Azarga Metals Announces Positive, Independent, Preliminary Economic Assessment (“PEA”) ON Unkur Copper-Silver Project
AZARGA METALS CORP.
UNIT 1 – 15782 MARINE DRIVE, WHITE ROCK, B.C. V4B 1E6, CANADA
www.azargametals.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
30 August 2018 TSX-V: AZR
AZARGA METALS ANNOUNCES POSITIVE, INDEPENDENT, PRELIMINARY
ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT (“PEA”) ON UNKUR COPPER-SILVER PROJECT
HIGHLIGHTS:
• Positive PEA result achieved based only on 2018 Mineral Resource as an
‘initial option’ with significant growth potential
• Open-pit mine with annual production rate of 2 million tonnes of ore per
year and conventional processing circuit to produce a very high-grade
copper and silver concentrate
• Average of 13,217 tonnes of copp er and 3. 70 million ounces of silver
metal contained in concentrate production per year over 8 -year life of
mine (“LOM”)
• Pre-tax net present value (“NPV ”) of US$20 3.6 million (post-tax US$147.5
million) and internal rate of return (“IRR”) of 28.9%
• Updated ‘follow -on’ PEA to be prepared following completion of
exploration works to grow the Mineral Resource at Unkur
AZARGA METALS CORP. ("Azarga Metals" or the “ Company”) (TSX-V:AZR) announces the
positive findings of an independently prepared preliminary e conomic assessment for the
development of its wholly -owned Unkur Copper-Silver Project in the Zabaikalsky administrative
region of eastern Russia.
The PEA is based on the current Inferred Mineral Resource estimate for Unkur of 62 million
tonnes at 0.53% copper and 38.6g/t silver, containing 328,600 tonnes (724 million pounds) of
copper and 76.8 million troy ounces of silver, as announced by the Company on 27 March 2018
(“2018 Mineral Resource”).
Dorian L. (Dusty) Nicol, Azarga Metals’ President and CEO c ommented, “We are extremely
encouraged that even based only on our initial exploration, Unkur is able to demonstrate
a positive PEA result .” He then went on to say , “Additional exploration is expected to
significantly grow the size of the deposit and this will likely continue to enhance the
project economics when an updated PEA is prepared.”
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The following table summarizes key Unkur Project PEA metrics.
Table 1: Key Unkur Project PEA metrics
Parameters / metrics Amount1
Production
- Total mill feed 16.9 million tonnes LOM / 2.0 million tonnes per year
- Copper feed grade (ave) 0.66%
- Silver feed grade (ave) 57.9g/t
- Initial LOM 8-years
- LOM copper recovery 94.0%
- LOM silver recovery 94.0%
- Concentrate grade – copper (dry) 75%
- Concentrate grade – silver (dry) 6,500 g/t
- Total copper production 105,737 tonnes LOM / 13,217 tonnes per year (ave)
- Total silver production 29.63 million ounces LOM / 3.70 million ounces per year (ave)
- LOM waste to ore ratio 9.7:1
Capital and costs
- Pre-production capital US$186.6 million (including US$37.3 million contingency)
- LOM sustaining capital US$14.4 million
- Closure costs US$3.6 million
- Copper C1 cash cost (excl. G&A) US$0.38 per pound (assuming silver as a by-product)
Project economics (pre-tax)
US$2.84 per pound (excluding by-product sales)
- Copper price US$3.25 per pound
- Silver price US$20.0 per ounce
- Russian Ruble 62.5 per US$1
- NPV US$203.6 million (at 8.0% discount rate)
- IRR 28.9%
- Payback 3.0 years
Project economics (post-tax)2
- NPV US$147.5 million (at 8.0% discount rate)
- IRR 24.4%
Notes: 1. References to ‘ounces’ are troy ounces, 2. Assuming Unkur Project qualifies for Russian Far East & Siberian tax
incentives for mineral extraction projects.
The Unkur Project PEA was independently prepared by Tetra Tech.
The PEA is preliminary in nature, and includes Inferred Mineral Resources that are considered
too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to t hem that would
enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will
be realized.
A NI 43 -101 technical report will be filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on Azarga Metals’
website at www.azargametals.com within 45 days of the issuance of this news release.
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MINING AND PROCESSING
The mining method selected for the PEA is open-pit mining, based upon contract mining of ore
and waste.
The initial mine plan has been designed on a higher-grade sub-set of the 2018 Mineral
Resource, comprising 15.5 million tonnes of ore at a grade of 0.76% copper and 66.6g/t silver,
with an annual production rate of approximately 2 million tonnes of ore per year. The overall
LOM waste to ore (i.e., strip) ratio is projected to be 9.7:1. However, it should be noted that
much of the overburden is unconsolidated moraine material that will not require blasting.
Preliminary metallurgical test work on a bulk sampl e demonstrated that 95% copper and silver
extraction can be achieved using conventional hydrometallurgical processing methods. The
PEA process plant design is based on 2 million tonne per annum capacity, with LOM feed of
average diluted copper grade of 0. 66% and average diluted silver grade of 5 7.9g/t. The
conceptual process flowsheet consists of a jaw crusher followed by a two -stage conventional
milling (semi-autogenous grinding mill and ball mill) in order to produce slurry with an optimum
size distribution for cyanidation. The slurry, with a characteristic particle size of P80 = 75 µm,
will be fed into pre -leach thickeners. The thickener underflows will then be leached in agitated
leach tanks and subsequently washed in a counter current decantation circui t prior to being
treated by a sulphidization, acidification, recycling and thickening ( “SART”) circuit, which
produces a copper and silver concentrate and recycle cyanide.
The PEA assumes the proposed process plant will provide an average silver recovery of 94.0%
and an average copper recovery of 94.0%, taking process efficiencies into account.
Tailings from the process plant will be pumped to a tailings management facility.
PRODUCT AND MARKETING
The SART process will produce a synthetic mineral largely consisting of chalcocite (Cu2S) and
acanthite (Ag 2S), which will result in a high -grade copper concentrate of approximately 75.0%
copper and 6,500g/t silver. This compares favourably with standard copper concentrates that
are typically 22-24% copper and so it should make this product very attractive to smelters.
OUTBOUND LOGISTICS
The PEA assumes a 12-kilometer road will be built from the existing highway, which is also
where the Baikal -Amur Mainline railway is. The concentrate can either be sold within Russia,
exported to China (via rail or road) or other international customers (assumed to be via rail to
the Russian Pacific port of Sovetskaya Gavan a distance of some 2,300 kilometers).
INFRASTRUCTURE
Unkur Copper-Silver Project has access to infrastructure. The project site is situated within 20
kilometers of the town of Novaya Chara, with major road and rail access. A regional 220kVA
power line runs across a corner of the Unkur license area and the PEA assumes construction of
a 4 kilometer overhead p owerline and substation to connect the processing plant and main site
to mains power.
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The world’s largest current copper project development is taking place at Udokan,
approximately 30 kilometers from Unkur. As a result, substantial investment in improved
ancillary infrastructure is being made that will be of future benefit to Azarga Metals and Unkur,
including a renovation of the regional airport, roads and a significant expansion of facilities at
Novaya Chara town.
PRE-DEVELOPMENT
The PEA assumes a tw o-year pre -development timeline prior to first production. Initial
development in the first year consists mainly of infrastructure works, site preparation and
commencement of plant construction. Pre-stripping and tailings storage facility development will
occur in the second pre-development year along with completion of the processing plant.
FUTURE PEA ENHANCEMENT
This initial PEA was based on the 2018 Mineral Resource, which was largely the product of the
first modern exploration campaign conducted at Un kur Copper -Silver Project in 2016 -2017.
Azarga Metals considers that there is strong potential to grow the 2018 Mineral Resource .
Mineralization is open in both directions along strike and at depth . Azarga Metals aims to
substantially grow the mineral resource at Unkur, with a particular initial focus on the zone of
thicker and higher grade mineralization in the northern part of the interpreted mineralized area.
Increased Mineral Resources would be highly likely to increase the proposed mining inventory
in a future subsequent PEA, with a likely resultant improvement in project economics.
Qualified Person
The results of the 2018 Mineral Reouces and PEA prepared by Tetra Tech have been reviewed
by the Company’s technical staff, including Dorian (Dusty) Nicol B.Sc. Geo, MA Geo the
Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer and , a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43 -
101. Mr. Nicol is also the person responsible for preparation of the technical information
contained in this news release.
About Azarga Metals Corp.
Azarga Metals is a mineral exploration and development company that owns 100% of the Unkur
Copper-Silver Project in the Zabaikalsky administrative region in eastern Russia.
AZARGA METALS CORP.
"Dusty Nicol"
Dorian L. (Dusty) Nicol, President and CEO
For further information please contact: Doris Meyer, at +1 604 536-2711 ext 6, visit
www.azargametals.com, or follow us on Twitter @AzargaMetals.
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.
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Cautionary Statement:
This news release contains forward -looking statements that are based on the Corporation's current
expectations and estimates. Forward -looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as
"plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "suggest", "indicate" and other
similar words or statemen ts that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Such forward -looking
statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual
events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results implied or expressed
in such forward -looking statements. Such factors include, among others: the actual results of current
planned exploration activities; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in project parameters as
plans to continue t o be refined; possible variations in ore grade or recovery rates; accidents, labor
disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing;
and fluctuations in metal prices. There may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be
as anticipated, estimated or intended. Any forward -looking statement speaks only as of the date on which
it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Corporation disclaims any
intent or obligation to update any forward -looking statement, whether as a result of new information,
future events or results or otherwise. Forward -looking statements are not guarantees of future
performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on s uch statements due to the inherent
uncertainty therein.