Scorpio Gold reports annual gold production at Mineral Ridge

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Scorpio Gold Corp. {TSX. V: SGN} announced a 3% reduction in gold production 2015 compared to the previous year, citing several issues and challenges that occurred during the year.

An increase in production resulted in 29% more recoverable ounces being placed on the leach pad, and this will result in an uplift into the next quarter.

 

 

Comment

 

Scorpio have encountered several issues and challenges in the last 12 months, and now appear to have overcome them, and are looking to increase production going into the next year.

It would be nice to have some idea when Goldwedge might reopen, presumably an increase in the price of gold northwards from here might bring the answer to that question.

 

 

Scorpio Gold Reports Annual Gold Production at the Mineral Ridge Operation, Nevada

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA- January . 11, 2016 – Scorpio Gold Corp. {TSX. V: SGN} announced its operating results for the full year and the fourth quarter (“Q4”) of 2015 at its 70% owned Mineral Ridge project, located in Nevada.

 

Total gold production in 2015 was 39,690 ounces, a decrease of 3% over the prior year. Early in 2015, permitting delays related to the satellite deposits resulted in the Company mining in areas with higher stripping rates and fewer ore tons, until ore production began to recover in Q4. As a result, ore tons processed were 9% less than 2014. Despite lower ore tonnage processed and a 12% lower average grade, gold production was largely maintained through improved recoveries and a reduction in inventory levels during the year.

 

Gold production in Q4 2015 totalled 9,503 ounces, roughly equal to the prior quarter and a decrease of 7% from Q4 2014. Previously reported issues with mine production drills were resolved and strip ratios improved during Q4, resulting in significantly improved ore production from the various pits. Ore tons processed during Q4 2015 increased by 24% from the prior quarter and 29% over Q4 2014.

 

Estimated recoverable ounces placed on the leach pad during Q4 2015 were 29% higher than the prior quarter and 31% higher than Q4 2014. The increased ounces placed on the leach pad during Q4 are expected to positively impact gold production in Q1 2016.

 

Peter J. Hawley, President & CEO comments, “We are proud to report reaching the high end of our production guidance of 38,000 – 40,000 ounces with 39,690 ounces gold produced at Mineral Ridge in 2015. Scorpio Gold has now completed four years of production at Mineral Ridge, fully transitioning production from the initial Drinkwater pit on to the Mary pit, both now exhausted, to the currently active Mary LC, Bluelite and Solberry pits. On behalf of the Company, I would like to thank the entire production team and contractors who continue to make the Mineral Ridge operation a success.”

 

Key Operating Statistics

Three months ending
December 31
Twelve months ending
December 31
2015 2014 Change 2015 2014 Change
Mining operations
Mary LC pit
Ore tonnes mined 119,891 100.0% 203,468 100.0%
Waste tonnes mined 743,394 100.0% 1,684,728 100.0%
Total mined 863,285 100.0% 1,888,196 100.0%
Strip Ratio 6.2 100.0% 8.3 100.0%
Satellite pits
Ore tonnes mined 245,569 100.0% 487,234 100.0%
Waste tonnes mined 769,186 100.0% 2,045,787 100.0%
Total mined 1,014,755 100.0% 2,533,021 100.0%
Strip Ratio 3.1 100.0% 4.2 100.0%
Mary pit
Ore tonnes mined 141,056 -100.0% 202,002 443,343 -54.4%
Waste tonnes mined 674,026 -100.0% 1,053,992 2,266,625 -53.5%
Total mined 815,082 -100.0% 1,255,994 2,709,968 -53.7%
Strip Ratio 4.8 -100.0% 5.2 5.1 2.0%
Drinkwater pit
Ore tonnes mined 395,177 -100.0%
Waste tonnes mined 834,938 -100.0%
Total mined 1,230,115 -100.0%
Strip Ratio 2.1 -100.0%
Total producing pits
Ore tonnes mined 365,460 141,056 159.1% 892,704 838,520 6.5%
Waste tonnes mined 1,512,580 674,026 124.4% 4,784,507 3,101,563 54.3%
Total mined 1,878,040 815,082 130.4% 5,677,211 3,940,083 44.1%
Strip Ratio 4.1 4.8 -14.6% 5.4 3.7 45.9%
Pits under development
Mary LC Pit
Ore tonnes mined 37,417 -100.0% 87,675 73,718 18.9%
Waste tonnes mined (pre-stripping) 902,039 -100.0% 1,732,711 2,346,051 -26.1%
Total mined 939,456 -100.0% 1,820,386 2,419,769 -24.8%
Satellite Pits
Ore tonnes mined 7,339 -100.0% 4,471 7,339 -39.1%
Waste tonnes mined (pre-stripping) 99,920 -100.0% 262,721 118,332 122.0%
Total mined 107,259 -100.0% 267,192 125,671 112.6%
Total mining operations
Ore tonnes mined 365,460 185,812 96.7% 984,850 919,577 7.1%
Waste tonnes mined 1,512,580 1,675,985 -9.7% 6,779,939 5,565,946 21.8%
Total mined 1,878,040 1,861,797 0.9% 7,764,789 6,485,523 19.7%
Processing
Tonnes processed 265,017 205,643 28.9% 891,997 974,346 -8.5%
Gold head grade (g/t) 1.66 1.68 -1.2% 1.52 1.72 -11.6%
Ounces produced
Gold 9,503 10,258 -7.4% 39,690 40,814 -2.8%
Silver 4,905 4,387 11.8% 19,742 18,182 8.6%
Crusher throughput (tonnes per day) 2,881 2,235 28.9% 2,444 2,891 -15.5%
Recoverable(1) gold ounces placed on pad 9,434 7,207 30.9% 29,189 35,086 -16.8%
(1) A weighted average metallurgical recovery factor has been applied to the estimated contained ounces crushed and placed on the leach pad based on the pit from which the ore was mined.

 

About Scorpio Gold

Scorpio Gold holds a 70% interest in the producing Mineral Ridge gold mining operation located in Esmeralda County, Nevada with joint venture partner Elevon, LLC (30%). Mineral Ridge is a conventional open pit mining and heap leach operation. The Mineral Ridge property is host to multiple gold-bearing structures, veins and lenses at exploration, development and production stages. Scorpio Gold also holds a 100% interest in the advanced exploration-stage Goldwedge property in Manhattan, Nevada with a fully permitted underground mine and 400 ton per day mill facility. The Goldwedge mill facility has been placed on a care and maintenance basis and can be restarted immediately when needed.

 

Scorpio Gold’s President and CEO, Peter J. Hawley, PGeo, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the content of this news release.

 

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

SCORPIO GOLD CORPORATION

Peter J. Hawley, President and CEO

Website: www.scorpiogold.com

 

Neither 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.

 

The Company relies on litigation protection for “forward-looking” statements. This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the Company’s current expectations and estimates. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as “plan”, “expect”, “project”, “intend”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “suggest”, “indicate” and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” occur. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results implied or expressed in such forward-looking statements, including risks related to open pit mining and heap leach processing operations and those risk factors outlined in the Company’s Management Discussion and Analysis as filed on SEDAR. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty thereof.

 

Contact:

Scorpio Gold Corporation
Peter J. Hawley
President and CEO
+1 819 825 7618
phawley@scorpiogold.com
www.scorpiogold.com