Copperstone Resources scales up the Viscaria Project
20 September 2021 - 8:00AM
Copperstone Resources scales up the Viscaria Project
Kiruna September 20, 2021
Based on the progress
from ongoing core
drillings as well as the
overall momentum in the copper market, Copperstone
Resources AB
(publ)
today has
revised and
enlarged the total resource and
production ambition for the
reopening of the Viscaria copper mine in Kiruna,
Sweden. The company is
now, in feasibility
stage, modelling for increased
yearly milled run-rate
production to 3
Mton compared to earlier
assumptions of 2 Mton.
The estimated annual net profit after
ramp-up is therefore assessed to
increase from 400 MSEK
to approx.
850
MSEK. The
total capital expenditure (“Capex”) is
estimated to increase from 1,500 MSEK
to some
3,000-4,000
MSEK. The re-opening of Viscaria is
subject to the successful
conversion of mineral resources into
reserves, an
environmental permit approval and
funding. The
ambition is to submit the
application to Land and
Environment Court has therefore been
determined to the first
quarter of
2022.
“It is very gratifying that we gradually are making progress in
the restart of Viscaria mine and that the team efforts and the
promising market conditions have enabled a better and more sizeable
project than we previously estimated. Moreover, our growing team of
experts constantly finds new solutions that gives a more optimized
and sustainable production", comments CEO Anna Tyni.
The Copperstone Board´s overall contemplation of an enlarged
Viscaria operation is based on solid indications of increased
mineral resources in the ongoing exploration activities as well as
the favourable copper market, with prospects of long-term imbalance
of supply and demand. A pre-requisite for a larger mine in
operation is continued exploration success, and the company’s
ability to convert inferred and indicated mineral resources into
higher categories and in that way secure the life-of-mine.
Revised and enlarged mining operation
- Recent drillings at Viscaria have
given encouraging results from the B-zone south deposit, where only
limited previously code-compliant mineral resources have been
declared to date. Consequently, Copperstone will also include these
resources in the next mineral resource inventory update.
Copperstone has revised its geological model and envision Viscaria
Copper Project´s exploration target to reach 89 - 109 Mton of
copper-bearing rock in the mid-term (3-5 years), corresponding to
1,000,000 – 1,200,000 tons of copper at 1.11 – 1.13 % copper
(currently 727,000 ton)1. See attached geological summary.
- The mining model is based on a
combined open pit and underground mining scenario with a
life-of-mine of minimum 10 years.2
- The new scenario initially includes
an increased yearly milled run-rate production and plant equipment
and machinery capacity of 3 Mton, dimensioned for a future 5 Mton.
The enlarged project scenario is estimated to increase the total
capital requirement to 3,000-4,000 MSEK. The company also
investigates the potential to include the tailings- and waste-rock,
especially during ramp-up and in the event of an extension to 5
Mton. The additional CapEx to take the plant from 3 Mton to 5 Mton
is not negligible yet considered as financially defendable.
- The total production of copper in
the new model is estimated to 30,000 ton per year.
- The projected modelling cash costs
is estimated to 3,900 USD/ton (including by-products) and an
updated assumption for the copper price at 9,000 USD/ton.
- The annual net profit, after
ramp-up, over the life-of-mine is assessed to be approx. 850 MSEK.3
The company´s previous announced assessment regarding annual net
profit after ramp-up amounted to approx. 400 MSEK and Capex of
1,500 MSEK, cash costs of 3,600 USD/ton and a copper price of 7,000
USD/ton.4
- The submitting of the application for the environmental permit
to the Land and Environment Court has now been specified to the
first quarter of 2022.
For more information, please see attached geological summary on
the Viscaria copper project as well as an updated corporate
presentation, please refer to Copperstone´s webpage:
www.copperstone.se.
This information is information that Copperstone Resources AB
(publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse
Regulation. The information was delivered by the above-mentioned
contact for publishing September 20, 2021 at 08.00 CET.
For further information, please contact Anna Tyni (CEO)
anna.tyni@copperstone.se or info@copperstone.se.
ABOUT COPPERSTONE
Copperstone Resources AB is a company now scaling up to become a
modern and responsibly producing mining company through the
reopening of the Viscaria mine in Kiruna, Sweden. The deposit’s
high copper grade assessed mineral resources, geographical location
and growing team of experts provides good opportunities to become a
key supplier of quality and responsibly produced copper – a metal
that plays a critical role in Sweden’s and Europe’s climate change
towards an electrified society. In addition to the Viscaria mine,
Copperstone holds a number of other exploitation concessions and
exploration permits in Arvidsjaur (Eva, Svartliden, Granliden) and
Smedjebacken (Tvistbogruvan), all in Sweden. The company’s shares
are traded on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market (ticker COPP B).
Augment Partners is the company’s Certified Adviser,
info@augment.se, +46 8 604 22 55.
1 See further attached geological summary on the Viscaria copper
project and the Company’s scoping study from 2015/16.2 See further
the Company’s scoping study from 2015/16.3 Based on consistent
assumptions and specifically revised assumptions, see further the
press release of 20 November 2021 regarding the assumptions and
goals.4 Based on consistent assumptions and specifically revised
assumptions, see further the press release of 20 November 2021
regarding the assumptions and goals.
Gruvaktiebolaget Viscaria (LSE:0G3L)
Historical Stock Chart
Von Jan 2025 bis Feb 2025
Gruvaktiebolaget Viscaria (LSE:0G3L)
Historical Stock Chart
Von Feb 2024 bis Feb 2025