Endeavour Silver Corp.
(“Endeavour” or the
“Company”) (NYSE: EXK; TSX: EDR) today
announced its 2024 development update for the Terronera Project in
Jalisco state, Mexico. To date, the Company has made
significant construction progress, with concrete work well advanced
and vertical construction now underway. Following a thorough risk
analysis initiated in 2023, the Company has updated its initial
capital cost, schedule, and execution plan. With an experienced and
seasoned team leading the project, the Company anticipates the
schedule to remain in line with previous guidance, with initial
production anticipated to start in the fourth quarter of 2024. All
references to dollars ($) in this news release are in United States
dollars.
“Comprehensive reviews completed by the Project
team and third-party consultants have greatly improved visibility
towards initial production at Terronera later this year,” said Dan
Dickson, Endeavour’s CEO. “Given the trends that we have seen at
our existing Mexican operations, Terronera is being advanced
against headwinds, which include a stronger Mexican Peso, ongoing
inflation and tight markets for equipment and bulk materials such
as steel, piping and electrical supplies. After undergoing an
in-depth process, we remain confident in our commissioning
schedule, our updated capital cost estimate, and our ability to
address these challenges as we advance the project for the benefit
of all stakeholders.”
Updated Initial Capital
Cost
As previously announced, the Board approved an
optimized Terronera Project construction scenario (the “Revised
Scenario”), consisting of a process plant with 2,000 tonne per day
(“tpd”) capacity and an initial capital cost of $230 million (see
news release dated April 18, 2023). While the Company successfully
locked in pricing for much of the mine and plant equipment with
early purchases, market trends persist with ongoing inflation,
foreign exchange pressures related to a stronger Mexican Peso, and
tight supply for equipment and bulk material. To ensure the cost
pressures have been properly quantified, the Project team conducted
a comprehensive review of the remaining cost to complete Terronera.
Endeavour now forecasts initial capital costs to be 18% higher, at
$271 million (the “2024 Updated Scenario”).
(millions) |
2023 Revised Scenario Initial Capex |
2024 Updated Scenario Initial Capex |
Variance |
Mining |
$69.9 |
$83.8 |
$13.9 |
Mineral Processing Plant |
$48.0 |
$64.8 |
$16.8 |
Site Infrastructure |
$47.6 |
$56.2 |
$8.6 |
Total Direct Costs |
$165.5 |
$204.8 |
$39.3 |
Owner Costs |
$27.6 |
$33.3 |
$5.7 |
Project Indirect Costs |
$19.7 |
$24.2 |
$4.5 |
Contingency |
$17.6 |
$8.7 |
($8.9) |
Total Indirect Costs |
$64.9 |
$66.2 |
$1.3 |
Total (Direct & Indirect) |
$230.4 |
$271.0 |
$40.6 |
Below summarizes the main items impacting the
2024 Updated Scenario initial capital cost forecast:
- Mill equipment purchases
contributed an additional $11 million, primarily for E-houses and
transformers, which have been ordered with final deliveries
expected in Q2 2024. The higher electrical equipment costs reflect
escalating component prices and increases due to supply
availability.
- Structural steel fabrication
contributed an additional $8 million; steel prices have increased
due to significant demand within the region. Also, additional
tonnage is required for design changes made during detail
engineering. The Company has delivery commitments from several
fabrication shops, which began in early January, and are being
planned according to the construction schedule requirements through
Q2 2024.
- Tailing storage facility (“TSF”)
design changes contributed an additional $5.5 million; following
final geotechnical site investigation studies, modifications were
required for local conditions and to meet seismic load
requirements. The strength of the Mexican Peso has also impacted
the cost forecast.
- The Company forecasts an additional
$13.9 million on mine development, equipment, and infrastructure
expenditures through commissioning. Much of the additional cost is
for mobile equipment at both the Terronera and La Luz mines.
Tradeoff evaluations show considerable savings through
self-performed development and production, compared to escalating
contractor mining prices. Additional mining equipment will be
purchased earlier than originally planned to ensure sustained
production during ramp up. Additional costs are anticipated from
the strengthened Mexican Peso for labor and direct inputs sourced
in-country.
- The permanent camp was completed
for $2.2 million more than budget. A combination of additional
scope, the impact of the strengthened Mexican Peso and inflationary
costs impacted the final cost.
- Management has allocated $8.9
million from the $17.6 million contingency for additional cost
forecasts for detail engineering, mine waste rock dump construction
and indirect owner and construction management expenditures.
The Company’s early move to assemble an
experienced Project team has provided the expertise to mitigate
some of these impacts. Management believes the Company is
well-equipped to meet the challenges of the current business
environment. The Company has worked with external advisors and
independent engineers to ensure forecasts are appropriately
supported and verified. Management assumed a 17.5 Mexican Peso per
US dollar exchange rate for 2024, which impacts on-going labor
costs primarily incurred in mine development and project indirect
costs. The Company plans to provide operational guidance as
construction approaches commissioning.
Development and Execution
Plan
In 2023, project activity focused on completing
bulk earthworks, major mobile mining equipment procurement, detail
engineering, access road construction, advancing plant concrete,
constructing the permanent camp, and development advance in Portals
1, 2 and 4. At the end of the year, construction progress was
approaching 50% completion.
In 2024, the Q1 surface construction will focus
on structural steel erection, mechanical installations and initial
electrical work for the crushing, coarse-ore stockpile, grinding,
flotation and tailing thickener areas. Excavation is expected to be
nearing completion for the LNG and power generation areas and the
concentrate and tailing filtration areas at the end of Q1. In Q2
and Q3, work is planned to advance in all plant areas with
mechanical completion and commissioning activities planned in Q4
with initial production at the end of 2024.
For the mine, development of Portals 1, 2 and 4
will continue with first ore development anticipated in Q2. The
first long-hole mining is planned for Q3 and cut-and-fill mining is
planned to begin in Q4 with accumulation of the stockpile during
this period. Development activities at La Luz are expected to begin
in Q3 with portal construction and ramp advance to ore access in
Q4.
The project remains on schedule for mill
commissioning and initial production in the fourth quarter of 2024.
The critical path remains the underground mine development where
advance rates have been steadily increasing and the TSF
construction.
Project Funding
The Company is well-positioned to satisfy the
financing requirements of the project. The Company expects to make
the first draw under the $120 million project loan debt facility in
the first quarter of 2024. Construction of the project remains on
track and the funds available under the project loan debt facility
will be allocated to fund construction. Management will provide
updated expenditures through to December 31, 2023, as part of
year-end financial reporting.
Launch of Project Website
The Company is pleased to introduce a dedicated
project website, accessible at www.terronera.com. This new website
will serve as a virtual hub for the local community, key
stakeholders, and other interested parties to stay informed and
engaged with the ongoing progress of the Terronera Project. The
Company invites all stakeholders to explore the latest updates,
learn about our commitment to environmental stewardship and
discover the positive impacts this venture will bring to local
communities.
About the Terronera Project
The Terronera project is a high-grade
silver-gold project being developed in the San Sebastian mining
district in Jalisco state, Mexico. It is located within the Sierra
Madre volcanic belt, which hosts most of Mexico’s gold and silver
deposits. It is a low-sulphidation epithermal vein system that will
be mined using a combination of long hole and cut and fill
techniques. The underground mine consists of two deposits,
Terronera and La Luz, which will feed a centralized 2,000 tonne per
day process plant. Based on the Feasibility Study, Terronera is
expected to produce 4 million ounces of silver and 38,000 ounces of
gold annually over its 10-year life.
For more information about the project and
details of the Feasibility Study, the technical report is entitled
“NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Feasibility Study of the
Terronera Project, Jalisco State, Mexico” dated October 21, 2021
with an effective date of September 9, 2021, and it is available on
the company website or under the Company’s name on SEDAR at
www.sedar.com.
Technical Disclosure
The scientific and technical information
contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by
Don Gray, SME-RM., Chief Operating Officer, a Qualified Person as
defined under NI 43-101.
About Endeavour Silver –
Endeavour is a mid-tier precious metals mining company that
operates two high-grade underground silver-gold mines in Mexico.
Endeavour is advancing construction of the Terronera Project and
exploring its portfolio of exploration projects in Mexico, Chile
and the United States to facilitate its goal to become a premier
senior silver producer. Our philosophy of corporate social
integrity creates value for all stakeholders.
Contact InformationGalina Meleger, VP, Investor
RelationsEmail: gmeleger@edrsilver.comWebsite:
www.edrsilver.com
Follow Endeavour Silver on Facebook, X,
Instagram and LinkedIn.
Cautionary Note Regarding
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains “forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of the United States private
securities litigation reform act of 1995 and “forward-looking
information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities
legislation. Such forward-looking statements and information herein
include but are not limited to statements regarding the development
and financing of the Terronera Project including: capital cost
estimates, anticipated timing of the project construction;
anticipated timing of drawdown under the project loan debt
facility, Terronera’s forecasted operations, costs and
expenditures, and the timing and results of various related
activities. The Company does not intend to and does not assume any
obligation to update such forward-looking statements or
information, other than as required by applicable law.
Forward-looking statements or information
involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors
that may cause the actual results, level of activity, production
levels, performance or achievements of Endeavour and its operations
to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such
statements. Such factors include but are not limited changes in
production and costs guidance; the ongoing effects of inflation and
supply chain issues on mine economics; national and local
governments, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and
political or economic developments in Canada and Mexico; financial
risks due to precious metals prices; operating or technical
difficulties in mineral exploration, development and mining
activities; risks and hazards of mineral exploration, development
and mining; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and
development; risks in obtaining necessary licenses and permits;
satisfaction of conditions precedent to drawdown under the project
loan debt facility; the ongoing effects of inflation and supply
chain issues on the Terronera Project economics; fluctuations in
the prices of silver and gold, fluctuations in the currency markets
(particularly the Mexican peso, Chilean peso, Canadian dollar and
U.S. dollar); and challenges to the Company’s title to properties;
as well as those factors described in the section “risk factors”
contained in the Company’s most recent form 40F/Annual Information
Form filed with the S.E.C. and Canadian securities regulatory
authorities.
Forward-looking statements are based on
assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not
limited to: the continued operation of the Company’s mining
operations, no material adverse change in the market price of
commodities, forecasted Terronera mine economics as of 2024, mining
operations will operate and the mining products will be completed
in accordance with management’s expectations and achieve their
stated production outcomes, and such other assumptions and factors
as set out herein. Although the Company has attempted to identify
important factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or
information, there may be other factors that cause results to be
materially different from those anticipated, described, estimated,
assessed or intended. There can be no assurance that any
forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate
as actual results and future events could differ materially from
those anticipated in such statements or information. Accordingly,
readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking
statements or information.
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