Horizon Minerals improves confidence in Penny’s Find JV project on hitting high-grade gold
Encouraged by initial results, the company plans to update the mineral resource and ore reserve in the coming months after receiving the remaining results.
Company
ASX:HRZ
Horizon Minerals Ltd (ASX:HRZ) is an emerging mid-tier gold producer with an extensive portfolio of highly prospective gold projects in the heart of the world-class Western Australian Goldfields. The company has a large resource base of 1.15 million ounces of gold covering a total area of 1,100 square kilometres, growth options in multiple commodities and a clear development and production strategy.
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Encouraged by initial results, the company plans to update the mineral resource and ore reserve in the coming months after receiving the remaining results.
Proceeds from the royalty divestments will add to existing cash reserves as Horizon advances the consolidated feasibility study on its projects.
Following the completion of a new resource estimate, expected in the June quarter, mine optimisation and design work will be completed for the generation of a maiden ore reserve as part of the consolidated feasibility study.
Following the completion of a new resource estimate, expected in the June quarter, mine optimisation and design work will be completed for generation of a maiden ore reserve as part of the consolidated feasibility study.
Proceeds from the royalty divestments will be used to advance the consolidated feasibility study through to a development and financing decision in the second half of 2021.
According to the company, Penny’s Find is a quality high-grade gold project with considerable work completed and an existing resource providing an accelerated pathway to production.
Further aircore results are pending and drilling will continue across the new mineralised trend as part of the 50,000-metre 2021 exploration drilling program.
Horizon aims to update the 28,860-ounce mineral resource estimate for the project in the June quarter.
The ultimate aim of the trial mining and toll milling from Boorara is to verify the tonnage and grade uplift potential as compared to the current global resource model.
The aim of the drilling was to infill several areas within the current mineralised envelope to improve JORC classification to the measured and indicated categories for ore reserve generation.
Strong silver and zinc prices prompted the company to review its non-core asset and it has now decided to move it forward.
The company’s significant brownfields and greenfields exploration targets hosts open cut and underground growth potential.
The company has recently completed several acquisition and divestments, intending to build a strong pipeline of development assets underpinning a long-term sustainable production profile and to add discovery exploration programs.
The company has recently started its new discovery and resource growth exploration program across a range of high-priority targets in WA's goldfields.
Drilling will be completed systematically with rigs cycling through the program and the results from each round will be reviewed and inform the next round of drilling.
Completion of the trial mining campaign at Boorara in late 2020 and a $16.1 million capital raising helped the company make the early loan repayment, fund the current consolidated feasibility study and a 70,000-metre drilling campaign.
The fully-funded program totals over 70,000 metres of planned drilling within a $7 million-plus budget and comprises reserve conversion, resource growth and new discovery drilling.
The milling campaign has provided a good understanding of the ore body and the company sees potential to grow Boorara along strike to the south and north as well as at depth below the 180 metres open pit limit.
The project is among the satellite projects being advanced to complement the baseload Boorara Gold Project as part of a consolidated feasibility study.
The company believes the appointment of Julian Tambyrajah as chief financial officer and joint company secretary will bring a wealth of experience and will play a key role in delivering the consolidated feasibility study.
Penny’s Find is a high-grade, underground mining and toll treatment opportunity with near term cash flow potential and longer-term exploration upside.
Results from phase 2 resource extension drilling confirm the emergence of high-grade mineralisation in an area with limited drilling which remains open and striking toward the northern extension of the new Coote prospect 700 metres to the w
With all mining and site production costs fully expensed last quarter, the company is expecting a strong net cash flow from the final two milling campaigns.
The results will facilitate an updated resource model, adding more high-grade open pit and underground reserves to supplement the Boorara project in Kalgoorlie.
The company will undertake a detailed review of all historic data and geological models and assess further drilling requirements to upgrade the historical resources to JORC 2012 status.
Follow-up drilling is now underway at Coote while Phase-2 drilling at Crake has recently been completed with results expected in the current quarter.
A Preliminary Environmental Assessment report has also been completed with the JV partners reviewing costs and timing for the advancement of a definitive feasibility study.
The Kalpini Gold Project acquisition aligns with Horizon’s strategy of regional consolidation and advances development assets with a 75-kilometre radius of the proposed Boorara Mill.
Gold production totalled 1,845 fine ounces generating A$4.9 million in revenue at an average sale price of A$2,654 per ounce.
The company has sold its stake in the copper project to focus more on its gold projects in the Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie region.
The company is looking at value options for the non-core project to take advantage of recent increases in the prices of these metals.
The fully-funded drill program comprises reserve conversion, resource growth and new discovery drilling throughout the 850 square kilometres of the company’s Goldfields tenure.
Proceeds will be used to undertake a large-scale drilling program, pursue further regional consolidation and provide general working capital.
The company processed 26,340 tonnes at a fully reconciled feed grade of 1.32 g/t gold over its recent 12-day milling campaign.
The company processed 26,340 tonnes at a fully reconciled feed grade of 1.32 g/t gold over the 12-day campaign.
The miner poured first gold from the first stage of the Boorara mine,10 kilometres east of Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the Western Australian Goldfields, in July.
The first shipment of gold and first revenue from the mine near Kalgoorlie-Boulder is expected by the end of this month.
Mining and ore haulage remains well ahead of schedule with 32,000 tonnes stockpiled for processing at the Lakewood Toll Mill and first gold revenue is expected in coming weeks.
Horizon took 100% control of the Nanadie Well project in the December quarter of 2019 following the withdrawal of its then joint venture partner.
This follows the resignation of Peter Bilbe from the role due to other work commitments.
First gold production and revenue is expected in July 2020 with production continuing on a campaign basis through to January 2021.
A pre-feasibility study centred on commercial evaluation and ore reserve generation from the updated resource will be completed in the September quarter.
Further infill and extensional drilling at Rose Hill and the adjacent Brilliant North gold project is planned for the September and December quarters 2020.
The company completed the drilling program to follow up on previous work undertaken after it regained 100% interest in the project.
The German-based investor has acquired stakes in a number of Australian junior resource companies and now has a 6.39% interest in Horizon.
Site establishment and mobilisation of mining fleet are complete at the project near Kalgoorlie with the first ore expected this month.
Follow-up RC and diamond drilling has begun at Rose Hill with results expected in the current quarter and an updated open cut and underground resource estimate expected in the September quarter.
The company is implementing prudent financial measures to maintain its strong current financial position in a time of significant global economic uncertainty.
The working capital facility provides sufficient funding for development of the Boorara gold project through to first gold production planned for the September quarter 2020.
The halt will be in place until the start of ASX trading this Friday or when an announcement is released to the market.
An updated JORC resource is underway and Rose Hill will feed into the feasibility study.
The feasibility findings highlight a financially viable project highlighted by, but not limited to, the open-pit mining design processing of 159,000 tonnes at a fully diluted grade of 1.86 g/t for 9,500 ounces over a six-month life.
Project data is being compiled and consolidated into the geological database to form part of the feasibility study due for completion in the December quarter 2020.
The project hosts a mineral resource estimate of 16.45 million tonnes at 0.96 g/t gold for 507,000 ounces at a 0.5 g/t cut-off grade.
Once all assay data are received in the coming weeks, the results will be used to compile an independent geological model for Boorara stage-1 comprising all three deposits.
The company intends to enter production via three starter pits within its Boorara Gold Project in Western Australia.
Projects and prospects in WA’s Goldfields have been exchanged with Northern Star Resources for nil cost.
Further infill and extensional RC drilling as well as diamond drilling is planned for the March 2020 quarter to provide additional samples for the next phase of metallurgical test work.
Focus Minerals unlikely to obtain necessary approvals for the sale before the exclusivity period expires on December 17.
During the 2013-2019 farm-in period, Mithril completed several RC and diamond core programs at Nanadie Well and discovered the Stark copper prospect.
Planning for the 2020 regional exploration campaign has begun with priority drill targets including Baden Powell North, Black Flag, Honeyeater and Darter.
The company’s drilling is designed to generate a detailed grade control geological model to enable a mining inventory to be established.
The Board of Focus Minerals has advised that a competing offer from China Hanking Holdings Ltd “is not a superior proposal”.
Horizon recently completed the sale of its Menzies and Goongarrie projects for $8 million.
Under the agreement the company will acquire 100% interest in the Rose Hill, Brilliant North and Gunga West projects close to the Coolgardie township, which are contiguous with Focus Minerals’ Coolgardie Gold Project that the company is als
The Intermin-MacPhersons merger has exploration ground in the Goldfields and farmed out Australian assets that could deliver returns.
Drilling could increase the 1.12 million tonne resource grading 1.59 g/t gold for 67,700 ounces at Crake.
Horizon is the product of a merger between Intermin and MacPherson creating a new emerging mid-tier gold production business.
The merged entity has a significant asset portfolio in the Kalgoorlie region of Western Australia with an expedited pathway to gold production.