Condor Gold (AIM: CNR; TSX: COG https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/condor-gold-plc/) is pleased to announce the filing of a Feasibility Study Technical Report, sometimes referred to as a Bankable Feasibility Study (“2022 FS”) on the La India open pit, which forms part of the larger La India Project, Nicaragua on SEDAR (https://www.sedar.com). The 2022 FS is also available on the Company’s website www.condorgold.com under “Technical Reports”. The 2022 FS was conducted in accordance with the terminology, definitions and guidelines given in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (“CIM”) Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (May 2014) (the “CIM Code”) as required by National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”. The CIM Code is an internationally recognised reporting code as defined by the Committee for Mineral Reserves International Reporting Standards. The filing of the 2022 FS follows the RNS dated 12 September 2022 summarising the 2022 FS including sensitivity analyses. The 2022 FS is available on Condor’s website and under Condor’s profile on SEDAR.
Highlights: Feasibility Study La India Open Pit only
The 2022 FS demonstrates a robust and economically viable base case for the La India open pit:
Condor’s plan is to materially expand production with a stage 2 expansion and is working to convert existing Mineral Resources into Mineral Reserves and to develop an associated integrated mine plan. On 25 October 2021, the Company announced the results of a Preliminary Economic Assessment and filed on SEDAR a technical report entitled “Condor Gold Technical Report on the La India Gold Project, Nicaragua, 2021” (the “2021 PEA”) detailing average annual production of 150,000 oz of gold over the initial 9 years of production from open pit and underground Mineral Resources and provides an indication of a potential production target (Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability).
Background and Reporting Standards
The 2022 FS has been coordinated and compiled by SRK Consulting (UK) Ltd (“SRK”) and represents the next stage in development of the La India Project following publication of the 2021 PEA Technical Report on 9 September 2021. SRK also took responsibility for the following sections of the 2022 FS: Mineral Reserves and financial modelling, geology and Mineral Resources, open pit geotechnics, hydrology and hydrogeology, mining and waste dump schedules, metallurgical testing, geochemistry and acid rock drainage metal leaching (“ARDML”) and SRK has reviewed the environment and social management approach. Hanlon Engineering and Associates Incorporated (“Hanlon”) completed, and take responsibility for, the plant processing design of a 886ktpa (2,530 tpd) single stage SAG comminution and conventional carbon in pulp (“CIP”) circuit and the associated project infrastructure; and Tierra Group International Limited (“Tierra Group”) completed, and take responsibility for, the tailings waste management design and the La Simona water attenuation structure.
The reporting standard adopted for the reporting of the Mineral Resource Estimate and Mineral Reserve Estimate is the CIM Code as required by NI 43-101. The CIM Code is an internationally recognised reporting code which is aligned with the Combined Reserves International Reporting Standards Committee.
The Qualified Persons responsible for this study and the reported Mineral Reserves are:
For further information please visit www.condorgold.com or contact:
Condor Gold plc
Mark Child, Chairman and CEO
+44 (0) 20 7493 2784
Beaumont Cornish Limited
Roland Cornish and James Biddle
+44 (0) 20 7628 3396
SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP
Ewan Leggat
+44 (0) 20 3470 0470
H&P Advisory Limited
Andrew Chubb and Nilesh Patel
+44 207 907 8500
Adelaide Capital (Investor Relations)
Deborah Honig
+1-647-203-8793
In Europa:
Swiss Resource Capital AG
Jochen Staiger
info@resource-capital.ch
www.resource-capital.ch
About Condor Gold plc:
Condor Gold plc was admitted to AIM in May 2006 and dual listed on the TSX in January 2018. The Company is a gold exploration and development company with a focus on Nicaragua.
The 2022 FS replaces the previously reported Preliminary Economic Assessment (“PEA”) as presented in the Technical Report filed on SEDAR in October 2021 as the current technical report for the La India project.
The 2021 PEA considered the expanded Project inclusive of the exploitation of the Mineral Resources associated to the La India, Mestiza, America and Central Breccia deposits. The strategic study covers two scenarios: Scenario A, in which the mining is undertaken from four open pits, termed La India, America, Mestiza and Central Breccia Zone (“CBZ”), which targets a plant feed rate of 1.225 million tonnes per annum (“Mtpa”); and Scenario B, where the mining is extended to include three underground operations at La India, America and Mestiza, in which the processing rate is increased to 1.4 Mtpa. The 2021 PEA Scenario B presented a post-tax, post upfront capital expenditure NPV of US$418 million, with an IRR of 54% and 12 month pay-back period, assuming a US$1,700 per oz gold price, with average annual production of 150,000 oz gold per annum for the initial 9 years of gold production. The open pit mine schedules were optimised from designed pits, bringing higher grade gold forward resulting in average annual production of 157,000 oz gold in the first 2 years from open pit material and underground mining funded out of cashflow. The 2021 PEA Scenario A presented a post-tax, post upfront capital expenditure NPV of US$302 million, with an IRR of 58% and 12 month pay-back period, assuming a US$1,700 per oz gold price, with average annual production of approximately 120,000 oz gold per annum for the initial 6 years of gold production. The Mineral Resource estimate and associated Preliminary Economic Assessment contained in the 2021 PEA are considered a historical estimate within the meaning of NI 43-101, a qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify such historical estimate as current, and the Company is not treating the historical Mineral Resource estimate and associated studies as current, and the reader is cautioned not to rely upon this data as such. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The Company believes that the historical Mineral Resource estimate and Preliminary Economic assessment is relevant to the continuing development of the La India Project.
In August 2018, the Company announced that the Ministry of the Environment in Nicaragua had granted the Environmental Permit (“EP”) for the development, construction and operation of a processing plant with capacity to process up to 2,800 tonnes per day at its wholly-owned La India gold Project (“La India Project”). The EP is considered the master permit for mining operations in Nicaragua. Condor has purchased a new SAG Mill, which has mainly arrived in Nicaragua. Site clearance and preparation is at an advanced stage.
Environmental Permits were granted in April and May 2020 for the Mestiza and America open pits respectively, both located close to La India. The Mestiza open pit hosts 92 Kt at a grade of 12.1 g/t gold (36,000 oz contained gold) in the Indicated Mineral Resource category and 341 Kt at a grade of 7.7 g/t gold (85,000 oz contained gold) in the Inferred Mineral Resource category. The America open pit hosts 114 Kt at a grade of 8.1 g/t gold (30,000 oz) in the Indicated Mineral Resource category and 677 Kt at a grade of 3.1 g/t gold (67,000 oz) in the Inferred Mineral Resource category. Following the permitting of the Mestiza and America open pits, together with the La India open pit Condor has 1.12 M oz gold open pit Mineral Resources permitted for extraction.
Disclaimer
Neither the contents of the Company's website nor the contents of any website accessible from hyperlinks on the Company's website (or any other website) is incorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement.
Qualified Persons
The technical and scientific information in this press release has been reviewed, verified and approved by Andrew Cheatle, P.Geo., a director of Condor Gold plc, and Gerald D. Crawford, P.E., the Chief Technical Officer of Condor Gold plc, each of whom is a “qualified person” as defined by NI 43-101.
Technical Information
Certain disclosure contained in this news release of a scientific or technical nature has been reviewed by the Qualified Persons responsible for their respective components of the 2022 FS as defined below:
All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are ‘forward-looking information’ with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements with respect to: future development and production plans, projected capital and operating costs, mine life and production rates, metal or mineral recovery estimates, Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimates at the La India Project and the potential to convert Mineral Resources into Mineral Reserves. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as: "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", “strategies”, “estimate”, "expect", "project", "predict", "potential", "targeting", "intends", "believe", "potential", “could”, “might”, “will” and similar expressions. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and is based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management at the date the statements are made including, among others, assumptions regarding: future commodity prices and royalty regimes; availability of skilled labour; timing and amount of capital expenditures; future currency exchange and interest rates; the impact of increasing competition; general conditions in economic and financial markets; availability of drilling and related equipment; effects of regulation by governmental agencies; the receipt of required permits; royalty rates; future tax rates; future operating costs; availability of future sources of funding; ability to obtain financing and assumptions underlying estimates related to adjusted funds from operations. Many assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of the Company and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct.
Such forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, which may cause the actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including, risks related to: mineral exploration, development and operating risks; estimation of mineralisation and resources; environmental, health and safety regulations of the resource industry; competitive conditions; operational risks; liquidity and financing risks; funding risk; exploration costs; uninsurable risks; conflicts of interest; risks of operating in Nicaragua; government policy changes; ownership risks; permitting and licencing risks; artisanal miners and community relations; difficulty in enforcement of judgments; market conditions; stress in the global economy; current global financial condition; exchange rate and currency risks; commodity prices; reliance on key personnel; dilution risk; payment of dividends; as well as those factors discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s annual information form for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 dated March 29, 2022 and available under the Company’s SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.
Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless required by law.
Highlights: Feasibility Study La India Open Pit only
The 2022 FS demonstrates a robust and economically viable base case for the La India open pit:
- Probable Mineral Reserve of 7.3Mt at 2.56g/t gold for 602,000 oz gold
- Production averages 81,545 oz gold per annum for the first 6 years of an 8.4 year mine life
- An Internal Rate of Return (“IRR”) of 23% and a post tax, post upfront capital cost NPV of US$86.9 million using a discount rate of 5% and price of US$1,600 oz gold (Mineral Reserve Case).
- An Internal Rate of Return (“IRR”) of 43% and a post tax, post upfront capital cost NPV of US$205.2 million using a discount rate of 5% and price of US$2,000 oz gold.
- Low initial capital requirement of US$105.5 million (including contingency and EPCM contract)
Low average Life of Mine All-in Sustaining cash costs US$1,039 per oz gold
Condor’s plan is to materially expand production with a stage 2 expansion and is working to convert existing Mineral Resources into Mineral Reserves and to develop an associated integrated mine plan. On 25 October 2021, the Company announced the results of a Preliminary Economic Assessment and filed on SEDAR a technical report entitled “Condor Gold Technical Report on the La India Gold Project, Nicaragua, 2021” (the “2021 PEA”) detailing average annual production of 150,000 oz of gold over the initial 9 years of production from open pit and underground Mineral Resources and provides an indication of a potential production target (Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability).
Background and Reporting Standards
The 2022 FS has been coordinated and compiled by SRK Consulting (UK) Ltd (“SRK”) and represents the next stage in development of the La India Project following publication of the 2021 PEA Technical Report on 9 September 2021. SRK also took responsibility for the following sections of the 2022 FS: Mineral Reserves and financial modelling, geology and Mineral Resources, open pit geotechnics, hydrology and hydrogeology, mining and waste dump schedules, metallurgical testing, geochemistry and acid rock drainage metal leaching (“ARDML”) and SRK has reviewed the environment and social management approach. Hanlon Engineering and Associates Incorporated (“Hanlon”) completed, and take responsibility for, the plant processing design of a 886ktpa (2,530 tpd) single stage SAG comminution and conventional carbon in pulp (“CIP”) circuit and the associated project infrastructure; and Tierra Group International Limited (“Tierra Group”) completed, and take responsibility for, the tailings waste management design and the La Simona water attenuation structure.
The reporting standard adopted for the reporting of the Mineral Resource Estimate and Mineral Reserve Estimate is the CIM Code as required by NI 43-101. The CIM Code is an internationally recognised reporting code which is aligned with the Combined Reserves International Reporting Standards Committee.
The Qualified Persons responsible for this study and the reported Mineral Reserves are:
- On behalf of SRK: Dr Tim Lucks of SRK Consulting (UK) Limited, Mr Fernando Rodrigues, Mr Eric Olin and Mr Ben Parsons of SRK Consulting (U.S.) Inc., Mr Parsons assumes responsibility for the Mineral Resource Estimate, Mr Fernando Rodrigues for the Mineral Reserve estimate and the open pit mining study and production schedule. Mr Eric Olin for the Processing testwork and associated processing recovery relationship, and Dr Lucks for the oversight of the remaining SRK technical disciplines.
- On behalf of Hanlon: Mike Rockandel for the Process design and Project Infrastructure
- On Behalf of Tierra Group: Justin Knudsen P.E. for the tailings waste management and La Simona water attenuation structure design.
For further information please visit www.condorgold.com or contact:
Condor Gold plc
Mark Child, Chairman and CEO
+44 (0) 20 7493 2784
Beaumont Cornish Limited
Roland Cornish and James Biddle
+44 (0) 20 7628 3396
SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP
Ewan Leggat
+44 (0) 20 3470 0470
H&P Advisory Limited
Andrew Chubb and Nilesh Patel
+44 207 907 8500
Adelaide Capital (Investor Relations)
Deborah Honig
+1-647-203-8793
In Europa:
Swiss Resource Capital AG
Jochen Staiger
info@resource-capital.ch
www.resource-capital.ch
About Condor Gold plc:
Condor Gold plc was admitted to AIM in May 2006 and dual listed on the TSX in January 2018. The Company is a gold exploration and development company with a focus on Nicaragua.
The 2022 FS replaces the previously reported Preliminary Economic Assessment (“PEA”) as presented in the Technical Report filed on SEDAR in October 2021 as the current technical report for the La India project.
The 2021 PEA considered the expanded Project inclusive of the exploitation of the Mineral Resources associated to the La India, Mestiza, America and Central Breccia deposits. The strategic study covers two scenarios: Scenario A, in which the mining is undertaken from four open pits, termed La India, America, Mestiza and Central Breccia Zone (“CBZ”), which targets a plant feed rate of 1.225 million tonnes per annum (“Mtpa”); and Scenario B, where the mining is extended to include three underground operations at La India, America and Mestiza, in which the processing rate is increased to 1.4 Mtpa. The 2021 PEA Scenario B presented a post-tax, post upfront capital expenditure NPV of US$418 million, with an IRR of 54% and 12 month pay-back period, assuming a US$1,700 per oz gold price, with average annual production of 150,000 oz gold per annum for the initial 9 years of gold production. The open pit mine schedules were optimised from designed pits, bringing higher grade gold forward resulting in average annual production of 157,000 oz gold in the first 2 years from open pit material and underground mining funded out of cashflow. The 2021 PEA Scenario A presented a post-tax, post upfront capital expenditure NPV of US$302 million, with an IRR of 58% and 12 month pay-back period, assuming a US$1,700 per oz gold price, with average annual production of approximately 120,000 oz gold per annum for the initial 6 years of gold production. The Mineral Resource estimate and associated Preliminary Economic Assessment contained in the 2021 PEA are considered a historical estimate within the meaning of NI 43-101, a qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify such historical estimate as current, and the Company is not treating the historical Mineral Resource estimate and associated studies as current, and the reader is cautioned not to rely upon this data as such. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The Company believes that the historical Mineral Resource estimate and Preliminary Economic assessment is relevant to the continuing development of the La India Project.
In August 2018, the Company announced that the Ministry of the Environment in Nicaragua had granted the Environmental Permit (“EP”) for the development, construction and operation of a processing plant with capacity to process up to 2,800 tonnes per day at its wholly-owned La India gold Project (“La India Project”). The EP is considered the master permit for mining operations in Nicaragua. Condor has purchased a new SAG Mill, which has mainly arrived in Nicaragua. Site clearance and preparation is at an advanced stage.
Environmental Permits were granted in April and May 2020 for the Mestiza and America open pits respectively, both located close to La India. The Mestiza open pit hosts 92 Kt at a grade of 12.1 g/t gold (36,000 oz contained gold) in the Indicated Mineral Resource category and 341 Kt at a grade of 7.7 g/t gold (85,000 oz contained gold) in the Inferred Mineral Resource category. The America open pit hosts 114 Kt at a grade of 8.1 g/t gold (30,000 oz) in the Indicated Mineral Resource category and 677 Kt at a grade of 3.1 g/t gold (67,000 oz) in the Inferred Mineral Resource category. Following the permitting of the Mestiza and America open pits, together with the La India open pit Condor has 1.12 M oz gold open pit Mineral Resources permitted for extraction.
Disclaimer
Neither the contents of the Company's website nor the contents of any website accessible from hyperlinks on the Company's website (or any other website) is incorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement.
Qualified Persons
The technical and scientific information in this press release has been reviewed, verified and approved by Andrew Cheatle, P.Geo., a director of Condor Gold plc, and Gerald D. Crawford, P.E., the Chief Technical Officer of Condor Gold plc, each of whom is a “qualified person” as defined by NI 43-101.
Technical Information
Certain disclosure contained in this news release of a scientific or technical nature has been reviewed by the Qualified Persons responsible for their respective components of the 2022 FS as defined below:
- On behalf of SRK: Dr Tim Lucks of SRK Consulting (UK) Limited, Mr Fernando Rodrigues and Mr Ben Parsons of SRK Consulting (U.S.) Inc., Mr Parsons assumes responsibility for the Mineral Resource Estimate, Mr Fernando Rodrigues for the Mineral Reserve estimate and the open pit mining study and production schedule, and Dr Lucks for the oversight of the remaining SRK technical disciplines.
- On behalf of Hanlon: Mike Rockandel for the Process design and Project Infrastructure and corresponding operating and capital costs.
- On Behalf of Tierra Group: Justin Knudsen P.E. for the tailings waste management and La Simona water attenuation structure design.
All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are ‘forward-looking information’ with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements with respect to: future development and production plans, projected capital and operating costs, mine life and production rates, metal or mineral recovery estimates, Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimates at the La India Project and the potential to convert Mineral Resources into Mineral Reserves. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as: "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", “strategies”, “estimate”, "expect", "project", "predict", "potential", "targeting", "intends", "believe", "potential", “could”, “might”, “will” and similar expressions. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and is based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management at the date the statements are made including, among others, assumptions regarding: future commodity prices and royalty regimes; availability of skilled labour; timing and amount of capital expenditures; future currency exchange and interest rates; the impact of increasing competition; general conditions in economic and financial markets; availability of drilling and related equipment; effects of regulation by governmental agencies; the receipt of required permits; royalty rates; future tax rates; future operating costs; availability of future sources of funding; ability to obtain financing and assumptions underlying estimates related to adjusted funds from operations. Many assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of the Company and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct.
Such forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, which may cause the actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including, risks related to: mineral exploration, development and operating risks; estimation of mineralisation and resources; environmental, health and safety regulations of the resource industry; competitive conditions; operational risks; liquidity and financing risks; funding risk; exploration costs; uninsurable risks; conflicts of interest; risks of operating in Nicaragua; government policy changes; ownership risks; permitting and licencing risks; artisanal miners and community relations; difficulty in enforcement of judgments; market conditions; stress in the global economy; current global financial condition; exchange rate and currency risks; commodity prices; reliance on key personnel; dilution risk; payment of dividends; as well as those factors discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s annual information form for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 dated March 29, 2022 and available under the Company’s SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.
Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless required by law.
