Rubicon Minerals First Gold Pour: June 2015 from Rubicon Minerals on Vimeo.
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TORONTO, ONTARIO–(Marketwired – Nov. 3, 2015) – Rubicon Minerals Corporation (TSX:RMX)(NYSE MKT:RBY) (“Rubicon” or the “Company”) today announced it is moving to suspend underground activities at the Phoenix Gold Project (the “Project”) while it enhances its geological model of the F2 Gold Deposit and develops a project implementation plan.
“We believe in the potential of the Phoenix Gold Project,” said Michael Winship, interim President and Chief Executive Officer of Rubicon. “We have high-grade gold mineralization with extensive infrastructure, in one of the top producing gold camps in the world. Similar to other high-grade, narrow-vein, underground gold deposits, the geology can be quite challenging and requires additional analysis to be fully understood. During the trial stoping period, we have discovered that the F2 Gold Deposit is much more geologically complex compared to our understanding of it from historical drilling.”
“Our job is to maximize value for our shareholders. After conducting an initial assessment of the Project following my appointment as interim CEO, we believe that we need to better define the value of the deposit with further work.
Therefore, we have decided to temporarily suspend underground activities, further enhance our geological model, and create a project implementation plan with the goal of providing a better path towards profitability. We are focused on building both the right plan and the right leadership team to accomplish this goal.”
Project Update Highlights:
- The Company is moving to temporarily suspend underground activities at the Project. The gold mineralization is more geologically complex compared to historical drilling data;
- Rubicon will work with SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. (“SRK”) and a team of qualified advisors to enhance the geological model, develop a new mineral resource estimate, and produce the Phoenix Project Implementation Plan (“PPIP”);
- The first trial stope result reconciled well with the 2012 SRK in-situ mineral resource block model estimate (“2012 SRK Model”). The average milled grade of the first trial stope was 5.03 grams per tonne of gold (“g/t Au”) and is approximately 4% higher compared to the 4.85 g/t Au in the 2012 SRK Model;
- Since the start of commissioning in May 2015, Rubicon has produced 3,704 ounces of gold (and sold 2,498 ounces of gold);
- On October 30, 2015, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (“MOECC”) gave Rubicon permission to restart mill operations. The Company has been successful in reducing ammonia levels, discharging treated effluent to the environment, and upgrading its tailings management facility (“TMF”). The mill operations resumed on October 31, 2015;
- Currently, the Company has a stockpile of approximately 11,000 tonnes of mineralized material at an estimated gold grade of approximately 4.0 g/t Au, which Rubicon expects to process in November;
Rubicon is carefully managing its working capital balance of C$23 million as of October 31, 2015 and believes this is sufficient to carry the Company through the PPIP period, which is expected to be completed in second quarter 2016; - Rubicon has initiated a cost cutting plan. Associated with the suspension of underground activities is the temporary layoff of approximately 200 employees and 110 contractors, representing 87% of Company employment.
For the rest of this news release, click here: http://www.rubiconminerals.com/News/News/Details/2015/Underground-Activities-Temporarily-Suspended-at-the-Phoenix-Gold-Project-Rubicon-to-Enhance-Its-Geological-Model-and-Develop-an-Implementation-Plan/default.aspx