Condor Receives Permit for America Open Pit

RNS Number : 1171M

Condor Gold PLC

06 May 2020

 

Condor Gold plc 22a St James's Square London SW1Y 4JH Tel: [phone]

6 May 2020

Condor Gold Plc

("Condor" or the "Company")

Condor Receives Permit for High-Grade America Open Pit, Increasing Total Permitted Open Pit Mineral Resources To 1.12M Million Oz Gold

Condor Gold (AIM: CNR; TSX: COG) is pleased to announce that it has been granted an Environmental Permit for the development and exploitation of gold from the high grade America open pit ("the Permit"). The America open pit hosts 114 thousand tonnes ("Kt") at a grade of 8.1 g/t gold (30,000 oz contained gold) in the Indicated Mineral Resource category and 677Kt at a grade of 3.1 g/t gold (67,000 oz contained gold) in the Inferred Mineral Resource category. The America open pit compliments the already permitted La India open pit and the recently permitted high grade Mestiza open pit. The La India open pit hosts 8,377Kt at a grade of 3.1 g/t gold (837,000 oz contained gold) in the Indicated Mineral Resource category and 883Kt at grade of 2.4 g/t gold (68,000 oz contained gold) in the Inferred Mineral Resource category. La India open pit has a robust, economically viable Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") with Mineral Reserves of 6.9 million tonnes ("Mt") at 3.0 g/t for 675,000 oz gold. The Mestiza open pit hosts 92Kt at a grade of 12.1 g/t gold (36,000 oz contained gold) in the Indicated Mineral Resource category and 341Kt at a grade of 7.7 g/t gold (85,000 oz contained gold) in the Inferred Mineral Resource category. Following the permitting of the America open pit Condor has 1.12M oz gold open pit Mineral Resources permitted for extraction inclusive of a Mineral Reserve of 6.9Mt at 3.0g/t gold for 675,000 oz gold.

Highlights:

· 1.12 million oz gold open pit Mineral Resources, including Mineral Reserves permitted for extraction and production from 3 open pits

· The permitted La India open pit which hosts 8,377Kt at a grade of 3.1 g/t gold (837,000 oz contained gold) in the Indicated Mineral Resource category and 883Kt at grade of 2.4 g/t gold (68,000 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 contained gold) in the Indicated Mineral Resource category and 677Kt at a grade of 3.1 g/t gold (67,000 oz contained gold) in the Inferred Mineral Resource category

· The permitted Mestiza open pit hosts 92Kt at a grade of 12.1 g/t gold (36,000 oz contained gold) in the Indicated Mineral Resource category and 341Kt at a grade of 7.7 g/t gold (85,000 oz contained gold) in the Inferred Mineral Resource category

· America open pit permitted to deliver robust diluted tonnage of 649Kt at 3.83g/t gold for 80,000 oz gold, complimenting the recently permitted Mestiza open pit permitted to deliver mill feed of 600Kt at 5.76 g/t gold for 111,100 oz gold (See RNS 4 March 2020)

· The addition of a third permitted high grade open pit adds flexibility to the mine schedule, potentially improving project economics and extending the life of mine

Mark Child, Chairman and CEO commented:

"Condor has been granted the key Environmental Permit to develop and exploit gold from a third high grade open pit. When added to the high grade La India open pit and Mestiza open pit, Condor has 1.12 million oz gold open pit Mineral Resources, including Mineral Reserves permitted for extraction. Condor also has the permit to construct and develop a processing plant with capacity of up to 2,800tpd at La India Project. The permitted high grade America open pit and recently permitted Mestiza open pit adds flexibility to the mine schedule, potentially improving project economics and extending the life of mine."

Background

La India Project, Nicaragua, contains a Mineral Resource of 9,850Kt at 3.6 g/t gold for 1,140Koz gold in the Indicated category and 8,479Kt at 4.3g/t gold for 1,179Koz gold in the Inferred category (See RNS dated 28 January, 2019). Condor's focus has been on developing the open pit Mineral Resources within 3 open pits, which are inclusive of a Mineral Reserve of 6.9 Mt at 3.0 g/t gold for 675,000 oz gold, into production.

Condor has been granted an Environmental Permit to construct and operate a processing plant with capacity of up to 2,800 tonnes per day ("tpd") and develop the associated mine site infrastructure for a new mine at its La India Project (the "Main Permit"). The Main Permit is for development and extraction of ore from La India open pit, subject to certain conditions. Production from La India open pit is estimated to be between 80,000 to 100,000 oz gold per annum. On 22 January 2020, Condor received a letter from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources ("MARENA") detailing an extension, as provided for under the terms of the Permit, to complete the conditions of the Main Permit by 27 July 2021 (See RNS dated 28 January 2020).

On 21 November 2019, Condor submitted Environmental and Social Impact Assessments ("ESIAs") to MARENA for the Environmental Permits for the development and extraction of contained gold from the America and Mestiza open pits. Each ESIA is over 600 pages in length, including the appendices and summarises 18 mining, environmental and social technical studies. (See RNS 22 November 2019). Public Consultations were held on 28 February 2020 for both feeder pits.

Significance of Permitting the America Open Pit

The America open pit has a higher gold grade than the La India open pit and adds a third permitted open pit, following the permitting of the Mestiza open pit announced last week ( See RNS 29 April 2020). The America and Mestiza open pits are likely to be mined earlier to reduce the payback period on the plant and equipment and improve the internal rate of return. La India open pit has lower quartile industry all-in-sustaining-cash cost of US$690 per oz gold in the PFS which used a gold price of $1,250/oz. (See RNS 14 November, 2014). A third permitted open pit adds flexibility to the mine schedule.

The diluted and modified mining model for the America open pit, undertaken by SRK Consulting (UK) Limited ("SRK"), reported a total diluted tonnage of 649Kt at 3.83 g/t gold for 80,000 oz gold   within the 1,500 USD/oz optimized pit shell used in the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate update. A cut-off grade of 1.5g/t gold was used. (See RNS 4 March 2020).

The America open pit is located within easy trucking distance and less than 2 km from the location of the permitted processing plant.

The Permit granted by MARENA for the Mestiza open pit is for an initial 8 year period from the date notification is received by MARENA that production is due to commence and can be renewed for further periods. There are a number of conditions associated with the Permit, ranging from the appointment of an Environmental Manager to adherence to environmental management programs as detailed in the ESIA. For example, priority is to be given to hiring local employees and a reforestation programme will be instigated that plants 10 new trees for every tree cut down. Exploitation is required to commence within 18 months of the grant of the Permit although this can be extended for a further two 18 month periods.

The diluted and modified mining model for the permitted La India open pit, undertaken internally by Condor, reports a total diluted tonnage of 7,284Kt at 2.80g/t gold for 656,000 oz gold, excluding low grade material. The total permitted mill feed combining La India, Mestiza and America open pits is 8,829Kt at 3.09g/t gold for 847,000 oz gold. Assuming a 92% metallurgical recovery, gold production is estimated to be 779,000 oz gold.

It should be noted that the Company is running a number of mining studies ahead of a construction decision, which are part of ongoing work being done by Condor to optimize the Project; such studies are yet to be finalized and so do not replace the 2019 MRE or the technical report entitled "Technical Report on the La India Gold Project, Nicaragua, December 2014" dated 13 November 2017 with an effective date of 21 December 2014 (the "Technical Report"), both of which remain current.

Looking forward, Condor intends to complete the ongoing mining dilution studies and pit optimisation studies, which are underway, and incorporate the results of those studies in a mine production schedule. Ahead of production, Condor will complete infill drilling on the Mestiza and America open pits to convert the majority of mineralised material to the Indicated Mineral Resource category. The underground Mineral Resources of 1.27Mt at a grade of 5.8 g/t gold, for 238,000 oz gold in the Indicated category and 5.47Mt at a grade of 5.1 g/t gold, for 889,000 oz gold in the Inferred category, will be permitted and added to the mine plan once in production.

- Ends -

For further information please visit www.condorgold.com or contact:

Condor Gold plc	Mark Child, Chairman and CEO [phone]
Beaumont Cornish Limited	Roland Cornish and James Biddle [phone]
SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP	Ewan Leggat [phone]
Blytheweigh	Tim Blythe, Camilla Horsfall and Megan Ray [phone]

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.

In August 2018, the Company announced that the Ministry of the Environment in Nicaragua had granted the Company 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 to be the master permit for mining operations in Nicaragua. Condor Gold published a PFS on the La India Project in December 2014, as summarised in the Technical Report. The PFS details an open pit gold Mineral Reserve in the Probable category of 6.9 Mt at 3.0 g/t gold for 675,000 oz gold, producing 80,000 oz gold per annum for seven years. La India Project contains a Mineral Resource of 9,850Kt at 3.6 g/t gold for 1,140Koz gold in the Indicated category and 8,479Kt at 4.3g/t gold for 1,179Koz gold in the Inferred category. The Indicated Mineral Resource is inclusive of the Mineral Reserve. 

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 Mineral Resource Estimate has been completed by Ben Parsons, a Principal Consultant (Resource Geology) with SRK Consulting (U.S.), Inc, who is a Member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, MAusIMM(CP). Ben Parsons has some nineteen years' experience in the exploration, definition and mining of precious and base metal Mineral Resources. Ben Parsons is a full-time employee of SRK Consulting (U.S.), Inc, an independent consultancy, and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration, and to the type of activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a "qualified person" as defined under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") of the Canadian Securities Administrators and as required by the June 2009 Edition of the AIM Note for Mining and Oil & Gas Companies. Ben Parsons consents to the inclusion in the announcement of the matters based on their information in the form and context in which it appears and confirms that this information is accurate and not false or misleading.

The mining dilution studies reported for the Mestiza and America deposits have been performed under the supervision of Dr Tim Lucks, Principal Consultant (Geology & Project Management), of SRK Consulting (UK) Limited, who is a Member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, MAusIMM(CP). Tim Lucks is an independent "qualified person" as such term is defined in NI 43-101. Tim Lucks consents to the inclusion in the announcement that material that relates to the America and Mestiza dilution studies, in the form and context in which it appears and confirms that this information is accurate and not false or misleading

The technical and scientific information in this press release has been reviewed, verified and approved by Gerald D. Crawford, P.E., who is a "qualified person" as defined by NI 43-101 and is the Chief Technical Officer of Condor Gold plc.

Technical Information

Certain disclosure contained in this news release of a scientific or technical nature has been summarised or extracted from the technical report entitled "Technical Report on the La India Gold Project, Nicaragua, December 2014", dated November 13, 2017 with an effective date of December 21, 2014 (the "Technical Report"), prepared in accordance with NI 43-101. The Technical Report was prepared by or under the supervision of Tim Lucks, Principal Consultant (Geology & Project Management), Gabor Bacsfalusi, Principal Consultant (Mining), Benjamin Parsons, Principal Consultant (Resource Geology), each of SRK Consulting (UK) Limited, and Neil Lincoln of Lycopodium Minerals Canada Ltd., each of whom is an independent "qualified person" as defined by NI 43-101 .

Forward Looking Statements

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: the ongoing mining dilution and pit optimisation studies, and the incorporation of same into any mining production schedule, future development and production plans at La India Project. 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, resources and reserves; 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, 2018 dated March 22, 2019, 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.

Technical Glossary

Mineral Resource

Mineral Resources are sub-divided, in order of increasing geological confidence, into Inferred, Indicated and Measured categories. An Inferred Mineral Resource has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated Mineral Resource. An Indicated Mineral Resource has a higher level of confidence than an Inferred Mineral Resource but has a lower level of confidence than a Measured Mineral Resource.

A Mineral Resource is a concentration or occurrence of solid material of economic interest in or on the Earth's crust in such form, grade or quality and quantity that there are reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction.

The location, quantity, grade or quality, continuity and other geological characteristics of a Mineral Resource are known, estimated or interpreted from specific geological evidence and knowledge, including sampling.

Material of economic interest refers to diamonds, natural solid inorganic material, or natural solid fossilized organic material including base and precious metals, coal, and industrial minerals.

The term Mineral Resource covers mineralization and natural material of intrinsic economic interest which has been identified and estimated through exploration and sampling and within which Mineral Reserves may subsequently be defined by the consideration and application of Modifying Factors. The phrase 'reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction' implies a judgment by the Qualified Person in respect of the technical and economic factors likely to influence the prospect of economic extraction. The Qualified Person should consider and clearly state the basis for determining that the material has reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction. Assumptions should include estimates of cutoff grade and geological continuity at the selected cut-off, metallurgical recovery, smelter payments, commodity price or product value, mining and processing method and mining, processing and general and administrative costs. The Qualified Person should state if the assessment is based on any direct evidence and testing.

Interpretation of the word 'eventual' in this context may vary depending on the commodity or mineral involved. For example, for some coal, iron, potash deposits and other bulk minerals or commodities, it may be reasonable to envisage 'eventual economic extraction' as covering time periods in excess of 50 years. However, for many gold deposits, application of the concept would normally be restricted to perhaps 10 to 15 years, and frequently to much shorter periods of time.

Inferred Mineral Resource

An Inferred Mineral Resource is that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity and grade or quality are estimated on the basis of limited geological evidence and sampling. Geological evidence is sufficient to imply but not verify geological and grade or quality continuity.

An Inferred Mineral Resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration.

An Inferred Mineral Resource is based on limited information and sampling gathered through appropriate sampling techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes. Inferred Mineral Resources must not be included in the economic analysis, production schedules, or estimated mine life in publicly disclosed Pre-Feasibility or Feasibility Studies, or in the Life of Mine plans and cash flow models of developed mines. Inferred Mineral Resources can only be used in economic studies as provided under NI 43-101.

There may be circumstances, where appropriate sampling, testing, and other measurements are sufficient to demonstrate data integrity, geological and grade/quality continuity of a Measured or Indicated Mineral Resource, however, quality assurance and quality control, or other information may not meet all industry norms for the disclosure of an Indicated or Measured Mineral Resource. Under these circumstances, it may be reasonable for the Qualified Person to report an Inferred Mineral Resource if the Qualified Person has taken steps to verify the information meets the requirements of an Inferred Mineral Resource.

Indicated Mineral Resource

An Indicated Mineral Resource is that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity, grade or quality, densities, shape and physical characteristics are estimated with sufficient confidence to allow the application of Modifying Factors in sufficient detail to support mine planning and evaluation of the economic viability of the deposit.

Geological evidence is derived from adequately detailed and reliable exploration, sampling and testing and is sufficient to assume geological and grade or quality continuity between points of observation.

An Indicated Mineral Resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to a Measured Mineral Resource and may only be converted to a Probable Mineral Reserve.

Mineralization may be classified as an Indicated Mineral Resource by the Qualified Person when the nature, quality, quantity and distribution of data are such as to allow confident interpretation of the geological framework and to reasonably assume the continuity of mineralization. The Qualified Person must recognize the importance of the Indicated Mineral Resource category to the advancement of the feasibility of the project. An Indicated Mineral Resource estimate is of sufficient quality to support a Pre-Feasibility Study which can serve as the basis for major development decisions.

Mineral Reserve

Mineral Reserves are sub-divided in order of increasing confidence into Probable Mineral Reserves and Proven Mineral Reserves. A Probable Mineral Reserve has a lower level of confidence than a Proven Mineral Reserve.

A Mineral Reserve is the economically mineable part of a Measured and/or Indicated Mineral Resource. It includes diluting materials and allowances for losses, which may occur when the material is mined or extracted and is defined by studies at Pre-Feasibility or Feasibility level as appropriate that include application of Modifying Factors. Such studies demonstrate that, at the time of reporting, extraction could reasonably be justified.

The reference point at which Mineral Reserves are defined, usually the point where the ore is delivered to the processing plant, must be stated. It is important that, in all situations where the reference point is different, such as for a saleable product, a clarifying statement is included to ensure that the reader is fully informed as to what is being reported.

The public disclosure of a Mineral Reserve must be demonstrated by a Pre-Feasibility Study or Feasibility Study.

Mineral Reserves are those parts of Mineral Resources which, after the application of all mining factors, result in an estimated tonnage and grade which, in the opinion of the Qualified Person(s) making the estimates, is the basis of an economically viable project after taking account of all relevant Modifying Factors. Mineral Reserves are inclusive of diluting material that will be mined in conjunction with the Mineral Reserves and delivered to the treatment plant or equivalent facility. The term 'Mineral Reserve' need not necessarily signify that extraction facilities are in place or operative or that all governmental approvals have been received. It does signify that there are reasonable expectations of such approvals.

'Reference point' refers to the mining or process point at which the Qualified Person prepares a Mineral Reserve. For example, most metal deposits disclose mineral reserves with a "mill feed" reference point. In these cases, reserves are reported as mined ore delivered to the plant and do not include reductions attributed to anticipated plant losses. In contrast, coal reserves have traditionally been reported as tonnes of "clean coal". In this coal example, reserves are reported as a "saleable product" reference point and include reductions for plant yield (recovery). The Qualified Person must clearly state the 'reference point' used in the Mineral Reserve estimate.

Probable Mineral Reserve

A Probable Mineral Reserve is the economically mineable part of an Indicated, and in some circumstances, a Measured Mineral Resource. The confidence in the Modifying Factors applying to a Probable Mineral Reserve is lower than that applying to a Proven Mineral Reserve.

The Qualified Person(s) may elect, to convert Measured Mineral Resources to Probable Mineral Reserves if the confidence in the Modifying Factors is lower than that applied to a Proven Mineral Reserve. Probable Mineral Reserve estimates must be demonstrated to be economic, at the time of reporting, by at least a Pre-Feasibility Study.

Pre-Feasibility Study (Preliminary Feasibility Study)

The CIM Definition Standards requires the completion of a Pre-Feasibility Study as the minimum prerequisite for the conversion of Mineral Resources to Mineral Reserves.

A Pre-Feasibility Study is a comprehensive study of a range of options for the technical and economic viability of a mineral project that has advanced to a stage where a preferred mining method, in the case of underground mining, or the pit configuration, in the case of an open pit, is established and an effective method of mineral processing is determined. It includes a financial analysis based on reasonable assumptions on the Modifying Factors and the evaluation of any other relevant factors which are sufficient for a Qualified Person, acting reasonably, to determine if all or part of the Mineral Resource may be converted to a Mineral Reserve at the time of reporting. A Pre-Feasibility Study is at a lower confidence level than a Feasibility Study.

 

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