After-Tax Highlights Include Net Present Value (5%) of US$5.7 Billion, Average Cash Flow of US$664 Million
Over First 5 Years, Internal Rate of Return of 25%
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 10, 2018) - American CuMo Mining Corporation (TSXV: MLY) (OTC
Pink: MLYCF) ("CuMoCo" or the "Company") is pleased to report on positive results from an independent updated Preliminary
Economic Analysis (PEA) of its 100% owned CuMo Project, a large Copper-Molybdenum-Silver-Tungsten-Rhenium deposit located in Boise
County, Idaho. The independent, third-party analysis was conducted by Sacré-Davey Engineering of North Vancouver.
"CuMo is the largest Molybdenum, Silver, Rhenium and Tungsten deposit in the United States and one of the world's leading mining
projects in terms of size, cost, and economics," said Shaun Dykes, President and Chief Executive Officer of CuMoCo. "The updated
Preliminary Economic Assessment affirms projections and compels completion of the remaining environmental permitting aspects,
pre-feasibility analysis and feasibility initiatives to advance our CuMo Project further. The project design prioritises features
which will provide the highest levels of environmental protection, workforce safety, and operating efficiency while minimizing
community impacts."
The PEA revision provides critical updates to the economic section of the November 2015 summary report by adding the Mineral
Sorting benefits to the project. The PEA is a prelude to a Pre-Feasibility Study and allows the Company to independently verify the
benefits of Mineral Sorting to the CuMo Project in a relatively short period. The 150,0000 tons per day case was selected for
updating.
The revisions are illustrated through direct comparison between the two economic report sections. To show the benefits of
Mineral Sorting, the price of molybdenum and copper used in the comparison are unchanged from the original report.
Metal |
Price per unit |
Mo (lbs) |
US$15 |
MoO3 (lbs) |
US$10 |
Cu |
US$3 |
Silver (oz) |
US$17.5 |
Rhenium (kg) |
US$2000 |
Sulfuric acid (ton) |
US$75 |
Highlights of the comparison are:
- An increase in pre-tax net cash flow from $30.0
billion to $32.8 billion
- An increase in pre-tax net present value at a 5%
discount (NPV5) from $9.0 billion to $10.7 billion
- An increase in after-tax net cash flow from $20.79
billion to $22.98 billion
- An increase in production of molybdenum copper and
silver
- An overall decrease in cost to produce a pound of
molybdenum oxide (MoO3) (net of byproducts) from $3.91 to $1.58 per pound or an overall decrease in cost to produce a pound of
molybdenum metal (Mo) (net of products) from $5.87 to $2.37 per pound.
In the updated results, the Company and Sacré-Davey Engineering produced the current economics using the following metal
prices:
Metal |
Price per unit |
Mo (lbs.) |
US$12.5 |
MoO3 (lbs.) |
US$8.33 |
Cu |
US$3 |
Silver (oz) |
US$17.5 |
Rhenium (kg) |
US$2000 |
Sulfuric acid (ton) |
US$75 |
The price of molybdenum(Mo) used is $12.50 to reflect long-term average prices. According to Roskill and Platts, molybdenum(Mo)
is currently trading in the $12.80 to $12.90 per pound range.
The following table shows the current highlights from the updated results:
Economic |
Average First |
Total |
Parameters |
5 years |
40 years |
Pre-Tax |
Undiscounted cash flow |
$USM |
$775.5 |
$26,296.6 |
Net Present Value ("NPV") at a 5% discount rate |
$USM |
NA |
$7,910.8 |
Internal Rate of Return ("IRR") |
% |
NA |
28.70% |
Payback Period |
years |
NA |
3.66 |
After-Tax |
Cash Flow |
$USM |
$663.5 |
$18,196.7 |
Net Present Value ("NPV") at a 5% discount rate |
$USM |
NA |
$5,673.0 |
Internal Rate of Return ("IRR") at a 5% discount rate |
% |
NA |
25.00% |
Payback Period |
years |
NA |
3.97 |
Mining |
Life of Mine ("LOM") Years |
years |
NA |
82 |
Mining Rate (short tons per day) |
000's |
491.2 |
451.2 |
Sorting Rate (short tons per day) |
000's |
293.3 |
243.7 |
Processing (short tons per day) |
000's |
150 |
150 |
Metal Production |
Molybdenum production (pounds) |
000's |
68,946.2 |
2,612,728.1 |
Copper Production (pounds) |
000's |
92,102.6 |
2,830,723.8 |
Silver production (ounces) |
000's |
3,179.6 |
100,194.9 |
Rhenium |
Kg |
2,103.0 |
79,688.2 |
Sulphuric acid |
short tons |
74,221.0 |
2,812,601.8 |
Costs |
Total Capital Expenditures (000's) |
$USM |
NA |
$2,817.5 |
Sustaining Capital (000's) |
$USM |
$37.6 |
$2,456.1 |
Operating Cash Cost per lb. Mo (net byproducts) |
US$ |
$1.10 |
$2.37 |
Operating Cash Cost per lb. Mo oxide (net byproducts) |
US$ |
$0.73 |
$1.58 |
Total Taxes Paid |
$USM |
$74.3 |
$5,643.80 |
Cautionary statement NI 43-101: The PEA was prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101
Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). Readers are cautioned that the PEA is preliminary
in nature. It includes 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, and there is no
certainty that the PEA will be realized. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated
economic viability.
For readers to fully understand the information in this news release, they are encouraged to read the complete PEA technical
report, which the Company expects to file within 45 days from the date of this news release on SEDAR (www.sedar.com), in accordance with NI 43-101. The report will also be available
at that time on the Company's website, including all qualifications, assumptions, and exclusions that relate to the PEA. The
technical report is intended to be read in its entirety and sections should not be read or relied upon out of context.
The Company and Sacré-Davey Engineering personnel have identified several areas and opportunities that may provide significant
costs savings and improved economics for the project, including the following:
Mining
- Optimization of the production schedule,
including examining an increase in cutoff grade which would have the effect of reducing the current 82-year mine life but
increasing the amount of metal being produced and thus the profitability and reducing the cost to produce.
- Optimization of the pit designs and
definition of a mineable reserve.
- Optimization of waste and stockpile haulage
methodology by switching to conveyor-based systems to reduce the amount of trucking involved and thus costs.
- Detailed equipment costing to determine
potential discounts to list price for all major components.
Milling
- Additional metallurgical work to determine
optimum grind size (the current assessment is based on the finest grind tested to date), analyze recoveries of the various metals,
and analyze the effects of the higher grade coming from the mineral sorters on metal recoveries.
- Optimize reagents to reduce costs and improve
metallurgy.
- Work on the potential for a tungsten recovery
circuit is required (currently excluded).
Tailings
- Detailed analysis of tailings storage
facilities and design to reduce overall costs.
Other
- Examine alternative concentrate
transportation from the mill to the railhead.
- Optimization of the roaster capital and
operating costs.
"These optimizations and further studies will be examined in more detail as part of the Pre-Feasibility Study the Company will
commence later this year, with the goal of continuing to reduce overall capital and operating costs further and improve the already
exceptional economics of our CuMo Project," stated Mr. Dykes.
The Company also announces that it will hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, May 30, 2018, at 10 am PST at Suite
2300-550 Burrard Street, Bentall 5, Vancouver, British Columbia.
Mr. Shaun M. Dykes, M.Sc. (Eng), P.Geo., President and CEO of the Company, is the designated qualified person for the CuMo
Project and the Calida Gold project and has prepared the technical information contained in this news release.
About CuMoCo
CuMoCo is focused on advancing its CuMo Project towards feasibility. CuMoCo is also advancing its recently-acquired Calida Gold
project. Please visit cumoco.com, idahocumo.com and cumoproject.com.
About Sacre-Davis Engineering
Founded in 1986, Sacré-Davey Engineering provides multi-disciplined engineering and project management services to clients in
the mining, oil and gas, heavy industrial and clean-tech sectors. Sacré-Davey is certified by the Professional Engineers and
Geoscientists of BC as an Organizational Quality Management Certified organization.
For further information, please contact:
American CuMo Mining Corporation
Shaun Dykes, President and Chief Executive Officer
Tel: (604) 689-7902
Email: info@cumoco.com
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies
of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this new release.
Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking information
Forward-looking information
This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation
including, but not limited to, statements that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates
will or may occur in the future, such the Company's ability to move its CuMo Project to feasibility and production, and to become
one of the largest and lowest-cost molybdenum producers in the world as well as a significant producer of copper and silver.
Forward-looking information is based on a number of material factors and assumptions, including the result of exploration
activities, the ability of the Company to raise the financing for a feasibility study and to put the CuMo project into production,
that no labour shortages or delays are experienced, that plant and equipment function as specified that the Court will not
intervene with the Company's proposed exploration activities at the CuMo Project, and the ability of the Company to obtain all
requisite permits and licenses to advance the CuMo Project and eventually bring it into production. Forward-looking
information involves known and unknown risks, future events, conditions, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual
results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future prediction, projection or forecast expressed or
implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, the interpretation and actual results of
current exploration activities; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; future prices of molybdenum, silver
and copper; possible variations in grade or recovery rates; labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in
obtaining governmental approvals or financing, as well as those factors disclosed in the Company's publicly filed documents,
including the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the period ended December 31, 2017. There may
be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance
that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those
anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.
Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or
revise forward-looking information.