AURCANA SILVER CORPORATION ("
Aurcana" or the
"
Company") (TSXV: AUN) provides the following
update with respect to its wholly owned Revenue-Virginius Mine
(“
RV Mine”) located in Ouray, Colorado, USA.
Updated Feasibility Study for the RV
Mine Confirming NPV5 US$109 Million
Aurcana is pleased to announce that it has
completed an updated feasibility study (the “Updated
Feasibility Study”) prepared by SRK Consulting (US)
(“SRK”) with an effective date of December 31,
2021 and in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 – Standards
of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”).
The Updated Feasibility Study re-affirms the substantial value of
the RV Mine with an after-tax net present value 5% (NPV) of
US$108.8 million¹. As part of preparation of the Updated
Feasibility Study, SRK conducted site visits, reviewed the current
status of the RV Mine, and completed a detailed review of all
geologic and operational data. The Updated Feasibility Study
contemplates total production at the RV Mine of approximately 17.7
million payable silver equivalent ounces (including approximately
13 million payable ounces of silver) over the approximately 6.25
year life for the current mineral reserve base at an “All In
Sustaining Cost” (AISC) net of by-product credits equal to US$12.55
per ounce over the life of mine². The Updated Feasibility Study
assumes five months of operations to complete the #1 Alimak Hoist
to be followed by finalization of development of four full mining
faces, and then ramping up production thereafter. The Updated
Feasibility Study contemplates total costs to cash flow positive of
approximately US$20 million, with the significant majority being
pre-production operating costs associated with completing the
underground development. Aurcana continues to review opportunities
to reduce the required funding through improved productivity, as
well all other options for sourcing the required funds to achieve
sustainable production at the RV Mine.
____________________________1 The following commodity prices were
used in the NPV calculation: Ag $23.84, Au $1,720, Pb $0.98 and Zn
$1.34.2 AISC or All In Sustaining Costs is a non-IFRS and Non-GAAP
measure; AISC includes all production costs related to extraction
and processing as well as costs associated with transportation,
treatment, refining and other selling costs plus capital costs;
by-product pricing included in the ‘after byproduct credit’
calculation is the same as for the NPV calculation. |
|
The full Updated Feasibility Study will be
published on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and the Company’s website
within 45 days of this announcement.
Mercuria Loan Standstill and
Restructuring
As previously announced on December 9, 2020, in
order to fund the restart of the RV Mine a subsidiary of Aurcana
entered into a 5-year, $28 million term loan (the “Term
Loan”) and an associated hedging package (the
“Hedge Package”, and together with the Term Loan,
the “Facilities”) with indirect, wholly owned
subsidiaries of Mercuria Energy Group (“Mercuria”)
- https://www.mercuria.com. Aurcana is a guarantor under the
Facilities. The Facilities contained customary covenants, with an
initial principal payment under the Term Loan due in early-March
2022.
In recognition of Aurcana’s previously announced
efforts to reset operations toward full production at the RV Mine
and in order to provide Aurcana with increased financial
flexibility in the medium-term while the operational work is
completed, Aurcana and Mercuria have agreed to certain standstill
and restructuring agreements (collectively, the
“Restructuring Agreements”) with effect as of
March 8, 2022.
The Restructuring Agreements demonstrate
Mercuria’s ongoing support for the Revenue-Virginius Mine and
provide Aurcana several key benefits including:
- A standstill for Aurcana to reset
its operations at the RV Mine towards full production and provide
for a deferral of current principal and interest payments; and
- Elimination of Aurcana’s current
hedging obligations, allowing Aurcana to fully participate in any
near-term silver price appreciation, but including a commitment to
re-hedge at a mutually appropriate time following the completion of
the #1 Alimak Hoist (see prior Aurcana press releases for a
description), with an ability to satisfy the Close-Out Amount
(described below) under the new hedge package.
Aurcana’s CEO Kevin Drover states, “Given the
robustness of the economics outlined in the updated feasibility
study along with the inquiries we have received from financial
entities who could provide the funding needed, we feel very
confident we can meet the timeline and raise the funding to meet
the requirements established by Mercuria. The restructuring by
Mercuria and the additional funding will allow us to finish our
underground development and return to production later this year.
The updated feasibility study demonstrates the tremendous value to
be unlocked in the Revenue Virginius mine. The task in front of us
is to execute the plan to unlock that value by completing the
underground infrastructure that will assure our go forward
efficiencies and productivities. We currently have ongoing
discussions with brokers and funds, and there are several tools at
our disposal to try to minimize dilution. This is expected to be a
strong market for silver, and being unhedged right now creates a
lot of opportunity for Aurcana as a Company and its existing and
potential new investors alike.”
The Restructuring Agreements include the
following terms and conditions:
- A waiver of all current events of
default and a standstill agreement (a “Waiver and
Standstill) under the Facilities until May 31, 2022 to
allow Aurcana time to achieve certain conditions precedent
including Aurcana procuring (whether by way of issuance of
additional equity or in a manner otherwise not restricted by the
Facilities including, without limitation, a sale of assets,
royalties or a stream agreement with respect to assets other than
the RV Mine) not less than US$25 million in additional liquidity to
bring the RV Mine back into production (the
“Conditions”).
- A deferral of the principal and
interest payments that were previously due March 7, 2022 under the
Term Loan (the “Deferred Payments”);
- Subject to all of the Conditions
being satisfied by Aurcana on or before May 31, 2022, a deferral of
the start of principal repayments until September 7, 2022, with the
March and June principal payments due under the original Term Loan
rolled into the balance of the scheduled 4-year principal payments
leaving the term of the loan unchanged;
- A close-out of the existing Hedge
Package, with a mutual commitment to re-establish hedging at a
future date. The amount required to close out the existing Hedge
Package (“Close-Out Amount”) accrues interest at
10.5% until such time as the hedging is re-established, and the
Close-Out Amount combined with the interest will be repaid through
discounts to market price and/or other derivative positions in the
new hedge structure;
- The amount required to settle the
February 2022 out-of-the-money hedges accrues interest at 10.5%
until such time as the Conditions are met, at which time these
amounts become payable; and
- Upon the Conditions being
completed, Mercuria will receive $1.5 million of Aurcana common
shares as a restructuring fee, and Aurcana will immediately pay
Mercuria the interest that was due on March 7, 2022 along with
accrued interest on the Deferred Payments.
Qualified Person Statement
The scientific and technical content of this
news release was reviewed and approved by Michael Gross, P. Geo, a
“qualified person” within the meaning of NI 43-101.
In connection with the preparation of the
Updated Feasibility Study, SRK verified sampling, analytical, and
test data underlying the information or opinions contained in the
Updated Feasibility Study. In particular, SRK reviewed 10% of the
database of both historical and new data against assay certificates
and found less than 2% error in the database. No major changes were
made to the assay database except where Aurcana geologists averaged
samples that had multiple assays. SRK also completed a detailed
review of the historical logging to gain more geological
information and a statistical review of the channel and drilling
database which supports the use of both the chip and drilling
samples. SRK is of the opinion that no material bias is being
introduced by using the database as presented by Aurcana and that
it is adequate for use in the geological modelling and mineral
resource estimation. Additional information concerning data
verification will be contained in the Updated Feasibility Study and
is also available in Aurcana’s existing technical report in respect
of the RV Mine available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
ABOUT AURCANA SILVER
CORPORATION
Aurcana Silver Corporation owns the
Revenue-Virginius Mine, in Colorado, and the Shafter-Presidio
Silver Project in Texas, US. The primary resource at Shafter and
Revenue-Virginius is silver. Both are fully permitted for
production.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF AURCANA
SILVER CORPORATION
“Kevin Drover”President & CEO
For further information, visit the website at
www.aurcana.com or contact:
Aurcana Silver Corporation850 – 789 West Pender
StreetVancouver, BC V6C 1H2Phone: (604) 331-9333
CAUTIONARY NOTES
This press release contains forward looking
statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The
use of any of the words “anticipate”, “plan”, “continue”, “expect”,
“estimate”, “objective”, “may”, “will”, “project”, “should”,
“predict”, “potential” and similar expressions are intended to
identify forward looking statements. In particular, this press
release contains forward looking statements concerning, without
limitation, statements relating to the operational adjustments at
the RV Mine, the proposed restructuring arrangements with Mercuria
contained in the Restructuring Agreements (including, without
limitation, in respect of the satisfaction of the Conditions
precedent to effectiveness of all such restructuring arrangements),
future financing arrangements, and the results contained in the
Updated Feasibility Study, as well as the impact of the
aforementioned operational adjustments and Restructuring Agreements
on the production and operations of the Company at the RV Mine and
the impact on the financial condition of the Company as a whole
(and including statements with respect to the timing of all such
matters). Although the Company believes that the expectations and
assumptions on which the forward looking statements are based are
reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward
looking statements because the Company cannot give any assurance
that they will prove correct. Since forward looking statements
address future events and conditions, they involve inherent
assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ
materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of
assumptions, factors and risks. These assumptions and risks
include, but are not limited to, assumptions and risks associated
with the receipt of regulatory or shareholder approvals, and risks
related to the state of financial markets or future metals
prices.
Management has provided the above summary of
risks and assumptions related to forward looking statements in this
press release in order to provide readers with a more comprehensive
perspective on the Company’s future operations. The Company’s
actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially
from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward looking
statements and, accordingly, no assurance can be given that any of
the events anticipated by the forward looking statements will
transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits the
Company will derive from them. These forward looking statements are
made as of the date of this press release, and, other than as
required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any
intent or obligation to update publicly any forward looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events
or results or otherwise.
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.
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