お知らせ • Jul 25
Ecora Resources PLC Announces Acquisition of Royalty over Vizcachitas Project
Ecora Resources PLC announced Acquisition of Royalty over Vizcachitas Project. The Vizcachitas Project (Vizcachitas Project, Vizcachitas or the Project) is a copper-molybdenum porphyry deposit located in central Chile. Tetra Tech Sudamérica S.A. (Tetra Tech) was commissioned by Los Andes Copper Ltd. (Los Andes Copper or the Company) to prepare this Technical Report (TR) at the Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) level. The PFS for the Vizcachitas Project considered copper, molybdenum and silver prices of USD 3.68/lb Cu, USD 12.90/lb Mo and USD 21.79/troy ounce Ag, resulting in the Mineral Resources presented in Table 1.1, Mineral Reserves presented in Table 1.2, key Project financial metrics presented in Table 1.3 and summarized cash flows presented in Table 1.4. Copper contributes 88% to the net revenue followed by molybdenum with 10% and the balance being silver credits in copper concentrate. Tetra Tech was commissioned by Los Andes Copper to prepare a TR for the Vizcachitas Project the standards required by Canadian National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101). The capital cost estimates in this report are in line with Association for Advancement of Cost Engineering International (AACEI) guidelines for a Class 4 study, with an accuracy range of +/-25%. This TR, with an Effective Date of February 20, 2023, reports the first estimate of Mineral Reserves. A previous Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) was completed in June 2019. The most significant changes in this report compared to the 2019 PEA are: The initial Proven and Probable Reserves of 1.22 billion tonnes at 0.36% copper, 136 ppm molybdenum, 1.1 g/t silver, which equates to a copper equivalent (CuEq) grade of 0.40% (Proven Reserves of 302 million tonnes at 0.41% copper, 135 ppm molybdenum, 1.2 g/t silver; and Probable Reserves of 917 million tonnes at 0.34% copper, 136 ppm molybdenum, 1.1 g/t silver). Increase in Measured and Indicated Resources by 16% to 14.8 billion lb CuEq (Measured Resources of 2.605 billion lb copper, 84 million lb molybdenum and 11 million oz silver, and Indicated Resources of 10.416 billion lb of copper, 442 million lb of molybdenum, and 43 million oz of silver) and increase of Inferred Resources by 130% to 15.4 billion lb CuEq (13.747 billion lb copper, 495 million lb molybdenum, 55 million oz silver). Initial Life of Mine (LOM) of 26 years producing 8.763 billion lb copper, 273.3 million lb molybdenum and 32.7 million oz silver, based on a new plant design with a mill throughput of 136,000 tpd and a LOM annual average production of 152,883 t of Cu. A USD 2.776 billion after-tax net present value (NPV) using an 8% discount rate and an internal rate of return (IRR) of 24.2% at USD 3.68/lb copper, USD 12.9/lb molybdenum and USD 21.79/oz silver, with an estimated initial capital cost of USD 2.44 billion, a construction period of 3.25 years and a payback period of 2.5 years from initial production. Use of desalinated water, eliminating the need to draw on continental water. Using dry stacked filtered tailings reduces water consumption by approximately 50% and eliminates the need for a tailing dam, minimizing seismic and environmental risks. Use of high pressure grinding roll (HPGR) technology, reducing power consumption by approximately 25% from the previous design. Scope 1 CO2 emissions are projected to be 1.02 h CO2e/t CuEq, and Scope 2 emissions are projected to be 0. Project Description and Location: Vizcachitas is located at 32° 24' 27" S and 70° 25' 30" W in the Andes Mountains, Chile. The UTM coordinates at the centre of the property are 366.000mE 6.413.500mN. (Datum WGS84). The Project is located approximately 150 km northeast of Santiago, Chile and 46 km north-east of Putaendo, San Felipe Province (Figure 1.1). Of the total distance between the Project and Santiago, approximately 125 km is paved, and 25 km is unimproved dirt and gravel roads. The Project includes 52 mining exploitation concessions covering a surface area of 10,771 ha and 175 exploration concessions covering a surface area of 48,600 ha. All concessions have been granted or are in the process of being granted by the court of Putaendo. Compañía Minera Vizcachitas Holding (CMVH) and Sociedad Legal Minera San José Uno de Lo Vicuña, El Tártaro y Piguchén de Putaendo (SLM San José), both wholly-owned subsidiaries of Los Andes Copper, hold favourable and valid title deeds to the mining concessions above. Accessibility, Climate, Local Resources, Infrastructure and Physiography: There is year-round access to the Vizcachitas Project using a four-wheel drive vehicle, currently subject to sporadic interruptions following spring storms or run-off when excessive flow in the Rocín River prevents crossing the river. The weather is warm and temperate with 6 dry months from late spring to fall (November to April). Average precipitation is about 300 mm per year and falls mostly as rain or snow between April and October. Summer temperatures vary from a few degrees above zero at night to 35°C during the day. Winter temperatures vary between 0°C and 15°C. The relatively low elevation and favourable climate allow year-round exploration, drilling and operation. The Project is in the Andes Mountains, with elevations ranging from less than 1,800 masl to more than 3,400 masl, with an average elevation of around 1,950 masl. Vegetation consists of shrubs and trees of low to moderate height, which mainly grow in the bottom of the valley near the river.