The PEA outlines primarily an underground block cave mining operation supplemented with a small open pit, and is deliberate to function for 39 years with a peak mill feed manufacturing of 170,000 t/d, demonstrating that KSM has “multi-generational long-life” mining mission potential with flexibility to range steel output.
The not too long ago up to date PFS, in the meantime, incorporates solely an open pit plan with a 33-year mine life restricted to the Mitchell, East Mitchell and Sulphurets deposits. Not one of the mineral assets included into the PEA have been used within the PFS mine plan.
“KSM is basically a whole district internet hosting a nest of probably financial porphyry deposits with totally different traits. In our up to date PFS we centered on the gold-rich deposits due to their sooner payback and the relative simplicity of an open-pit solely operation,” Seabridge CEO Rudi Fronk mentioned in a media assertion. “Nevertheless, we’re very conscious {that a} deep deficit in mined copper is projected to be on the horizon because the world electrifies and strikes in direction of a internet zero carbon future.”
“We due to this fact needed to spotlight KSM’s potential to contribute to addressing this want extra absolutely than the mine plan contained in our up to date preliminary feasibility research. We expect this chance will probably be engaging to a potential companion.”
The PEA envisages an underground-focused mine plan beginning with the event of an Iron Cap block cave mine supplemented with a small open pit at Kerr. Improvement of a Kerr block cave mine begins when Iron Cap growth tapers off. The Kerr block cave mill feed begins six years after the beginning of Iron Cap mill feed. Mill feed supply to the method plant is ramped as much as 170,000 t/d by yr 12.
Over all the 39-year mine life, mill feed will probably be delivered to a flotation focus mill circuit. The flotation plant will produce a gold/copper/silver focus and separate molybdenum focus for transport by truck to a close-by seaport at Stewart, BC.
In whole, about 4.3 billion lb. of copper, 14.3 million oz. of gold, 68.2 million oz. of silver and 13.8 million lb. of molybdenum from 1.7 billion tonnes of mill feed will probably be produced. Beneath the base-case situation, the mine mission has an estimated post-tax internet current worth (5% low cost) of $5.8 billion and an inside charge of return of 18.9%. Its whole capital value will probably be round $14.25 billion, and the payback interval is 6.2 years, primarily based on $18.5 billion of internet money circulation generated.
Each the 2022 PEA and PFS use beforehand disclosed KSM useful resource estimates, totalling 5.4 billion tonnes grading 0.51 g/t gold, 0.16% copper, 2.4 g/t silver, and 63 ppm molybdenum within the measured and indicated class, plus 5.7 billion tonnes grading 0.36 g/t gold, 0.28% copper, 2.2 g/t silver, and 33 ppm molybdenum within the inferred class.
