Luna Gold Corp.'s Board of Directors Approves Phase I Processing Plant Expansion at the Aurizona Gold Mine
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwire) -- 09/10/12 -- Luna Gold Corp. (TSX VENTURE: LGC)(OTCQX: LGCUF)(LMA: LGC) ("Luna" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its Board of Directors has approved a planned Phase I expansion program to increase annual gold production to a targeted 125,000 ounces of gold at the Company's Aurizona Gold Mine in Brazil.
The Board of Directors approved commencement of an estimated $43.2 million capital expenditure program, as well as a $6.5 million contingency, to complete the Phase I expansion project at Aurizona. The Phase I expansion is now targeted at an annual gold production of 125,000 ounces per year, rather than the 100,000 ounces previously discussed, and will involve low capital cost improvements to the existing Aurizona Mine process plant without either expanding the existing plant's established footprint or impacting current operations. This expansion project is expected to reach completion in Q4 2013. Included in the program is a related updated NI 43-101 technical report for Aurizona, which the Company is targeting for market release at the end of 2012.
Luna is currently negotiating an EPCM contract with an international engineering company that has proven capabilities in Canada and Brazil. Aurizona's increased capacity will be facilitated by the addition of an intense leach reactor, a carbon regeneration kiln, two high rate thickeners, four electrowinning cells, four CIL tanks, and other associated equipment.
John Blake, Luna's President and CEO, stated, "Our Company has the people, the mineral resources, and the financial capacity necessary to unlock Aurizona's significant potential. Within the next sixteen months, this project targets to double gold production from the Aurizona Gold Mine. 2011 and 2012 saw Luna take the steps required to fully prepare for 2013, a year that will witness our Company's emergence as a growing gold producer."
The Company cautions that the potential increased production target for the expansion program discussed above, as well as the Phase I expansion's associated costs, are estimates approved by Luna's Board of Directors. There has been insufficient work to support these statements with a NI 43-101 compliant technical report as of the date of this release.
About Luna Gold Corp.
Luna is a gold production and exploration company engaged in the operation and expansion of the Aurizona Gold Mine in Brazil, as well as the exploration for gold within the adjacent Luna Greenfields.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
LUNA GOLD CORP.
John Blake, President and CEO
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes certain statements that constitute "forward-looking statements", and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" are collectively referred to as "forward-looking statements", unless otherwise stated). These statements appear in a number of places in this press release and include statements regarding our intent, or the beliefs or current expectations of our officers and directors. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "project", "intend", "expect", "may", "will", "plan", "should", "would", "contemplate", "possible", "attempts", "seeks", "goals", "targets" and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may relate to the Company's future outlook and anticipated events or results and may include statements regarding the Aurizona property (including amounts of targeted future production, cost of production, future potential) and other development projects of the Company, the Company's future financial position, business strategy, budgets, litigation, projected costs, financial results, taxes, plans and objectives. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends affecting the financial condition of our business.
These forward-looking statements were derived utilizing numerous assumptions regarding expected growth, results of operations, performance and business prospects and opportunities, general business and economic conditions, interest rates, the supply and demand for, deliveries of, and the level and volatility of prices of gold and related products, the timing of the receipt of regulatory and governmental approvals of our projects and other operations, our costs of production and production and productivity levels, as well as those of our competitors, power prices, continuing availability of water and power resources for our operations, market competition, the accuracy of our resource and reserve estimates (including with respect to size, grade and recoverability) and the geological, operational and price assumptions on which these are based, conditions in financial markets, the future financial performance of the Company, our ability to attract and retain skilled staff, our ability to procure equipment and operating supplies, positive results from the studies on our projects, our gold inventories, our ability to secure adequate transportation for our products, our ability to obtain permits for our operations and expansions, and our ongoing relations with our employees and business partners that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable, based on information currently available, they may prove to be incorrect. Accordingly, you are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results. To the extent any forward-looking statements constitute future-oriented financial information or financial outlooks, as those terms are defined under applicable Canadian securities laws, such statements are being provided to describe the current anticipated potential of the Company and readers are cautioned that these statements may not be appropriate for any other purpose, including investment decisions.
Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to vary materially include, but are not limited to, changes in gold prices, changes in interest and currency exchange rates, acts of foreign governments, inaccurate geological and metallurgical assumptions (including with respect to the size, grade and recoverability of mineral reserves and resources), unanticipated operational difficulties (including failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications or expectations, cost escalation, unavailability of materials and equipment, government action or delays in the receipt of government approvals, adverse weather conditions and unanticipated events related to health, safety and environmental matters), labour disputes, political risk, social unrest, failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations, changes in our credit ratings and changes or further deterioration in general economic conditions, uncertainties with respect to operating in Brazil, including political unrest, theft, uncertainties with respect to the rule of law, corruption and uncertain court systems and other risks discussed elsewhere in this press release and our latest AIF filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date those statements are made. Except as required by applicable law, we assume no obligation to update or to publicly announce the results of any change to any forward-looking statement contained or incorporated by reference herein to reflect actual results, future events or developments, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting the forward-looking statements. If we update any one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. You should not place undue importance on forward-looking statements and should not rely upon these statements as of any other date. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.
Other Technical Information
Peter Mah, P.Eng., Certified Mining Engineer, the Company's Vice President Operations is the Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101 responsible for the scientific and technical work on the development programs and has reviewed and approved the corresponding technical disclosure throughout this press release. Titus Haggan Ph.D., EurGeol Certified Professional Geologist #746,the Company's Vice President of Exploration, is the Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101 responsible for the scientific and technical work on the exploration programs and has reviewed and approved the corresponding technical disclosure throughout this press release.
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Contacts:
Luna Gold Corp.
Investor Relations
(604) 558-0560
www.lunagold.com