PERTH,
Western Australia,
Oct. 31, 2012 /CNW/ -
Coalspur Mines Limited ("Coalspur" or "Company") (ASX: CPL, TSX: CPT) is pleased to present its quarterly report for the three months ending
30 September 2012.
Highlights:
-
The Company completed a scoping study on Vista Extension which confirmed
the potential for an economic and technically feasible underground
longwall mine. Highlights of the scoping study included:
-
Forecast average production of 3.8 million tonnes per annum ("
Mtpa") (6.3 Mtpa run of mine) marketable coal;
-
Potentially mineable resources of approximately
108 Mt and a mine life
of 28 years;
-
Development costs of
C$346 million, which reflect cost savings due to
the close proximity of the Vista infrastructure; and
-
Low average operating costs of
C$58.2/t free-on-board Ridley Terminals
over the life of the mine.
-
Coalspur finalised port allocation agreements with Ridley Terminals to
secure 11.7 Mtpa of deep water port throughput capacity, which
substantially satisfies the port requirements for the anticipated Vista
Coal Project ("
Vista") production.
-
The Company expanded its memorandum of understanding with CN rail from
11.2Mtpa to 12.0Mtpa to accommodate the optimized production profile on
Vista.
-
Regulatory bodies continued their review of Coalspur's Environmental
Impact Assessment and Mine License applications, and the Company made
substantial progress with respect to aboriginal consultation and other
stakeholder engagement.
-
The Company continued its process to identify a strategic investment
partner, which it anticipates concluding during 2012.
Subsequent to quarter end, the Company completed an optimisation study
on Vista which minimized the capital required to achieve initial
production. Highlights of the study include:
-
Development capital to achieve first production in 2015 reduced to
C$527
million (
C$343 million lower than the Vista Feasibility Study)
-
Potential further reduction of up to
C$82 million by leasing/contracting
mobile equipment, taking development capital to approximately
C$445
million
-
Total net funding to achieve full 12.0 Mtpa production capacity of
C$841
million with project cashflows substantially contributing to expansion
funding
-
Development capital expected to be funded either by a strategic partner
or a combination of a strategic partner and an off-take arrangement
-
Development plan maintains integrity of the current regulatory process
Going Forward
The Company is currently focusing on the financing, regulatory and
technical efforts necessary to commence construction on Vista.
Activities in the coming months are expected to include:
-
Progress discussions with potential strategic investment partners;
-
Advance the regulatory applications necessary to commence construction
on Vista;
-
Progress negotiations with CN on the definitive transportation
agreement;
-
Continue detailed design engineering on Vista; and
-
Continue discussions with mining contractors who may be utilised during
the construction phase and the initial years of mining at Vista.
The full version of this news release is available on the Company's
website at
www.coalspur.com and SEDAR at
www.sedar.com.
Regulatory Disclosures
For further information regarding the Vista Coal Project and Vista
Extension, including a description of Coalspur's quality assurance
program, quality control measures, the geology, samples collected and
testing procedures in respect of the projects, please refer to the
technical report titled "Coalspur Mines Limited: Updated Resource
Estimate for the Vista Coal Project" dated
September 12, 2012. For
further information regarding the Vista South Coal Project, including a
description of Coalspur's quality assurance program, quality control
measures, the geology, samples collected and testing procedures in
respect of the project, please refer to the technical report titled
"Resource Estimate for the Vista South Coal Property" dated
June 25,
2012. The technical reports are compliant with National Instrument
43-101 - "Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects" ("
NI 43-101") and the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results,
Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves' ("
JORC Code") and are available for review on SEDAR at
sedar.com.
Competent Person / Qualified Person Statements
The information in this report that relates to coal quality and process
yield estimates to derive Marketable Coal Reserves, coal processing,
thermal drying, infrastructure, and associated capital and operating
costs is based on information compiled by Mr.
Gordon Mudryk, who is a
Member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists
of
Alberta. Mr. Mudryk is a full-time employee of Coalspur. Mr. Mudryk
has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of
mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the
activity he is undertaking to qualify as a "Competent Person" as
defined in the 2004 Edition of the JORC Code, and a "Qualified Person"
under NI 43-101. Mr. Mudryk has approved and consents to the inclusion
of such information in this report in the form and context in which it
appears.
The information in this report that relates to Coal Resources is based
on information compiled by Mr.
John Innis, who is a Member of the
Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of
Alberta. Mr.
Innis is a full-time employee of Coalspur. Mr. Innis has sufficient
experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of
deposit under consideration and to the activity he is undertaking to
qualify as a "Competent Person" as defined in the 2004 Edition of the
JORC Code, and a "Qualified Person" under NI 43-101. Mr. Innis has
approved and consents to the inclusion of such information in this
report in the form and context in which it appears.
All other scientific and technical information in this report is based
on information compiled by Mr.
David Leslie, who is a Member of the
Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of
Alberta. Mr.
Leslie is a full-time employee of Coalspur. Mr. Leslie has sufficient
experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of
deposit under consideration and to the activity he is undertaking to
qualify as a "Competent Person" as defined in the JORC Code, and a
"Qualified Person" under NI 43-101. Mr. Leslie has approved and
consents to the inclusion of such information in this news release in
the form and context in which it appears.
Forward Looking Statements
This report contains forward-looking statements concerning Coalspur
Mines Limited ("
Coalspur" or the "
Company"), including statements regarding Coalspur's plans for its mineral
projects, its exploration and development activities, and other
matters. These statements relate to analyses and other information that
is based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet
determinable and assumptions of management. Actual results could differ
materially from the conclusions, forecasts and projections contained in
these forward-looking statements.
Statements concerning Mineral Resource Estimates may also be deemed to
constitute "forward-looking statements" to the extent that they involve
estimates of the mineralization that will be encountered if a given
property is developed. Any statements that express or involve
discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans,
projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance
(often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects", "is
expected", "anticipates", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "assumes",
"intends", "future", "strategy", "goals", "objectives", "potential" or
variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results
"may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be
achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar
expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a
variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors
that could cause actual events or results to materially differ from
those reflected in the forward-looking statements.
Coalspur's forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs,
expectations and opinions of management as of the date hereof and which
Coalspur believes are reasonable in the circumstances, but no assurance
can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. In
making the forward-looking statements the Company has applied several
material assumptions which may prove to be incorrect, including, but
not limited to: (1) that all required third party approvals will be
obtained for the development, construction and production of its
properties; (2) that additional financing will be available on
reasonable terms; (3) there being no significant disruptions affecting
operations, whether due to labour disruptions, supply disruptions,
power disruptions, damage to equipment or otherwise; (4) permitting,
development and expansion proceeding on a basis consistent with the
Company's current expectations; (5) currency exchange rates being
approximately consistent with current levels; (6) certain price
assumptions for coal; (7) production forecasts meeting expectations;
(8) the accuracy of the Company's current mineral resource and reserve
estimates; (9) labour and materials costs increasing on a basis
consistent with the Company's current expectations; (10) assumptions
made and judgments used in engineering and geological interpretation.
Coalspur disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise
forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's beliefs,
expectations or opinions should change, except as required by law. For
the reasons set forth above, undue reliance should not be placed on
forward-looking statements.
For a more detailed analysis of risks affecting the Company, please see
the Risk Factors discussion in the Description of the Business section
of the Company's Annual Information Form, which is available from SEDAR
at
www.sedar.com.
SOURCE Coalspur Mines Limited