Northcliff Resources of Vancouver says the feasibility study for its 100% owned Sisson tungsten-molybdenum project 60 km northwest of Fredericton confirms that a long life, open pit operation is technically and economically possible using bulk tonnage methods.

The study reports a pre-tax net present value of $714 million at an 8% discount rate, an internal rate of return of 20.4%, and a 4.1-year payback on initial capital expenditures of $579 million at long term metal prices of US$350/tonne for ammonium paratungstate (APT) and US$15/lb for molybdenum. On a post-tax basis, Sisson has a $418 million NPV, a 16.3% IRR and a 4.5-year payback on initial capital. (All values are expressed in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted.)

The Sisson property has a 334-million tonne proven and probable mineral reserve grading 0.066% WO3 and 0.21% Mo, containing 22.2 million tonnes of tungsten and 154.8 million lb molybdenum. Pre-production capital costs will total $578.8 million, chiefly for the mine, a concentrator and an APT plant.

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Chinatungsten reported that Northcliff Resources Ltd’s results of the Sisson Tungsten Project feasibility study puts it as one of the largest, outside of China, with 334 million metric tons of reserves containing 22.2 million metric tons of tungsten trioxide.

The company is moving toward beginning construction in 2014 and commissioning by 2016. It will be filing an Environmental Impact Assessment to both provincial and federal governments in the coming weeks.

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Canadian-based mineral-resource company Northcliff Resources Ltd. released the results of a feasibility study this week for its Sisson Tungsten-Molybdenum Project, which elevated the undeveloped deposit to one of the largest tungsten deposits outside of China.

Located in New Brunswick, Canada, the deposit holds 334 million metric tons of proven and probable reserves containing 22.2 million metric tons of tungsten trioxide and 154.8 million pounds of molybdenum at a net smelter return of $8.83 per ton, the company said. The mine life stands at 27 years.

“This is a significant development for Atlantic Canada,” said Chris Zahovskis, president and chief executive officer of Northcliff. “The fact that this project contemplates building an ammonium paratungstate plant, which would represent the first such plant in Canada, and this plant certainly has the opportunity to add value to the project.

“I think it has the opportunity to be catalyst for further economic growth in the province of New Brunswick, and I think that’s a very positive thing.”

Zahovskis pointed out that China, responsible for over 80% of the world’s tungsten supply, has restricted the export of tungsten.

“China has already stopped exporting tungsten ores and tungsten concentrates for many years so that move is what caused the spike of tungsten prices running up from late 2010 through 2011,” Zahovskis said. “It peaked at a historic high of $470 per metric ton and that was in response to China being very honest and saying ‘hey look, we’re going to look after our domestic needs,’ and I’ve attended tungsten conferences where they reiterate that point.”

While China holds an abundance of tungsten that it will not export, there is still global demand for the metal.

“So as a result, the rest of the world does need tungsten, most notably continents like Europe, North America and Japan, and they’re looking for somewhere to get long-term tungsten,” Zahovskis said. “So we think that having a deposit like Sisson, situated where it is, close to deep-water ports with good infrastructure, not only can supply that but is actually a strategic asset when you look at it in the long term.”

The company is moving toward beginning construction in 2014 and commissioning by 2016. It will be filing an Environmental Impact Assessment to both provincial and federal governments in the coming weeks.

Northcliff is also actively soliciting interest from certain parties looking to become joint-venture partners.

“For a company of our size, the capital build is significant, just under $600 million,” Zahovskis said. “It’s still modest by most mining standards I would say, but it’s a big number nonetheless for a company like Northcliff.”

Zahovskis also sees positives coming out of discussions with banks in terms of financing.

“There are other large tungsten projects that have secured or are in the process of securing financing,” Zahovskis said. “So we see that as a positive action because there is recognition that tungsten does have a bright future.”

Northcliff Looking To Hire Locally, Keeping Strong Relations With First Nations

New Brunswick’s unemployment rate has been dipping in the last few months, reaching 10.8% in December, but it remains more than 3 percentage points higher than Canada’s 7.3% unemployment rate for December.

Northcliff will be focusing on hiring locally, aiming for 300 workers to operate the mine and as high as 500 workers during the construction phase.

“New Brunswick is a very depressed area from an employment standpoint. There are a lot of people here with good skills and good trades backgrounds who cannot find jobs and are working in the oil sands,” Zahovskis said. “There’s no reason to think that we can’t attract 300 people in this area.”

The Sisson Project also offers workers the rare opportunity to work near home as the project is located 100 kilometers away from Fredericton, New Brunswick’s capital city.
There are several operating mines within the province, so there is a presence of skilled workers.

Zahovskis also stressed the importance of the company’s relationship with First Nation’s communities and their inclusion in many aspects of the project.

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Vital Metals – Quarterly report updates on Tungsten and gold projects

Vital Metals have updated the market on progress at the Watershed Tungsten and Doulina gold projects.

Test work on tungsten ore from Watershed appears to confirm the stability of the production process.  

Tungsten scheelite ores are relatively simple to process but the process still needs to be confirmed for the production of a DFS and the application for bank or other finance.

Other elements in place such as the Indigenous Land Use Agreement are in place and exploration looks encouraging.

Doulina:  drilling is on going at Doulina.with results expected at end March while column leach test work appears to show 90% gold extraction within a 30 day leach test.

Drill intersections and gold grades show good potential and while the resource is small further resource expansion should be seen from more drilling.

The company reports net cash of A$2.4m at the end of 2012.

Conclusion:  Vital Metals is making steady progress towards the potential development of the Watershed Tungsten mine.  Drilling at Doulina could turn up encouraging gold results and gives upside potential in Burkina Faso.  While progress must appear slow to investors the company has preserved its cash position through tough market conditions and appears well positioned for recovery.

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