Rubicon Announces 12
Month, C$55 Million Development and Exploration Program,
Phoenix Project, Red Lake, Ontario
-Includes Shaft Extension to 610 metres, 600 metres of
development and 70,000 metres of drilling-
Rubicon
Minerals Corporation (TSX: RMX, NYSE-AMEX: RBY) (the ?Company?) is pleased to outline
development and exploration plans for the following twelve months at its
100% owned Phoenix Gold Project, located in the heart of the prolific Red
Lake Gold District. The plans are designed to both maintain the Company on
its critical path of development to support possible production in Q4 2013
and also to optimize its current positive PEA [1], which was filed in
August, 2011. The key elements of the 12 month program are outlined below.
Operational
The Company?s
objective is to define sufficient additional indicated resources to support
a minimum of five years of potential production at rates envisaged in the
current PEA. In order to achieve this, the current shaft will be extended
from 338 metres to 610 metres
(2001 feet) below surface to allow better access for development and
exploration drilling.
It is planned to
complete approximately 600 metres of new
underground development on three levels (244 metre,
305 metre and 585 metre)
to support further development and potential future mining and also to
provide new drill access for infill and delineation drilling. As well, a
rock pass and a new loading pocket will be constructed between the 585 metre and 610 metre
levels.
Approximately $3.6
million will be committed to secure key long lead orders including a SAG
mill, a ball mill, mill engineering, procurement and construction
management and initial Tailings Management Facility upgrades.
Drilling
A total of
approximately 70,000 metres of drilling is planned
over the next 12 months. The objectives of this drilling will be twofold.
Firstly, approximately 30,000 metres will be
directed towards infilling and delineation of known zones with the
objective of expanding current indicated resources. Secondly, approximately
40,000 metres will test for expansions to known
gold mineralization and will also test new areas for new potential
resources. One important target area in this respect lies between 1,220 metres and 1,464 metres below
surface where additional drilling will be carried out to establish whether
the current average resource grade of 33.8g/t gold is maintained when drill
density is increased and when a larger area is tested. It should be noted
that, in determining the mining inventory in the current PEA, AMC elected
to take a conservative mine planning approach in this area by applying the
average diluted resource grade to the bottom five mining horizons (bottom
305 metres of the resource) rather than use the
modeled average grade of 33.8 g/t, thus reducing the total ounces on these
levels.
PEA
optimization
While the development
and drill programs outlined above are designed to keep the Company on its
critical path to allow it to maintain the target of potential production in
Q4 2013, additional and ongoing studies, along with the drill program
outlined above will allow the Company to evaluate optimization of its
current economically positive PEA. These studies will include:
- evaluation of possible ramp access to examine the cost benefit
of more mechanized mining techniques;
- structural studies to aid in understanding mineralization
controls and aid in future drill targeting;
- a review of the ability to employ alternative, lower cost,
mining methods (currently captive cut and fill) in parts of the
deposit; and
- continued metallurgical studies designed to evaluate potential to
increase current estimated gold recoveries of 92.5%.
The programs and budget
laid out in this news release are largely consistent with the
recommendations laid out in the August, 2011 PEA.
Rubicon Minerals
Corporation is an exploration and development company focused on developing
its high-grade gold discovery at its Phoenix Project in Red Lake,
Ontario. Rubicon controls over 100 square miles of prime exploration
ground in the prolific Red Lake gold district of Ontario which hosts
Goldcorp's high-grade, world class Red Lake Mine.
RUBICON MINERALS
CORPORATION
"David W. Adamson"
President & CEO
Forward
Looking Statements
This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the United States
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and "forward looking information"
within the meaning of applicable Canadian provincial securities legislation
(collectively, "forward-looking statements") .
Forward-looking
statements included or incorporated by reference in this document include
statements with respect to the Company?s
development and exploration plans, including:
- operational activities in extending the
current excavation for providing access to the deposit;
- planned drilling activities in the next twelve (12)
month period, which are dependent on projections which may change as
drilling continues, or if unexpected ground conditions are
encountered. In addition, areas of exploration potential are
identified which will require substantial drilling to determine
whether or not they contain similar mineralization to areas which have
been explored in more detail by the Company; and
- the undertaking of additional studies with
respect to:
- the access to the deposit and the
feasibility of more mechanization in the mining techniques and
processes used by the Company;
- additional structural assessments:
- reviewing controls of mineralization
; and
- considering improvements and refinements to
drill targeting techniques, including a review of potential
methodologies for employing alternative,
lower cost, mining methods in certain parts of the deposit.
- the Company?s procedures and processes
for extracting metals from the deposit.
Programs described
may be adjusted by the Company depending on the actual results obtained.
Forward-looking
statements in this document include statements regarding the timing and
nature of future exploration programs. Significant additional
drilling is required at F2 to fully understand system size.
The forward-looking statements that are contained in this news release
are based on various assumptions and estimates by the Company and involve a
number of risks and uncertainties. As a consequence, actual results might
differ materially from results forecast or suggested in these
forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking
statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and
other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or
achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future
results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the
forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to
differ include:
- the general condition of the financial
markets;
- the general condition of the markets for gold
and other precious metals;
- the ability of the Company, and other
relevant parties, to satisfy applicable regulatory requirements;
- all government policies impacting land and
construction costs and the cost and availability of funds;
- the availability of financing for proposed
transactions, programs and operational activities upon reasonable
terms;
- the ability of third-party service providers
to deliver services in a timely manner; and
- general business, economic, competitive, political and social
conditions.
Although the
Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in
forward-looking statements, there may be other factors which cause actual
results to differ.
Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of
this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future
events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities
laws.
There can be no assurance that
forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and
future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such
statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements.
[1] Preliminary
Economic Assessment Technical Report under NI 43-101, prepared by AMC
Mining Consultants (Canada) Ltd. and having an effective date
of August 8, 2011(the "PEA")
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