Pure Gold Mining Inc. (TSX-V:PGM, LSE:PUR) (“PureGold” or the
“Company”), today announced an updated Mineral Resource Estimate
(“MRE”), prepared by SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. (“SRK”) in
accordance with the National Instrument 43-101 Standards of
Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”) for its 100% owned
PureGold Mine near Red Lake, Ontario. With an effective date of
December 31, 2021, this updated MRE (“Updated MRE”) replaces the
previous MRE dated February 2019 (“2019 MRE”).
The Updated MRE is described in Table 1 below
and includes:
-
1.65 million ounces of gold at 7.4 grams per tonne (“g/t”) within
6.9 million tonnes in the Indicated Mineral Resource category,
and
-
0.37 million ounces of gold at 6.3 g/t within 1.8 million tonnes in
the Inferred Mineral Resource category.
The updated MRE will form the basis of a new
Pre-Feasibility Study and updated Life of Mine plan, also being
completed by SRK, which is expected to be released in the fourth
quarter of 2022.
Mark O’Dea, President & CEO of PureGold,
stated: “The thorough independent review and update led by SRK
shows that the PureGold Mine remains underpinned by a
multi-million-ounce high grade gold resource. The Updated MRE is
based on a combination of deep geological understanding, closely
spaced drilling, and first-hand observations of stope scale shapes
and continuity. The team is confident that the forthcoming updated
Pre-Feasibility Study and Life of Mine plan will demonstrate the
near-term potential of the PureGold Mine and lay the foundation for
future growth.”
Table 1: Mineral Resource Statement for the PureGold
Mine by Zone, with an effective date of December 31,
2021
Classification |
Deposit - Zone |
Tonnes |
Gold Grade (g/t) |
Gold Troy Ounces |
Indicated |
Madsen – Austin |
4,147,000 |
6.9 |
914,200 |
Madsen – South Austin |
1,696,000 |
8.7 |
474,600 |
Madsen – McVeigh |
388,700 |
6.4 |
79,800 |
Madsen – 8 Zone |
152,000 |
18.0 |
87,700 |
Fork |
123,800 |
5.3 |
20,900 |
Russet |
88,700 |
6.9 |
19,700 |
Wedge |
313,700 |
5.6 |
56,100 |
Total Indicated |
6,909,900 |
7.4 |
1,653,000 |
Inferred |
Madsen – Austin |
504,800 |
6.5 |
104,900 |
Madsen – South Austin |
114,100 |
8.7 |
31,800 |
Madsen – McVeigh |
64,600 |
6.9 |
14,300 |
Madsen – 8 Zone |
38,700 |
14.6 |
18,200 |
Fork |
298,200 |
5.2 |
49,500 |
Russet |
367,800 |
5.8 |
68,800 |
Wedge |
431,100 |
5.7 |
78,700 |
Total Inferred |
1,819,300 |
6.3 |
366,200 |
Mineral Resource Statement
Notes
- Mineral
Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated
economic viability. There is no certainty that all or any part of
the Mineral Resources will be converted into Mineral Reserves in
the future.
- Mineral Resources are stated as
undiluted tonnes and grade above a 3.38 g/t gold cut-off grade
captured within Mineable Stope Optimizer (“MSO”) shapes (see
description below) and have been adjusted to account for all mining
depletion to the end of December 2021, and exclude material within
a 2-metre buffer applied to the hanging wall and footwall of mined
stope voids and a 20-metre crown pillar. All quantities are rounded
to the appropriate number of significant figures; consequently,
sums may not add up due to rounding.
For an overview long section image of the new
block model for the PureGold Mine (Figure 1), click here:
https://www.puregoldmining.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Figure-1-2022-PureGold-Mine-Resource-Block-Model-Long-Section.pdf
For an example image of the new geologic domain
models for the PureGold Mine (Figure 2), click here:
https://www.puregoldmining.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Figure-2-2022-PureGold-Mine-Resource-Domains-Rotated-Plan.pdf
Key Highlights of the Updated
MRE
- 77 new
sub-domain wireframes were constructed with the specific aim of
capturing new deeper understanding of the mineralized lenses.
- Capping levels
were carefully determined for each of the sub-domains independently
to maintain tight control over extreme high-grade values, which are
not uncommon in this deposit, but had their range of influence
substantially restricted.
- A multi-pass
estimation strategy was employed requiring multiple assay
composites from multiple drillholes to estimate block grades. A key
level of confidence was introduced by restricting reported
resources to only those tonnes captured within a mineable stope
optimization (“MSO") process. This type of tool is becoming more
commonly applied to underground resources to meet the Reasonable
Prospects for Eventual Economic Extraction (“RPEEE”) requirement in
the CIM guidelines.
Summary Comparison of the Updated MRE with the 2019
MRE
The Updated MRE incorporates several updates to
the methodology and input assumptions which collectively result in
an estimate that the Company believes is more robust overall and
aligns more closely with actual mining to date. The understanding
of this deposit has been an iterative process over the past several
years and has been informed by a vast geological dataset which
includes over 1,700 new diamond drill holes and 40,000 new
underground chip sample and test hole results and is supported by
18 months of continuous mining operations and underground
development.
Indicated Mineral Resource |
Updated MRE |
2019 MRE |
Tonnes |
6,909,900 |
7,196,000 |
Gold Grade (g/t) |
7.4 |
8.9 |
Gold Troy Ounces |
1,653,000 |
2,063,000 |
Inferred Mineral Resource |
Updated MRE |
2019 MRE |
Tonnes |
1,819,300 |
1,880,000 |
Gold Grade (g/t) |
6.3 |
7.7 |
Gold Troy Ounces |
366,200 |
467,000 |
Updated Pre-Feasibility Study and Life
of Mine Plan and Transition to Austin and South Austin
Zones
The Company remains on track to release a new
Pre-Feasibility Study and updated Life of Mine plan (“Updated PFS”)
by Q4 2022 which is also being led by SRK. The Updated PFS will
incorporate several ongoing trade-off studies and will identify the
best value-maximining path forward for the Company.
The Company is nearing the completion of mining
in the McVeigh Zone and is currently transitioning operations into
the Austin and South Austin Zones. Austin and South Austin together
account for 89% of the PureGold Mine’s contained gold ounces in the
Indicated Resource category (see Table 1) and are characterized by
simpler geometries (see Figure 2) and higher grades than McVeigh
(see Figure 1). The Company expects operational performance to
improve during this transition into higher grades, greater
continuity and simpler stope geometries.
Updated Mineral Resource
Estimation
Grade estimation for the Madsen deposit was
conducted using Maptek’s Vulcan software and employed a multi-pass
estimation strategy and block size of 5x3x5m (sub-blocked to 0.5m
resolution for volumetric reconciliation). Gold grade estimation
was based on capped 1.5m composited assay data, with capping
thresholds assessed for each of the mineralization sub-domains
separately. As well, mineralization continuity and variogram
analysis was assessed for each mineralization domain. All
mineralization domain boundaries were treated as hard boundaries
during the estimation process. Where localized grade control
information (chip and test hole samples) were available from mined
production areas, a localized search radius was used to constrain
the area of influence of these samples to a 7.5x5x7.5m search
radius. All other blocks in the mineral resource model were
estimated from only diamond drill hole assay samples.
Grade estimation for the Fork, Russet and Wedge
deposits was conducted using Seequent’s Leapfrog Edge software and
also employed a multi-pass estimation strategy and block size of
5x3x5m (sub-blocked to sub 0.5m resolution for volumetric
reconciliation). Gold grade estimation was based on capped 2m
composited assay data, with capping thresholds assessed for each
mineralization domain. All mineralization domains were treated as
hard boundaries during the estimation process. Mineral Resources
were estimated solely from diamond drill hole assays.
Classification of Resources
The Updated MRE comprises Indicated and Inferred
Mineral Resources, with no Measured Resources. Mineral Resources
were classified as Indicated Mineral Resources if they were
estimated with multiple drillholes, a minimum of 8 composites, and
an average drillhole spacing less than 25m. All other blocks were
classified as Inferred. To address the RPEEE, Mineral Resources
were constrained using a MSO tool which generated optimized stope
shapes using an assumed gold price of US$1800/ounce, a mining
recovery of 95.0%, metallurgical recovery of 95.0%, and successive
MSO runs at stope heights of 3, 6, and 12 metres. Operating cost
assumptions include mining cost of $108.60/tonne ("t"), processing
cost of $73.30/t, and General & Administrative ("G&A")
costs of $54.10/t. Mineral Resources are stated as undiluted tonnes
and gold grade above a 3.38 g/t cutoff.
Geologic Model
The PureGold Mine is developed on a
structurally-controlled Archean orogenic gold system hosted in the
same stratigraphic units and sharing the same alteration zonation
and deformation history as other gold deposits in the Red Lake
Mining District and also similar to many other major Archean-aged
global gold districts. The deposit is hosted in several large zones
developed along large multi-kilometer alteration and deformation
corridors which host numerous gold occurrences and which the
company believes have substantial exploration potential. Seven
corridors have been identified through re-logging of core and
mapping and the majority of the Updated MRE is hosted in portions
of two of these. New mineralization domains modelled by SRK within
these two corridors incorporate vein geometries encountered during
drilling and mining of the deposit (Figure 2).
Updated Technical Report
The effective date of the updated Mineral
Resource Estimate is December 31, 2021. A NI 43-101 Technical
Report prepared by SRK will be filed on SEDAR within 45 days of
this news release and will be available at that time on the Company
website. This is expected to be followed by Pre-Feasibility study
results, including a new life of mine plan, and supporting
technical report in the fourth quarter of 2022.
Qualified Persons and NI 43-101
Disclosure
The Mineral Resource Estimate was prepared by
Cliff Revering, P.Eng., CPAG, BE, Principal Consultant (Geological
Engineering), SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc., an independent
Qualified Person in accordance with the requirements of National
Instrument 43-101 (“NI 43-101”) and Mr. Revering has approved the
disclosure herein.
Christopher Lee, P.Geo., Chief Geoscientist for
the Company, is a Qualified Person within the meaning of NI 43-101
and supervised the geologic modelling which formed the basis of the
resource estimation.
Terrence Smith, P.Eng. Chief Operating Officer
for the Company, is the designated Qualified Person for this news
release within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 (“NI
43-101”) and has reviewed and verified that the technical
information contained herein is accurate and approves of the
written disclosure of same.
About Pure Gold Mining Inc.
PureGold is a Canadian gold mining company,
located in the heart of Red Lake, Ontario, Canada. The Company owns
and operates the PureGold Mine, which entered commercial production
in 2021 after the successful construction of an 800 tpd underground
mine and processing facilities. The PureGold Mine is centered on a
forty-seven square kilometre property with significant discovery
potential.
Additional information about the Company and its
activities may be found on the Company’s website
at www.puregoldmining.ca and under the Company’s profile
at www.sedar.com
ON BEHALF OF THE
BOARD "Mark
O’Dea" Mark
O’Dea, President & CEOInvestor
inquiries: Adrian O’Brien, Director, IR &
CommunicationsTel: 604-809-6890aobrien@puregoldmining.ca
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation
Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX
Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release.
All statements in this press release, other than
statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information"
with respect to PureGold within the meaning of applicable
securities laws, including, but not limited to statements with
respect to those that address proposed timing of development plans
for the PureGold Mine, including the proposed updated NI 43-101
Technical Report and timing and content of such Technical Report,
including the life of mine plan; expectations regarding the
effectiveness of new initiatives to improve stope access and result
in increased throughput, improved grades and reduced costs in 2022;
achievement of minimum targets with respect to ore production,
average head grade and reduction in monthly operating costs by the
end of 2022 compared to 2021; potential for extending the mine life
of the PureGold Mine; the timing and results of the new
Pre-Feasibility Study and updated Life of Mine Plan; the potential
to convert resources to reserves; the transition of mining from the
McVeigh Zone to the South Austin and Austin Zones; and potential
for additional resources and expansion of known deposits and
potential for making new discoveries and the focus of the Company
in the coming months . Forward-looking information is often, but
not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek",
"anticipate", "plan", "progress", "confirms", "continue",
"planned", "expect", "expectations", "expand", "enhanced",
"increasing", "optimize", "project", "predict", "potential",
"supports", "targeting", "intends", "believe", "improved",
"potential", and similar expressions, or describes a "goal", or
variation , of such words and phrases or state that certain
actions, events or results "may", "should", "confirms", "could",
"would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved.
Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future
performance and is based upon a number of estimates and assumptions
of management at the date the statements are made including, among
others, assumptions about future prices of gold and other metal
prices, currency exchange rates and interest rates, favourable
operating conditions, political stability, obtaining governmental
approvals and financing on time, obtaining renewals for existing
licences and permits and obtaining required licences and permits,
labour stability, stability in market conditions, availability of
equipment, accuracy of any mineral resources, successful resolution
of disputes and anticipated costs and expenditures. Many
assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the
control of PureGold and there is no assurance they will prove to be
correct.
Such forward-looking information, involves known
and unknown risks, which may cause the actual results to be
materially different from any future results expressed or implied
by such forward-looking information, including, risks related to
liquidity and the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern;
mine closure and rehabilitation; failure to achieve estimates or
material increases in costs; history of net losses and negative
operating cash flow, indebtedness; interpretation of results at the
PureGold Mine complex, including reserve and resource estimates may
prove to be incorrect; changes in project parameters as plans
continue to be refined; current economic conditions; future prices
of commodities; possible variations in grade or recovery rates; the
costs and timing of the development of new deposits; failure of
equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; the failure of
contracted parties to perform; the timing and success of
exploration and development activities generally; delays in
permitting; possible claims against the Company; the timing of
future economic studies; labour disputes and other risks of the
mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals,
financing or in the completion of exploration as well as those
factors discussed in the Annual Information Form of the Company
dated March 30, 2022 in the section entitled "Risk Factors", under
PureGold’s SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.
Although PureGold has attempted to identify
important factors that could cause actual actions, events or
results to differ materially from those described in
forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause
actions, events or 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 statements.
PureGold disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise
any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise unless required by law.
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