Bunker Hill Mining Corporation (the “Company”)
(CSE: BNKR) is pleased to report that it has launched a Preliminary
Economic Assessment (“PEA”), due in Q1-2021, to assess the
potential to quickly restart production for minimal capital
expenditure at its Bunker Hill Mine located in Idaho’s Silver
Valley, USA.
Sam Ash, CEO of Bunker Hill Mining, stated: “We
believe that there is strong potential to quickly restart
production, which stopped in the early 1980s, for minimal capital
by focusing on the de-watered upper areas of the mine, utilizing
existing infrastructure, and based on truck haulage and toll
milling methods. The rapid restart would allow us to self-fund our
ongoing high grade silver exploration, immediately crystalize the
value created through exploration, and demonstrate our ability to
successfully operate the mine based on modern techniques.”
The PEA will be based on the resource published
on September 28, 2020. Consulting Engineers from MineTech
International LLC have been engaged to deliver the PEA, which will
be conducted in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 (“NI
43-01”). The focus will be upon the study of mining operations
conducted above the current water level (Level 11). This will
include a systematic study of existing infrastructure, capital cost
estimates, operating cost estimates, metallurgy, resource modeling,
mine design and scheduling, ventilation, haulage, and marketing.
The key areas of trade-off study will include: 1) Truck haulage
from Russell Tunnel vs rail haulage from Kellogg Tunnel; 2)
Toll-milling vs construction of various in-house processing
options; 3) Sensitivity to production rate from 400-1000 TPD;
Contract vs. Owner-Operator Mining; and Grade vs Tonnage
trade-offs.
In addition, the Company continues to make good
progress on its ongoing high grade silver focused exploration
campaign which commenced September. Particular focus will be made
to follow up recently released drill results in the near surface
UTZ target area with the intent of adding to the recently reported
resource.
Figure 1: Isometric view of UTZ
exploration target area showing completed 2020 drill holes and
additional planned holes is available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/678ca99b-9fd4-47c3-8920-7d5dd5770e75
James Stonehouse, VP of Exploration, stated: “In
my short time on site I have seen the outstanding mineral potential
that exists at Bunker Hill. As our geologic understanding
continues to grow through modeling and drilling, I am confident in
our ability to add to our already sizable resource through
continued exploration success in both the upper and lower levels of
the mine.''
A total of 5000’ of core were already drilled
from surface with two drill rigs currently in operation. The first
rig is focused on developing further the high-grade silver targets
identified in the UTZ Ore zone between the 5 and 6 Levels as
described in the press release of 27 October 2020. The second is
exploring the historic high-grade silver targets in close proximity
to the 9 Level. Assay results are expected from mid-December. All
of these silver targets are close to existing infrastructure and
have the potential to add high-grade resources to the upper level
inventory and add greatly to the value of any restart plan. In
support of the PEA, the Company will conduct approximately 4000’ of
infill drilling designed to upgrade the highest-grade inferred
resources of contained within the UTZ, Newgard and Quill ore
bodies, above the 9 Level, into the Indicated Resources
category.
The Company advises that it does not propose to
base its production decision on a feasibility study of mineral
reserves, demonstrating economic and technical viability, and, as a
result, there may be an increased uncertainty of achieving any
particular level of recovery of minerals or the cost of such
recovery, including increased risks associated with developing a
commercially mineable deposit. Historically, such projects have a
much higher risk of economic and technical failure. There is no
guarantee that production will begin as anticipated or at all or
that anticipated production costs will be achieved. The Company
further cautions that a PEA is preliminary in nature. No mining
study has been completed. Mineral resources are not mineral
reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is
no certainty that the PEA will be realized.
Qualified Person
Mr. Scott E. Wilson, CPG, President of Resource
Development Associates Inc. and a consultant to the Company, is an
Independent “Qualified Person” as defined by NI 43-101 and is
acting at the Qualified Person for the Company. He has reviewed and
approved the technical information summarized in this news
release.
About Bunker Hill Mining
Corp.
Bunker Hill Mining Corp. has an option to
acquire 100% of all saleable assets at the Bunker Hill Mine.
Information about the Company is available on its website,
www.bunkerhillmining.com, or within the SEDAR and EDGAR
databases.
For additional information contact:
Sam Ash, President and Chief Executive Officer+1
208 786 6999sa@bunkerhillmining.com
Cautionary Statements
Certain statements in this news release are
forward-looking and involve a number of risks and uncertainties.
Such forward-looking statements are within the meaning of that term
in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as
well as within the meaning of the phrase ‘forward-looking
information’ in the Canadian Securities Administrators’ National
Instrument 51-102 – Continuous Disclosure Obligations.
Forward-looking statements are not comprised of historical facts.
Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that
describe the Company’s future plans, objectives or goals, including
words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated
condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be
identified by such terms as “believes”, “anticipates”, “expects”,
“estimates”, “may”, “could”, “would”, “will”, or “plan”. Since
forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address
future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve
inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are
based on information currently available to the Company, the
Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet
management’s expectations. Risks, uncertainties and other factors
involved with forward-looking information could cause actual
events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ
materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking
information. Forward looking information in this news release
includes, but is not limited to, the Company’s intentions regarding
its objectives, goals or future plans and statements. Factors that
could cause actual results to differ materially from such
forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: the
ability to predict and counteract the effects of COVID-19 on the
business of the Company, including but not limited to the effects
of COVID-19 on the price of commodities, capital market conditions,
restriction on labour and international travel and supply chains;
failure to identify mineral resources; failure to convert estimated
mineral resources to reserves; the inability to complete a
feasibility study which recommends a production decision; the
preliminary nature of metallurgical test results; risks of basing a
production decision on a feasibility study of mineral reserves
demonstrating economic and technical viability, resulting in
increased uncertainty due to multiple technical and economic risks
of failure which are associated with this production decision
including, among others, areas that are analyzed in more detail in
a feasibility study, such as applying economic analysis to
resources and reserves, more detailed metallurgy and a number of
specialized studies in areas such as mining and recovery methods,
market analysis, and environmental and community impacts and, as a
result, there may be an increased uncertainty of achieving any
particular level of recovery of minerals or the cost of such
recovery, including increased risks associated with developing a
commercially mineable deposit with no guarantee that production
will begin as anticipated or at all or that anticipated production
costs will be achieved. Failure to commence production would have a
material adverse impact on the Company's ability to generate
revenue and cash flow to fund operations. Failure to achieve the
anticipated production costs would have a material adverse impact
on the Company's cash flow and future profitability; delays in
obtaining or failures to obtain required governmental,
environmental or other project approvals; political risks; changes
in equity markets; uncertainties relating to the availability and
costs of financing needed in the future; the inability of the
Company to budget and manage its liquidity in light of the failure
to obtain additional financing, including the ability of the
Company to complete the payments pursuant to the terms of the
agreement to acquire the Bunker Hill Mine Complex; inflation;
changes in exchange rates; fluctuations in commodity prices; delays
in the development of projects; capital, operating and reclamation
costs varying significantly from estimates and the other risks
involved in the mineral exploration and development industry; and
those risks set out in the Company’s public documents filed on
SEDAR. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and
factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this
news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on
such information, which only applies as of the date of this news
release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur
in the disclosed time frames or at all. The Company disclaims any
intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
information, whether as a result of new information, future events
or otherwise, other than as required by law. No stock exchange,
securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or
disapproved the information contained herein.
Cautionary Note to United States Investors
Concerning Estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred
Resources
This press release has been prepared in
accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect
in Canada, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities
laws. Unless otherwise indicated, all resource and reserve
estimates included in this press release have been disclosed in
accordance with NI 43-101 and the Canadian Institute of Mining,
Metallurgy, and Petroleum Definition Standards on Mineral Resources
and Mineral Reserves. 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. Canadian disclosure
standards, including NI 43-101, differ significantly from the
requirements of the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission (“SEC”), and resource and reserve information contained
in this press release may not be comparable to similar information
disclosed by U.S. companies. In particular, and without limiting
the generality of the foregoing, the term “resource” does not
equate to the term “reserves”. Under U.S. standards, mineralization
may not be classified as a “reserve” unless the determination has
been made that the mineralization could be economically and legally
produced or extracted at the time the reserve determination is
made. The SEC’s disclosure standards normally do not permit the
inclusion of information concerning “measured mineral resources”,
“indicated mineral resources” or “inferred mineral resources” or
other descriptions of the amount of mineralization in mineral
deposits that do not constitute “reserves” by U.S. standards in
documents filed with the SEC. Investors are cautioned not to assume
that any part or all of mineral deposits in these categories will
ever be converted into reserves. U.S. investors should also
understand that “inferred mineral resources” have a great amount of
uncertainty as to their existence and great uncertainty as to their
economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or
any part of an “inferred mineral resource” will ever be upgraded to
a higher category. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all
or any part of an “inferred mineral resource” exists or 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.
The requirements of NI 43-101 for disclosure of “reserves” are also
not the same as those of the SEC, and reserves disclosed by the
Company in accordance with NI 43-101 may not qualify as “reserves”
under SEC standards. Accordingly, information concerning mineral
deposits contained in our website may not be comparable with
information made public by companies that report in accordance with
U.S. standards.
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