Abacus Mining & Exploration Corp.: Update on Ajax Project
Press Release
Vancouver, BC – Sept 23, 2019. Abacus Mining & Exploration Corporation (“Abacus” or the “Company”) (TSXV:AME) wishes to provide an update to its shareholders on the status of the Ajax copper-gold project, located near Kamloops, British Columbia. Abacus holds a 20% ownership interest in the project, which is managed by base metal major KGHM Polska Miedź S.A., who hold the remaining 80%.
Ajax remains a priority for both Abacus and for our partner, who have begun the process of re-engaging the project stakeholders. This process is being undertaken with a view to satisfying new provincial and federal environmental regulations which are now, or are about to be in effect, which include advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.
The Ajax Project underwent a joint provincial and federal environmental review starting in 2011, which culminated in the decision by the B.C. Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy and the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources to decline to issue an environmental assessment certificate for the Project in December of 2017. Despite this setback, KGHM in consultation with Abacus has continued to work to advance the project, including evaluating various strategies geared toward potentially resubmitting the environmental application.
The Ajax Project contains significant quantities of copper and gold, within a NI 43-101 Proven and Probable Mineral Reserve of 426 Mt at 0.29% Cu, 0.19 g/t Au and 0.39 g/t Ag. Contained metal is in the order of 2.7 Bil lbs Cu, 2.6 Moz Au and 5.3 Moz Ag. *
Besides Ajax, the Company holds options and leases on the Willow and adjacent Nev-Lorraine copper-molybdenum properties in the Yerington copper camp, southeast of Reno, Nevada. Drilling by the Company in 2018 intersected a key intrusive rock unit on Willow that hosts all known porphyry Cu-Mo deposits at Yerington. This rock unit was not previously known to exist on the Company’s property, and it represents a key new discovery. The target is large and robust, and it remains essentially untested.
The Yerington copper camp contains several past producing porphyry and skarn deposits, including the Yerington Mine that produced approximately 1.6 billion pounds of copper for Anaconda between 1952 until 1978. Advanced projects in the camp include Ann Mason (M&I of 1.4BT at 0.32% Cu), owned by Hudbay Mining, Nevada Coppers’ Pumpkin Hollow (P&P of 572 MT at 0.4% Cu) which is in mine construction, and Quaterra Resources’ MacArthur oxide project (M&I of 159MT at 0.212% Cu) which is in prefeasibility.
The technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Paul G. Anderson, M.Sc., P.Geo., a Qualified Person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101.
* Wardrop Engineering Inc. 2012. Ajax Copper/Gold Project, Kamloops, British Columbia – Feasibility Study Technical Report. Doc. No. 1054610300-REP-R0004-02. January 2012.
On Behalf of the Board,
ABACUS MINING & EXPLORATION CORPORATION
Paul G. Anderson
President and COO
About Abacus
Abacus is a mineral exploration and mine development company currently focused on its optioned Willow copper-gold property located near Yerington, Nevada in which it can acquire up to a 75% ownership interest, and the contiguous Nev-Lorraine claims subject to a ten-year lease agreement. The Company also holds a 20% ownership interest, together with KGHM Polska MiedźS.A. (80%), in the proposed copper-gold Ajax Mine located southwest of Kamloops, B.C., which has recently undergone a joint provincial and federal environmental assessment process. On December 14, 2017, a decision was made by the B.C. Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy and the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources to decline to issue an environmental assessment certificate for the Project. For the latest reports and information on Abacus’ projects, please refer to the Company’s website at www.amemining.com.
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