Gold X Mining Corp. (TSX-V: GLDX, OTCQX: SSPXF)
(“
Gold X” or the “
Company”) is
pleased to provide an update on its ongoing licensing activities on
the Toroparu Project in Guyana. This announcement is a follow on to
the May 5th news release on the status of engineering studies at
the Toroparu Project.
Highlights
- The March 2020 option purchase of the Guyanese partner’s
interest in the Toroparu Project by Gold X’s operating subsidiary,
ETK Inc., paves the way for final approval of the Mining License to
construct and operate the Toroparu Gold Mine.
- The Licensing process for the Toroparu gold project in Guyana
has now entered the final stage of regulatory review of all
documentation under the updated Mining License Application
submitted in October 2019.
- The Mining License will authorize ETK to build and operate a
mine over an initial term of 20 years with provisions for extension
on the application of ETK.
- Gold X will complete a feasibility in advance of a production
decision for the project.
Permitting History
An infographic accompanying this announcement is available
at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/57fce400-a7a7-4270-9faa-6d0733e69419
In November 2011, the Company and ETK Inc., its
Guyana subsidiary, entered into the Toroparu Mineral Agreement
(“TMA”) with the Government of Guyana (“GoG”), the first mineral
development agreement completed in the gold sector in Guyana since
the Omai Mine in 1991. Mineral development in Guyana is
primarily regulated by the Guyana Geology & Mines Commission
(“GGMC”) and the Ministry of Natural Resources (“MNR”). ETK has
operated in accordance with the TMA since it was signed in
2011.
The Mineral Agreement provides for (i) the
waiver of import duties and VAT (value added tax) for imported
equipment and supplies required to develop the Project, (ii) a
corporate tax rate of 27.5%, (iii) 20% straight-line depreciation
of fixed assets, (iv) the deductibility of Guyana based exploration
and development expenses and (v) the treatment of royalties as an
expense in the calculation of taxable income. The TMA contains
fiscal stability and most-favored-nation clauses in favor of the
Company.
The TMA also sets forth the agreement of the GoG
to issue the Mining License under a specific set of conditions
which include:
- Receipt of an Environmental Authorization from
the Guyana EPA (Environmental Protection Agency).
- Demonstration to the GoG that the Toroparu project meets
GoG Economic Standards.
- Establishment of a Timeline for commencement
of production.
Paul Matysek, Chairman and CEO stated “The
extensive historical permitting work and recent acquisition of our
local partner’s interest in the Medium and Small Scale Mining
Permits that was completed in March 2020 meets all necessary
requirements for issuance of the Large Scale Mining License to Gold
X. Subject to the continuing pressure of the COVID-19
pandemic we expect the final review of our Mining License
application to move forward in due course.”
Environmental Authorization:
The Environmental Authorization for the Toroparu Project was issued
by the Guyana EPA in 2012 and renewed by the EPA in August of
2019. The Mining License application was reactivated by ETK
and GGMC in October 2019. Both the Environmental
Authorization and Mining License applications are being amended to
include the Sona Hill satellite deposit and Northern Access Route
to Toroparu (“Access Road”).1
The Mining License Application includes eight
Medium Scale Mining Permits, one Medium Scale Prospecting Permit
and seven small scale licenses surrounding the Toroparu, SE Zone,
and Sona Hill deposits covering 3,176 hectares (37.16 km2). In
addition, authorization to build and operate the Tailings
Management Facility (TMF), camp, and other infrastructure will be
provided under the Mining License.
GoG Economic Standards: The
demonstration that the Project met the GoG Economic Standards was
originally acknowledged by GGMC after its review of the 2013
Prefeasibility Study2 (the “2013 PFS”) in 2015. The License
process was suspended by mutual agreement due to the prevailing
bear market in gold and gold equity prices in late 2015.
The 2013 PFS was replaced by a Preliminary
Economic Assessment in June 2019 (the “2019 PEA”) in which
Measured, Indicated, and Inferred Resources were used, replacing
the Proven and Probable Reserves in the 2013 PEA3. The 2019 PEA
defined a 5.02 M-oz Gold Resource and mine plan producing 188
thousand ounces of gold per year over a 24-year mine-life.
The 2019 PEA has been delivered to the GoG and it is
being reviewed as part of the Licensing process.
A PEA is preliminary in nature, it includes
inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative
geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them
that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and
there is no certainty that the preliminary economic assessment will
be realized.
The PEA documentation of mining production
quantities replaces the 2013 Prefeasibility Study (the “2013 PFS”)
Statement of Mineral Reserves. The PEA is based on
exploitation of measured, indicated and inferred mineral resources
while the 2013 PFS is based on the exploitation of proven and
probable mineral reserves. Inferred resources from the
Mineral Resource Estimate comprise 5% of the resources used in the
production schedule reported in the PEA. Mineral Resources
that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic
viability. The conclusions and results of the PEA replace the
conclusions and results from the 2013 PFS.
Timeline for
Construction: As discussed with the GoG, the
timeline for commencement of production will be defined as final
feasibility and project financing progresses.
To date the following documents have been
submitted or received approval from Guyana regulatory bodies:
- Environmental Authorization –Guyana EPA (issued in 2012)
- Mining License Application – pending GGMC (reactivated in Aug
2019)
- Environmental Management Plan – GGMC (filed in 2014)
- Cyanide Management Plan - GGMC (filed in 2014)
- Explosives Management Plan - GGMC (filed in 2014)
- Mineral Prospecting, Mining and Stone Quarrying Agreement – GRA
(approved in 2011 and extended through present date)
Final regulatory review and approval of the Mining License steps
include:
- Technical review of 2019 Technical Report4 & 2013 PFS
reports - GGMC Mines & Geology Dept.
- Property Ownership Assessment - GGMC Land Mgmt. Dept.
- Review of 2015 Draft Mining License - GGMC Legal Dept.
- GGMC Staff recommendations to Commissioner of GGMC
- GGMC Commissioner & Board of Directors recommendation to
Minister of Natural Resources
- No Objection Letter issuance by Minister of Natural
Resources
- Resolution by Board of Directors of GGMC and License Issuance
by Commissioner
Generally, the final permitting review phase can
be expected to take six to nine months to complete. While
Guyana regulatory agencies have indicated that the review process
is progressing, given the reduced level of governmental activity
due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these timelines could be
extended.
COVID-19 Update: The
Company has not experienced any cases of COVID-19 at any of its
offices or field locations. We are continuing our social
distancing practices in both our North American offices and in our
locations in Guyana to the maximum extent possible. Our
Guyana subsidiary, ETK, has made contributions to local groups in
Guyana that are providing food and other supplies to small
communities in the interior of the Company that have had their
supply chain particularly hard hit due to their remote locations
and we have also arranged for delivery of personal protection
equipment to first responders.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of
Gold X Mining Corp.
“Paul Matysek”Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer
About Gold X Mining Corp.
Gold X Mining Corp. is a Canadian junior mining
company developing the Toroparu Gold Project in Guyana, South
America. Gold X has spent more than US$150 million on the Project
to date to both classify 7.35 million ounces of Measured and
Indicated and 3.15 M-oz of Inferred Gold Resources5, develop
engineering studies for use in a feasibility study, and define a
number of exploration targets around Toroparu on its 53,844 hectare
(538 km2) 100% owned Upper Puruni Concession. Gold X has 38 M
issued and outstanding common shares with more than 40% of the
shares closely held by Insiders and the company’s executive
management team.
Visit Gold X’s website at www.goldxmining.com.
Contact Gold X Mining Corp.
Telephone: +1 (604) 609-6132 Email:
investors@goldxmining.com
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its
Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the
policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for
the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-looking StatementsThis
press release includes certain forward-looking statements
concerning future performance and operations of the Company,
including the expected positive results from the Toroparu Project
based on the estimates and findings contained in the PEA, as
summarized herein, as well as management's objectives, strategies,
beliefs and intentions. Forward-looking statements are frequently
identified by such words as "may", "will", "plan", "expect",
"anticipate", "estimate", "intend" and similar words referring to
future events and results. Forward-looking statements are based on
the current opinions and expectations of management at the time
such statements are made. All forward-looking statements and
information are inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of
assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including the speculative
nature of mineral exploration and development, fluctuating
commodity prices, changes in project parameters as plans continue
to be refined, uncertainties of project cost overruns or
unanticipated costs and expenses, uncertainties inherent in
conducting operations in a foreign country, uncertainties related
to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future,
the risk that the conclusion of pre-production studies may not be
accurate, the Company's successful advancement of the Toroparu
Project toward feasibility and obtaining positive results from
ongoing evaluation and testing of multiple gold targets located in
the Company's landholdings in Guyana and Colombia, among other
risks as described in our public filings available at
www.sedar.com. Actual events or results may differ materially from
those projected in the forward-looking statements and we caution
against placing undue reliance thereon. Gold X Mining Resources
Ltd. has an ongoing obligation to disclose material information, as
it becomes available.
1 Feb 23, 2017 News Release: Sandspring
announces maiden resource estimate for Sona Hill; Sep 18, 2017 News
Release: Sandspring Provides Update on Toroparu Project; June 4,
2019 News Release: Sandspring announces Preliminary Economic
Assessment
2
NI 43‐101 Technical Report, Prefeasibility Study, Toroparu Gold Project, Upper Puruni River Area, Guyana
dated May 24, 2013 by SRK Consulting (U.S.), Inc.
3 In the 2019 PEA, the database defines a 46.5 M-ton Measured
Resource containing 1.48 M-oz of gold at an average grade of 0.99
g/t, a 206 M-ton Indicated Resource containing 5.873 M-oz of gold
at an average grade of 0.89 g/t for a total 252.57 M-ton
M&I (Measured & Indicated) resource containing 7.35 M-oz
gold at an average grade of 0.91 g/t and 128.95 M-ton Inferred
Resource containing 3.15 M-oz Gold at average grade of 0.76 g/t
4 Preliminary Economic Assessment Report of
the Toroparu Gold Project, Upper Puruni River Area, Guyana,
Effective Date: June 11,2019 (SRK Consulting (USA) Inc.) filed on
www.sedar.com on July 18, 2019 and is available on SEDAR
(www.sedar.com).
5 . See Note 4
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