First Mining Files Technical Report for the Positive Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Duparquet Gold Project, Quebec, Canada
- Pre-tax NPV of C$1.07 billion
- Pre-tax IRR of 24.9% at US$1,800/oz gold
- Annual Life-of-Mine recovered gold production of 233 koz
- Total LOM recovered gold of 2.5 Moz over an 11-year mine life
- None.
The Report, entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report: Preliminary Economic Assessment on the Duparquet Gold Project,
The PEA results support a 15,000 tonnes per day open pit and underground mining operation over an 11-year mine life. Highlights include:
C pre-tax NPV$1.07 billion 5% andC after-tax NPV$588 million 5% atUS /oz gold ("Au")$1,800 24.9% pre-tax IRR;18.0% after-tax IRR atUS /oz Au$1,800 - Annual Life-of-Mine ("LOM") recovered gold production of 233 koz
- Total LOM recovered gold of 2.5 Moz over an 11-year mine life
- Pre-tax payback of 3.8 years; after-tax payback of 4.8 years
- Initial capital costs estimated at
C ; sustaining and underground development capital costs estimated at$706 million C $738 million - Average annual LOM Total Cash Cost of
US /oz(1); average annual LOM All-In Sustaining Costs ("AISC") of$751 US /oz(2)$976
Note: Base case parameters assume a gold price of | |
(1) Total Cash Costs consist of mining costs, processing costs, mine-level G&A, treatment and refining charges and royalties. | |
(2) AISC includes total cash costs plus sustaining capital, development capital and closure costs. |
The Duparquet Gold Project, located in the Abitibi region of
The PEA evaluates recovery of gold from a 15,000 tonne-per-day ("tpd") open pit and underground mining operation, with a process plant that includes crushing, grinding, and flotation, producing a concentrate for sale. The PEA only considers the
Table 1: Key PEA Assumptions and Project Economics (1)
Key Assumptions | Unit | LOM | |
Gold Price | US$/oz | ||
Exchange Rate | C$:US$ | 1.33 | |
Production Profile | Unit | LOM | |
Total Open Pit Tonnage | Mt | 282.0 | |
Total Open Pit Mineralized Material Mined | Mt | 43.6 | |
Open Pit Strip Ratio | w:o | 5.4 | |
Total Underground Mineralized Material Mined | Mt | 12.0 | |
Total Mineralized Material Mined from Historic Tailings | Mt | 4.1 | |
Total Tonnes Processed | Mt | 59.7 | |
Daily Throughput | tpd | 15,000 | |
Mill Grade | g/t Au | 1.51 | |
Mine Life | Years | 11 years | |
Gold Recovery to Concentrate | % | 89.5 % | |
LOM Metal Recovered | koz Au | 2,595 koz Au | |
Average Annual Recovered | koz Au | 233 koz Au | |
Operating Costs (US$/oz) | Unit | LOM | |
Total Cash Costs (2) | US$/oz | ||
AISC (3) | US$/oz | ||
Capital Expenditures | Unit | LOM | |
Initial Capital | C$M | ||
Sustaining and Development Capital | C$M | C | |
Closure Costs | C$M | ||
Estimated Salvage Value | C$M | ( | |
Economics | Unit | LOM | |
NPV at | C$M | ||
IRR (pre-tax; post-tax) | % | ||
Payback (pre-tax; post-tax) | Years | 3.8 years; 4.8 years |
(1) | The reader is advised that the PEA is preliminary in nature and is intended to provide only an initial, high-level review of the Project potential and design options. The PEA mine plan and economic model include numerous assumptions and the use of Inferred mineral resources. Inferred mineral resources are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves and to be used in an economic analysis except as allowed for in PEA studies. There is no guarantee that Inferred resources can be converted to Indicated or Measured resources, and as such, there is no certainty that the PEA or Project economics described herein will be realized or achieved. |
(2) | Total Cash costs consist of mining costs, processing costs, mine-level G&A, treatment and refining charges and royalties. |
(3) | AISC includes total cash costs plus sustaining capital, development capital and closure costs. |
In September 2022, the Duparquet Gold Project Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") was updated by InnovExplo Inc. in accordance with NI 43-101. (See news release of September 12, 2022 for more details) The Duparquet Gold Project contains 3.44 million ounces of gold in the Measured & Indicated category, grading 1.55 g/t Au, and an additional 1.64 million ounces of gold in the Inferred category, grading 1.36 g/t Au (see Table 2).
In September 2023, new updated Mineral Resource Estimates were completed on First Mining's
Following the updated Mineral Resource Estimate at Pitt Gold and Duquesne, the consolidated Duparquet Project now contains 3.44 million ounces of gold in the Measured & Indicated category, grading 1.55 g/t Au, and an additional 2.64 million ounces of gold in the Inferred category, grading 1.62 g/t Au.
Table 2: Duparquet Deposit Mineral Resource Estimate (Effective September 12, 2022)
Area (potential mining method) | Cut-off (g/t) | Measured resource | Indicated resource | Inferred resource | |||||||
Tonnage (t) | Au (g/t) | Ounces | Tonnage (t) | Au (g/t) | Ounces | Tonnage (t) | Au (g/t) | Ounces | |||
Open Pit | 0.40 | 163,700 | 1.37 | 7,200 | 59,410,600 | 1.52 | 2,909,600 | 28,333,000 | 1.07 | 970,400 | |
UG Mining | 1.50 | - | - | - | 5,506,900 | 2.26 | 399,300 | 9,038,900 | 2.29 | 665,600 | |
Tailings | 0.40 | 19,900 | 2.03 | 1,300 | 4,105,200 | 0.93 | 123,200 | - | - | - | |
Total | 183,600 | 1.43 | 8,500 | 69,022,700 | 1.55 | 3,432,100 | 37,371,900 | 1.36 | 1,636,000 |
Table 3: Pitt Gold (Adjusted) and Duquesne Deposits Mineral Resource Estimate (Effective September 15, 2023) (not included in the PEA)
Area (Potential mining method) | Cut-off (g/t) | Pitt Gold Inferred Resource | Duquesne Inferred resource | |||||
Tonnage (t) | Au (g/t) | Ounces | Tonnage (t) | Au (g/t) | Ounces | |||
Open Pit | 0.50 | - | - | - | 6,300,000 | 1.56 | 316,000 | |
UG Mining | 1.75 | 2,120,000 | 2.75 | 187.200 | 5,030,000 | 3.10 | 501,400 | |
Total | 2,120,000 | 2.75 | 187.200 | 11,330,000 | 2.24 | 817,400 |
Table 4: Duparquet Gold Project Consolidated Mineral Resource Estimate (Effective August 31, 2023)*
Area
| Total Measured Resource | Total Indicated Resource | Total Inferred Resource | ||||||
(Potential mining method) | Tonnage (t) | Au | Ounces | Tonnage (t) | Au | Ounces | Tonnage (t) | Au | Ounces |
(g/t) | (g/t) | (g/t) | |||||||
Open Pit | 163,700 | 1.37 | 7,200 | 59,410,600 | 1.52 | 2,909,600 | 34,633,000 | 1.16 | 1,286,400 |
UG Mining | - | - | - | 5,506,900 | 2.26 | 399,300 | 16,189,000 | 2.60 | 1,354,100 |
Tailings | 19,900 | 2.03 | 1,300 | 4,105,200 | 0.93 | 123,200 | - | - | - |
Total | 183,600 | 1.43 | 8,500 | 69,022,700 | 1.55 | 3,432,100 | 50,822,000 | 1.62 | 2,640,500 |
*Refer to respecti0ve deposit resource estimate table for cut-off grade; adjusted for Pitt Gold |
Notes to accompany the Duparquet Gold Project Mineral Resource Estimates: | |
1. | The independent qualified persons for the |
2. | The independent qualified persons for the Pitt Gold and Duquesne mineral resource estimates, as defined by NI 43 101, are Olivier Vadnais-Leblanc, P.Geo., Carl Pelletier, P.Geo., and Simon Boudreau, P.Eng. from InnovExplo. The effective date of the estimate is September 15, 2023. |
3. | These mineral resources are not mineral reserves, as they do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is currently insufficient data to define these Inferred mineral resources as Indicated or Measured mineral resources and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in upgrading them to an Indicated or Measured mineral resource category. The mineral resource estimate follows current CIM Definition Standards. |
4. | The results are presented in situ and undiluted and have reasonable prospects of eventual economical extraction. |
5. | In-pit and Underground estimates encompass sixty (60) mineralized domains and one dilution envelop using the grade of the adjacent material when assayed or a value of zero when not assayed; The tailings estimate encompass four (4) zones. |
6. | |
7. | Pitt Gold: Underground: High-grade capping of 20 g/t Au. High-grade capping supported by statistical analysis was done on composited assays. |
8. | Duquesne: In-pit and Underground: High-grade capping of 55 g/t Au. High-grade capping supported by statistical analysis was done on composited assays. |
9. | In-pit and Underground: For |
10. | In-pit and Underground: For Duparquet, a density value of 2.73 g/cm3 was used for the mineralized domains and the envelope. For Pitt Gold and Duquesne, a density value of 2.7 g/cm3 was used for the mineralized domains and the envelope. A density value of 2.00 g/cm3 was used for the overburden. A density value of 1.00 g/cm3 was used for the excavation solids (drifts and stopes) assumed to be filled with water. Tailings: A fixed density of 1.45 g/cm3 was used in zones and waste. |
11. | In-pit and Underground: For Duparquet, the mineral resource estimate is classified as Measured, Indicated and Inferred. The measured category is defined by blocks having a volume of at least |
12. | The Mineral Resource Estimate for Duquesne and Pitt Gold was prepared using 3D block modelling and the inverse distance squared ("ID2") interpolation method. |
13. | The mineral resources are categorized as Inferred based on drill spacing, as well as geological and grade continuity. A maximum distance to the closest composite of 75 m for Inferred in all zones for Duquesne of 210 m for Inferred in all zones for Pitt Gold. |
14. | The reasonable prospect for an eventual economical extraction is met by having used reasonable cut-off grades both for a potential open pit and underground extraction scenarios (minimum mining width of 2m) and constraining volumes (Deswik optimized shapes and Whittle optimized pit-shells). |
15. | In-pit and Underground: The mineral resource estimate is locally pit-constrained with a bedrock slope angle of 50° and an overburden slope angle of 30°. The out-pit mineral resource met the reasonable prospect for eventual economic extraction by having constraining volumes applied to any blocks (potential underground extraction scenario) using DSO. |
16. | The number of metric tons was rounded to the nearest thousand and ounces were rounded to the nearest hundred, following the recommendations in NI 43 101. Any discrepancies in the totals are due to rounding effects. |
17. | The qualified persons are not aware of any known environmental, permitting, legal, title-related, taxation, socio-political, or marketing issues, or any other relevant issue not reported herein, that could materially affect the Mineral Resource Estimate. |
The PEA has considered and incorporated the opportunity to leverage the Duparquet Gold Project development with the reclamation of the brownfield site conditions including the removal and reprocessing of over 4.1 Mt of uncontained historical mine tailings. With such measures incorporated into the PEA mine plan, in combination with the ability of the Project to collect and treat historically impacted groundwater via the excavation and dewatering of the open pit, the Project is positioned to deliver both environmental and socio-economic benefits via employment, contracting and revenue for the Municipality of Duparquet. The PEA is anticipated to be refined and optimized based on consultation and input to be received by government, the Municipality of
Since acquiring the Duparquet Gold Project in September of 2022, First Mining has prioritized meeting the people, communities and government representatives on project planning in an open and transparent manner. First Mining published the Mines d'Or Duparquet website to share project information and has recently finished renovations required to open a First Mining community relations office in Duparquet. The Project provides an opportunity to address historical environmental aspects at the Project site to improve long-term sustainability, economic activity and support sustainable municipal planning and development.
The Municipality of
The affiliation and areas of responsibility for each of the Qualified Persons involved in preparing the PEA are as follows:
Table 5: Qualified Persons for PEA NI 43-101
Qualified Persons | Company | Area of Expertise |
Carl Michaud, P.Eng. | G Mining Services Inc. | Operating Cost Estimation, Economic Analysis and Mine Engineering |
Alexandre Dorval, P. Eng. | G Mining Services Inc. | Open pit Mine Engineering |
Marina Iund. P.Geo. | InnovExplo Inc. | Duparquet MRE |
Olivier Vadnais-Leblanc,P.Geo. | InnovExplo Inc. | Duquesne and Pitt Gold MRE |
Carl Pelletier. P.Geo. | InnovExplo Inc. | |
Simon Boudreau, P. Eng. | InnovExplo Inc. | |
Neil Lincoln, P. Eng. | G Mining Services Inc. | Mineral Processing and Recovery Methods |
Philip Rodrigue, P. Eng. | G Mining Services Inc. | Infrastructure and Capital Cost Estimation |
Sheldon Smith MES, P. Geo | Stantec Consulting Ltd. | Environmental and Permitting |
The Company cautions that the results of the PEA are preliminary in nature and include Inferred Mineral Resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves. There is no certainty that the results of the PEA will be realized.
Mr. Louis Martin P.Geo., (OGQ 0364), a consultant of First Mining, is a "Qualified Person" for the purposes of NI 43-101, and he has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this news release.
First Mining is a gold developer advancing two of the largest gold projects in
First Mining was established in 2015 by Mr. Keith Neumeyer, founding President and CEO of First Majestic Silver Corp.
ON BEHALF OF FIRST MINING GOLD CORP.
Daniel W. Wilton
Chief Executive Officer and Director
This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and
Forward-looking statements in this news release relate to future events or future performance and reflect current estimates, predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events. All forward-looking statements are based on First Mining's or its consultants' current beliefs as well as various assumptions made by them and information currently available to them. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the respective parties, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Such factors include, without limitation the Company's business, operations and financial condition potentially being materially adversely affected by the outbreak of epidemics, pandemics or other health crises, such as COVID-19, and by reactions by government and private actors to such outbreaks; risks to employee health and safety as a result of the outbreak of epidemics, pandemics or other health crises, such as COVID-19, that may result in a slowdown or temporary suspension of operations at some or all of the Company's mineral properties as well as its head office; fluctuations in the spot and forward price of gold, silver, base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in the currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar versus the
First Mining cautions that the foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on our forward-looking statements to make decisions with respect to First Mining, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. First Mining does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by the Company or on our behalf, except as required by law.
The Company is a "foreign private issuer" as defined in Rule 3b-4 under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and is eligible to rely upon the
Technical disclosure contained in this news release has not been prepared in accordance with the requirements of
NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators that establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning the issuer's material mineral projects.
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SOURCE First Mining Gold Corp.
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