Inferred Resource
Estimate Totals 19 Million Ounces Gold, 17.3 Billion Pounds
Copper 2016 Drill Program Adds 400 Meters of
Strike to Conceptual Underground Mine Plan
Seabridge Gold Inc. announced today an updated independent mineral
resource estimate for the Deep Kerr Deposit at its 100%-owned KSM
Project in northwestern British Columbia, Canada. The new
inferred resource now totals 1.92 billion tonnes grading 0.41%
copper and 0.31 g/T gold (containing 19.0 million ounces of gold
and 17.3 billion pounds of copper) constrained by conceptual block
cave shapes.
The updated resource estimate represents an
increase of 3.0 million ounces of gold and 2.1 billion pounds of
copper over last year’s inferred resource estimate which was
incorporated into the updated National Instrument 43-101 Technical
Report on KSM announced on September 19, 2016.
Seabridge Chairman and CEO Rudi Fronk noted that
“the resource additions at Deep Kerr fall within a conceptual mine
plan that supports cost-effective block-cave underground mining
methods. The estimate has been constrained by this mining method.
As the deposit grows year by year, it provides us with further
opportunities for economic optimization including increased
production rates and higher cut-off grades if we need them. You can
see the upward trend of projected economics in the new Technical
Report we released last year. The Technical Report contains a
Preliminary Economic Assessment incorporating the inferred Deep
Kerr resource into the KSM project and the positive economic impact
is striking. This year’s resource additions likely mean further
enhancements to the project’s economics,” Fronk said.
“The 3.0 million ounce increase in inferred gold
resources is once again accretive in terms of ounces of gold per
share, as these new ounces more than offset the one million shares
issued in two financings completed in 2016. Growing ounces of gold
per share remains an important objective in Seabridge’s corporate
strategy,” Fronk added.
Gold, copper, silver and molybdenum grades in
the resource were estimated by Resource Modeling Inc. (“RMI”) using
inverse distance weighting methods and gold and copper grade
domains that were designed within modeled structural and lithologic
controls of mineralization for the Deep Kerr zone. Trend plane
search strategies were defined for four distinct structural domains
defining strike and dip projections for sample data. Copper and
gold domains were comparable to those used in the resource model
completed in March of 2016 that was also prepared by RMI. Drilling
during the 2016 campaign corroborated the major controls identified
in past drilling with respect to copper and gold distribution and
the predictability of the resource model.
The grade models were validated visually and by
comparisons with nearest neighbor models. The drill hole database
that was used for the estimate of the Deep Kerr mineral resources
consisted primarily of data collected by Seabridge from 77 core
drill holes totaling more than 74,000 meters of core drilling
completed between 2009 and 2016. RMI reviewed the quality
assurance/quality control protocols and results associated with the
Seabridge drilling and has concluded that the number and type of
gold and copper standard reference materials (standards, blanks,
and duplicates) were reasonable. Based on the performance of those
standard reference materials, RMI believes that the Seabridge drill
samples are reproducible and suitable for estimating mineral
resources. Historical drill hole results were used in conjunction
with the 77 Seabridge core holes to estimate block grades for the
upper portion of the Deep Kerr
resource.
Block net smelter return values (“NSR” values)
were calculated by Moose Mountain Technical Services using metal
recovery projection formulae developed by TetraTech from
metallurgical test work. This NSR value, stated in terms of
Canadian dollars, reflects metal prices, a US/Cdn currency exchange
rate of 0.80, and offsite transportation, smelting, and refining
charges.
Deep Kerr was treated as a potential block cave
(bulk underground) mining target. The lateral and vertical
continuity of the zone provides a geometric configuration that is
likely to be amenable to these mining methods. Seabridge has
retained Golder Associates, a leading industry expert in
underground mining, to undertake bulk underground mining studies
for Deep Kerr. Golder used the block model prepared by RMI to
establish three separate draw point elevations at an NSR shutoff
value of Cdn$16, and the conceptual cave footprints of these three
elevations were extruded upward 495 meters. Resources within the
extruded shapes were tabulated for each of the three hypothetical
draw point elevations using an NSR cut-off value of Cdn$16,
consistent with last year’s resource statement in the Technical
Report. Evaluation of the economic potential of Deep Kerr was based
on metal prices of US$3.00 per pound of copper, US$1300 per
ounce of gold, US$20 per ounce of silver, US$9.70 per pound of
molybdenum together with estimated metal recoveries from
metallurgical test work. These metal prices are generally in line
with, or lower than, the metal prices used by major mining
companies for their current resource disclosure for similar types
of projects.
A comparison of the previous Deep Kerr inferred
resource estimate to the updated resource estimate is as
follows:
Deep Kerr Undiluted Block Cave Inferred
Mineral Resources at C$16 NSR Cutoff
Date of Estimate |
Tonnes (millions) |
Average Grades |
Contained Metal |
Gold (gpt) |
Copper(%) |
Silver(gpt) |
Moly(ppm) |
Gold(000ounces) |
Copper(millionpounds) |
Silver(000ounces) |
Moly(Mpounds) |
May 31, 2016 |
1,609 |
0.31 |
0.43 |
1.8 |
25 |
16,036 |
15,249 |
93,115 |
89 |
February 13, 2017 |
1,921 |
0.31 |
0.41 |
2.1 |
24 |
19,050 |
17,301 |
130,853 |
102 |
Note: Mineral Resources which are not Mineral Reserves do not have
demonstrated economic viability. It is reasonably expected that the
majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to
Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. |
Resource estimates included herein were prepared
by RMI under the direction of Michael Lechner, who is independent
of Seabridge and a Qualified Person as defined by National
Instrument 43-101. Mr. Lechner is a highly-regarded expert in his
field and frequently undertakes independent resource estimates for
major mining companies. Mr. Lechner has reviewed and approved this
news release.
Exploration activities by Seabridge at the KSM
Project have been conducted under the supervision of William E.
Threlkeld, Registered Professional Geologist, Senior Vice President
of the Company and a Qualified Person as defined by National
Instrument 43-101. An ongoing and rigorous quality control/quality
assurance protocol was employed during the 2016 program including
the submission of blank and certified reference standards, in
addition all copper assays that exceeded 0.25% Cu were re-analyzed
using ore grade analytical techniques. Cross-check analyses are
conducted at a second external laboratory on at least 10% of the
samples. Samples were assayed at ALS Chemex Laboratory, Vancouver,
B.C., using fire assay atomic adsorption methods for gold and total
digestion ICP methods for other elements.
Seabridge holds a 100% interest in several North
American gold projects. The Company’s principal assets are the KSM
Project located near Stewart, British Columbia, Canada and the
Courageous Lake gold project located in Canada’s Northwest
Territories. For a full breakdown of Seabridge’s mineral reserves
and mineral resources by category please visit the Company’s
website at http://www.seabridgegold.net/resources.php.
All reserve and resource estimates
reported by the Corporation were calculated in accordance with the
Canadian National Instrument 43-101 and the Canadian Institute of
Mining and Metallurgy Classification system. These standards differ
significantly from the requirements of the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission. Mineral resources which are not mineral
reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.
This document contains "forward-looking
information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation
and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United
States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This
information and these statements, referred to herein as
"forward-looking statements" are made as of the date of this
document. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or
future performance and reflect current estimates, predictions,
expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but
are not limited to, statements with respect to: (i) the estimated
amount and grade of mineral resources; (ii) the growth of the
deposit providing the Company with further
opportunities for economic optimization, including increased
production rates and higher cut-off grades; (iii)
the shape of the deposit supporting the most cost-effective
underground mining methodologies; (iv) the
resource additions likely meaning further enhancements to
the project’s economics; (v) the lateral and
vertical continuity of the deposit providing a geometric
configuration that is likely to be amenable to block cave mining
methods; (vi) the number
and type of gold and copper standard reference materials
(standards, blanks, and duplicates) being reasonable and the
Seabridge drill samples being reproducible and suitable for
estimating mineral resources. Any statements that express or
involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations,
beliefs, plans, projections, objectives or future events or
performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as
"expects", "anticipates", "plans", "projects", "estimates",
"envisages", "assumes", "intends", "strategy", "goals",
"objectives" or variations thereof or stating that certain actions,
events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be
taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms
and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and
may be forward-looking statements.
All forward-looking statements are based
on Seabridge's or its consultants' current beliefs as well as
various assumptions made by them and information currently
available to them. The principle assumptions are listed above, but
others include: (i) the presence of and continuity of metals at the
Project at modeled grades; (ii) the capacities of various machinery
and equipment and the geotechnical characteristics of the resource
material; (iii) the availability of personnel, machinery and
equipment at estimated prices; (iv) exchange rates; (v) metals
sales prices; (vi) appropriate discount rates; (vii) tax rates and
royalty rates applicable to the proposed mining operation; (viii)
financing structure and costs; (ix) anticipated mining losses and
dilution; (x) metallurgical performance; (xi) reasonable
contingency requirements; (xii) success in realizing proposed
operations; (xiii) receipt of regulatory approvals on acceptable
terms, including the necessary right of way for the proposed
tunnels; and (xiv) the negotiation of satisfactory terms with
impacted First Nations groups. Although management considers these
assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently
available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. Many
forward-looking statements are made assuming the correctness of
other forward looking statements, such as statements of net present
value and internal rates of return, which are based on most of the
other forward-looking statements and assumptions herein. The cost
information is also prepared using current values, but the time for
incurring the costs will be in the future and it is assumed costs
will remain stable over the relevant period.
By their very nature, forward-looking
statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general
and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts,
projections and other forward-looking statements will not be
achieved or that assumptions do not reflect future experience. We
caution readers not to place undue reliance on these
forward-looking statements as a number of important factors could
cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the beliefs,
plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates
assumptions and intentions expressed in such forward-looking
statements. These risk factors may be generally stated as the risk
that the assumptions and estimates expressed above do not occur,
but specifically include, without limitation: risks relating to
variations in the mineral content or geotechnical characteristics
within the material identified as mineral reserves or mineral
resources from that predicted; variations in rates of recovery and
extraction; developments in world metals markets; risks relating to
fluctuations in the Canadian dollar relative to the US dollar;
increases in the estimated capital and operating costs or
unanticipated costs; difficulties attracting the necessary work
force; increases in financing costs or adverse changes to the terms
of available financing, if any; tax rates or royalties being
greater than assumed; changes in development or mining plans due to
changes in logistical, technical or other factors; changes in
project parameters as plans continue to be refined; risks relating
to receipt of regulatory approvals or settlement of an agreement
with impacted First Nations groups; the effects of competition in
the markets in which Seabridge operates; operational and
infrastructure risks and the additional risks described in
Seabridge's Annual Information Form filed with SEDAR in Canada
(available at www.sedar.com) for the year ended December 31, 2015
and in the Corporation's Annual Report Form 40-F filed with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on EDGAR (available at
www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml). Seabridge cautions that the foregoing
list of factors that may affect future results is not
exhaustive.
When relying on our forward-looking
statements to make decisions with respect to Seabridge, investors
and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and
other uncertainties and potential events. Seabridge does not
undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written
or oral, that may be made from time to time by Seabridge or on our
behalf, except as required by law.
ON BEHALF OF THE
BOARD "Rudi Fronk" Chairman and
C.E.O.
For further information, please contact:Rudi P.
Fronk, Chairman and C.E.O.Tel: (416) 367-9292 · Fax: (416)
367-2711Email: info@seabridgegold.net
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