Press Release
Vancouver, BC (October 24, 2024) – Foran Mining Corporation (TSX: FOM) (OTCQX: FMCXF) (“Foran” or the “Company”) is pleased provide a construction update on its 100% owned McIlvenna Bay project in Saskatchewan, Canada. As of the quarter ending September 30, 2024, the project continues to advance steadily, with significant progress made across key areas of development.
Key Achievements as of September 30, 2024:
Company’s vision towards initial phase production can be viewed here.
Dan Myerson, Executive Chairman and CEO of Foran, commented “We are proud of the substantial progress made this past quarter, achieved through the dedication of our team and an unwavering commitment to safety. Building mines is demanding work, but we believe there is no greater way to create value, and it’s incredibly rewarding for everyone involved. I’m especially proud of the tireless efforts of our people in seizing this unique opportunity to bring a greenfield asset into production, while remaining focused on delivering the project on time and on budget. Our people are our greatest asset, and it’s their exceptional talent and the incredible culture we’ve built that drive our success every day. As we approach producer status, we look forward to providing regular construction updates and continuing to unlock the full value of our district.”
Construction Progress Summary
Description | Progress to Date (as of September 30, 2024, unless otherwise stated) | |
Health & Safety | o Lost Time Incident Frequency Rate (LTIFR) year-to-date of zero and a Total | |
Recordable Incident Frequency Rate (TRIFR) year-to-date of 2.3 after over | ||
515,000 total person-hours worked in 2024. | ||
Construction | o As at quarter end, overall completion of surface construction stood at | |
Progress & | approximately 14%. The overall schedule remains in line with previous | |
Schedule | guidance, with commercial production anticipated in H1/26. | |
Engineering | o Engineering progress for activities planned for 2024 and early 2025, such as | |
the mill foundation, process and paste plant buildings, sewage and potable | ||
water treatment plants, roads, ponds, berms, and truck shop building are | ||
approximately 97%. | ||
o Approximately 78% of overall detailed engineering has been completed. | ||
Procurement | o Procurement is managing 191 work packages, with 128 packages awarded to | |
date. | ||
Underground | o Approximately 1,196m of total underground development has been | |
Development | completed YTD, bringing total development underground of approximately | |
1,375m. | ||
o Lateral development rates increased to over 290m in September, with a total | ||
of approximately 607m of underground development completed during the | ||
quarter. | ||
o The decline is approximately 10 vertical metres below the 120m level | ||
o The excavation of the main surface ventilation fresh air raise to approximately | ||
20 metres in depth | ||
Permitting | o Key permits continue to be received to continue with progress at site. Recent | |
requests have been submitted for the Return Air Raise (RAR) construction, | ||
process water line alteration and treated water use. The worker noise expo- | ||
sure assessment, crown work authorization amendment and extensions for | ||
permits to construct have been submitted. | ||
Human Resources | o Approximately 141 Foran employees and over 330 contractors are currently | |
employed at the project. | ||
Process Plant
During the third quarter of 2024, the construction team completed concrete pouring for the SAG mill and ball mill monuments, with construction of the foundations for the columns for the grinding, copper flotation and zinc flotation areas nearing completion.
A total of approximately 2,911m3 of concrete was poured during the quarter, with approximately 4,503m3 completed year-to-date and ahead of plan of 3,084m3. Approximately 85% of the lean concrete has been poured in the process plant. The concrete footings for the primary structural steel columns for Zones 1, 2 and 3 (grinding, copper flotation and zinc flotation) were also completed. Over the quarter, concrete works began on the reagents, concentrate loadout, and concentrate filtration areas.
Various components for both the SAG mill and ball mill arrived on site in late September, with the regrind mills and the structural steel for the process plant being in transit at the end of the quarter. Also in September, the concentrate filter press was in factory acceptance testing and the pebble crusher was being assembled.
Permanent Camp and Surface Infrastructure
During the quarter, all phases of the permanent camp were completed and commissioned for occupancy in addition to temporary construction camps, bringing total bed capacity to approximately 450 persons. Average camp occupancy during September was between approximately 250 and 300 persons, with increased requirements expected over the next 12 months.
The company commissioned the potable water and sewage treatment plants over the quarter while also constructing the weeping tile bed. The lean concrete for the truck shop has been completed and work began on forming and pouring of the concrete walls for the surface maintenance shop equipment bay in preparation for standing structural steel columns scheduled to commence in October. The floor of the soon-to-be-relocated underground equipment shop was also formed and poured during the month of September.
Additional earthworks operations progressed on the contact water holding pond, with the removal of topsoil to bedrock. Drilling operations began to excavate the underlying bedrock to the design elevation. Earthworks also progressed on the Winn Bay treated water discharge pipeline and the waste rock and ore pad expansion.
Transmission Line
As announced on July 15, 2024, SaskPower and Foran are constructing a dedicated, 77km long power transmission line with 138 kV capacity originating from the Island Falls Hydro Generating Station, terminating at the McIlvenna Bay project site. This transmission line will have additional load capacity available, potentially enhancing economies of scale in any future expansion phases.
As part of the construction schedule, SaskPower has submitted the Environmental Impact Study (“EIS”) application, which is currently under review by the Ministry of the Environment. Comments from the Environmental Accreditation Board (“EAB”) have been received and are in progress of being responded to and addressed by mid-October. Long lead items such as pole structures have been ordered.
Engineering and Procurement
Detailed engineering is substantially complete on the mill foundation, process and paste plant buildings, treatment plants, roads, ponds, berms, and truck shop building. The remaining focus will be primarily on the civil, structural, architectural and electrical and instrumentation disciplines, which are related to the process plant. To date, total detailed engineering is approximately 78% complete.
Procurement work in progress stands at approximately 72% completed as of September 30, 2024. Several long-lead items, including major mill components and a portion of the project’s mobile mining equipment fleet, have been procured. Major construction packages remaining outstanding at the quarter end are steel installation and SMPEI packages for the process plant.
Underground Development & Pre-Production Mining
The Company successfully reached first ore over the quarter, with the first development round in ore blasted in September and contact locations reconciling favourably to the block model. The ore will remain underground before being hauled to surface in Q1/25. The Company is targeting to have approximately 275,000 tonnes of mineralized material in stockpile prior to ramp up in December 2025.
To-date, the Company has advanced approximately 752 metres of decline development and completed 623 metres of level development, for a total of 1,375 metres to-date, including metres advanced in the advanced exploration phase and prior to the start of the Phase 1 capital budget. The company remains focused on accelerating development rates by maintaining crews at full strength, with additional miners to fill unplanned contractor labour shortages. Efforts are also underway to reduce cycle times and ensure the operation of a reliable equipment fleet. The Company expects to complete approximately 1,200 metres of total development in Q4/24 and approximately 7,000 metres in 2025, which is expected to be sufficient to build the intended mill stockpile and ensure the required production stopes are accessible prior to scheduled production ramp up.
The collar of main surface ventilation fresh air raise has been established and has progressed down approximately 20 metres, reaching the sandstone layer. Concrete rings are now being installed at this elevation to ensure any potential water inflows are properly sealed.
Human Resources
As of September 30, 2024, 474 persons were employed by or contracted to Foran. Foran collects diversity employment data based on voluntary declaration. On this basis, 16% are female and 26% are Indigenous persons. 21% of our site employees and contractors are residents of Saskatchewan North.
Schedule and Budget
The project remains on schedule to start hot commissioning in H2/25 and commercial production in H1/26. The project’s main critical path activities include installation of the primary structural steel and cladding for the mill, installation of the SAG mill and Ball mill, installation of the copper and zinc flotation circuits and commissioning and the ramp up to commercial production.
As disclosed concurrently with the Formal Investment Decision made by the Company’s Board of Directors on July 15, 2024, the Phase 1 project capital costs have been estimated to completion at $826 million, excluding advanced exploration, early works and other costs incurred up to and including May 31, 2024. From June 1, 2024 to September 30, 2024, the Company incurred approximately $124.4 million of costs on an unaudited basis towards its Phase 1 Capital budget. As at September 30, 2024, a total of 29% of construction costs were committed.
As at September 30, 2024, the project has not drawn from its C$77M contingency reserve, resulting in an unused contingency of C$77M. As at the end of September 30, 2024 the total Phase 1 Capital Budget remains unchanged.
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