Panoro Minerals Announces Receipt of Early Deposit Payment from Wheaton Precious Metals for the Cotabambas Project, Peru
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."
About Panoro
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.
Summary of Cotabambas Project Resources
Project
Resource
Classification
Million
Tonnes
Cu (%)
Au (g/t)
Ag (g/t)
Mo (%)
CuEq
%
Cotabambas
1
Cu/Au/Ag
Indicated
117.1
0.42
0.23
2.74
0.001
0.59
Inferred
605.3
0.31
0.17
2.33
0.002
0.44
@ 0.20% CuEq cutoff, effective October 2013, Tetratech
1.
Cotabambas Project, Apurimac, Peru, NI 43-101 Technical Report on Updated Preliminary Economic Assessment, amec foster wheeler and Moose Mountain Technical
Services, 22 September 2015
A PEA has been completed for the Cotabambas Project. The key results are summarized below:
Summary of Cotabambas Project PEA Results
Key Project Parameters
Cotabambas Cu/Au/Ag Project
1
Process Feed, life of mine
million tonnes
483.1
Process Feed, daily
tonnes
80,000
Strip Ratio, life of mine
1.25: 1
Before
Tax
1
NPV
7.5%
million US$
1,053
IRR
%
20.4
Payback
years
3.2
After
Tax
1
NPV
7.5%
million US$
684
IRR
%
16.7
Payback
years
3.6
Annual Average Payable
Metals
Cu
thousand tonnes
70.5
Au
thousand ounces
95.1
Ag
thousand ounces
1,018.4
Mo
thousand tonnes
-
Initial Capital Cost
million US$
1,530
1.
Project economics estimated at commodity prices of; Cu = US$ 3.00/lb, Au = US$ 1,250/oz, Ag = US$ 18.50/oz, Mo = US$ 12/lb
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 r
elease.
SOURCE
Panoro Minerals Ltd.
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For further information:
Panoro Minerals Ltd.: Luquman Shaheen, President & CEO, Phone:
604.684.4246, Fax: 604.684.4200, Email: [email protected], Web: www.panoro.com; Renmark
Financial Communications Inc.: Scott Logan, Account Manager, Phone: 416.644.2020 /
212.812.7680, Email:
[email protected], Web: www.renmarkfinancial.com
CO: Panoro Minerals Ltd.
CNW 09:20e 04-OCT-22