WEST Kirkland Obtains Positive Decision from Blm ON Permitting Process FOR Hasbrouck MINE
SUITE 838 – 1100 MELVILLE STREET, VANCOUVER, B.C. CANADA V6E 4A6 TEL: 604-899-5450 FAX: 604-484-4710 WWW.WKMINING.COM
News Release No. 122-2020
March 5, 2020
WEST KIRKLAND OBTAINS POSITIVE DECISION FROM BLM ON PERMITTING PROCESS
FOR HASBROUCK MINE
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, March 6, 2020 – West Kirkland Mining Inc. (WKM:TSXV)
(“West Kirkland” or “Company”) announces that the US Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”) has
accepted the Hasbrouck Gold Project’s Mine Plan of Operations (“MPO”) and will commence the
analysis of the MPO under an Environmental Assessment (“EA”). Public comments on the MPO
and the BLM’s analysis must be sought before the BLM will make a final decision in accordance
with Code of Federal Regulation (“CFR”) Title 43 3809.411(d).
This decision follows a 28-month process involving multiple BLM specialists who analysed the
MPO. Construction level drawings, plans, and schedules have been developed for the project as
part of the permitting process.
The Company’s flagship Hasbrouck Gold Project consists of the 75% owned Hasbrouck and
Three Hills properties. The first phase of the Hasbrouck Gold Project is the Three Hills Mine which
received a federal permit in November 2015. The BLM’s decision to analyse the MPO for the
second phase Hasbrouck Mine under an EA rather than under the lengthier and more expensive
Environmental Impact Statement (“EIS”) allows West Kirkland to expect that a federal permit for
the Hasbrouck Mine may be issued in Q2 2020.
The Company is pleased to receive the BLM’s decision to commence the analysis of the
Hasbrouck Mine pit and facilities under an EA and anticipates having federal permits for both the
first and second phases of the Hasbrouck Gold Project in the near future. A federal (BLM) permit
for the Phase 2 Hasbrouck Mine reduces project execution risk as a shovel-ready gold project in
the US South-west. In an independent Pre-Feasibility Study completed for the Hasbrouck Gold
Project in 2016, a sensitivity analysis at $1,500 gold resulted in an estimated after-tax IRR of 65%
and a US$200M NPV(5) (see MDA’s Technical Report dated September 14, 2016, filed at
www.sedar.com).
About the NEPA and EA Process
The BLM’s analysis of the Hasbrouck Mine MPO is required under the National Environmental
Policy Act (“NEPA”). NEPA defines the procedural requirements for all federal governmental
agencies to prepare environmental assessments in response to proposed major activities on
federal lands. Part of Hasbrouck Mine is on federal lands administered by the BLM, therefore
NEPA requires the BLM to analyse potential environmental consequences of the planned project
and any reasonable alternatives. The BLM will analyse an MPO under either an Environmental
Assessment (“EA”) if it deems the project will not significantly impact the environment, or under
an Environmental Impact Statement (“EIS”) if it deems there could be a significant impact on the
environment. Once the BLM has completed its analysis under an EA, it is required to publish the
MPO and analysis for 30 days and respond to any comments received.
In addition to the NEPA analysis, a Reclamation Cost Estimate (“RCE”) must be submitted and
approved by the BLM and the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection before final approval
of the MPO can be made. Nevada Division of Environmental Protection – Bureau of Mining and
…/2
SUITE 838 – 1100 MELVILLE STREET, VANCOUVER, B.C. CANADA V6E 4A6 TEL: 604-899-5450 FAX: 604-484-4710 WWW.WKMINING.COM
Reclamation (“NDEP-BMRR”) is required to review the MPO to ensure compliance with NDEP-
BMRR requirements.
Various state permits and a federal eagle take permit are also required for construction and
operation at Phase 2 of the Hasbrouck Gold Project. These permits will conform to the federally
permitted project and are planned to be acquired during the 3 years of initial construction and
mining at Phase 1 Three Hills Mine of the Hasbrouck gold project.
About the Hasbrouck Gold Project
The Hasbrouck Gold Project contains Proven & Probable Reserves of 784,000 gold equivalent
oz (45,270,000 tons at 0.017 Au oz/t for 762,000 contained Au oz; 0.233 Ag oz/t for 10,569,000
contained Ag ounces) ( Technical Report and Updated Preliminary Feasibility Study for The
Hasbrouck and Three Hills Gold-Silver Project , Esmeralda County, Nevada, USA, Report Date:
September 14, 2016 prepared by Thomas L. Dyer, P.E. and Paul Tietz, C.P.G. of Mine
Development Associates (MDA)).
Waterton Precious Metals Fund II Cayman, LP holds a 25% interest in the Hasbrouck Gold Project
and is participating (pro rata) in project expenditures.
About West Kirkland Mining Inc.
West Kirkland is focused on advancing the Hasbrouck Gold Project in Tonopah, Nevada. The
Company owns a 75% interest in, and a 1.1% net smelter return royalty over, the Hasbrouck Gold
Project and is working towards completing full permitting for the project’s gold reserves while
keeping corporate G&A costs lean and efficient.
On behalf of West Kirkland Mining Inc.
“R. Michael Jones”
Chief Executive Officer
For further information, please see the Company’s website at www.wkmining.com or contact us
by email at [email protected].
Investor Relations:
Sandy McVey, P.Eng, PMP
(778) 388 2464 / [email protected]
Authors and Qualified Persons Statement
Sandy McVey, P.Eng, Chief Operating Officer for West Kirkland, and a non-independent Qualified
Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects
(“NI 43-101”), has reviewed the technical information contained in this news release and has
verified the relevant data. Quality Control and Assay information is as previously disclosed in the
Company’s technical reports.
Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains forward-looking information or forward-looking statements
(collectively "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws.
Forward-looking information is typically identified by words such as: “believe”, “expect”,
“anticipate”, “intend”, “estimate”, “postulate” and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their
nature, refer to future events. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, without
limitation, discussion of permitting status and the timing thereof and other statements that are not
…/3
SUITE 838 – 1100 MELVILLE STREET, VANCOUVER, B.C. CANADA V6E 4A6 TEL: 604-899-5450 FAX: 604-484-4710 WWW.WKMINING.COM
historical facts. Information about details contained in the Pre-Feasibility Study are also forward-
looking statements in that they reflect a prediction of the mineralization that would be
encountered, and the results of mining it, if a mineral deposit were developed and mined. Although
West Kirkland believes that such information as set out in this press release is reasonable, it can
give no assurance that such expectations and estimates will prove to be correct. The Company
cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by the Company is not a
guarantee of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those
in forward-looking information as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, the state
of the financial markets for the Company's equity securities, the state of the market for gold or
other minerals that may be produced generally, significant increases in any of the machinery,
equipment or supplies required to develop and operate a mine, a significant change in the
availability or cost of the labor force required to operate a mine, a significant increases in the cost
of transportation for the Company’s products, variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any
mineral deposits that may be located, the Company's ability to obtain any necessary permits,
consents or authorizations required for its activities, to raise the necessary capital or to be fully
able to implement its business strategies and other risks associated with the exploration and
development of mineral properties. The reader is referred to the Company's public filings for a
more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects which may be accessed
through the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors Regarding the Use of Mining Terms
This press release has been prepared in accordance with the securities laws in effect in Canada,
which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. Unless otherwise indicated, all
resources and reserve estimates reported by the Company in relation to the 2016 Updated Pre-
Feasibility Study have been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 and the Canadian Institute of
Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral
Reserves. NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators which
establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical
information concerning mineral projects. Canadian standards, including NI 43-101, differ
significantly from the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”)
Industry Guide 7, and resource or reserve information contained herein may not be comparable
to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies. In particular, and without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, “resources” and “reserves” established under NI 43-101 standards
may not qualify as “resources” and “reserves” under U.S. standards. Under U.S. standards,
mineralization may not be classified as a “reserve” unless the determination has been made that
the mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve
determination is made. In addition, under U.S. standards, a “Final” or “Bankable” feasibility study
is required to report reserves, the three-year historical average price is used in any reserve or
cash flow analysis to designate reserves and the primary environmental analysis or report must
be filed with the appropriate governmental authority. Disclosure of “contained ounces” in a
resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only
permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute “reserves” by SEC standards as
in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. Accordingly, information
concerning mineral deposits set forth in this press release may not be comparable with
information made public by companies that report in accordance with U.S. standards.
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.