B2Gold Corp. (TSX: BTO, NYSE AMERICAN: BTG, NSX: B2G) ("B2Gold" or the "Company") announces an update for the Goose Project in Nunavut, Canada. All dollar figures are in United States dollars unless otherwise indicated.
Goose Project Update
A significant bulk sampling and test pits program has recently been completed at Impact Minerals Limited’s (ASX:IPT) flagship Lake Hope High Purity Alumina (HPA) project located 500 km east of Perth in Western Australia. The program is a critical component of the Pre-Feasibility Study on Lake Hope, which is currently underway following a positive Scoping Study on the project that indicated the project may be the lowest-cost producer of HPA globally by a significant margin (ASX Release 9th November 2023).
Impact has the right to earn an 80% interest in the Lake Hope project by completing the Pre-feasibility Study (ASX Release 21st March 2023).
A total of 5.5 tonnes of material was collected from twenty-five bulk samples taken from test pits across West Lake and East Lake, which host the alumina deposit at Lake Hope. The deposit contains a resource of 3.5 million tonnes at 25.1% alumina (Al2O3) for a contained 880,000 tonnes of alumina, of which about 88%, or about 775,000 tonnes of alumina, is in the higher confidence Indicated Resource category (ASX Release 19th June 2023).
Impact confirms that no new information exists, and all modifying factors remain the same as at the time of the first publication of the resource.
In addition, earthworks for access tracks and drill pads for water bores for groundwater monitoring were also completed.
Managing Director Dr Mike Jones said: “This bulk sampling program marks another significant milestone in our journey towards the production of High Purity Alumina (HPA) from Lake Hope and caps off a very busy and successful nine months since acquiring the rights for this exceptional project.
In that time, we have completed a maiden resource statement, obtained heritage clearance from the Ngadju First Nations people, completed most of the first phase of metallurgical test work using the unique Playa One sulphate process, and completed a Scoping Study. The results of that study were outstanding and demonstrated the potential of Lake Hope to produce HPA at a cost much less than any other supplier globally, and this has given us the confidence to progress the pre-feasibility study aggressively. The bulk samples will set us up for the forthcoming stages of development, which will include the commissioning of a mini-pilot plant once the initial test work is completed.
Our focus for 2024 will be to complete the PFS, which will include setting up the mini-pilot plant and, in particular, producing HPA in bulk for potential customers and off-take partners. As part of this strategy, we have already started reaching out to key groups in the battery and LED market, and the demand is there. We look forward to a watershed year for Lake Hope, Impact and its shareholders”.
About the Bulk Sampling and Earthworks Program
Impact commissioned Pinnacle Site Services to undertake an earthwork and bulk sampling program. A backhoe was used to refurbish the existing access track to the site, construct access tracks to the lakes and a drill pad for a water monitoring bore.
A total of 5.5 tonnes of aluminous mud was collected from 25 pits, 13 from West Lake and 12 from East Lake (Table 1 and Figure 1). Ground conditions during excavation of the lake surfaces were excellent, with the mud hard, dry and easily dug. Groundwater was absent in most excavations, likely due to the dry summer conditions, which emulate the three-yearly summer mining campaigns proposed in the Scoping Study (ASX Release 9th November 2023).
A number of the sample sites were left open for geotechnical studies on the performance of the mud with respect to slope stability and groundwater levels, both of which will be monitored over the next 12 months before rehabilitation.
These ground-disturbing activities were enabled after successful Aboriginal Culture and Archaeological surveys were completed in July with the Ngadju Native Title group (ASX Release 27th July 2023). The survey identified no sites of cultural or archaeological significance, which is critical for Impact lodging a Mining Lease Application.
Update on the Pre-Feasibility Study
Impact has continued to progress the Preliminary Feasibility Study on Lake Hope.
The Baseline Flora and Fauna Survey data collection process is complete, with a final report due early in Q1 2024. Once received, the results will be used to finalise the location of mining lease boundaries and infrastructure corridors. A Mineralisation Report, a critical requirement of a mining lease application, has been completed, and the application will be lodged as soon as practicable in Q1 2024.
The metallurgical test work has progressed to final purification testing, with preliminary results expected in January 2024 (Stages 4 and 5 of the Playa One Sulphate Process, ASX Release 18th October 2023). Design of the by-product circuit and re-design of acid and reagent handling strategy is underway to investigate options for reduced capital and energy costs. A comprehensive test work regime is under design to inform a mini-pilot plant configuration, with quotes being sought.
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This article includes content from Impact Minerals, 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.
Impact Minerals (ASX:IPT) is an exploration and development mining company focused on discovering and developing new resource projects within Australia. Lake Hope, a recent transformational acquisition by the company and its current flagship asset, is a high-purity alumina (HPA) project in Impact’s home territory of Western Australia, a tier-one jurisdiction.
This advanced-stage project allows the company to fast-track the asset toward development, firmly establishing the company on the road to production and increasing shareholder value.
HPA is a high-value product with various uses in several industries that are key to the transition to a low-carbon world. Its main uses are in LED lighting, micro-LED screens, and ceramic-coated separators in lithium-ion batteries. Both these markets are forecast to grow dramatically over the next decade, and a looming supply shortage is predicted for 2026.
HPA is also necessary for producing synthetic sapphire and scratch-resistant glass. With these ever-widening applications for HPA, demand for this resource is expected to grow from US$3.18 billion to US$12.21 billion by 2030 with a compounded annual growth rate of about 20 percent.
Lake Hope is the company’s current focus as it moves towards production, and where a very shallow, high-grade resource of HPA precursor material has been identified in the top two meters of a dry salt lake. The deposit has unique physical and chemical properties that will allow for inexpensive digging and mining, with transportation to a processing facility off-site in an established industrial area. This will accelerate the approvals processes required to get into production.
Impact is currently focused on lodging a mining lease application. The company aims to bring Lake Hope, which contains almost 1 million tons of potential HPA, into production when the forecast average price for 4N HPA (99.99 percent AL203) and related products is about US$20,000 per ton. The ‘4N’ designation indicates the purity grade, making it suitable for high-tech end uses.
Outstanding economics from the latest scoping study released by the company shows Lake Hope’s potential to be the lowest-cost producer of HPA globally by up to 50 percent.
In June 2023, Impact announced a maiden mineral resource estimate (MRE) of 3.5 million tons at 25.1 percent alumina (Al2O3) for a contained 880,000 tons of alumina. The company also received heritage clearances for the entire Lake Hope deposit further de-risking the project and providing another critical component in the company’s application for a mining lease.
Impact completed a bulk sampling and test pits program at the Lake Hope project in December 2023. The company recently announced a key milestone having produced HPA greater than 99.99 percent (4N) purity from the metallurgical processing of lake clays acquired from Lake Hope.
In February 2024, a new proprietary metallurgical process for producing HPA from the lake clays was identified. Impact produced 99.99 percent (4N) Al2O3 from a low-temperature leach (LTL) process. The LTL process may lower the capital and operating costs to produce HPA compared to the sulphate process which underpinned the recent scoping study. The LTL process will be included in the ongoing pre-feasibility study in parallel with the sulphate process at marginal extra cost to determine the best processing route to HPA. The PFS is due to be completed on schedule in late 2024.
A comparison of the LTL process and the sulphate process
The company received a significant research and development refund of $753,000 from its exploration activities completed in the financial year ending June 30th, 2022. The company is well funded to finance the pre-feasibility study at the Lake Hope High Purity Alumina project and exploration activities at the Arkun battery minerals project.
Impact Minerals was also one of the inaugural cohort of seven companies selected to be part of the prestigious BHP Xplor program. BHP Xplor, an accelerator program introduced by BHP in August 2022, is designed to help provide participants with the opportunity to accelerate their growth and the potential to establish a long-term partnership with BHP and its global network of partners.
The BHP Xplor funding was used to identify new target areas for copper and other energy metals around the Broken Hill area in New South Wales, eastern Australia, where Impact has been quietly adding to its ground position for several years.
Additionally, the company is exploring its large Arkun battery metals project, also in Western Australia which covers nearly 2,900 square kilometres. Three new exploration licence applications were submitted recently immediately north of the Arkun project along trend from the recently discovered REE soil geochemistry anomalies at Hyperion, Swordfish and Horseshoe, and the Caligula copper anomaly. These anomalies require drill testing which will occur in 2024 and is an exciting development in the emerging mineral province of southwest WA.
A strong management team with over 50 years of combined industry experience leads the company. With a mining and exploration geology degree, Dr. Mike Jones, managing director, launched a long career consulting and leading mining organizations. Peter Unsworth, the non-executive chairman, has more than 35 years of experience in multiple financial sectors, such as securities industries and wealth management. Paul Ingram, a non-executive director, has led several mining companies since 2003. Impact Minerals has the experience and expertise to lead the company to success.
Impact Minerals’ Lake Hope HPA project is in Western Australia, a tier-one mining jurisdiction. HPA is a crucial component in many new and emerging technologies, creating ongoing demand for high-grade sources. The Lake Hope project has become the company’s flagship as it moves toward production.
The scoping study was underpinned by a sulphuric acid process allowing the company to achieve a new milestone by producing HPA with purity of more than than 99.99 percent (4N) from the metallurgical processing of lake clays acquired from Lake Hope. The company further identified a new proprietary metallurgical process for producing HPA from the lake clays. Known as the low-temperature leach (LTL) process, this also produced 99.99 percent (4N) Al2O3 and has the potential to lower even further the capital and operating costs to produce HPA compared to the sulphate process. The LTL process will be included in the ongoing pre-feasibility study along with the sulphate process to determine the best processing route to HPA. The PFS is due to be completed in late 2024.
The Broken Hill project has a significant land position of 815 square kilometers and hosts multiple targets with the potential for high-grade copper. Broken Hill is located in New South Wales, Australia, an area known for its prolific silver-lead-zinc mining operations and the giant Broken Hill deposit.
The Arkun project is a 2,900-square-kilometer nickel, copper and gold project located in the emerging Ni-Cu-PGE province near the world-class Julimar Ni-Cu-PGE deposit and surrounded by Anglo American Corporation, which secured its ground holding shortly after Impact secured its asset. Anglo-American is one of the world’s top ten mining companies, and their presence in the region brings confidence in the project’s potential.
Peter Unsworth, formerly a chartered accountant, has over 35 years of experience in the corporate finance, investment and securities industries and a wealth of management experience with public and private companies. A former executive director with a leading Western Australian stockbroking company, Unsworth has been a director of several public exploration and mining companies. He recently completed a long time serving as chairman of the Western Australian Government-owned Gold Corporation (operator of The Perth Mint). Unsworth is the founding chairman of Impact Minerals.
Dr. Mike Jones is the founding managing director of Impact Minerals Limited, which was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in November 2006. Reporting to the board of directors, he is responsible for the company's performance as it moves towards production at its Lake Hope High Purity Alumina Project and also for implementing strategies to explore and maximize the value of the company's other extensive tenement holdings.
Since listing, he has helped raise more than $60 million to help fund the exploration of Impact’s projects and managed the company through significant adverse events, including the global financial crisis and the Fukushima nuclear disaster, which affected Impact’s considerable investment in the uranium sector, a five-year global downturn in the mining sector and more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic.
Paul Ingram is a geologist with extensive experience managing major mineral exploration programs for several publicly listed companies and has been involved in the mining sector for over thirty years. He has designed and implemented innovative techniques for exploration in remote areas and has managed projects in countries throughout Australia and East Asia. Ingram has been a director of the following listed companies in the past three years: Polo Resources from January 2008 to January 2011; A-Cap Resources since June 2009; Consolidated Global Investments since September 2006; Caledon Resources from February 2003 to March 2008; and Australian Pacific Coal since March 2011.
Dr. Frank Bierlein is a geologist with 30 years of experience as a consultant, researcher, lecturer and industry professional. Bierlein has held exploration and generative geology management positions with QMSD Mining, Qatar Mining, Afmeco Australia and Areva NC, and consulted for, among others, Newmont Gold, Resolute Mining, Goldfields International, Freeport McMoRan, and the International Atomic Energy Agency. He is currently a non-executive director of PNX Metals. He was previously a non-executive director of Gold Australia NL and chaired the advisory board of a Luxembourg-based private equity fund between 2014 and 2021.
Australian gold producer Catalyst Metals (ASX:CYL,OTC Pink:CTYMF) provided its latest three year production guidance and an update on its group ore reserve estimate on Wednesday (September 11).
Its ore reserves now total 1 million ounces of gold, representing growth of 105 percent in the last 12 months. This increase has allowed the company to boost its annual output guidance to 200,000 ounces, up from 100,000 ounces.
Catalyst states that because of the infrastructure it has available, increasing its gold production will require pre-production capital of only AU$31 million over the course of 18 months.
The funds will be used across three separate mine developments: Plutonic East, K2 and Trident. Each development will occur after the other, with Plutonic being transitioned from a remnant mine to a new one.
In addition, Catalyst is planning a AU$25 million exploration campaign for its 2025 fiscal year. Work will centre on resource drill outs for Plutonic East, K2 and Trident, with the goal of extending their lives to five years with annual gold production of more than 20,000 ounces each. The company will also drill out nine new in-mine areas at Plutonic.
Furthermore, Catalyst will spend AU$7 million on a reverse-circulation exploration program at the Plutonic belt's Overthrust and Cinnamon corridors. This will be aimed at generating more resource targets.
“The Plutonic gold belt is an attractive exploration opportunity with the very real possibility of a significant discovery. The historically fractured and foreign ownership of Plutonic has led to a considerable lack of exploration along the belt,” said James Champion de Crespigny, managing director and CEO of Catalyst.
Catalyst generated AU$54 million in free cashflow in its 2024 fiscal year, with cash and bullion of AU$44 million today.
Looking forward to its 2025 fiscal year, Catalyst said it is forecasting gold output of 105,000 ounces to 120,000 ounces, with that amount rising to a range of 145,000 ounces to 165,000 ounces the year after that. During its 2027 fiscal year, the company sees production rising to 180,000 to 220,000 ounces of the yellow metal.
By that time, output will be coming from Plutonic underground, Plutonic East, K2, Trident underground and Henty.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Antilles Gold Limited (“Antilles Gold” or the “Company”) (ASX: AAU, OTCQB: ANTMF) is pleased to advise that the metallurgical test work undertaken by BGRIMM Technology on the gold-arsenopyrite concentrate to be produced by the La Demajagua open pit mine in Cuba, has been completed.
BGRIMM, which is a leading Chinese engineering group specialising in the design and construction of roasters to oxidise refractory gold concentrate, carried out the test work over a 9 month period to demonstrate the technical viability and design parameters for a processing facility that will include a two-stage fluidised-bed roaster, an acid plant and CIL circuit to produce a gold doré, and a separate leach circuit to recover antimony from the gold-arsenopyrite concentrate before roasting.
BGRIMM’s report will be translated from Mandarin to English for inclusion in a new Scoping Study for the expanded La Demajagua project. A summary of recoveries and processing consumables has been provided in English. The attached Memorandum from JJ Metallurgical Services Inc dated 12 September 2024 describes the test work undertaken on the La Demajagua gold-arsenopyrite concentrate by BGRIMM Technology, the anticipated antimony and gold recoveries, and the estimated annual antimony production.
POTENTIAL ANNUAL ANTIMONY PRODUCTION (9 YEAR LoM) (refer Note 1 below)
Payables of 57% of the prevailing antimony price (currently ~US$26,000/t) have been offered for the combined antimony contained in a blended silver-gold-antimony concentrate delivered to a northern Chinese port.
Antimony is a critical mineral with widespread industrial and technological uses with supply constraints and growing demand. The price of antimony recently doubled after China announced future restrictions on exports of the strategic metal.
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This article includes content from Antilles Gold, 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.
Lion Selection Group Limited (Lion, the Company) is pleased to announce it has been able to increase its participation in the $24M equity fundraising announced by Brightstar Resources Limited (Brightstar, ASX:BTR) on 2 August 20241. Lion announced its commitment to invest $4.3M in this fundraising on 2 August 20242 and has recently provided an increased commitment for a further $1.5M, taking Lion’s total investment via the deal to $5.8M.
Lion’s increased participation is to be settled in tranche two of the placement, expected to take place in mid-September following a general meeting of Brightstar shareholders.
Lion Chief Executive Officer Hedley Widdup said: “Brightstar is already one of our largest investments; Lion strongly grew its holding via the placement announced in August and is pleased to add to this position. The market is valuing gold producers at a large premium versus gold explorers and developers. Brightstar is a company that, in our eyes, has a genuine proposition to bridge that gap; to become a gold producer without taking on excessive finance or hedging, with a strong organic growth pipeline.”
Brightstar Resources – short pathway to production, and strategy to apply cash flow to fund growth
Brightstar has established gold resources at Laverton and Menzies, which are the subject of a feasibility study at present and feature a combined Mineral Resource of 1.46Moz of gold grading 1.6g/t3. A scoping study released in September 20234 contemplated gold production commencing via processing of Brightstar ores at regional process facilities, and the resultant cash flow enabling the rejuvenation of Brightstar’s own process plant near Laverton.
Consolidation and acquisition of Sandstone project
Consolidation and acquisition of ground containing established gold Resources via the Alto and Gateway projects at Sandstone introduces an additional established Resource position of 1.5Moz grading 1.5g/t5. Brightstar intends to undertake an aggressive drilling effort at Sandstone where there is scope to materially increase the resource estimate with focussed exploration.
Result – large gold inventory with a strong growth pathway
The resultant Brightstar will have a pro-forma combined gold resource of 3.0Moz5, between three key projects at Menzies, Laverton and Sandstone. The announced capital raising1 positions Brightstar to be strongly funded, and the strategy to commence production via ore sales or toll treatment is expected to generate cash flows that can support growth. The combination of this strategy and newly consolidated large mineral resource inventory presents the potential to go on to become a large gold producer.
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This article includes content from Brightstar 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.
Brightstar Resources Ltd (ASX: BTR) (Brightstar) is pleased to announce it has executed a significant drill-for-equity agreement with Topdrill Pty Ltd (Topdrill) which complements the existing arrangement and underpins the strong working relationship between Brightstar and Topdrill.
HIGHLIGHTS
Brightstar’s Managing Director, Alex Rovira, commented
“We are pleased to expand materially upon the strong relationship with Topdrill and the existing drill-for-equity agreement, which aligns with our strategic ambition of partnering with tier 1 industry partners as we seek to genuinely build a WA-focused gold exploration, development and production business in a rising gold price environment.
The significant investment offers a cost-effective approach to enhance our aggressive exploration plans across Brightstar’s growing gold project portfolio and demonstrates Topdrill's confidence in Brightstar’s team, Brightstar’s assets and development plan of organically growing gold production to become a material, multi-asset producer in Western Australia.
It is fantastic to see Topdrill’s commitment to not only Brightstar, but a number of emerging ASX-listed WA gold exploration companies with promising projects. This funding assistance, against the backdrop of continuing challenging equity capital markets, to effectively enable companies to drill more holes and discover more gold, is great to see and has a meaningful benefit to the junior exploration sector. Brightstar applauds Tim Topham and the team for this approach to working with the junior resources sector to enable more exploration and potential discoveries in WA.
Figure 1- Brightstar Board of Director in front of two Topdrill drilling rigs at the Fish deposit (Jasper Hills) in August. Board (L-R): Richard Crookes, Andrew Rich, Alex Rovira, Jonathan Downes, Ashley Fraser
Brightstar is currently completing a +30,000m RC and DD drilling program across the Company’s Menzies and Laverton asset base, with the drilling expected to complete in September. Results from these programs, both infill and extensional in nature, will be used in future Mineral Resource Estimate upgrades and will feed into Brightstar’s definitive feasibility study underway.
Subject to the successful completion of the Gateway Mining Ltd and Alto Metals Ltd transactions, expected for completion in September and November respectively, Brightstar anticipates mobilising a drill rig for infill and extensional drilling programs across the Gum Creek and Sandstone properties to advance the projects meaningfully towards mining studies and ultimate commercialisation of the significant mineral resource endowment.
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This article includes content from Brightstar 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.
B2Gold Corp. (TSX: BTO, NYSE AMERICAN: BTG, NSX: B2G) ("B2Gold" or the "Company") announces an update for the Goose Project in Nunavut, Canada. All dollar figures are in United States dollars unless otherwise indicated.
Goose Project Update
Goose Project Development
B2Gold recognizes that respect and collaboration with the Kitikmeot Inuit Association ("KIA") is central to the license to operate in the Back River Gold District and will continue to prioritize developing the project in a manner that recognizes Inuit priorities, addresses concerns, and brings long-term socio-economic benefits to the Kitikmeot Region. B2Gold looks forward to continuing to build on its strong collaboration with the KIA and Kitikmeot Communities.
As previously announced, an additional three months of mining was added to the schedule to ensure that the Umwelt open pit, underground development and crown pillar activities align and that there is significant tailings storage capacity in the Echo open pit. With the schedule change, the mill is expected to start wet commissioning in the second quarter of 2025 with ramp up to full production in the third quarter of 2025. The Company continues to estimate that gold production in calendar year 2025 will be between 120,000 ounces and 150,000 ounces. Importantly, the updated mining schedule does not impact the total number of gold ounces the Company expects to produce over the life of mine of the Goose Project. The updated production profile has resulted in the Company estimating that average annual gold production from 2026 to 2030 will be approximately 310,000 ounces per year.
B2Gold successfully completed the 2024 WIR campaign and has delivered all necessary materials from the MLA to complete the construction of the Goose Project. All planned construction that is necessary to produce gold by the end of the second quarter of 2025 has been completed and project development remains on schedule. The key construction items that were completed this summer include:
Development of the open pit and underground remain the Company's primary focus to ensure that adequate material is available for mill startup and that the Echo pit is available for tailings placement. Mining of the Echo pit is meeting production targets and is anticipated to be ready to receive tailings when the mill starts. The underground mine remains on schedule for commencement of production by the end of the second quarter of 2025.
Back River Gold District Exploration Initiatives
The Back River Gold District, located in Nunavut, Canada, comprises of mining leases and claims covering approximately 58,734 hectares. There are five mineral claims blocks on the 80 kilometer ("km") belt, the most advanced of which is the Goose Project, which is the Company is currently constructing. The Goose Project consists of five known deposits with existing mineral resources, Umwelt, Llama, Goose, Echo and Nuvuyak, which occur along a strike length of 8 km. The Company believes that exploration upside exists on all known deposits that are open at depth, as well as several zones of interest that remain largely untested within the footprint of the favorable host stratigraphy.
A significant goal of the Back River Gold District exploration budget of $28 million in 2024 is enhancing and growing the significant resource base at the Goose Project and surrounding regional targets. A total of 25,000 meters of drilling is ongoing, targeting extensions of the Llama and Umwelt deposits, the largest and highest-grade resources at the Goose Project. In addition to drilling, deep-imaging geophysical methods are ongoing in order to improve the Company's ability to target new underground resources in areas such as Nuvuyak, Goose Neck and Kogoyak. Regional exploration including geophysics and mapping is being undertaken on the George, Boot, Boulder and Del projects.
Goose Project Update - Conference Call Details
B2Gold executives will host a conference call to discuss the results on Friday, September 13, 2024, at 8:00 am PT / 11:00 am ET.
Participants may register for the conference call here: registration link . Upon registering, participants will receive a calendar invitation by email with dial in details and a unique PIN. This will allow participants to bypass the operator queue and connect directly to the conference. Registration will remain open until the end of the conference call. Participants may also dial in using the numbers below:
The conference call will be available for playback for two weeks by dialing toll-free in the U.S. and Canada: +1 (855) 669-9658, replay access code 1237377. All other callers: +1 (412) 317-0088, replay access code 1237377.
About B2Gold
B2Gold is a low-cost international senior gold producer headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Founded in 2007, today, B2Gold has operating gold mines in Mali, Namibia and the Philippines, the Goose Project under construction in northern Canada and numerous development and exploration projects in various countries including Mali, Colombia and Finland. B2Gold forecasts total consolidated gold production of between 800,000 and 870,000 ounces in 2024.
Qualified Persons
Bill Lytle, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, a qualified person under NI 43-101, has approved the scientific and technical information related to operations matters contained in this news release.
ON BEHALF OF B2GOLD CORP.
"Clive T. Johnson"
President and Chief Executive Officer
Source: B2Gold Corp.
The Toronto Stock Exchange and NYSE American LLC neither approve nor disapprove the information contained in this news release.
Production results and production guidance presented in this news release reflect total production at the mines B2Gold operates on a 100% project basis. Please see our Annual Information Form dated March 14, 2024 for a discussion of our ownership interest in the mines B2Gold operates.
This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation, including: projections; outlook; guidance; forecasts; estimates; and other statements regarding future or estimated financial and operational performance, gold production and sales, revenues and cash flows, and capital costs (sustaining and non-sustaining) and operating costs, including projected cash operating costs and AISC, and budgets on a consolidated and mine by mine basis; future or estimated mine life, metal price assumptions, ore grades or sources, gold recovery rates, stripping ratios, throughput, ore processing; statements regarding anticipated exploration, drilling, development, construction, permitting and other activities or achievements of B2Gold; and including, without limitation: remaining well positioned for continued strong operational and financial performance in 2024; projected gold production, cash operating costs and AISC on a consolidated and mine by mine basis in 2024; total consolidated gold production of between 800,000 and 870,000 ounces (including 20,000 attributable ounces from Calibre) in 2024, with cash operating costs of between $835 and $895 per ounce and AISC of between $1,420 and $1,480 per ounce; B2Gold's continued prioritization of developing the Goose Project in a manner that recognizes Indigenous input and concerns and brings long-term socio-economic benefits to the area; the Goose Project capital cost being approximately C$1,190 million and the net cost of open pit and underground development, deferred stripping, and sustaining capital expenditures to be incurred prior to first gold production being approximately C$350 million and the cost for reagents and other working capital items being C$330 million; the Goose Project producing in excess of 310,000 ounces of gold per year from 2026 to 2030; and the potential for first gold production in the second quarter of 2025 from the Goose Project. All statements in this news release that address events or developments that we expect to occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, although not always, identified by words such as "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "project", "target", "potential", "schedule", "forecast", "budget", "estimate", "intend" or "believe" and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could", "should" or "might" occur. All such forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made.
Forward-looking statements necessarily involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond B2Gold's control, including risks associated with or related to: the volatility of metal prices and B2Gold's common shares; changes in tax laws; the dangers inherent in exploration, development and mining activities; the uncertainty of reserve and resource estimates; not achieving production, cost or other estimates; actual production, development plans and costs differing materially from the estimates in B2Gold's feasibility and other studies; the ability to obtain and maintain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for mining activities; environmental regulations or hazards and compliance with complex regulations associated with mining activities; climate change and climate change regulations; the ability to replace mineral reserves and identify acquisition opportunities; the unknown liabilities of companies acquired by B2Gold; the ability to successfully integrate new acquisitions; fluctuations in exchange rates; the availability of financing; financing and debt activities, including potential restrictions imposed on B2Gold's operations as a result thereof and the ability to generate sufficient cash flows; operations in foreign and developing countries and the compliance with foreign laws, including those associated with operations in Mali, Namibia, the Philippines and Colombia and including risks related to changes in foreign laws and changing policies related to mining and local ownership requirements or resource nationalization generally; remote operations and the availability of adequate infrastructure; fluctuations in price and availability of energy and other inputs necessary for mining operations; shortages or cost increases in necessary equipment, supplies and labour; regulatory, political and country risks, including local instability or acts of terrorism and the effects thereof; the reliance upon contractors, third parties and joint venture partners; the lack of sole decision-making authority related to Filminera Resources Corporation, which owns the Masbate Project; challenges to title or surface rights; the dependence on key personnel and the ability to attract and retain skilled personnel; the risk of an uninsurable or uninsured loss; adverse climate and weather conditions; litigation risk; competition with other mining companies; community support for B2Gold's operations, including risks related to strikes and the halting of such operations from time to time; conflicts with small scale miners; failures of information systems or information security threats; the ability to maintain adequate internal controls over financial reporting as required by law, including Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; compliance with anti-corruption laws, and sanctions or other similar measures; social media and B2Gold's reputation; risks affecting Calibre having an impact on the value of the Company's investment in Calibre, and potential dilution of our equity interest in Calibre; as well as other factors identified and as described in more detail under the heading "Risk Factors" in B2Gold's most recent Annual Information Form, B2Gold's current Form 40-F Annual Report and B2Gold's other filings with Canadian securities regulators and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which may be viewed at www.sedar.com and www.sec.gov, respectively (the "Websites"). The list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect B2Gold's forward-looking statements.
B2Gold's forward-looking statements are based on the applicable assumptions and factors management considers reasonable as of the date hereof, based on the information available to management at such time. These assumptions and factors include, but are not limited to, assumptions and factors related to B2Gold's ability to carry on current and future operations, including: development and exploration activities; the timing, extent, duration and economic viability of such operations, including any mineral resources or reserves identified thereby; the accuracy and reliability of estimates, projections, forecasts, studies and assessments; B2Gold's ability to meet or achieve estimates, projections and forecasts; the availability and cost of inputs; the price and market for outputs, including gold; foreign exchange rates; taxation levels; the timely receipt of necessary approvals or permits; the ability to meet current and future obligations; the ability to obtain timely financing on reasonable terms when required; the current and future social, economic and political conditions; and other assumptions and factors generally associated with the mining industry.
B2Gold's forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management and reflect their current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date hereof. B2Gold does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change other than as required by applicable law. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that any events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do, what benefits or liabilities B2Gold will derive therefrom. For the reasons set forth above, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements.
For more information on B2Gold please visit the Company website at www.b2gold.com or contact: Michael McDonald VP, Investor Relations & Corporate Development +1 604-681-8371 investor@b2gold.com Cherry DeGeer Director, Corporate Communications +1 604-681-8371 investor@b2gold.com
News Provided by GlobeNewswire via QuoteMedia
Positive progress on the development of Ora Gold’s (ASX:OAU) Crown Prince project is a key factor in Argonaut Securities’ recent equity research report issuing a speculative buy recommendation for Ora Gold.
“OAU is making steady progress on its Crown Prince development targeting first production towards the middle of next year. Once in production, we expect Crown Prince to be a high-margin, open-pit operation with a ~2-year mine-life,” the report said,
The report also noted the potential for extending the mine life given recent “encouraging exploration results” at Crown Prince.
“We make a slight price target increase to $0.019 ($0.018 prior) and maintain our speculative buy recommendation,” the report said. The valuation is modeled based on Ora Gold entering production in the second quarter of 2026, with a small but high-grade open pit mine returning cash flows.
Crown Prince (JORC 2012) Mineral Resource Estimate
The project’s prospects are further de-risked by the ore purchase agreement with Westgold (ASX:WGX), the report said.
For the full analyst report, click here.
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