TIDMAUE
RNS Number : 2245H
Aureus Mining Inc.
12 March 2015
12 March 2015
Aureus Mining Inc.
TSX : AUE
AIM : AUE
FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2014
AND 2015 OPERATIONAL UPDATE
Aureus Mining Inc. ("Aureus" or the "Company"), (TSX:AUE,
AIM:AUE) the exploration and development Company focused on gold in
West Africa, is pleased to announce its audited annual financial
results for the year ended December 31, 2014 and to provide an
operational update for 2015.
Financial Highlights
-- Cash and cash equivalents of US$ 33.0 million
-- Loss for year of US$ 3.4 million (loss per share of US$ 0.01)
-- Total assets of US$ 267 million
-- US$ 80 million drawn down of the available US$ 100 million project finance loan facilities
-- Completed subscription and equity raises of US$ 26.1 million
in 2014 for exploration, grade control drilling, balance sheet
strengthening and corporate purposes. In February 2015 a further
US$ 15.3 million was raised to finance the new updated mine plan
taking the total over the last 14 months to US$41.4 million
New Liberty Project Highlights and Update
-- Liberia continues to make significant progress in the fight
against Ebola with no new cases in the previous seven days to 1
March 2015. This is the first week with no new confirmed cases
reported since May 2014
-- Construction has continued to progress despite the challenges
of operating throughout the Ebola outbreak, with all significant
areas of civil works now completed and handed over to the
structural steel, mechanical, plate work and piping ("SMPP")
contractor for steelworks and further commissioning
-- Primary and Secondary Crushers and Ball Mill are now fully
installed and awaiting power for directional testing with work
focusing on the completion of the conveyor systems
-- Marvoe Creek Diversion and Kinjor and Larjor village
relocations were completed in mid-2014, allowing the commencement
of mining operations
-- Mining operations commenced in October 2014, with first blast
of 25,000 tonnes of waste rock successfully completed in January
2015
-- Reverse-Circulation ("RC") grade control drilling has been
completed for the Year 1 mining schedule and results confirm high
grades and excellent reconciliation with the mineral resource
model
New Updated Mine Plan Highlights
-- New updated mine plan aligned to the current gold price
environment has been developed to further de-risk the Project
-- New plan increases operational flexibility through the
creation of two starter pits, providing increased face length and
stockpile management and giving greater confidence that production
targets will be met
-- Expected all-in sustaining cash costs are reduced by 7% to
US$ 789 / oz and the post-tax project NPV of expected cash flows
from commencement of commercial production(1) increased to US$ 328
million(2)
-- Significant free cash now expected to be generated over Life
of Mine with earlier free cash to fund Aureus' highly promising
exploration programmes
-- An additional 28,000 ounces of gold is expected to be
produced in the first year of production through the mining of an
additional starter pit, which brings the total Year 1 target
production to 122,000 ounces of gold
Notes:
(1) cash flows from life of mine operations before debt
servicing and repayment
(2) using a gold price of US$1,300/oz flat, 5% discount rate and
corporation tax rate of 25%
Exploration and Pre-Feasibility Highlights
-- Approximately 14,200 meters of diamond drilling (67 holes)
and 5,800 meters of RC drilling was completed in 2014 (39 holes)
across the Ndablama and Weaju gold targets
-- Updated Mineral Resource of 349,000 oz at 1.9 g/t gold
Indicated and 464,000 oz at 2.1 g/t gold Inferred was estimated at
a 0.7 g/t cut off was calculated for the Ndablama target
-- Metallurgical testing for Ndablama ore gave overall gravity
plus Carbon in Leach ("CIL") gold recoveries of between 91% and 97%
for the oxide and sulphide ore composites from head grades of 0.8
to 2.7 g/t gold
-- Sulphide ore total gravity gold recovery gave test work
recoveries of between 66% and 72% and flotation testwork showed
recoveries in excess of 90% into the concentrate
Outlook - Key Targets for 2015
-- First gold pour at New Liberty is expected by the end of May 2015
-- Further plant optimisation and final commissioning is
expected to occur in June and July, leading to steady state
production at the end of July 2015
-- At Ndablama, execution of a new drilling programme to expand
resource and explore the remainder of the 13km gold corridor
structure that it is located within
-- Further generative reconnaissance work over the Company's
licence to generate new gold targets for follow up work, with a
primary focus on near mine target generation
Commenting on the results, David Reading, President and Chief
Executive Officer of Aureus Mining, said:
"As we approach the end of the first quarter in 2015, our
efforts last year have meant we are now on the cusp of bringing New
Liberty to production with first gold scheduled for the end of May
this year. 2014 was not without its challenges, however, I am
extremely proud of the entire Company, staff and contractors who
have worked tirelessly to continue with the development of the New
Liberty Project.
Aureus has had a strong start to 2015, with the development of a
new mine plan that achieves significant additional and accretive
benefits to all our shareholders and I look forward to realising
the full potential of Liberia's first commercial gold mine."
Photographs of the latest construction progress at New Liberty
can be found at:
http://aureus-mining.com/construction-update-mar15
The Financial Statements and the accompanying Management's
Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A") are available for review at
the Company's website, www.aureus-mining.com, and on www.sedar.com,
and should be read in conjunction with this press release.
Contact Information
Aureus Mining Inc. Buchanan
David Reading / Paul Thomson Bobby Morse / Gordon
Tel: +44(0) 20 7010 7690 Poole
Tel: +44(0) 20 7466 5000
----------------------------- -------------------------
Numis Securities Limited GMP Securities Europe
(Nominated Adviser and LLP (Joint Broker)
Joint Broker) Richard Greenfield /
John Prior / James Black Alexandra Carse
/ Paul Gillam Tel: +44(0) 20 7647 2800
Tel: +44(0) 20 7260 1000
----------------------------- -------------------------
About Aureus Mining Inc.
The Company's assets include the New Liberty gold deposit in
Liberia (the "New Liberty Gold Project," "New Liberty" or the
"Project"), which has an estimated proven and probable mineral
reserve of 8.5 Mt with 924,000 ounces of gold grading 3.4 g/t and
an estimated measured and indicated mineral resource of 9,796 Kt
with 1,143,000 ounces of gold grading 3.63 g/t and an estimated
inferred mineral resource of 5,730 Kt with 593,000 ounces of gold
grading 3.2 g/t. A Definitive Feasibility Study ("DFS") has been
completed on the Project and construction is well progressed. The
Project is expected to have an 8 year mine life and annual
production of 119,000 ounces for the first 6 years of production.
The Company has financed the Project's equity and debt funding
requirement. The foregoing mineral reserve and mineral resource
estimates and additional information in connection therewith are
set out in the Company's technical report dated 3 July, 2013 and
entitled "New Liberty Gold Project, Liberia, West Africa, Updated
Technical Report."
The New Liberty Gold Project is located within the Southern
Block of the 100% owned Bea Mountain mining licence. This licence
covers 457 km(2) and has a 25 year, renewable, mineral development
agreement. The Northern Block of the Bea Mountain mining license
also hosts additional gold projects of Ndablama, Gondoja and Weaju,
which are the focus of exploration programs during 2015. Ndablama
has an indicated mineral resource of 386,000 ounces of gold grading
1.6 g/t and inferred mineral resource of 515,000ounces of gold
grading 1.7g/t and Weaju has an inferred mineral resource of
178,000 ounces of gold grading 2.1 g/t. The Archaen Gold
exploration licence, which covers 89 km(2), is also a focus of
exploration for 2015, with Leopard Rock being the main target. The
Yambesei (759 km(2) ), Archaen West (112.6 km(2) ), Mabong (36.6
km(2) ) and Mafa West (15.6 km(2) ) licences will also be subject
to preliminary reconnaissance geological work. The foregoing
mineral resource estimates and additional information in connection
therewith are set out in the Company's technical report dated
December 1, 2014 and entitled "Ndablama and Weaju Gold Projects,
Bea Mountain Mining Licence, Northern Block, Technical Report on
Mineral Resources" ("Ndablama and Weaju Technical Report
2014").
The Company also has a gold exploration permit in Cameroon.
Qualified Persons
The Company's Qualified Person is David Reading, who holds a MSc
in Economic Geology from University of Waterloo, Canada and is a
Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining. David
Reading is the President and CEO of Aureus Mining Inc. and has
reviewed and approves this press release.
Forward Looking Statements
Certain information in this news release relating to Aureus is
forward-looking and related to anticipated events and strategies.
When used in this context, words such as "will", "anticipate",
"believe", "plan", "intend", "target" and "expect" or similar words
suggest future outcomes. Forward-looking information contained in
this press release includes, but may not be limited to, statements
or information relating to: the New Liberty Gold Project (including
the quantity and quality of mineral resource and mineral reserve
estimates), the potential to upgrade inferred mineral resources,
opportunities to optimize the New Liberty Gold Project, the ability
of the Company to develop the New Liberty Gold Project into a mine
and the proposed new plans relating thereto regarding operations
and mine design, future gold production, and future cash flows, the
expected mine life of the New Liberty Gold Project, progress in the
fight against Ebola and the anticipated exploration and development
activities of Aureus. By their nature, such statements are subject
to significant risks and uncertainties that may cause actual
results or events to differ materially from current expectations,
including: risks normally incidental to exploration and development
of mineral properties; the inability of the Company to obtain
required financing when needed and/or on acceptable terms or at
all; risks that the cost of implementing the new mine plan at the
New Liberty Gold Project and the operating cash costs of the New
liberty Gold Project exceed those estimated in the new mine plan;
uncertainties in the interpretation of results from drilling and
test work; the possibility that future exploration, development or
mining results will not be consistent with expectations; regulatory
and government decisions; the possibility that future drawdowns
under the loan facilities may not be available; construction of the
New Liberty Gold Project being delayed and/ or over budget;
economic conditions; availability and cost of financing; estimates
of capital and operating costs and start-up costs; plans regarding
construction activities; risks related to the Ebola crisis; and
future unforeseen liabilities and other factors including, but not
limited to, those listed under "Risk Factors" in the Company's
Annual Information Form dated March 25, 2014, a copy of which is
available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, and in the Aureus Mining
Admission Document, a copy of which is available at
www.aureus-mining.com. Readers are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on forward-looking information as actual results could
differ materially from the plans, expectations, estimates or
intentions expressed in the forward-looking information.
Forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it
is made and, except as may be required by applicable law, Aureus
disclaims any obligation to update or modify such forward-looking
information, either as a result of new information, future events
or for any other reason.
With respect to forward looking information contained in this
news release, assumptions have been made regarding, among other
things: general business, economic and mining industry conditions;
interest rates and foreign exchange rates; mineral resource and
mineral reserve estimates; geological and metallurgical assumptions
(including with respect to the size, grade and recoverability of
mineral resources and mineral reserves) and cost estimates on which
the mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates are based; the
parameters and assumptions employed in the New Liberty Technical
Report, (including but not limited to, those relating to
construction, future mining and operating costs, processing and
recovery rates, net present values and internal rates of return,
timing for the commencement of production, tax and royalty rates,
future gold prices, metallurgical rates, pit design, operations and
management, grades, the base case analysis and the proposed budget
for further exploration plans and objectives); the supply and
demand for commodities and precious and base metals and the level
and volatility of the prices of gold; market competition; the
ability of the Company to raise sufficient funds from capital
markets and/or debt to meet its future obligations and planned
activities; the business of the Company including the continued
exploration of its properties; the political environments and legal
and regulatory frameworks in Liberia and Cameroon with respect to,
among other things, the ability of the Company to obtain, maintain,
renew and/or extend required permits, licences, authorizations
and/or approvals from the appropriate regulatory authorities and
the ability of the Company to continue to obtain qualified staff
and equipment in a timely and cost-efficient manner to meet its
demand. Assumptions used in the preparation of such information,
although considered reasonable by Aureus at the time of
preparation, may prove to be incorrect.
Any mineral resource and mineral reserve figures referred to in
this press release are estimates and no assurances can be given
that the indicated levels of minerals will be produced. Such
estimates are expressions of judgment based on knowledge, mining
experience, analysis of drilling results and industry practices.
Valid estimates made at a given time may significantly change when
new information becomes available. While the Company believes that
the mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates in respect of
its properties are well established, by their nature mineral
resource and mineral reserve estimates are imprecise and depend, to
a certain extent, upon statistical inferences which may ultimately
prove unreliable. If such mineral resource and mineral reserve
estimates are inaccurate or are reduced in the future, this could
have a material adverse impact on the Company. Due to the
uncertainty that may be attached to inferred mineral resources, it
cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral
resource will be upgraded to an indicated or measured mineral
resource as a result of continued exploration. Mineral resources
that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic
viability.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
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