Corvus Gold Inc. (“Corvus” or the “Company”) - (TSX: KOR, NASDAQ:
KOR) announces results for its Preliminary Economic Assessment
(“PEA”) of the Company’s North Bullfrog project in southwest Nevada
(Figure 1). Results outline the potential for a large, standalone,
Nevada mining project with attractive preliminary production and
financial performance statistics. This project will be the initial
mine development target for Corvus because of its expected low
initial capital requirements, potential high margins and
anticipated strong free cashflow generation that could provide
development capital for the Company’s potential, second mining
project at the Mother Lode deposit.
The PEA results indicate robust economics at a
gold price of $1,500/oz with free cash flow of $763M and post-tax
NPV5% of $452M with an IRR of 47% and strong leverage to higher
gold prices with a USD $1.36B pre-tax cash flow at $1,900 gold
price and post-tax NPV5% $815M with an IRR of 70% (Table 1). The
financial performance of the North Bullfrog project PEA as a
standalone project, at its base case $1,500 gold price produces
comparable results to the overall previously announced combined
North Bullfrog-Mother Lode project PEA reported in November of 2018
at its base case, $1,250 gold price. The North Bullfrog Project
could be an excellent development option for Corvus to advance gold
production in the Bullfrog Mining District. Corvus Gold’s potential
of becoming the first producer in the Bullfrog Mining District
could position it for expanding organic production growth and
possible further District consolidation of other assets. The North
Bullfrog property is considered to be a separate, standalone
project for the Company.
The North Bullfrog PEA is preliminary in nature,
and includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too
speculative geologically to have the economic considerations
applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral
reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized.
Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have
demonstrated economic viability.
Table
1Sensitivity Analysis for Preliminary
Economic Assessment, North Bullfrog Project
(USD)
Gold Price ($/Oz) |
Pre-Tax Free Cash Flow
($M) |
Pre-Tax IRR |
Post-Tax NPV @ 5%
($M) |
Post Tax IRR |
Payback (Yrs) |
$1,200 |
$313 |
32% |
$172 |
27% |
2.8 |
$1,400 |
$613 |
48% |
$360 |
41% |
2.3 |
$1,500 (base case) |
$763 |
55% |
$452 |
47% |
2.1 |
$1,600 |
$913 |
62% |
$544 |
53% |
2.0 |
$1,800 |
$1,213 |
74% |
$725 |
64% |
1.8 |
$1,900 |
$1,363 |
80% |
$815 |
70% |
1.7 |
$2,000 |
$1,513 |
86% |
$905 |
75% |
1.7 |
Figure 1: North Bullfrog project
location map and conceptual infrastructure layout is
available
at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a972a664-6b47-447e-b338-5ea749531ec1
Jeffrey Pontius, President and CEO of Corvus
states, “The results from our PEA study of the North Bullfrog
project are encouraging. The potential projected annual gold
production during the first 7 years is significant, especially as a
new open pit deposit in Nevada. The PEA demonstrates the potential
for the project to produce nearly 147,000 ounces of gold and
400,000 ounces of silver per year at a projected low cost which
could result in high margins. This analysis, in conjunction with
our continued positive Mother Lode and District-wide exploration
drill results, is encouraging for expanding and improving the
economic model as our programs move forward. Furthermore, the
greater Bullfrog District is seeing a resurgence of exploration
activity with multiple mining companies conducting large scale
drilling programs and new discoveries being made. The North
Bullfrog PEA study has highlighted a re-emergence of the Bullfrog
Gold District and with Corvus Gold’s commanding land position we
believe we have the District’s dominant asset base with excellent
growth potential for our shareholders.”
The North Bullfrog Project is modeled as a large
open pit, run-of-mine, heap leach operation with a grinding circuit
for gravity gold recovery of the high-grade YellowJacket vein and
stockwork deposit. The mining plan utilizes standard mining
practices and has a production scale that is currently being used
by many operating open pit mines in Nevada. The updated North
Bullfrog mineral resource estimate is shown in Table 5.
The new PEA study also includes a number of
changes to the prior North Bullfrog project (NBP) configuration
which enhance the project that include:
- Incorporating new NBP metallurgical
testing results that indicated that the high-grade vein and vein
stockwork mineralization at YellowJacket can be processed by a
simple gravity mill and that the gravity tail can then be directly
blended with low-grade mineralization for final gold recovery on
the Heap Leach Pad. The approach reduced plant capital and Opex
costs while maintaining relatively high gold (85%) recovery for the
YellowJacket mineralization. The process plant and processing
configuration for NBP has been modified to incorporate this
approach.
- Defining a starter phase of mining at
NBP that focuses on the higher-grade YellowJacket vein and
higher-grade heap leach mineralization to begin the project,
increasing project returns and cash flow in the early mining
phase.
- Improved open-pit mining and
development plans to enhance project economics.
The PEA only includes drill results completed up
until May 2020. In addition, Corvus will continue follow-up mineral
resource expansion work and new discovery drilling on priority
targets at both the North Bullfrog and Mother Lode properties
through 2021.
Table 2Select
Estimates for first 7 years of PEA
production Plan for North Bullfrog Project
First 7 Years of Production (Mill & Heap
Leach) |
|
Heap Leach1 |
Mill2 |
Total |
Total Estimated Ozs of Mineralized Material Processed |
Au |
826,170 |
551,770 |
1,377,940 |
Ag |
2,489,380 |
4,029,980 |
6,519,360 |
Recovery (%) |
Au |
72% |
85% |
77% |
Ag |
13% |
63% |
44% |
Total Estimated Ozs from Mineralized Material Recoverable |
Au |
598,030 |
466,900 |
1,064,930 |
Ag |
316,790 |
2,537,800 |
2,854,590 |
Estimate Avg. Annual Gold Ozs Production3 for the first 7
years |
80,2903 |
66,7103 |
147,0003 |
1-Heap leach recoverable
gold excludes mill recovery of YellowJacket gravity tail2-Mill
recoverable gold includes heap leach recovery from YellowJacket
gravity tail3-Includes adjustments for pad inventory build-up in
early years
Table
3Preliminary Economic
Assessment - North Bullfrog Project
@ USD $1,500/oz Gold Price
Parameter |
Summary Data |
Pre-Tax Cash Flow; IRR |
USD $763 M; 55% |
Post-Tax NPV5%; IRR |
USD $452 M; 47% |
Overall Strip Ratio |
0.91 to 1 (overburden – process tonne) |
Cash Cost Years 1-7 (USD per Au ounce) |
$589 |
AISC Years 1-7 (USD/produced Au oz) |
$727 |
Year 1-7 Average Annual Gold Production |
147,000 ounces |
Mine Life |
14 years |
Total Gold Production |
1,466,550 ounces |
Initial Capital Cost (USD) |
$167M |
Sustaining Capital Cost (USD) |
$132M |
Average Mill Recovery1 (%) |
Au |
85% |
Ag |
63% |
Average Heap Leach Recovery (%) |
Au |
72% |
Ag |
13% |
Average Total Mining Rate2 (t/day) |
84,800 |
Average Mineralization Mining Rate* (t/day) |
43,300 |
1-mill recovery -gravity
concentrate plus heap leach of gravity tail2-14-year rate including
capitalized mining in year -1.
Table 4Resource
Assumptions1 for North Bullfrog
Project PEA
Parameter |
Unit |
Mayflower |
Jolly Jane |
Sierra Blanca |
YellowJacket |
Mining Cost |
USD/total tonne |
1.64 |
1.70 |
1.70 |
2.23 |
Au Cut-Off |
g/tonne |
0.08 |
0.06 |
0.06 |
0.35 |
Processing Cost |
USD/process tonne |
1.72 |
1.72 |
1.72 |
4.21 |
Au Recovery |
% |
72 |
62 |
73 |
85 |
Ag Recovery |
% |
13 |
6 |
13 |
65 |
Administrative Cost |
USD/process tonne |
0.50 |
0.50 |
0.50 |
0.50 |
Refining & Sales |
USD/Au oz |
5.00 |
5.00 |
5.00 |
5.00 |
Au Selling Price |
USD/oz |
1,500 |
1,500 |
1,500 |
1,500 |
Slope Angle |
Degrees |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
1-Cost and recovery assumptions used in Whittle
Pit Evaluations
Table 5North Bullfrog
Project PEA Mineral Resource Summary (effective
Sept. 4, 2020)(pit
constrained at $1,500/oz gold price)
|
Mill Resource |
Run of Mine Heap Leach |
|
(0.20-0.40 g/t Au cut-off grade) |
(0.06-0.10 g/t Au cut-off grade) |
Mineral Resource Category |
Tonnes (M) |
Gold (g/t) |
Gold (kozs) |
Tonnes (M) |
Gold (g/t) |
Gold (kozs) |
Measured |
9.54 |
1.46 |
447 |
27.60 |
0.25 |
222 |
Indicated |
15.13 |
1.21 |
590 |
139.87 |
0.19 |
848 |
Total M & I |
24.67 |
1.31 |
1,037 |
167.47 |
0.20 |
1,070 |
Inferred |
0.42 |
0.97 |
13 |
67.25 |
0.19 |
401 |
|
Mill Resource |
Run of Mine Heap Leach |
|
(0.20-0.40 g/t Au cut-off grade) |
(0.06-0.10 g/t Au cut-off grade) |
Mineral Resource Category |
Tonnes (M) |
Silver (g/t) |
Silver (kozs) |
Tonnes (M) |
Silver (g/t) |
Silver (kozs) |
Measured |
9.54 |
10.18 |
3,121 |
27.60 |
0.78 |
695 |
Indicated |
15.13 |
7.61 |
3,702 |
139.87 |
0.62 |
2,788 |
Total M & I |
24.67 |
8.60 |
6,823 |
167.47 |
0.65 |
3,483 |
Inferred |
0.42 |
7.96 |
107 |
67.25 |
0.55 |
1,185 |
Total Project
Measured &
Indicated
ounces:
2.1Mozs Gold; 10.3Mozs
SilverTotal Project
Inferred ounces: 0.41Mozs Gold;
1.29Mozs Silver
- See Cautionary Note to US Investors
below
- The Mineral Resources above are
effective as of September 4, 2020
- Mineral Resources that are not
Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability
- There are no known legal,
political, environmental, or other risks that could materially
affect the potential development of the Mineral Resources
- Assumes heap leach processing of
disseminated oxidized mineralization
- Assumes gravity mill processing of
NBP YellowJacket oxide mineralization with heap leach processing of
the gravity tail
- Au Cut-Off - break-even grade
derived from Whittle input parameters at USD $1,500 per ounce gold
price
The North Bullfrog PEA is preliminary in nature,
and includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too
speculative geologically to have the economic considerations
applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral
reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized.
Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have
demonstrated economic viability
The National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of
Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”) technical report for
the North Bullfrog PEA and updates of the North Bullfrog mineral
resource estimate is expected to be filed on the Company’s SEDAR
profile by the end of the business day on November 20, 2020. For
readers to fully understand the information in this news release,
they should read the technical report in its entirety, including
all qualifications, assumptions and exclusions that relate to the
PEA. The technical report is intended to be read as a whole, and
sections should not be read or relied upon out of context.
Qualified Person and
Quality Control/Quality Assurance
Jeffrey A. Pontius (CPG 11044), a qualified
person as defined by NI 43-101, has supervised the preparation of
the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for
this news release and has reviewed and approved the disclosure
herein. Mr. Pontius is not independent of Corvus, as he is the CEO
& President and holds common shares and incentive stock
options.
Carl E. Brechtel, (Nevada PE 008744 and
Registered Member 353000 of SME), a qualified person as defined by
NI 43-101, has coordinated execution of the work outlined in this
news release and has also reviewed and approved the disclosure
herein. Mr. Brechtel is not independent of Corvus, as he is the COO
and holds common shares and incentive stock options.
The work program at North Bullfrog was designed
and supervised by Mark Reischman, Corvus Gold’s Nevada Exploration
Manager, who is responsible for all aspects of the work, including
the quality control/quality assurance program. On-site personnel at
the project log and track all samples prior to sealing and
shipping. Quality control is monitored by the insertion of blind
certified standard reference materials and blanks into each sample
shipment. All mineral resource sample shipments are sealed and
shipped to American Assay Laboratories (“AAL”) in Reno, Nevada, for
preparation and assaying. AAL is independent of the Company. AAL’s
quality system complies with the requirements for the International
Standards ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 17025:1999. Analytical accuracy and
precision are monitored by the analysis of reagent blanks,
reference material and replicate samples. Finally, representative
blind duplicate samples are forwarded to AAL and an ISO compliant
third-party laboratory for additional quality control. Mr. Pontius,
a qualified person, has verified the data underlying the
information disclosed herein, including sampling, analytical and
test data underlying the information by reviewing the reports of
AAL, methodologies, results and all procedures undertaken for
quality assurance and quality control in a manner consistent with
industry practice, and all matters were consistent and accurate
according to his professional judgement. There were no limitations
on the verification process.
Mr. Scott E. Wilson, CPG (10965), Registered
Member of SME (4025107) and President of Resource Development
Associates Inc., is an independent consulting geologist
specializing in Mineral Reserve and Resource calculation reporting,
mining project analysis and due diligence evaluations. He is acting
as the Qualified Person, as defined in NI 43-101, and is the
primary author of the Technical Report for the Mineral Resource
estimate and has reviewed and approved the Mineral Resource
estimate and the Preliminary Economic Assessment summarized in this
news release. Mr. Wilson has over 31 years of experience in surface
mining, resource estimation and strategic mine planning. Mr. Wilson
is independent of the Company under NI 43-101.
Mr. Wilson, a qualified person, has verified the
data underlying the information disclosed herein, including
sampling, analytical and test data underlying the information by
reviewing the reports of AAL, methodologies, results and all
procedures undertaken for quality assurance and quality control in
a manner consistent with industry practice, and all matters were
consistent and accurate according to his professional judgement.
There were no limitations on the verification process.
Metallurgical testing on North Bullfrog and
Mother Lode samples has been performed by McClelland Analytical
Services Laboratories Inc. of Sparks, Nevada (“McClelland”),
Resource Development Inc. of Wheatridge, CO (RDi) and Hazen
Research Inc. of Golden, CO (HRi). McClelland is an ISO 17025
accredited facility that supplies quantitative chemical analysis in
support of metallurgical, exploration and environmental testing
using classic methods and modern analytical instrumentation.
McClelland has met the requirements of the IAS Accreditations
Criteria for Testing Laboratories (AC89), has demonstrated
compliance with ANS/ISO/IEC Standard 17025:2005, General
requirements for the competence of testing and calibration
laboratories, and has been accredited, since November 12, 2012.
Hazen Research Inc. (“Hazen”), an independent laboratory, has
performed flotation, AAO testing and cyanide leach testing on
samples of sulphide mineralization from the YellowJacket zone and
Swale area of Sierra Blanca, and roasting tests on Mother Lode
flotation concentrate. Hazen holds analytical certificates from
state regulatory agencies and the US Environmental Protection
Agency (the “EPA”). Hazen participates in performance evaluation
studies to demonstrate competence and maintains a large stock of
standard reference materials from the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST), the Canadian Centre for Mineral
and Energy Technology (CANMET), the EPA and other sources. Hazen’s
QA program has been developed for conformance to the applicable
requirements and standards referenced in 10 CFR 830.120 subpart A
quality assurance requirements, January 1, 2002. Resource
Development Inc. is a state-of-the-art laboratory for metallic and
industrial minerals filling a need for high quality,
cost-effective, and timely technical services for the international
mining industry.
About the North Bullfrog
Projects,
Nevada
Corvus controls 100% of its North Bullfrog
Project, which covers approximately 85.7 km2 in southern Nevada.
The property package is made up of a number of private mineral
leases of patented federal mining claims and 1,118 federal
unpatented mining claims. The project has excellent infrastructure,
being adjacent to a major highway and power corridor as well as a
large water right.
About Corvus Gold Inc.
Corvus Gold Inc. is a North American gold
exploration and development company, focused on its near-term
gold-silver mining project at the North Bullfrog and Mother Lode
Districts in Nevada. In addition, the Company controls a number of
royalties on other North American exploration properties
representing a spectrum of gold, silver and copper projects. Corvus
is committed to building shareholder value through new discoveries
and the expansion of its projects to maximize share price leverage
in an advancing gold and silver market.
On behalf ofCorvus Gold Inc.
(signed) Jeffrey A. PontiusJeffrey A.
Pontius,President & Chief Executive Officer
Contact
Information: |
|
Ryan Ko |
|
|
Investor Relations |
|
|
Email: info@corvusgold.com |
|
|
Phone: 1-844-638-3246 (toll free) or (604) 638-3246 |
Cautionary Note Regarding
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking
statements and forward-looking information (collectively,
“forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable
Canadian and US securities legislation. All statements, other than
statements of historical fact, included herein including, without
limitation, statements regarding the economics and project
parameters presented in the PEA, including, without limitation,
IRR, all-in sustaining capital costs (AISC), NPV and other costs
and economic information, possible events, conditions or financial
performance that is based on assumptions about future economic
conditions and courses of action; potential expansion of the
deposit; the rapid and effective capture of the potential of our
North Bullfrog project; the potential for new deposits and expected
increases in the system’s potential; anticipated content,
commencement and cost of exploration programs; anticipated
exploration program results and expansion of existing programs; the
discovery and delineation of mineral deposits/resources/reserves;
the potential to discover additional high grade veins or additional
deposits; the growth potential of the North Bullfrog and Mother
Lode projects; and the potential for any mining or production at
the North Bullfrog and Mother Lode projects, are forward-looking
statements. Information concerning mineral resource estimates may
be deemed to be forward-looking statements in that it reflects a
prediction of the mineralization that would be encountered if a
mineral deposit were developed and mined. Although the Company
believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no
assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.
Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such
as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and
similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to
future events. The Company cautions investors that any
forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of
future results or performance, and that actual results may differ
materially from those in forward looking statements as a result of
various factors, including, but not limited to, variations in the
nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be
located, variations in the market price of any mineral products the
Company may produce or plan to produce, the Company's inability to
obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required
for its activities, the Company's inability to produce minerals
from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue its
projected growth, to raise the necessary capital or to be fully
able to implement its business strategies, and other risks and
uncertainties disclosed in the Company’s 2019 Annual Information
Form and latest interim Management Discussion and Analysis filed
with certain securities commissions in Canada and the Company’s
most recent filings with the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “SEC”). The Company does not undertake to update
any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with
applicable securities laws. All of the Company’s Canadian public
disclosure filings in Canada may be accessed via www.sedar.com and
filings with the SEC may be accessed via www.sec.gov and readers
are urged to review these materials, including the technical
reports filed with respect to the Company’s mineral properties.
Non-IFRS Measures
The Company has included certain non-IFRS
performance measures as detailed below. In the gold mining
industry, these are common performance measures but may not be
comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. The
Company believes that, in addition to conventional measures
prepared in accordance with IFRS, certain investors use this
information to evaluate the Company’s performance and ability to
generate cash flow. Accordingly, it is intended to provide
additional information and should not be considered in isolation or
as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance
with IFRS.
Cash Costs per Ounce of Gold – The Company
calculates cash costs per ounce by dividing operating expenses per
the consolidated statement of operations, net of silver sales
by-product revenue, by the gold ounces sold during the applicable
period. Operating expenses include mine site operating costs such
as mining, processing and administration as well as royalties,
however excludes depletion and depreciation and rehabilitation
costs.
Sustaining Costs or AISC – The Company defines
sustaining costs as the sum of operating cash costs (per above),
sustaining capital (capital required to maintain current operations
at existing levels), corporate administration costs, sustaining
exploration, and rehabilitation accretion and amortization related
to current operations. Sustaining costs excludes capital
expenditures for significant improvements at existing operations
deemed to be expansionary in nature, exploration and evaluation
related to growth projects, financing costs, debt repayments, and
taxes.
Cautionary Note to US
Investors
NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian
Securities Administrators which establishes standards for all
public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical
information concerning mineral projects. Unless otherwise
indicated, all resource estimates contained in or incorporated by
reference in this press release have been prepared in accordance
with NI 43-101 and the guidelines set out in the Canadian Institute
of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (the “CIM”) Standards on
Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council
on November 14, 2004 (the “CIM Standards”) as they may be amended
from time to time by the CIM.
United States investors are cautioned that the
requirements and terminology of NI 43-101 and the CIM Standards
differ significantly from the requirements and terminology of the
SEC set forth in the SEC’s Industry Guide 7 (“SEC Industry Guide
7”). Accordingly, the Company’s disclosures regarding
mineralization may not be comparable to similar information
disclosed by companies subject to SEC Industry Guide 7. Without
limiting the foregoing, while the terms “mineral resources”,
“inferred mineral resources”, “indicated mineral resources” and
“measured mineral resources” are recognized and required by NI
43-101 and the CIM Standards, they are not recognized by the SEC
and are not permitted to be used in documents filed with the SEC by
companies subject to SEC Industry Guide 7. Mineral resources which
are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic
viability, and US investors are cautioned not to assume that all or
any part of a mineral resource will ever be converted into
reserves. Further, inferred resources have a great amount of
uncertainty as to their existence and as to whether they can be
mined legally or economically. It cannot be assumed that all or any
part of the inferred resources will ever be upgraded to a higher
resource category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred
mineral resources may not form the basis of a feasibility study or
prefeasibility study, except in rare cases. The SEC normally only
permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute
SEC Industry Guide 7 compliant “reserves” as in-place tonnage and
grade without reference to unit amounts. The term “contained
ounces” is not permitted under the rules of SEC Industry Guide 7.
In addition, the NI 43-101 and CIM Standards definition of a
“reserve” differs from the definition in SEC Industry Guide 7. In
SEC Industry Guide 7, a mineral reserve is defined as a part of a
mineral deposit which could be economically and legally extracted
or produced at the time the mineral reserve determination is made,
and a “final” or “bankable” feasibility study is required to report
reserves, the three-year historical price is used in any reserve or
cash flow analysis of designated reserves and the primary
environmental analysis or report must be filed with the appropriate
governmental authority. The mine economics presented herein and
derived from the PEA are preliminary in nature and may not be
realized. The PEA is not a feasibility study. U.S. investors are
urged to consider closely the disclosure in our latest reports and
registration statements filed with the SEC. You can review and
obtain copies of these filings at http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml.
U.S. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any defined
resource will ever be converted into SEC Industry Guide 7 compliant
reserves.
This press release is not, and is not to be
construed in any way as, an offer to buy or sell securities in the
United States.
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