Anglo Asian Mining plc / Ticker: AAZ / Index: AIM / Sector: Mining
14 March 2019
Anglo Asian Mining plc
Maiden JORC Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves for the producing
Gadir Underground Mine
Anglo Asian Mining plc ("Anglo Asian" or the "Company"), the AIM listed gold, copper and silver producer, is pleased to announce maiden Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves, estimated in accordance with the JORC (2012) code, for the producing Gadir Underground Mine ("Gadir") located at the Company's Gedabek Contract Area ("Gedabek") in Western Azerbaijan. The Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves are the same as those published as a Company estimate on 25 February 2019. The mineral resources estimate is based on a robust geological model, which benefits from information gathered during mining of the deposit since 2015, combined with ongoing geological work and exploration drilling.
Overview
· Maiden JORC Mineral Resources:
o Measured plus Indicated Mineral Resources (at a cut-off grade of 0.5 grammes per tonne of gold) of 1,775,000 tonnes containing 145,200 ounces of gold, 736,100 ounces of silver, 3,295 tonnes of copper and 14,470 tonnes of zinc
o Inferred Mineral Resources (at a cut-off grade of 0.5 grammes per tonne of gold) of 571,000 tonnes containing 27,200 ounces of gold, 104,400 ounces of silver, 571 tonnes of copper and 2,972 tonnes of zinc
· Maiden JORC Ore Reserves estimate:
o Proved and Probable Ore Reserves (at a cut-off grade of 1.2 grammes per tonne of gold) of 797,000 tonnes at a grade of 2.73 grammes per tonne gold containing about 70,000 ounces of gold, 11.86 grammes per tonne silver containing over 300,000 ounces of silver and 0.17 percent copper containing nearly 1,400 tonnes of copper
o At the current production rate, this gives over a mine life of over five-years
o These reserves are the economic part of the Measured plus Indicated Mineral Resources
· A comprehensive three-dimensional geological model of Gadir has now been completed which will support future mining and further exploration
· Geological exploration of additional areas of the deposit, which remains open at depth and along strike, is continuing and has the potential to further enhance this maiden resource and reserves estimate
· Publication of these JORC mineral resources and ore reserves is in line with the Company's strategy to formalise its global resource inventory of producing assets (which also includes Gedabek Open Pit and the Ugur Open Pit). Resources and reserves estimates classified according to the JORC Code have now been prepared for all the Company's producing mines.
Gadir Background
· The polymetallic sulphide deposit was discovered by surface exploration core drilling, and subsequently accessed via an adit tunnel in 2015. On reaching the mineralisation for further evaluation, mining of the deposit commenced.
· Production mining has continued since 2015, on a simultaneous exploration-mining basis. However, as part of the recent strategy to formalise the resources classified in accordance with the JORC (2012) Code, the Gadir Mineral Resources report and Ore Reserves report have been prepared.
· The mineral resource estimate was prepared utilising the extensive geological and mining information that comprised surface core drill holes (64 drill holes with a total length of 22,458 metres), underground core drill holes (338 drill holes with a total length of 15,512 metres), and 8,645 underground channel samples.
· Total underground development as at end 2018 was over 10 kilometres, comprising nearly 7,000 metres of development tunnelling, 902 metres of decline drives, over 1,534 metres of spiral ramp and 844 metres tunnelling towards and under the northern part of the Gedabek open pit.
The Gadir JORC Mineral Resources Report can be accessed via the following link:
http://www.rns-pdf.londonstockexchange.com/rns/8102S_2-2019-3-13.pdf
The Gadir JORC Ore Reserves Report can be accessed via the following link:
http://www.rns-pdf.londonstockexchange.com/rns/8102S_1-2019-3-13.pdf
Anglo Asian CEO, Reza Vaziri, said "I am delighted to announce the maiden JORC Mineral
Resources and Ore Reserves estimate for the Gadir deposit, which, together with our JORC Resources and Reserves estimates for our Gedabek Open Pit and Ugur underground mines, provide investors with a tangible sense of the overall mineralised potential of our main Gedabek Contract Area where we have been producing gold and copper since 2009.
"To prepare JORC resource and ore reserves estimate for a complex underground mine is a technically very difficult exercise and this resource and the reserves estimate demonstrates the high expertise of the Company's geologists. This process of comprehensive geological exploration is continuing, and as additional geological data are obtained, this mineral resource and reserve estimate will be further updated. Supporting these activities is a detailed, three-dimensional geological model of Gadir which will assist in both mining the deposit and further exploration."
Anglo Asian Group Director of Geology & Mining, Stephen Westhead, said "This maiden resource and ore reserve estimate is for Gadir only and does not include any underground mining resource potential beneath the Gedabek open pit, which is located some 500 metres from the Gadir resource. The Gadir Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves estimates assess the total mineral inventory as known from exploration and development work to date, including material immediately adjacent to areas already mined that may be re-accessed pending an intensive geological and geotechnical risk assessment. The Gadir property continues to be an important asset of the Company and, with it remaining open at depth and along strike, may yield significant further upside to Anglo Asian in the future.
"The completion of this work provides a strong understanding of the combined production profile of all operating mines, that gives a mine life until end 2024 from the current reserves. Importantly, the resources adjacent to these mineral reserves provide the opportunity to be further upgraded for future production. Additionally, exceptional exploration potential exists at not only the Gedabek Contract Area, but also at the Ordubad and Gosha Contract Areas, which will be evaluated in due course to increase the Group resources with the aim of expanding current mines and constructing new mines."
JORC (2012) Mineral Resources Statement
The Mineral Resource estimate was prepared in accordance with JORC Code (2012), which is the current edition of the JORC Code. The resources stated below are in-situ and depleted for mining development and production to the end of August 2018.
Mineral Resources
CLASSIFICATION (Cut-off grade 0.5 g/t Au) |
Tonnage |
Gold |
Silver |
Copper |
Zinc |
kt |
g/t |
koz |
g/t |
koz |
% |
t |
% |
t |
Measured |
540 |
3.70 |
64.2 |
17.49 |
303.6 |
0.29 |
1,566 |
1.01 |
5,454 |
Indicated |
1,235 |
2.04 |
81.0 |
10.89 |
432.4 |
0.14 |
1,729 |
0.73 |
9,016 |
Measured + Indicated |
1,775 |
2.54 |
145.2 |
12.90 |
736.1 |
0.21 |
3,295 |
0.84 |
14,470 |
Inferred |
571 |
1.48 |
27.2 |
5.68 |
104.4 |
0.10 |
571 |
0.52 |
2,972 |
Total |
2,347 |
2.29 |
172.4 |
11.14 |
840.4 |
0.19 |
3,866 |
0.78 |
17,442 |
JORC (2012) Ore Reserves Statement
The ore reserves estimate was also prepared in accordance with JORC Code (2012). The Ore Reserves are derived from the Measured plus Indicated Mineral Resources and are presented below.
Ore Reserves
CLASSIFICATION (Cut-off grade 1.2 g/t Au) |
Tonnage |
Gold |
Silver |
Copper |
kt |
g/t |
koz |
g/t |
koz |
% |
t |
Proved |
222 |
2.81 |
25 |
14.13 |
101 |
0.24 |
535 |
Probable |
575 |
2.41 |
45 |
10.99 |
203 |
0.15 |
852 |
Total |
797 |
2.73 |
70 |
11.86 |
304 |
0.17 |
1,387 |
Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves Estimation Overview
Anglo Asian, together with the mining and geological consulting group Datamine International, prepared the resources and the reserve estimation for gold, silver and copper of the Gadir deposit. Zinc was not estimated as part of this reserve as is under study at resource level currently. Further information regarding the Mineral Resources estimation parameters per Table 1 of the JORC Code are set out in Appendix One (Section 3) and information regarding the Ore Reserves estimation parameters per Table 1 of the JORC code are set out in Appendix One (Section 4). A glossary of terminology related to the mineral resource and reserves estimate and other information is set out in Appendix Two.
Competent Person Statement
The information in the announcement that relates to exploration results, minerals resources and ore reserves is based on information compiled by Dr Stephen Westhead, who is a full-time employee of Anglo Asian Mining with the position of Director of Geology & Mining, who is a Fellow of The Geological Society of London, a Chartered Geologist, Fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists, Member of The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and a Member of the Institute of Directors.
Stephen Westhead has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. Stephen Westhead consents to the inclusion in the announcement of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.
Stephen Westhead has sufficient experience, relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity that he is undertaking, to qualify as a "competent person" as defined by the AIM rules. Stephen Westhead has reviewed the resources and reserves included in this announcement.
Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure
Certain information contained in this announcement would have been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 until the release of this announcement.
**ENDS**
For further information please visit or contact:
Reza Vaziri |
Anglo Asian Mining plc |
Tel: +994 12 596 3350 |
Bill Morgan |
Anglo Asian Mining plc |
Tel: +994 502 910 400 |
Stephen Westhead |
Anglo Asian Mining plc |
Tel: +994 502 916 894 |
Ewan Leggat |
SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP Nominated Adviser and Broker |
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3470 0470 |
Soltan Tagiev |
SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP |
Tel + 44 (0) 20 3470 0470 |
Susie Geliher |
St Brides Partners Ltd |
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7236 1177 |
Gaby Jenner |
St Brides Partners Ltd |
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7236 1177 |
Notes:
Anglo Asian Mining plc (AIM:AAZ) is a gold, copper and silver producer in Central Asia with a broad portfolio of production and exploration assets in Azerbaijan. The Company has a 1,962 square kilometre portfolio, assembled from analysis of historic Soviet geological data and held under a Production Sharing Agreement modelled on the Azeri oil industry.
The Company's main operating location is the Gedabek Contract Area ("Gedabek") which is a 300 square kilometre area in the Lesser Caucasus mountains in western Azerbaijan. The Company developed Azerbaijan's first modern operating gold/copper/silver mine at Gedabek which commenced gold production in May 2009. Mining at Gedabek was initially from its main open pit, which is an open cast mine with a series of interconnected pits.
The Company also operates the high grade Gadir underground mine, which is co-located at the Gedabek site. In September 2017, production commenced at the Ugur open pit mine, a recently discovered gold ore deposit at Gedabek. The Company has a second underground mine, Gosha, which is 50 kilometres from Gedabek. Ore mined at Gosha is processed at Anglo Asian's Gedabek plant.
The Company produced 83,736 gold equivalent ounces ('GEOs') for the year ended 31 December 2018. Gedabek is a polymetallic ore deposit that has gold together with significant concentrations of copper in the main open pit mine, and an oxide gold-rich zone at Ugur. The Company therefore employs a series of flexible processing routes to optimise metal recoveries and efficiencies. The Company produces gold doré through agitation and heap leaching operations, copper concentrate from its Sulphidisation, Acidification, Recycling, and Thickening (SART) plant and also a copper and precious metal concentrate from its flotation plant. A second dedicated crusher line has been commissioned and is now in operation for the flotation plant to enable it to operate independently of the agitation leaching plant.
The Company has forecast metal production for FY 2019 of between 82,000 to 86,000 gold equivalent ounces ("GEOs"). Of the forecast production for FY 2019, between 28,000 to 30,000 GEOs is in the form of copper and gold flotation concentrate.
Anglo Asian is also actively seeking to exploit its first mover advantage in Azerbaijan to identify additional projects, as well as looking for other properties in order to fulfil its expansion ambitions and become a mid-tier gold and copper metal production company.