This announcement contains inside information for the purposes
of Article 7 of the UK version of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 which
is part of UK law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act
2018, as amended ("MAR"). Upon the publication of this announcement
via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is
now considered to be in the public domain.
22 May 2025
Nativo Resources
Plc
("Nativo"
or the "Company")
Operational
Updates
Nativo Resources plc (LON:NTVO),
which has interests in gold mines in Peru, is pleased to provide
the following operational updates.
Bonanza and Morrocota gold mines
The pause in operations earlier this
year (as announced on 18 February 2025) at the Bonanza Gold Mine on
the Tesoro Gold Concession, following extreme weather conditions,
has provided an opportunity for the Company to optimise the mine
plan with a view to improving productivity and grades when mining
resumes.
As part of this process, an
engineering and geological contract has been awarded to Inveritas
Global Holdings ("IGH"), a leading engineering and geological
consultancy in Peru. IGH is well-established in the mining sector
and specialises in providing comprehensive solutions and
outsourcing of employees to mining projects across Peru and
internationally.
The contract deliverables include an
audit of work to date, a mine-based estimate of resources for the
Bonanza and Morrocota mines, and a mine plan for restarting
commercial production at Bonanza and initiating commercial
production at Morrocota.
Subject to the near-term completion
of these workstreams, the Company intends to engage a contract
mining firm to optimise operational costs and maximise daily mining
tonnages. Considering these steps, the Company is targeting the
restarting of operations at Bonanza in July and commencing
operations at Morrocota from August. A further announcement will be
made once the contract has been awarded.
Gold ore processing plant
As announced on 14 October 2024, the
Company, via its 50%-owned Peruvian joint venture Boku Resources
SAC ("Boku"), has secured permits for the establishment and
operation of its own gold ore processing plant ("La Patona
Project") and entered into an option agreement with the landholder
for use of its land. Management has since reviewed and reduced the
capital requirements and timescales for the La Patona Project, with
the revised plan estimated to take five months and cost $500,000.
If commissioned, the plant will enable the Company to reduce
logistics costs and retain a higher margin from production, whilst
also offering the opportunity to scale the plant and process third
party vein material from other artisanal miners, unlocking
additional cashflow.
Toma la Mano tailings project
As announced on 6 March 2025, Boku
has secured an option agreement to evaluate the opportunity to
recover and sell gold and silver from the Toma La Mano tailings
dump and redeposit the tailings in line with legislation - the
first of several similar identified tailings dumps. Following a
request for tender, feasibility study proposals have now been
submitted, and management expects to award a contract in June. This
will include a resource estimate, detailed metallurgical analysis
to report on recovery rates and process optimisation.
Stephen Birrell, Chief Executive
Officer, commented:
"Having got Bonanza up and running in December, it was
disappointing to have had to pause activity in February,
effectively foregoing half a year of cash flow development. This
has however catalysed an improved, more cost-effective road map for
our mining operations. This should allow us to resume activity in
July with a lower cost, higher margin operation, and bring the
neighbouring Morrocota mine on stream with the same approach,
benefitting from economies of scale.
In
parallel, we're making good engineering progress on the planned
gold ore processing plant, for which we have materially reduced the
cost and build-time. We also look forward to awarding a feasibility
study contract on our first tailings project very
soon.
Being an early-stage junior mining company is not without its
challenges, but we are overcoming those one by one, putting the
building blocks in place to create value from gold and silver
mining and processing activities in Peru, supported by highly
favourable commodity prices."
For
further information please contact:
Nativo Resources
Stephen Birrell, Chief Executive
Officer
|
Via Vigo Consulting
nativo@vigoconsulting.com
|
Zeus Capital (Nominated Adviser and Joint
Broker)
James Joyce
James Bavister
|
Tel: +44 (0)20 3829 5000
|
Peterhouse Capital limited (Joint Broker)
Duncan Vasey
Lucy Williams
Rose Greensmith
|
Tel: +44 (0)20 7469 0930
|
Vigo Consulting (Investor Relations)
Ben Simons
Peter Jacob
Anna Sutton
|
Tel: +44 (0)20 7390
0234
nativo@vigoconsulting.com
|
About Nativo Resources
plc
Nativo
has interests in gold mining and exploration projects in
Peru.
Through
a 50:50 joint venture established in July 2024 with an experienced
local partner ("Boku"), Nativo secured an opportunity to scale
operations at the Tesoro Gold Concession, owning 50% of the
production and resources. Production and sales of ore to a local
gold ore processing plant began in late December 2024.
In
March 2025, Nativo acquired directly a 100% interest in the
Morrocota Gold Mine, proximal to the Tesoro Gold
Concession.
Longer-term, the Company plans to establish its own gold ore
processing plant to retain a higher margin from production at its
mines.
In
March 2025, Boku also secured an option agreement to evaluate the
opportunity to recover and sell gold and silver from the Toma La
Mano tailings dump in the Ancash region and redeposit the tailings
in line with legislation. The Company is investigating other
similar regional tailings opportunities.
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