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MOLYBDENUM PROJECT REVIEW (MOLY @ $33.00(US)/lb)
October 13, 2005 - Vancouver, British Columbia
Adanac Moly
Corp. (AUA:
TSX-V) (“Adanac”)
reports on the progress of The Ruby
Creek Molybdenum Project (“TRCMP”)
to date.
TRCMP is a proposed open pit
molybdenum mine situated 24 kilometers northeast of Atlin, BC, which would operate at
20,000 tonnes per day of ore for 20 plus years and have an overall footprint of
approximately 830 hectares. The
Company believes that the proposed mine is a sound project that will minimize
any long term environmental effects and maximize socio-economic benefits to the
local community, Taku River Tlingit First Nation and British Columbia.
The property is accessible by existing road from
Atlin, BC, other existing infrastructure is the deep water port (4 hours by
road) at Skagway, Alaska for concentrate shipment and hydro power from the
Yukon grid approximately 100 km north of the project.
Prior to Adanac
obtaining 100% interest in the property (in 2001) 31,959 meters (104,826 ft) of
diamond drilling was carried out from 1968–1980 by Kerr Addison Mines
Ltd. (“Kerr”), Climax Molybdenum Corporation (“Climax”)
and Placer Development Ltd. (“Placer”). As well, Kerr carried out a program of
1,116 meters (3,660 ft) of underground development entailing adit access,
crosscutting and raise mining on six holes to produce 9,545 tonne of ore for
test work processing at 100 TPD. An
average of 91% recovery of mill head ore had achieved an overall increase of
15-25% in the grade of the drill holes was also evident.
During this period three feasibility studies were
undertaken, one by Kerr and two by Placer resulting in an internal rate of
return (“IRR”) of 14% for Kerr and 16% for Placer. Due to the price of molybdenum
production decisions were curtailed.
A stronger demand for molybdenum with the resulting
increase in the commodity price prompted Adanac
to assess the merits of TRCMP in
late 2003. Molybdenum demand and price has steadily increased to date averaging
above $30.00 US/lb for the first three quarters of 2005. Until significant production is brought
online over the next several years management expects the price of molybdenum
to remain robust. To this end Adanac began its feasibility and
socio-economic/environmental studies in early 2004 to meet their time line for
production, by late 2007. Adanac is
of the opinion that there is room for several new pure molybdenum producers to
come on stream over the next 10 years.
Adanac has advanced TRCMP over the past 22 months as follows:
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1)
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Socio-economic
Environmental Studies
Klohn Crippen Consultants Ltd. were contracted to
complete all environmental and socio-economic studies on TRCMP. Preliminary
filings have been made to the government with final permit applications to be
filed in two weeks.
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2)
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Drill
Program (Infill and Twin Holes)
Approximately 9,022 meters (29,592 ft) of diamond
drilling was completed in 2004 to facilitate a 43-101 resource study by Amec
(PLC)
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3)
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NI
43-101 Resource Study
Amec (PLC) delivered a NI 43-101 resource study
resulting in a measured and indicated tonnage of 205,100,000 Tonnes grading
.062% Mo at a .04% Mo cut-off containing 278,100,000 lbs of Mo.
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4)
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Project
Report Filed
The proposed Ruby Creek Molybdenum Project
Description Report was submitted to the BC Environmental Assessment office.
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5)
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Project
Management Appointed
Mr. Michael MacLeod, P.Eng., was hired as Vice
President of Project Development.
Mr. MacLeod’s formal education included a B.SC Eng. (Mining), and M. Eng. (Mining)
and an MBA. As seasoned mine
developer, Mr. MacLeod has more than 25 years experience as a consultant for,
or an employee of, several major and junior mining companies. He has been responsible for major
capital projects, feasibility assessments, marketing and environmental
studies.
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6)
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Pre-feasibility
Awarded
Pre-feasibility work was contracted to the
following engineering firms:
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- GOLDER ASSOCIATES
LTD.
(GOLDER) - for mine design, rock slope stability, and updating the
resource model to include the diamond drilling just completed. GOLDER is
a world renowned company recognized as a leader in resource and reserve
estimation/evaluation and for its mining and geotechnical expertise.
- WARDROP ENGINEERING
INC.
(WARDROP) - for detailed development of the mill process and
infrastructure including the diesel-electric power plant to be used in
the initial years of operation; and to evaluate specific alternative
options for process unit operations. WARDROP is a full service
engineering company with 50 years of successful history serving the
Canadian mining industry.
- MINNOVEX
TECHNOLOGIES INC. (MINNOVEX) - for completion of comminution and
flotation testwork to optimize these processes for the Ruby Creek
resource. The test work results are essential components for detailed
process design, and the geometallurgical parameters will also be
incorporated into GOLDER’S resource model. MINNOVEX a recognized
leader in comminution & flotation testwork for process plant design
and recently became part of the Lakefield SGS group.
- KLOHN CRIPPEN
CONSULTANTS LTD. (KLOHN CRIPPEN) - continuation of site geotechnical
engineering services for site water management, tailings storage and
waste rock storage. KLOHN CRIPPEN is a recognized leader in the design
of tailings dams
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7)
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Socio-economic
Environmental Team Appointed
The company assembled a socioeconomic and
environmental team to streamline their permitting and communication with
project stakeholders.
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8)
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Diamond
Drill Program (part of the feasibility requirements)
A 5,000 meter (16,400 ft) drill program has been
completed within the pit perimeter in order to upgrade the existing resource,
provide additional samples for metallurgical testing and provide information
for geo-technical studies on pit slope stability and limited
exploration. The program was
completed in early October with results expected within two weeks.
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9)
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Proposed
Offtake Agreement (with Traxys)
The Company entered into an exclusive agreement
with Traxys S.A. Luxembourg ("Traxys") to authorize Traxys as its
exclusive representative to discuss/market potential molybdenum product from
its Ruby Creek deposit up to December 15, 2005 in order to determine
the feasibility of an Offtake Agreement with Adanac.
An Offtake Agreement is an agreement where a
customer for molybdenum product agrees to buy a part or the total output of
molybdenum from a producing mine at pre-determined prices and conditions over
a number of years. Offtake
agreements can be used by a producer to provide enough funds to repay project
financing debt and to pay necessary operating costs and expenses. Offtake Agreements are often requested
by banks providing project financing to mitigate the market risk of financing
a project.
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10)
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Taku River Tlingit First Nation Agreement
Adanac entered into an
agreement and signing of a work plan initiative presented by the Taku River
Tlingit First Nation (“TRTFN”). TRTFN is examining Adanac’s Ruby Creek Project
independent of the British Columbia Environmental Assessment Process
(“BCEAO”). Adanac
acknowledges and takes seriously TRTFN’s rights and title within their
territory, and as a gesture of good will, is fully funding TRTFN’s
efforts in this review.
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11)
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Liaison
Committee
Adanac entered into an initiative in the forming
of the Ruby Creek Liaison Committee.
This Committee will provide Adanac
a venue to communicate to the local Atlin community, the technical and
socio-economic aspects of the Ruby Creek Project, while providing an
opportunity for all Atlin and area residents a structured forum to address
any concerns or input through direct feedback. The Committee is made up of the many
multi-faceted interests and will provide a represented balance within the
Atlin community.
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12)
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Pre-feasibility
Results and Final Feasibility
The successful completion of the preliminary
feasibility study indicated (over a five year period) an average total
cost/lb of $6.80(US)/lb at an average price
of Moly $17.00(US)/lb would result in a 28.49%
IRR with a payback of 416 million Cdn. In three years (see press release
dated September 1, 2005). The engineering firms
involved in the preliminary feasibility are currently completing the final
feasibility study, expected to be completed by December
31, 2005.
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The timeline for the granting of the environmental
permits is expected in late May or early June, 2006, with construction to
commence in September 2006 and estimated production in late 2007 or early 2008. To date the company has expended
approximately 5.2 million Cdn. On the Ruby Creek Project and is budgeted for $10,000,000
in expenditures.
On Behalf of Management
ADANAC MOLY
CORP.
“Larry
W. Reaugh”
Larry W. Reaugh,
President and Chief Executive Officer
The
TSX-Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for
the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain certain
"Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the
United States Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of
historical fact, included herein are forward-looking statements that involve
various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements
will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ
materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that
could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations
are disclosed in the Company's documents filed from time to time with the Toronto Venture
Exchange, the British Columbia Securities
Commission and the US Securities
and Exchange Commission.
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