Enhanced Access to Vanadium and Profitability Indicated by Pre-Feasibility Study Strengthens Foundation for Strategic Commitment to Energy Storage Business
Largo Resources Ltd. (TSX: LGO) announces a significant update regarding its Maracás Menchen Mine, highlighting a 305% increase in Proven and Probable reserves and a 128% rise in Measured and Indicated resources. This update supports enhanced vanadium production, projected to rise to approximately 15,900 tonnes per annum by 2032. With a 20-year mine life, the project estimates a $2.0 billion after-tax NPV7%. The integration of TiO2 pigment production is expected to generate over $4.0 billion in cash flow, enhancing market competitiveness and shareholder value.
- 305% increase in Proven and Probable reserves.
- 20-year mine life extension, adding 12 years compared to the 2017 report.
- Projected rise in V2O5 production capacity to approximately 15,900 tonnes per annum by 2032.
- $2.0 billion after-tax NPV7% from mining operations.
- Estimated cash flow of over $4.0 billion during mine life driven by TiO2 pigment sales.
- None.
All amounts expressed are in
-
Technical Report Outlines a Significant Expansion of V2O5 Production and Reserves Supported by New Cash Flow Generation from TiO2 Pigment Co-Product Sales and a 20 Year
Mine Life for the MaracásMenchen Mine -
After-Tax NPV$2.0 Billion 7% for Largo’s Vanadium-Titanium Operations (including an increase of 12 years in mine life over the Company’s 2017 filed technical report) -
Value Generated By the Maracás
Menchen Mine is Expected to Be Additive to the Potential Value Generated by the Company’s Energy Storage Business Initiatives in the Long Term
Largo’s Board of Directors has approved the vertical integration of the Company’s foundational mining business with its recently announced energy storage operations, with a view of becoming a global leader in the redox flow battery sector. In executing on this shareholder value creation strategy, the Company has undertaken a comprehensive optimization study for the Maracás
The materially enhanced Company profitability forecast by the Technical Report is driven by expanded V2O5 production and incremental cash flows generated by the production and sale of TiO2 pigment as a co-product. The Company believes the enhanced profitability of the mining operations contemplated by the Technical Report will unlock the flexibility to allocate operating costs between V2O5 and TiO2 in a manner that will drive increased market competitiveness and create additional shareholder value.
Implications of the Technical Report:
- Enhanced Profitability and Market Competitiveness: In addition to the significant shareholder value created through the enhanced profitability delivered from the sale of TiO2 pigment, expanded V2O5 production is expected to drive increased competitiveness of the Company’s products in the energy storage market
- V2O5 production expansion: Current nameplate production capacity of 13,200 tonnes per annum expected to increase to an approximate average of 15,900 tonnes per annum in 2032
-
Updated
Mine Life of 20 Years: Total operating mine life for the MaracásMenchen Mine of 20 years, representing an increase of 12 years in mine life compared to the parameters set forth in the Company’s 2017 technical report -
Technical Report Indicates
Pre-Tax NPV$2.8 billion 7% / After-Tax NPV$2.0 billion 7% for Largo’s Mining Operations: Using weighted average price of /lb vanadium pentoxide (“V2O5”)(inclusive of high purity V2O5 premium),$8.80 /tonne TiO2 pigment and$3,685.0 /tonne ilmenite. Anticipated cash flow generated from the Company’s TiO2 pigment product sales are expected to self-fund additional processing plant expansions of the Company’s TiO2 pigment chemical processing plant; in due course, the Company’s energy storage business may add significant additional value in conjunction with the Maracás$210.0 Menchen Mine operations
Technical Report and Qualified Persons
A Technical Report prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 for the Maracás
About Largo
Largo is a Canadian-based company that has historically been solely committed to the production and supply of high-quality vanadium products. The Company believes that the development and sale of vanadium-based utility scale electrical energy storage systems to support the planet's on-going transition to renewable energy presents both an attractive economic opportunity for the use of the Company's vanadium products and an opportunity to enhance the Company's sustainability. The Company is confident that using its VPURETM and VPURE+TM products, which are sourced from one of the world's highest-grade vanadium deposits at the Company's Maracás
Largo’s common shares trade on the
Appendix A
Technical Report Overview
The Technical Report results outline a robust economic assessment of the Maracás
The key assumptions underlying the Technical Report are based on the exclusive sale of the mining operations’ vanadium products, in the open market at spot price, including premiums, for use in the steel additive, chemical and aerospace sectors and do not consider any potential value from sales to the Company’s energy storage operations. Should the Company’s business evolve such that it is believed that the integrated use of the Company’s vanadium products with the energy storage operations generates a higher economic benefit, the Company may prioritize sales of its vanadium products to the energy storage market, including its own energy storage business. Any significant changes to the overall economics that result from such change would have to be contained in a new NI 43-101 technical report.
Since 2018, the Company has worked diligently on creating a new operational vision for the Maracás
Resource and Reserve Updates
(see Reserve and Resource tables below for details)
-
As defined in the Company’s restated Annual Information Form, the
Campbell Pit 2020-year end reserves, adjusted for mining depletion, totaled 14.90 million tonnes of Proven and Probable Reserves with a total Measured and Indicated Resources of 15.71 million tonnes and Inferred Resources of 1.61 million tonnes. -
The updated Campbell Pit Proven and Probable Reserves has increased
20% to 17.85 million tonnes. -
The updated Campbell Pit Measured and Indicated Resources has increased
24% to 19.43 million tonnes, with an increase of217% in Inferred Resources to 5.10 million tonnes following the inclusion of TiO2.
NAN and GAN Deposits
- In addition, the new mine plan will include Mineral Reserve contributions from the NAN and GAN deposits based on recent drilling work and the inclusion of TiO2. The maiden NAN Proven and Probable Reserves total 22.35 million tonnes.
-
As previously announced (see press release dated
June 11, 2019 ) the Measured and Indicated resources at NAN totaled 12.23 tonnes with an Inferred Resource of 11.33 million tonnes. The maiden NAN Measured and Indicated resources now total 22.89 million tonnes, representing an87% increase. The updated NAN Inferred Resource decreased48% to 5.90 million tonnes due to upgrading of previous Inferred mineralization to a higher confidence of mineral categories. - As stated in the Company’s restated Annual Information Form, GAN had an Inferred Resource of 9.73 million tonnes.
- The maiden GAN Proven and Probable Reserves total 20.16 million tonnes. The upgraded GAN Measured and Indicated resources total 21.37 million tonnes.
-
The updated GAN Inferred Resource decreased
53% to 4.52 million tonnes due to upgrading previous Inferred mineralization to a higher confidence of mineral categories.
Proven and Probable Reserves for the Maracás
Measured and Indicated resources at the Maracás
Phase 1: Ilmenite Concentration Plant + TiO2
-
Phase 1 considers an ilmenite concentration plant with a capacity to produce 150,000 tonnes of ilmenite concentrate per year from the
Campbell Pit non-magnetic concentrate as previously approved by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) (see press release datedMarch 18, 2021 ). Concurrent with this approval, the Company will invest in 2022 to construct the ilmenite concentration plant with production expected to commence in 2023. The majority of the ilmenite concentrate will be fed through the Company’s new TiO2 pigment chemical processing plant which is to be constructed in Camaçari,$25.2 million Brazil in 2022 and 2023. The TiO2 pigment chemical processing plant is expected to produce 30,000 tonnes of TiO2 pigment per year beginning in 2024 with a total investment of ($96.4 million in 2022 and$50.7 million in 2023). The Company anticipates that the Total investment for Phase 1 will be$45.7 million and will generate an average production of 140,000 tonnes of ilmenite concentrate (from 2023 to 2025) and 30,000 tonnes of TiO2 pigment per year (from 2024 to 2025). The ilmenite concentrate production is expected to supply all necessary feedstock for the TiO2 pigment chemical processing plant with any surplus being sold in the open market . The Company’s annual V2O5 equivalent production capacity of 13,200 tonnes will remain unchanged during this period.$121.6 million - The Company’s Board has also approved the additional TiO2 pigment plant expenditures for Phase 1.
-
Estimated Unit Cash Costs1:
/lb V2O5 ($2.31 Campbell Pit )
Phase 2: TiO2 Pigment Processing Plant + Vanadium Trioxide Plant Expansions (2024-2025)
-
Phase 2 will consider the expansion of the Company’s TiO2 pigment chemical processing plant located in Camaçari,
Brazil to a nameplate capacity of 60,000 tonnes of TiO2 pigment per year. The Company estimates a total investment of with$59.8 million to be incurred in 2024 and$29.9 million in 2025. The ilmenite concentrate feedstock that will support the Company’s TiO2 pigment production in 2026 and 2027 will be sourced from the current$29.9 million Campbell Pit non-magnetic concentrate (86% ) and from the non-magnetic stock contained within ponds (14% ) from past operations. The Company does not estimate any surplus of Ilmenite concentrate production during this period. In 2024, the Company will consider an expansion of the vanadium trioxide (“V2O3”) plant in Maracás with a total investment of . This expansion is expected to double current capacity of 14 tonnes per day to 28 tonnes and will support the Company’s VRFB deployment plans. The Company’s annual V2O5 equivalent production capacity of 13,200 tonnes will remain unchanged during this period.$4.7 million -
Estimated Unit Cash Costs1:
/lb V2O5 ($2.31 Campbell Pit ), /tonne TiO2 Pigment$1,765.81
Phase 3: TiO2 Pigment Processing + Ilmenite Concentration Plant Expansions (2026-2028)
-
Phase 3 will consider a further expansion of the Company’s TiO2 pigment chemical processing plant to a capacity of 120,000 tonnes of pigment production per year with an expected cost of
to be incurred in 2026 and 2027. The Company expects to reach a production rate of 120,000 tonnes of TiO2 pigment from 2028 to 2040. Concurrent with the TiO2 pigment chemical processing plant expansion, the Company will also perform an expansion of its ilmenite concentration plant in Maracás to support its TiO2 pigment chemical plant expansion a new average production rate of approximately 425,000 tonnes of ilmenite concentrate per year. The Company plans to invest$132.0 million to support this expansion and will source the ilmenite concentrate feedstock from its stocks of non-magnetic material located in its tailings ponds from past operations. The stocked material in the Company’s tailings ponds will be depleted in 2032, at which point the Company plans to source feedstock for its ilmenite concentrate processing plant from the non-magnetic concentrate generated from the GAN and NAN operations. From 2033 to 2040, there will be an average ilmenite concentrate surplus of 144,000 tonnes, which the Company expects to sell in the open market. The Company’s annual V2O5 equivalent production capacity of 13,200 tonnes will remain unchanged during this period and for the years 2029 and 2030.$36.5 million -
Estimated Unit Cash Costs1:
/lb V2O5,$2.31 /tonne TiO2 Pigment$141 8.43
Phase 4: V2O5 Expansion (2029-2032)
-
The Company’s
Campbell Pit will be depleted in 2032 at which point the Company expects to begin mining and processing of its NAN and GAN deposits. The Company plans to invest in duplicate crushing, milling, kiln and leaching circuits, with a total investment of ($230.6 million in 2029,$23.1 million 2030,$69.2 million in 2031 and$92.3 million in 2032). This expansion is expected to result in an approximate average of 15,900 tonnes from 2033 to 2041. The duplicate crushing circuit will be located near the NAN orebody, which is roughly 6.5 km from the$46.1 million Campbell Pit . The pre-concentrate will be transported by truck and milling circuit, second kiln and leaching circuit will be located near the Company’s current operations. - Phase 2, 3 and 4 are each subject to the Board’s approval.
-
Estimated Unit Cash Costs1:
/lb V2O5 ($2.31 Campbell Pit ), /lb V2O5 (NAN and GAN),$3.65 /tonne TiO2 Pigment (2033-2041)$1,552.89
Additional supporting parameters of the Technical Report economics are presented in the following table:
Key Assumptions |
Life of Mine |
Exchange Rate (R$/US$) |
5.1 |
Commodity Prices |
Weighted average price of |
Vanadium Premium (% of sales) |
25 |
Tonnes / lb |
2204.62 |
Production Profile |
Life of Mine |
|
20 |
|
8.3 ( |
Strip Ratio (Waste : Ore) |
3.94 : 1 ( |
Project Economics |
|
NPV |
|
Discounted Life of |
|
CAPEX |
|
Sustaining CAPEX |
|
Maracás Menchen Mine Mineral Reserves Estimates (as at
Category |
Tonnage
|
%Magnetics |
Head |
Magnetic Concentrate |
Metal Contained |
||||
%V2O5 |
%TiO2 |
Mag (Mt) |
%V2O5 |
%TiO2 |
V2O5 in
|
TiO2 Non-Magnetic
|
|||
(t) |
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
Proven |
15.64 |
31.91 |
1.22 |
8.02 |
4.99 |
3.14 |
5.04 |
156,686 |
1,002,650 |
Probable |
2.21 |
29.77 |
1.02 |
8.22 |
0.66 |
2.69 |
4.54 |
17,677 |
151,610 |
Total Campbell Pit Reserve |
17.85 |
31.65 |
1.20 |
8.04 |
5.65 |
3.09 |
4.98 |
174,363 |
1,154,260 |
GANii |
|||||||||
Proven |
12.10 |
17.75 |
0.49 |
7.57 |
2.15 |
1.88 |
1.94 |
40,375 |
874,242 |
Probable |
8.06 |
21.15 |
0.57 |
8.33 |
1.71 |
2.04 |
2.29 |
34,790 |
632,616 |
Total GAN Reserve |
20.16 |
19.11 |
0.52 |
7.87 |
3.85 |
1.95 |
2.08 |
75,165 |
1,506,858 |
NANiii |
|||||||||
Proven |
17.43 |
23.22 |
0.7 |
8.71 |
4.05 |
2.36 |
2.95 |
95,538 |
1,399,099 |
Probable |
4.92 |
23.38 |
0.72 |
8.76 |
1.15 |
2.44 |
2.78 |
28,059 |
398,901 |
Total NAN Reserve |
22.35 |
23.26 |
0.70 |
8.72 |
5.20 |
2.38 |
2.91 |
123,598 |
1,798,000 |
Total Maracás Menchen Mine Proven and Probable Reserves |
|||||||||
Proven |
45.17 |
24.76 |
0.82 |
8.17 |
11.19 |
2.62 |
3.40 |
292,599 |
3,275,992 |
Probable |
15.19 |
23.12 |
0.68 |
8.45 |
3.51 |
2.29 |
2.78 |
80,526 |
1,183,126 |
Total |
60.36 |
24.35 |
0.79 |
8.24 |
14.70 |
2.54 |
3.25 |
373,125 |
4,459,118 |
Notes: | |||||||||
|
|||||||||
|
Non-Magnetic Reserve in Ponds (as at
Pond |
Class Reserve |
Volume |
Density |
Reserve in Stock |
|
Contained Metal |
(km3) |
(t/m3) |
(kt) |
(%) |
(kt) |
||
BNM 04 |
Probable |
829.75 |
1.80 |
1,493.55 |
11.35 |
169.52 |
BNM 02 |
Probable |
640.30 |
1.80 |
1,152.53 |
11.35 |
130.81 |
BNM 03 |
Probable |
521.14 |
1.80 |
938.05 |
11.35 |
106.47 |
Total |
Probable |
1,991.18 |
1.80 |
3,584.12 |
11.35 |
406.80 |
|
Maracás Menchen Mine Mineral Resources (as at
Classification |
Mass |
Head |
Magnetic Concentrate |
Metal Content |
||||
%V2O5 |
%TiO2 |
%MAG |
%V2O5 |
%TiO2 |
V205 |
TiO2 |
||
Mt |
kt |
kt |
||||||
Campbell a, i |
||||||||
Measured (M) |
16.36 |
1.23 |
7.98 |
31.84 |
3.15 |
5.04 |
201.2 |
1,305.6 |
Indicated (I) |
3.07 |
0.98 |
7.97 |
28.2 |
2.69 |
4.45 |
30.1 |
244.5 |
Total Campbell M+I |
19.43 |
1.19 |
7.98 |
31.27 |
3.08 |
4.95 |
231.3 |
1,550.1 |
GANb, ii |
||||||||
Measured (M) |
12.11 |
0.49 |
7.55 |
17.70 |
1.88 |
1.93 |
59.8 |
914.5 |
Indicated (I) |
9.25 |
0.58 |
8.28 |
21.13 |
2.08 |
2.27 |
54.1 |
766.5 |
Total GAN M+I |
21.37 |
0.53 |
7.87 |
19.18 |
1.97 |
2.07 |
113.8 |
1,681.0 |
NANc, iii |
||||||||
Measured (M) |
17.48 |
0.7 |
8.73 |
23.43 |
2.38 |
2.97 |
122.4 |
1,526.0 |
Indicated (I) |
5.41 |
0.74 |
8.76 |
23.51 |
2.48 |
2.78 |
40.1 |
474.1 |
Total NAN M+I |
22.89 |
0.71 |
8.74 |
23.45 |
2.40 |
2.92 |
162.4 |
2,000.1 |
Total Maracás Menchen Mine M+I |
||||||||
Measured (M) |
45.95 |
0.83 |
8.15 |
24.91 |
2.52 |
3.43 |
383.3 |
3,746.1 |
Indicated (I) |
17.73 |
0.70 |
8.37 |
23.08 |
2.31 |
2.80 |
124.2 |
1,485.1 |
Total M+I |
63.69 |
0.80 |
8.21 |
24.40 |
2.46 |
3.26 |
507.6 |
5,231.2 |
Campbell Pit Inferred |
5.10 |
0.92 |
8.20 |
26.68 |
2.63 |
3.98 |
47.0 |
418.6 |
GAN Inferred |
4.52 |
0.64 |
8.40 |
22.37 |
2.15 |
2.49 |
29.0 |
380.1 |
NAN Inferred |
5.90 |
0.67 |
7.75 |
21.01 |
2.47 |
2.89 |
39.5 |
456.9 |
Total Maracás Menchen Mine Inferred |
15.52 |
0.74 |
8.09 |
23.27 |
2.44 |
3.13 |
115.5 |
1,255.6 |
Notes: | ||||||||
1. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.
2. Mineral resources were estimated by 3. The Mineral Resource estimates were prepared in accordance with the CIM Standards, and the CIM Guidelines, using geostatistical, plus economic and mining parameters appropriate to the deposit. |
||||||||
|
||||||||
4. Presented Mineral Resources inclusive of mineral reserves. All figures have been rounded to the relative accuracy of the estimates. Summed amounts may not add due to rounding.
5. Mineral Resource is reported with effective date
6. Cut-off grade of 7. Mineral Resources were estimated using the Geovia Whittle 4.3 software and following the economic parameters: |
||||||||
|
Non-Magnetic Resource in Ponds (as at
Pond |
Class Reserve |
Volume |
Density |
Reserve in Stock |
|
Contained Metal |
(km3) |
(t/m3) |
(kt) |
(%) |
(kt) |
||
BNM 04 |
Indicated |
829.75 |
1.80 |
1,493.55 |
11.35 |
169.52 |
BNM 02 |
Indicated |
640.30 |
1.80 |
1,152.53 |
11.35 |
130.81 |
BNM 03 |
Indicated |
521.14 |
1.80 |
938.05 |
11.35 |
106.47 |
Total |
Indicated |
1,991.18 |
1.80 |
3,584.12 |
11.35 |
406.80 |
|
TiO2 Metallurgical Test-Work Confidence
The Company’s planned TiO2 pigment project is based on the sulfate processing method, common in the industry. Aiming to have a more environmentally friendly impact, the Company will recycle the spent sulfuric acid from hydrolysis, which avoids the production of acidic iron sulfate waste. Iron sulfate generated throughout the process will be converted into fertilizer (ammonium sulfate) and hematite using well-known processing methods. The fertilizer produced could be sold in the Brazilian market.
The TiO2 production method was supported by a consultant, Mr.
About GE21
GE21 is a specialized and independent mineral consulting firm based on a multi-disciplinary technical team, which offers services covering most project development stages in the mining sector. The senior staff and Board of Directors have extensive technical and operational experience, based on collaboration with relevant companies in the fields of exploration and mineral consulting in
Forward-Looking Information:
This press release contains forward-looking information under Canadian securities legislation, some of which may be considered "financial outlook" for the purposes of applicable Canadian securities legislation ("forward-looking statements"). Forward‐looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the timing and amount of estimated future production and sales; the estimation of mineral reserves and mineral resources; the realization of mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates; the intention of the Company to file the Technical Report; the estimated production schedule for
Trademarks are owned by
Information Concerning Estimates of Mineral Reserves and Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resources
This press release has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect in
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Investor Relations:
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aguthrie@largoresources.com
Tel: +1 416‐861‐9797
Source:
FAQ
What is the significance of the recent Technical Report for Largo (LGO)?
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What is the projected increase in V2O5 production capacity for Largo (LGO)?
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