Gold Wheaton Comments on First Uranium's Decision to Delay the Mine Waste Solutions Project and its Short Term Impact on Gold Wh
February 02 2010 - 9:52AM
Marketwired
Gold Wheaton Gold Corp. (TSX VENTURE: GLW) (the "Company") has
received notice from First Uranium Corporation (TSX: FIU)(JSE: FUM)
("First Uranium") that First Uranium has elected to suspend
construction and commissioning of the third gold plant at its Mine
Waste Solutions ("MWS") project in South Africa. In addition, First
Uranium plans to reduce its production at MWS from two gold plants
to one gold plant at the end of March 2010. Under their revised
plan, the MWS No. 5 Dam would provide sufficient tailings
deposition capacity for one operating gold plant until the end of
December 2011.
First Uranium recently announced that its environmental
authorization for the new Tailings Storage Facility at MWS was
withdrawn. This facility was designed to accommodate future
tailings deposition at MWS.
With this construction suspension and reduced production, First
Uranium has announced that it anticipates annual gold production of
approximately 57,000 oz in 2010 and 64,000 oz in 2011 at MWS. In
accordance with First Uranium's contractual commitments, 25% of
this gold production is due to the Company.
"Gold Wheaton is extremely disappointed in the steps that First
Uranium has taken as a result of its permitting and financial
issues. It is possible that this action by First Uranium at MWS
will trigger, amongst other things, a $42 million penalty payment
due to Gold Wheaton if the project does not pass a technical
completion test by June 1, 2010. We are committed to work with
First Uranium as they resolve their current issues," said David
Cohen, CEO and Chairman of Gold Wheaton.
"We remain confident of the quality of both the MWS and Ezulwini
assets and their ability to produce gold given appropriate
permitting and financial support. Gold Wheaton will continue to
receive the contractually guaranteed production ounces from
Ezulwini throughout 2010 and 2011. However the reduced production
at MWS will reduce our overall forecast gold production by
approximately 20,000 oz (17%) in each of 2010 and 2011. Our rights
to the contractual gold production at each of the First Uranium
mines survive regardless of the ongoing ownership of these
mines."
Gold Wheaton is a gold company with 100% of its operating
revenue from the sale of gold and precious metals produced by
others. The Company has significant cash available and is actively
pursuing specific further growth opportunities.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein,
the information presented constitutes "forward looking statements".
Such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to those
with respect to the closing of the offering, involve known and
unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the
actual results, performance or achievements of Gold Wheaton to be
materially different from any future results, performance or
achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements. Such factors include, among other risks, risks related
to the timing and completion of the proposed listing on the TSX and
the proposed consolidation, the timing and quantum of any
dividends, if any and those factors discussed in the section
entitled "Description of Business - Risk Factors" in Gold Wheaton's
Annual Information Form dated December 10, 2009 as filed on SEDAR.
Although Gold Wheaton has attempted to identify important factors
that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be
other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated,
estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such
statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future
events could differ materially from those anticipated in such
statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements.
The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept
responsibility for the adequacy and accuracy of the content of this
news release.
Contacts: Gold Wheaton Gold Corp. David Cohen Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer +1.778.373-0107 +1.604.434-1487 (FAX)
info@goldwheaton.com www.goldwheaton.com
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