Brigus Gold Provides Fourth Quarter Update
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Brigus Gold Corp. ('Brigus? or the 'Company?) (NYSE Amex: BRD; TSX: BRD)
provides an update on its Black Fox Mine fourth quarter production.
The Black Fox Mine is expected to produce between 14,000 and 15,000
ounces in the fourth quarter of 2011. Production is lower than
anticipated due to a slower ramp up of underground production and
higher than expected dilution in the underground as the Company
develops and optimizes mining practices.
The average grade from the underground mine was 2.79 grams per tonne
(gpt) in October and November.
The open pit mine is performing as expected, delivering grades and
tonnage as per the mine plan. The grade from the open pit ore sent to
the mill was 2.71 gpt for October and November. Grades in the open pit
are expected to increase in 2012 as per the mine plan.
The mill is operating well with strong recoveries of 94% to 95% and
reasonably low downtime.
No ore was processed from low-grade stockpiles.
The Company continues to make changes to improve weak performance of
the underground mine. A new mine General Manager, with over 30 years
experience mining structurally controlled ore bodies, began working
with Brigus in early December. The new GM is focused on maximizing
underground production and minimizing dilution. A new underground
production geology team has been assembled and is making significant
progress with geologic interpretation and mine planning. As a result
of these and other actions, grades from the underground are now
improving.
The Company continues to hire skilled underground mining crews to
optimize its workforce.
The Company has sufficient cash flow to fund operating and development
needs and has recently completed a successful flow through financing.
'Increasing production at Black Fox is our top priority,? said Wade
Dawe, President and CEO of Brigus. 'Our senior management team is
focused on making improvements at the underground mine to ensure we meet
expectations going forward. Historically, the Black Fox underground mine
produced 211,000 ounces at an average grade of approximately 6 grams per
tonne over a four-year period from 1997 to 2001. Brigus′ geological
modeling underground confirms the quality and grade of the underground
ore body that has a reserve grade of 5.9 gpt as per the January 2011 NI
43-101. We are confident that we can produce results in line with those
achieved historically.?
Brigus continues to report excellent exploration results at the Black
Fox Complex. The Company released its initial NI 43-101 on the Contact
and 147 Zone deposits on December 15th increasing the resource on the
property by more than 50%.
About Brigus Gold
Brigus is a growing gold producer committed to maximizing shareholder
value through a strategy of efficient production, targeted exploration
and select acquisitions. The Company operates the wholly owned Black Fox
Mine and Mill in the Timmins Gold District of Ontario, Canada. The Black
Fox Complex encompasses the Black Fox Mine and adjoining properties in
the Township of Black River-Matheson, Ontario, Canada. Brigus is also
advancing the Goldfields Project located near Uranium City,
Saskatchewan, Canada, which hosts the Box and Athona gold deposits. In
Mexico, Brigus Gold has completed its transaction to sell a 75% interest
in the Ixhuatan Project located in the state of Chiapas to Cangold. In
the Dominican Republic, Brigus has signed an agreement to sell its
remaining interests in three mineral exploration projects.
Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements
Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts
are forward-looking statements that involve risk, uncertainties and
other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All
statements regarding the ability of the Company to achieve targeted gold
production at its Black Fox Mine, including underground production, are
forward-looking statements and estimates that involve various risks and
uncertainties. This forward-looking information includes, or may be
based upon, estimates, forecasts, and statements as to management's
expectations with respect to, among other things, the issue of permits,
the size and quality of the Company's mineral resources, progress in
development of mineral properties, future production and sales volumes,
capital and mine production costs, demand and market outlook for metals,
future metal prices and treatment and refining charges, and the
financial results of the Company.
Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially
from these forward-looking statements include environmental risks and
other factors disclosed under the heading 'Risk Factors? in Brigus
Gold′s most recent annual report on Form 10-K filed with the United
States Securities and Exchange Commission and elsewhere in Brigus Gold′s
documents filed from time to time with the Toronto Stock Exchange, the
NYSE Amex Equities, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission
and other regulatory authorities. All forward-looking statements
included in this news release are based on information available to the
Company on the date hereof. The Company assumes no obligation to update
any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable
securities laws.
Brigus Gold Corp.
Jennifer Nicholson, CA, 902-422-1421
Vice
President Investor Relations
jnicholson@brigusgold.com
or
Katherine
Burgess, 902-422-1421
Manager, Stakeholder Relations
kburgess@brigusgold.com