VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 27, 2021
/CNW/ - East Africa Metals Inc. (TSXV: EAM) ("East
Africa" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on the
progress of the engineering work and the development plan for the
hard-rock mining operation on the 1M
ounce Magambazi gold deposit in Tanzania, which will ramp up as the tailings
processing operations wind down.
With the successful commissioning of the tailings processing,
project owner/operator PMM Mining Company Limited ("PMM") has
turned its attention to the planning of the hard-rock mine
development program.
Engineering work has commenced to develop detailed plans for
mining operations and surface equipment installations. Once
complete, the first-year production is targeted to be 10,000
ounces, scaling up to 40,000-ounces annually over a period of 48
months. This work is being completed by PPM engineers and consists
of establishing a haul road to the main open pit at Magambazi
South, followed by pit clearance and topsoil removal. PMM has
advised EAM that grade control drilling is expected to start early
next year prior to hard-rock mining.
Resource geologists and mine engineers are reviewing the
existing resource in the context of processing, grade and recovery
data gained from the tailings operation. This work is being
completed by local geological consulting firm with in-depth
experience in preparing resource estimations for Tanzanian gold
projects. This work will closely study the structural controls on
mineralization that appear to be an important element of the
mineralizing system that were not considered in the original
mineral resource disclosed by EAM in a NI 43-101 report in 2012.
Other elements of the mineral resource review will include
developing a new block model that incorporates rock density data
from a total of 468 drill holes rather than 400 diamond drill holes
reported earlier.
Andrew Lee Smith, P.Geo., C.E.O.,
a Qualified Person under the definitions of National Instrument
43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this
news release
About East Africa Metals
The Company's principal
assets include a 30% Net Profits Interest in the Mato Bula and
Da Tambuk mines (collectively "Adyabo Property") and a 70% project
interest in the Harvest polymetallic VMS Exploration Project in the
Tigray Region of Ethiopia. In
addition, the Company has a 30% Net Streaming Interest in the
Magambazi Mine in the Tanga Region of Tanzania.
The Mato Bula and Da Tambuk mines are four kilometres apart and
will be developed simultaneously. The development of the mining
operations is scheduled to begin during the second half of
2021.
East Africa retains exploration
rights on areas of the properties outside the Mato Bula, Da Tambuk
and Terakimti mining licenses in all Ethiopian projects and
anticipates the commencement of exploration drilling to test
priority targets during the second half of 2021.
EAM has invested US$66.8M in
African exploration since 2005 and identified a total of 2.8
million ounces of gold and gold-equivalent resources
representing an average discovery cost per ounce of US$24.
The current Global Project Resources discovered by EAM
include:
Project Resources
(Au + Aueqv Metal ounces)
|
Project
|
Category
|
Au
+Aueqvounces
|
Adyabo Project,
Ethiopia
(EAM 30% Net
Profit Interest)
|
Indicated
|
446,000
|
Inferred
|
551,000
|
Harvest Project,
Ethiopia
(EAM = 70% Project
Interest)
|
Indicated
|
469,000
|
Inferred
|
426,000
|
Handeni Project,
Tanzania
(EAM = 30%
Streaming Royalty Interest)
|
Indicated
|
721,000
|
Inferred
|
292,000
|
REFERENCES
Tetra Tech (April 30,2018).
National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report and Preliminary
Economic Assessment for the Mato Bula Deposit, Adyabo Property,
Tigray National Regional State, Ethiopia
Tetra Tech (April 30,2018). National Instrument 43-101
Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Da
Tambuk Project, Adyabo Property, Tigray National Regional State,
Ethiopia
Tetra Tech
(April 30,2018). National
Instrument 43-101 Technical Report and Preliminary Economic
Assessment for the Terakimti Oxide Deposit, Harvest Project, Tigray
National Regional State, Ethiopia
Aurum Exploration Services
(February 14, 2014). NI43-101
Technical Report on a Mineral Resource Estimate at the Terakimti
Prospect, Harvest Property (centred at 38°21'E, 14°19'N), Tigray
National Region, Ethiopia
Aurum Exploration Services (February 14,
2014).Mineral Resource Estimate and Update to a
NI43-101 Technical Report for the Handeni Property centered at
37.97°E, 5.744°S, Tanga Province, Handeni District,
Tanzania
More information on the Company can be viewed at the Company's
website: www.eastafricametals.com.
On behalf of the Board of Directors:
Andrew Lee Smith, P.Geo., CEO
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking
Information
This news release contains
"forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable
Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking
information can be identified by the use of forward-looking
terminology such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "expect",
"intend", "estimate", "forecast", "project", "budget", "schedule",
"may", "will", "could", "might", "should", "indicate", "confident"
or variations of such words or similar words or expressions.
Forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions that
have been made by the Company as at the date of such information
and 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 but not limited to: statements regarding
present and future plans and objectives of the Company, the ability
of PMM to meet minimum annual production, the ability of PMM to
make the payment if the minimum annual production is not met, the
ability of PMM to carry out hard rock mining operations, the
Company's expected cash flows from royalties, the negotiation of a
definitive agreement with Zijin reflecting the anticipated
structure and timing outlined herein; the negotiation of a
definitive agreement reflecting the anticipated structure and
timing outlined herein; delays with respect to required payments
and regulatory approvals; results of the due diligence review; the
ability of Tibet Huayu to develop and operate the Ethiopia Adyabo
Project within the required laws and agreements; the ability of PMM
to develop and operate the Tanzanian Magambazi Project within the
required laws and agreements; recoverability of the Ethiopian and
Tanzanian VAT receivable; early exploration; the ability of
East Africa to identify any other
corporate opportunities for the Company; the possibility that the
Company may not be able to generate sufficient cash to service its
planned operations and may be force to take other options; the risk
the Company may not be able to continue as a going concern; the
possibility the Company will require additional financing to
develop the Ethiopian Projects into a mining operation; the risks
associated with obtaining necessary licenses or permits including
and not limited to Ethiopian Government approval of EAM Mineral
Resources extensions for the Company's Ethiopian Properties and
Projects; risks associated with mineral exploration and
development; metal and mineral prices; the demand for precious and
base metals; availability of capital; accuracy of the Company's
Projections and estimates, including the initial and any updates to
the mineral resource for the Adyabo, Harvest and Handeni Projects;
realization of mineral resource estimates; interest and exchange
rates; competition; stock price fluctuations; the ability to carry
on exploration and development activities; actual results of
exploration activities; availability of drilling equipment and
access; the ability to obtain qualified personnel, equipment and
services in a timely and cost-efficient manner; the regulatory
framework including and not limited to license approvals, social
and environmental matters; the ability to operate in a safe,
efficient and effective manner government regulation; political or
economic developments; foreign taxation risks; environmental risks;
insurance risks; capital expenditures; operating or technical
difficulties in connection with development activities; personnel
relations; the speculative nature of strategic metal exploration
and development including the risks of contests over title to
properties; and changes in project parameters as plans continue to
be refined, as well as those risk factors set out in the Company's
filings with securities regulators. Mineral Resources, which
are not Mineral Reserves, do not have demonstrated economic
viability. The estimate of mineral resources may be materially
affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation,
sociopolitical, marketing, or other relevant issues. The
quantity and grade of reported inferred mineral resources as the
estimation is uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient
exploration to define any inferred mineral resources as an
indicated or measured mineral resource and it is uncertain if
further exploration will result in upgrading inferred mineral
resources to an indicated or measured mineral resource category.
The contained gold, copper and silver figures shown are in situ. No
assurance can be given that the estimated quantities will be
produced. Although the Company has attempted to identify
important factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those contained in forward-looking information,
there may be other factors that cause results not to be as
anticipated, estimated or intended. 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. The Company does not update or revise forward
looking information even if new information becomes available
unless legislation requires the Company to do so. Accordingly,
readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking
information contained herein, except in accordance with applicable
securities laws.
Neither 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.
SOURCE East Africa Metals Inc.