VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atico Mining
Corporation (the "Company" or "Atico") (TSX.V: ATY | OTCQX: ATCMF) announces its
operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2024 from its El Roble
mine. Production for the quarter totaled 3.34 million pounds of copper and
2,156 ounces of gold in concentrates, an increase of 44% for copper and a
decrease of 16% for gold, respectively, over the same period in 2023.
"The El Roble mine operated in line with set expectations for this quarter as we
improved on almost all metrics over the same period last year," said Fernando E.
Ganoza, CEO. "For the remainder of the year, the team will be focused on
optimizing production to take advantage of the higher metal price environment
and to deliver on this year's set guidance. In parallel, we continue to drill
new high-grade resources in the mine vicinity target areas. These new areas will
be incorporated into our mine plan as well as the new resource update which is
planned to be published imminently."
First Quarter Operational Highlights
* Production of 3.34 million pounds of copper contained in concentrates; an
increase of 44% over Q1 2023.
* Production of 2,156 ounces of gold contained in concentrates; a decrease of
16% over Q1 2023.
* Average processed tonnes per day of 811, an increase of 9% over Q1 2023.
* Copper head grade of 2.51%, an increase of 34% over Q1 2023.
* Gold head grade of 1.64 grams per tonne; a decrease of 25% over Q1 2023.
* Copper and gold recovery of 91.8% and 62.1%; an increase of 3% for copper
and 7% for gold, respectively, over Q1 2023.
First Quarter Operational Details
-----------------------------------------+---------+---------+----------
| Q1 2024 | Q1 2023 |
| Total | Total | % Change
-----------------------------------------+---------+---------+----------
Production (Contained in Concentrates) | | |
-----------------------------------------+---------+---------+----------
Copper (000s pounds) | 3,338 | 2,319 | 44%
-----------------------------------------+---------+---------+----------
Gold (ounces) | 2,156 | 2,566 | -16%
-----------------------------------------+---------+---------+----------
Mine | | |
-----------------------------------------+---------+---------+----------
Tonnes of ore mined | 64,873 | 60,568 | 7%
-----------------------------------------+---------+---------+----------
Mill | | |
-----------------------------------------+---------+---------+----------
Tonnes processed | 65,787 | 62,793 | 5%
-----------------------------------------+---------+---------+----------
Tonnes processed per day | 811 | 747 | 9%
-----------------------------------------+---------+---------+----------
Copper grade (%) | 2.51 | 1.88 | 34%
-----------------------------------------+---------+---------+----------
Gold grade (g/t) | 1.64 | 2.20 | -25%
-----------------------------------------+---------+---------+----------
Recoveries | | |
-----------------------------------------+---------+---------+----------
Copper (%) | 91.8 | 89.2 | 3%
-----------------------------------------+---------+---------+----------
Gold (%) | 62.1 | 57.9 | 7%
-----------------------------------------+---------+---------+----------
Concentrates | | |
-----------------------------------------+---------+---------+----------
Copper and Gold Concentrates (dmt) | 8,274 | 5,813 | 42%
-----------------------------------------+---------+---------+----------
| | |
-----------------------------------------+---------+---------+----------
Payable copper produced (000s lbs) | 3,137 | 2,180 | 44%
-----------------------------------------+---------+---------+----------
Note: Metal production figures are subject to adjustments based on final
settlement. The reported results are preliminary in nature and are awaiting
independent lab verification.
Concentrate Inventory
The number of shipments the Company can export in any given quarter depends on
several variables some of which the Company does not control, hence there may be
an inherent variability in tonnes shipped quarter to quarter.
-------------------------------+---------------
| Q1 2024 Total
-------------------------------+---------------
Amounts in dry metric tonnes |
-------------------------------+---------------
Opening inventory | 8,227
-------------------------------+---------------
Production | 8,274
|
Sales | -9,383
|
Number of shipments | 1
-------------------------------+---------------
Closing inventory | 7,002
-------------------------------+---------------
Note: Concentrate figures are subject to adjustments based on final settlement.
El Roble Mine
The El Roble mine is a high grade, underground copper and gold mine with nominal
processing plant capacity of 1,000 tonnes per day, located in the Department of
Choco in Colombia. Its commercial product is a copper-gold concentrate.
Since obtaining control of the mine on November 22, 2013, Atico has upgraded the
operation from a historical nominal capacity of 400 tonnes per day.
El Roble has Proven and Probable reserves of 1.00 million tonnes grading 3.02%
copper and 1.76 g/t gold, at a cut-off grade of 1.3% copper equivalent as of
September 30(th), 2020. Mineralization is open at depth and along strike and the
Company plans to further test the limits of the deposit.
On the larger land package, the Company has identified a prospective
stratigraphic contact between volcanic rocks and black and grey pelagic
sediments and cherts that has been traced by Atico geologists for ten
kilometers. This contact has been determined to be an important control on VMS
mineralization on which Atico has identified numerous target areas prospective
for VMS type mineralization occurrence, which is the focus of the current
surface drill program at El Roble.
Qualified Person
Mr. Thomas Kelly (SME Registered Member 1696580), advisor to the Company and a
qualified person under National Instrument 43-101 standards, is responsible for
ensuring that the technical information contained in this news release is an
accurate summary of the original reports and data provided to or developed by
Atico.
About Atico Mining Corporation
Atico is a growth-oriented Company, focused on exploring, developing and mining
copper and gold projects in Latin America. The Company generates significant
cash flow through the operation of the El Roble mine and is developing its high-
grade La Plata VMS project in Ecuador. The Company is also pursuing additional
acquisition of advanced stage opportunities. For more information, please
visit www.aticomining.com (http://www.aticomining.com/).
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Fernando E. Ganoza
CEO
Atico Mining Corporation
Trading symbols: TSX.V: ATY | OTCQX: ATCMF
Investor Relations
Igor Dutina
Tel: +1.604.633.9022
Neither 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.
No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the
contents of this news release. The securities being offered have not been, and
will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the ''U.S. Securities Act''), or any state securities laws, and may not
be offered or sold in the United States, or to, or for the account or benefit
of, a "U.S. person" (as defined in Regulation S of the U.S. Securities Act)
unless pursuant to an exemption therefrom. This press release is for information
purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an
offer to buy any securities of the Company in any jurisdiction.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements
This announcement includes certain "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than
statements of historical fact, included herein, without limitation the use of
net proceeds, are forward-looking statements. Forward- looking statements
involve various risks and uncertainties and are based on certain factors and
assumptions. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be
accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from
those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include
uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology,
continuity and grade of mineral deposits; uncertainty of estimates of capital
and operating costs; the need to obtain additional financing to maintain its
interest in and/or explore and develop the Company's mineral projects;
uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones for the Company's mineral
projects; and other risks and uncertainties disclosed under the heading "Risk
Factors" in the prospectus of the Company dated March 2, 2012 filed with the
Canadian securities regulatory authorities on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com
(http://www.sedar.com)
Â