PEA Delivers Rokmaster Resources Corp Robust Project Economics for Revel Ridge: After-Tax NPV5.0% of C$454M, 21% IRR and 3.2 Year Payback

In this article:

VANCOUVER, BC, Dec. 29, 2023 /CNW/ - Rokmaster Resources Corp. (TSXV: RKR) (OTCQB: RKMSF) (FSE: 1RR1) ("Rokmaster" or the "Company") is pleased to announce positive results from the Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") completed by Ausenco Engineering Canada ULC ("Ausenco"), supported by Mining Plus Canada Consulting Ltd.("Mining Plus"), Knight Piésold Ltd.("KP"), P&E Mining Consultants Inc. ("P&E"), and Canenco Consulting Corp.("Canenco"), for the Revel Ridge polymetallic gold-silver Project ("Revel Ridge" or the "Project") located in the Revelstoke area of southeastern British Columbia.

Rokmaster Resources Corp. Logo (CNW Group/Rokmaster Resources Corp.)
Rokmaster Resources Corp. Logo (CNW Group/Rokmaster Resources Corp.)

The PEA demonstrates the Revel Ridge Project's ability to become a long life and robust polymetallic gold-silver mine with strong project economics at US$1,850/ounce gold, while today's spot price is over US$2,000 per ounce. In addition to the PEA, Revel Ridge has upside potential to expand current Mineral Resources through ongoing exploration diamond drilling, both down dips, along on-strike and on other occurrences.

A National Instrument ("NI") 43-101 Technical Report summarizing the PEA will be filed on SEDAR+. Amounts stated are in Q4 2023 Canadian dollars (C$).

Revel Ridge 2023 PEA Highlights Include:

  • High-grade underground mine with mineralized material1 averaging C$361/t NSR value (diluted) comprising Main Zone with 11.43 Mt averaging 3.80 g/t Au, 37.37 g/t Ag, 2.34 % Zn, 1.30 % Pb (diluted) and Yellowjacket Zone 0.34 Mt averaging 8.61% Zn, 2.66% Pb, 65.0 g/t Ag and 0.07 g/t Au (diluted).

  • After-tax NPV5.0% of C$454M and 21.1% IRR at US$1,850/oz Au, US$23.00/oz Ag, US$1.26/lb Zn, and US$0.90/lb Pb.

  • After-tax payback period of 3.2 years discounted at 5.0%.

  • Pre-production capital expenditures ("CAPEX") of C$588M (US$436M2) including contingency of C$84M (US$62M2).

  • After-tax NPV5.0%: CAPEX Ratio of 0.77:1.

  • Life of mine ("LOM") average annual payable production of 158 koz AuEq per year (114 koz Au per year, 940 koz Ag, 32.6 mlbs Zn, 19.6 mlbs Pb) over a production lifespan of 11.4 years.

  • LOM cash costs3 of US$540/oz payable Au on a by-product basis, LOM all-in sustaining costs ("AISC"4) of US$836/oz payable Au on a by-product basis.

  • 2,920 tonne per day ("t/d") crush and particle sort-mill-flotation-POX & gold plant producing gold/silver doré and saleable zinc and lead concentrates.

1.     Underground mineralized material contains Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resources.

2.     Exchange Rate (C$/US$) of 0.74

3.     Cash costs are inclusive of mining costs, processing costs, site G&A, treatment, and refining costs, and transportation costs.

4.     AISC includes cash costs plus estimated sustaining capital, royalties, and closure costs and less salvage value.

5.     Payable Gold Equivalent (AuEq) calculated by dividing gross sales revenue by $1,850.

PEA Overview

The 2023 Revel Ridge PEA considers an underground mine with on-site treatment of the mined material by particle sorting followed by conventional milling, and flotation to produce separate lead and zinc concentrates for sale to third-party smelters, in combination with on-site treatment of refractory gold concentrates to produce gold-silver doré. The mine will comprise an owner-operated, ramp developed, long hole stope underground mine.

The processing capacity of 2,920 tonnes per day will result in a production lifespan of 11.4 years. An additional 18 months of mine ramp access and development, and construction of the process plant and filtered waste management facility (filtered tailings and filtered residues) is planned prior to the project becoming fully operational in Year 1. The PEA leverages Revel Ridge's existing infrastructure, including all-weather access roads, 3 km of underground development, permitted waste rock storage facility, full camp facility and approximately 15 km from the BC Hydro electrical system and the City of Revelstoke with its skilled labor pool.

The PEA is derived using the Company's NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate (June 06, 2023). The effective date of the PEA is December 29, 2023, and a Technical Report will be filed on the Company's website and SEDAR+ within 45 days of this disclosure.

Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. The PEA is preliminary in nature and includes Inferred Mineral Resources that are too speculative to have economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as Mineral Reserves. There is no certainty that PEA results will be realized.

Economic Analysis

The economic analysis was performed assuming a 5% discount rate. Cash flows have been discounted to the start of construction, assuming that the project execution decision will be taken, and major project financing will be carried out at this time.

On a post-tax basis, the NPV discounted at 5% is C$ 454 M; the IRR is 21.1%; and payback period is 3.2 years. A summary of the project economics is shown in Table 1.

General

LOM Total / Avg

Lead Price (US$/lb)

0.90

Zinc Price (US$/lb)

1.26

Gold Price (US$/oz)

1,850

Silver Price (US$/oz)

23.00

Mine Life (Years)

11.4

Total Processed Feed Tonnes (kt)

11,772

Total Waste Tonnes (kt)

4,113

Production

LOM Total / Avg

Head Grade – Pb (%)

1.34

Head Grade – Zn (%)

2.52

Head Grade – Au (g/t)

3.69

Head Grade – Ag (g/t)

38.18

Recovery Rate – Pb (%) to saleable Pb Concentrate

68.4

Recovery Rate – Zn (%) to saleable Zn Concentrate

66.8

Recovery Rate – Au (%) to saleable Pb Concentrate

13.8

Recovery Rate – Ag (%) to saleable Pb Concentrate

36.5

Recovery Rate – Au (%) to saleable Zn Concentrate

0.4

Recovery Rate – Ag (%) to saleable Zn Concentrate

5.8

Recovery Rate – Au (%) to doré

80.4

Recovery Rate – Ag (%) to doré

41.7

Total Metal Payable – Pb (m lbs)

224

Total Metal Payable – Zn (m lbs)

372

Total Metal Payable – Au (koz)

1,300

Total Metal Payable – Ag (koz)

10,716

Average Annual Payable Production – Pb (m lbs)

20

Average Annual Payable Production – Zn (m lbs)

33

Average Annual Payable Production – Au (koz)

114

Average Annual Payable Production – Ag (koz)

940

Operating Costs

LOM Total / Avg

Mining Cost (C$/t Processed)

82.67

Processing Cost (C$/t Processed)

70.76

G&A Cost (C$/t Processed)

3.53

Total Operating Costs (C$/t Processed)

156.97

Cash Costs (By-Product Basis) (C$/oz Au)*

540.2

AISC (By-Product Basis) ($/oz Au)**

836.1

Capital Costs

LOM Total / Avg

Initial Capital (C$M)

588

Sustaining Capital (C$M)

486

Closure Capital (C$M)

76

Salvage Value (C$M)

42

Financials

Pre-Tax

NPV (5%) (C$M)

751

IRR (%)

29.0

Payback (Years)

2.6

Financials

Post-Tax

NPV (5%) (C$M)

454

IRR (%)

21.1

Payback (Years)

3.2

*Cash Costs includes mining costs, processing costs, site G&A, treatment and refining costs, and transportation costs.

**AISC includes cash costs cash costs plus sustaining capital, royalties, and closure costs and less salvage value.

Sensitivities

NPV5.0 remains positive for changes of 25% in revenue drivers (commodity prices, grade, and recovery), capital expenditure or operating costs. After-tax economic sensitivities to commodity prices are presented in Table 2 illustrating the effects of varying gold price as compared to the base-case. Additional Project sensitivities will be presented in the Technical Report.


Lower Case

Base Case

Higher Case

Gold Price (US$/oz)

1,700

1,850

2,000

After-Tax NPV (5.0%) (C$M)

334

454

574

After-Tax NPV (8.0%) (C$M)

218

319

419

After-Tax NPV (10.0%) (C$M)

157

247

336

After-Tax IRR (%)

17.3

21.1

24.7

After-Tax Payback (Years)

3.7

3.2

2.9

Revel Ridge Mineral Resource Estimate

The Company's current Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE; effective date of June 6, 2023) completed by P&E Mining Consultants Inc. forms the basis for this PEA. The MRE includes drilling results from the Company's 2020-2022 exploration diamond drill programs.

Classification

Tonnes
(kt)

AuEq
(g/t)

AuEq
(koz)

AgEq
(g/t)

AgEq
(koz)

Au
(g/t)

Ag
(g/t)

Pb
(%)

Zn
(%)

Measured & Indicated

7,156.2

6.63

1,526.0

691.9

159,198.9

4.14

51.2

1.96

4.19

Inferred

7,563.9

6.11

1,486.0

621.7

151,188.8

4.42

48.9

1.48

2.62

Notes:

1)

Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues

2)

The Inferred Mineral Resource in this estimate has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resource could be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration, however there is no certainty an upgrade to the Inferred Mineral Resource would occur or what proportion would be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource

3)

The Mineral Resources in this estimate were calculated using the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves, Definitions and Guidelines (2014) prepared by the CIM Standing Committee on Reserve Definitions and adopted by CIM Council and CIM Best Practices Guidelines (2019)

4)

The following parameters were used to derive the NSR block model C$/tonne cut-off values used to define the Mineral Resource:


•  March 2023 Consensus Economics long term forecast metal prices of Au US$1,750/oz, Ag US$22/oz,
   Pb US$0.95/lb, Zn US$1.26/lb


•  Exchange rate of US$0.74 = C$1.00


•  Main Zone process recoveries of Au 96%, Ag 85%, Pb 71%, Zn 70%


•  Yellowjacket Zone process recoveries of Au 86%, Ag 94%, Pb 88%, Zn 93%


•  Main Deformation Zones (MDZ) AuEq = Au g/t + (Ag g/t x 0.010) + (Pb% x 0.265) + (Zn% x 0.314); MDZ AgEq = Ag g/t + (Au g/t x 101.478) + (Pb% x 26.933) +     (Zn% x 31.847); Revel Ridge Yellowjacket Zone (RRYZ) AuEq = Au g/t + (Ag g/t x 0.008) + (Pb% x 0.310) + (Zn% x 0.457); RRYZ AgEq = Ag g/t + (Pb% x               40.588) + (Zn% x 59.737)


•  Mineral Resources have been reported using a NSR cut-off of C$110/t. The NSR cut-off was derived from $75/t mining, $25/t processing and          $10/t G&A

5)

Totals may not sum due to rounding

Table 4:            The Mineral Resource Estimates for each of the five mineralized zones at Revel Ridge

Classification

Cut-off

NSR
(C$/t)

Tonnes

(kt)

Ag

(g/t)

Ag

(koz)

Au

(g/t)

Au

(koz)

Pb

(%)

Zn

(%)

NSR

(C$/t)

AuEq

(g/t)

AuEq

(koz)

AgEq

(g/t)

AgEq

(koz)

Totals for All Mineralized Zones

Measured

110

1,916.5

58.6

3,611.6

5.49

338.5

2.05

4.01

544

7.88

485.6

799.0

49,231.4

Indicated

110

5,239.7

48.5

8,168.8

3.64

613.9

1.93

4.25

409

6.18

1,040.3

652.8

109,967.5

Meas & Ind

110

7,156.2

51.2

11,780.4

4.14

952.4

1.96

4.18

445

6.63

1,526.0

691.9

159,198.9

Inferred

110

7,563.9

46.9

11,414.3

4.42

1,075.1

1.48

2.62

417

6.11

1,486.7

621.7

151,188.8

Totals For Revel Ridge Main Zone

Measured

110

1,550.1

63.6

3,171.4

5.89

293.6

2.25

4.25

585

8.46

421.5

857.4

42,730.1

Indicated

110

2,922.4

49.6

4,662.5

4.97

466.6

2.02

3.60

491

7.13

669.8

722.7

67,902.9

Meas & Ind

110

4,472.6

54.5

7,833.8

5.29

760.3

2.10

3.83

523

7.59

1,091.3

769.4

110,663.0

Inferred

110

5,689.1

49.1

8,975.5

4.94

903.3

1.66

2.93

466

6.79

1,241.6

688.1

125,859.5

Totals For Revel Ridge Footwall Zone

Measured

110

196.1

33.8

212.8

5.08

32.0

0.95

1.78

427

6.23

39.3

631.4

3,980.8

Indicated

110

846.5

28.8

785.0

4.01

109.1

0.74

1.11

328

4.84

131.8

491.0

13,362.9

Meas & Ind

110

1,042.5

29.8

997.9

4.21

141.1

0.78

1.24

347

5.10

171.0

517.4

17,343.7

Inferred

110

704.7

21.5

488.2

3.96

89.7

0.53

1.00

313

4.63

104.9

469.5

10,637.3

Totals For Revel Ridge Yellowjacket Zones

Measured

110

0.5

48.0

0.8

0.11

0

1.89

3.99

122

2.79

0

363.1

5.8

Indicated

110

887.4

62.9

1794.1

0.10

2.9

2.65

9.08

289

5.47

156.2

712.8

20,336.6

Meas & Ind

110

887.9

62.9

1795.0

0.10

2.9

2.65

9.07

289

5.47

156.2

712.6

20,342.4

Inferred

110

132.6

126.3

538.8

0.04

0.2

2.43

4.96

198

4.03

17.2

521.5

2,223.3

Totals For Revel Ridge Hanging Wall Zone

Measured

110

169.7

41.5

226.6

2.35

12.8

1.53

4.37

307

4.55

24.8

460.9

2,514.7

Indicated

110

583.5

49.4

927.1

1.88

35.3

2.09

4.69

296

4.40

82.6

445.9

8,365.1

Meas & Ind

110

753.2

47.6

1,153.7

1.99

48.1

1.96

4.62

299

4.43

107.4

449.3

10,879.8

Inferred

110

575.1

44.8

827.6

1.67

30.9

1.51

3.10

232

3.49

64.6

353.7

6,539.9

Totals For Revel Ridge Main Zone Extension

Inferred

110

462.4

39.3

584.1

3.44

51.1

0.36

0.04

263

3.94

58.5

398.8

5,928.8

1 See notes to Table 3.

Mining Overview

An underground mining scenario is the basis for this PEA. The owner-operated and leased mining fleet will utilize conventional trackless haulage and long-hole stoping with backfill using cemented process tailings (paste), cemented rockfill and waste rock.

The mine designs and scheduling were engineered to provide 1,066 kt per year of mineralization to the 2,920 t/d process plant. A total of 11.77 Mt of diluted mill feed, including Inferred material, and comprising of Main Zone mineralisation with 11.43 Mt averaging 3.80 g/t Au, 37.37 g/t Ag, 2.34 % Zn, 1.30 % Pb (diluted) and Yellowjacket Zone mineralisation of 0.34 MT averaging 8.61% Zn, 2.66% Pb, 65.04 g/t Ag and 0.07 g/t Au (diluted) is expected to be processed over the life of mine. Mill feed will be trucked to the process facility located proximal to the main portal. Waste rock that cannot be accommodated within the mine as backfill will be stored together with dry-stack tailings or in a separated facility constructed adjacent to the process plant. Underground mining dilution has been accounted for in the minimum 2.0 m width of stope shapes, with an additional allowance for overbreak. Total dilution in the delivered mill feed is estimated at 35.4% (4.17 Mt).

Metallurgical Optimizations

To support this PEA, metallurgical test work was supervised by Canenco Consulting Corp. and flowsheet development test work was undertaken at Base Metallurgical Laboratories Ltd. using samples from the Main Deformation Zone (MDZ). The recent metallurgical programs have focused on sensor based sorting, optimizing sulphide flotation, impurity depression, assessment of onsite limestone as a reagent, maximizing pressure oxidation and leaching recovery resulting in a process flowsheet that has improved overall extraction.

Based on the envisioned circuit and corresponding laboratory test response, the overall process recoveries based on the samples tested for the Main Zone mineralization were expected to be in the range of 94-96% Au, 84-85% Ag,
71-73% Pb and 70-74% Zn. The Yellowjacket mineralization is less complex metallurgically than the Main Zone mineralization and responds to standard sequential flotation. Based on the metallurgical studies undertaken in 2014, the overall process recoveries for the Yellowjacket zone were expected to be 86% Au, 94% Ag, 88% Pb, and 93% Zn.

Processing Overview

Run-of-mine ("ROM") material is crushed and screened before particle sorting to remove gangue. The beneficiated material reports to the milling and flotation circuits where lead and zinc sulphide concentrates are produced and dewatered for sale while the refractory sulphides are collected and treated by pressure oxidation ("POX") to facilitate extraction and recovery of gold and silver by cyanide leach - Merrill Crowe process and refining to doré bars.

Concentrate Marketing Studies

Multiple marketing assessments have been completed to support this PEA which indicate that Revel Ridge zinc and lead-silver-gold concentrates are saleable.

Capital and Operating Costs

The capital cost estimate conforms to Class 5 guidelines for a PEA-level estimate accuracy set out by the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering International ("AACE") with an estimated accuracy of +50%/-30%. The operating cost estimates were developed from first principles and benchmarking and applied to the mine production schedule.

The capital and operating cost estimate was developed in Q4 2023 Canadian dollars (C$). The capital cost summary is presented in Table 5 and the operating cost summary is presented in Table 6.

WBS

WBS Description

Initial Capital Cost
(C$M)

Sustaining Capital
Cost (C$M)

Total Cost (C$M)

1000

Mining

89.4

372.1

461.4

2000

Process Plant

280.1

0.0

280.1

3000

Additional Facilities

10.4

66.9

77.3

4000

On-Site Infrastructure

19.5

0.0

19.5

5000

Off-Site Infrastructure

10.0

0.0

10.0


Total Directs

409.5

439.0

848.4

6000

Project Indirects

13.2

2.1

15.3

7000

Project Delivery

61.2

7.3

68.5

8000

Owner's Cost

20.5

0.0

20.5


Total Indirects

94.9

9.5

104.3

9000

Provisions (Contingency)

84.0

37.2

121.1


Closure (Incl. Contingency)





Project Totals

588.3

485.6

1,149.6

Table 6: Project Operating Cost Estimates (C$M) (totals may differ due to rounding):

Cost Area

Average Annual Costs (C$M)

C$/t Processed

Mining

85.4

82.67

Process

73.1

70.76

G&A

3.65

3.53

Total

162.1

156.97

Environmental and Permitting Considerations

Revel Ridge represents an existing exploration site with existing permits for mine discharge and waste disposal. The site has been maintained in good standing and environmental monitoring has been ongoing during operations and since the site was last active in 2012. There is a database of environmental information for the site and region spanning almost 30 years. To accommodate the mine design contemplated by the PEA, updated baseline data and an environmental assessment and mine permits will be required. The Company is currently performing an analysis of existing environmental data to identify additional data needs with the intent of carrying out environmental baseline studies to advance the environmental assessment and permitting processes.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The 2023 PEA demonstrates that Revel Ridge has the potential to become a commercially robust project. Additional opportunities and next steps include:

  • Continued exploration and infill drilling for conversion of Inferred Mineral Resources to the Measured and Indicated categories.

  • Mine scheduling investigations allowing for the further optimization of blending scenarios.

  • Supplementary metallurgical optimizations including deposit-wide variability testing and host rock limestone quality.

  • Optimization of the particle sorting process, flotation recovery and concentrate quality as well as the leach-Merrill Crowe process.

  • Analyses and environmental baseline studies to support expedited permitting.

  • Further optimization of waste and water management infrastructure, including surface geotechnical site investigations, laboratory testing, physical waste characterization, water balance modelling, and engineering studies.

Qualified Persons

A team of independent Qualified Persons ("QP") (as such term is defined under NI 43-101) at Ausenco, P&E Mining Consultants Inc., Mining Plus, Canenco and KP have led the PEA and have reviewed and verified the technical disclosure in this press release, including:

  • Kevin Murray, P.Eng., of Ausenco is an independent QP for process and infrastructure capital and operating cost estimation and project financials.

  • Scott Weston, P.Geo., of Ausenco is an independent QP for the environmental and permitting studies.

  • Eugene Puritch, P.Eng., FEC, CET., of P&E Mining Consultants Inc. is an independent QP for the geology and Mineral Resource Estimate.

  • Evan Verkade, P.Eng., of Mining Plus is an independent QP for the mine planning and cost estimation.

  • Stacy Freudigmann, P.Eng., F.Aus.IMM., of Canenco is an independent QP for metallurgical test work and recovery model.

  • Wilson Muir, P.Eng. of Knight Piesold is an independent QP for the tailings and waste rock management facility.

About the Company and Project

Rokmaster's flagship Revel Ridge Project is host to a high-grade gold and polymetallic orogenic sulphide deposit which has been the subject of the PEA with an effective date of December 29, 2023, and an Updated Mineral Resource Estimate1 on the Revel Ridge Property with an effective date of June 6, 2023. The 2023 Mineral Resource Estimate remains open in all directions and occupies approximately 2.0 km of the total 5.7 km strike length of the Main Deformation Zone (MDZ) as defined by geological mapping, drilling, and geochemistry.

  • Measured & Indicated (M&I): 1.53 million gold equivalent ("AuEq") Measured & Indicated (M&I) ounces contained within 7.16 million tonnes with an average grade of 6.63 g/t AuEq.

  • Inferred (Inf): 1.49 million AuEq ounces contained within 7.56 million tonnes at an average grade of 6.11 g/t AuEq.

Footnote 1. Stone et al. 2023. Technical Report and Updated Mineral Resource Estimate of the Revel Ridge Polymetallic Property. NI 43-101 Technical Report dated July 28, 2023.

Ausenco is a global diversified engineering, environmental, construction and project management company providing consulting, project delivery and asset management solutions to the resources, energy, and infrastructure sectors. Ausenco's experience in poly-metallic projects ranges from conceptual, pre-feasibility and feasibility studies for new project developments to project execution with EPCM and EPC delivery. Ausenco is currently engaged on a number of global projects with similar characteristics and opportunities to the Revel Ridge project.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors of
Rokmaster Resources Corp.
John Mirko
President & Chief Executive Officer.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term in defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," 'projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to fluctuations in metal prices; uncertainties related to raising sufficient financing to fund the planned work in a timely manner and on acceptable terms; changes in planned work resulting from weather, logistical, technical or other factors; the possibility that results of work will not fulfill expectations and realize the perceived potential of the Company's properties; risk of accidents, equipment breakdowns and labour disputes or other unanticipated difficulties or interruptions; the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated expenses in the work program; the risk of environmental contamination or damage resulting from Rokmaster's operations and other risks and uncertainties. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.

SOURCE Rokmaster Resources Corp.

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