Torex Gold Resources Inc. press release
Torex Gold Integrates EPO Deposit into Morelos Mine Plan
TSX - Toronto Stock Exchange · Gold · Silver · Copper · Canada
Updated mine plan shows a robust long-term production profile that comes with a low risk, capital efficient development plan for EPO
(All amounts expressed in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated)
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 4, 2024) - Torex Gold Resources Inc. (the "Company" or "Torex") (TSX: TXG) reports an updated life-of-mine plan for the Morelos Complex which incorporates the EPO underground deposit following completion of an internal pre-feasibility study on the deposit. The Company will be hosting an Analyst & Investor Day tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM ET to discuss the results of the study along with an update on the wider business, including the Company's multi-year exploration strategy.
Jody Kuzenko, President & CEO of Torex, stated:
"The results of the internal pre-feasibility study on the EPO deposit significantly enhance our strategy to deliver robust, long-term, value accretive production out of the Morelos Complex in a highly efficient way by leveraging infrastructure associated with the Media Luna Project. With the addition of EPO into the updated mine plan, we have further bolstered the cash flow capability of our world-class asset, with continued upside as the prospectivity of the Morelos Property continues to show itself through the drill bit. Notable highlights of the study are as follows:
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With the addition of EPO mineral reserves, the production profile of the Morelos Complex is now firmly established at a minimum of 450 thousand ounces gold equivalent ("koz AuEq") per year through 2030 on the mineral reserve case alone;
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EPO upfront capital expenditures are estimated at a lean $81.5 million, given the ability to leverage the investment made in infrastructure as part of the Media Luna Project - the strategy in constructing Media Luna was to ensure that the relevant infrastructure was sized sufficiently to handle further additions from the Media Luna Cluster and the south side of the Morelos Property. The Guajes Tunnel, conveyor and ore handling systems, paste plant, mineral processing facilities, and power and water infrastructure will all be utilized for EPO;
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The "fill the mill" goal is achieved - with the mill sized at 10,600 tonnes per day ("tpd") capacity subsequent to the four-week tie in period scheduled in Q4 2024, the combination of Media Luna production (~7,500 tpd) + ELG Underground (~2,000 tpd) + EPO (average of ~1,700 tpd with opportunity to increase capacity up to 2,300 tpd) results in the mill being full, with mine plan optionality, flexibility, and contingency built in;
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EPO is a low-risk brownfield addition to the life of mine plan - the close proximity to Media Luna infrastructure requires approximately 2,200 metres ("m") of upfront lateral development to access EPO and connect to the Media Luna ore handling system (including a 550 m ventilation adit), which facilitates overlapping use of the Media Luna mobile fleet and personnel, and minimizes permitting requirements;
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The timing of EPO derisks the Media Luna ramp up and complements an already robust liquidity outlook - development and the associated capital investment is scheduled to start mid-2025, with the majority of the modest capital expected to be incurred in 2026 and initial production expected late that year;
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EPO will further complement the Company's exposure to the copper ("Cu") market - with 143 million pounds ("Mlb") at a grade of 1.29% Cu within the inaugural EPO mineral reserve of 781 koz AuEq.
"Assuming Inferred Resources from ELG Underground and EPO can be upgraded and brought into the mine plan, annual production of at least 450 koz AuEq could be maintained through 2033. Drilling to upgrade these resources and convert to reserves is underway at ELG Underground, which has a strong track record of reserve replacement and resource growth, and at EPO where we will focus on upgrading Inferred Resources located near planned underground development and infrastructure at EPO. In addition, drilling at Media Luna is expected to resume in 2025 with the goal of expanding and extending the reserve life.
"With first ore production from EPO expected in late 2026, we continue to build on our established track record of doing what we say we will do, which has solidified Morelos as a foundational asset. The strong cash flow potential will place Torex in a unique position to drive shareholder value from multiple avenues. This includes unlocking the full potential of Morelos via exploration, the expected return to positive free cash flow in mid-2025, as well as leveraging future balance sheet strength in order to return capital to shareholders and pursue accretive growth opportunities to enhance, strengthen, and diversify our business."
Payable AuEq production estimates referenced in this release assume the same metal prices used to estimate year-end 2023 mineral reserves ($1,500/oz gold ("Au"), $19/oz silver ("Ag"), and $3.50/lb Cu). AuEq mineral reserves and resources are based on corresponding metal prices and metallurgical recoveries for Au, Ag, and Cu, with details for each deposit outlined in Table 5 and Table 6.
MORELOS COMPLEX PRODUCTION
Based on year-end 2023 mineral reserves for the Morelos Complex and incorporating newly defined reserves for EPO (together, the "reserve scenario"), AuEq payable production is forecast to average 422 koz AuEq on an annualized basis through 2035. The reserve scenario is based on annualized payable production of 288 koz Au, 1,697 koz Ag, and 47.9 Mlb Cu. Of the total payable AuEq production estimated for the Morelos Complex, approximately 68% is attributable to Au, 27% to Cu, and the remainder to Ag.
Annual payable production under the reserve scenario is expected to average 473 koz AuEq through 2030 before declining as the proportion of lower-grade stockpiles processed increases. Supporting annual production rates above 450 koz AuEq beyond 2030 will require displacing lower-grade stockpiles by delineating additional reserves from ELG Underground, EPO, Media Luna, and/or other potential sources within the Media Luna Cluster.
Figure 1: Life-of-mine gold equivalent payable production profile for the Morelos Complex including inaugural mineral reserves from EPO (reserve scenario)
[](https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1863/222100_980122f9d43c4b75_001full.jpg)
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1863/222100_980122f9d43c4b75_001full.jpg
Notes to figure:
1. Reserve scenario based on mineral reserves for Morelos Complex including EPO reserves and production through H1 2024 (see Table 5). 2. AuEq production is reported on a payable basis. 3. AuEq values are calculated using the same metal prices used to estimate mineral reserves ($1,500/oz Au, $19/oz Ag, and $3.50/lb Cu).
The reserve scenario compares favourably to the production profile outlined in the March 2022 Technical Report ("Technical Report"), which forecast annual payable production to average 375 koz AuEq on an annualized basis through 2033 (adjusted for the same metal prices for Au, Ag, and Cu as year-end 2023 mineral reserves). Annualized AuEq payable production between 2024 and 2033 in the Technical Report was based on annualized production of 257 koz Au, 1,567 koz Ag, and 41.9 Mlb Cu.
The improvement over the Technical Report production profile reflects mineral reserve additions within ELG Open Pit and ELG Underground since year-end 2021 reserves were published, inaugural reserves from EPO, and higher mining rates at ELG Underground.
Assuming Inferred Resources within ELG Underground and EPO can be upgraded and brought into the mine plan via infill drilling ("resource scenario"), annualized payable production of at least 450 koz AuEq could be supported through 2033, given the ability to defer the processing of lower-grade stockpiles to later in the mine life.
Figure 2: Annual production at least 450 koz AuEq could be maintained through 2033 should Inferred Resources at EPO and ELG Underground be upgraded to mineral reserves (resource scenario)
[](https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1863/222100_980122f9d43c4b75_002full.jpg)
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1863/222100_980122f9d43c4b75_002full.jpg
Notes to figure:
1. Resource scenario based on mineral reserves for Morelos Complex including EPO reserves (see Table 5) as well as Inferred Resources from ELG Underground and EPO that have not yet been proven to be economically viable. 2. AuEq production is reported on a payable basis. 3. AuEq values are calculated using the same metal prices used to estimate mineral reserves ($1,500/oz Au, $19/oz Ag, and $3.50/lb Cu).
The resource scenario reflects the potential impact on the Morelos Complex production profile should future infill drilling be successful in replacing mined reserves at ELG Underground (established history of reserve replacement and growth) and future drilling at EPO is able to upgrade Inferred Resources proximal to planned infrastructure near mineral reserves. Note that the resource scenario is for illustrative purposes only, as Inferred Resources have not been deemed to be economically viable and require additional drilling to upgrade them to the reserve category. The resource scenario assumes the same Au, Ag, and Cu prices as used to calculate AuEq production in the reserve scenario.
UPDATED FIVE-YEAR PRODUCTION OUTLOOK
As a result of incorporating EPO into the Morelos Complex life-of-mine plan, the Company's five-year outlook for the Morelos Complex has been updated to reflect the improved production forecast in 2028. The production outlook between 2024 and 2027 remains unchanged (Table 1).
Table 1: Updated five-year production outlook for the Morelos Complex
| Production (koz) | Actual | Outlook 2021 | Outlook 2022 | Outlook 2023 | Outlook 2024 | Updated Outlook 2024 | 2022 Technical Report | | | | | | | | | | | 2021 (Au) | 468 | 430 to 470 | | | | | | | 2022 (Au) | 474 | 430 to 470 | 430 to 470 | | | | | | 2023 (Au) | 454 | 400 to 450 | 420 to 460 | 440 to 470 | | | 436 | | 2024 (AuEq) | | 300 to 350 (Au) | 385 to 425 | 400 to 450 | 410 to 460 | 410 to 460 | 405 | | 2025 (AuEq) | | | 415 to 455 | 425 to 475 | 425 to 475 | 425 to 475 | 434 | | 2026 (AuEq) | | | | 425 to 475 | 425 to 475 | 425 to 475 | 457 | | 2027 (AuEq) | | | | 450 to 500 | 450 to 500 | 450 to 500 | 480 | | 2028 (AuEq) | | | | | 350 to 400 | 450 to 500 | 337 |
Notes to table:
1. AuEq production is reported on a payable basis. 2. Updated outlook for 2024 based on mineral reserves for Morelos Complex including EPO reserves (see Table 5). 3. AuEq payable production for updated outlook based on the same metal prices used to estimate mineral reserves ($1,500/oz Au, $19/oz Ag, and $3.50/lb Cu). AuEq payable production in the Technical Report based on $1,600/oz Au, $21/oz Ag, and $3.50/lb Cu.
For 2028, payable production is now estimated at 450 to 500 koz AuEq compared to the prior estimate of 350 to 400 koz AuEq and the Technical Report estimate of 337 koz AuEq. The increase primarily reflects the benefit of higher-grade feed from EPO and deferral of lower grade stockpiles to later in the mine life.
EPO - INAUGURAL MINERAL RESERVES DECLARED
The EPO deposit hosts a Probable Reserve of 5,029 thousand tonnes ("kt") at an average AuEq grade of 4.83 grams per tonne ("gpt") for a total of 781 koz AuEq (Table 2). Mineral reserves include 367 koz Au (2.27 gpt), 4,820 koz Ag (29.8 gpt), and 143 Mlb Cu (1.29%). Mineral reserves for EPO are based on year-end 2023 Indicated Resources of 1,153 koz AuEq (6,979 kt at 5.14 gpt AuEq).
Table 2: Mineral reserve and resource estimates for EPO Underground
| | Tonnes | Au | Ag | Cu | Au | Ag | Cu | AuEq | AuEq | | | (kt) | (gpt) | (gpt) | (%) | (koz) | (koz) | (Mlb) | (gpt) | (koz) | | Mineral Reserves | | | | | | | | | | | Proven | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Probable | 5,029 | 2.27 | 29.8 | 1.29 | 367 | 4,820 | 143 | 4.83 | 781 | | Proven & Probable | 5,029 | 2.27 | 29.8 | 1.29 | 367 | 4,820 | 143 | 4.83 | 781 | | Mineral Resources (Inclusive of Mineral Reserves) | | | | | | | | | | | Measured | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Indicated | 6,979 | 2.66 | 30.0 | 1.27 | 597 | 6,728 | 195 | 5.14 | 1,153 | | Measured & Indicated | 6,979 | 2.66 | 30.0 | 1.27 | 597 | 6,728 | 195 | 5.14 | 1,153 | | Inferred | 4,960 | 2.00 | 37.0 | 1.24 | 318 | 5,908 | 136 | 4.52 | 721 |
Notes to table:
1. Mineral reserves as of June 30, 2024; for additional information on EPO mineral reserves, refer to accompanying notes for EPO in Table 5. 2. Mineral resources as of December 31, 2023; for additional information on EPO mineral resources, refer to accompanying notes for EPO in Table 6. 3. Mineral resources are inclusive of mineral reserves.
A sizeable portion of the 721 koz AuEq of Inferred Resources at EPO (4,960 kt at 4.52 gpt AuEq) are located in close proximity to planned underground development, which, if future infill drilling is successful in upgrading to the Indicated and/or Measured Resource categories, could potentially be brought into the mine plan if deemed economic. Infill drilling targeting to update a portion of Inferred Resources is underway and results to the cut-off date are expected to be included in the year-end 2024 mineral reserve and resource update for the Morelos Complex.
AuEq values for mineral reserves and resources are estimated using metallurgical recoveries and metal prices for Au, Ag, and Cu. Refer to Table 5 and Table 6 for details on mineral reserves and resources including a breakdown of tonnes, grades, and contained metal estimates by deposit as well as metal prices and metallurgical recoveries.
EPO - UNDERGROUND MINING
Development of EPO is anticipated to commence in mid-2025 with first ore production expected in late 2026. EPO will be accessed via a 650 m ramp off the Guajes Tunnel with ore transported back to the ore handling system at Media Luna via a 1,000 m truck haulage tunnel. Ventilation will leverage existing infrastructure at Media Luna and be supplemented by a 550 m ventilation adit to the north. In total, approximately 2,200 m of upfront underground development is required to access EPO, with additional vertical and lateral development required to access initial stopes and commence mining.
Underground mining rates at EPO are expected to average 1,680 tpd on an annualized basis between 2027 and 2035 with the option to increase capacity up to 2,300 tpd through additional incremental investment. Future mining rates at EPO and ELG Underground will depend on future reserve growth and implied reserve lives, with production from both mines likely to deliver a combined 3,100 tpd of ore, taking into account a steady state mining rate of 7,500 tpd at Media Luna.
EPO will be mined predominantly via long-hole open stoping using battery electric equipment. Ore is expected to be trucked, via the haulage tunnel, to the existing ore handling system at Media Luna and subsequently transported via the Guajes Tunnel conveyor to the processing plant on the north side of the Balsas River. Excess capacity in the paste plant currently being constructed at South Portal Upper ("SPU") will be utilized for backfilling mined-out stopes in EPO.
Figure 3: EPO will leverage significant infrastructure put in place as part of the Media Luna Project, including the Guajes Tunnel conveyor, paste plant, as well as power and water infrastructure
[](https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1863/222100_980122f9d43c4b75_003full.jpg)
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1863/222100_980122f9d43c4b75_003full.jpg
Underground mining costs at EPO are expected to average approximately $51 per tonne mined over the life of the mine, with unit costs during initial years expected to be elevated given higher levels of lateral development during 2027 and 2028. Average underground mining costs at EPO are expected to be approximately 30% higher than the life-of-mine average mining costs forecast at Media Luna, directly related to the lower mining rates at EPO and underground hauling costs to truck ore from EPO to the ore handling system at Media Luna. Haul costs could be reduced in the future should truck haulage be replaced by conveyor haulage, which will depend on the expectation of future reserve growth. Mining costs assume a Mexican peso of 20.0 per U.S. dollar.
EPO - PROCESSING
Ore mined from the Morelos Complex (ELG Open Pit, ELG Underground, Media Luna Underground, and EPO Underground) as well as surface stockpiles will be processed through the upgraded processing facility located on the north side of the Balsas River. Upgrades to the existing processing plant are expected to be finalized during a planned four-week shutdown in Q4 2024 as part of the Media Luna Project.
Upgrades to the existing circuit are required to deal with higher levels of Cu and iron sulphides ("Fe-S") within the Media Luna and EPO deposits relative to those found within the ELG Mine Complex. Additions to the current processing plant include Cu flotation and Fe-S flotation circuits, a water treatment plant, and various associated modifications to the existing processing facilities. The addition of Cu and Fe-S flotation circuits will positively impact overall Cu and Ag recoveries. The paste plant being developed outside of SPU is expected to result in approximately 50% of tailings deposited underground with the remainder deposited in the soon-to-be-commissioned Guajes In-Pit Tailings Facility.
The current processing facility is expected to operate at 13,000 tpd through late Q4 2024 and once the ramp-up period for the flotation circuits is completed in early Q1 2025, the plant will operate at steady-state throughput of 10,600 tpd. Ore from EPO will be processed with ore from Media Luna and ELG Underground, while ELG Open Pit ore and surface stockpiles are likely to be batch processed, bypassing the Cu flotation circuit.
On a standalone basis, total metallurgical recoveries specific to EPO are estimated at 88% for Au, 84% for Ag, and 86% for Cu. Based on current forecasts, approximately 43% of contained Au, 69% of Ag, and 83% of Cu are expected to be recovered to copper concentrate, with 45% of contained Au, 15% of Ag, and 3% of Cu recovered to doré and other saleable products.
Processing costs for the Morelos Complex are forecast to average approximately $37 per tonne of ore over the life of the operation. Processing costs are based on an average Mexican peso of 20.0 per U.S. dollar.
EPO - CAPITAL EXPENDITURES
Development of EPO is expected to be capital efficient as the underground mine will be able to leverage the investment made in infrastructure as part of the Media Luna Project, including the Guajes Tunnel and conveyor, ore handling system, process plant upgrades, paste plant, as well as power and water infrastructure.
Upfront development costs at EPO are estimated at $81.5 million including $16.0 million of contingency. Direct costs of $52.0 million include $26.2 million of upfront underground development and construction. Assuming budget approval within the annual cycle, approximately 20% of the upfront budget is likely to be incurred in 2025 (Table 3).
Table 3: EPO is expected to be a capital efficient development project given the ability to leverage the investment made in infrastructure as part of the Media Luna Project
| | 2025 | 2026 | Total | | Direct costs | $10.7 | $41.3 | $52.0 | | Indirect costs | $2.3 | $11.3 | $13.6 | | Contingency costs | $3.4 | $12.6 | $16.0 | | Total project costs | $16.4 | $65.1 | $81.5 |
Notes to table:
1. Values subject to rounding
During 2024, $1.8 million of non-sustaining capital expenditures are expected to be incurred for progressing the internal EPO feasibility study as outlined in the _EPO - Next Steps_section below.
Total sustaining capital expenditures over the life of EPO are forecast at $65.7 million, which does not yet consider future drilling to upgrade additional resources to reserves and development required to access potential future reserve additions.