Condor Gold Comment on US Sanctions

RNS Number : 4084E

Condor Gold PLC

27 October 2022

 

27 October 2022

Condor Gold Plc

("Condor", "Condor Gold" or the "Company")

Condor Gold Comment on US Sanctions

Condor Gold (AIM: CNR; TSX: COG). Following discussions with its advisors relating to US Executive Order 13851 and sanctions imposed on the Nicaraguan General Directorate of Mines by the United States Treasury Department on October 24, 2022 (the "Sanctions") and an internal review of its current and future planned operations, the Company confirms that it is the Board's current view that the Sanctions are unlikely to have a any impact on its current Nicaraguan operations.

Condor's La India Project is almost construction ready and materially de-risked. A Feasibility Study technical report was filed on SEDAR this week, the surface rights have been purchased, a new SAG Mill purchased and permitted granted to construct and operate a mine.

Condor owns 100% of the 587 sq km La India Project and fully permitted mine. It has no commercial arrangements with the Government of Nicaragua or artisanal miners. Condor is fully compliant with the laws of Nicaragua and will continue to comply with all relevant laws and regulations, as well as international standards and best practices.

Condor's aim has been to showcase to the highest western standards how to conduct gold exploration and complete all technical studies to a Bankable Feasibility Study level and obtain the key permits. Condor is compliant with the IFC performance standards for an exploration and development company pre-construction. Condor has a team of 16 people in its environmental and social department. Our flagship social Project is a US$250,000 investment in a water purification plant; approximately 900 five gallon portable water containers are delivered weekly by the Company to local households. A comprehensive stakeholder engagement plan has been the key to success at the local level. The local communities have voted overwhelmingly for a new mine at La India.

Whilst the Company is yet to fully understand the impact the Sanctions may have on the Company's future operations in Nicaragua, the Board's initial view is that this is unlikely to directly impact operations noting that the sanctions appear targeted at State-owned enterprises.

The Company will make further announcements as the situation becomes clearer.

- Ends -

For further information please visit www.condorgold.com or contact:

Condor Gold plc	Mark Child, Chairman and CEO [phone]
Beaumont Cornish Limited	Roland Cornish and James Biddle [phone]
SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP	Ewan Leggat [phone]
H&P Advisory Limited	Andrew Chubb and Nilesh Patel [phone]
Adelaide Capital (Investor Relations)	Deborah Honig [phone]

About Condor Gold plc:

Condor Gold plc was admitted to AIM in May 2006 and dual listed on the TSX in January 2018. The Company is a gold exploration and development company with a focus on Nicaragua.

The 2022 Feasibility Study (2020 FS) ws filed on SEDAR on 26 October 2022 and replaces the previously reported Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") as presented in the Technical Report filed on SEDAR in October 2021 as the current technical report for the La India project.

The 2021 PEA considered the expanded Project inclusive of the exploitation of the Mineral Resources associated to the La India, Mestiza, America and Central Breccia deposits. The strategic study covers two scenarios: Scenario A, in which the mining is undertaken from four open pits, termed La India, America, Mestiza and Central Breccia Zone ("CBZ"), which targets a plant feed rate of 1.225 million tonnes per annum ("Mtpa"); and Scenario B, where the mining is extended to include three underground operations at La India, America and Mestiza, in which the processing rate is increased to 1.4 Mtpa. The 2021 PEA Scenario B presented a post-tax, post upfront capital expenditure NPV of US$418 million, with an IRR of 54% and 12 month pay-back period, assuming a US$1,700 per oz gold price, with average annual production of 150,000 oz gold per annum for the initial 9 years of gold production. The open pit mine schedules were optimised from designed pits, bringing higher grade gold forward resulting in average annual production of 157,000 oz gold in the first 2 years from open pit material and underground mining funded out of cashflow. The 2021 PEA Scenario A presented a post-tax, post upfront capital expenditure NPV of US$302 million, with an IRR of 58% and 12 month pay-back period, assuming a US$1,700 per oz gold price, with average annual production of approximately 120,000 oz gold per annum for the initial 6 years of gold production. The Mineral Resource estimate and associated Preliminary Economic Assessment contained in the 2021 PEA are considered a historical estimate within the meaning of NI 43-101, a qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify such historical estimate as current, and the Company is not treating the historical Mineral Resource estimate and associated studies as current, and the reader is cautioned not to rely upon this data as such. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The Company believes that the historical Mineral Resource estimate and Preliminary Economic assessment is relevant to the continuing development of the La India Project.

In August 2018, the Company announced that the Ministry of the Environment in Nicaragua had granted the Environmental Permit ("EP") for the development, construction and operation of a processing plant with capacity to process up to 2,800 tonnes per day at its wholly-owned La India gold Project ("La India Project"). The EP is considered the master permit for mining operations in Nicaragua. Condor has purchased a new SAG Mill, which has mainly arrived in Nicaragua. Site clearance and preparation is at an advanced stage.

Environmental Permits were granted in April and May 2020 for the Mestiza and America open pits respectively, both located close to La India. The Mestiza open pit hosts 92 Kt at a grade of 12.1 g/t gold (36,000 oz contained gold) in the Indicated Mineral Resource category and 341 Kt at a grade of 7.7 g/t gold (85,000 oz contained gold) in the Inferred Mineral Resource category. The America open pit hosts 114 Kt at a grade of 8.1 g/t gold (30,000 oz) in the Indicated Mineral Resource category and 677 Kt at a grade of 3.1 g/t gold (67,000 oz) in the Inferred Mineral Resource category. Following the permitting of the Mestiza and America open pits, together with the La India open pit Condor has 1.12 M oz gold open pit Mineral Resources permitted for extraction.

Disclaimer

Neither the contents of the Company's website nor the contents of any website accessible from hyperlinks on the Company's website (or any other website) is incorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement.

Qualified Persons

The technical and scientific information in this press release has been reviewed, verified and approved by Andrew Cheatle, P.Geo., a director of Condor Gold plc, and Gerald D. Crawford, P.E., the Chief Technical Officer of Condor Gold plc, each of whom is a "qualified person" as defined by NI 43-101.

Technical Information

Certain disclosure contained in this news release of a scientific or technical nature has been reviewed by t he Qualified Persons responsible for their respective components of the 2022 FS as defined below:

· On behalf of SRK: Dr Tim Lucks of SRK Consulting (UK) Limited, Mr Fernando Rodrigues and Mr Ben Parsons of SRK Consulting (U.S.) Inc., Mr Parsons assumes responsibility for the Mineral Resource Estimate, Mr Fernando Rodrigues for the Mineral Reserve estimate and the open pit mining study and production schedule, and Dr Lucks for the oversight of the remaining SRK technical disciplines. 

· On behalf of Hanlon: Mike Rockandel for the Process design and Project Infrastructure and corresponding operating and capital costs.

· On Behalf of Tierra Group: Justin Knudsen P.E. for the tailings waste management and La Simona water attenuation structure design.

Forward Looking Statements

All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are 'forward-looking information' with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements with respect to: future development and production plans, projected capital and operating costs, mine life and production rates, metal or mineral recovery estimates, Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimates at the La India Project and the potential to convert Mineral Resources into Mineral Reserves. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as: "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "strategies", "estimate", "expect", "project", "predict", "potential", "targeting", "intends", "believe", "potential", "could", "might", "will" and similar expressions. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and is based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management at the date the statements are made including, among others, assumptions regarding: future commodity prices and royalty regimes; availability of skilled labour; timing and amount of capital expenditures; future currency exchange and interest rates; the impact of increasing competition; general conditions in economic and financial markets; availability of drilling and related equipment; effects of regulation by governmental agencies; the receipt of required permits; royalty rates; future tax rates; future operating costs; availability of future sources of funding; ability to obtain financing and assumptions underlying estimates related to adjusted funds from operations. Many assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of the Company and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct.

Such forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, which may cause the actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including, risks related to: mineral exploration, development and operating risks; estimation of mineralisation and resources; environmental, health and safety regulations of the resource industry; competitive conditions; operational risks; liquidity and financing risks; funding risk; exploration costs; uninsurable risks; conflicts of interest; risks of operating in Nicaragua; government policy changes; ownership risks; permitting and licencing risks; artisanal miners and community relations; difficulty in enforcement of judgments; market conditions; stress in the global economy; current global financial condition; exchange rate and currency risks; commodity prices; reliance on key personnel; dilution risk; payment of dividends; as well as those factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 dated March 29, 2022 and available under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com .

Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, 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 such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless required by law.

 

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