Manuka Resources

Maiden Ore Reserve – Wonawinta Silver Mine

Manuka Resources Limited (“Manuka” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce a Maiden Ore Reserve (under its ownership) of the Wonawinta Silver Mine (“Wonawinta” or the “Project”), located 80km due south of Cobar in New South Wales (Figure 1). The Ore Reserve and associated Implementation Plan provides the Company with a clear production pipeline and pathway toward a dual precious metals revenue stream from two operating assets in the Cobar basin, namely Mt Boppy Gold Mine and Wonawinta.


Highlights

  • The Wonawinta Silver Mine and Processing plant is a highly strategic asset located within the prolific Cobar Basin, NSW, and owned 100% by Manuka Resources Limited.
  • Wonawinta is the only primary silver Reserve in Australia with all mining approvals current and intact, and process plant fully constructed - Wonawinta was producing silver for Manuka as recently as late 2022.
  • Ore Reserve of 4.8Mt1 at 53.8g/t Ag containing 8.4Moz of silver comprising:
    • Proved Ore Reserves of 0.8Mt at 50.8g/t Ag; and
    • Probable Ore Reserves of 4.1Mt at 54.3g/t Ag.
  • Ore Reserve is based solely on shallow (<40m deep) oxide material.
  • Total Wonawinta Resource comprises 38.3Mt at 41.3g/t Ag for 51Moz of silver (ASX release 1 April 2021).
  • The Ore Reserve and associated Implementation Plan will be used to assess the potential to take Wonawinta out of active care & maintenance and recommence silver production.
  • Manuka is currently focused on the restart of a high-margin operation at its 100% owned Mt Boppy Gold Project located 50km east of Cobar and progressing approvals for its world-class vanadium rich irons sand project located in the Southern Taranaki Bight, New Zealand.

Manuka’s Executive Chairman, Dennis Karp, commented:

“Manuka’s Maiden Silver Ore Reserve and the preparation of an Implementation Plan for Wonawinta represents a major milestone for the Company and supports a potential of restarting silver mining and processing operations in the future. Our process plant at Wonawinta has been kept in excellent condition and on active care & maintenance since the processing of gold from stockpiles hauled from Mt Boppy, ceased in February 2024 and therefore stands ready to come back online at short notice.

The prospect of restarting Wonawinta provides the Company with excellent optionality on silver and the potential to take advantage of the very buoyant precious metals prices and broader strategic opportunities within the Cobar Basin. We look forward to providing further updates to the market as our strategy progresses.

Summary

Wonawinta was built by Cobar Consolidated Resources (“CCR”) in 2011 and acquired by Manuka in 2016. The Project comprises a granted mining lease, existing open pits mines, an existing 1Mtpa CIL process plant and associated infrastructure including approved tailings dams and accommodation facilities (Figures 2 – 4). Whilst limited silver production was undertaken by Manuka in 2022, the Wonawinta plant has primarily, and as recently as December 2023, been used by Manuka to produce gold doré from ore hauled from the Mt Boppy gold mine.

Figure 1: Location of Manuka’s Wonawinta and Mt Boppy Projects within the Cobar basin.

Figure 2: Overview of the Wonawinta Mine Site.

Figure 3: Existing Manuka Open Pit

Figure 4: The existing Wonawinta CIL Processing Plant

The current Implementation Plan proposes the mining and processing of 4.8Mt of Ore at a grade of 54g/t Ag over 4.5 years for the recovery of 5.8Moz of silver. Capital Costs for taking the mine out of care & maintenance and recommence production are estimated to be A$3.7M plus A$12.4M in pre-strip mining. Based on the current silver forward curve and an All-In Sustaining Cost of A$40.51/oz, the mine plan would deliver operating cash flows of ~A$100M based on the Ore Reserve alone.

As the price and demand outlook for silver continues to develop, Manuka will continue to refine its economic model for the Project and look to further optimise the mining schedule and reduce pre-production mining costs ahead of a decision to commence the restart of operations.


Click here for the full ASX Release

This article includes content from Manuka Resources 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.

MKR:AU
Manuka Resources Limited

Manuka Resources Limited Investor Kit

  • Corporate info
  • Insights
  • Growth strategies
  • Upcoming projects

GET YOUR FREE INVESTOR KIT

The Conversation (0)
Red Mountain Mining

Historical Gold Mineralisation identified at Flicka Lake

Red Mountain Mining Limited (“RMX” or the “Company”) is pleased to report the completion of a detailed desktop review of historical exploration at Flicka Lake, part of the Company’s 100%-owned Fry Lake Gold Project in Canada. The review identified three gold bearing parallel quartz veins, validated by Troon Ventures Ltd using channel and grab samples taken from mineralised quartz zones exposed in trenches.

Keep reading...Show less
Piche Resources

Ashburton Mineralisation Expands as Project Delivers Wide and High-Grade Uranium Drill Results

Piche Resources Limited (ASX: PR2) (“Piche” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce drilling results from a further eight holes at its Ashburton uranium project in Western Australia. Results to date highlight the potential for both high grade and broad zones of uranium mineralisation.

Keep reading...Show less

Newmont Receives First Battery-Electric Large Mining Truck

The addition of the Cat truck to Newmont's fleet reflects commitment to implementing more sustainable mining practices

News Provided by Business Wire via QuoteMedia

Keep reading...Show less
Lynette Zang, gold and silver bars.

Lynette Zang: Gold, Silver Price Potential as Public Turns to Sound Money

Lynette Zang, CEO of Zang Enterprises, spoke with the Investing News Network about her outlook for gold and silver prices as central banks around the world signal that they're ready for hyperinflation.

In her view, it's only a matter of time before both precious metals are squeezed higher.

"We'll see, but it wouldn't surprise me to see the spot market break US$3,000 (per ounce) by the end of this year," she said about gold, adding that silver could finish 2024 at the US$50 per ounce level.

Keep reading...Show less
Gold bars on top of papers showing stock exchange numbers.

5 Best-performing ASX Gold Stocks of 2024

The price of gold has maintained an upward trend since the start of the year, setting records in Australian dollars along the way. Its most recent high came on October 29 when it reached AU$4,230.70 per ounce.

Higher pricing comes on the back of increased instability in the Middle East, where tensions have been inching closer to breaking out in a wider regional war that could threaten critical supplies of oil from the region.

Additionally, a change in rate policy by the US Federal Reserve that saw it drop interest rates by 50 basis points on September 18 shifted investor sentiment in gold’s favour. The move came as inflation edged toward the central bank’s target rate of 2 percent, while data indicated a cooling jobs market became more balanced through July and August.

Keep reading...Show less

B2Gold Announces Appointment of Greg Barnes and Basie Maree to its Board of Directors

B2Gold Corp. (TSX: BTO, NYSE AMERICAN: BTG, NSX: B2G) ("B2Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Greg Barnes and Basie Maree to its Board of Directors (the "Board"), effective November 1, 2024. Following the appointments, the B2Gold Board will consist of ten members, nine of which are independent.

Kelvin Dushnisky, Chair of the Board of B2Gold, commented, "On behalf of the Board and executive team, I am pleased to welcome Greg Barnes and Basie Maree to the B2Gold Board. Both Greg and Basie possess a breadth of knowledge and bring deep and distinctive skill sets that will be invaluable to the Company moving forward. Greg's extensive involvement in capital markets and Basie's wide range of operational and project development experience on a global scale will directly benefit the Company as we continue to enhance our investor profile and execute on our business strategy."

News Provided by GlobeNewswire via QuoteMedia

Keep reading...Show less
Manuka Resources Limited

Manuka Resources Limited Investor Kit

  • Corporate info
  • Insights
  • Growth strategies
  • Upcoming projects

GET YOUR FREE INVESTOR KIT

Latest Press Releases

Related News

×