VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Jan 7, 2014) -
Trevali Mining Corporation ("Trevali" or the
"Company")
(TSX:TV)(LMA:TV)(OTCQX:TREVF)(FRANKFURT:4TI)
announces that ongoing mineral processing plant commissioning, and
zinc and lead-silver concentrate production from its Santander
Zinc-Lead-Silver Mine in Peru continues to progress well as the
operation approaches full production.
During December, Santander mill throughput continued at full
nameplate capacity of 2,000-tonnes-per-day, again giving an
effective monthly plant utilization of 100%. Average head-grades
for the month were 3.6% zinc, 1.5% lead and 1.4 oz/ton silver from
a blend of underground feed, stockpiled surface material and
higher-grade re-mined former tailings while the Company moves
towards full underground production feed in Q1-2014 when the
Magistral North (including Rosa Zone) and Central production stopes
are brought fully online. Additionally, concentrate shipments for
December have resulted in approximately 3,900 tonnes of zinc
concentrate and 2,300 tonnes of lead-silver concentrate delivered
and sold to partner Glencore.
Tonnes processed in 2013 (approx.): |
252,000 tonnes |
Zinc concentrate produced in 2013 (approx.): |
16,700 tonnes |
Average zinc concentrate grade: |
49% Zn |
Lead-silver concentrate produced in 2013 (approx.): |
5,200 tonnes |
Average lead-silver concentrate grade: |
55% Pb, 49 oz/T Ag |
|
|
Period |
Zinc
recovery |
|
Lead
recovery |
|
Silver
recovery |
|
Since start-up (mid-August) |
81 |
% |
80 |
% |
66 |
% |
September 2013 |
80.9 |
% |
77.6 |
% |
63.2 |
% |
October 2013 |
85 |
% |
83 |
% |
69 |
% |
November 2013 |
80.3 |
% |
81.9 |
% |
66.7 |
% |
December 2013 |
82.3 |
% |
84.1 |
% |
70 |
% |
Note: Reported production is preliminary in
nature and subject to regular and ongoing reconciliation
studies.
The Company anticipates both recoveries and concentrate
production will further improve with the transition to full
underground mill feed and ongoing mill optimization that includes
the recent installation of a second Pb filter and the scheduled
Courier OSA (on-stream analyzer) commissioning in Q1-2014. Ramp-up
of underground production continues to increase with January
production rates averaging approximately 1,500-tonnes-per-day and
recent daily rates of up to 1,800-tonnes-per-day.
Qualified Person and Quality Control/Quality
Assurance
EurGeol Dr. Mark D. Cruise, Trevali's President and CEO, a
qualified person as defined by NI 43-101, has supervised the
preparation of the scientific and technical information that forms
the basis for this news release. Dr. Cruise is not independent of
the Company, as he is an officer, director and shareholder.
ABOUT TREVALI MINING CORPORATION
Trevali is a zinc-focused base metals mining company with
operations in Canada and Peru.
In Peru, the Company has commenced commissioning and concentrate
production at its Santander zinc-lead-silver mine and
2,000-tonne-per-day metallurgical plant. The Company anticipates
declaring Commercial Production at the Santander Mine shortly.
In Canada, Trevali owns the Caribou mine and mill, Halfmile mine
and Stratmat polymetallic deposit all located in the Bathurst
Mining Camp of northern New Brunswick. Initial trial production
from the Halfmile underground mine was successfully undertaken in
2012 and the Company anticipates commencing operations at its
3,000-tonne-per-day Caribou Mill Complex in 2014.
All of the Company's deposits remain open for expansion.
The common shares of Trevali are listed on the TSX (symbol TV),
the OTCQX (symbol TREVF) and on the Lima Stock Exchange (symbol
TV). For further details on Trevali, readers are referred to the
Company's web site (www.trevali.com) and to Canadian regulatory
filings on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors of TREVALI MINING
CORPORATION
Mark D. Cruise, President
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within
the meaning of the United States private securities litigation
reform act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the
meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Statements
containing forward-looking information express, as at the date of
this news release, the Company's plans, estimates, forecasts,
projections, expectations, or beliefs as to future events or
results and the company does not intend, and does not assume any
obligation to, update such statements containing the
forward-looking information. Such forward-looking statements and
information include, but are not limited to statements as to: the
accuracy of estimated mineral reserves and resources, anticipated
results of future exploration, and forecast future metal prices,
anticipated results of future electrical sales and expectations
that environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation,
socio-economic, political, marketing or other issues will not
materially affect estimates of mineral reserves.
These statements reflect the Company's current views with
respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of
assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the
company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic,
competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies.
Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results,
performance or achievements to be materially different from the
results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed
or implied by such forward-looking statements contained in this
news release and the company has made assumptions and estimates
based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include,
without limitation: fluctuations in spot and forward markets for
silver, zinc, base metals and certain other commodities (such as
natural gas, fuel oil and electricity); fluctuations in currency
markets (such as the Peruvian sol versus the U.S. dollar); risks
related to the technological and operational nature of the
Company's business; changes in national and local government,
legislation, taxation, controls or regulations and political or
economic developments in Canada, the United States, Peru or other
countries where the Company may carry on business in the future;
risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral
exploration, development and mining (including environmental
hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected geological or
structural formations, pressures, cave-ins and flooding);
risks relating to the credit worthiness or financial condition of
suppliers, refiners and other parties with whom the Company does
business; inadequate insurance, or inability to obtain insurance,
to cover these risks and hazards; employee relations; relationships
with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations;
availability and increasing costs associated with mining inputs and
labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and
development, including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses
and permits and the presence of laws and regulations that may
impose restrictions on mining,; diminishing quantities or grades of
mineral reserves as properties are mined; global financial
conditions; business opportunities that may be presented to, or
pursued by, the Company; the Company's ability to complete and
successfully integrate acquisitions and to mitigate other business
combination risks; challenges to, or difficulty in maintaining, the
Company's title to properties and continued ownership thereof; the
actual results of current exploration activities, conclusions of
economic evaluations, and changes in project parameters to deal
with unanticipated economic or other factors; increased competition
in the mining industry for properties, equipment, qualified
personnel, and their costs. Investors are cautioned against
attributing undue certainty or reliance on forward-looking
statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify
important factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be
as anticipated, estimated, described or intended. The Company does
not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these
forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in
assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events
affecting such statements or information, other than as required by
applicable law.
Trevali's production plans at Caribou-Halfmile-Stratmat and
Santander are based only on Indicated and Inferred Mineral
Resources and not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated
economic viability. Inferred Mineral Resources are considered too
speculative geologically to have the economic considerations
applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as Mineral
Reserves, and there is therefore no certainty that the conclusions
of the production plans and Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA)
will be realized. Additionally where Trevali discusses
exploration/expansion potential, any potential quantity and grade
is conceptual in nature and there has been insufficient exploration
to define a mineral resource and it is uncertain if further
exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral
resource. Reported interim production figures are preliminary in
nature and subject to regular and ongoing reconciliation
studies.
We advise US investors that while the terms "measured
resources", "indicated resources" and "inferred resources" are
recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the US Securities
and Exchange Commission does not recognize these terms. US
investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the
material in these categories will ever be converted into
reserves.
This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a
solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United
States. The securities described herein have not been and will not
be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, or the securities laws of any state and may not be offered
or sold within the United States, absent such registration or an
applicable exemption from such registration requirements.
The TSX has not approved or disapproved of the contents of this
news release.