Panoro Minerals Announces Receipt of Early Deposit Payment from Wheaton Precious Metals for the Cotabambas Project, Peru

VANCOUVER, BC, Oct. 4, 2022 /CNW/ - Panoro Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: PML), (Lima: PML), (Frankfurt: PZM), (OTCQB: POROF) and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Panoro Trading (Cayman) Ltd. ("Panoro" or the "Company") are pleased to announce that they have received the fifteenth Early Deposit payment of US$750,000 as part of the Precious Metals Purchase Agreement (the "Cotabambas Early Deposit Agreement") with Wheaton Precious Metals International Ltd. ("WPMI"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. (TSX:WPM) (NYSE:WPM), in respect of the Cotabambas project located in Peru.

The principal terms of the Cotabambas Early Deposit Agreement are as described in the Company's press release on March 21, 2016, whereby WPMI will pay Panoro upfront cash payments totalling US$140 million for 25% of the payable gold production and 100% of the payable silver production from the Company's Cotabambas Project in Peru. In addition, WPMI will make production payments to Panoro of the lesser of the market price and US$450 per payable ounce of gold and US$5.90 per payable ounce of silver delivered to WPMI over the life of the Cotabambas Project.

Panoro is entitled to receive US$14 million spread over a period of up to 9 years as an early deposit with payments to be used to fund corporate expenses related to the Cotabambas Project.  The balance of the US$126 million, should WPMI elect to proceed with the Cotabambas Early Deposit Agreement, is payable in instalments during construction of the Cotabambas Project.

The total advanced to date is US$13.0 million from WPMI, including the accelerated tranche of US$2.0 million received in December 2016.

Together with the receipt of this payment from WPMI, Panoro has received a total of CA$14.8 million of funding since December of 2021.  The funding has been sourced from several strategic transactions including:

• Antilla Project sale, first scheduled payment (CA$10.0 million);
• Kusiorcco Project sale, final scheduled payment (CA$1.9 million);
• Regional Exploration Cooperation Agreements (CA$1.1 million); and
• The WPMI Early Advance Payment #14 and #15 above (CA$1.8 million).

Panoro is pleased to demonstrate to investors the Company's ability to finance the Cotabambas Project while avoiding share capital dilution.  The Company estimates additional $CA 11.5 million of funding proceeds for 2022 and 2023.

The proceeds will be used to advance the Cotabambas Project pre-feasibility study ("PFS").  The infill and step out drilling program to support the PFS have been commenced with one drill rig currently at the projects site and two additional drill rigs expected soon.  Panoro is also evaluating independent, internationally recognized consulting engineering firms to commence the technical studies to support the Cotabambas PFS.

Luquman Shaheen, President & CEO, stated, "The funding arrangements completed by Panoro continue to provide the resources required to advance the prefeasibility study. The ongoing drill program is identifying vertical continuity of the high-grade zones at the South Pit.  We look forward to materializing a number of other enhancement opportunities at the Cotabambas Project through the metallurgical, process and infrastructure engineering studies underway."

Panoro is a uniquely positioned Peru-focused copper development company. The Company is advancing its flagship Cotabambas Copper-Gold-Silver Project located in the strategically important area of southern Peru.

The Company's objective is to complete a Prefeasibility study in 2023. Work programs commenced in Q1 2022. 

At the Cotabambas Project, the Company will first focus on delineating resource growth potential and optimizing metallurgical recoveries.  These objectives are expected to further enhance the project economics as part of the Prefeasibility studies during 2022 and 2023.  Exploration and step-out drilling from 2017, 2018 and 2019 have already identified the potential for both oxide and sulphide resource growth.

A PEA has been completed for the Cotabambas Project. The key results are summarized below:

PEAs are considered preliminary in nature and include Inferred Mineral Resources that are considered too speculative to have the economic considerations applied that would enable classification as Mineral Reserves. There is no certainty that the conclusions within the PEAs will be realized. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability.

Luis Vela, a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release.

On behalf of the Board of Panoro Minerals Ltd.

Luquman Shaheen. M.B.A., P.Eng, P.E. 
President & CEO

CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS:  Information and statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and involve risks and uncertainties. 

Examples of forward-looking information and statements contained in this news release include information and statements with respect to:

• Panoro delineating growth potential at the Cotabambas Project, while optimizing project economics;
• mineral resource estimates and assumptions; and
• the PEAs, including, but not limited to, base case parameters and assumptions, forecasts of net present value, internal rate of return and payback.

Various assumptions or factors are typically applied in drawing conclusions or making the forecasts or projections set out in forward-looking information. In some instances, material assumptions and factors are presented or discussed in this news release in connection with the statements or disclosure containing the forward-looking information and statements. You are cautioned that the following list of material factors and assumptions is not exhaustive. The factors and assumptions include, but are not limited to, assumptions concerning: metal prices and by-product credits; cut-off grades; short and long term power prices; processing recovery rates; mine plans and production scheduling; process and infrastructure design and implementation; accuracy of the estimation of operating and capital costs; applicable tax and royalty rates; open-pit design; accuracy of mineral reserve and resource estimates and reserve and resource modeling; reliability of sampling and assay data; representativeness of mineralization; accuracy of metallurgical test work; and amenability of upgrading and blending mineralization.

Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation:

• risks relating to metal price fluctuations
• risks relating to estimates of mineral resources, production, capital and operating costs, decommissioning or reclamation expenses, proving to be inaccurate
• the inherent operational risks associated with mining and mineral exploration, development, mine construction and operating activities, many of which are beyond Panoro's control 
• risks relating to Panoro's or its partners' ability to enforce legal rights under permits or licenses or risk that Panoro or its partners will become subject to litigation or arbitration that has an adverse outcome 
• risks relating to Panoro's or its partners' projects being in Peru, including political, economic and regulatory instability
• risks relating to the uncertainty of applications to obtain, extend or renew licenses and permits
• risks relating to mineral resource estimates being based on interpretations and assumptions which may result in less mineral production under actual circumstances
• risks relating to Panoro's or its partners' operations being subject to environmental and remediation requirements, which may increase the cost of doing business and restrict operations
• risks relating to being adversely affected by environmental, safety and regulatory risks, including increased regulatory burdens or delays and changes of law
• risks relating to inadequate insurance or inability to obtain insurance
• risks relating to the fact that Panoro's and its partners' properties are not yet in commercial production;
• risks relating to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, interest rates and tax rates
• risks relating to Panoro's ability to raise funding to continue its exploration, development, and mining activities; and
• counterparty risk under Panoro's agreements.

This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect the forward-looking information and statements contained in this news release.  Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in the forward‑looking information.  The forward‑looking information contained in this news release is based on beliefs, expectations, and opinions as of the date of this news release.  For the reasons set forth above, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.  Panoro does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and statements included herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Panoro Minerals Ltd.

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