Dundee Precious Metals Inc. (TSX: DPM) is pleased to announce the results of a pre-feasibility study for its Čoka Rakita project in Serbia. The robust PFS economics and continued exploration success around Čoka Rakita serve as DPM’s basis for proceeding to a feasibility study immediately for an accelerated construction decision, with first concentrate production targeted for 2028.
PFS Highlights
(All dollar amounts in this news release are expressed in U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.)
Improvements in the PFS include increased ounces in the initial years and decreased all-in sustaining costs. Project highlights include:
Čoka Rakita project PFS highlights (Based on a $1,900 per ounce gold price assumption) |
||
Operating life | 10 years | |
Total gold produced (life of mine) | 1.2 million ounces | |
Average grade (life of mine) | 6.38 grams per tonne | |
Average all-in sustaining cost (life of mine)3 | $644 per ounce of gold | |
NPV (after-tax, 5% discount)1,2 | $735 million | |
IRR (after-tax)2 | 41% |
“We are very excited by the results of the pre-feasibility study. In less than 24 months since announcing the initial discovery of Čoka Rakita, we have outlined a very robust, highly value accretive project with the potential to add high-margin gold production growth to our portfolio,” said David Rae, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dundee Precious Metals.
“Given the project’s excellent economics, including a 41% IRR at a gold price of $1,900 per ounce, we are immediately proceeding to a feasibility study while advancing permitting activities in parallel, with the goal of commencing construction in mid-2026 to support first production of concentrate in 2028.
“We have the financial and technical resources to advance this high-quality growth project and continue our exploration programs to further unlock the significant potential of Čoka Rakita and the surrounding licences. This includes the two new high-grade Frasen and Dumitru Potok discoveries we announced earlier this year, located within 1 kilometre of Čoka Rakita, which confirm our view of the significant potential for large-scale high-grade mineralization.”
Pre-feasibility Study Overview
Čoka Rakita is located approximately 35 kilometres by road northwest of the city of Bor in Serbia, and benefits from established infrastructure, including nearby roads and power lines. The project is a strong fit with the Company’s underground mining and processing expertise and is approximately 320 kilometres northwest of DPM’s Chelopech mine in Bulgaria, which will allow easy access to existing technical support functions.
The PFS is based on a Mineral Reserve Estimate of 6.6 million tonnes at 6.38 grams per tonne for 1.36 million contained gold ounces. The PFS contemplates underground mining of the Čoka Rakita deposit with a relatively standard comminution, gravity and flotation flowsheet to process 850,000 tonnes of ore per annum, producing saleable gravity and flotation gold concentrates. A portion of the gravity concentrate will be smelted and sold as a doré for improved sales terms.
The PFS assumes start of construction mid-2026 with first production of gold concentrate targeted for the second half of 2028.
The process flowsheet and project schedule allow DPM to leverage the use of existing processing equipment and infrastructure from the Ada Tepe operation in Bulgaria, which will be decommissioned and refurbished following the mine’s closure in mid-2026. Several benefits of this approach were identified, including de-risking the project timeline in terms of long-lead items and supply chain risk, as well as the ability to leverage the Company’s processing expertise, training and maintenance practices.
The following table summarizes key inputs, operating statistics and results of the Čoka Rakita PFS:
Key Operating and Financial Assumptions and Metrics | ||
Assumptions | ||
Gold price | $ per ounce | $1,900 |
Government royalty (NSR) | % | 5.0 |
Production and costs | ||
Mineral Reserve | million tonnes | 6.6 |
Average gold grade mined (life of mine) | grams per tonne | 6.38 |
Annual throughput | tonnes per annum | 850,000 |
Average gold grade processed (life of mine) | grams per tonne | 6.38 |
Average gold metallurgical recovery | % | 86.8 |
Total gold produced (life of mine) | million ounces | 1.2 |
Average annual gold production (life of mine) | thousand ounces | 147 |
Average annual gold production (first five years) | thousand ounces | 170 |
Life of mine operating unit costs | ||
$ million | $ per tonne processed | |
Mining | $251 | 38 |
Processing | $166 | 25 |
General & administrative | $98 | 15 |
Royalties | $107 | 16 |
Offsite cost | $69 | 10 |
Total cash costs1 | $691 | $104 |
Total cash costs1 | $ per gold ounce | $596 |
All-in sustaining cost1 | $ per gold ounce | $644 |
Capital estimates | ||
Initial capital | $ millions | $379 |
Sustaining capital (life of mine) | $ millions | $29 |
Closure costs2 | $ millions | $27 |
Project economics | ||
Free cash flow (after-tax)1,3,4 | $ millions | $1,077 |
NPV (after-tax, 5% discount)3,4 | $ millions | $735 |
IRR (after-tax)3,4 | % | 41% |
Payback period3,4 | years | 1.7 |
Mining and Processing
The PFS mine plan assumes access from surface via two declines and a spiral ramp to truck the mined material to surface. The anticipated mining method is conventional sublevel long-hole open stoping and utilizing paste backfill with cemented rock fill, and unconsolidated rock fill used where the mining sequence permits, leveraging DPM’s experience and expertise from its underground Chelopech mine.
The PFS is based on a Probable Mineral Reserve of 6.6 million tonnes. The PFS mine plan and design has been optimized to access the high-grade core of mineralization in the initial years. Production in the first five full years is expected to average 170,000 ounces per year from an average gold head grade of 7.42 g/t. The average life of mine gold production is expected to be approximately 147,000 ounces per year from an average gold head grade of 6.38 g/t.
The PFS is based on a process flowsheet consisting of crushing and grinding to a particle size (P80) of 53 µm, followed by gravity concentration and sulphide flotation. The gravity concentrate will be marketable directly to gold refineries, and the sulphide flotation concentrate will be suitable for processing by smelters in the region. Testwork results to date indicates that the final concentrates do not contain any deleterious elements above smelter penalty thresholds. A portion of the gravity concentrate will be smelted and sold as a doré. Average payability for the flotation concentrate is expected to be 97.5%, average payability for the gravity concentrate is expected to be 99.8% and average payability for the doré is expected to be 99.9%, with a combined life of mine weighted average of 98.5%.
The production schedule as outlined in the PFS is presented in the table below:
Unit | Total / average | Pre production |
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 | Year 7 | Year 8 | |
Ore mined | Kt | 6,633 | 76 | 596 | 855 | 855 | 855 | 855 | 855 | 853 | 833 |
Gold grade | g/t | 6.38 | 10.17 | 10.70 | 7.17 | 8.35 | 6.38 | 5.25 | 5.61 | 4.76 | 3.73 |
Ore processed | Kt | 6,633 | – | 672 | 855 | 855 | 855 | 855 | 855 | 853 | 833 |
Gold grade | g/t | 6.38 | – | 10.63 | 7.17 | 8.35 | 6.38 | 5.25 | 5.61 | 4.76 | 3.73 |
Recoveries | |||||||||||
Doré | % | 22.7 | – | 23.0 | 23.2 | 23.7 | 22.8 | 22.2 | 22.4 | 21.9 | 21.2 |
Gravity | % | 13.4 | – | 13.5 | 13.6 | 13.9 | 13.4 | 13.0 | 13.2 | 12.9 | 12.4 |
Flotation | % | 50.7 | – | 47.8 | 50.6 | 50.0 | 51.1 | 51.8 | 51.6 | 52.2 | 53.2 |
Combined | % | 86.8 | – | 84.3 | 87.4 | 87.6 | 87.3 | 87.1 | 87.2 | 87.0 | 86.8 |
Gold production | Koz. | 1,161 | – | 194 | 172 | 201 | 153 | 126 | 134 | 114 | 87 |
All-in sustaining cost1 | $/oz. | $644 | – | 560 | 475 | 560 | 550 | 664 | 750 | 737 | 1,019 |
Capital Expenditures
The PFS estimates initial project capital costs of approximately $379 million includes development of the underground mine, construction of an 850,000 tonne per annum processing plant utilizing existing equipment from the Ada Tepe mine and processing facility, a 3.93 Mt fully lined dry tailings storage facility, and additional infrastructure, including haul and access roads, water treatment, power supply and site services.
The PFS includes several enhancements to the PEA design, resulting in improved economic benefits to the project. This included improved mine access layout to incorporate a second decline and portal, change of the SAG mill to an AG mill and pebble crusher, the addition of a secondary grinding mill, and the addition of a gravity gold circuit and gold room.
The following table breaks down the initial capital estimate:
$ millions | |
Initial capital estimates | |
Mining | 85 |
Earthworks | 35 |
Equipment and infrastructure | 117 |
Mobile equipment | 4 |
Total direct costs | 241 |
Owners cost | 14 |
Operational readiness | 28 |
General indirect costs | 46 |
Total indirect cost | 88 |
Contingency | 50 |
Total initial capital expenditures | 379 |
Sustaining and closure | |
Sustaining capital expenditures | $29 |
Closure costs1 | $27 |
Čoka Rakita Gold Price Sensitivity Estimates
The table below shows the gold price sensitivity for the project:
Gold price sensitivities | |||||
Base case | |||||
Average gold price ($/oz.) |
$1,500 | $1,700 | $1,900 | $2,300 | $2,500 |
NPV1,2 (after-tax, 5% discount) |
$410 | $573 | $735 | $1,059 | $1,222 |
IRR1,2 (after-tax) |
28.3% | 35.1 | 41.4% | 52.5% | 58% |
Payback (years) |
2.3 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 1.2 |
Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve Estimate
In conjunction with the PFS, DPM has updated the Mineral Resource Estimate for Čoka Rakita. The database cut-off was August 30, 2024, which is also the effective date of the MRE. Drill hole spacing is approximately 30 metres by 30 metres over the deposit footprint, with infill drilling reaching a spacing of between 20 metres to 15 metres within the high-grade core of the deposit. The updated MRE incorporates detailed understanding of the geologic controls and deposit architecture.
To support the MRE, a comprehensive sensitivity analysis was completed on assumptions and parameters used in the estimate, which identified the optimum top cutting strategy, composite length, block size, search parameters and domaining strategy. The MRE satisfies reasonable prospects of eventual economic extraction by demonstrating the spatial continuity of the mineralization based on a 2 g/t Au reporting cut-off grade and optimized stope volumes. The cut-off grade assumes a gold price of $1,700 per ounce. The MRE was classified as Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources, informed by drill spacing supported by a drill hole spacing study, QA/QC, quality of data, confidence in geological and mineralization interpretations.
The Mineral Reserve Estimate is based only on Indicated Mineral Resources identified in the block model. Optimized stope shapes were generated with respect to the design and economic criteria established such as cut-off grade, deposit geometry criteria and stope shape parameters. The stopes were then sequenced to suit the mining method (long-hole longitudinal retreat) and scheduled to produce the production profile and life of mine plan. Mineral Reserves are based on an in-situ cut-off grade of 2.5 g/t Au for stopes and 1.0 g/t Au for development, which assumes a gold price of $1,500 per ounce of gold.
The Mineral Reserve Estimate for Čoka Rakita is show below and is effective as of August 30, 2024.
Čoka Rakita Mineral Reserve Estimate (Effective date August 30, 2024) |
|||
Reserve Category | Tonnes (Mt) |
Gold Grade (g/t) |
Contained Gold (Moz.) |
Proven | – | – | – |
Probable | 6.63 | 6.38 | 1.359 |
Total Proven & Probable | 6.63 | 6.38 | 1.359 |
The Mineral Resource estimate, exclusive of Mineral Reserves, is shown below and is effective as of August 30, 2024.
Čoka Rakita Mineral Resource Estimate (Effective date August 30, 2024) |
|||
Resource Category | Tonnes (Mt) |
Gold Grade (g/t) |
Contained Gold (Koz.) |
Measured | – | – | – |
Indicated | 1.45 | 3.30 | 154 |
Total Measured & Indicated | 1.45 | 3.30 | 154 |
Inferred | 0.11 | 3.11 | 11 |
The Qualified Persons are not aware of any environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-economic, marketing, or political factors that might materially affect the estimate of Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserves.
Permitting and Stakeholder Engagement
Permitting activities have continued to advance, with a detailed permitting timeline focused on supporting commencement of construction in mid-2026.
Work continues on baseline studies required for the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, as well as the final report on mineral resources and reserves (the Elaborate of Reserves) to be submitted to the relevant authorities for receipt of the Certificate of Resources and Reserves as required under the Serbian permitting process. While a decision by the Serbian government to initiate the development of the Special Purpose Spatial Plan is currently pending, the Company’s approach includes having all preparatory work completed and ready for submission while continuing to proactively engage with relevant stakeholders to mitigate the risk of administrative delays.
Consistent with the approach across all operations, DPM seeks to build and maintain strong partnerships with local communities and governments. The Company has had a local presence in Serbia since 2004 and has developed strong relationships in the region and will continue to proactively engage with all stakeholders as the project advances.
Planning for the project will be highly focused on ensuring responsible environmental management, social development, and the operation and closure of Čoka Rakita in accordance with industry best practices and in-line with European Union standards. The Company is committed to working closely with local communities around the project to understand and support local development opportunities, with a focus on maximizing benefits of the project for stakeholders in Serbia.
Optimization Opportunities and Next Steps
Based on the PFS, DPM is proceeding immediately to a FS, which is expected to be completed by year-end 2025. Activities in 2025 will include completing surface and underground geotechnical and hydrogeological drilling, advancing permitting, progressing the design to the basic engineering level, and commencing operational readiness activities, leveraging the project’s regional proximity to DPM’s Chelopech underground mine to train and develop key personnel for operating roles.
Several optimization opportunities have been identified which DPM will advance as part of the FS work. This includes:
Ongoing Drilling Program to Extend Exploration Potential
DPM is planning an exploration program for 2025 to advance its camp-wide drilling campaigns within Čoka Rakita and surrounding licences. The Company plans to drill approximately 40,000 metres in 2025, with a focus on:
Technical Information and Technical Report Filing
The PFS and other scientific and technical information contained in this news release were prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”), and have been reviewed and approved by:
All are independent QPs, as defined under NI 43-101.
Ross Overall, Director, Corporate Technical Services, of the Company, who is a QP as defined under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information disclosed in this news release.
A technical report prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 for the Čoka Rakita project will be filed under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ within 45 days of this news release. Readers are encouraged to read the technical report in its entirety, including all qualifications, assumptions, exclusions and risks that relate to the MRMR estimates and the PFS.
The MRMR estimates discussed in this news release are classified in accordance with the disclosure requirement of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum’s (“CIM”) Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (May 2014), incorporated by reference into NI 43-101. The MRMR and related information in this news release may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S. companies, subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements under the United States’ federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.
About Dundee Precious Metals Inc.
Dundee Precious Metals Inc. is a Canadian-based international gold mining company with operations and projects located in Bulgaria, Serbia and Ecuador. The Company’s purpose is to unlock resources and generate value to thrive and grow together. This overall purpose is supported by a foundation of core values, which guides how the Company conducts its business and informs a set of complementary strategic pillars and objectives related to ESG, innovation, optimizing our existing portfolio, and growth. The Company’s resources are allocated in-line with its strategy to ensure that DPM delivers value for all of its stakeholders. DPM’s shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
First Phosphate Corp. (CSE: PHOS) (OTCQB: FRSPF) (FSE: KD0) is p... READ MORE
NGEx Minerals Ltd. (TSX: NGEX) (OTCQX: NGXXF) is pleased to prov... READ MORE
Europe’s largest car manufacturer positions Patriot Battery... READ MORE
Cascadia Minerals Ltd. (TSX-V: CAM) is pleased to announce that i... READ MORE