NEWS RELEASE
NOT FOR
DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR
DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. WIRE SERVICES
January 13, 2025
|
TSXV/AIM: THX
|
THOR EXPLORATIONS ANNOUNCES STRONG Q4
2024 GOLD PRODUCTION, 2025 OPERATING GUIDANCE AND DETAILS OF
INVESTOR WEBINAR
Thor Explorations Ltd. (TSXV / AIM: THX) ("Thor
Explorations" or the "Company") is pleased to provide its fourth
quarter and full year 2024 operational update for the
Segilola Gold mine, located in Nigeria ("Segilola"), and
for the Company's mineral exploration
properties located in Nigeria and Senegal, for the three
months to December 31, 2024 (the "Quarter" or "Q4") as well as full
year operational highlights ("FY 2024").
Highlights
· FY 2024
gold poured of 85,057 ounces ("oz")
o 24,662 oz poured
during the fourth quarter 2024
· Final and full
repayment of the senior debt facility with Africa Finance
Corporation ("AFC"), the Company now has no senior debt and has a
net cash position
· Gold sales in Q4 2024
of 24,936 oz at an average realized price of US$2,497 resulting in
unaudited revenue of approximately $62 million
Segilola Q4
2024 Operational Highlights
· Gold poured of 24,662
oz
· Gold produced from
247,075 tonnes ("t") milled at an average grade of 3.08 grammes per
tonne ("g/t") of gold ("Au")
· Mine production of
383,699 t at an average grade of 2.30g/t of Au for 28,411oz
· Ore stockpile increased
by 3,909 oz to 44,300 oz of Au at an average grade of 0.94g/t of Au
which includes a high-grade stockpile of 8,865 t at an average
grade of 4.21g/t of Au for 1,201 oz and a medium-grade stockpile of
69,608 t at an average grade of 2.08g/t of Au for 4,649 oz
· Release of a further
2,835 oz of Au in circuit ("GIC"), reducing total GIC to 4,155 oz
of Au
FY 2025
Outlook and Catalysts
· FY 2025 production
guidance range set at 85,000 to 95,000 oz of gold
· FY 2025 All-in
Sustaining Cost ("AISC") guidance range set at $800 to $1,000 /
oz
· Finalisation of updated
Mineral Resource Estimate and Preliminary Feasibility Study ("PFS")
at the Douta Project scheduled for Q1 2025
· Drilling programmes
across all the Company's exploration portfolio:
o Segilola underground
drilling programme next phase consisting of 7,500 metres of
drilling
o Nigeria -
continuation of scout drilling programmes on identified targets
o Senegal (Douta
licence) - additional Reverse Circulation ("RC") drilling targeting
additional oxide resources
o Cote D'Ivoire -
Guitry and Boundiali licenses, continuation of geochemical work
programmes and initial drill programme on identified targets
Segun Lawson, President & CEO,
stated:
"I am pleased
to report a strong production quarter for Thor, which has resulted
in the Company achieving our revised production guidance for the
full year in 2024, having poured 85,057 oz of Au. The mining and
processing operations have run smoothly over the final Quarter
following the successful implementation of new blasting strategies
and improved mine planning processes earlier in the
year.
"The Quarter
also marked a significant milestone for the Company as we have now
fully repaid our senior debt facility with AFC. We start the
year 2025 well positioned for a strong operational and financial
performance. I would like to thank AFC for their continuing support
of the Company and shared vision to build a successful and
sustainable mining industry in Nigeria. I look forward to working
with AFC again in the future as our Company continues to
grow.
"At Douta,
work on the PFS is being finalised having carried out additional
variability studies on the metallurgy and as we refine quotations
from certain potential equipment manufacturers and contractors.
Whilst completion of the PFS has taken longer than envisaged, I
believe that the additional time is justified by the benefit of the
enhanced level of detail and accuracy of the work which is at the
top end of accuracy required for PFS level work, enabling us to
have the confidence to progress to a development decision in a
shorter timeframe. We anticipate this will be completed and
released to the market in the first quarter of 2025. In parallel
with the completion of the study, the Company is also continuing
with its strategy of increasing the resource inventory and will
also be conducting a further drilling programme over Q1
2025.
"We are
continuing our engagement with the relevant Federal Ministries in
Nigeria, including the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development (the
"Federal Ministry of Mines") relating to the previous allegations
made against the Company by officials of the Osun State. We
understand that the review conducted by the Federal Ministry of
Mines has been completed and we await the public announcement of
their findings. We anticipate that there will be no substantiation
of any of the allegations made. We have, in the interim, taken the
opportunity to review our corporate social responsibility programme
with a view to extending the reach of our very successful local
community development programmes, aiming to deliver wider positive
development benefits.
"Finally, we
are excited by the year ahead. Gold production from Segilola
continues to strengthen the Company's balance sheet and the Company
has several catalysts across all of its projects in Nigeria,
Senegal and Cote D'Ivoire. We look forward to updating the market
with our progress through the year."
Exploration Q4
2024 Highlights
Nigeria
· Successful initial drilling program at Segilola Underground
which included:
o 3.0 metres
("m") grading 11.24 g/tAu from 294m in drillhole
SNMDD011
o 3.5m grading at
4.10 g/tAu from 293m in drillhole SNMDD016
o 1.8m grading at
39.7g/tAu from 221m in drillhole SNMDD027
o 3.4m grading at
4.80g/tAu from 74m in drillhole SNMDD028
o Justification
to ramp up an expanded Segilola underground drilling
programme
Senegal
· Finalisation of Douta PFS with completion scheduled in Q1
2025
· Commencement of RC drilling campaign
Cote
D'Ivoire
· Commencement of exploration work on the Company's new licence
portfolio
PRODUCTION
SUMMARY
|
Units
|
Q4 2024
|
Q3 2024
|
Q2 2024
|
Q1 2024
|
Q4 2023
|
Mining
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Mined
|
Tonnes
|
3,781,881
|
4,024,002
|
4,710,220
|
4,939,647
|
5,483,291
|
Waste Mined
|
Tonnes
|
3,398,182
|
3,668,487
|
4,171,122
|
4,473,752
|
5,031,932
|
Ore Mined
|
Tonnes
|
383,699
|
355,515
|
491,935
|
465,895
|
451,360
|
Grade
|
g/t Au
|
2.30
|
2.01
|
1.78
|
2.07
|
1.93
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Processing
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ore Processed
|
Tonnes
|
247,075
|
201,958
|
174,000
|
235,933
|
262,439
|
Grade
|
g/t Au
|
3.08
|
3.22
|
3.42
|
2.85
|
2.77
|
Recovery
|
%
|
89.2
|
88.5
|
94.6
|
90.7
|
93.4
|
Gold Recovered
|
oz
|
21,827
|
18,496
|
18,090
|
19,589
|
21,798
|
Gold Poured
|
oz
|
24,662
|
20,110
|
21,742
|
18,543
|
16,361
|
Table 1: Production Summary
Investor webinar to discuss Q4 2024 operating update &
2025 operating guidance
Thor is pleased to announce that Segun Lawson,
President, and CEO, will provide a live investor session via
the Investor Meet Company platform on Wednesday 15 January 2025 at 12:00pm
GMT.
The session will discuss the announced Q4 2024
operating update and 2025 operating guidance.
The presentation is open to all existing and
potential investors. Questions can be submitted pre-event via your
Investor Meet Company dashboard up until 9:00 am the day before the
meeting or at any time during the live presentation.
Investors can sign up to Investor Meet Company
for free and add to meet Thor Explorations plc via:
https://www.investormeetcompany.com/thor-explorations-ltd/register-investor
Investors who already follow Thor
Explorations on the Investor Meet Company platform will
automatically be invited.
· Whilst
the Company may not be able to answer every individual question,
the aim is to address the issues raised by investors
· Responses to the Q&A will be published at the earliest
opportunity on the Investor Meet Company platform following the
presentation
· Investor feedback can also be submitted directly to management
after the event to ensure the Company can understand all investor
views.
For further information, please email:
thorexplorations@yellowjerseypr.com
THOR EXPLORATIONS LTD.
Segun Lawson
President & CEO
About Thor
Thor Explorations Ltd. is a Canadian
mineral exploration company engaged in the acquisition, exploration
and development of mineral properties located in Nigeria, Senegal
and Burkina Faso. Thor holds a 100% interest in the Segilola Gold
Project located in Osun State of Nigeria. Mining and production
commenced at Segilola in 2021. Thor holds a 70% interest in the
Douta Gold Project located in south-eastern Senegal. Thor trades on
the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "THX".
For further
information please contact:
Thor
Explorations Ltd
Email:
info@thorexpl.com
Canaccord
Genuity (Nominated Adviser & Broker)
James Asensio / Henry Fitzgerald-O'Connor /
Harry Rees
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7523
8000
Hannam &
Partners (Broker)
Andrew Chubb / Matt Hasson / Jay Ashfield /
Franck Nganou
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7907 8500
Yellow Jersey PR (Financial
PR)
Charles Goodwin / Shivantha
Thambirajah / Zara McKinlay
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3004
9512
BlytheRay
(Financial
PR)
Tim Blythe / Megan Ray / Said
Izagaren
Tel: +44 207 138 3203
Qualified Person
The above information has been
prepared under the supervision of Alfred Gillman (Fellow AusIMM,
CP), who is designated as a "qualified person" under National
Instrument 43-101 and the AIM Rules and has reviewed and approves
the content of this news release. He has also reviewed QA/QC,
sampling, analytical and test data underlying the
information.