Mr. Courtney Chamberlain reports
MINERA IRL REPORTS POSITIVE OLLACHEA PROJECT OPTIMIZATION RESULTS
Minera IRL Ltd. has released the results of postdefinitive feasibility study mine optimization studies that have been completed by external consultants in anticipation of the development of the company's flagship Ollachea gold project in Peru.
Currency amounts are in U.S. dollars, unless otherwise indicated.
Highlights:
- Total gold production increased to 930,000 ounces (from 921,000 ounces);
- Average annual production of 100,000 ounces over the first two years (up
from 70,500 ounces);
- Average annual production unchanged at 100,000 ounces per year over an
initial nine-year mine life;
- Initial capital cost of $164.7-million (down from $177.5-million);
- Average total cash cost of $587 per ounce (slight adjustment from $583
per ounce);
- An after-tax net present value, at a 7-per-cent discount rate and gold price of $1,300 per
ounce, of $181-million (up 17 per cent from $155-million);
- Internal rate of return of 28.2 per cent (up from 22.1 per cent);
- Payback period decreased to 3.1 years (from 3.7 years);
- Production now expected to commence in the second quarter of 2016 (from the first quarter of 2016).
Commenting on the updated projections, Courtney Chamberlain, Minera IRL's executive chairman, stated: "The impact of the better-defined geological model at Ollachea has exceeded our expectations. The resulting optimized underground mine design and production schedule carried out by international consultancy, Mining Plus, has allowed us to bring forward considerable gold production. This, along with $9.5-million of deferred capital, has enhanced the project's financial projections as listed in the above highlights. The company is confident it will soon receive the construction permit and continues its focus on the debt restructuring and project financing."
Ollachea mine production summary
The life-of-mine results of the updated Ollachea mine plan prepared by Mining Plus Pty. Ltd. do not differ materially from the results presented in the 2012 Ollachea DFS prepared by AMEC dated Nov. 29, 2012. However, there were several areas that have benefited from this optimization process.
The updated LOM production schedule has resulted in an optimized ramp-up of initial production with average annual gold production increasing to 100,000 ounces over the first two years of production (from 70,500 ounces in the Ollachea DFS). The average annual production is approximately 100,000 ounces per year over the nine years of mine life, almost identical to the Ollachea DFS.
Cost estimates
The updated mine plan provided opportunities to reduce or defer certain preproduction development capital items. As a result, initial capital expenditure has been reduced by $12.8-million to $164.7-million (from $177.5-million in the 2012 Ollachea DFS).
Deferral of some underground development work has pushed out $9.5-million of preproduction capital expenditure into LOM sustaining capital. The net effect is that total LOM capital has reduced slightly to $220.0-million from the $223.3-million estimated in the DFS.
Project costs are still based upon third-quarter 2012 capital cost estimates. However, the company believes that potential cost reductions for equipment and services driven by the depressed mining development industry are likely to offset potential cost increases. Additionally, discussions with equipment suppliers have confirmed certain opportunities to lease finance a substantial portion of the mining equipment.
There has been little effect upon the LOM cash operating cost projections.
Financial analysis
Following the mine plan update process, the financial model for Ollachea has been updated to reflect these changes and to account for other changes to the mine's economics. The Updated financial analysis table illustrates the effects of the optimization process upon key economic indicators compared with the DFS. A base case gold price of $1,300 per ounce was used in both cases.
UPDATED FINANCIAL ANALYSIS, OLLACHEA PROJECT
(currency amounts in U.S. dollars)
Parameter Units Financial results
2014 update 2012 DFS
Pretax Posttax Pretax Posttax
Project cash flow $M 492 344 489 325
NPV at 5% real $M 326 218 316 194
NPV at 7% real $M 277 181 264 155
NPV at 10% real $M 217 135 199 108
IRR (real) % 37.1 28.2 29.2 22.1
Payback years 2.4 3.1 3.2 3.7
Notes:
1. NPVs as at commencement of construction.
2. NPVs are based on mid-period discounting.
3. Before tax is before special mining tax, workers' participation profit of
8 per cent and income taxes of 30 per cent.
4. Payback starts from the commencement of production.
5. The financial results are on 100-per-cent project basis and exclude the
agreement with the community for a 5-per-cent participation in Minera Kuri
Kullu SA on commencement of production and the $14.2-million remainder of
the second additional payment payable by MKK due to Rio Tinto in June, 2016.
6. Excludes the 1-per-cent gross smelter royalty granted to Macquarie Bank.
7. Tax losses and capitalized expenditures available to offset taxes payable
include balances as of Dec. 31, 2013, in the 2014 update (Dec. 31, 2012,
estimates in the 2012 DFS).
The update was undertaken in constant U.S. dollars, 100-per-cent project ownership and 100-per-cent equity finance basis.
Updated mineral resource and reserve estimate
The updated LOM mine plan is based upon a refined geological interpretation and an updated mineral resource estimate for the Minapampa zone of the Ollachea deposit. There has been no additional resource drilling at Minapampa since the 2012 DFS. The refined geological model and accompanying enhanced structural model allow for a more robust definition to the limits of the economically mineralized horizons. The updated mineral resource estimate, carried out by consultants with GHD Group Pty. Ltd., is based upon a significantly smaller panel size, more constrained search ellipsoids and a two-gram-gold-per-tonne cut-off (consistent with the DFS).
The mineral reserve estimate in the 2014 calculation also benefited from the refined geological model and optimization for the Minapampa zone. The lower cut-off grade was increased marginally to 2.1 grams per tonne gold (from two grams per tonne gold in the DFS). The overall result is an increase in contained gold to 1,001,000 ounces (from 983,000 ounces).
There remains considerable upside at Ollachea which, with more work, could lead to an expanded mineral reserve and increased mine life. As previously reported, the nearby Concurayoc zone, to the west of Minapampa, contains an inferred resource of 900,000 ounces (10.4 million tonnes grading 2.8 grams per tonne gold) and, additionally, positive results were obtained from the 2013 underground exploration drilling along the eastern strike extent of Minapampa. Finally, the Ollachea mineralized zone remains open ended and undrilled along strike and at depth.
Project schedule and moving forward
In discussing the results of the optimization, Mr. Chamberlain stated: "The optimization process has exceeded our expectations, and demonstrates the opportunity for a rapid recommencement of mine development once the construction permit and financing is in place. The company also continues to prepare the project for development by evaluating engineering candidates to execute the EPCM contract."
In discussing the current schedule, Mr. Chamberlain stated, "Based on the optimization just completed, and assuming that financing is in place and project development can commence in the third quarter of 2014, the latest schedule indicates that construction should be completed within 21 months, or the first quarter of 2016 (from late 2015), with a ramp-up to full production in the second quarter of 2016 (from the first quarter of 2016)."
Qualified persons
The preparation of the technical information contained herein was supervised by Courtney Chamberlain, BSc, MSc metallurgical engineering, a fellow of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (FAusIMM), who is recognized as a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101, and who has reviewed and approved the technical information in this press release.
The preparation of geological and resource information contained herein was supervised by Donald McIver, vice-president, exploration, of the company, MSc exploration and economic geology, a fellow of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (FAusIMM), as well as of the Society of Economic Geologists (FSEG), who is recognized as a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101, and who has reviewed and approved the resource information in this press release.
The preparation of the indicated mineral resources contained herein was estimated by Doug Corley, member of the Australasian Institute of Geoscientists (MAIG), and registered professional geoscientist (RPGeo), of GHD Group, who is recognized as a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101, and who has reviewed and approved the resource information in this press release.
The preparation of the probable mineral reserve contained herein was supervised by Neil Schunke, member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM), of Mining Plus Canada, who is recognized as a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101, and who has reviewed and approved the technical information in this press release.
OLLACHEA ANNUAL GOLD PRODUCTION SUMMARY COMPARISON
Year 2014 update 2012 DFS Change
Au (koz) Au (koz) Au (koz)
Year 1 (2016) 97 63 34
Year 2 (2017) 106 78 28
Year 3 (2018) 101 112 (11)
Year 4 (2019) 102 119 (17)
Year 5 (2020) 106 118 (12)
Year 6 (2021) 105 126 (21)
Year 7 (2022) 101 117 (16)
Year 8 (2023) 105 94 11
Year 9 (2024) 79 76 3
Year 10 (2025) 28 18 10
----- ----- -----
Total 930 921 9
OLLACHEA PROJECT CAPITAL COST COMPARISONS
(in millions of U.S. dollars)
Item 2014 update 2012 DFS Change
Project capital
Mining $ 43.7 $ 55.4 $ (11.7)
Site development 3.9 3.9 -
Process plant 58.4 58.4 -
Ancillary buildings 3.9 3.9 -
Tailings system 5.7 5.7 -
Indirect and owners cost 31.4 31.4 -
Contingency 17.7 18.8 (1.1)
Total project capital 164.7 177.5 (12.8)
-------- -------- --------
Sustaining capital 51.1 41.6 9.5
Closure costs (net) -- end of LOM 4.2 4.2 -
-------- -------- --------
Total LOM capital cost 220.0 223.3 (3.3)
Note: Costs are in third-quarter 2012 dollars.
OLLACHEA LOM AVERAGE UNIT CASH OPERATING COSTS
(U.S. dollars)
2014 update 2012 DFS
Item $/t ore $/oz $/t ore $/oz
Mining 23.5 243 23.4 237
Processing 21.5 222 21.5 218
General and administrative 4.3 44 4.3 44
-------- --------
Site operating cash costs 49.3 509 49.2 499
Transport and refinery 4 4
Workers profit participation 33 36
Special mining tax 13 15
Royalties 28 29
-------- --------
Total cash costs 587 583
Note: Operating cash costs exclude costs for freight and refining dore, and
royalties.
KEY FINANCIAL INDICATORS USING A RANGE OF GOLD PRICE
(U.S. dollars)
$1,100 $1,200 $1,300 $1,400 $1,500
Discount 0% ($M) 231 289 344 399 453
Discount 5% ($M) 135 177 218 259 299
Discount 7% ($M) 107 144 181 217 253
Discount 10% ($M) 72 104 135 166 197
IRR (posttax) 20.3% 24.4% 28.2% 31.9% 35.4%
Payback (years) 4.0 3.4 3.1 2.7 2.4
MINAPAMPA RESOURCE ESTIMATES COMPARISON
Indicated mineral resource Inferred mineral resource
Version Mt Au g/t Au Moz Mt Au g/t Au Moz
2014 10.1 4.0 1.3 1.7 4.0 0.2
2012 10.6 4.0 1.4 3.3 3.3 0.3
OLLACHEA MINERAL RESERVE ESTIMATES COMPARISON
Bottom cut Probable mineral reserves
Version g/t Au Mt Au g/t Au Moz
2014 2.1 9.2 3.4 1,001
2012 2.0 8.7 3.5 983
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