May 19 2017
K92 Mining Inc. is pleased to announce that it has commenced drilling the first hole from the Kora Drive which is being developed from the Irumafimpa Mine towards the Kora Deposit.
This 5m x 5m drive is designed to provide access to the Kora deposit, where K92 is targeting the commencement of production in First Half 2018, while also providing the Company with the ability to drill test between Irumafimpa and Kora from underground drill cuddies. This area has not been previously tested due to topographical challenges associated with drilling from the surface and is considered highly prospective given the current interpretation of Irumafimpa and Kora being on the same vein structure.
This series of drill holes are being drilled from the first drill cuddy established at approximately 59200 North on the Kora Drive as shown in Figure 1 below. The first drill hole, KMDD0008, is targeting an area approximately 700 metres along strike from, and to the north of the known Kora Deposit.
K92 Chief Executive Officer, Ian Stalker, states, "The expansion of the high grade Kora deposit has been a goal of K92 from the first day we acquired Kainantu and the commencement of the first ever underground drill program targeting to do so is therefore a big milestone. Kora represents the potential for exceptional size and grade."
In addition to drilling between the Irumafimpa and Kora deposits, K92 will also be drilling down dip from the known resource to infill between the known resource and the single deepest known hole drilled on the deposit BKDD0023. This hole recorded an intersection of 30.6 metres @ 2.0 g/t Au, 4.8 g/t Ag and 1.3% CU, including 6.4 metres @ 5.52 g/t Au and 8M @ 3.7% Cu from 920.8 metres, approximately 500 metres below the current resource.
Consideration will be given to extending the drive beyond the Mining Lease 150 into the adjacent Exploration Lease (EL 693) which is also held by K92, to allow exploration drilling to be undertaken to potentially extend the known limit of mineralization to the North.
K92 has filed and made available for download on the Company's SEDAR profile, a technical report titled "Independent Technical Report, Mineral Resource Update and Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") of Irumafimpa and Kora Gold Deposits, Kainantu Project, Papua New Guinea" with an effective date of March 2, 2017 (the "Technical Report").
The PEA estimates for Kora, based on the current resource estimates (4.36 million tonnes of 7.3 g/t Au, 35 g/t Ag and 2.23% Cu);
- Over a 9 year operating life the plant would treat 3.2 million tonnes averaging 7.1 g/t Au, 25 g/t Ag and 1.7% Cu (9.3 g/t Au Eq*)
- this would generate an estimated positive cash flow of US $537 million using current metal prices if 15m levels are used in mining. If 25m levels are used then net cashflows are estimated as US $558 million. This cashflow includes conceptual allowances for capital
- production of an estimated average of 108,000 Au Eq* ozs per annum over an 8 year period from Year 2 through to Year 9
- An estimated pre-tax NPV of US $415 million for 25m levels; or US $397 million for 15m levels; using current metal prices, exchange rates and a 5% discount
- an estimated after-tax NPV of US $329 million for 25m levels; or US $316 million for 15m levels; using current metal prices, exchange rates and a 5% discount
- initial capital cost is estimated to be US $13.8 million, including the US $3.3 million for the plant upgrade identified in the Mincore Scoping Study but excluding the proposed Kora exploration inclines and diamond drilling. Sustaining Capital Cost is estimated to a further US $64 million spent over the life of the Kora mining for 25m levels or US $83 million for 15m levels
- operating cost per tonne is estimated to be US $125/tonne for 25m levels or US $126 / tonne for 15m mining levels
- excluding initial capital expenditure of US $14 million, cash cost is estimated to be US $547 / oz Au Eq (inclusive of a 2.5% NSR) and AISC of US $619/oz Au Eq for 25m mining levels; or US $549/oz (inclusive of a 2.5% NSR) and AISC of US $644/oz Au Eq for 15m mining levels
Metal prices used were Au - $1300; Ag - US $18/oz; Cu - US $4800/tonne
*Au Eq calculated on above metal prices
Kora remains open for expansion in every direction and strongly mineralized at the extent of all drilling.
The PEA is preliminary in nature and 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. The Technical Report contains a full description of all underlying assumptions relating to the PEA. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.
ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY,
Ian Stalker, Chief Executive Officer and Director