TORONTO, Sept. 9, 2019 /CNW/ - Cobalt 27 Capital
Corp. ("Cobalt 27" or the "Company") (TSXV:
KBLT)(OTCQX: CBLLF)(FRA: 27O), is pleased to
announce quarterly production results from its 8.56% direct equity
interest in the world class Ramu integrated nickel and cobalt
operation ("Ramu"). In the quarter ending June 30, 2019 Ramu produced 22,490 tonnes of
mixed hydroxide product ("MHP") containing 8,767 tonnes of Ni and
793 tonnes of Co. Year to date production at Ramu is 16,430
tonnes of contained nickel and 1,497 tonnes of contained
cobalt. Ramu is one of the few High-Pressure Acid Leaching
("HPAL") operations commissioned since 1999 that has met
expectations with respect to capacity and cost as per below:
|
|
|
|
2018
|
2019
|
|
Q1
|
Q2
|
Q3
|
Q4
|
Full
Year
|
Q1
|
Q2
|
H1
|
Ore Processed (dry
kt)
|
879
|
952
|
922
|
966
|
3,719
|
800
|
959
|
1,759
|
MHP Produced (dry
tonne)
|
21,688
|
23,949
|
22,750
|
23,871
|
92,258
|
19,653
|
22,490
|
42,143
|
Contained Nickel
(tonne)
|
8,210
|
9,159
|
8,804
|
9,182
|
35,355
|
7,663
|
8,767
|
16,430
|
Contained Cobalt
(tonne)
|
774
|
870
|
793
|
838
|
3,275
|
704
|
793
|
1,497
|
Nickel Capacity
Utilization (% of design1)
|
97%
|
108%
|
104%
|
108%
|
104%
|
90%
|
103%
|
97%
|
MHP Shipped (dry
tonnne)
|
23,827
|
17,114
|
1,352
|
24,272
|
66,565
|
17,219
|
24,607
|
41,826
|
Contained Nickel
(tonne)
|
9,024
|
6,999
|
524
|
9,413
|
25,960
|
6,588
|
9,457
|
16,045
|
Contained Cobalt
(tonne)
|
861
|
655
|
48
|
865
|
2,429
|
609
|
861
|
1,470
|
C1 Cash
Cost2
|
$2.50
|
$1.84
|
$1.50
|
$2.46
|
$2.46
|
$2.34
|
$3.14
|
$3.14
|
C1 Cash Cost for
25thPercentile2
|
$1.73
|
$1.85
|
$2.12
|
$2.60
|
$2.60
|
$2.56
|
$3.48
|
$3.48
|
|
|
(1)
|
Based on Ramu
design capacity of 34,000 tonne/year of contained Ni
|
(2)
|
As reported by
Wood Mackenzie on a full year basis
|
"The Ramu operation continues to demonstrate that it is a top
tier nickel asset. Cash costs continue to be in the bottom
quartile with annual production consistently at or above design
capacity. Production remains on track to produce 34,000
tonnes of Ni and 3,300 tonnes of Co in 2019. With nickel
prices now trading around $8.00 per
pound, Ramu is generating significant free cash flow which will
enable the Company's attributable 8.56% share to be used to repay
its debt." commented Anthony
Milewski, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cobalt
27.
Nickel is currently trading at approximately US$7.94 per pound on the LME representing a 38%
increase from the June
30th price of US$
5.74 per pound and an increase of 68% from the January 2, 2019 price of US$4.73 per pound, when the Company announced its
acquisition of Highlands Pacific. Nickel remains in high
demand for lithium ion batteries which are fueled by the surge in
the electrification of the automobile. In addition, nickel
has enjoyed strong demand in the production of stainless steel in
2018 and 2019 and LME stocks have declined to approximately 150,000
tonnes compared to over 370,000 tonnes at the end of 2017.
About Ramu
- Construction and commissioning of the US$2.1 billion Ramu mine was completed in 2012 by
owner/operator Metallurgical Corp of China ("MCC"), as its cornerstone asset in a
nickel-focused resource portfolio.
- Ramu is a large scale nickel-cobalt mine with total estimated
reserves of 1 billion pounds of nickel and 100 million pounds of
cobalt. Management currently estimates a mine life of 30+
years.
- Ramu exceeded annual production projections in 2017 and 2018,
with 34,666 tonnes of contained nickel and 3,308 tonnes of
contained cobalt in 2017 and 35,535 tonnes of contained nickel and
3,275 tonnes of contained cobalt in 2018.
- Ramu is among the most efficient integrated lateritic
nickel-cobalt operations in the world, ranking in the bottom
quartile of the global nickel asset cost curve as per below.
On July 24, 2019 the Company
issued a NI 43-101Technical Report for the Ramu Nickel Cobalt
Project ("Technical Report"). The report was based on mineral
resource and reserves as of December 31,
2017 as per the tables below:
Ramu Mineral
Resources – 31 December 2017
|
Category
|
Tonnage
|
Nickel
Grade
|
Cobalt
Grade
|
|
Mt
|
%
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
Measured
|
34
|
0.9
|
0.1
|
Indicated
|
42
|
0.9
|
0.1
|
Measured +
Indicated
|
76
|
0.9
|
0.1
|
Inferred
|
60
|
1.0
|
0.1
|
Note: resources at
a cut off of 0.5% Ni; resources are inclusive of reserves;
the figures may not add exactly due to rounding; resources do not
include the +2mm rock fragments in the rocky saprolite layers;
Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have
demonstrated economic viability; the Mineral Resources are
classified according to the 2014 CIM Definition
Standards
|
Ramu
Mineral Reserves – 31
December 2017
|
Category
|
Tonnage
|
Nickel
Grade
|
Cobalt
Grade
|
|
Mt
|
%
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
Proven
|
24
|
0.9
|
0.1
|
Probable
|
33
|
0.9
|
0.1
|
Total
|
56
|
0.9
|
0.1
|
Note:
Mineral Reserves at a
cut-off grade of 0.5% Ni, which is not materially different from
the 0.58% nickel
equivalent cut-off grade used in the previous
year; reserves are included in resources; the figures may not add
exactly due to rounding; reserves do not include the +2mm rock
fragments in the rocky saprolite layers; the
Mineral Reserves are classified according to the 2014
CIM Definition Standards
|
For the year ending December 31,
2018 Ramu mined 6.350 million wet metric tonnes of material
from the reserve base, of which 3,719 million dry metric
tonnes were fed to the process. This was consistent with the
mining plan referenced in the Technical Report. The Company expects
to issue an updated statement of Ramu's Resource and Reserve
statements later this year, accounting for mining activity that MCC
has conducted since December 31,
2017.
About Cobalt 27 Capital Corp.
Cobalt 27 Capital Corp. is a leading battery metals streaming
company offering exposure to metals integral to key technologies of
the electric vehicle and energy storage markets. Cobalt 27
holds an 8.56% joint venture interest in the long-life, world-class
Ramu operation which currently delivers near-term attributable
nickel and cobalt production. Cobalt 27 also manages a portfolio of
11 royalties. Cobalt 27 also owns physical cobalt and a cobalt
stream on the Voisey's Bay mine.
NI 43-101 Matters
The majority owner and operator of Ramu is MCC Ramu Nico Ltd., a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Metallurgical Corporation of China
Limited which is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (Stock Code
"1618") and on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Other than information
derived from the Technical Report, the scientific and technical
information in this news release with respect to the Ramu project
has been prepared by MCC in its capacity as operator of Ramu.
The mineral resource estimate for Ramu in the Technical Report
as set out in this news release was classified according to the CIM
Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves
(November 2010) by Dr Qingping Deng, of Behre Dolbear Australia Pty
Ltd. ("BDA"), and the mineral reserve estimate for Ramu in
the Technical Report as set out in this news release was classified
according to the CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and
Mineral Reserves (November 2010) by
Peter D. Ingham, of BDA, each of
whom is an independent "qualified person" as defined by Canadian
National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral
Projects ("NI 43-101").
Other disclosures of a scientific or technical nature in respect
of Ramu in this news release have been reviewed on behalf of Cobalt
27 by Mr. Robert Osborne P.Eng.,
geologist and President of Osborne Laterite Geology Service
Inc., an independent consultant to Cobalt 27 and a "qualified
person" as defined in NI 43-101.
For further information please visit the Company website at
www.cobalt27.com or contact:
Betty Joy LeBlanc, BA, MBA
Director, Corporate Communications
+1-604-828-0999
info@cobalt27.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. No securities regulatory authority has
either approved or disapproved of the contents of this press
release.
Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains
certain information which constitutes 'forward-looking statements'
and 'forward-looking information' within the meaning of applicable
Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements in this news
release include, without limitation: statements pertaining to
Cobalt 27's management's expectations with respect to estimates of
mineral resources and mineral reserves at Ramu; statements
pertaining to future production and mining costs at Ramu;
statements pertaining to estimated mine life at Ramu; statements
pertaining to the expected timing for completion of and release of
updated reserve and mineral resource estimates; and statements
pertaining to future events or future performance. Forward-looking
statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, most
of which are beyond the Company's control. For more details on
these and other risk factors see the Company's most recent Annual
Information Form on file with Canadian securities regulatory
authorities on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under the heading "Risk
Factors". Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties
underlying these forward-looking statements materialize, or should
assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove
incorrect, actual results, performance or achievements could vary
materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking
statements. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed
on these forward-looking statements.
The forward-looking statements contained herein are made as
of the date of this release and, other than as required by
applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any
obligation to update or revise it to reflect new events or
circumstances. The forward-looking statements contained in
this release are expressly qualified by this cautionary
statement.