Bear Creek Expects Updated Feasibility Study for Corani in Q1 2015

Bear Creek Mining Corp. (TSXV:BCM) released an update on progress on the updated feasibility study for its Peru-based Corani silver-lead-zinc deposit, noting that it’s expected to be released by the end of the current quarter.

As quoted in the press release:

The updated FS will establish an optimized reserve focusing on return on investment within a mine plan utilizing current metal price expectations, and optimized processing and construction designs that will lessen the project footprint. The updated FS is expected to produce significant savings in CapEx allowing a cushion for ramp-up and working capital requirements not included in the 2011 study.

Modifications will include the following:

• Testing has established that dry-stacking of the tailings is feasible, entirely eliminating the need for a conventional tailings dam. A significant CapEx reduction is expected as the tailings dam facility in the previous FS was $95M. Sustaining CapEx will also significantly decrease as tailings dam lifts will be eliminated. As a result of now utilizing filtration, OpEx is expected to remain constant or slightly increase.
• As a result of eliminating the tailings dam, the ‘South fresh water’ dam and storage facility are no longer required, which represented a $30M CapEx in the 2011 FS.
• Back filling of the pit with tailings beginning in approximately Year 5 will further reduce OpEx.
• Re-sizing of the crusher and SAG mill is expected to reduce CapEx while maintaining the through-put capacity at 22,500 tpd.

Click here to read the full Bear Creek Mining Corp. (TSXV:BCM) press release.