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Golden Predator receives 2,533,333 Shares of Silver Predator Corp.; Provides Annual Report on Gold Royalty Portfolio
Vancouver, Canada � March 1st, 2012: Golden Predator Corp. (TSX:GPD) (the �Company�) is pleased to provide an update on the option of its Taylor Property to Silver Predator as well as an annual report on its gold royalty portfolio.
Taylor Property Option
The Company has received 2,533,333 common shares of Silver Predator Corp. (TSX: SPD) as the second payment under its option agreement with the Company. In 2011 the Company granted Silver Predator an option to acquire a 100% interest in the 261 unpatented mining claims and 4 patented mining claims located in White Pine County, Nevada known as the Taylor Project.
Golden Predator retains a 2% NSR on all precious metals and 1% NSR on all other metals from the Taylor Project, save for metals extracted from claims subject to pre-existing royalties on which the Company will receive a 1% NSR on precious metals and 0.5% NSR on all other metals (see GPD NR10-38 December 13, 2010).
The Taylor Property includes a NI 43-101 compliant resource of 14.9 MM ounces silver from measured and indicated mineral resources of 6,433,000 tons grading 2.31 oz/t silver and 1.9 MM ounces silver from an inferred mineral resource of 757,000 tons grading 2.54 oz/t silver (using a 1.2 oz/t silver cut-off grade: Hester, 2010).
In August 2011 Silver Predator completed a 35-hole drilling program at the Taylor Project. A total of 3,528 m of angled RC holes were drilled to test for higher grade feeder veins as well as to expand the current mineral resource. Highlights include:
- SPT11-004 with 36.6 m of 37 g/t silver from a depth of 1.52 m;
- SPT11-001 with 18.3 m of 57.8 g/t silver from surface;
- SPT11-027 with 42.67 m of 100.25 g/t silver from a depth of 67.05 m;
- SPT11-034 with 27.43 m of 96.5 g/t silver from surface; and
- SPT11-035 with 13.72 m of 134.78 g/t silver from a depth of 38.1m
See Silver Predator news releases dated July 5, 2011 and August 17, 2011 for drilling results and additional information.
Silver Predator plans to remodel the existing data, including the 60 new holes drilled since the publication of the resource estimate on Taylor, to assist in future drill programs with the goal of preparing an updated resource estimate in Q2, 2012.
The Company now owns approximately 18.2% of the issued and outstanding shares of Silver Predator, and may receive a minimum of 9,000,000 common shares as Silver Predator earns into the Taylor Project (subject to upwards adjustment, to a maximum of 12,523,333 shares).
David R. Hembree, PGeo, Nevada Exploration Manager, a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and verified the information provided on the Taylor Project.
Gold Standard Royalty Portfolio 2011 Fiscal Year
The Company is also pleased to provide a report on its royalty portfolio for the recently completed fiscal year. The Company received advance royalty payments totalling over $850,000, as well as 9.998 troy ounces of gold, bringing the total gold held on account at Johnson Matthey to 143.072 troy ounces.
The advance royalty payments include monies received from Midway Gold Corporation (TSX.V: MDW) for the Pan and Gold Rock properties, and Barrick Gold Corporation (TSX: ABX) for the Duke-Trapper-Royale area of the Bald Mountain property. The Company anticipates significant production royalty on these projects as they enter commercial production. The gold payment reflects residual gold production from the Mooney Basin operation of Barrick.
Sale of Tonkin Springs Project
During the period the Company sold its 5% Gross Smelter Royalty covering a portion of the Tonkin Springs project to US Gold Corp. (now McEwen Mining Inc. (TSX:MUX) for $5.85 million (previously reported in GPD NR11-28 dated July 21, 2011). The Company retains a 1.4% NSR on all production from the claims sold in excess of the previously reported resources.
Barrick Bald Mountain Royalties
Accelerated production plans were announced by Barrick Gold which could have a substantial effect on the Company�s royalty receipts as early as 2014 (see http://www.goldenpredator.com/Bald-Mountain.html).
The Company holds a 1% Gross Sales Royalty on approximately 30 square miles including all or parts of the Yankee, Poker Flat, Galaxy, Winrock, Casino, Bida, Top, Duke, South Duke, and Saga areas, as well as a sliding scale Gross Production Royalty (4% at gold prices above $450 per troy ounce) on the Duke-Trapper-Royale area at the Bald Mountain Mine.
Midway Pan and Gold Rock Royalties
Midway also made significant progress in 2011 on the two projects leased from the Company, including the release of a feasibility study for the Pan Project with proven and probable reserves totalling 864,000 oz gold using updated NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimates (see GPD NR11-45 December 5, 2011).
The mine plan used by Midway in the feasibility study is based on producing 17,000 short tons of ore per day over an 8 year period and assumes 75% recoveries, with production exceeding 81,000 oz gold per annum. On the basis of the tons, grades and recoveries presented in Midway�s press release, Golden Predator calculates that the annual cash flow to Golden Predator from this would, assuming a $1,600 gold price, be $5.2 MM (from which advance royalty payments, which total approximately $850,000 to date, would be deducted). Also, Golden Predator determined that the total payment over the eight year period would be in excess of $41 MM, with a net present value of the Company�s royalty, at start of production, of $32.7 MM, (using a 5% discount). Assuming a $1,200 gold price the NPV is calculated at $24.3 MM, and assuming a $1,900 gold price the NPV is calculated at $39 MM.
Midway has reported that the current gold resource at Pan remains open in multiple directions and additional exploration drilling is planned (see MDW news release dated November 3, 2011).
Midway Gold also released a NI 43-101 compliant resource at the Gold Rock Project of 310,000 oz of gold in the indicated category, contained in 12.968 mm tonnes grading 0.74 g/t gold, and 331,000 ounces in the inferred category, contained in 17.894 mm tonnes grading 0.58 g/t gold. The deposit appears to be open in all directions. The Company retains a sliding scale Gross Production Royalty (4% at gold prices above $450 per troy ounce), payable in-kind on significant portions of the Gold Rock Project (see MDW news release dated February 29, 2012).
About Golden Predator Corp.
Golden Predator Corp., Yukon�s Gold Company, is a well-funded exploration company mandated to become a mid-tier gold producer. Golden Predator�s road-accessible advanced properties include its flagship Brewery Creek Project at which the Company is moving aggressively to a near term production decision, as well as its Grew Creek and Clear Creek Projects.
Golden Predator has the largest controlled land position in the Yukon, with exploration holdings in excess of 1,400,000 acres (over 5,700 km2), and is committed to strong relationships with Yukon First Nations and communities. Golden Predator�s management and technical teams continue to lead aggressive exploration programs in the underexplored regions of the Yukon, and are driven to bring value to shareholders and leave a positive legacy.
No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. This press release contains projections and forward-looking information that involve various risks and uncertainties regarding future events. Such forward-looking information can include without limitation statements based on current expectations involving a number of risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. There are numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and Golden Predator's plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based on estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Except as required by law, Golden Predator assumes no obligation to update forward-looking information should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change. |
