PureGold Red Lake Mine Construction Ramping Up - on Track for Q4 Production
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 24, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pure Gold Mining Inc. (TSX-V: PGM, LSE: PUR) (“PureGold” or the “Company”) is pleased to report on the progress of construction activities at its PureGold Red Lake Mine, located in Red Lake, Ontario. Construction is advancing rapidly, on schedule for first gold pour in Q4 2020.
Project Highlights as at June 21, 2020:
- Procurement of major equipment is now 94% complete
- Total of 1,285 metres of underground mine development completed. Advance rate 60% better than mine plan
- Initial access development to longhole stopes commenced
- Installed alimak in existing shaft to support dewatering and shaft rehabilitation
- Process plant prepared for installation of new equipment, with removal of legacy piping, pumps, motors, ball mill, gold room and pre-leach thickener
- Steel and concrete work modifications inside process plant for new ball mill, gravity circuit and construction of hydraulic backfill plant commenced
- Installed and occupied new buildings including administration, warehouse, and mine dry
- Recruited key operational team members including safety, mining, milling, and technical services, with bulk of operational management team now in place
- More than 145,000 hours without a lost time incident
Construction, which commenced at the PureGold Red Lake Mine in late 2019, is well advanced with 45% of our capital expenditure committed. The Company is fully funded to production, with first gold production planned for Q4 2020.
“We are now only months away from first gold pour at our new PureGold Mine, and our first step to building a long-life growth company in the heart of Red Lake, one of the world’s most prolific gold-producing camps,” says Darin Labrenz, President and CEO. “Our opportunity for value creation is tremendous: we are delivering our mine into a rising gold market, with the potential to benefit from a period of margin expansion unlike any we have seen in years. But we see this as just the beginning of establishing ourselves as Red Lake’s next senior producer. On the cusp of production, we believe we have only scratched the surface and we are already working towards the next phase of our growth with the initiation of an aggressive 18-month exploration program. We look forward to becoming Canada’s next gold mine and delivering on the strong organic growth platform that underpins our PureGold Red Lake Mine.”
Mine Development:
As at June 19th, a total of 1,285 metres of underground development has been achieved. Underground development to date is advancing at a rate of eight metres per day compared to a feasibility planned advance of five metres per day. Improved productivity, with development rates that are 60% better than plan, and a focus on main ramp development will open up more mining areas and drive deeper development more quickly. This will allow the Company to improve upon the feasibility mine plan by prioritizing mining on higher grade stopes.
The Company has commenced initial access development to the first longhole stopes and is now accessing ore on multiple sills. Underground development is expected to accelerate in July with the recruitment of the next team of mining crews.
Another significant new development underground is the installation of a three deck alimak in the shaft to support mine dewatering. Dewatering is now down to 311 metres below the shaft collar, progressing on schedule and well in advance of underground development.
Underground exploration and stope scale drilling is now underway, with infill drilling focused in areas targeted for the first two years of production. The underground drill program has been designed to convert resources to reserves and expand mineral resources in order to more closely define the stope geometry, further optimize and expand the near term mine plan.1
Process Plant:
Construction and modernization of our process plant is progressing well. Electrical switchgear has been certified and overhead cranes have been commissioned and are being utilized for removal of old equipment and installation of new. Numerous systems have been dismantled and removed to make way for new equipment, including all piping, pumps and motors, pre-leach thickener and all gold room components. In addition, the pre-existing ball mill has been removed, along with the original pedestals. New concrete foundations have been designed and mill pedestals will soon be constructed in preparation for the arrival and installation of a new ball mill, which is scheduled to arrive in late August.
Steel work for the new gravity circuit, anticipated to arrive in July is now complete. Foundations and tanks for the new hydraulic backfill batch plant and cyanide detoxification circuit are well advanced.
Other Surface Infrastructure:
Construction continues to accelerate with more than 80 contractors now on site. New infrastructure established includes an administration complex, warehouse, mine dry and water treatment plant building. Road infrastructure has been improved and a mine rock management facility has been completed.
Equipment Procurement:
Approximately 95% of major equipment procurement packages have been placed. Initial procurement packages have been delivered to site and significant equipment orders, including long-lead items and key processing equipment are in fabrication and are progressing on schedule, with delivery expected in the coming weeks. New mine equipment delivered to date includes four underground scoops, two jumbos, two haul trucks, two scissor lifts, multiple utility vehicles and an anfo loader.
Permitting:
The amendment of the Environmental Compliance Approval (“ECA”) for Air and Noise permit has passed regulatory review and all work is complete, with receipt of the amended permit anticipated in the coming weeks. In addition, regulatory review of the Industrial Effluent permit (ECA Industrial Sewage Works) amendment is complete and the permit amendment is expected to go through an expedited approval process.
Operations Team:
PureGold is pleased to announce that Rickardo Welyhorsky, P.Eng., has recently joined the senior mine management team as Mine General Manager.
Mr. Welyhorsky is a Professional Engineer with a degree in Extractive Metallurgical Engineering and over 27 years of experience throughout all levels of project development and operations in the mining and metals industry. He has a wealth of Canadian and International experience in various roles with Yamana Gold, Detour Gold, Barrick Gold, and AMEC.
Most recently, Mr. Welyhorsky was Director Technical Services for Yamana Gold, where he played a leadership role in the development and commissioning of the Cerro Moro underground and open pit operation. Prior to his position with Yamana, Mr. Welyhorsky held management positions at several Canadian open pit and underground operations.
PureGold’s operational management team is now well advanced, with the Mine General Manager, Milling Manager, Mining Manager, Chief Engineer, Chief Geologist, and Health and Safety Superintendent all in place. Other key project roles have been filled and discussions are ongoing with candidates for remaining positions. Hiring is underway for the next tranche of miners for ore development work as well as recruitment of key roles in the maintenance department. To date, PureGold has recruited 89 of the 101 employees planned for the end of June. The total workforce anticipated to be engaged by end of September, before start of mill operations is 189 employees. We continue to place emphasis on engaging and hiring local and First Nation contractors and employees.
Health & Safety:
Since construction was initiated in 2019, the PureGold team has completed over 145,000 hours without a lost time incident. All construction and development activities at the PureGold Red Lake Mine continue to operate normally, with no significant impact to date beyond the implementation of additional education and safety measures. We have no reported incidences of COVID-19. Please see March 20, 2020 release for our COVID-19 response measures.
Engagement of Investor Relations Consultant:
The Company would also like to advise that Goldsmith Consultants, LLC., has been engaged for Investor Relations consulting effective immediately. The engagement of Goldsmith Consultants supports the Company’s broader communications strategy to build investor audiences.
Goldsmith Consultants does not have any interest, directly or indirectly in PureGold Mining or its securities nor any right to acquire such an interest. Pursuant to the terms of the Company’s agreement with Goldsmith Consultants, Goldsmith will be responsible for a variety of financial public relations and investor relations activities, including development of the Company's communications strategy, dissemination of corporate information, presentations, videos, interviews, and communications materials.
Qualified Persons and 43-101 Disclosure:
Ken Donner, P. Eng., Vice President, Operations for the Company, is the designated Qualified Person for this news release within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 (“NI 43-101”) and has reviewed and verified that the technical information contained herein is accurate and approves of the written disclosure of same.
1. See Company News Release Dated June 4th, 2019
For a set of photos showing recent development, click link below:
http://puregoldmining.ca/sites/default/files/June23NRPhotos.pdf
About Pure Gold Mining Inc.
The PureGold Red Lake Mine is Canada’s next gold mine. Fully funded, the project is on track to deliver near term gold production into a rising Canadian gold price environment, with first production scheduled for late 2020. The orebody is situated within a seven-kilometre-long gold system that is wide open for expansion at depth and along strike, and multiple discoveries by the Company suggest potential opportunities for near-term growth.
Additional information about the Company and its activities may be found on the Company’s website at www.puregoldmining.ca and under the Company’s profile at www.sedar.com.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
"Darin Labrenz"
Darin Labrenz, President & CEO
Investor inquiries:
Adam Buchanan, Manager, Investor Relations
Tel: 604-646-8000
info@puregoldmining.ca
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to PureGold within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including, but not limited to statements with respect to those that address proposed timing of development plans for the PureGold Red Lake Mine complex, timing of expected production, timing and size of exploration activities, expected development rates and schedule, timing of permits, potential for advancing the amount and timing for higher grade ore, potential for additional resources and expansion of known deposits and potential for making new discoveries and the focus of the Company in the coming months . Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "planned", "expect", "project", "predict", "potential", "targeting", "intends", "believe", "potential", and similar expressions, or describes a "goal", or variation of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "should", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and is based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management at the date the statements are made including, among others, assumptions about future prices of gold and other metal prices, currency exchange rates and interest rates, favourable operating conditions, political stability, obtaining governmental approvals and financing on time, obtaining renewals for existing licences and permits and obtaining required licences and permits, labour stability, stability in market conditions, availability of equipment, accuracy of any mineral resources, successful resolution of disputes and anticipated costs and expenditures. Many assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of PureGold and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct.
Such forward-looking information, involves known and unknown risks, which may cause the actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including, risks related to the interpretation of results at the Pure Gold Red Lake Mine complex; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; current economic conditions; future prices of commodities; possible variations in grade or recovery rates; the costs and timing of the development of new deposits; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; the failure of contracted parties to perform; the timing and success of exploration and development activities generally; delays in permitting; possible claims against the Company; the timing of future economic studies; labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals, financing or in the completion of exploration as well as those factors discussed in the Annual Information Form of the Company dated March 26, 2020 in the section entitled "Risk Factors", under PureGold’s SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.
Although PureGold has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. PureGold disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless required by law.
