Golden Tag Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: GOG) (OTCQB: GTAGF) is pleased to announce that the Company has entered into a definitive Asset Purchase Agreement dated December 7, 2022 with First Majestic Silver Corp to acquire a 100% interest in the 69,478 hectares La Parrilla Silver Mine Complex in the locality of San Jose de la Parrilla, Durango, Mexico.
Highlights:
Greg McKenzie, President & CEO commented “We are honoured to partner with First Majestic in the acquisition of La Parrilla, their first producing silver mine, which has produced 34.3 million oz of Ag.Eq under their ownership. Over the past two years we have evaluated several opportunities for growth in the silver space and La Parrilla is a great opportunity. The mine complex is fully permitted, located only 45 minutes on paved roads from Durango and, only a few hours from our existing San Diego project.
This is a transformative acquisition for Golden Tag and we strongly believe in the upside resource growth potential of this long-life prolific asset. Our short-term objective is to commence exploration within and near mine workings in order to expand the resource base, to support our ultimate goal & vision of placing the asset back into production.
We would like to thank our key shareholders for their support on this transaction and look forward to working with First Majestic to complete the acquisition.”
Figure 1 – Clockwise from top-left 1. Rosarios Portal; 2. Ag-Pb-Zn vein mineralization, Quebradillas Cuerpo 460 (1700 elevation); 3. Quebradillas Open Pit
Overview of the La Parrilla Complex
The property is located in Durango State, Mexico, approximately 76 kilometres southeast of the capital city of Durango and is comprised of 41 contiguous mining concessions, in good standing, covering 69,478 hectares. The property was acquired by First Majestic in 2004 and became their first silver mine in 2005. When placed on care and maintenance in September 2019, the complex hosted five underground mines surrounding the mill including Rosarios, La Rosa, San Jose, Quebradillas and San Marcos, as well as the Quebradillas open pit (See Figure 1). From 2010-2019 La Parrilla produced approximately 29.6 million oz Ag.Eq as outlined in Table 1 below.
Table 1 – Historical Production at La Parrilla from 2010 – 20191
Production | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019* | |||||||||||
Ore processed/ tonnes milled | 303,869 | 362,947 | 679,788 | 788,335 | 711,915 | 667,702 | 610,509 | 543,985 | 491,637 | 167,535 | |||||||||||
Average silver grade (g/t) | 209 | 200 | 170 | 162 | 158 | 145 | 140 | 130 | 108 | 139 | |||||||||||
Recovery (%) | 76 | % | 77 | % | 78 | % | 76 | % | 79 | % | 78 | % | 81 | % | 76 | % | 76 | % | 75 | % | |
Total silver ounces produced | 1,548,832 | 1,793,728 | 2,876,810 | 3,115,997 | 2,876,452 | 2,434,095 | 2,220,874 | 1,730,383 | 1,340,385 | 557,603 | |||||||||||
Gold ounces produced | 413 | 344 | 923 | 1,051 | 982 | 1,161 | 1,009 | 1,014 | 963 | 0 | |||||||||||
Pounds of lead produced | 4,280,167 | 7,888,943 | 13,240,889 | 18,503,451 | 21,259,559 | 10,441,510 | 10,648,161 | 6,544,745 | 6,550,602 | 4,659,549 | |||||||||||
Pounds of zinc produced | 363,288 | 178,767 | 4,952,899 | 6,723,878 | 12,619,352 | 17,524,223 | 10,577,434 | 3,944,232 | 5,695,657 | 3,691,100 | |||||||||||
Total production – ounces silver equivalent | 1,813,788 | 2,057,172 | 3,487,392 | 4,219,374 | 4,673,186 | 4,036,398 | 3,388,434 | 2,517,199 | 2,323,056 | 1,120,490 | |||||||||||
Underground development (m) | 7,545 | 13,242 | 20,606 | 12,004 | 8,981 | 7,371 | 9,416 | 12,313 | 11,443 | 6,660 | |||||||||||
Diamond drilling (m) | 1,581 | 14,447 | 26,204 | 10,974 | 5,789 | 9,750 | 15,326 | 28,839 | 30,713 | 24,440 | |||||||||||
*Care and maintenance procedures began in September 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||
The metallurgical processing plant at La Parrilla (see Figure 2) consists of parallel 1,000 tpd flotation and 1,000 tpd cyanidation leach circuits to treat both oxide and sulfide ores, for a total capacity of 2,000 tpd, using a conventional flowsheet. Both ore types are polymetallic containing silver as their principal economic component as well as significant amounts of lead and zinc, and minor amounts of gold. Oxide ore is processed by cyanide leaching to produce doré bars while sulphide ore is processed by differential flotation to produce a silver-rich lead concentrate and a zinc concentrate.
Figure 2 – View of the La Parrilla Mill Complex
During 2018, the last year of open pit operations, metallurgical recoveries in the cyanidation circuit were 74% for silver and 81% for gold, and metallurgical recoveries in the flotation circuit were 76% for silver, 73% for lead and 55% for zinc. Tailings from both circuits are filtered separately before being dry‐stacked in the tailings storage facility, which currently holds approximately 6.5 million tonnes of capacity, sufficient for nine years of operations at a throughput rate of 2,000 tpd.
Table 2 – La Parrilla Historic Mineral Resources5, 6
Category / Area | Mineral Type | Tonnage | Grades | Metal Content | ||||||||
kt | Ag (g/t) | Au (g/t) | Pb (%) | Zn (%) | Ag-Eq (g/t) | Ag (k Oz) | Au (k Oz) | Pb (M lb) | Zn (M lb) | Ag-Eq (k Oz) | ||
Measured Quebradillas (UG) | Sulphides | 15 | 193 | – | 1.27 | 1.27 | 250 | 90 | – | 0.4 | 0.4 | 120 |
Total Measured (UG) | Sulphides | 15 | 193 | – | 1.27 | 1.27 | 250 | 90 | – | 0.4 | 0.4 | 120 |
Indicated Rosarios (UG) | Sulphides | 519 | 179 | 0.08 | 1.71 | 1.33 | 257 | 2,980 | 1.4 | 19.6 | 15.2 | 4,290 |
Indicated Quebradillas (UG) | Sulphides | 321 | 177 | 0.08 | 2.59 | 2.70 | 303 | 1,820 | 0.8 | 18.3 | 19.0 | 3,120 |
Indicated San Marcos (UG) | Sulphides | 188 | 260 | 0.04 | 0.57 | 0.56 | 289 | 1,570 | 0.2 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 1,750 |
Total Indicated (UG) | Sulphides | 1,028 | 193 | 0.07 | 1.78 | 1.62 | 277 | 6,370 | 2.4 | 40.3 | 36.6 | 9,160 |
Indicated Rosarios (UG) | Oxides | 23 | 300 | 0.04 | – | – | 304 | 220 | – | – | – | 220 |
Indicated San Marcos (UG) | Oxides | 53 | 256 | 0.12 | – | – | 266 | 440 | 0.2 | – | – | 450 |
Total Indicated (UG) | Oxides | 76 | 270 | 0.09 | – | – | 278 | 660 | 0.2 | – | – | 670 |
Total Indicated (UG) | Oxides + Sulphides | 1,104 | 182 | 0.07 | 1.67 | 1.52 | 261 | 7,030 | 2.6 | 40.3 | 36.6 | 9,830 |
Total Measured & Indicated (UG) | Oxides + Sulphides | 1,119 | 198 | 0.07 | 1.65 | 1.50 | 277 | 7,120 | 2.6 | 40.7 | 37.0 | 9,950 |
Category / Area | Mineral Type | Tonnage | Grades | Metal Content | ||||||||
Inferred | kt | Ag (g/t) | Au (g/t) | Pb (%) | Zn (%) | Ag-Eq (g/t) | Ag (k Oz) | Au (k Oz) | Pb (M lb) | Zn (M lb) | Ag-Eq (k Oz) | |
Inferred Rosarios (UG) | Sulphides | 265 | 154 | 0.16 | 1.85 | 1.48 | 245 | 1,310 | 1.4 | 10.8 | 8.6 | 2,090 |
Inferred Quebradillas (UG) | Sulphides | 578 | 214 | 0.08 | 1.85 | 2.65 | 319 | 3,970 | 1.6 | 23.6 | 33.8 | 5,920 |
Inferred San Marcos (UG) | Sulphides | 185 | 304 | 0.03 | 0.25 | 0.22 | 317 | 1,810 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 1,890 |
Total Inferred (UG) | Sulphides | 1,028 | 215 | 0.09 | 1.56 | 1.91 | 299 | 7,090 | 3.2 | 35.4 | 43.3 | 9,900 |
Inferred Rosarios (UG) | Oxides | 280 | 198 | 0.08 | – | – | 205 | 1,780 | 0.7 | – | – | 1,840 |
Inferred Quebradillas (UG) | Oxides | 43 | 196 | 0.14 | – | – | 208 | 270 | 0.2 | – | – | 290 |
Inferred San Marcos (UG) | Oxides | 70 | 211 | 0.04 | – | – | 214 | 480 | 0.1 | – | – | 480 |
Total Inferred (UG) | Oxides | 393 | 200 | 0.08 | – | – | 207 | 2,530 | 1.0 | – | – | 2,610 |
Total Inferred (UG) | Oxides + Sulphides | 1,421 | 211 | 0.09 | 1.13 | 1.38 | 274 | 9,620 | 4.2 | 35.4 | 43.3 | 12,510 |
Cautionary Statement: Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The resource estimate stated in Table 2 is as reported by First Majestic with an effective date of December 31, 2020. Golden Tag is not treating these estimates as current Mineral Resources because a Qualified Person on behalf of Golden Tag has not performed sufficient work5 to classify these estimates as current resources5, 6.
Notes for Historic Mineral Resources Estimates:
Please refer to the FMS Annual Information Form for The Year Ended December 31, 2021 dated March 31, 2022 available on at www.SEDAR.com.
Transaction Summary
The Company will acquire 100% of the assets of the La Parrilla Silver Mine Complex from First Majestic and the remaining employees associated directly with the Complex. In consideration, Golden Tag will pay to First Majestic the following:
Both II and III are payable in cash or common shares, at the election of Golden Tag.
Closing of the Transaction is expected to occur in H1 2023, and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to: (i) the approval of Golden Tag shareholders as a result of the Transaction creating a new control person; (ii) the completion by the Company of a Private Placement for minimum gross proceeds of C$9,000,000, as described below; (iii) the receipt of all necessary consents, approvals and authorizations (including the TSX Venture Exchange and the Mexican Antitrust Commission) for the Transaction; and (iv) other conditions which are customary for a transaction of this type.
The Company has engaged SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. to prepare an independent National Instrument 43-101 resource report on La Parrilla.
There are no finder’s fee payable in connection with the Transaction; First Majestic and the Company are arm’s length parties from each other and the Transaction is an Arm’s Length Transaction (as such term is defined under the corporate finance manual of the TSXV).
Financing for the Acquisition
Concurrent with or prior to the closing of the Transaction, Golden Tag will complete a private placement to raise gross aggregate proceeds of C$9 million, inclusive of US$2.7M subscribed for by First Majestic. Further details regarding the Private Placement will be announced once final terms of the Private Placement have been determined.
Change of Name
On the closing of the Transaction, subject to regulatory approval, the Company will undertake a rebranding initiative. Further details will follow.
Financial Advisors and Legal Counsel
Golden Tag is represented by McMillan LLP as legal counsel. First Majestic is being advised by National Bank as financial advisor and Bennett Jones LLP as legal counsel.
Qualified Person
The scientific and technical information in this document has been reviewed and approved by Bruce Robbins, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.
About Golden Tag Resources
Golden Tag Resources Ltd. is a Toronto based mineral resource exploration company. The Company holds a 100% interest, subject to a 2% NSR, in the San Diego Project, in Durango, Mexico. The San Diego property is among the largest undeveloped silver assets in Mexico and is located within the prolific Velardeña Mining District. Velardeña hosts several mines having produced silver, zinc, lead and gold for over 100 years.
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