HIGHLIGHTS
o Rehabilitation reaches 600m underground;
o Sampling of broken ore stockpiles underground yields positive
results;
o Metallurgical testwork for concentrator plant underway;
o Ore extraction commences;
o Ventilation and Power infrastructure near completion.
During the period under review works progressed at the Talisman mine site
with the commencement of major infrastructure installation. Works on both
power and ventilation are nearing completion and gold bearing material
continues to be stockpiled.
Timing of the first blast at Mystery is currently being determined by the
technical team which is likely to commence upon completion of final remedial
works at Mystery.
The company continued to evaluate several opportunities for Toll treatment
and concentrate sales both in NZ and elsewhere.
HIGHLIGHTS
o Rehabilitation reaches 600m underground;
o Sampling of broken ore stockpiles underground yields positive
results;
o Metallurgical testwork for concentrator plant underway;
o Ore extraction commences;
o Ventilation and Power infrastructure near completion.
During the period under review works progressed at the Talisman mine site
with the commencement of major infrastructure installation. Works on both
power and ventilation are nearing completion and gold bearing material
continues to be stockpiled.
Timing of the first blast at Mystery is currently being determined by the
technical team which is likely to commence upon completion of final remedial
works at Mystery.
The company continued to evaluate several opportunities for Toll treatment
and concentrate sales both in NZ and elsewhere.
Mine Refurbishment
Excellent progress has been made by the underground team and remedial works
have now progressed more than 600m into the mine at the location of the
second bypass. This is some 30m from Keillors Crosscut and is the final step
to make the No 8 level drive fully trafficable all the way to the Mystery
Workings. The project has not been without its challenges, but these have
been met within budget and only a minor impact on timing. The company
remains in a position to commence works on the Bulk sampling project early in
2018
Geotechnical assessment of those areas which will possibly provide access to
9 level and below is currently underway. Access to these levels will allow
the team to undertake sampling activities in the highly prospective areas of
the high-grade Dubbo Zone directly below the area delineated by the 2004
exploration programme. The intersection of the Maria vein here in 1989
borehole BM37 drilled from 8 Level, assayed at 656g/t gold over 1.8m which
included 1154g/t over 1.0m. This with channel sampling and drilling by NTL
confirmed the presence of a high-grade shoot that has been further supported
by modelling work of historic grade data in the recent mineral resource
upgrade.
NTL announced on 05 December 2017 that extraction and stockpiling of ore has
commenced at the Talisman mine site. The ore is currently being stockpiled
while treatment options are being reviewed.
Prospecting
Prospecting activities continue with several sources of broken ore having
been identified. Results of sampling carried out to date have been largely
positive and a more detailed update will be released once all results are
available and have been assessed.
Prospecting activities are also underway at Taukani Hill where previously, 21
rock chip grab samples of quartz vein outcrop yielded highly encouraging gold
assay results ranging between <0.02g/t and 345g/t. These results were
announced to the market by Heritage Gold Ltd on 29 July, 2011. The Company
wishes to increase its knowledge of this highly prospective area along with
other targets in the mining permit and develop a more detailed exploration
programme for inclusion into the broader mine development schedule.
Prefeasibility Study
In 2013 the company completed a Pre-Feasibility Study on development of the
Talisman Mine. This study proposed a mine plan, focussed on the high
confidence areas adjacent to No 8 level, to produce some 32,000 ounces of
gold from 106,000 tonnes of ore over a five-year period with an average Run
of Mine grade of 9.9g/t Au. At a then gold price of USD 1,700/Oz and a USD:
NZD exchange rate of 1:0.8 the project yielded an indicative NPV10% of NZD
16.5 million at an on mine cash cost of below NZD700/Oz
Learnings from the design of the Bulk Sampling Project as well as the revised
mineral resource estimate are being incorporated into this study. The recent
increased grades are expected to have a significant positive effect on
production costs as more gold will be produced for the same effort. Costs are
based on tonnage not gold content i.e. one tonne of low grade ore attracts
the same cost profile as a tonne of high grade ore, but the revenue profile
varies along with the contained metal.
Scoping Study
Good progress has been made on the Talisman Deeps scoping study. This study
is the first step in the development of the much larger Talisman Deeps
operation based on the significantly expanded 469,000 AuEq Oz Mineral
resource details of which can be found in company releases of 12 July 2017,
25 July 2017 and 05 September 2017.
A pre-feasibility study, (PFS) is a technical study as defined in the JORC
Code and can be used for the purposes of defining an Ore Reserve. Because of
this a PFS is confined to examining only the higher confidence Measured and
Indicated Resources and cannot take account of the extensive information
available pertaining to the deeper extents of the mine where the Mineral
Resources are classified in the Inferred Resource category. While indicative
of the short to medium term potential of the project this is not reflective
of the considerable value increase posed by the depth extensions of the vein
system. Mine design and production scheduling covering the much larger,
469,000 Oz AuEq mineral resource, is likely to point towards a significantly
larger, longer life operation than has previously been considered. It is
equally likely that, considering the increased grade of the recently upgraded
mineral resource (6.6g/t AuEq vs 15.1 g/t AuEq), that economic prospects for
the project will increase significantly.
A Scoping Study, as referred to above, is based on low-level technical and
economic assessments, and is insufficient to support estimation of Ore
Reserves or to provide assurance of an economic development case at this
stage, or to provide certainty that the conclusions of the Scoping Study will
be realised.
The Scoping Study will also identify opportunities for the exploration
activities to be undertaken to gain the information required to increase
confidence in portions of the Maria Vein outside the recent resource model
upgrade. Current information from the Talisman/Bonanza Zone has identified a
target area of some 154,000m2 on the plane of the Maria vein wireframe beyond
the current resource that is likely to yield a vein width of between 1.6m and
2.4m with mean AuEq grade ranging between 17.10g/t and 21.6g/t.
This target constitutes an Exploration Target as defined in the 2012 JORC
Code. The potential quantity and grade is conceptual in nature and there has
been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource. It is uncertain
if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource.
Concentrator Plant
Metallurgical testwork on representative samples of ore from both the Mystery
and Dubbo veins is currently underway in South Africa. This test-work will
inform the final design of the plant to ensure that metal recovery is fit for
purpose before deciding on proceeding with a pilot plant. Such a plant will
provide the opportunity to produce a saleable high-grade concentrate while
still meeting the requirements of traffic movement flows from the mine
specified in the existing resource consent.
The plant will include a crushing and grinding circuit followed by a gravity
concentrator which may be supplemented by a froth flotation cell. A closed
loop water system is proposed ensuring that no contamination of natural water
ways will take place. All metals contained in the feed stock will be
recovered to the concentrate while reject material will be completely inert
and suitable for placement as backfill.
Upon completion of this metallurgical programme NTL will have a greater
understanding of precious metal recoveries achievable as well as the costs
involved in installing and operating such a plant.
Tenure
The Talisman Mine is held under a mining permit, MMP51326, which was granted
in 2009 for a period of 25 years, we are compliant with the conditions of
that permit. The operation is an existing mine on conservation land and the
Company holds all the necessary permits and consents to execute the work
programme.
Rahu Project (wholly owned subsidiary 100% Rahu Resources Pty Ltd)
In 2016 NTL entered into a joint venture with Newcrest New Zealand
Exploration Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Newcrest Mining Limited, to further
explore and develop the Rahu project. Initially, Newcrest held 80% of the
project with the remaining 20% held by NTL. On 22 September 2017, NTL entered
into a sale and purchase agreement with Newcrest which resulted in the
successful acquisition of Newcrest''s 80% share.
During the time of their involvement with the project the Newcrest team
carried out a significant programme of work on the permit, this included:
o Extensive field investigations.
o Spectral analysis of drill core to identify hydrothermal clay
alteration patterns that indicate proximity to gold mineralisation.
o Relogged drill core and reinterpreted the rock type, structure and
geochemistry;
o Updated the geological model and determined drill targets.
All data gathered during the period was transferred to NTL who have continued
with further analysis.
The figure below shows the results of a CSAMT geophysical survey that shows
the top of the host andesite host rock is nearest surface at the southern end
of prospect.
Based on Newcrest''s and NTL''s interpretive work, the area selected for the
first drill hole has distinctive clay hydrothermal alteration patterns plus
the mineral adularia, indicative of proximity to gold mineralisation in Waihi
Gold District epithermal vein systems.
NTL has previously delineated a small resource at Rahu, however the main
target for a high-grade extension of Talisman lies at depth.
Newcrest were supportive of NTL''s belief that geological evidence points
towards to the area being the upper extent of what could be a significant
epithermal gold deposit.
Your company is completing its geological work to validate the deep target
and finalising its drill hole planning and administrative work for drilling
in the first quarter of the 2018.
This deep target constitutes an Exploration Target as defined in the 2012
JORC Code. The potential quantity and grade is conceptual in nature and there
has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource. It is
uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral
Resource.
Tenement Holdings
Project Permit Number Ownership
Talisman MMP 51326 100% New Talisman Gold Mines Ltd
Rahu MEP 60144 100% Rahu Resources Pty Ltd a 100% owned subsidiary
of NTL
_______________________________________________________________________
About New Talisman Gold Mines Ltd
New Talisman Gold is a dual listed (NZSX & ASX: NTL) with over 2250
shareholders who are mainly from Australia and New Zealand and has been
listed since 1986. It is a leading New Zealand minerals development and
exploration company with a mining permit encompassing the Talisman mine, one
of New Zealand''s historically most productive gold mines. The company has
commenced prospecting and upgrading activities at the mine, and advance the
exploration project and increase its considerable global exploration target
into JORC 2012 resources.
Its gold properties near Paeroa in the Hauraki District of New Zealand are a
granted mining permit, including New Zealand''s highest-grade underground gold
mine, a JORC 2012 compliant mineral resource of over 427,000 ounces Au_Eq at
an average above 15 gt Au_Eq and a JORC compliant reserve statement. The
company owns 100% exploration permit Rahu, which lies along strike from the
Talisman mine of which 80% was recently acquired from Newcrest Mining. The
company will shortly commence exploration activities at Rahu.
Statement of Compliance
The information in this report which refers to estimates of Mineral Resources
is extracted from the original market announcements of 12 July 2017, 25 July
2017 and 05 September 2017. The company confirms that it is not aware of any
new information or data that materially affects the information included in
the original market announcements and that all material assumptions and
technical parameters underpinning the estimates continue to apply and have
not materially changed. The company confirms that the form and context in
which the competent persons findings are presented have not been materially
modified from the original market announcement.
Information in this report which refers to estimates of Ore Reserves is
extracted from the original report titled "Ore Reserves Definition - Talisman
Gold Project" which was released to the market on 07 August 2013 and is
available on the company website. The company confirms that it is not aware
of any new information or data that materially affects the information
included in the original market announcements and that all material
assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates continue to
apply and have not materially changed. The company confirms that the form and
context in which the competent persons findings are presented have not been
materially modified from the original market announcement.
The information in this report which refers to exploration results at Taukani
Hill is extracted from the original market announcement by Heritage Gold Ltd
on 29, July 2011 and is available on the NZX website
(https://www.nzx.com/announcements/211837). The company confirms that it is
not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the
information included in the original market announcements and that all
material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates
continue to apply and have not materially changed. The company confirms that
the form and context in which the competent persons findings are presented
have not been materially modified from the original market announcement.
Cautionary Statement for Public Release
Certain information contained in this public release may be deemed
"forward-looking" within the meaning of applicable securities laws.
Forward-looking statements and information relate to future performance and
reflect the Company''s expectations regarding execution of business strategy,
business prospects and opportunities of New Talisman Gold Mines and its
related subsidiaries. Any statements that express or involve discussions with
respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections,
objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of
historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could
cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed in
the forward-looking statements and information. They include, among others,
the accuracy of mineral reserve and resource estimates and related
assumptions and inherent operating risks. There are no assurances the Company
can fulfil forward-looking statements and information. Such forward-looking
statements and information are only predictions based on current information
available to management as of the date that such predictions are made; actual
events or results may differ materially as a result of risks facing the
Company, some of which are beyond the Company''s control. Although the Company
believes that any forward-looking statements and information contained in
this press release is based on reasonable assumptions, readers cannot be
assured that actual outcomes or results will be consistent with such
statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements and information. The Company expressly disclaims
any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
statements and information, whether as a result of new information, events or
otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. The information
contained in this release is not investment or financial product advice.
End CA:00313602 For:NTL Type:GENERAL Time:2018-01-31 15:23:10