Mr. Rodney Lamond reports
CROCODILE GOLD REPORTS 2014 YEAR-END MINERAL RESERVES AND MINERAL RESOURCES AND MAINTAINS LARGE RESOURCE BASE SUPPORTING FUTURE PRODUCTION
Crocodile Gold Corp. has released its consolidated 2014 year-end mineral reserves and mineral resources. The company's AIF and technical reports prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 supporting the 2014 mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates will be available under the company's profile at SEDAR.
Highlights
from 2014:
- Consolidated mineral reserves maintained: 2014 year-end mineral reserves
increased 1 per cent to more than 935,000 ounces of gold including updated
mineral reserves and resources at Stawell gold mines;
- Increased measured and indicated resources at Fosterville and
Cosmo gold mines: measured and indicated resources increased 3.9 per cent at Fosterville gold mine
and 7.8 per cent at Cosmo gold mine compared with 2013
following positive exploration results;
- Maintained mineral resource base after depletion: 2014 year-end measured and indicated resources maintained at 4.8 million ounces of gold, a similar level
compared with measured and indicated resources at year-end 2013;
- Mineral reserve grade impacted by enhanced Big Hill open-pit project: a
focus on delivering high-margin ounces has resulted in a year-over-year
decrease in consolidated mineral reserve grade to 3.15 grams per tonne as the
enhanced Big Hill open-pit project at Stawell was included in 2014 year-end consolidated mineral reserves;
- Improved grade profile at Fosterville: exploration drilling completed at
Fosterville during 2014 has provided increased definition and confidence
in Fosterville's geological model resulting in a 3.0-per-cent increase in
mineral reserve grade to 6.6 grams per tonne as well as an 8.1-per-cent
increase in measured and indicated resources grade to 4.2 grams per tonne.
Rodney Lamond, president and chief executive officer, commented: "In 2014, we delivered strong physical and financial results and achieved successful exploration results from drill programs at all of our operating mine sites. Our exploration programs drilled more than 110,000 metres to replace the ounces from record mining depletion and maintained our mineral reserve and mineral resource base of nearly 900,000 ounces and 4.8 million ounces of gold, respectively. This was a significant achievement given the challenging gold price environment, which also positions us well for 2015. In addition, we are extremely pleased with the positive exploration results from Stawell that enabled us to provide the operation's first updated mineral reserve and mineral resource report since 2012.
"Looking ahead, we have a clear objective to execute our sustainable mining model to replace the ounces mined per year, roughly between 205,000 to 220,000 ounces annually, through the conversion of resources to reserves while maintaining a consistent resource base."
2014 MINERAL RESERVE AND MINERAL RESOURCE SUMMARY
Gold ounces (000s) Gold grade (g/t)
2014 2013 2014 2013
Proven and
probable reserves 935 927 3.15 4.13
M+I resources 4,753 4,789 2.82 2.81
Inferred resources 2,024 2,473 2.48 2.46
Mineral reserve summary by asset and highlights:
- Consolidated mineral reserves maintained: mineral reserves at Stawell
increased 69.2 per cent since the last technical report in 2012 as a result of
the inclusion of the enhanced Big Hill project and positive drill
results achieved during 2014. Adjustments to geological models at
Fosterville resulted in a decrease in mineral reserve with an increase
in the resulting grade profile. At Cosmo, resource conversion
expenditures were constrained during the year while under the net free
cash flow sharing arrangement with AuRico Gold Inc. Cosmo's grade
profile decreased slightly due to the inclusion of additional material
from outside the main higher-grade 100 footwall lode. Additionally, at
Stawell, a focus on delivering high margin ounces resulted in a 56.3-per-cent
decrease in grade year over year to 1.5 grams per tonne due to inclusion of 145,000
ounces, at 1.54 grams per tonne, from the enhanced Big Hill open-pit project.
PROVEN AND PROBABLE RESERVES (2P)
Gold ounces (000s) Gold grade (g/t)
2014 2013 2014 2013
Fosterville 308 342 6.55 6.37
Cosmo 148 180 3.57 3.79
Stawell 181 107 1.50 3.43
Burnside 10 10 1.93 1.93
Union Reefs 42 42 4.40 4.40
Pine Creek 62 62 1.55 1.55
Maud Creek 184 184 5.40 5.40
---- ---- ----- -----
All sites 2P 935 927 3.15 4.13
Mineral resources summary by asset and highlights:
- Consolidated measured and indicated resources maintained after mining depletion at 4.8
million ounces of gold year over year, with a 0.4-per-cent increase in average
grade to 2.82 grams per tonne to support future production;
- Achieved successful exploration results at all three operating mines:
several opportunities have been identified during the 2014 mineral
resource exploration drilling that resulted in increased measured and indicated resources
at Fosterville and Cosmo. Fosterville increased measured and indicated resources by 3.9 per cent to
over 2.1 million ounces of gold while Cosmo increased measured and indicated resources by
an impressive 7.8 per cent to 539,000 ounces of gold.
At Fosterville, the 2014 exploration results established the
continuation of gold mineralization down plunge and mineralized faults
below the Phoenix and Lower Phoenix faults demonstrate the potential to
extend mineral resources.
At Cosmo, crosscutting faults have been identified at the southern and
northern edges of the main eastern lode sequence. These faults have been
shown to offset the main lodes and in some cases create repetition of
the mineralization. Extensional drilling will continue to test these
areas during 2015.
At Stawell, mining transitioned from deep in the mine to the upper
levels of the mine where the extraction of remnant and other ore
materials is currently in progress. As a result, the new 2014 measured and indicated resource of 243,000 ounces, with an average grade of 1.81 grams per tonne, reflects
this transition since 2012.
With more than 30 years of continuous operation, and over 2.2 million
ounces of gold production at Stawell, the company believes that there is
still strong potential for finding additional underground mineral
resources. During 2014, a targeted drill program at Stawell was
implemented and focused on the middle to upper portion of the strongly
mineralized Magdala system. Drill results identified areas for potential
resource growth and provided upside for potential extension of the life
of Stawell's underground operations. Current and extensive historical
mining of the upper levels in the mine will allow target areas to be
readily accessed in the future.
MINERAL RESOURCES
Gold ounces (000s) Gold grade (g/t)
2014 2013 2014 2013
Fosterville 2,150 2,069 4.18 3.87
Cosmo 539 500 3.35 3.43
Stawell 243 399 1.81 2.64
Burnside 335 335 1.38 1.38
Union Reefs 236 236 2.43 2.43
Pine Creek 379 379 1.41 1.41
Maud Creek 871 871 3.50 3.50
------ ------ ----- -----
Total M+I 4,753 4,789 2.82 2.81
- Inferred resources impacted by strategic investment in increased mineral
reserves: inferred resource ounces declined at all three sites as a
result of exploration investment focused on strategic conversion of
existing measured and indicated resources over the growth of new resources given the
challenging price environment. Additionally, the company completed the
sale of two non-producing assets which contained inferred resources in
2013.
INFERRED RESOURCES
Gold ounces (000s) Gold grade (g/t)
2014 2013 2014 2013
Fosterville 699 777 3.72 3.78
Cosmo 84 109 2.72 2.94
Stawell 77 145 3.08 4.72
Burnside 323 602 1.47 1.58
Union Reefs 305 305 2.23 2.23
Pine Creek 191 191 2.34 2.34
Maud Creek 344 344 2.55 2.55
------ ------ ----- -----
Total inferred 2,024 2,473 2.48 2.46
Qualified person
Mark Edwards, MAusIMM (CP), MAIG, general manager exploration and business development for Crocodile Gold, is a qualified person as such term is defined in National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information and data included in this press release.
We seek Safe Harbor.
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