Steppe Gold Ltd. (TSX: STGO) (OTCQX: STPGF) (FSE: 2J9)
(“
Steppe Gold” or the “
Company”)
is pleased to announce the filing of an updated preliminary
economic assessment (the “
Technical Report”)
regarding its 100% owned Tres Cruces Oxide Gold Project located in
Peru (“
Tres Cruces”).
Chairman and CEO of Steppe Gold, Bataa
Tumur-Ochir commented, “We are delighted to announce this updated
technical study for the Tres Cruces project. Tres Cruces is
strategically located in a highly prospective geological belt that
hosts the Lagunas Norte and La Arena mines, both with multi-million
ounce gold production. The Tres Cruces deposit contains oxide plus
sulphide indicated resources of 2,474,000 ounces with a grade of
1.65 g/t gold, inclusive of 630,000 ounces contained within
leachable gold oxide mineralization with a grade of 1.28 g/t gold.
Located in the La Libertad, Peru, surrounded by operating mines
with the attendant infrastructure and talent pool, this asset shows
great potential as a new production zone for Steppe Gold. We are
excited with the strong economics confirmed by recent drilling and
metallurgical testing, as well as the exploration potential across
the license area.”
TECHNICAL REPORT HIGHLIGHTS
- Infill drilling completed in 2022
confirmed continuity of mineralization.
- Metallurgical test work returned
average recoveries of 82% Au, confirming design assumptions.
- Construction costs escalated 4.5%
based on market data to reflect inflationary pressures.
- The initial capital expenditure
estimate increased by $6 million to $131 million driven by
equipment and labor costs.
- Operating costs rose 3.6% due to
consumables, reagents, contract mining services.
- Life of mine operational
expenditure estimate is now $297 million, up 3.6% from the
Prelimary Economic Assessment dated effective March 14, 2022.
- Operational expenditure per tonne
processed is now estimated at $19.93/t.
- At $1700/oz gold, the after-tax net
present value is $158 million with 30.9% IRR.
- Despite the cost increases, the
project economics remain robust with significant upside
potential.
- Mine schedule unchanged with Phase
1 focused on maximizing value from the oxide gold cap.
- Experienced team continues to
systematically advance the oxide project.
- Significant exploration potential
remains with mineralization open at depth.
TECHNICAL REPORT ASSUMPTIONS
AND RESULTS |
Description |
Units |
|
Net Present Value (NPV 5%) Pre-Tax |
US$ (million) |
$294.3 |
Net Present Value (NPV 5%) After-Tax |
US$ (million) |
$158 |
After-Tax Internal Rate of Return (IRR) |
% |
30.9 |
Payback Period |
Years |
2.1 |
LOM Cumulative Cash Flow |
US$ (million) |
$235.6 |
LOM All-In Sustaining Costs (AISC) |
US$/oz |
$734 |
Pre-Production CAPEX |
US$ (million) |
$125.2 |
Sustaining CAPEX (LOM) |
US$ (million) |
$5.2 |
Mine Life |
Years |
7 |
Average Processing Rate |
Tonnes/day |
5,800 |
LOM Strip Ratio |
|
2.89:1 |
Average Gold Recovery |
% |
81.7 |
Average Annual Gold Production |
Oz/year |
68,000 |
Total LOM Gold Production |
Ounces |
481,000 |
Mineral Resource Estimate
The current resource prepared by Jeffrey Rowe
and James Gray (Advantage Geoservices), published in March 2021,
was an update of the Technical Report by Lacroix and Associates
(L&A) dated September 2012 for previous owner New Oroperu
Resources (which is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company).
The estimate used the geologic models of lithology and alteration
that were developed for the L&A resource, but divided the
deposit by mineralization type (oxide, transition, or sulphide).
Gold grade correlation based on geology was not readily apparent
and the decision was made to use a 0.2 g/t grade shell as control
for grade estimation. This shell was generated using an indicator
estimation method. A total of 327 holes have been used for this
estimate, of which 159 were RC holes and 168 were core holes.
Sample grades were composited to a down-hole length of 3 m. Assays,
subdivided by grade domain, were capped in a conventional manner
prior to compositing.
Gold grades were estimated inside and outside
the mineralized grade shell by ordinary kriging, into blocks with
dimensions of 10m x 10m x 5m (X/Y/Z). Average density values were
assigned by lithology based on 2,700 core density measurements.
The resource has been classified based on
spatial parameters related to drill density and configuration, and
the generation of an optimised pit. Blocks were initially
classified as Inferred where the average distance to the closest
three holes is within 80 m, and as Indicated where the average
distance to the closest three holes is within 50 m. Pit
optimization included variable cost and recovery values dependent
on mineralization type. All material included in the Mineral
Resource Estimate is contained within the optimized shell.
Mineral Resource
Estimate |
Resource Classification |
Indicated |
Inferred |
Tonnes (1000's) |
Au (g/t) |
Oz Au
(1000's) |
Tonnes (1000's) |
Au (g/t) |
Oz Au
(1000's) |
Oxide (0.3 g/t cut-off) |
9,636 |
1.37 |
425 |
487 |
0.75 |
12 |
Transition (0.3 g/t cut-off) |
5,707 |
1.12 |
205 |
361 |
0.60 |
7 |
Sulphide(0.9 g/t cut-off) |
31,132 |
1.84 |
1,844 |
1,713 |
1.55 |
85 |
Total |
46,475 |
1.65 |
2,474 |
2,561 |
1.26 |
104 |
The Technical Report only considers mining and
processing of leachable oxides and transition materials from the
Indicated and Inferred resource categories. Sulfide mineralization
is considered a future opportunity and does not currently factor
into mine planning, processing or financial results as reported in
this PEA.
DISCLOSURE
The Technical Report results are summarized for
purposes of this press release. Further details on the Technical
Report are available under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at
www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company’s website at
www.steppegold.com.
The Technical Report is preliminary in nature
and it includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too
speculative to be used in an economic analysis except as allowed
for under National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for
Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”). There is no
guarantee that the inferred mineral resources can be converted to
Indicated or Measured mineral resources, and as such, there is no
guarantee the project economics described in this release will be
achieved.
QUALIFIED PERSONSThe following
persons, all of whom are qualified persons under 43-101, have
approved the disclosure contained within this release:
Name of Qualified Person |
Company |
Qualification |
John Woodson |
M3 Engineering & Technology Corporation |
P.E. |
Laurie Tahija |
M3 Engineering & Technology Corporation |
QP-MMSA |
Jeff Rowe |
Independent Geologist |
P.Geo. |
Adam Johnston |
Transmin Limited |
FAusIMM CP(Met) |
James N. Gray |
Advantage Geoservices Limited |
P.Geo. |
John Nilsson |
Nilsson Mine Services Ltd. |
P. Eng. |
The Technical Report was prepared in accordance
with NI 43-101. The study was prepared by M3 Engineering and
Technology Corporation of Tucson, Arizona and Arequipa, Peru, in
cooperation with Nilsson Mine Services of Pitt Meadows, BC,
Transmin Ltd., of Lima, Peru, Advantage Geoservices Ltd. of
Chilliwack, BC, and Jeffrey Rowe of Surrey, BC.
About Steppe Gold
Steppe Gold is Mongolia’s premier precious
metals company.
For Further information, please
contact:
Bataa Tumur‐Ochir, CEO and
Chairman
Shangri‐La office, Suite 1201, Olympic
Street 19A, Sukhbaatar District 1,Ulaanbaatar
14241, MongoliaTel: +976 7732 1914
Cautionary Statements Regarding
Forward‐looking Information
This news release contains “forward‐looking
information” which may include, but is not limited to, statements
with respect to the future financial or operating performance of
the Company and its projects. Often, but not always,
forward‐looking statements can be identified by the use of words
such as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “continues”,
“scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “potential”,
“anticipates”, or “believes” or variations (including negative
variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain
actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or
“will” be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward‐looking statements
involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors
which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of
the Company to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by the
forward‐looking statements. Forward‐looking statements contained
herein are made as of the date of this press release and the
Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward‐looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events
or results or otherwise. There can be no assurance that
forward‐looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual
results and future events could differ materially from those
anticipated in such statements. The Company undertakes no
obligation to update forward‐looking statements if circumstances,
management’s estimates or opinions should change, except as
required by securities legislation. Accordingly, the reader is
cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward‐looking
statements.
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