TORONTO, April 16, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Galane Gold Ltd. (“Galane Gold” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: GG; OTCQB: GGGOF) is pleased to announce that it has commenced commissioning of its 15,000 tonne per month plant at the Galaxy project (“Galaxy”) and the production of its first concentrate.
Galaxy has commenced operating through the existing refurbished 15,000 tonne per month plant in line with its schedule for the restarting of production. The Company will ramp up production through the remainder of the month, as part of the commissioning process, to the point when the Company expects to use the full capacity of the plant from May onwards. Work is still ongoing on the upgrade of the plant to 30,000 tonnes per month(1) which is currently planned to be completed by September 2019.
Galane Gold CEO, Nick Brodie commented: “Another important milestone has been reached by the team at Galaxy on our plans to get to a steady state annual production, on average, of 25,000 ounces of gold at an operating cash cost per ounce of less than US$800.(2),(3),(4)”
About Galane Gold
Galane Gold is an un-hedged gold producer and explorer with mining operations and exploration tenements in Botswana and South Africa. Galane Gold is a public company and its shares are quoted on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol “GG” and the OTCQB under the symbol “GGGOF”. Galane Gold’s management team is comprised of senior mining professionals with extensive experience in managing mining and processing operations and large-scale exploration programmes. Galane Gold is committed to operating at world-class standards and is focused on the safety of its employees, respecting the environment, and contributing to the communities in which it operates.
| Notes: | |
| (1) | The Company advises that it is not basing its decision to expand the throughput capacity of the Galaxy mine’s processing plant to 30,000 tpm on a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability of production at such levels, and as a result there is increased uncertainty and there are multiple technical and economic risks of failure which are associated with producing at such plant’s throughput capacity. These risks, among others, include areas that are analyzed in more detail in a feasibility study, such as applying economic analysis to resources and reserves, more detailed metallurgy and a number of specialized studies in areas such as mining and recovery methods, market analysis, and environmental and community impacts. |
| (2) | This is forward-looking information and is based on a number of assumptions. Scheduled ounces do not represent an estimate of mineral reserves. See “Cautionary Notes”. |
| (3) | The deposits at the Galaxy mine are supported by a technical report entitled “A Technical Report on the Galaxy Gold Mine, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa” which was issued January 4, 2016 with an effective date of September 1, 2015 (the “Galaxy Technical Report”), and was prepared by Minxcon (Pty) Ltd and approved by Daniel van Heerden, B Eng (Min.), MCom (Bus. Admin.), Pr. Eng., FSAIMM, AMMSA, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. The Galaxy Technical Report satisfies the requirements to be a pre-feasibility study. |
| (4) | Operating cash cost is a non-IFRS measure. Refer to “Supplemental Information to Management’s Discussion and Analysis” in the Company’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 for reconciliation to measures reported in the Company’s financial statements. |
Cautionary Notes
Certain statements contained in this press release constitute “forward-looking statements”. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including, without limitation, those regarding the Company’s future financial position and results of operations, strategy, proposed acquisitions, plans, objectives, goals and targets, and any statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words “believe”, “expect”, “aim”, “intend”, “plan”, “continue”, “will”, “may”, “would”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “forecast”, “predict”, “project”, “seek”, “should” or similar expressions or the negative thereof, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent only the Company’s expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or forecasted in such forward-looking statements.
Additional factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially include, but are not limited to: the Company’s dependence on two mineral projects; gold price volatility; risks associated with the conduct of the Company’s mining activities in Botswana and South Africa; regulatory, consent or permitting delays; risks relating to the Company’s exploration, development and mining activities being situated in Botswana and South Africa; risks relating to reliance on the Company’s management team and outside contractors; risks regarding mineral resources and reserves; the Company’s inability to obtain insurance to cover all risks, on a commercially reasonable basis or at all; currency fluctuations; risks regarding the failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; risks relating to project financing and equity issuances; risks arising from the Company’s fair value estimates with respect to the carrying amount of mineral interests; mining tax regimes; risks arising from holding derivative instruments; the Company’s need to replace reserves depleted by production; risks and unknowns inherent in all mining projects, including the inaccuracy of reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries and capital and operating costs of such projects; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties; laws and regulations governing the environment, health and safety; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; lack of infrastructure; employee relations, labour unrest or unavailability; health risks in Africa; the Company’s interactions with surrounding communities and artisanal miners; the Company’s ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; risks related to restarting production; the speculative nature of exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; development of the Company’s exploration properties into commercially viable mines; stock market volatility; conflicts of interest among certain directors and officers; lack of liquidity for shareholders of the Company; risks related to the market perception of junior gold companies; and litigation risk. Management provides forward-looking statements because it believes they provide useful information to investors when considering their investment objectives and cautions investors not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and other cautionary statements or factors contained herein, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect subsequent information, events or circumstances or otherwise, except as required by law.
Information of a technical and scientific nature that forms the basis of the disclosure in the press release has been approved by Kevin Crossling Pr. Sci. Nat., MAusIMM. and Business Development Manager for Galane Gold, and a “qualified person” as defined by National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Crossling has verified the technical and scientific data disclosed herein and has conducted appropriate verification on the underlying data.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
For further information please contact:
Nick Brodie
CEO, Galane Gold Ltd.
+ 44 7905089878
Nick.Brodie@GalaneGold.com
www.GalaneGold.com