Torex Gold Resources Inc. (the “Company” or “Torex”) (TSX: TXG)
provides an inaugural quarterly update on the development of its
Media Luna Project (“Media Luna”), for which a Feasibility Study
was included as part of an updated Technical Report released on
March 31, 2022 (“Technical Report”). Unless otherwise stated,
progress and milestones referenced in this press release are as of
December 31, 2022.
Jody Kuzenko, President & CEO of Torex,
stated:
“Development of Media Luna is well underway with
the project tracking to schedule and to budget. At year-end,
project completion stood at 15%, with first production still
anticipated in late 2024. Capital expenditures are tracking well to
the original budget, with 26% of the upfront costs committed at
year-end including 14% incurred. Project activity is expected to
ramp-up significantly in the months ahead, with 2023 expected to be
the peak year of spending.
“During the quarter, procurement activities
continued to advance with purchase orders executed for the Guajes
conveyor radial stacker, cleaner flotation circuits, hydro cyclones
and tailings positive displacement pumps, rock breakers, and
electrical transformers and switchgear. Letters of intent were
signed for the production mobile equipment fleet in December and
support mobile equipment fleet post year-end, with purchase orders
(including for battery electric vehicles) nearing completion. The
Guajes Tunnel remains on track for breakthrough in Q1 2024, with
the tunnel successfully crossing under the Balsas River in
December. Approval was also received to increase the power draw at
our Morelos Property to 65 megawatts from 45 megawatts, building on
approvals received earlier in 2022.
“We are off to a solid start as we continue to
de-risk and advance Media Luna. With budget and schedule on track,
$590 million of available liquidity at the end of the third quarter
and strong forecast cash flow over the next two years, we are in a
strong position to fund the development of the project, continue to
invest in value enhancing exploration and drilling, and maintain
$100 million of liquidity on the balance sheet.”
CAPITAL EXPENDITURES
Total upfront expenditures related to the
development of Media Luna are unchanged at $874.5 million. As at
year-end, the Company had commitments in place for $229.7 million
of project expenditures (approximately 26%), including $124.7
million of expenditures incurred (approximately 14%). Based on
purchase orders and contracts awarded to date, project costs in
general are tracking well to the costs outlined in the Technical
Report.
Table 1: Media Luna Project – Project
Expenditures (April 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022)
|
Project To DateQ4 2022 |
Project expenditures per 2022 Technical Report |
$848.4 |
Adjustment for underspend in Q1 2022 |
$26.1 |
Total project expenditures |
$874.5 |
Total project expenditures accrued to date |
($124.7) |
Remaining project expenditures |
$749.8 |
Committed expenditures (inclusive of total project expenditures
accrued to date) |
$229.7 |
Uncommitted expenditures |
$644.8 |
1) Project period commenced on
April 1, 2022; excludes capital expenditures incurred prior to
Board approval on March 31, 2022.2) Project period
is defined as April 1, 2022 through December 31,
2024.3) Excludes borrowing costs capitalized.
Torex expects to incur $390 to $440 million of
capital expenditures at Media Luna in 2023, which is forecasted to
be the peak year of investment. Quarterly expenditures are expected
to remain relatively consistent through H1 2024, before declining
as development activities wind down ahead of commercial production,
which is anticipated in early 2025.
PROJECT COMPLETION
With project completion at 15% as at year-end,
Media Luna remains on track for first production in late 2024,
following the tie-in of the copper and iron flotation circuits with
the existing processing plant.
Table 2: Media Luna Project – Project
Completion (April 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022)
|
Project To DateQ4 2022 |
Procurement |
24.9% |
Engineering |
33.7% |
Underground development/construction |
18.6% |
Surface construction |
10.2% |
Total Project |
15.0% |
Notes to Table1) Physical
progress measured starting as of April 1, 2022; excludes progress
made prior to Board approval on March 31,
2022.2) Project period is defined as April 1, 2022
through December 31, 2024.3) Total Project is
weighted average based on activity levels.
ProcurementAs noted with the
release of Q3 2022 financial results, the procurement phase for
high volume, non-schedule critical procurement packages has taken
additional time, given the push to expand the pool of vendors with
a view to securing competitive pricing.
During the quarter, the Company awarded multiple
contracts and issued multiple purchase orders, including the Guajes
conveyor radial stacker, cleaner flotation cells, samplers and
analyzers, pumps, rock breakers, as well as electrical transformers
and switch gear. Letters of intent were signed for the production
mobile equipment fleet in December and support mobile equipment
fleet post year-end, with purchase orders nearing completion. The
upfront costs and delivery windows for both the battery electric
vehicle and diesel vehicle portions of the fleet are in line with
the lead times assumed in the original project schedule.
EngineeringDetailed engineering
is tracking ahead of procurement activity. All critical path
engineering is on track. Surface engineering during the period
focused on finalization of key process equipment sizing and
specifications as well as continued detailing of the new flotation
plant. Underground engineering advanced layout work related to
infrastructure such as maintenance bays, refuge stations, west vent
adit, as well as ore and waste handling
systems.
Underground Development and
ConstructionSteady progress was made in advancing the
Guajes Tunnel and South Portals. Breakthrough of the Guajes Tunnel
on the south side of the Balsas River remains on track for Q1 2024,
which is expected to provide ample time to hang the conveyor
(approximately four months) and ensure all services are in place to
connect Media Luna with the upgraded processing plant on the north
side of the Balsas River.
Daily advance rates in the Guajes Tunnel
averaged 6.4 metres during Q4 2022, including a record average
daily advance rate of 7.2 metres during December. As at year-end,
the Guajes Tunnel had advanced approximately 3,250 metres (3,455
metres as of end of January 2023), and successfully crossed under
the Balsas River with no issues related to ground conditions or
water. At South Portal Lower, development of the main lower ramp
has commenced, with the main tunnel drive recently completed.
Steady progress was made on ventilation during the quarter, with
Guajes Tunnel ventilation raise bore advancing (70 metres of 180
metres completed) and additional vent fans installed at both South
Portal Upper and Lower.
Figure 1: Breakthrough of Guajes Tunnel
on schedule for Q1 2024 (advance rates as at end of
January)
Surface ConstructionDuring the
quarter, multiple surface construction projects were advanced,
including slope stabilization along the access road to South Portal
Lower, pad preparation for the paste plant and back-up generators
adjacent to South Portal Upper, and development of the Mazapa
bypass road. Key projects that kicked off in Q4 include
construction of settling and decant ponds, and expansion of the MML
construction camp.
Operational ReadinessIn
parallel with development and construction activities, the surface
and underground operational readiness teams have been staffed, and
planning is progressing. These operational readiness teams are
accountable for ensuring that processes and systems for all new
work areas are established and ready in advance of the handover
from the project team to operations. This includes workforce
transition planning and training, developing the operating
strategy, including all standard operating procedures, the
maintenance plans for all fixed and mobile equipment, blend and
feed strategies, detailed commissioning plans, first fills,
concentrate shipment logistics, and all other requirements to
ensure a smooth ramp up to commercial production in Q1 2025.
PROJECT EXECUTION PLAN
Based on progress to date as well as refreshed
assumptions following the completion of the Technical Report last
year, the Company has refined the project execution plan
accordingly.
Key adjustments to the project execution plan
include:
- Engineering and procurement phase
has been extended six months to June 2024, mainly related to
non-schedule critical procurement packages.
- Early installation of the iron
sulphide (FeS) concentrator and the water treatment plant pushed
back by four months, with completion dates well ahead of
commissioning the process plant in October 2024.
- Breakthrough of the Guajes Tunnel
advanced two months to early January 2024, resulting in the
anticipated installation of Guajes conveyor a month earlier than
originally scheduled.
- Completion of the paste plant
pushed out three months to October 2024, reflecting additional time
take for a peer review and subsequent refinements to the original
design.
Figure 2: Refined project execution plan
for Media Luna
The updated plan reflects the Company’s latest
estimates for the completion of key project deliverables, which
have not impacted the overall project schedule given the original
plan had assumed the potential for adjustments within the schedule
and potential supply chain disruptions.
ABOUT TOREX GOLD RESOURCES
INC.
Torex is an intermediate gold producer based in
Canada, engaged in the exploration, development, and operation of
its 100% owned Morelos Property, an area of 29,000 hectares in the
highly prospective Guerrero Gold Belt located 180 kilometres
southwest of Mexico City. The Company’s principal asset is the
Morelos Complex, which includes the El Limón Guajes (“ELG”) Mine
Complex, the Media Luna Project, a processing plant, and related
infrastructure. Commercial production from the Morelos Complex
commenced on April 1, 2016 and an updated Technical Report for the
Morelos Complex was released in March 2022. Torex’s key strategic
objectives are to optimize and extend production from the ELG Mine
Complex, de-risk and advance Media Luna to commercial production,
build on ESG excellence, and to grow through ongoing exploration
across the entire Morelos Property.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE
CONTACT:
TOREX GOLD RESOURCES INC.Jody KuzenkoPresident and
CEODirect: (647) 725-9982jody.kuzenko@torexgold.com |
Dan RollinsSenior Vice President, Corporate
Development & Investor RelationsDirect: (647)
260-1503dan.rollins@torexgold.com |
|
|
QUALIFIED PERSONThe technical
and scientific information in this press release has been reviewed
and approved by Dave Stefanuto, P. Eng, Executive Vice President,
Technical Services and Capital Projects of the Company, and a
qualified person under National Instrument 43-101.
CAUTIONARY NOTES
Forward-Looking StatementsThis
press release contains “forward-looking statements” and
“forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable
Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information
includes, but is not limited to, statements that: development of
Media Luna is well underway with the project tracking to schedule
and to budget; total upfront expenditures related to the
development of Media Luna are unchanged; at year-end, first
production for the project is still anticipated in late 2024;
capital expenditures tracking well to the original budget;
expectation of project activity to ramp-up significantly in the
months ahead, with 2023 expected to be the peak year of spending;
the Guajes Tunnel remains on track for breakthrough in Q1 2024; the
Company to continue to de-risk and advance Media Luna; the Company
is in a strong position to fund the development of the project,
continue to invest in value enhancing exploration and drilling, and
maintain $100 million of liquidity on the balance sheet; project
costs in general are tracking well to the costs outlined in the
Technical Report; expected capital expenditures at Media Luna in
2023; forecast that 2023 to be the peak year of investment in Media
Luna; expectation of quarterly expenditures remaining relatively
consistent through H1 2024, before declining as development
activities wind down ahead of commercial production anticipated in
early 2025; Media Luna remains on track for first production in
late-2024; all critical path engineering is on track; breakthrough
of the Guajes Tunnel on the south side of the Balsas River remains
on track for Q1 2024, which is expected to provide ample time to
hang the conveyor (approximately four months) and ensure all
services are in place to connect Media Luna with the upgraded
processing plant on the north side of the Balsas River; and the
Company’s key strategic objectives are to optimize and extend
production from the ELG Mining Complex, de-risk and advance Media
Luna to commercial production, build on ESG excellence, and to grow
through ongoing exploration across the entire Morelos Property.
Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use
of forward-looking terminology such as “expects”, “plan”,
“strategy” or variations of such words and phrases or statements
that certain actions, events or results “will” occur or are “on
track” to occur. Forward-looking information is subject to known
and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause
the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements
of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or
implied by such forward-looking information, including, without
limitation, risks and uncertainties identified in the technical
report (“Technical Report”) titled ELG Mine Complex Life of Mine
Plan and Media Luna Feasibility Study, with an effective date of
March 16, 2022, and a filing date of March 31, 2022 and in the
Company’s annual information form (“AIF”) and management’s
discussion and analysis (“MD&A”) or other unknown but
potentially significant impacts. Forward-looking information is
based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analyses and
opinions of management made in light of its experience and
perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments
as set out in the Technical Report, AIF and MD&A, and other
factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the
circumstances at the date such statements are made. Although the
Company has attempted to identify important factors that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in
the forward-looking information, there may be other factors that
cause results not to be as anticipated. There can be no assurance
that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results
and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in
such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue
reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not
undertake to update any forward-looking information, whether as a
result of new information or future events or otherwise, except as
may be required by applicable securities laws.
Figures accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cc7e3db6-fd7b-4b8c-b67e-d38ff0ff46b1
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d2ef0e3b-73da-426f-9ace-8ce4a41d76b0
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