VANCOUVER, BC, April 25,
2022 /CNW/ - Trevali Mining Corporation
("Trevali" or the "Company") (TSX: TV) (BVL: TV) (OTCQX: TREVF)
(Frankfurt: 4TI) provides an
update on search and rescue efforts for eight missing workers as
well as progress made on mine rehabilitation and dewatering at the
Perkoa Mine in Burkina Faso
following intense rainfall that occurred in the early morning
of April 16, 2022 and resulted in
flooding of the mine.
Eight workers remain unaccounted for following the evacuation of
the underground area of the mine and the Company is working closely
with Burkinabe authorities as search and rescue efforts continue.
Mining and milling operations at Perkoa will remain suspended for
the foreseeable future as the Company investigates the cause of the
flood event.
The Company initially reported the incident on April 16, 2022, the date of the flooding. A
second release was issued April 21,
2022 to provide an update on the Company's activities in
response to the flooding of the mine and convey the initial
assessment of events surrounding the flood event at the Perkoa
Mine. The Company today provides a further update on its activities
in response to the flooding of the mine, particularly the
logistical operation behind the search and rescue efforts for the
missing workers, which includes mine decline rehabilitation and
dewatering activities.
"Our primary focus is the search for our colleagues and to do
this we are getting pumping and other dewatering equipment
where it is most needed," said Ricus Grimbeek, President and CEO.
"The flood eroded the decline ramp that is the primary access to
all levels of the mine and repairing this access ramp for safe use
was a critical initial step in our efforts. With the completion of
the decline rehabilitation to Level 520, pumping capacity has now
increased, including the installation of a new 5,000-metre pipeline
to surface with multiple teams of welders dedicated to completing
the assembly and installation. Trevali's senior leadership and
Byrnecut, Trevali's mining contractor at the Perkoa
Mine, continue to meet with the families of the
missing workers and to ensure they have everything they need in
these difficult times. We are grateful for the valuable support
from the Burkina Faso government
and the broader Burkina Faso
mining community who are providing all assistance possible in
our search and rescue efforts."
The Company has had regular communications with, and received
assistance from, the Burkinabe Ministry of Mines and Quarries, the
National Emergency Rescue, Military Civil Construction, the
Governor of Central-West Region, and the High Commissioner of Réo.
A delegation from the government was provided a briefing at the
Perkoa Mine site on April 23.
Representatives included the Minister of Mines and Quarries, the
Minister of Environment, the Minister of Labour, the Minister of
Religious and Cultural Activities, the Governor of Central-West
Region and the President of the Chamber of Mines.
Additional updates:
- The water level in the mine has settled at approximately Level
520 (520 metres from surface). Communications and electrical power
have now been re-established to Level 520.
- While most workers underground or preparing to enter the mine
were able to safely evacuate, the eight missing workers were
working below Level 520 at the time of the flooding and there has
been no communication with these workers since soon after the
evacuation order was given. There are two refuge chambers located
below Level 520 that are designed to provide a refuge for workers
trapped in a hazardous environment. We do not know if some or all
of the eight missing workers were able to access these refuge
chambers.
- The decline ramp roadway is the essential access for vehicles
moving people and equipment between levels in the mine. The torrent
of water entering the mine resulted in significant road surface
erosion. Rehabilitation of the decline ramp is essential to allow
the transport of larger pumps to Level 520 to increase dewatering
capacity. The Company has completed approximately 3,643 metres of
an estimated 5,000 metres of decline ramp rehabilitation the
Company believes is required to gain access to lower mine levels,
reaching the water level at Level 520 as of April 23.
- The Company has a three-stage dewatering plan, of which the
first two stages – the repurposing of existing piping to commence
initial dewatering efforts, followed by the installation of
additional underground pumping infrastructure to facilitate an
increase in pumping capacity – are now complete and actively
pumping. The third stage, which is currently in progress, involves
the installation of 5,000 metres of new piping and higher-capacity
pumps to increase pumping capacity. Multiple welding crews are
mobilized for this assembly effort.
- The objective of the plan is to dewater the mine to continue
the search and rescue efforts for the missing colleagues while
working toward completely dewatering to the lowest level of the
mine. The Company has also re-established sump pumping in the open
pit and doubled pumping volume capacity as a precautionary measure
while we continue to investigate the cause of the event.
The Company will provide further details on progress of search
and rescue activities and site investigation as more information
becomes available.
About Trevali Mining Corporation
Trevali is a global base-metals mining Company headquartered in
Vancouver, Canada. The bulk of
Trevali's revenue is generated from zinc and lead concentrate
production at its three operational assets: the 90%-owned Perkoa
Mine in Burkina Faso, the
90%-owned Rosh Pinah Mine in Namibia, and the wholly owned Caribou Mine in
northern New Brunswick, Canada. In
addition, Trevali owns the Halfmile and Stratmat Properties and the
Restigouche Deposit in New Brunswick,
Canada. Trevali also owns an effective 44% interest in the
Gergarub Project in Namibia. The
Company's growth strategy is focused on the exploration,
development, operation, and optimization of properties within its
portfolio, as well as other mineral assets it may acquire that fit
its strategic criteria. Trevali's vision is to be a responsible,
top-tier operator of long-life, low-cost mines in stable pro-mining
jurisdictions. Trevali is committed to socially responsible mining,
working safely, ethically, and with integrity. Integrating
responsible practices into its management systems, standards, and
decision-making processes is essential to ensuring everyone and
every community's long-term sustainability.
The shares of Trevali are listed on the TSX (symbol TV), the
OTCQX (symbol TREVF), the Lima Stock Exchange (symbol TV), and the
Frankfurt Exchange (symbol 4TI). For further details on Trevali,
readers are referred to the Company's website (www.trevali.com) and
to Canadian regulatory filings on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and
Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking information" within
the meaning of Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of the United States Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively,
"forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are based
on the beliefs, expectations and opinions of management of the
Company as of the date the statement are published, and the Company
assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement,
except as required by law. In certain cases, forward-looking
statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans",
"expects", "outlook", "guidance", "budget", "scheduled",
"estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "believes",
or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain
actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will
be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative of these terms
or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements relate to
future events or future performance and reflect management's
expectations or beliefs regarding future events including, but not
limited to, statements with respect to the suspension of mining and
milling operations at Perkoa, the rescue and recovery efforts at
Perkoa, including the Company's plans with respect thereto, the
efficacy of the Company's pumping, decline ramp rehabilitation and
de-watering activities and its efforts to restore electrical
power and communications at the lower levels of Perkoa, the
Company's ability to effectively dewater the mine and restore
access to the lower levels of Perkoa, the results of any
investigation of the flooding incident, the Company's assessment of
the effect of the flooding on the safety and structural integrity
of Perkoa's underground areas, the effect of the flooding on the
cost of production at Perkoa, the length of time before underground
mining operations can be recommenced safely at Perkoa and the
effect of the suspension on the Company's results of operations and
metal production. As well, forward looking statements relate to the
Company's growth strategies, the continued success of mineral
exploration, the content, cost, timing and results of future
exploration programs and life of mine expectancies, Trevali's
ability to fund future exploration activities, estimation of
mineral reserves and mineral resources, the realization of mineral
reserve estimates, the timing and amount of estimated future
production, costs of production and capital expenditures, success
of mining operations, environmental risks, unanticipated
reclamation expenses and title disputes or claims. By their very
nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results,
performance or achievements of the Company to be materially
different from any future results, performance or achievements
expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such
factors include, among others, risks related to to the Company's
search efforts and plans to remedy the impact of the flooding at
the Perkoa Mine, including that such efforts and plans will not be
effective or achieve their desired outcomes; actual results of
current exploration activities, including the inherent uncertainty
of mineral exploration and estimations of exploration targets;
changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined;
future prices of zinc, lead, silver and other minerals and the
anticipated sensitivity of our financial performance to such
prices; possible variations in ore reserves, grade or recoveries;
dependence on key personnel; potential conflicts of interest
involving our directors and officers; labour pool constraints;
labour disputes; availability of infrastructure required for the
development of mining projects; delays or inability to obtain
governmental and regulatory approvals for mining operations or
financing or in the completion of development or construction
activities; counterparty risks; increased operating and capital
costs; foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; operating in
foreign jurisdictions with risk of changes to governmental
regulation, including any new or ongoing decrees and regulations
issued by any governmental authority in response to the COVID-19
pandemic; compliance with governmental regulations; compliance with
environmental laws and regulations; land reclamation and mine
closure obligations; challenges to title or ownership interest of
our mineral properties; maintaining ongoing social license to
operate; impact of climatic conditions on the Company's mining
operations; corruption and bribery; limitations inherent in our
insurance coverage; compliance with debt covenants; competition in
the mining industry; our ability to integrate new acquisitions into
our operations; cybersecurity threats; litigation; and other risks
of the mining industry including, without limitation, other risks
and uncertainties that are more fully described in the Company's
annual information form, interim and annual audited consolidated
financial statements and management's discussion and analysis of
those statements, all of which are filed and available for review
under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the
Company has attempted to identify important factors that could
cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from
those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other
factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as
anticipated, estimated or intended. Trevali provides no assurance
that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as
actual results and future events may differ from those anticipated
in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue
reliance on forward-looking statements.
SOURCE Trevali Mining Corporation