World Copper PEA for Escalones offers post-tax NPV of $1.5bn, payback in 2.2 years
The initial capital requirement at Escalones is $438.4 million, followed by a sustaining investment of $192.5 million over the 20-year life of the project.
Highlight intercepts from the western part of Saddle include 58.5 metres of 1.8 g/t gold starting at 532.5 metres; 29 metres of 2.39 g/t gold from 619 metres; as well as 39 metres of 1.47 g/t gold starting at 886 metres.
The study looks at a 1,750 t/d underground mine that would produce an average of 76,000 oz. gold per year over a mine life of 11 years at all-in sustaining costs of $747 per oz.
After restarting mining at the end of July and milling in early August, following a temporary shutdown, the operation generated 3,200 gold oz. last month.