North American Tungsten's Mactung Project Receives Regulatory Approval
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Sep 9, 2014) - North American Tungsten Corporation Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:NTC) ("NTC" or "the Company") announces that the plan to develop the Company's Mactung Project ("Mactung"), a tungsten property in Yukon, has received environmental approval. After a deliberative process which began in 2008, Mactung's positive environmental assessment from the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board ("Board") has been further certified by the Federal and Yukon Governments. The governments issued Decision Documents which will permit the Company to move forward in the regulatory process.
Published under the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act, the Decision Documents include a series of terms and conditions that North American Tungsten must incorporate into Mactung Project's design and operations in order to mitigate the mine's impact on the site located northeast of Ross River, Yukon.
"I can't express strongly enough the importance of this decision to our Company," NTC's Chairman and CEO, Kurt Heikkila said. "We are very pleased with the decision of the Board and of the governments whose further approval was required. This decision forms the basis for our next set of efforts to be one of the largest tungsten producers in the western world."
"Mactung is NTC's most valuable asset and the Company is eager to bring its resources to market. With the release of the Decision Documents and in co-ordination with the First Nations on whose traditional territory Mactung is located, the Company has a much clearer path towards the day when Mactung will join Cantung as two centers of operations and profit - not only for NTC and its shareholders but also for the people and communities of the North."
"We take seriously the responsibilities which the governments and the Board have placed with us to properly steward the Mactung site," Mr. Heikkila continued, "and we believe that this corporate commitment will become increasingly obvious in the years ahead."
North American Tungsten currently operates the Cantung mine which is located just inside the border of the Northwest Territories ("N.W.T."), 300 kilometers northeast of Watson Lake, Yukon. Two hundred sixty people are currently employed at Cantung. Mactung is located about 160 kilometres up along the border with N.W.T., this time falling on the Yukon side. Mactung is currently anticipated to be about 50% larger than Cantung in size and scope of operations and is anticipated to produce 2,000 tonnes per day from an underground operation.
Details of the National Instrument 43-101 Technical report filed on SEDAR, May 18, 2010, include the following:
- The underground mine life is estimated at 11.2 years; if production is expanded with an open pit operation, mine life could extend by a further 17 years; and
- The indicated resource is 33 million tonnes of WO3 at a grade of 0.88%; inferred resource is 11.9 million tonnes at 0.78% WO3.
Mr. Heikkila concluded, "We will start the planning process, involving customers and community, to build the operational plan for opening Mactung. The investments we've made to improve Cantung operations will provide fundamental operational aspects for this process. When developed, Mactung will provide benefits to the people and communities of the North, as well as the shareholders of the Company for many years."
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kurt E. Heikkila, Chairman & CEO
ABOUT NORTH AMERICAN TUNGSTEN CORPORATION LTD.
The Company is a publicly listed Tier 1 Junior Resource Company engaged primarily in the operation, development, and acquisition of tungsten and other related mineral properties in Canada. The Company's 100% owned CanTung mine and MacTung development project make it one of the few tungsten producers with a strategic asset in the western world. MacTung is one of the world's largest known undeveloped high grade tungsten-skarn deposits.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term as defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Cautionary Note: The Company relies upon litigation protection for "forward-looking" statements.
Safe Harbour Statement under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and similar Canadian legislation: Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented contains "Forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and similar Canadian legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects," "budget," "scheduled," "estimates," "forecasts," "intends," "anticipates," "believes," or variation of such words and phrases that refer to certain actions, events or results to be taken, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of North American Tungsten Corporation Ltd. to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the actual results of reclamation activities, the estimation or realization of mineral reserves and resources, the timing and amount of estimated future production, costs of production, capital expenditures, future prices of commodities, possible variations in ore grade or recovery rates, efficacy and efficiency of milling process, failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, accidents, labour disputes and other risks in the mining industry. Although North American Tungsten Corporation Ltd. has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained herein and in North American Tungsten Corporation Ltd.'s other filing incorporated by reference.
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