Kinross Gold’s (TSX: K; NYSE: KGC) Lobo-Marte gold project in northern Chile could produce a total of 4.5 million oz. gold over a 15-year mine life at an estimated cost of US$995 million, according to a newly released prefeasibility study (PFS).
The nearly US$1-billion price tag for the project, located in the country’s Maricunga mining district, includes a US$230 million contingency.
The project would feature open pit mining at two deposits, with an average strip ratio of 2.2, heap-leach recovery and a SART (sulphidization, acidification, recycling and thickening) plant. Mining would take place for 12 years, followed by three years of residual processing. Average all-in sustaining costs (AISCs) per oz. gold at Lobo-Marte are estimated at US$745; the gold recovery rate is expected to be 71%.
The project’s economic returns are highly sensitive to the gold price. At Kinross’s reserve price of US$1,200 per oz. gold, the project’s net present value (NPV) is estimated at US$150 million and its internal rate of return (IRR) is only 7%. At the consensus long-term price of US$1,500 per oz. gold, the NPV rises to US$770 million and the IRR to 14%. And at the spot price of US$1,800 per oz. gold, the NPV increases to US$1.4 billion and the IRR to 21%.
The NPV figures are based on a 5% discount rate, calculated from Jan. 1, 2024.
The PFS envisions project construction beginning in 2025, with first production following in 2027. Kinross anticipates mining at Lobo-Marte would follow a restart at the nearby La Coipa mine, 50 km northwest.
“The Lobo-Marte project provides Kinross with an excellent, organic development option that has attractive all-in sustaining costs and offers substantial upside leverage to the gold price, without increasing project cost requirements and risk,” J. Paul Rollinson, Kinross’ president and CEO, stated in a press release. “The project represents a potential synergistic, long-term mine life extension in a favourable mining jurisdiction and delivers a significant 6.4 million ounce addition to our current gold reserve estimates, increasing the company’s overall reserve mine life. As we move forward with the feasibility study for this longer-term project, we will continue to prioritize balance sheet strength and disciplined capital allocation.”
As part of the study, the company reported reserves at Lobo-Marte for the first time, with probable reserves of 146.8 million tonnes grading 1.36 grams gold per tonne for 6.4 million contained ounces. The figure increases Kinross’s reserves by 25%.
The company plans to start a feasibility study on Lobo-Marte later this year and complete it in the fourth quarter of 2021.
A construction decision will be made based on several factors, including the gold price and price projections, expected economic returns, permitting and Kinross’s capital priorities, the company said.
Kinross acquired the project in 2009 from previous owners Teck Resources (TSX: TECK.B; NYSE: TECK) and Anglo American (LSE: AAL).
In February, Kinross announced it will go ahead with a restart at La Coipa, which it expects to produce 690,000 oz. gold-equivalent from 2022 to 2024.
Existing infrastructure at the camp will be refurbished and the mine fleet from its nearby Maricunga operation, which was recently placed on care and maintenance, will be redeployed to the site. Initial capital costs are pegged at US$225 million.
— This article first appeared in the Canadian Mining Journal. The Northern Miner and the Canadian Mining Journal are part of the Glacier Resource Innovation Group.
hello im happy for kinross looking great going forwardbest of luck jorgen johansson.