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Assays up to 63g/t Gold and 3.2% Copper Highlight Immense Exploration Upside
Proceeds of successful capital raising will help fund follow up work to refine drilling targets
Labyrinth Resources Limited (ASX: LRL) (‘Labyrinth’ or ‘the Company’) is pleased to report highly promising gold and copper assays from soil sampling and rock chips at its Comet Vale Project in WA (see Figure 1).
More than 500 soil samples and 11 rock chip samples were collected. These results, combined with historic data, have defined several compelling drilling targets outside the mine area at Comet Vale.
In July 2024, Labyrinth entered into an option to acquire 100% of the property from Sand Queen Gold Mines Pty Ltd (‘SQGM’). The additional 49% interest has been the key to commencing dedicated exploration activity. Labyrinth intends to use some of the proceeds of its recent successful capital raising to undertake further exploration work with the aim of refining the targets ahead of a drilling campaign.
Figure 1. Regional location of Comet Vale Project.
Labyrinth Chief Executive Jennifer Neild said: “We have strategically positioned ourselves in the prolific Goldfields region of Western Australia, with proven gold assets that have the potential for further high-grade mineralisation.”
“These assays are indicative of this potential. We are seeing cohesive trends in both primary and associated indicator elements. The overlap of these anomalies have added weight to positions of interpreted faults and have established several high priority target areas.”
“We now have extensive data that Comet Vale may host a large mineralised system with areas of high-grade gold and potentially copper.”
Details of sampling results:
The two campaigns of soil sampling were the first full geochemical analysis completed at Comet Vale. On the eastern side of the highway, a small number of rock chips were taken to support mapping observations. Many of the higher grades exist around Long Tunnel Prospect, where shallow tungsten and gold workings exist. It is unknown the extent of activites, refer to Table 2 for a summary.
- High Au, Cu, Co, Ag and Ni rock chips (Table 1) included:
- 63.1g/t Au, 3.27 % Cu and 59g/t Ag (SE of Long Tunnel);
- 13.9g/t Au, 0.35% Cu and 0.36 % Ni (South of Long Tunnel);
- 2.62g/t Au in a 3m wide, N-S quartz reef, within porphyry and ultramafic schist (Figure 6);
- 2.10g/t Au, 17.57% Fe and 1.14% S (gossan SW of Long Tunnel); and
- 0.25% Cu, 0.38% Ni, 0.04% Co and 1.4g/t Ag (New gossan, chalcopyrite and bornite sighted).
- “Golden Triangle” - High Au, Cu and W are concentrated at the cross-section of the Rambo Trend and Long Tunnel/Lake View Shear/Quartz Reef (see Figure 2 and Table 2 for description of Long Tunnel).
- Geochemistry suggests late NE trending faults are a control on mineralisation. Potentially focusing 2nd generation Au bearing veins along these later structures causing wide, intercepts of mineralisation (see Figure 2 and Figure 3).
- Several samples of elevated lithium (>100ppm) proximal to Lake View/Long Tunnel trend (see Figure 7). More anomalies may exist, but sampling of Lithium was limited to this sampling program and not historic data.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Labyrinth Resources, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Ore Purchase Agreement with Westgold Resources Unlocks Gold Production from Crown Prince
New Murchison Gold Limited (ASX: NMG) (“NMG” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a binding agreement with Big Bell Gold Operations Pty Ltd (BBGO), a wholly-owned operating subsidiary of Westgold Resources Limited (ASX: WGX, TSX: WGX, OTCQX: WGXRF) (Westgold) in relation to the purchase of gold ore from the Crown Prince deposit.
HIGHLIGHTS
- New Murchison Gold (NMG) and Westgold Resources (Westgold) have entered into an Ore Purchase Agreement (OPA) which will underpin production from NMG’s Crown Prince deposit near Meekatharra, Western Australia in 2025.
- Subject to final regulatory permitting, under the OPA, NMG will commence mining from a new open pit operation at Crown Prince with a targeted commencement date of mid-2025.
- Ore will be hauled 33km by road to the Bluebird Gold Processing Plant, part of Westgold’s Murchison Gold Operations at Meekatharra.
- Ore will be sold to Westgold in several parcels (Ore Parcels) totalling 30-50kt per month with each Ore Parcel certified for grade, moisture and recovery from sampling at the Crown Prince site and a recovery factor agreed for each mining bench from test work replicating the Bluebird Mill circuit.
- The OPA has no fixed term although NMG envisages that most of Crown Prince ore is likely to be processed in an “Initial Period” which runs over the first 24 months of the agreement. Thereafter ore tonnages are to be agreed on a rolling three-month basis once production forecasts have been completed by NMG and Westgold has confirmed mill availability.
- Westgold will purchase ore from NMG based on contained gold in each Ore Parcel at the prevailing AUD gold price in the month the Ore Parcel is collected (minus processing costs and a capital recovery charge). Westgold must promptly collect Ore Parcels that are available for collection.
- The OPA is subject to shareholder approval (Listing Rule 10.1 requirement) at a general meeting of NMG shareholders to be held in late January or early February 2025.
- NMG and Westgold have also entered into an ancillary agreement (Licence and Access Water Discharge Deed) which facilitates NMG’s potential dewatering requirements at Crown Prince.
Alex Passmore, NMG’s CEO commented: "We are very pleased to announce the Ore Purchase Agreement with Westgold as it sees both companies working together to support the development of NMG’s Crown Prince deposit in a capitally efficient manner.
We see this Agreement as beneficial to all shareholders with Westgold acquiring additional high grade oxide ore feed to supplement its Meekatharra operations and NMG transitioning to a producer for modest capital.
The Bluebird Processing Plant owned by Westgold is ideal for NMG due to its close proximity and well-matched metallurgical process. We believe the robust frameworks and protocols we have put in place in this Agreement aligns both operational teams to a common goal of maximizing operational efficiency.
We thank the Westgold team for the technical and commercial work that has led to this Agreement and look forward to working collaboratively in making the development of Crown Prince a success”
Crown Prince is located to the north of Meekatharra, around 33km via road to the Bluebird Gold Processing Plant (Bluebird) owned and operated by BBGO. Westgold and NMG have been working collaboratively on the OPA to manage technical risks and to share economic synergies which are available via the partnering of production from the Crown Prince deposit and milling at Bluebird.
Key Terms of the OPA are outlined in the Table below and will be explained fully in a Notice of Meeting to be sent to NMG shareholders in December. The NMG shareholder meeting is likely to be held in late January or early February 2025. As a result of Westgold’s 18.7% ownership of NMG, it is deemed a related party under the ASX Listing Rules and so the OPA includes a condition precedent of NMG obtaining shareholder approval under Listing Rule 10.1.
BDO Corporate Finance Australia Pty Ltd (BDO) has been engaged to provide an opinion and Independent Expert’s Report to accompany the Notice of Meeting to assist shareholders in their considerations of whether or not to approve the OPA moving into operation.
Should the conditions precedent be met (shareholder approval) the OPA will come into effect with NMG expecting mining approvals to be received in early April 2025. Once mining operations commence, and ore stockpiles are built up, it is anticipated that first Ore Parcel sales will occur in September 2025.
The company is working towards an ore reserve estimate to provide further detail on the economics of the project which is to be released shortly.
Plan of Access and Water Infrastructure - Crown Prince
Authorised for release to ASX by the Board of New Murchison Gold Limited.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from New Murchison Gold Limited, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Gold Price Forecast: Top Trends That Will Affect Gold in 2025
The gold price saw incredible momentum in 2024, gaining almost 30 percent during the period.
As the start of 2025 approaches, the world is facing a great deal of uncertainty. Several regions are experiencing geopolitical instability, and a new US president could bring further chaos to an already fragile global economy.
What does this mean for gold, and what should investors expect in the new year?
How will Trump affect the gold price in 2025?
A key question for investors is how Donald Trump's second term will affect gold.
Trump’s campaign promises included lower taxes, the introduction of broad tariffs on foreign goods and sweeping immigration reforms that would result in the deportation of millions of undocumented laborers.
Economists widely view his promises as inflationary. They come at a time when the US and global economies are still recovering from high inflation caused by COVID-19, and could cause a delay in lowering interest rates.
While gold is viewed as an inflation hedge, high interest rates imposed by central banks over the past three years have pushed investors toward interest-bearing assets like bonds; meanwhile, gold based-products have seen outflows.
The US Federal Reserve is expected to pause rate cuts in 2025, with analysts speculating that it’s taking a wait-and-see approach to the effects that Trump’s policies will have on the US economy.
In an email to the Investing News Network (INN), Lobo Tiggre, CEO of IndependentSpeculator.com, noted that investor sentiment still reflects uncertainty about what this means.
“People could get so optimistic about Trump’s 'pro-growth' agenda that investors start deploying more of the mountain of cash they’re sitting on ... but Elon and Vivek going to Washington with Milei’s chainsaw could scare markets,” he said.
David Barrett, CEO of EBC Financial Group UK, also expressed uncertainty to INN.
“Trump likes to keep the opposition, domestic or foreign, on edge. His unpredictability is his weapon of choice. Looking at some of his administration picks and the potential clash with the Federal Reserve, I suspect taking a hard view on sentiment for 2025 is not a wise game for now,” he said via email.
Barrett suggested that investors hold some money on the sidelines until they can determine how Trump’s presidency begins and whether his return lives up to his pre-election promises, especially regarding conflicts overseas.
Geopolitical pressures in play for gold
Trump’s return to the White House is just one of the geopolitical situations that could affect gold in 2025.
In 2024, ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe influenced the price of gold, most notably when Russian President Vladimir Putin floated the possibility of a nuclear escalation in November.
Tiggre noted that flareups tend to drive gold, but the effects are usually temporary and revert back to trend.
“Fortunately, that trend is currently upward. I suppose that if Trump could actually end the war in Ukraine in a day, there might be a bit less safe-haven demand, but I don’t believe he can," he explained.
"So even if gold retreats after each successive scare, there’s no real downside for gold here."
However, Tiggre added that if one of the conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine or even Taiwan were to escalate into a direct military conflict between major world powers, it would likely send gold “screaming” upward.
Central banks still a key driver for gold
The last few years have been characterized by strong central bank buying of gold.
Asia, the Middle East and some Eastern European countries are leading the way. Although not all countries report their purchases, the ones that do are carefully tracked by the World Gold Council.
Although there appeared to be a slowdown in central bank buying in the middle of the year, Joe Cavatoni, senior market strategist, Americas, at the World Gold Council, said it rebounded strongly at the end of 2024.
"In October, we saw a rebound in central bank buying, with 60 metric tons of net purchases; this was the highest monthly amount reported year-to-date, at a time when the gold price was still making gains,” he said.
Looking forward to 2025, Cavatoni said he expects central banks to still be a major driver for the price of gold even though the metal is priced near all-time highs. “This continued interest reaffirms gold’s role as a strategic asset that goes beyond the price to manage risks and diversify reserves,” he said.
In comments to INN, Julia Kandoshko, CEO of European brokerage firm Mind Money, echoed a similar sentiment.
“The growing share of India and the Middle East in global GDP has an additional impact on the demand for gold, especially given the increasing use of gold as a reserve in these areas,” she said.
The scale of central bank purchases has provided gold with a critical support structure, and has also fueled speculation that the precious metal may be used to back an alternative reserve currency to the US dollar.
Barrett suggested this trend has been ongoing for the past 15 years.
He said central banks have been net buyers of gold since 2010 at about 7,000 metric tons. As the ultimate buy-and-hold participant, their activity has not only removed significant supply from the market, but has also contributed to current market conditions, which have made gold attractive to a wide audience.
Gold M&A activity lagging despite price strength
Tiggre expressed surprise at the lack of deals in the gold space given current high prices.
“The larger players simply have not made enough discoveries. If they don’t want to mine themselves out of existence, they’re going to have to buy more of the companies that have done the work,” he said.
Kandoshko echoed this sentiment, saying mergers are a means for larger companies to access exploration projects, expand reserves and optimize costs. She believes 2024's higher prices could pave the way for deals in 2025.
Barrett believes mergers haven’t happened for a myriad of reasons, chiefly that the price of gold hasn’t reached the level to overcome the economic factors that have driven industry costs over the last several years.
“I suspect the main reason is the massive rise in production costs and higher interest rates … labor, energy and raw materials have all risen significantly,” he said. The implication is that higher returns have yet to be realized — gold miners still haven't overcome higher operating costs due to today's economic situation.
Investor takeaway
Central banks are expected to continue supporting the gold price in 2025; however, with Trump entering office, his policies could pull gold in different directions. It may be hard for investors to know what to do.
Cavatoni suggested that a strong US economy and lower deficit under Trump would push the dollar higher, leading to investors seeking to add riskier assets to their portfolios. “If this is what develops as a reaction to Trump’s mandate, it would be supportive to gold allocations as a safe haven,” he said.
For her part, Khandoshko sees gold maintaining its upward momentum, saying she sees the metal increasing to US$2,800 in the next six months and rising to US$3,000 at some point during the new year.
Although reluctant to make a prediction, Tiggre also believes gold will trend higher in 2025.
“How much higher? It is hard to say, but a real all-time-high of just under US$3,500 is less than 35 percent higher than where we are today. That seems doable,” he said.
If gold continues moving up, it could give gold companies the boost they need and could create new opportunities for investors who have been taking a wait-and-see approach.
Maybe more than ever, 2025 is bringing political and economic uncertainty that could see strategies compete between pursuing riskier equities or adding more exposure to gold through bullion or gold-backed products.
The smart play may be to not jump into 2025 headfirst and instead take some time to see how key situations develop through the first part of the year.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: Riverside Resources, Ramp Metals and Rua Gold are clients of the Investing News Network. This article is not paid-for content.
The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.
Affiliate Disclosure: The Investing News Network may earn commission from qualifying purchases or actions made through the links or advertisements on this page.
Rick Rule and Friends Give Investors the “Gift” of Stock Picks in New Orleans
While prices for key metals have been moving this year, many resource sector investors have been disappointed that mining stocks haven't performed as strongly as they would have hoped in these circumstances.
During the popular mining share panel at the New Orleans Investment Conference, moderator and well-known resource sector investor and speculator Rick Rule invited the panelists to offer insights on the cause of this discrepancy, which has raised questions about market fundamentals and the true drivers of valuation in the sector.
The group, made up of Nick Hodge, Brien Lundin, Lawrence Lepard, Lobo Tiggre and Jennifer Shaigec, also discussed when the tide may turn for mining stocks and which companies they are investing in or watching.
When will mining stocks catch up to metals prices?
Kicking off the discussion, Rule, who is the proprietor at Rule Investment Media, asked the panelists if the discrepancy between metals prices and the performance of mining stocks will end — and if so, when and why.
Nick Hodge, publisher at Digest Publishing, was first to weigh in, saying, “Yes, it will."
As for when, Hodge anticipates more balance in mining shares once “the everything bubble ends.”
He explained that many assets, including tech stocks like the Magnificent 7, are overvalued, causing many of these assets to outperform the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX).
“I think once you get a — I don't want to say crash — once you get a sort of reckoning, a popping of the everything bubble, everything sort of resets," Hodge told the audience.
Lawrence Lepard, managing director Equity Management Associates, suggested the disjointment between metals prices and stock performances is the result of skepticism about current gold and silver projections.
“You look at Bloomberg, you look at the projections — everyone thinks gold is going back to US$2,000 (per ounce), they don't think this move is real,” he said. “We all know it's going to US$3,000 to US$5,000 and that has to change.”
Gold has sat firmly above the US$2,000 level since February, setting a record of US$2,788.54 in October.
For Lepard, the cynical view that gold will retreat is affecting sentiment. Additionally, concerns about rising all-in sustaining costs squeezing miners' margins is adding to the uncertainty.
In terms of a time frame, Lepard echoed Hodge’s position that a major reset is close.
“We're very close to this everything bubble bursting. I think they're going to probably try and pop the bubble to screw (Donald) Trump. I would expect that in the next six months, things are going to change dramatically in this area."
Gold Newsletter editor Brien Lundin thinks there is a different underlying factor contributing to the imbalance.
“There is a discrepancy, but it's more perception than reality,” said Lundin, who also hosts the New Orleans Investment Conference. “If you look at the ratios, the mining stocks, at least judged by the major indexes, have generally outperformed gold, just not as much as we would have expected given the movement in metals.”
He then pointed to the large gold purchases central banks have made in 2024.
“That move in the metals, though, was instigated by central banks buying hand over fist for the first couple of months of the move,” said Lundin. “And central banks don't buy mining stocks.”
According to data from the World Gold Council, by the end of Q3, global central banks had purchased 694 metric tons of gold since the start of the year. Leading the buying were India, Turkey and Poland.
Next in line to answer Rule’s query was Jennifer Shaigec, principal at Sandpiper Trading.
She reiterated Hodge’s “everything bubble bursting” as a catalyst for mining stocks to move.
“Given all the insider sales we've seen from people like (Jeff) Bezos, and Warren Buffet sitting on a big pile of cash, that tells me it's probably imminent,” she told the conference crowd.
“I think there's just a lot of disbelief right now that this move in gold is real … even the base metals (like) copper went up and went back down,” Shaigec added. “There's so much uncertainty on a geopolitical basis that it's going to take some of that to kind of settle in. And I think that could be a little while yet.”
For Shaigec, President-elect Trump’s inauguration is “going to answer a lot of questions for people,” and will likely serve as the tipping point for some of the aforementioned activity.
Lobo Tiggre, CEO of IndependentSpeculator.com,argued that gold stocks are already moving, but “with a caveat.” While there was an expectation that they would move at US$2,500 gold, that's not what happened.
“I think what it took was actually US$2,800 (gold), and that was so far above what anybody thought at the time,” he said, noting that the VanEck Gold Miners ETF (ARCA:GDX) is a poor performance indicator.
“The GDX, it's an ETF, it's defined by size, not quality,” said Tiggre. “(Because) it has some high performers, some low performers, the average number is not real. It's not going to tell you what's going on.”
He continued, “(At) US$2800, you started to see the higher-quality stuff, not just the big producers, but even the juniors — if there is such a thing as a high-quality junior — they really responded. We started seeing hockey sticks.”
Tiggre went on to highlight that for stock pickers, the momentum may already be underway, with the market experiencing a correction phase that’s part of a recurring cycle. The expectation is that these patterns of rise and correction will persist, signaling that while some of the movement has happened, further gains are likely ahead.
Bull market trajectory and top investment themes
Rule then turned to what trajectory a bull market in precious or industrial metals will take.
Overall, the panelists agreed that the traditional progression — where metals prices move first, followed by major producers and down the chain to juniors — will still play out, but perhaps with deviations.
Hodge noted that human nature hasn't changed, so the psychology of investors gravitating to the biggest names first may still hold true. However, he said the rise of "meme stocks" in mining could disrupt the normal trajectory.
Shaigec pointed out that the majors have been paying down debt and accumulating cash, which could lead to more acquisitions of promising development projects. This could light the junior sector on fire.
For their part, Lundin and Lepard both suggested that silver stocks may jump ahead of the typical order, outperforming as investors start to recognize that the white metal is in a true bull market.
Tiggre took a slightly contrarian view, arguing that the discrepancy between metals prices and mining equities has already been addressed for higher-quality companies.
Moderator Rule also asked the panelists for their favorite commodity to express in the equities market.
Tiggre underscored the “pre-production sweet spot” as his favourite investment thesis.
“It's developers,” he said. “But like real developers — you have a construction decision, you have the money, you have the permits. You're going to build a mine.”
Shaigec highlighted two themes, the first being the exciting opportunities that may emerge from drill plays, particularly as new discoveries have declined by 80 percent over the past 15 years.
This depletion of reserves is likely to drive major mining companies to seek fresh resources urgently, creating a significant push for exploration and reserve replacement efforts.
She then spoke about jurisdiction, pointing to the “incredible value to be found in Peru.”
“There's a lot of really exciting projects that have strong management teams in Peru. So that's kind of my favorite theme right now, I'm pretty heavily invested in that country,” said Shaigec.
Taking a more macro view, Lundin spoke about the growing relevance of optionality plays in mining.
“Basically, you buy cheap resources when they're out of favor in the ground and the metals prices aren't enough to justify their development. So you're gaining leverage on a rise in metals prices,” he said.
“(The hope is) that metals prices will rise enough that those ounces in the ground suddenly become economic and therefore very valuable — much more valuable than they were.”
Lepard’s favorite investment thesis is picking companies with strong corporate governance.
“My one thing would be good management,” said Lepard. “This industry is a very tough industry, and there are a million ways to lose money. I found them all. I really have.”
Lastly, Hodge drove home the importance of share structure. “Structure allows you to weather the storm. No matter what the theme is, no matter what the commodity is, the share structure really matters,” he said.
He also suggested that integration of technology could underpin a strong investment thesis.
Hodge explained that the mining industry is rapidly using advanced technology to adapt to new demands and regulations. Innovations like Ceibo’s “clean copper” technology, already adopted by Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTC Pink:GLCNF), and advances from companies like Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) are reshaping the sector.
“You know, there's going to be battery passports required to be able to track all this stuff. I think that's really going to have to be one of the components of how you look at these mining companies,” said Hodge.
Stock picks from Hodge, Lepard, Lundin and Shaigec
To end the discussion, Rule asked the panelists for a favor.
“I'm a highly competitive person, and I really want this panel to be what everybody thinks is the most important product at the New Orleans Investment Conference,” he said. "In order for that to happen, we've got to give these folks a gift.”
Rule then asked the participants to provide some stock picks for the audience.
For Hodge, Mexico-focused silver company Kingsmen Resources (TSXV:KNG,OTCQB:KNGRF) has a share structure that he likes. He also mentioned Canadian lithium junior Q2 Metals (TSXV:QTWO), noting the company is on “a pretty robust lithium discovery" that may rival that of Patriot Battery Metals (TSX:PMET,OTCQX:PMETF).
Lepard kept it brief and started with Avino Silver & Gold Mines (TSX:ASM,NYSEAMERICAN:ASM), which he “loves.” He then referenced Banyan Gold’s (TSXV:BYN,OTCQB:BYAGF) “huge optionality” and “big deposit.”
Lundin praised the technical team at Relevant Gold (TSXV:RGC,OTCQB:RGCCF), noting that company has “high potential” due to its large percentage of an Abitibi-style district in Wyoming.
He also likes the drill results that Delta Resources (TSXV:DLTA,OTC Pink:DTARF) has been releasing.
Shaigec’s stock picks reflected her Peru-focused investment thesis.
“The first one is CopperEX (TSXV:CUEX),” she said. “One of the things I love about that story is it probably has the largest number of all stars on a team that I have seen assembled under one company name.”
Shaigec selected Coppernico Metals (TSX:COPR,OTCQB:CPPMF) as her second pick. Not only is she impressed by the company’s Sombrero project in Peru, but she also highlighted that several majors have invested in the company.
“(Coppernico) was just listed in August. And just prior to their listing, it was announced that Teck Resources (TSX:TECK.A,TSX:TECK.B,NYSE:TECK) is a strategic shareholder. They own 9.9 percent of the company, and Newmont (TSX:NGT,NYSE:NEM) owns over 6 percent," she said.
Keep an eye out for the rest of INN’s coverage from the New Orleans Investment Conference, including exclusive video interviews and full panel overviews.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Jp Cortez: Gold, Silver in Sound Money Renaissance, Bullish on Prices and Progress
Speaking to the Investing News Network, Jp Cortez, executive director at Sound Money Defense League, discussed the state of sound money in the US, honing in on key state-level victories this year.
He highlighted that seven states in the country passed various types of sound money legislation. Some removed taxes on precious metals, while others reaffirmed gold and silver as legal tender.
Utah went further, allowing for a US$180 million investment in gold to be stored on the state's balance sheet.
"We talk a lot about BRICS right now and de-dollarization, and there's so much talk about countries with an adversarial relationship to the US who are looking for alternatives," said Cortez.
"But if we look more closely, we'll see it's more than that. States themselves are also looking to de-dollarize — they're looking for an alternative to dollar-denominated investments. We're seeing that of course individuals, but (also) states, countries and international coalitions, seem to be coalescing around gold."
He also outlined areas of focus for 2025, saying he hopes to see more progress on ending sales taxes on precious metals.
Overall, Cortez is positive on advocacy efforts for sound money, as well as on gold and silver prices.
"I think we're seeing that sound money — gold and silver — is having a renaissance right now," he said.
Watch the interview above for more from Cortez on gold, silver and sound money. You can also click here to view the Investing News Network's New Orleans Investment Conference playlist on YouTube.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.
Lahontan Gold Announces Positive Preliminary Economic Assessment for Santa Fe
Lahontan Gold Corp. (TSXV:LG)(OTCQB:LGCXF)(the "Company" or "Lahontan") is pleased to announce results from a positive Preliminary Economic Assessment(" PEA") on its flagship Santa Fe Mine gold-silver project located in Nevada's prolific Walker Lane Trend. The PEA was prepared by Kappes, Cassiday & Associates ("KCA") of Reno, Nevada with mine planning and production scheduling contributions from RESPEC Company LLC ("Respec"), Reno, Nevada and mineral resource estimation by Equity Exploration Consultants Ltd. ("Equity"), of Vancouver, British Columbia, in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101").
PEA Highlights:
- Pre-tax Net Present Value at a 5% discount rate ("NPV5") of US$265.1 M with a 41.0% IRRwith an After-tax NPV5 of US$200.0 M with a 34.2% IRR utilizing a $2,705/oz gold price and a $32.60/oz silver price ("spot metal prices") (see spot metal price to base case metal price comparison in Table 1).
- Total Life-of-Mine ("LOM") Pre-tax net cash flow of US$373.3 M and After-tax net cash flow of US$288.9 M over a nine-year project life using spot metal prices.
- Total projected LOM revenue of US$930.8 M over a nine-year project life using spot metal prices.
- LOM strip ratio of only 1.54 (waste to mineralized material ratio).
- Estimated pre-production capital costs of US$135.1 M including a 20% contingency, with a payback of 2.9 years using spot metal prices.
Kimberly Ann, Lahontan Gold Corp Executive Chair, CEO, President, and Founder commented: "Lahontan is very excited about the results of the PEA: a low-capex, highly profitable mining project with a quick payback certainly bodes well for the future of Lahontan and all stakeholders. There is considerable potential to expand gold and silver resources, therefore this is just the first step in restarting mining operations at Santa Fe. With mine permitting well under-way, targeting a 2026 mine ground-breaking, the potential for the Company to realize the economic outcomes outlined in the PEA is very real, especially given current trends in gold and silver prices. Continued optimization of the mine plan, resource expansion drilling, and refining the metallurgical flow sheet are planned for 2025, in parallel with our permitting activities."
The PEA is preliminary in nature, includes Inferred Mineral Resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as Mineral Reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The Company has not defined any Mineral Reserves at the Santa Fe Mine project.
Economic Sensitivities
Sensitivity of the project economics to metals prices is shown in Table 1, showing the base case metal prices used for the PEA, as well as a low case, a high case and the spot case.
Table 1: Santa Fe Project 2024 PEA Economics
Low Case | Base Case | High Case | Spot Case (1) | |
Gold Price (US$/oz) | 1,800 | 2,025 | 2,200 | 2,705 |
Silver Price (US$/oz) | 21.50 | 24.20 | 26.3 | 32.60 |
Net Revenue (US$) | 618.6 M | 696.2 M | 756.5 M | 930.8 M |
Pre-Tax NCF(2) (US$) | 65.0 M | 141.6 M | 201.2 M | 373.3 M |
Pre-Tax NPV5(3) (US$) | 21.7 M | 82.2 M | 129.2 M | 265.1 M |
Pre-Tax IRR(4) | 8.5% | 17.4% | 23.9% | 41.0% |
After-Tax NCF(2) (US$) | 47.8 M | 107.7 M | 154.1 M | 288.9 M |
After-Tax NPV5(3) (US$) | 8.7 M | 56.5 M | 93.3 M | 200.0 M |
After-Tax IRR(4) | 6.4% | 14.0% | 19.5% | 34.2% |
Payback Period(5) (years) | 5.1 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 2.9 |
(1) As of December 10, 2024
(2) NCF means net cash flow
(3) NPV5 refers to net present value at 5% discount rate
(4) IRR means internal rate of return
(5) Pre-production capital, excluding sustaining capital
Capital Costs
Capital costs for the project are summarized in Table 2. Capital costs associated with the mining operation were estimated by RESPEC and based on mining by contractor. Pre-stripping costs were based on the operating costs discussed below. Capital costs associated with processing such as crushing, heap leaching and metal recovery, along with support and infrastructure costs associated with laboratory, water and power distribution and general site services were estimated by KCA. Reclamation and closure costs of $12.5 M were estimated by KCA.
Table 2: Project Capital Costs
Pre-Production (US$ M) | LOM Sustaining (US$ M) | |
Mining | 2.5 | 0.8 |
Processing, Support & Infrastructure | 116.0 | 17.0 |
Owner's Costs | 5.3 | 0.0 |
Initial Fills | 0.5 | 0.0 |
Working Capital(1) | 10.7 | 0.0 |
TOTAL(2) | 135.1 | 17.8 |
- Working capital is credited in Year 9
- Values are rounded and may not sum perfectly
Operating Costs
Operating costs for the project are summarized in Table 3. Mining operating costs were estimated by RESPEC and based on estimated anticipated equipment hours and personnel requirements at a 25% markup for contractor rates. The off-road red-dye diesel fuel price in this estimate was assumed to be $0.74/L. All other operating costs were estimated by KCA and based on first principles on certain components where possible, such as reagent and power consumption, along with benchmarking with similar operations for other components, such as labor, maintenance and discretionary expenses
Table 3: Project Operating Costs
LOM Total (US$ M) | Per Tonne Processed ($/t) | |
Mining | 204.2 | 7.36 |
Processing | 138.7 | 5.00 |
Support & Infrastructure | 17.3 | 0.62 |
G&A | 35.8 | 1.29 |
TOTAL(1) | 402.5 | 14.28 |
(1) Values are rounded and may not sum perfectly
Mine Production Schedule
The PEA mine production schedule includes mining of leach material and waste for the Santa Fe, Calvada, Slab, and York deposits. Leach material was assumed to be sent to a centralized crushing plant and then stacked on a leach pad and the waste material was sent to designed waste rock storage facilities (WRSF) or used as partial backfill into the Calvada pit.
Because the Santa Fe Mine is a brown-field project, minimal pre-stripping is required to develop sufficient stockpiles to feed the crusher. The mine production schedule requires 2 months of preproduction which begins in the Santa Fe deposit. The Calvada deposit is started in year 2 and mined concurrently with Santa Fe. Calvada mining is followed by mining of Slab and York deposits.
The process schedule was developed with a ramp up of production from year 1 through year 3 to a full 4.56 million tonnes per year. Table 4 shows the process production schedule.
Table 4: Projected Production Summary
Year | Tonnes Processed (kt) | Gold Grade (g/t) | Silver Grade (g/t) | Gold Produced (koz) | Silver Produced (koz) | Gold Equivalent Produced(1) (koz) |
1 | 3,468 | 0.47 | 4.1 | 30.3 | 88.1 | 31.4 |
2 | 4,517 | 0.58 | 4.6 | 51.4 | 168.9 | 53.4 |
3 | 4,563 | 0.66 | 3.7 | 60.2 | 155.7 | 62.0 |
4 | 4,563 | 0.70 | 3.0 | 60.5 | 124.2 | 62.0 |
5 | 4,563 | 0.73 | 2.5 | 62.0 | 93.5 | 63.1 |
6 | 4,563 | 0.61 | 2.2 | 49.9 | 56.9 | 50.5 |
7 | 1,497 | 0.58 | 2.1 | 20.1 | 23.1 | 20.4 |
8(2) | 0 | 2.3 | 4.2 | 2.3 | ||
TOTAL(3) | 27,731 | 0.63 | 3.3 | 336.7 | 714.7 | 345.2 |
- Equivalent gold calculation is based on base case metal prices
- Residual leaching production only
- Values are rounded and may not sum perfectly
Table 5 shows the key production parameters for the mine and processing units used in the generation of the production and cash flow profiles.
Table 5: Key Mining and Processing Production Parameters
LOM | |
Mining | |
Total Waste Tonnes Mined (Mt) | 42.9 |
Total Processed Tonnes Mined (Mt) | 27.7 |
Total Tonnes Mined (Mt) | 70.6 |
Heap Recovery - Gold | |
Santa Fe Oxide | 71% |
Santa Fe Transition | 49% |
Calvada Oxide | 71% |
Calvada Transition | 45% |
Slab Oxide | 50% |
York Oxide | 60% |
York Transition | 45% |
Heap Recovery - Silver | |
Santa Fe Oxide | 30% |
Santa Fe Transition | 30% |
Calvada Oxide | 13% |
Calvada Transition | 0% |
Slab Oxide | 12% |
York Oxide | 0% |
York Transition | 0% |
Mining and Processing
The mineralized material will be mined by standard open-pit mining methods using a contractor-owned and operated mining fleet consisting of 92-tonne haul trucks and 11.5-m3 loading units and transported to the crushing circuit for processing.
Mineralized material from the Santa Fe, Calvada, Slab and York deposits will be processed by conventional heap leaching methods. The nominal processing rate will be 4.6 million tonnes per annum or 12,500 tonnes per day. Three-stage crushing of the material to 12.7 mm, will be followed by conveyor stacking on to a multi-lift heap leach pad. Dilute sodium cyanide solution will be applied to the heap, with the pregnant gold and silver-bearing solution effluent from the heap being processed in a carbon adsorption-desorption-recovery (ADR) plant. Gold and silver will be produced in the form of doré bars from the on-site smelting process.
Mineral Resource Estimation
The mineral resource estimate ("MRE") was prepared in accordance with the CIM Definition Standards and Canadian National Instrument NI-43-101. The effective date of the MRE prepared by Equity is October 9, 2024. The MRE is shown in Table 6.
Table 6: Project-wide Resources, Santa Fe Mine, Mineral County, Nevada
Notes to Table 6:
- Mineral Resources have an effective date of October 9, 2024. The Mineral Resource Estimate for the Santa Fe Mine was prepared by Trevor Rabb, P.Geo., of Equity Exploration Consultants Ltd., an independent Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.
- Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. Inferred Resources are considered too speculative geologically to have economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be classified as Mineral Reserves. An Inferred Mineral Resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that most of the Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration.
- Resources are reported in accordance with NI43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (BCSC, 2016) and the CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (CIM, 2014).
- Mineral Resources were estimated for gold, silver, and gold equivalent (Au Eq) using a combination of ordinary kriging and inverse distance cubed within grade shell domains.
- Mineral resources are reported using a cut-off grade of 0.15 g/t Au Eq for oxide resources and 0.60 g/t Au Eq for non-oxide resources. Au Eq for the purpose of cut-off grade and reporting the Mineral Resources is based on the following assumptions gold price of US$1,950/oz gold, silver price of US$23.50/oz silver, and oxide gold recoveries ranging from 45% to 79%, oxide silver recoveries ranging from 10% to 30%, and non-oxide gold and silver recoveries of 71%, mining costs for resource and waste of US$2.50/t, processing cost (oxide) US$3.49/t, processing cost (non-oxide) US$25/t.
- An optimized open-pit shell was used to constrain the Mineral Resource and was generated using Lerchs-Grossman algorithm utilizing the following parameters: gold price of US$1,950/oz gold, silver price of US$23.50/oz silver, and selling costs of US$29.25/oz gold. Mining costs for resource and waste of US$2.50/t, processing cost (oxide) US$3.49/t, processing cost (non-oxide) US$25/t, G&A cost US$1.06/t. Royalties for the Slab, York and Calvada deposits are 1.25%, and maximum pit slope angles of 50 degrees.
- Totals may not sum due to rounding.
Estimation Approach: Lithology and gold and silver bearing domains were modelled using Leapfrog 2024. These domains are mainly defined by logged jasperoid and limestone-breccia lithologies and continuity of gold grades above 0.1 g/t gold. Metallurgical domains for oxide, transition and non-oxide were modelled based on ratio of cyanide leachable gold assay values to fire assay gold values in addition to drillhole logs recording abundance of pyrite and oxidation intensity. Transition material represents approximately 35% of oxide tonnes and comes almost entirely from the Santa Fe deposit. Transition domain material is included in the oxide resource. Domains representing lithology, weathering and mineralization models were assigned to a block model with a block size of 5 m x 5 m x 6 m. Average bulk densities representative of the mineralization and lithology models were assigned to the block model and vary from 2.4 t/m3 to 2.6 t/m3.
Grade capping and outlier restrictions were applied to gold and silver values and interpolation parameters respectively. Top cut values for gold and silver were evaluated for each domain independently prior to compositing to 1.52 m lengths that honor domain boundaries. Estimation was completed using Micromine Origin with Ordinary Kriging (OK) and Inverse Distance cubed (ID3) interpolants. Blocks were classified in accordance with the 2014 CIM Definition Standards. The nominal drillhole spacing for Indicated Mineral Resources is 50 m or less. The nominal drillhole spacing for Inferred Mineral Resources is 100 m or less.
Prospects for eventual economic extraction were evaluated by performing pit optimization using Lerchs-Grossman algorithm with the following parameters: gold price of US$1,950/oz gold, silver price of US$23.50/oz silver, selling costs of US$29.25/oz gold. Mining costs for resource and waste of US$2.50/t, processing cost (oxide) US$3.49/t, processing cost (non-oxide) US$25/t, G&A cost US$1.06/t. Royalties for the Slab, York and Calvada deposits are 1.25%. Maximum pit slope is 50 degrees. Processing recoveries range from 45% to 79% for oxide, silver recoveries range from 10% to 30% for oxide and non-oxide gold and silver recoveries are 71%.
More information regarding the Santa Fe Mine project's MRE update is included in the NI 43-101 Technical Report titled Santa Fe Project Technical Report with an effective date of October 9, 2024, Report Date: November 27, 2024*.
Qualified Persons
The qualified persons are Kenji Umeno, P.Eng. of Kappes, Cassiday & Associates; Thomas Dyer, P.E. of RESPEC; Trevor Rabb, P.Geo. and Darcy Baker, P.Geo. of Equity Exploration Consultants Ltd. each of whom is an independent "Qualified Person" under NI 43-101. A technical report supporting the results disclosed herein will be published within 45 days. The effective date of the technical report will be December 10, 2024.
About Lahontan Gold Corp.
Lahontan Gold Corp. is a Canadian mine development and mineral exploration company that holds, through its US subsidiaries, four top-tier gold and silver exploration properties in the Walker Lane of mining friendly Nevada. Lahontan's flagship property, the 26.4km2 Santa Fe Mine project, had past production of 356,000 ounces of gold and 784,000 ounces of silver between 1988 and 1995 from open pit mines utilizing heap-leach processing (Nevada Division of Minerals, www.ndomdata.com). The Santa Fe Mine has a Canadian National Instrument 43-101 compliant Indicated Mineral Resource of 1,539,000 oz Au Eq(grading 0.99 g/t Au Eq) and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 411,000 oz Au Eq (grading 0.76 g/t Au Eq), all pit constrained (Au Eq is inclusive of recovery, please see Santa Fe Project Technical Report*). For more information, please visit our website: www.lahontangoldcorp.com
* Please see the Santa Fe Project Technical Report, Authors: Trevor Rabb, P. Geo, Darcy Baker, PhD, P. Geo., and Kenji Umeno, P. Eng., Effective Date: October 9, 2024, Report Date: November 27, 2024. The Technical Report is available on the Company's website and SEDAR+.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
Kimberly Ann
Founder, CEO, President, and Director
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Lahontan Gold Corp.
Kimberly Ann
Founder, Chief Executive Officer, President, Director
Phone: 1-530-414-4400
Email: Kimberly.ann@lahontangoldcorp.com
Website: www.lahontangoldcorp.com
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of Canadian and United States securities legislation, including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Forward-Looking statements in this news release relate to, among other things: the Company's strategic plans; the results of the PEA; the economic potential and merits of the Project; the estimated amount and grade of mineral resources at the Project; precious metals prices; the PEA representing a viable development option for the Santa Fe Mine project ("the Project"); the timing and particulars of the development phases as identified in the PEA; estimates with respect to LOM, operating costs, sustaining capital costs, capex, AISC, cash costs, LOM production, processing plant throughput, NPV and after-tax IRR, payback period, production capacity and other metrics; the estimated economic returns from the Project; mining methods and extraction techniques; the exploration potential of the Project and its inclusion in future mining studies.
These forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon several assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant operational, business, economic and regulatory uncertainties and contingencies. These assumptions include, among other things: conditions in general economic and financial markets; tonnage to be mined and processed; grades and recoveries; prices for silver and gold remaining as estimated; currency exchange rates remaining as estimated; reclamation estimates; reliability of the updated MRE and the assumptions upon which it is based; future operating costs; prices for energy inputs, labor, materials, supplies and services (including transportation); the availability of skilled labor and no labor related disruptions at any of the Company's operations; no unplanned delays or interruptions in scheduled production; performance of available laboratory and other related services; availability of funds; all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals for operations are received in a timely manner; the ability to secure and maintain title and ownership to properties and the surface rights necessary for operations; and the Company's ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive.
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. Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to delays or uncertainties with regulatory approvals, including that of the TSXV. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com
Omar Ayales: Gold, Silver, Juniors Have Explosive Upside — Not Being in Trade is Top Risk
Speaking to the Investing News Network, Omar Ayales of Gold Charts R Us discussed the outlook for gold from a technical perspective, saying that he sees the metal's price potentially peaking in 2026.
Gold's past performance indicates that it could reach US$4,000 per ounce during this cycle. He sees US$2,600 as a bullish support level for gold, with deeper support existing in the US$2,200 to US$2,300 range.
However, Ayales said there's no guarantee that the yellow metal will fall that low at this point.
"I think that we're going to see higher highs — I think the risk of not being in the move as it reaches a high is a lot more than the risk to the downside that you could experience at this moment," he explained.
Watch the interview above for more of Ayales' thoughts on what's ahead for gold, as well as silver. You can also click here to view the Investing News Network's New Orleans Investment Conference playlist on YouTube.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.
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