TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Sept. 3, 2013) - Silver Bear Resources Inc. ("Silver Bear" or the "Company") (TSX:SBR) today announces a major step forward in the development of the company's main project at its Mangazeisky property in Russia. The Russian State Subsoil Agency
("Rosnedra"), in co-operation with Yakutnedra (regional subsoil
authority), has granted the Company a mining license for the company's
Vertikalny Deposit on its Mangazeisky property in
Russia. The mining license is valid for a period of twenty years.
The mining license covers production from its
Vertikalny deposit and provides for a minimum production rate of 180,000
tonnes of ore per year. Silver Bear believes this production target is
reasonable and achievable. Table 1 sets out the Company's mineral
resource estimate prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101
("NI 43-101") which shows a total ore tonnage of approximately 2.7
million tonnes of ore at the Vertikalny deposit. The Preliminary
Economic Assessment ("PEA") released in September, 2011 had a production
rate of approximately 340,000 tonnes of ore per year, well within the
mining license permission (see notes in relation to the PEA below).
"This is a significant milestone for Silver Bear," said CEO Mark Trevisiol.
"Silver Bear is amongst a very select group of foreign companies to
have successfully negotiated the Russian licensing process. It is a
tribute to the team in place in
Russia and in Canada
that we have achieved this result. This achievement now opens the way
for the next phase in the project's development. Additionally, having
the mining license in hand increases Silver Bear's attraction to
investors who have been closely following developments of the project. I
would also like to acknowledge the support from both the Russian and
Canadian governments and their active participation in helping Silver
Bear throughout the licensing process. Few foreign companies have got
this far in their efforts, so this is not only positive for Silver Bear
but for all mining investment in
Russia."
Further, the company has, through the summer of 2013,
conducted exploration on its Mangaziesky property and plans to provide
an update on its achievements in the coming weeks. CEO
Mark Trevisiol
commented, "we are very satisfied with our operational progress over
this summer and look forward to updating the markets in due course."
Table 1 - Summary of Mineral Resource Estimates Prepared in Accordance with NI 43-101-
Prospect Area
|
Indicated Resource
|
Inferred Resource
|
|
Tonnes (M)
|
Ag (g/t)
|
Oz (M)
|
Tonnes (M)
|
Ag (g/t)
|
Oz (M)
|
Vertikalny Central Zone
|
1.1
|
518.0
|
17.9
|
1.1
|
649.0
|
23.8
|
Vertikalny North West Zone
|
|
|
|
0.5
|
379.0
|
6.6
|
Nizhny Endybal
|
|
|
|
3.2
|
133
|
13.5
|
Total
|
1.1
|
518
|
17.9
|
4.9
|
282
|
43.9
|
Notes to Table 1:
- The effective date of the Vertikalny mineral resource estimate is September 28, 2011 and the effective date of the Nizhny Endybal mineral resource estimate is September 20, 2012.
- Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do
not have demonstrated economic viability. Due to the uncertainty of
measured, indicated or inferred mineral resources, these mineral
resources may never be upgraded to proven and probable mineral reserves.
- Mr. P. Gribble, FIMMM C.Eng, of
Tetra Tech Wardrop (formerly Wardrop Engineering), is the independent
qualified person who prepared the mineral resource estimates disclosed
in Table 1.
- Silver price used for the above mineral resource estimate is $22.50/oz,
cut-off grade used for Vertikalny mineral resource estimate is 180 g/t
Ag, cut off grade for Nizhny Endybal mineral resource estimate is 75 g/t
Ag. See technical report filed on SEDAR dated
February 15, 2013.
Mark Trevisiol P.Eng, President and
CEO of Silver Bear and a qualified person under National Instrument
43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical
information in this press release.
Silver Bear Resources Inc.
The primary business of the Company is the evaluation, acquisition, exploration and development of silver properties in the Russian Federation.
The Company's principal focus is the Mangazeisky exploration lease and
the Vertikalny Deposit mining license, over which Silver Bear has
exclusive exploration/mining rights. It is located approximately 400
kilometres north of Yakutsk in the
Republic of Sakha, Yakutia in the Russian Federation.
Silver Bear Resources Inc. is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange
and its common shares trade under the ticker symbol "SBR". Silver Bear
has 62,149,949 issued and outstanding common shares. Other information
relating to Silver Bear is available on SEDAR at
www.sedar.com as well as on the Company's website at www.silverbearresources.com.
CAUTIONARY NOTES
PEA report
The Preliminary Economic Assessment report was prepared by Wardrop under the supervision of Mr. P. Gribble,
FIMMM C.Eng., who is an independent qualified person as defined in
National Instrument 43-101. The PEA is preliminary in nature and is
based on a number of assumptions that may be changed in the future as
additional information becomes available. The PEA is based on mineral
resources estimates published in
March 2011, which do not reflect exploration conducted since their effective date of February 25, 2011,
and the PEA does not reflect the latest inferred mineral resource
estimate on the Nyizhny Endybal Deposit published by Silver Bear
effective
September 20, 2012. Certain assumptions used in the PEA, some of which relate to the February 2011
mineral resource estimate, may have changed from those used for the new
resource estimate, causing a variation of parameters. Moreover, the
updated mineral resource estimate on Nyizhny Endybal may have an impact
on Silver Bear's plans on how it intends to develop the deposit. Mineral
resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated
economic viability. The PEA includes inferred mineral resources that 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 no certainty that the PEA will be
realized.
Forward-Looking Information
This release and subsequent oral statements made by
and on behalf of the Company may contain forward-looking statements,
which reflect management's expectations. Wherever possible, words such
as "intends", "expects", "scheduled", "estimates", "anticipates",
"believes" and similar expressions or statements that certain actions,
events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken,
occur or be achieved, have been used to identify these forward-looking
statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this
release reflect management's current beliefs based upon information
currently available to management and based upon what management
believes to be reasonable assumptions, Silver Bear cannot be certain
that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking
statements. A number of factors could cause events and achievements to
differ materially from the results expressed or implied in the
forward-looking statements. Such risk factors include but are not
limited to risk factors identified by Silver Bear in its continuous
disclosure filings filed from time to time on SEDAR. These factors
should be considered carefully and prospective investors should not
place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements necessarily involve significant known and unknown risks,
assumptions and uncertainties that may cause Silver Bear's actual
results, events, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from
those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although
Silver Bear has attempted to identify important risks and factors that
could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from
those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other
factors and risks that cause actions, events or results not to be as
anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that
forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results
and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such
statements. Accordingly, prospective investors should not place undue
reliance on forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements
are made as of the date of this release, and Silver Bear assumes no
obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or
circumstances, unless otherwise required by law.
Contact Information:
Silver Bear Resources Inc.
Mark TrevisiolPresident and Chief Executive Officer
416-861-5893
mtrevisiol@silverbearresources.comwww.silverbearresources.com
Robin BirchallExecutive Chairman
+44 207 389 0907
rbirchall@forbesmanhattan.com