Lupaka GOLD Takes Important Steps Toward Potential Production
LUPAKA GOLD TAKES IMPORTANT STEPS TOWARD
POTENTIAL PRODUCTION
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, December 12, 2017 -- Lupaka Gold Corp.
("Lupaka Gold" or the “ Company") (TSXV:LPK, FRA:LQP) is pleased to report on the
following key operational advancements associated with the Invicta Gold Development
Project (“Invicta”, or “Invicta Project”).
Road Construction Initiated
The Company has signed a contract with local operators to expand, enhance, and
modify 27 kilometres of road commencing from the paved Huacho -Churin-Oyon
highway, located at approximately 1 ,500 metres above sea level, up to the Invicta
Project located at approximately 3 ,500 metres above sea level . This new road will
provide access to Invicta for heavy machinery and trucks that can transport large loads
of material, reduce travel time, significantly increase safety, and minimize the operational
impact on certain local Lacsanga communities.
In addi tion, the existing road will be widened from 4 metres up to 6 metres, a safety
berm will be created, and in three key areas the road will be diverted away from local
Lacsanga communities. Crews and equipment were mobilized in early December, work
is now underway on three separate fronts and is expected to be completed by the end of
the first quarter of 2018. Members of the Lacsanga community are being employed by
the contractors wherever possible to undertake and supervise road construction
initiatives and the Company is proud to have such strong support from the community.
Pictures of the road construction program can be found on our website under the
following link: http://www.lupakagold.com/s/photogallery.asp?ReportID=809914
Will Ansley, President and CEO of Lupaka , stated: “My vision is to transform the well -
funded Invicta Gold Project into a cash -flow generating asset in short order , with the
strong support of our local team. Today’s announcement demonstrates we’re taking the
right steps in that direction and we envision commencing potential production, with help
from a third-party mining contractor, during the second half of 2018.”
Mining Contractor Engaged
PLH S.A.C. (“PLH”) has been selected as the mining contractor for the Invicta Project, a
natural choice as PLH performed two bulk sample extraction programs for Lupaka Gold
in 2015 and 2016, respectively . Final terms of the contract are currently being
negotiated, and it is anticipated PLH will mobilize to site in the first quarter 2018. Initial
development and rehabilitation of the existing infrastructure is expected to take
approximately three months to complete.
Toll Milling & Offtake Agreement
Discussions are ongoing with several toll milling facilities and offtake traders for the
concentrate, a decision is expected to be made in the first quarter of 2018.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as the
term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts
responsibility for the adequacy of this news release.
About Lupaka Gold
Lupaka is an active Canadian-based company focused on creating shareholder value
through discoveries and strategic develo pment of its assets in some of the most prolific
mining regions of Peru.
Invicta Gold Development Project – 100% owned, the Company’s flagship project is
an advanced stage gold-copper polymetallic underground deposit located approximately
120 kilometres north of Lima. Over $15 million in mine and related development has
been by spent previous owners, and m anagement expects to commence potential
production in the second half of 2018 by using third-party mining contractors and utilizing
the adit and existing workings. The project is fully permitted and community agreements
are in place.
The potential underground operation will be focused on accessing Invicta’s Measured
and Indicated mineral resources, which was prepared by SRK Consulting (US) Inc. in
2012 estimated as:
Measured mineral resource - 131,000 tonnes grading 6.65 grams per tonne (“g/t”) gold
equivalent for 28,000 contained ounces (“ozs”) of gold, from: 18,000 ozs Au grading at
4.29 g/t, 133,000 ozs Ag grading at 31.71 g/t, 2,119k lbs Cu grading at 0.73%, 1,110k
lbs Pb grading at 0.39% and 1,105k lbs of Zn grading at 0.38%.
Indicated mineral resource - 8,513,000 tonnes grading 3.43 g/t gold equivalent for
939,000 contained ozs of gold, from: 573,000 ozs Au grading at 2.09 g/t, 4,285,000 ozs
Ag grading at 15.65 g/t, 79,048k lbs Cu grading at 0.42%, 45,171k lbs Pb grading at
0.24% and 53,482k lbs of Zn grading at 0.21%.
An Inferred mineral resource estimate of 2,534,000 tonnes grad ing 2.90 g/t gold
equivalent for 236,000 contained ozs of gold has also been established.
The 2012 mineral resources are stated at a 1.30 g/t gold equivalent cut‐off. Metal prices
assumed for the gold equivalent calculation are US$1,500/oz for gold, US$32.50/oz for
silver, US$3.90/lb for copper, US$1.05/lb for lead and US$1.00/lb for zinc. The gold
equivalent calculation assumes 100% metallurgical recovery, and does not account for
any smelting, transportation or refining charges. See further disclos ure regarding the
calculated gold equivalent cut-off grade, as below.
Invicta’s approved EIA allows for mine production of 1,000 tpd, although the current
mining plan is limited to 350 tpd.
Cautionary Note Regarding the Invicta Production Decision
The decision to commence potential production at the Invicta Gold Project and the
Company’s plans for a mining operation as referenced herein (the “ Production
Decision and Plans ”) were based on economic models prepared by the Company in
conjunction with ma nagement’s knowledge of the property and the existing estimate of
measured, indicated and inferred mineral resources on the property. The Production
Decision and Plans were not based on a preliminary economic assessment, a pre -
feasibility study or a feasi bility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and
technical viability. Accordingly, there is increased uncertainty and economic and
technical risks of failure associated with the Production Decision and Plans, in particular
the risk that mineral grades will be lower than expected, the risk that construction or
ongoing mining operations are more difficult or more expensive than expected, the risk
that the Company will not be able to transport or sell the mineralized rock it produces to
local custo m toll mills on the terms it expects, or at all; production and economic
variables may vary considerably, due to the absence of a detailed economic and
technical analysis according to and in accordance with NI 43-101.
Josnitoro Gold Project – the Company holds an option to earn a 65% interest on this
project from Hochschild Mining PLC. The project is located approximately 800 kilometres
by road southeast of Lima in the Department of Apurimac, southern Peru, within the
Andahuaylas-Yaury Belt, in whi ch the Las Bambas mine (MMG Limited) and the
Constancia mine (HudBay Minerals) are located. Historical work on the disseminated
gold zones includes over 170 shallow drill holes and extensive surface trenching, as well
as artisanal mining.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Will Ansley, President & C.E.O.
Tel: (416) 862-5257
or visit the Company’s profile at www.sedar.com or its website at www.lupakagold.com
Qualified Person
The technical information in this document has been reviewed and approved by Julio
Castañeda Mondragon, MAIG, the President of Lupaka Gold Peru S.A.C. , a Peruvian
subsidiary of t he Company, and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument
43-101. Mr. Castañeda has verified the scientific and technical information, including
sampling, analytical and test data underlying the information or opinions contained in this
news release.
The Invicta Gold Project mineral resource estimates referred to in this news releas e are
disclosed in the technical report dated April 16, 2012, titled "Technical Report on
Resources, Invicta Gold Project, Huaura Province, Peru" (the “Invicta Technical
Report”), and prepared by SRK Consulting (U.S.) Inc., which is available at
www.sedar.com under Lupaka Gold Corp's profile. The metal prices used to calculate
the gold equivalent cut -off grade in the Invicta Technical Report are based on prices at
the time. Investors are cautioned that curr ent metal prices are now lower and as a
result, the above-referenced cut-off grade could be materially affected based on current
prices. Investors are further cautioned that the prices of precious metals can fluctuate in
wide ranges over short periods of time.
Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward Looking Information
All statements, trend analysis and other information contained in this press release
relative to anticipated future events or results constitute forward -looking statements. All
statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, includin g, without
limitation, statements relating to improvements in the road to the Invicta Project and its
anticipated benefits and the timing of completion of the improvements, the timing of the
commencement of potential production from the Invicta Project and the generation of
cash therefrom, the anticipated methods of production, the receipt of and anticipated use
of proceeds of the PLI Financing, the Company’s plans and intentions for Invicta, mineral
resource estimates , are forward -looking statements. Forwa rd-looking statements are
based on assumptions, estimates and opinions of management at the date the
statements are made that the Company believes are reasonable, including: that the
repayment of the PLI Financing is consummated on the anticipated terms, t hat the
supplies, equipment, personnel, permits, and local community approvals required to
conduct the Company's planned pre -production and development activities will be
available on reasonable terms, that the Company will be able to comply with the delivery
and other obligations in the PLI Financing Agreement, that results of exploration
activities will be consistent with management's expectations and that the Company will
not experience any material accident, labour dispute, or failure of equipment and with
respect to the planned mining operations at Invicta; that pre -production mine
development can be completed in the time and for the cost projected; that the Company
will be able to obtain funding for planned production expenses; that mineralization at
Invicta will be of the grades and in the locations expected; that the Company will be able
to extract and transport mineralized rock efficiently and sell the mineralized rock at the
prices and in the manner and quantities expected; that permits will be rece ived on the
terms and timeline expected and that other regulatory or permitting issues will not arise;
that mining methods can be employed in the manner and at the costs expected and that
such methods yield the results the Company expects them to. However, forward-looking
information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which
may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be
materially different from any future results, performance or achievements e xpressed or
implied by the forward -looking information. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors
include, among others: all of the risks described in this news release; failure of the PLI
Financing to complete on the proposed terms or at all, including due to the Company’s
inability to complete the conditions precedent, the risk that actual results of exploration
and development activities will be different than anticipated; that the Company will not be
able to comply with the delivery or other obligati ons in the PLI Financing Agreement and
the risk that PLI will enforce its security over the Company’s assets, including its mineral
properties; that cost of labour, equipment or materials will increase more than expected;
that the future price of gold will decline; that the Canadian dollar will strengthen against
the U.S. dollar; that mineral resources are not as estimated; unexpected variations in
mineral resources, grade or recovery rates; risks related to shipping mineralized rock;
the risk that local mi lls cannot or will not buy or process mineralized rock from the
planned production for the prices expected or at all; risk of accidents, labour disputes
and other risks generally associated with mineral exploration; unanticipated delays in
obtaining or fai lure to obtain community, governmental or regulatory approvals or
financing; and all of the risks generally associated with the development of mining
facilities and the operation of a producing mine, as well as the risks described in the
Company’s annual i nformation form, which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Although the Company 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 to
not be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward -
looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual resu lts and future events could
differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Readers are cautioned not to
place undue reliance on forward -looking information due to the inherent uncertainty
thereof. Lupaka Gold does not undertake any obligatio n to update forward -looking
statements except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors should not place
undue reliance on forward-looking statements.