Serabi Gold plc (AIM: SRB) (TSX: SBI) (TSX: SBI.WT), the Brazilian
focused gold exploration and development company, advises that at
11.00 am today (UK time), it will be holding its Annual General
Meeting.
The following is the text of the statement that will be made by
T. Sean Harvey, Chairman of the Company:
"This time last year we set out our exploration plans, following
the successful listing of the Company's shares on the main board of
the TSX stock exchange. That listing enabled the closing of a $10M
share placement, which saw our cornerstone investor, Eldorado,
continue to support Serabi's endeavours. During 2011 we undertook
an aggressive mine-site exploration around our 660,000oz (gold
equivalent) Palito gold resource, with the objective of discovering
additional gold deposits in the immediate vicinity of the Palito
mine. Our initial target has been to increase the Company's
existing total mineral resource inventory to 1.5 million ounces and
the close proximity of the targets that we have been investigating
means that it should be possible for any additional mineral
resource inventory to be incorporated into the existing Palito
production infrastructure.
The Board has been very pleased with the results, which exceeded
our expectations. The programme, which drew to a close at the end
of 2011, both within budget and on schedule, comprised the
successful execution of an airborne geophysical survey, follow-up
ground geophysics and geochemistry and culminated in over 12,000m
of surface discovery diamond drilling.
Gold mineralisation was encountered in seven of the nine targets
drilled with the key discoveries being made at Piaui, Palito South
and Currutela. Perhaps most significantly the discovery at
Currutela, whilst encouraging in itself, also opened up the strong
possibility, which is further supported by the drilling undertaken
at Palito South, of strike continuity between the Palito resource
and Curretela, which lies some two kilometres to the south east of
Palito. If this potential is confirmed it would give rise to a
mineralised zone approaching some four kilometres in length.
However, over the last year the markets have not been supportive
of smaller exploration companies and while our exploration success
has been acknowledged, we have found that, unlike the past, such
success has not been reflected in the share price at a time when
the gold price continues to be very buoyant.
Our strategy has been and remains to focus on resource growth,
with a commitment to increasing the resource base at Palito,
concentrating initially on the recent mine site discoveries. What
has always differentiated Serabi from its junior gold exploration
peers is its established infrastructure, resources and necessary
permits to commence production activities within a relatively short
time frame. We have been unwilling in the past to consider a
restart of production until we had clear evidence of the future
growth potential of the immediate mine-site area which is
fundamental to being able to grow the Company's future
production.
The success of the 2011 exploration work has given the Board the
confidence that there is sufficient potential resource growth to
justify restarting production and to use this organic cash flow to
finance the future exploration requirements. After a positive 'in
house' assessment, the Board took the decision to commission a
Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") on re-establishing gold
production at Palito. NCL Ingenieria y Construccion SA ("NCL") were
retained as the competent person to undertake this study, The
headline results were published last week and in summary, the PEA
shows strong economic viability at $1400/oz gold, with a payback
period of less than two years and returning an after tax cash-flow
of approximately $11M per annum.
The Directors believe that the results support a small scale
90,000 tpa operation using selective mining techniques and the
Board intends, subject to financing, to undertake the necessary
mine development and remedial works as soon as possible with the
intention of the first gold being produced in the third quarter of
2013. The PEA has considered only the previously declared mineral
resource estimates for the Palito gold mine and does not consider
any additional resources that could be developed from the three
discovery areas, established in 2011, of Palito South, Currutela
and Piaui, which could, in time, provide incremental
production.
The focus on both high-grade quality ounces through the
introduction of selective mining and the use of an experienced
mining contractor with a proven track record in these types of
deposits are key to the success of the project, and at current gold
prices the operation is a very attractive proposition. With the
benefit of significant existing infrastructure already in place,
the capital requirements are relatively modest and an initial
capital estimate of US$17.8 million is considered by NCL to be
sufficient to see the mine into full production during the latter
half of 2013. We are further encouraged that the PEA only considers
30% of the existing total mineral inventory. In addition, with
historic plant capacity more than double the projected PEA
production rate, an opportunity exists in the future to increase
plant throughput further to take ore feed from new satellite
deposits.
The cash flow generated will be used to fund the Company's
exploration and in so doing insulate the Company going forward from
the need to periodically look to its shareholders and the capital
markets for future finance, which as we all appreciate, is
dilutive. Slightly further afield we will continue to use our
well-established systematic exploration approach to explore the
rest of our JDO tenement.
Whilst we will concentrate on organic growth, we will continue
to look at the acquisition of new projects which fit the Company's
profile. Within the Tapajos there exist opportunities that we feel
could be value-enhancing and add to our production base. These will
help to diversify risk and capitalise on the technical and
operational expertise that we will establish at Palito.
The Board considers that it is establishing an excellent
platform from which to develop and which will allow Serabi to
transition from an explorer into a developer, and then a modest
producer, without compromising our strategy to pursue near-term
growth at our Tapajos assets.
Finally, I would like to extend my welcome and great thanks to
Mr. Christopher Kingsman who joined the Board of Directors late
last year. Christopher's support and presence as a cornerstone
investor over the last two and a half years has been instrumental
in helping Serabi to reach this point.
The next year or so promises to be an exciting time for the
Company with the prospects of an operational start-up and continued
mine-site exploration achieving further resource growth. I hope
that our work will be rewarded with the necessary milestones being
reached and some good exploration results which will in turn allow
us to build on the initial mining operations." Copies of this
release are available from the Company's website at www.serabigold.com
Forward-looking statements This press
release contains forward-looking statements. All statements, other
than of historical fact, that address activities, events or
developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will
or may occur in the future (including, without limitation,
statements regarding the estimation of mineral resources,
exploration results, potential mineralization, potential mineral
resources and mineral reserves) are forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are often identifiable by the use of
words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", may", "could",
"would", "might" or "will", "estimates", "expect", "intend",
"budget", "scheduled", "forecasts" and similar expressions or
variations (including negative variations) of such words and
phrases. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of
risks and uncertainties, many of differ materially from those
discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could
cause actual results or events to differ materially from current
expectations include, among other things, without limitation,
failure to establish estimated mineral resources, the possibility
that future exploration results will not be consistent with the
Company's expectations, the price of gold or copper and other risks
identified in the Company's most recent annual information form
filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities on
SEDAR.com. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date
on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable
securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to
update any forward-looking statement.
Qualified Persons Statement The scientific
and technical information contained within this announcement has
been reviewed and approved by Michael Hodgson, CEO of the Company.
Mr. Hodgson is an Economic Geologist by training with over 25
years' experience in the mining industry. He holds a BSc (Hons)
Geology, University of London, a MSc Mining Geology, University of
Leicester and is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals
and Mining and a Chartered Engineer of the Engineering Council of
UK, recognizing him as both a Qualified Person for the purposes of
Canadian National Instrument 43-101 and by the AIM Guidance Note on
Mining and Oil & Gas Companies dated June 2009
Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange, nor any other securities
regulatory authority, has approved or disapproved of the contents
of this news release.
Enquiries SERABI GOLD plc Michael Hodgson Chief Executive
t +44 (0)20 7246 6830 m +44 (0)7799 473621 Clive Line Finance
Director t +44 (0)20 7246 6830 m +44 (0)7710 151692 e
contact@serabigold.com www.serabigold.com BEAUMONT CORNISH
Limited Nominated Adviser Roland Cornish t +44 (0)20 7628 3396
Michael Cornish t +44 (0)20 7628 3396 FOX DAVIES CAPITAL Ltd UK
Broker Simon Leathers t +44 (0)20 3463 5010 Jonathan Evans t
+44 (0)20 3463 5010
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