploration Results, Mineral Resources
and Ore Reserves, as published by the
Joint Ore Reserves Committee of The
Australasian Institute of Mining and
Metallurgy, Australian Institute of
Geoscientists and Minerals Council
of Australia
koz thousand ounces
kt thousand tonnes
LUK/OK Localised uniform conditioning/Ordinary
Kriging
Measured Resource that part of a Mineral Resource for
which quantity, grade or quality, densities,
shape, and physical characteristics
are estimated with confidence sufficient
to allow the application of modifying
factors to support detailed mine planning
and final evaluation of the economic
viability of the deposit. Geological
evidence is derived from detailed and
reliable exploration, sampling and
testing and is sufficient to confirm
geological and grade or quality continuity
between points of observation where
data and samples are gathered
Mineral Resource a concentration or occurrence of solid
material of economic interest in or
on the Earth's crust in such form,
grade or quality and quantity that
there are reasonable prospects for
eventual economic extraction. The location,
quantity, grade or quality, continuity
and other geological characteristics
of a Mineral Resource are known, estimated
or interpreted from specific geological
evidence and knowledge, including sampling
Moz million ounces
Mt million tonnes
oz ounces
ppm parts per million
RC reverse circulation
t tonnes
Ends
About Patagonia Gold
Patagonia Gold Plc is a mining company that seeks to grow
shareholder value through exploration, development and production
of gold and silver projects in the southern Patagonia region of
Argentina. The Company is primarily focused on three projects: the
flagship Cap-Oeste/COSE project, the La Manchuria project and the
Lomada heap leach project. Patagonia Gold, indirectly through its
subsidiaries or under option agreements, has mineral rights to over
220 properties in several provinces of Argentina and Chile, and is
one of the largest landholders in the province of Santa Cruz.
Matthew Boyes, (BSC. Geology, Fellow AusIMM) Chief Operating
Officer for Patagonia Gold Plc and a qualified person as defined in
Canadian National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and verified all
scientific or technical mining disclosure contained in this
announcement.
For more information, please contact:
Christopher van Tienhoven, Chief Executive Officer
Patagonia Gold Plc
Tel: +54 911 5278 6950
Richard Tulloch / Ritchie Balmer
Strand Hanson Limited (Nominated Adviser and Broker)
Tel: +44 (0)20 7409 3494
This announcement contains inside information.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
MSCFEFFLEFMSEIE
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
December 23, 2016 02:00 ET (07:00 GMT)
Patagonia Gold (LSE:PGD)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2024 to May 2024
Patagonia Gold (LSE:PGD)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2023 to May 2024