TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 16, 2014) - Silver Bear Resources Inc. ("Silver Bear" or the "Company") (TSX:SBR) has completed primary leach optimisation tests on milled ore from its 100% owned Vertikalny Deposit in Yakutia in the Russian Federation.
Highlights of the milled ore sample results are
listed in Table 1 below. Testing was carried out from 400 kilograms of
drill core extracted from the Vertikalny deposit. The head assay ranged
from 1020 grams/tonne of silver to 1150 grams/tonne of silver with an
average of 1112.5 grams/tonne of silver. Silver was recovered following
gravity concentration of Silver and Cyanide leaching of Silver in the
gravity tailing. A silver recovery of 88.3% was achieved with a
practical leach retention time of 72 hours. A silver recovery of 93.3%
was achieved at a leach retention time of 144 hours, indicating
potential for further optimisation. Samples were tested at various
concentrations of Sodium Cyanide solution (NaCN) and various time frames
as shown. Testing was conducted at
SGS Metallurgical & Geochemical Laboratory in Chita, Russia.
Mark Trevisiol, President and CEO of
Silver Bear, commented, "This represents another positive step for our
silver project. Having a high grade silver deposit with open pit access
for mining, combined with metal recoveries as demonstrated, solidifies
the strong economics in our Preliminary Economic Assessment released
earlier this year. We will use these very encouraging results to
complete further testing to optimize our processing plant design as we
move to full feasibility."
Table 1 - Metallurgical Test Results
Test
|
Ag Recovery, %
|
Test Time (hours)
|
Cyanide Concentration (g/L)
|
Diagnostic Leach Test
|
89.6
|
Not Applicable
|
Not Applicable
|
Gravity Concentration & leach test
|
89.2
|
72
|
5
|
Gravity Concentration & leach test
|
88.3
|
72
|
2
|
Gravity Concentration & leach test
|
93.30
|
144
|
2
|
Gravity Concentration & leach test
|
81.8
|
96
|
1
|
*Notes: All samples were crushed to 0.075 mm passing 80%.
|
Silver Bear has a National Instrument 43-101 ("NI
43-101") compliant resource estimate on its Vertikalny Deposit (Table 2)
and a mining licence on the Deposit to the year 2033. The Deposit is
contained within the Mangazeisky exploration property of which Silver
Bear holds an exploration licence.
Table 2 -Estimated Mineral Resources Prepared In Accordance With NI 43-101
|
|
|
|
Area
|
Cut-Off
Grade (g/t)
|
Indicated
|
Inferred
|
Tonnes
(Mt)
|
Ag
(g/t)
|
Ag
(Moz)
|
Tonnes
(Mt)
|
Ag
(g/t)
|
Ag
(Moz)
|
Vertikalny Deposit, Central Zone
|
180
|
1.1
|
518
|
17.9
|
1.1
|
649
|
23.8
|
Vertikalny Deposit, Northwest Zone
|
180
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0.5
|
379
|
6.6
|
Nizhny Endybal Deposit
|
75
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3.2
|
133
|
13.5
|
Total
|
-
|
1.1
|
518
|
17.9
|
4.8
|
282
|
43.9
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-
Notes: 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.
Rob Davies, CGeol.,EurGeol.,PMP Eur.Ing.
of Tetra Tech, is an independent qualified person pursuant to NI 43-101
who has verified the mineral resource estimates originally signed-off in
2011 and 2013 as current. The mineral resource estimates are disclosed
above in Table 2. Cut-off grades for the Vertikalny resource and Nizhny
Endybal resource are 180 g/t Ag and 75 g/t Ag respectively. Other notes:
-
Vertikalny - to be operatied initially as
open pit then an underground mine with 1.2 m minimum mining width,
in-situ density of 3.45 t/m3 for mineralized material, long term Silver
price of
$22.74/ounce Ag. The effective date of the estimated Vertikalny mineral resource is February 23, 2011.
-
Nizhny Endybal - to be operated by open pit
methods, in-situ density of 2.9 t/m3 for mineralized material, long term
silver price of
$22.0/oz. The effective date of Nizhny Endybal estimated mineral resource is September 20, 2012.
-
Mineral resources may be subject to legal,
political, environmental, social and other risks that may significantly
affect the potential development of the mineral resources. See
Cautionary Notes set out below.
-
Please refer to the technical report titled "Technical Report on the Mangazeisky Property" dated February 15, 2013 prepared by Andy Carter, B.Sc., C.Eng., MIMM, MASIMM, SME, Paul Gribble, FIMMM, C.Eng., Paul Daigle, P. Geo. and Jonathan Gideon, C. Eng. FIMMM the "Mangazeisky Technical Report", filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR.
-
For additional information pertaining to the
results of the Company's preliminary economic assessment, readers
should also refer to the PEA, titled "Preliminary Economic Assessment on
the
Mangazeisky Silver Project, Russia" dated February 27, 2014 prepared by Jacques du Toit, Pr.Eng., MSc.Eng., PMP, Robert Davies, B.Sc. (Hons), CGeol., EurGeol., PMP Eur.Ing. Andrew Carter, C.Eng., MIMMM, MSAIMM, SME, Anton von Wielligh, B.Eng. (Hons), Pr.Eng. ECSA, SAIMM, Michael McLaughlin, P.Eng. and Laszlo Bodi,
P.Eng. (the "PEA"), which is discussed in the Company's Annual
Information Form and available under the Company's profile on SEDAR.
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, 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 119,456,550 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.
Qualified Person
The metallurgical leaching tests were performed at SGS Metallurgical & Geochemical Laboratory in Chita, Russia. The Chita Lab is accredited under Certificate POCCRU.001.214U28, August 2, 2011.
The tests have been reviewed and approved by Andy Carter C Eng., MIMMM
of Tetra Tech and the work has been completed under the supervision of
Mike Hallewell C Eng., FIMMM, FSAIMM, FMES, of
SGS Labs, both individuals are independent of Silver Bear and are qualified persons under NI 43-101 standards. Mark Trevisiol P.Eng,
President and CEO of Silver Bear is a qualified person under National
Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the scientific and
technical information in this press release. As the President and CEO of
Silver Bear, Mr. Trevisiol is not considered independent.
Cautionary Notes
The preliminary economic assessment ("PEA") is
based on a number of assumptions that may be changed in the future as
additional information becomes available. 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.
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. Without limitation to the foregoing, the following are
forward looking statements: the metallurgical recoveries from the
primary leach optimisation tests, the PEA, including without limitation
projected initial capital, sustaining costs, IRR, NPV, average grade
processed, mining rate, expected mine life, expected construction
period, mineral resources and pay back period. 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
risks factors include but are not limited to uncertainties inherent to
preliminary economic assessments, which are based on many assumptions
that might not be realized, risks with respect to operating in
Russia,
downward fluctuations in silver prices, regulatory risks, including
with respect to obtaining all required permits, corruption and other
risks 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.
For further details, please visit www.silverbearresources.com
Contact Information:
Mark Trevisiol, President and Chief Executive Officer
Silver Bear Resources Inc.65 Queen Street West, Suite 825, P.O. Box 71
Toronto ON, M5H 2M5
+1-416-861-5893
mtrevisiol@silverbearresources.com
Robin BirchallExecutive Chairman
Silver Bear Resources Inc.1 Adam StreetLondon, WC2N 6LE
UK+44 771 131 3019