Open pit Mineral Reserves and open pit Measured and
Indicated Resources increased by 24% and 65%, respectively;
underground to be updated following engineering studies
This news release constitutes a "designated news release" for
the purposes of the Company's prospectus supplement dated
October 15, 2021, to its short form
base shelf prospectus dated September 10,
2021.
VANCOUVER, BC, April 26,
2022 /PRNewswire/ - Great Panther Mining Limited
(TSX: GPR) (NYSE-A: GPL) ("Great Panther" or the "Company"), a
growth-oriented precious metals producer focused on the Americas,
reports Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve Estimates (the "2021
MRMR") for the Tucano Gold Mine ("Tucano") in Brazil. The estimates were prepared in
accordance with National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of
Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101").
The 2021 MRMR has an effective date of July 31, 2021. The 2021 MRMR reflects results of
an additional 58,837 metres of drilling up to the end of
July 2021, an increased gold price of
$1,650/oz for reserves and
$1,900/oz for resources, and an
exchange rate of BRL 5: USD 1. The 2021 MRMR is focused on the open pit
ore zones and reflects changes to the open pit reserves and
resources, while the underground will be updated in a future
Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimate on completion of
engineering studies currently underway. The Company will file a
technical report in respect of Tucano, prepared in accordance with
NI 43-101, on SEDAR within 45 days of this news release.
Highlights
- Total Proven and Probable ("P&P") Mineral Reserves are now
estimated to be 681,873 gold ounces, of
which 371,541 gold ounces are open pit reserves, a 24%
increase in P&P open pit reserves since the previously reported
MRMR estimate for Tucano with an effective date of September 30, 2020 (the "2020 MRMR").
- Total Measured and Indicated ("M&I") Mineral Resources,
which are inclusive of Mineral Reserves, now total 1.3 million
gold ounces, of which 928,000 gold ounces are open pit
M&I Mineral Resources, a 65% increase since the 2020
MRMR.
- The Company completed a 19,000-metre drilling campaign on the
Urucum North underground project. Engineering studies are currently
underway. Historical reserves will be updated pending these
studies.
Great Panther Chair and Interim CEO, Alan Hair commented: "We have successfully
replaced 2021 mining depletion and added another 1.5 years to the
open pit mine life at Tucano. The 2021 MRMR provides us with a
higher level of confidence for future mine and operational planning
and we are confident that, in parallel, we can unlock the larger
potential of the region.
"Going forward, a major objective is to progress the Urucum
North underground project, with development scheduled for Q4 2022,
while aggressively advancing opportunities for additional resource
growth and mine life extension on multiple fronts. In the second
half of the year, we will be actively drilling to increase
resources within the mine sequence and on near mine (20-kilometre
radius) priority targets in the extensive and under-explored
regional land package."
Table 1. Tucano Mineral Reserve Estimates as of July 31,
2021
Location/area
|
Proven
|
Probable
|
Total Proven and
Probable
|
Tonnes
(000s)
|
Gold grade
(g/t)
|
Contained
gold
(000s oz)
|
Tonnes
(000s)
|
Gold grade
(g/t)
|
Contained
gold
(000s oz)
|
Tonnes
(000s)
|
Gold grade
(g/t)
|
Contained
gold
(000s oz)
|
Open pit
|
2,495
|
1.40
|
112
|
7,4371
|
1.08
|
259
|
9,932
|
1.16
|
372
|
Underground
|
189
|
3.78
|
23
|
1,976
|
4.17
|
265
|
2,164
|
4.13
|
288
|
Stockpile
|
1,400
|
0.50
|
22
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1,400
|
0.50
|
22
|
Total
|
4,084
|
1.20
|
158
|
9,413
|
1.73
|
524
|
13,496
|
1.57
|
682
|
Notes:
|
1. Mineral Reserves
were classified using CIM Definition Standards (2014).
|
2. Open pit Mineral
Reserves are estimated within designed pits above marginal cut-off
grades that vary from 0.40 g/t Au to 0.45 g/t Au for oxide ore and
0.46 g/t Au to 0.50 g/t Au for sulphide ore.
|
3. Underground Mineral
Reserves were estimated using a cut-off grade of 2.4 g/t
Au.
|
4. Mineral Reserves are
estimated using an average long-term gold price of US$1,650/oz and
a BRL:USD exchange rate of R$5.00:US$1.00.
|
5. Mineral Reserves
incorporate estimates of dilution and mineral losses.
|
6. A minimum mining
width of 15 m was used for open pit Mineral Reserves and 3 m was
used for underground Mineral Reserves.
|
7. Average
metallurgical process recovery: 91.5%.
|
8. Numbers may not add
due to rounding.
|
Table 2. Tucano Mineral Resource Estimates as of July
31, 2021
Location/area
|
Measured
|
Indicated
|
Total Measured and
Indicated
|
Inferred
|
Tonnes
(000s)
|
Gold
grade (g/t)
|
Contained
gold (000soz)
|
Tonnes
(000s)
|
Gold
grade (g/t)
|
Contained
gold
(000s oz)
|
Tonnes
(000s)
|
Gold grade
(g/t)
|
Contained
gold
(000s oz)
|
Tonnes
(000s)
|
Gold grade
(g/t)
|
Contained
gold
(000s oz)
|
Open pit
|
5,651
|
1.20
|
217
|
18,863
|
1.17
|
711
|
24,514
|
1.18
|
928
|
1,476
|
1.10
|
52
|
Underground
|
0
|
0.00
|
0
|
2,493
|
4.41
|
353
|
2,493
|
4.41
|
353
|
5,306
|
2.73
|
466
|
Stockpile
|
1,400
|
0.50
|
22
|
0
|
0.00
|
0
|
1,400
|
0.50
|
22
|
0
|
0.00
|
0
|
Total
|
7,051
|
1.06
|
240
|
21,355
|
1.55
|
1,064
|
28,407
|
1.43
|
1,303
|
6,782
|
2.37
|
518
|
Notes:
|
1. Mineral Resources
were classified using CIM Definition Standards (2014).
|
2. Mineral Resources
are inclusive of Mineral Reserves.
|
3. Since the prior MRMR
estimates, drilling results are available for the TAP AB, TAP C,
and Urucum open pit resources.
|
4. Mineral Resources
are estimated at various cut-off grades depending on mining method,
mineralization style and haulage distances.
|
5. Mineralization
wireframes were generated at 0.3 g/t Au for open pit resources
except for URCN where a 0.5 g/t Au wireframe was used. Underground
resources were calculated within a 1.6 g/t Au wireframe. The
minimum wireframe width is three metres.
|
6. Mineral Resources
are estimated using a long-term gold price of US$1900/oz and a
US$:BR$ exchange rate of 1:5.
|
7. The Company's
Mineral Resource estimates were prepared by Mr. Carlos Henrique
Pires, F. AusIMM, a full-time Tucano employee and a Qualified
Persons as defined by NI 43-101.
|
8. Numbers may not add
due to
rounding.
|
9. Mineral Resources
that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic
viability. Mineral resources are subject to infill drilling,
permitting, mine planning, mining dilution and recovery losses,
among other things, to be converted into mineral reserves. Due to
the uncertainty associated with inferred mineral resources, it
cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral
resource will ever be upgraded to indicated or measured mineral
resources, including, as a result of continued
exploration.
|
The selected pit design for the Mineral Reserve Estimate in the
Urucum Central South pit includes a 8.5 million tonne pushback in
the west wall. This additional waste pushback was redefined after
recent drilling and field investigations performed in the first
quarter of 2022 under SRK Consulting's guidance.
A technical report will be filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com,
on EDGAR at www.sec.gov/EDGAR, and on the Company's website
at www.greatpanther.com.
QUALIFIED PERSONS
Great Panther's own technical Qualified Persons oversaw the
process and carried out new estimates on the Urucum, TAP C and TAP
AB open pit deposits.
On behalf of Great Panther, Fernando A. Cornejo,
Professional Engineer, supervised the preparation of and approved
for inclusion in this news release the Tucano Mineral Reserve
estimates and Nicholas Winer, Fellow AusIMM, and Carlos
Pires, Chartered Professional, Fellow AusIMM (CP), supervised the
preparation of and approved for inclusion in this news release the
Tucano Mineral Resource estimates Messrs. Cornejo, Winer and Pires
are non-independent Qualified Persons as defined by NI 43-101.
The Qualified Persons for Mineral Resource estimation have
reviewed the Tucano QA/QC program. The QA/QC program for drill core
includes the regular insertion of blanks, standards and duplicates
into sample batches, diligent monitoring of assay results, and
necessary remedial actions. Resource drilling samples are first
assayed at the Tucano onsite laboratory. All intervals with
anomalous gold are submitted and re-analyzed by the Certified, SGS
Geosol laboratory in Belo Horizonte by 50 g fire-assay.
All SGS Geosol assays, after diligent monitoring of QA/QC and
necessary remedial actions, supersede the Tucano assay results in
the database for MRMR grade estimation. QA/QC monitoring of the SGS
laboratory also includes inter-laboratory checks on five percent of
samples with the Certified, ALS laboratory in Belo Horizonte.
In addition to the data verification methodology described above,
personal inspections of the Tucano property have also been
completed.
Unless stated otherwise, all scientific and technical
information contained in this news release has been reviewed and
approved by Fernando A. Cornejo, P. Eng., Chief Operating
Officer, and Nicholas Winer, Vice-President, Exploration
of Great Panther, each a Qualified Person as defined by NI
43-101.
ABOUT GREAT PANTHER
Great Panther is a growth-oriented precious metals producer
focused on the Americas. The Company owns a portfolio of assets in
Brazil, Mexico and Peru that includes three gold and silver
mines, an advanced development project and a large land package
with district-scale potential. Great Panther is focused on creating
long-term stakeholder value through safe and sustainable
production, reinvesting into exploration and pursuing acquisition
opportunities to complement its existing portfolio. Great Panther
trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange trading under the symbol GPR,
and on the NYSE American under the symbol GPL.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT ON FORWARD-LOOKING
INFORMATION
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of
Canadian securities laws (together, "forward-looking statements").
Such forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited
to, statements regarding (i) the increase in the open pit mine life
at Tucano, (ii) when and whether the company will reach a decision
to develop the underground mine at the Urucum North deposit, (iii)
the potential to increase resources within the mine sequence and
near mine through exploration drilling, (iv) success of future mine
and operational planning and the Company's ability to unlock the
larger potential of the region at Tucano, and (v) the Company's
ability to grow as a result of exploration or from accretive
acquisition opportunities in South
America.
These forward-looking statements and information reflect the
Company's current views with respect to future events and are
necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that,
while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject
to significant operational, business, economic and regulatory
uncertainties and contingencies. These assumptions include:
continued operations and exploration work, including plans to
complete infill drilling at Tucano in 2022 without significant
interruption due to COVID-19 or any other reason; the accuracy of
the Company's geological modeling at Tucano and the assumptions
upon which they are based, ore grades and recoveries; prices for
gold, silver, and base metals remaining as estimated; currency
exchange rates remaining as estimated; prices and inflation rates
for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services
(including transportation); all necessary permits, licenses and
regulatory approvals for the Company's operations and exploration
work are received in a timely manner on favourable terms, including
permitting for tailings dam construction in Tucano, Tucano will be
able to continue to use cyanide in its operations; the Company will
not be required to further impair Tucano as the current open pit
mineral reserves are depleted through mining; the ability to
procure equipment and operating supplies without interruption
including the Company's ability to work with its mining current
contractor, U&M, in Tucano to resolve equipment availability
issues, and that there are no material unanticipated variations in
the cost of energy or supplies; operations not being disrupted by
issues such as pit-wall failures or instability, mechanical
failures, labour disturbances and workforce shortages, illegal
occupations or mining, seismic events, and adverse weather
conditions; the Company's ability to comply with environmental,
health and safety laws; and the Company's ability to maintain its
stock exchange listings. The foregoing list of assumptions is not
exhaustive.
These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown
risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual
results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements to be materially different. Such factors
include, among others, risks and uncertainties relating to: the
impact of COVID-19 on the Company's ability to operate and conduct
exploration work, including drilling plans, as anticipated, and the
risk of an unplanned partial or full shutdown of the Company's
mines and processing plants, whether voluntary or imposed, which
would adversely impact the Company's revenues, financial condition
and ability to meet its production and cost guidance and fund its
capital programs and repay its indebtedness; the inherent risk that
estimates of Mineral Reserves and Resources may not be accurate and
accordingly that mine production will not be as estimated or
predicted; planned exploration activities, including plans for
further exploration drilling and infill drilling may not result in
the discovery of new Mineral Resources/definition of Mineral
Resources and readers are cautioned that Mineral Resources that are
not Mineral Reserves have no defined economic viability; there is
no certainty that the Company will be able to define a mineral
resource with infill drilling and the Company is undertaking new
mineral resource studies at Urucum North and is not treating the
AMC historical estimate as a current mineral resource estimate;
open pit mining operations at Tucano have a limited established
mine life and the Company may not be able to extend the mine life
for Tucano open pit operations beyond 2025 as anticipated; gold,
silver and base metal prices may decline or may be less than
forecasted; fluctuations in currency exchange rates (including the
U.S. dollar to Brazilian real exchange rate) may increase costs of
operations; operational and physical risks inherent in mining
operations (including pit wall collapses, tailings storage facility
failures, environmental accidents and hazards, industrial
accidents, equipment breakdown, unusual or unexpected geological or
structural formations, cave-ins, flooding and severe weather) may
result in unforeseen costs, shut downs, delays in production and
drilling and exposure to liability; potential political and social
risks involving Great Panther's operations in a foreign
jurisdiction; the potential for unexpected costs and expenses or
overruns; shortages in the ability to procure equipment and
operating supplies without interruption including the inability of
the Company to resolve equipment availability issues with its
mining current contractor, U&M; employee and contractor
relations; relationships with, and claims by, local communities;
the Company's ability to obtain all necessary permits, licenses and
regulatory approvals in a timely manner on favourable terms;
changes in laws, regulations and government practices in the
jurisdictions in which the Company operates; legal restrictions
related to mining; diminishing quantities or grades of mineral
reserves as properties are mined operating or technical
difficulties in mineral exploration, changes in project parameters
as plans continue to be refined; the Company's inability to meet
its production forecasts or to generate the anticipated cash flows
from operations could result in the Company's inability to meet its
scheduled debt payments when due or to meet financial covenants to
which the Company is subject or to fund its exploration programs as
planned; the Company's ability to raise additional financing to
fund its operations, capital requirements or maturing debt
obligations as required, the ability to maintain and renew
agreements with local communities to support continued operations;
ability to identify or complete acquisition opportunities or to
complete acquisitions that are accretive to the Company; the
potential for incremental closure bond requirements with respect to
the Company's Coricancha mine and whether such requirements would
have a material and adverse effect on the company's liquidity and
could require additional financing to be raised; the risk that the
Company does not maintain its listing on the exchanges where it
trades and that any delisting may have a material impact on the
liquidity of its stock and its ability to raise capital; the
Company's ability to mobilize its new contractor in accordance with
its current plans; and other risks and uncertainties,
including those described in respect of Great Panther, in its most
recent annual information form and material change reports filed
with the Canadian Securities Administrators available
at www.sedar.com and reports on Form 40-F and Form 6-K
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available
at www.sec.gov.
There is no assurance that these forward-looking statements will
prove accurate or that actual results will not vary materially from
these forward-looking statements. Although the Company has
attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause
results not to be as anticipated, estimated, described, or
intended. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on forward looking statements.
Forward-looking statements and information are designed to
help readers understand management's current views of our near- and
longer-term prospects and may not be appropriate for other
purposes. The Company does not intend, nor does it assume any
obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements or
information, whether as a result of new information, changes in
assumptions, future events or otherwise, except to the extent
required by applicable law.
INFORMATION CONCERNING ESTIMATES OF MINERAL RESOURCES
The disclosure in this press release and referred to herein was
prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 which differs significantly
from the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC"). The terms "measured mineral resource",
"indicated mineral resource" and "inferred mineral resource" used
in this press release are in reference to the mining terms defined
in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum
Standards (the "CIM Definition Standards"), which definitions have
been adopted by NI 43-101. Accordingly, information contained in
this press release providing descriptions of our mineral deposits
in accordance with NI 43-101 may not be comparable to similar
information made public by other U.S. companies subject to the
United States federal securities laws and the rules and
regulations thereunder.
Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of
mineral resources will ever be converted into reserves. Pursuant to
CIM Definition Standards, "inferred mineral resources" are that
part of a mineral resource for which quantity and grade or quality
are estimated on the basis of limited geological evidence and
sampling. Such 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. However, it is reasonably expected that the
majority of inferred mineral resources could be upgraded to
indicated mineral resources with continued exploration. Under
Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not
form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies, except in
rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any
part of an inferred mineral resource is economically or legally
mineable. Disclosure of "contained ounces" in a resource is
permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC
normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does
not constitute "reserves" by SEC standards as in place tonnage and
grade without reference to unit measures.
Canadian standards, including the CIM Definition Standards and
NI 43-101, differ significantly from standards in the SEC Industry
Guide 7. Effective February 25, 2019, the SEC adopted new
mining disclosure rules under subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K of the
United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "SEC
Modernization Rules"), with compliance required for the first
fiscal year beginning on or after January 1, 2021. The SEC
Modernization Rules replace the historical property disclosure
requirements included in SEC Industry Guide 7. As a result of the
adoption of the SEC Modernization Rules, the SEC now recognizes
estimates of "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral
resources" and "inferred mineral resources". Information regarding
mineral resources contained or referenced in this press release may
not be comparable to similar information made public by companies
that report according to U.S. standards. While the SEC
Modernization Rules are purported to be "substantially similar" to
the CIM Definition Standards, readers are cautioned that there are
differences between the SEC Modernization Rules and the CIM
Definitions Standards. Accordingly, there is no assurance any
mineral resources that the Company may report as "measured mineral
resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral
resources" under NI 43-101 would be the same had the Company
prepared the resource estimates under the standards adopted under
the SEC Modernization Rules.
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