| | Published : January 18th, 2011 | Announces Positive Pre-Feasibility Progress Report for the Canariaco Norte Copper Project |
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NPV of US$960.0M and IRR of
17.7%
(After tax, long term copper price of US$2.25 /lb, and 8% discount rate)
Copper Production to Average 262 million Pounds per Year
Over Mine Life of 22 Years
Vancouver, British Columbia, January 18, 2011. Candente Copper Corp. (TSX:DNT,
BVL:DNT, US:CDOUF) ("Candente") is very pleased to announce receipt
from AMEC Americas Limited ("AMEC") of a positive Pre-Feasibility
Progress Report for its 100% owned Ca�ariaco Norte copper project in Northern
Peru.
Based on projected annual production of 262 million lbs of copper, 39,000 ozs
of gold and 911,000 ozs of silver over a mine life of 22 years, the Ca�ariaco
Norte project has an after tax net present value ("NPV") of
US$960.0M, and after tax Internal Rate of Return ("IRR") of 17.7%
using a long term copper price reverting to US$2.25 /lb and a discount rate of
8%.
The key parameters of the Pre-Feasibility Progress Report are as follows:
- After-tax NPV of US$960.0M for base case with US$2.25
/lb Cu, US$1,015 /oz gold, US$15.85 /oz silver, and 8% discount rate
- After-tax IRR of 17.7% for base case with US$2.25 /lb
Cu, US$1,015 /oz gold, and US$15.85 /oz silver
- Highly leveraged to higher copper price
- Payback of preproduction capital in 3.1 years
- Cash operating cost of US$0.99 /lb of copper including
all on-site and off-site costs, TCRC charges, net of by-product credits
- Average metal production of 262 million pounds (119,000
tonnes) copper /yr, 39,000 ozs gold per year, and 911,000 ozs silver per
year
- Average production of 306 million pounds (139,000
tonnes) copper /yr for first 3 years of production
- Preproduction capital cost of US$1.437 billion based on
leased mining equipment and including contingency of 20%
- All in capital cost of US$1.565 billion based on leased
mining equipment and including working capital, life-of-mine sustaining
capital, and closure cost
- Processing rate of 95,000 t/day using conventional
crush/grind and flotation technology
- Waste to ore strip ratio of 0.98 to 1
- Average life-of-mine metal recoveries of 89.7% for
copper, 55% for gold and 50% for silver
- Concentrate grades average approximately 30% copper, 3
g/t gold and 73 g/t silver
- 22 year mine life, with potential for extension by
mining additional resources identified below proposed pit
- Ca�ariaco Norte is located at a moderate elevation with
pit centroid and process plant at approximately 3,000 metres above sea
level;
- Connection to national power grid approximately 57 km
- New access road to major paved highway approximately 42
km
- Significant potential for discovery of additional
resources at nearby Ca�ariaco Sur and Quebrada Verde targets
Management Discussion
"We are very pleased with the results of the Ca�ariaco Norte Pre-Feasibility
Progress Report," stated Sean Waller, P.Eng., President of Candente.
"The work completed by Candente and AMEC during 2010 certainly
demonstrates the very attractive technical and financial parameters of the
Ca�ariaco Norte project. With the significant increase in the size of the
resource announced late last year, a solid scope of development and robust
financials, Ca�ariaco Norte is rapidly evolving into one of the premier
undeveloped large scale copper projects in the world - with the added benefit of
being located in Peru."
The Ca�ariaco Norte project offers many advantages. It is reasonably close to
key road and power infrastructure, has a low strip ratio, soft rock, low
operating cost, offers excellent potential for discovery of additional
resources, and is located in Peru, one of the most favourable countries in the
world for mining project development.
Candente advises readers that additional geotechnical drilling and rock quality
assessment is required to complete the open pit slope design to a level
consistent with generally accepted prefeasibility requirements. Due to the
preliminary level of pit wall design, this report does not meet the criteria of
a Pre-Feasibility Study and therefore is classified as a Pre-Feasibility
Progress Report.
The above ground structures in the tailings management facility
("TMF") have been designed to a pre-feasibility level, however
geotechnical investigations in the TMF area have not been completed and as a
result there is a risk that the TMF design may require revision. The remainder
of the Pre-Feasibility Study Progress Report does however meet a
pre-feasibility level of assessment, and Candente is satisfied that this report
provides sufficient level of project development to justify advancement to a
Feasibility Study.
Conference Call
Candente will host a telephone conference call for investors and analysts on
Tuesday, January 18th, at 5:30 am Pacific (8:30 am Eastern, 1:30 pm GMT) to
discuss the Pre-Feasibility Progress Report for the Ca�ariaco Norte Copper Project,
Peru.
Sean Waller, President and Joanne Freeze, CEO will review the report and take
questions.
The conference call may be accessed by calling:
Toll-free
1-877-240-9772 in Canada and the United States
1-800-2787-2090 internationally
1-416-340-8530 in the Toronto area
The conference call can also be heard in real time at www.candentecopper.com
The conference call will be archived for later playback and may be accessed by
dialing 1-905-694-9451or 1-800-408-3053 and entering the pass code 7678614, or
at www.candentecopper.com.
The archived playback will be available until February 1, 2011.
Financial Analysis
The Net Present Values of the Ca�ariaco Norte project at various copper price
points and discount rates are presented below. Candente has selected as the
Base Case a long term copper price of US$2.25 /lb. The financial model applied
by AMEC utilizes a reverting price curve whereby metal prices in the early
years of operation are higher and gradually decrease to fixed long term prices
after year 10. This approach recognizes the industry consensus view that future
copper and precious metal prices will remain higher than historical price
trends over the short to medium term, with reversion to lower long term prices.
For the Base Case with year 1 production anticipated in 2015, the initial
copper price is US$2.92 /lb reverting to US$2.25 /lb after year 10; a gold
price of US$1,159 /oz reverting to US$1,015 /oz; and a silver price of US$20.96
/oz reverting to US$15.85 /oz.
As of January 2011, AMEC is applying long term metal prices of US$2.40 /lb
copper, US$1,015 /oz gold and US$15.85 /oz silver. The Ca�ariaco Norte project
is highly leveraged to the price of copper. At long term copper prices of
US$2.40 /lb and above, the after tax NPVs and IRRs increase significantly.
Sensitivity to the copper price is presented below:
Table 1: Project Net Present Value & IRR (After Tax)
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NPV (US$M)
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Long Term Copper Price US$ /lb
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Base Case
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AMEC
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$2.00
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$2.25
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$2.40
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$2.75
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$3.00
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Undiscounted
Cumulative Net Cash Flow
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$2,742
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$3,575
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$4,072
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$5,224
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$6,041
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Discounted
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6%
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$938
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$1,355
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$1,604
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$2,177
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$2,583
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8%
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$617
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$960
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$1,164
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$1,634
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$1,967
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10%
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$373
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$659
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$829
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$1,220
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$1,497
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IRR%
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14.6%
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17.7%
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19.5%
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23.3%
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25.8%
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Table 2: Project Net Present Value & IRR (Pre-Tax)
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NPV (US$M)
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Long Term Copper Price US$ /lb
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Base Case
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AMEC
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$2.00
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$2.25
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$2.40
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$2.75
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$3.00
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Undiscounted
Cumulative Net Cash Flow
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$4,335
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$5,649
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$6,421
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$8,209
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$9,478
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Discounted
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6%
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$1,766
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$2,414
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$2,800
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$3,691
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$4,320
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8%
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$1,303
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$1,836
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$2,152
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$2,883
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$3,399
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10%
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$950
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$1,394
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$1,658
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$2,266
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$2,695
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IRR%
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20.9%
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25.2%
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27.6%
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32.7%
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36.1%
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The financial model is based on open pit mining by the owner with leased supply
of mobile mining equipment including scheduled additions and replacements. All
other project costs are the responsibility of the owner including process and
infrastructure preproduction capital, life-of-mine sustaining capital, and
closure costs. Peru corporate income tax of 30%, employee profit sharing tax of
8% and the Peru mineral production royalty is applied on a sliding scale of 1%
to 3% according to revenue levels. Depreciation on capital equipment as
permitted by Peru tax regulations has been applied. Finance charges for project
construction capital have not been applied in the model.
The mine plan is
Data and Statistics for these countries : Peru | All Gold and Silver Prices for these countries : Peru | All
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Candente Copper Corp.
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DEVELOPMENT STAGE |
CODE : DNT.TO |
ISIN : CA13739Y3041 |
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ProfileMarket IndicatorsVALUE : Projects & res.Press releasesAnnual reportRISK : Asset profileContact Cpy |
Candente Copper is a copper development stage company based in Canada. Candente Copper develops copper, gold and silver in Peru, and holds various exploration projects in Peru. Its main asset in development is CAÑARIACO in Peru and its main exploration properties are EL TIGRE, PAMEL, LAS SORPRESAS, LUNAHUANÁ, ALTO DORADO and PICOTA in Peru. Candente Copper is listed in Canada, in Germany and in United States of America. Its market capitalisation is CA$ 21.4 millions as of today (US$ 17.1 millions, € 15.9 millions). Its stock quote reached its highest recent level on January 21, 2011 at CA$ 2.63, and its lowest recent point on April 03, 2020 at CA$ 0.02. Candente Copper has 164 920 000 shares outstanding. |
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