Atico Mining Corporation (the “Company” or “Atico”) (TSX.V: ATY |
OTC: ATCMF) is pleased to announce that on May 31, 2023, Ecuador's
President, Guillermo Lasso Mendoza, signed an environmental
consultation decree (the “Decree”) starting an important and last
environmental permitting milestone for the construction of the La
Plata project in Ecuador. The decree introduces a new process of
citizen participation in the environmental studies completed on La
Plata project while at the same time becoming a requirement for all
large projects like roads, infrastructures, hospitals,
hydro-electrical power as well as mining projects.
This process brings additional transparency,
project optimization and also serves as a platform for an open and
informed dialogue between the local communities and the Ministry of
the Environment, Water and Ecological Transition (MAATE),
representing the Government of Ecuador. With this new regulation in
place, the citizen participation process for the La Plata mining
project is now well defined and should be completed before year-end
as the La Plata project is considered a strategic project by the
Government.
Mr. Alain Bureau, President of Atico Mining,
expressed his great satisfaction, stating, "We have dedicated
considerable time and effort to foster a relationship of trust with
the people living in the region, which has resulted in their full
support. Additionally, we have developed a clear, technical, and
objective EIA that thoroughly addresses major impacts and presented
their mitigation strategies. It outlines the actions we will take
to ensure the La Plata project adheres to the highest international
standards."
Environmental Impact Assessment Approval
Early last year, the MAATE approved the La Plata
Environmental Impact Assessment (“EIA”) (see press release dated
May 20th, 2022) and will now begin the socialization of all results
of this study. The EIA baseline process began more than 3 years ago
and involved independent environmental and social experts as well
as qualified professionals mostly from Ecuador, Canada, Peru as
well as from our El Roble mine operation which has been recognized
as one of the safest mines in Colombia.
The La Plata project plan consists of a 900 tpd
underground mining operation with state-of-the-art infrastructure,
amongst which the most significant is the construction of a
filtered tailings facility. This filtered tailing facility would be
the first of its kind in Ecuador. This technology, already in use
at our El Roble mine in Colombia, allows for efficient use of water
by significantly reducing freshwater consumption through the
recirculation of a large portion of the water needs for the
processing plant. The La Plata project also includes the
improvement of the access road, the construction of a new 69kV
powerline as well as the installation of a modern flotation plant
including its filtered tailing management system.
The main optimization of the EIA included:
- Water recirculation and
conservation plan
- Reduced project footprint, now less
than 145 hectares
- Application of efficient mining
technologies
- Increased seismic stability and
modern tailing disposal
Part of its environmental mitigation plan, the
Company has also elected a backfill technology that uses the
tailing material to fill and stabilize the old underground workings
as a way to reduce its environmental footprint. The Company is
presently using this backfill technology at its El Roble mining
operation in Colombia where most of the tailing material is mixed
with cement and repositioned underground as backfill.
The Company, along with the local community of
Palo Quemado and the Water Management Association of Palo Quemado
have just completed the refurbishing of the potable water
infrastructures. These water projects will allow the upgrade and
modernization of the existing water supply facilities providing a
larger quantity and better quality of water delivered to the
community.
Atico Mining’s success and culture are based on
investing in sustainable development in communities where it
operates through responsible mining with a tremendous emphasis on
the surrounding environment.
La Plata Project
Gold-bearing sulphide mineralization at La Plata
occurs as compositional banding composed of chalcopyrite,
sphalerite and pyrite laminae with barite occurring as clasts and
also as layers. The mineralised lenses have also been dislocated by
a few faults and dolerite dikes cutting the body.
The La Plata project is amongst the
highest-grade gold-copper VMS deposits in which base and precious
metal mineralization is interpreted to have formed as part of
multiple volcanic episodes that created a stacked volcanic-exhalite
hydrothermal sequence considered favorable for hosting additional
VMS lenses. The recent drilling results in the southern portion of
the deposit have encountered deeper mineralisation, and an
extension of mineralisation to the north has been discovered by
recent trenching results.
The La Plata independent Preliminary Economic
Assessment (“PEA”) dated March 30th 2019, was prepared pursuant to
National Instrument 43-101 (“NI 43-101”) and reports the La Plata
inferred resources at 1.9 million tons at an average grade of 4.1
g/t Au, 49.4g/t silver, 3.3% Cu, 4.5% Zn, 0.6% Pb as available on
SEDAR.
The La Plata project consists of two concessions
covering a total area of 2,300 hectares along its 9-kilometer
length, which contains known mineralization in two VMS lenses and
nine priority exploration targets.
About Atico Mining
Corporation
Atico is a growth-oriented Company, focused on
exploring, developing and mining copper and gold projects in Latin
America. The Company generates significant cash flow through the
operation of the El Roble mine and is developing its high-grade La
Plata VMS project in Ecuador. The Company is also pursuing
additional acquisition of advanced stage opportunities. For more
information, please visit www.aticomining.com.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Fernando E. GanozaCEOAtico Mining
CorporationTrading symbols: TSX.V: ATY | OTC: ATCMF
Investor RelationsIgor DutinaTel:
+1.604.633.9022
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its
Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the
policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for
the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
No securities regulatory authority has either
approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. The
securities being offered have not been, and will not be, registered
under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
‘‘U.S. Securities Act’’), or any state securities laws, and may not
be offered or sold in the United States, or to, or for the account
or benefit of, a "U.S. person" (as defined in Regulation S of the
U.S. Securities Act) unless pursuant to an exemption therefrom.
This press release is for information purposes only and does not
constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy
any securities of the Company in any jurisdiction.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking
Statements
This announcement includes certain
“forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Canadian
securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of
historical fact, included herein, without limitation the use of net
proceeds, are forward-looking statements. Forward- looking
statements involve various risks and uncertainties and are based on
certain factors and assumptions. There can be no assurance that
such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and
future events could differ materially from those anticipated in
such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results
to differ materially from the Company’s expectations include
uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the
geology, continuity and grade of mineral deposits; uncertainty of
estimates of capital and operating costs; the need to obtain
additional financing to maintain its interest in and/or explore and
develop the Company’s mineral projects; uncertainty of meeting
anticipated program milestones for the Company’s mineral projects;
the world-wide economic and social impact of COVID-19 is managed
and the duration and extent of the coronavirus pandemic is
minimized or not long-term; disruptions related to the COVID-19
pandemic or other health and safety issues, or the responses of
governments, communities, the Company and others to such pandemic
or other issues; and other risks and uncertainties disclosed under
the heading “Risk Factors” in the prospectus of the Company dated
March 2, 2012 filed with the Canadian securities regulatory
authorities on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com
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