Prime Mining Corp. (“Prime”, or the “Company”) (
TSX.V:
PRYM) (
OTCQX: PRMNF) (
Frankfurt:
O4V3) is pleased to report its operating and financial
results for the quarter ended March 31, 2023. Unless otherwise
stated, all amounts are presented in Canadian dollars. Prime is
focused on the exploration and development of its wholly owned
high-grade Los Reyes Gold-Silver Project in Sinaloa State, Mexico
(“Los Reyes” or the “Project”).
Prime released an updated mineral resource
estimate (“MRE”1) for the Los Reyes Gold-Silver Project on May 2,
2023 that included Prime drilling results through December 2022.
The MRE contains 1.47 million Indicated gold equivalent (“AuEq”2)
ounces at a 1.68 grams per tonne (“gpt”) average grade. This is 1.0
million ounces of gold at 1.16 gpt and 35 million ounces of silver
at 40.4 gpt. The MRE also contains 0.73 million Inferred AuEq
ounces at a 1.26 gpt average grade. This is 0.5 million ounces of
gold at 0.85 gpt and 18.4 million ounces of silver at 31.5 gpt. The
MRE areas remain open along strike and at depth.
Prime is executing an expanded drilling program
during 2023 of up to 60,000 metres (“m”). Prime has already drilled
over 20,000 m year-to-date. About one half of the planned 2023
drilling will occur down dip and along strike within the MRE areas
and the other half at multiple new target areas such as Las Primas,
Fresnillo, Zapote 300 and the Orito trend.
With a current cash balance of $45.5 million,
Prime is funded for the increased exploration drilling program in
2023 and for its expected similar-sized drill program in 2024. Work
will also continue in technical areas such as ongoing metallurgical
test work and geotechnical assessments.
Corporate Highlights During the
Quarter
On February 15th, the Company
announced granting of incentive securities;
- 700,000 incentive stock options at price of $1.97 per share
granted to management.
- 307,328 deferred share units granted to board of
directors.
On April 11th, the Company
announced the acceleration of the expiry date of warrants issued as
part of the December 22, 2022 financing. A total of 14,025,410
warrants were exercised for gross proceeds of $28,050,820.
Appointment
Effective April 24, 2023, the Company also
announces the appointment of Ms. Indi Gopinathan as Vice President
of Capital Markets and Business Development. Her responsibilities
include leading Investor Relations functions for the Company and
supporting corporate and business development opportunity
assessments, in addition to technical leadership in advancing our
understanding of the Los Reyes Project.
Ms. Gopinathan started her career with the
Falconbridge/Noranda group, before moving on to equity research,
senior corporate roles, independent consulting and teaching. She
was most recently Vice President, Investor Relations &
Corporate Communications at IAMGOLD, responsible for corporate
marketing strategy and communications. She joins Prime with a range
of experience across the mining industry life cycle: through the
exploration, project development and operating stages, and from the
perspectives of engineering, logistics, information technology,
finance and capital markets. Ms. Gopinathan currently serves on the
board of Ascot Resources. Outside of industry, she is a dedicated
volunteer, elected in 2022 to the Governing Council of the
University of Toronto. Ms. Gopinathan holds a Bachelor of Applied
Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Toronto and an
MBA from Queen’s University. She is a designated P.Eng. and CPA,
CMA (both Ontario).
Exploration Highlights During the
Quarter
On January 11th, the Company
announced multiple high-grade intercepts in the Z-T area including
bonanza grade intervals, as well as additional drill hole
results.
Highlight intercepts include:
- 10.00 gpt Au and 131.0 gpt Ag over 3.1 m estimated true width
(“etw”), including 28.5 gpt Au and 310.0 gpt Ag over 1.1 m
etw;
- 4.7 gpt Au and 103.0 gpt Ag over 8.7 m etw, including 39.6 gpt
Au and 174.0 gpt Ag over 0.7 m etw;
- 2.7 gpt Au and 451.0 gpt Ag over 4.8 m etw including 4.8 gpt Au
and 821 gpt Ag over 2.3 m etw.
On February
7th, the Company announced its 2023 drill
program to focus on continued resource expansion and renewed focus
on known early-stage exploration targets with a plan for 35,000 m
drilling initially. During the quarter, the company subsequently
increased the planned 2023 drill program up to 45,000 m.
On February 27th, the Company
announced discovery holes in several new gold- and silver- bearing
areas with results confirming high potential exploration targets to
drive continued expansion beyond existing resource.
Highlight intercepts include:
- Fresnillo Area: 1.4 gpt Au and 18.0 gpt Ag over 15.8 m etw,
including 4.7 gpt Au and 48.0 gpt Ag over 2.9 m etw;
- Fresnillo Area: 1.3 gpt Au and 13.0 gpt Ag over 5.5 m etw,
including 7.5 gpt Au and 53.0 gpt Ag over 0.8 m etw and 0.88 gpt Au
and 36.0 gpt Ag over 4.6 m etw;
- Orito Area: 1.0 gpt Au and 2.5 gpt Ag over 4.7 m etw, including
2.2 gpt Au and 4.4 gpt Ag over 1.5 m etw;
- Mariposa Area: 4.9 gpt Au and 22.0 gpt Ag over 34.7 m etw
including 41.5 gpt Au and 40.0 gpt Ag over 1.5 m etw.
Maintaining Health and Safety
Protocols
The Company continues to successfully mitigate
the impact of Covid-19 on operations. To-date Covid-19 has not had
a material effect on the Company’s activities. Prime remains
engaged with local stakeholders and is proactive in monitoring
employees and contractors during this uncertain period. The Company
continues to closely adhere to the directives of all levels of
government and relevant health authorities in Mexico and
Canada.
Changes to Mining Laws in
Mexico
On April 29, 2023, the Mexican government
approved a bill amending several laws relating to mining
concessions and on May 8th published the approved laws in the
Official Gazette. The Company is reviewing details on these
amendments to determine the impact, if any, on the Company’s
operations.
Community Engagement and Environmental
Stewardship Strategy
We continued to gather environmental and
community data in the quarter to help support our ESG programs,
including completion of a materiality assessment, strategic plan
and disclosure matrix. We strive to minimize the environmental
impact of our activities and ensure that Los Reyes has a positive
impact on our host communities.
The Company released its initial sustainability
report during April 2023 which establishes a baseline and a new
yardstick to measure our progress in meeting our commitments
regarding sustainability and stewardship of the environment,
relevant social issues and corporate governance.
Selected Financial Data
The following selected financial data is
summarized from the Company’s consolidated financial statements and
related notes thereto (the “Financial Statements”) for the three
months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022. A copy of the Financial
Statements and MD&A is available at
www.primeminingcorp.ca or on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
|
Three months endedMarch 31, 2023 |
Three months endedMarch 31, 2022 |
Loss and comprehensive loss |
$5,995,467 |
$8,038,370 |
Loss per share – basic and diluted |
$0.05 |
$0.07 |
|
March 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2022 |
Cash |
$19,240,951 |
$23,811,434 |
Total assets |
$33,829,051 |
$38,105,206 |
Total current liabilities |
$1,140,878 |
$1,209,140 |
Total liabilities |
$2,013,629 |
$2,092,161 |
Total shareholders’ equity |
$31,815,422 |
$36,013,045 |
|
|
|
Notes
- Resource estimate is based on economically constrained pits
using a $US 1700/ounce gold price, $US 22/ounce silver price, and
an assumed 0.22 g/T gold cutoff grade. For more information and
other assumptions, please see Prime’s May 2, 2022 press release, or
our website.
- Gold equivalent grades are calculated as in-situ contained
grades, applying the assumed ratio of gold to silver prices using
the following formula: AuEq grade (gpt) = Gold grade (gpt) + Silver
grade (gpt) x ($US 22 / $US 1700). Relative recoveries are not
considered in the in-situ contained grade estimate but are assumed
to have mill recoveries of 93% and 83% for gold and silver,
respectively and heap leach recoveries of 73% and 25% for gold and
silver, respectively. For more information and other assumptions,
please see Prime’s May 2, 2022 press release, or our website.
Qualified Person
Scott Smith, P.Geo., Executive Vice President of
Exploration, is a qualified person for the purposes of National
Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical
content in this news release.
Los Reyes Gold and Silver
Project
Los Reyes is a rapidly evolving high-grade, low
sulphidation epithermal gold-silver project located in Sinaloa
State, Mexico. Historic operating results indicate that an
estimated 1 million ounces of gold and 60 million ounces of silver
were recovered from five separate operations at Los Reyes between
1770 and 1990. Prior to Prime’s acquisition, recent operators of
Los Reyes had spent approximately US$20 million on exploration,
engineering, and prefeasibility studies. The Project remains
underexplored and holds potential for additional discovery and
resource expansion.
Since acquiring Los Reyes in 2019, Prime has
spent approximately US$30 million on direct exploration activities
and has completed two phases of comprehensive drilling totaling
over 110,000 m. Results to date suggest the three known main
deposit areas, Guadalupe, Central and Z-T are much larger than
previously reported. Potential exists for new discoveries outside
of the current defined resource areas.
About Prime MiningPrime Mining
is an ideal mix of successful mining executives, strong capital
markets personnel, and experienced local operators focused on
unlocking the full potential of the high-grade Los Reyes
Gold-Silver Project in Mexico. Prime Mining has a well-planned
capital structure with significant team and insider ownership.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Daniel KunzChief Executive
Officer
For further information, please contact:
Daniel KunzChief Executive
Officer and DirectorPrime Mining Corp.1307 S. Colorado Ave.Boise,
Idaho 83706Telephone: +1 (208) 926-6379 officeemail:
daniel@primeminingcorp.ca
Scott HicksExecutive Vice
PresidentPrime Mining Corp.710 – 1030 West Georgia StreetVancouver,
BC, V6E 2Y3Telephone: +1 (604) 428-6128 officeemail:
scott.hicks@primeminingcorp.ca
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its
Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies
of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the
adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward Looking Information
This news release contains certain
“forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements”
within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation as may be
amended from time to time, including, without limitation,
statements regarding the perceived merit of the Company’s
properties, including additional exploration potential of Los
Reyes, potential quantity and/or grade of minerals, the potential
size of the mineralized zone, metallurgical recoveries, the timing
and results of permitting and the Company’s exploration and
development plans in Mexico. Forward-looking statements are
statements that are not historical facts which address events,
results, outcomes or developments that the Company expects to
occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs,
estimates and opinions of the Company’s management on the date the
statements are made, and they involve a number of risks and
uncertainties. Certain material assumptions regarding such
forward-looking statements were made, including without limitation,
assumptions regarding the price of gold, silver and copper; the
accuracy of mineral resource estimations; that there will be no
material adverse change affecting the Company or its properties;
that all required approvals will be obtained, including concession
renewals and permitting; that political and legal developments will
be consistent with current expectations; that currency and exchange
rates will be consistent with current levels; and that there will
be no significant disruptions affecting the Company or its
properties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such
statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future
events could differ materially from those anticipated in such
statements. Forward-looking statements involve significant known
and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual
results to differ materially from those anticipated. These risks
include, but are not limited to: risks related to uncertainties
inherent in the preparation of mineral resource estimates,
including but not limited to changes to the cost assumptions,
variations in quantity of mineralized material, grade or recovery
rates, changes to geotechnical or hydrogeological considerations,
failure of plant, equipment or processes, changes to availability
of power or the power rates, ability to maintain social license,
changes to interest or tax rates, changes in project parameters,
delays and costs inherent to consulting and accommodating rights of
local communities, environmental risks, title risks, including
concession renewal, commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations,
risks relating to COVID-19, delays in or failure to receive access
agreements or amended permits, risks inherent in the estimation of
mineral resources; and risks associated with executing the
Company’s objectives and strategies, including costs and expenses,
as well as those risk factors discussed in the Company’s most
recently filed management’s discussion and analysis, as well as its
annual information form dated April 22, 2022, available on
www.sedar.com. Except as required by the securities disclosure laws
and regulations applicable to the Company, the Company undertakes
no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if
management’s beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors,
should change.
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