2023 has been a difficult year in the junior precious metals
markets, particularly in the junior gold exploration sector.
Although the gold price is standing strong, the sentiment has
remained weak. Despite this, Gold Bull has continued to advance its
main asset, Sandman, located in Nevada.
Sandman Project, Nevada
During the year, Gold Bull (TSX-V:
GBRC) (the “Company”) commissioned a
Preliminary Economic Assessment (“PEA” or
“Scoping Study”) to investigate the viability of a
small-scale startup operation (proposed mine) at Sandman, focusing
on the existing gold resources.
The PEA considered a conventional heap leach
mining operation targeting 38,000 ounces of gold produced per annum
over a 9-year operation. Given the nature of the Sandman deposits
(outcropping), a 2.2 Mtpa production rate and very low strip ratio
of 2.2:1 extracts an average gold grade of 0.73 g/t Au (majority
oxide). The economics for this scenario is robust, with an
81% IRR (post-tax) and NPV of
USD$121M, with only a 1.3 year payback
period (post-tax). The PEA illustrates a USD$121M
NPV, on our existing gold resources (many of which remain
open in numerous directions). In my biased opinion, when the
Sandman NPV is compared with our current market cap around
USD$4mil, this represents an investment opportunity that is backed
up not only by our existing gold resource but also by our $30
million worth of data package, including our comprehensive Plan of
Operation for Exploration permit.
The capital required to build the above mine is
modest at an initial pre-production capital of US$31.5 M and Phase
2 Capital of US$19.7M, paid by Phase 1 mining revenues. Total LOM
capital is US$51.3M, for an all-in sustaining cost of
US$1,337 per ounce of gold (post tax).
Sandman’s economics is most sensitive to the
gold price. In our PEA we used a gold price of $1800. If we
use today’s gold price of circa $2000, the NPV jumps from $121M to
$171M with an IRR of 104.7% post tax (refer to Figure 5 in
our news release dated July 31, 2023: Gold Bull’s Sandman Project
Revised PEA Phase 2).
From our Board’s perspective, a 38,000 ounce per
annum operation is not our end game goal, however the PEA indicates
that a small-scale operation at Sandman could indeed become a ‘cash
cow’ capable of self-funding further exploration to grow the known
gold resources and to co-fund M&A activity. In the current
market, cash is King. Many of the world’s biggest and most
successful gold mining companies, started off small, such as by an
operation at a scale like our proposed Sandman PEA. Very
few exploration companies have an opportunity to investigate a
near-term production scenario such as Sandman, especially
in mining-friendly Nevada.
It should not be forgotten that immense
exploration potential exists at Sandman and in the surrounding
region. The Gold Bull team believes there is significant ounce
potential in the Sandman region, targeting ‘Sleeper’ style
discoveries. Our independent epithermal advisors have reiterated
that belief. The Sandman region boasts plentiful world class
targets, many of which have never been
drilled. Additional exploration is warranted at
Sandman and in the surrounding region.
During 2023 Gold Bull reported the
success of its soil gas orientation survey
assessment in which all four known gold deposits at Sandman
demonstrated an association with soil gas interpreted to be
directly associated with gold mineralization in deep seated
structures. The objective of the soil gas survey was to test if the
interpreted structures at each of Sandman’s four known deposits had
gas signatures which could be used elsewhere on the property as a
cheap exploration tool to assist with identifying structures which
could be gold bearing located beneath a thin veneer of
unconsolidated alluvium and sand dunes.
Our Geology team, led by Regina Molloy, was
excited to confirm a proximal gold deposit indicator mineral called
buddingtonite is present along the Northwest Trend by using a field
spectrometer. I’m proud to say that we have identified a low-cost
futuristic gas exploration method that we can employ in-house to
assist with vectoring towards potential new and untested
gold-bearing structures in vast areas covered by alluvium. The
paleo-geothermal activity in the Sandman-Sleeper 23km corridor
exhibits a unique geochemical, mineralogical and soil gas profile
which enables the use of low-cost soil gas sampling to complement
other tools for exploration drill targeting. Our objective is to
identify new targets, refine old targets and then drill test for
new discoveries at Sandman with the aim of adding more ounces and
making a new “Sleeper Style” discovery within our existing
landholding. At Sandman we have the known circa half a million
ounces of gold sitting between the surface and roughly 100m depth,
however, there has been very little exploration focused on where
that gold has been sourced from, yet that represents a compelling
target, along strike of the Sleeper deposit. We continue to advance
and add value at Sandman on a shoestring budget, while the market
conditions remain difficult in the junior gold exploration
sector.
Sandman represents two opportunities in one,
exploration upside and a near term development scenario. For the
latter, the next step at Sandman is to commence a feasibility
study.
Big Balds, Nevada
Gold Bull’s 100% owned Big Balds Project, also
located in Nevada is fully permitted and ‘drill ready’. The Company
made the decision not to drill its maiden program at Big Balds to
preserve cash reserves until market sentiment changes. Big Balds is
targeting an undercover geophysical anomaly along strike of Bald
Mountain mine. A maiden drill program will cost approximately
USD$500,000 and that drill program will either deliver a positive
(new discovery indicators) or a negative (barren geophysical
anomaly); therefore it is considered a high-risk/high-reward
target.
M&A
In the current market, it is generally
considered cheaper to acquire existing known gold resources than it
is to drill and explore for additional ounces, which makes our
M&A (merger and acquisition) discussions a vital part of our
Company’s growth strategy. We have a short list of assets and
companies that we are advancing to the next level of due diligence
in the pursuit of value-adding transaction(s). In short, if we can
acquire existing ounces cheaper than we can explore for them – we
believe that represents compelling value for our shareholders.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank
everyone who supported us this year: our communities and
stakeholders, Board of Directors, accounts & admin team,
advisors and consultants, supportive stockbrokers and I would like
to acknowledge the dedication of our Nevada based technical team,
led by Regina Molloy.
Most of all, I thank you, our shareholders, for
your continued support. On behalf of Gold Bull, we wish you a Merry
Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Cherie Leeden - President and CEO, Gold
Bull Resources Corp.
About Sandman
In December 2020, Gold Bull purchased the
Sandman Project from Newmont. Gold mineralization was first
discovered at Sandman in 1987 by Kennecott and the project has been
intermittently explored since then. There are four known pit
constrained gold resources located within the Sandman Project,
consisting of 21.8Mt @ 0.7g/t gold for 494,000 ounces of
gold; comprising of an Indicated Resource of 18,550kt @
0.73g/t gold for 433kozs of gold plus an Inferred Resource of
3,246kt @ 0.58g/t gold for 61kozs of gold. Several of the resources
remain open in multiple directions and the bulk of the historical
drilling has been conducted to a depth of less than 100m. Sandman
is conveniently located circa 30 km northwest of the mining town of
Winnemucca, Nevada.
Qualified Person
Cherie Leeden, B.Sc Applied Geology (Honours),
MAIG, a “Qualified Person” as defined by National Instrument
43-101, has read and approved all technical and scientific
information contained in this news release. Ms. Leeden is the
Company’s Chief Executive Officer. Cherie Leeden relied on resource
information contained within the Technical Report on the Sandman
Gold Project, filed on SEDAR on October 27, 2022 and prepared by
Steven Olsen and Jerod Eastman who are Qualified Persons as defined
by the National Instrument NI 43-101. Each of Mr. Olsen and Mr.
Eastman is an independent consultant and has no affiliations with
Gold Bull except that of an independent consultant/client
relationship.
About Gold Bull Resources Corp.
Gold Bull’s mission is to grow into a US focused
mid-tier gold development Company via rapidly discovering and
acquiring additional ounces. The company’s exploration hub is based
in Nevada, USA, a top-tier mineral district that contains
significant historical production, existing mining infrastructure
and an established mining culture. Gold Bull is led by a Board and
Management team with a track record of exploration and acquisition
success.
Gold Bull’s core asset is the Sandman Project,
located in Nevada which has a 494,000 oz gold
resource as per 2021 43-101 Resource Estimate. Sandman is located
23 km south of the Sleeper Mine and boasts excellent large-scale
exploration potential. Drilling at Sandman is currently
underway.
Gold Bull is driven by its core values and
purpose which includes a commitment to safety, communication &
transparency, environmental responsibility, community, and
integrity.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking
StatementsNeither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its
Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the
policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for
the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
This news release contains certain statements
that may be deemed “forward-looking statements” with respect to the
Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws.
Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical
facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words
“expects”, “plans”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”,
“estimates”, “projects”, “potential”, “indicates”, “opportunity”,
“possible” and similar expressions, or that events or conditions
“will”, “would”, “may”, “could” or “should” occur. Although Gold
Bull believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking
statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are
not guarantees of future performance, are subject to risks and
uncertainties, and actual results or realities may differ
materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such
material risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to,
the Company’s ability to raise sufficient capital to fund its
obligations under its property agreements going forward, to
maintain its mineral tenures and concessions in good standing, to
explore and develop its projects, to repay its debt and for general
working capital purposes; changes in economic conditions or
financial markets; the inherent hazards associates with mineral
exploration and mining operations, future prices of gold and other
metals, changes in general economic conditions, accuracy of mineral
resource and reserve estimates, the potential for new discoveries,
the ability of the Company to obtain the necessary permits and
consents required to explore, drill and develop the projects and if
obtained, to obtain such permits and consents in a timely fashion
relative to the Company’s plans and business objectives for the
projects; the general ability of the Company to monetize its
mineral resources or conduct M&A transactions; and changes in
environmental and other laws or regulations that could have an
impact on the Company’s operations, compliance with environmental
laws and regulations, dependence on key management personnel and
general competition in the mining industry. Forward-looking
statements are based on the reasonable beliefs, estimates and
opinions of the Company’s management on the date the statements are
made. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no
obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event
that management’s beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors,
should change.
For further information regarding Gold Bull Resources Corp., please visit our website at www.goldbull.ca or email admin@goldbull.ca.
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