February 2, 2009 |
High River Gold Provides Update on Operations |
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Feb. 2, 2009) - High River Gold Mines Ltd. ("High River" or the "Company") (TSX:HRG) would like to provide an update on the operating status of its four gold mines:
Operations Update
Taparko
The scheduled mill shutdown occurred from January 10 to January 21, 2009. During that time, remedial action was undertaken to resolve the mill drive-train vibration problem, with the assistance of a specialized mill consultant present at the mine-site. The net result of this activity has been a reduction in vibrations to acceptably safe levels in the electric motor and the gearbox, but vibration levels on the pinion and bull gears remain higher than acceptable. As per the consultant's recommendations, a wear compound will be applied to the pinion and bull gears to improve the meshing of the gears which should reduce vibration levels to acceptable levels. This treatment is currently scheduled for early February. The mill was restarted on January 21, 2009 and has been largely running at 90 to 100 tonnes per hour, i.e. approximately 72% to 80% of the quoted design capacity of 125 tonnes per hour. Operations management believe that the original design capacity of 1,000,000 tonnes per year is not attainable, and that the mill throughput rate going forward is likely limited to 800,000 tonnes per year, or approximately 100 tonnes per hour assuming a 92% mill availability. January gold production at Taparko is expected to total approximately 5,100 ounces.
Berezitovy
As first described in a January 2, 2009 press release, throughput and recoveries at the mill have suffered due to: too coarse a grind from the mill, and to mining in the pit encompassing the old underground workings which resulted in fragments of the old timbers entering the process plant. As well, the disc filter plant continues to perform poorly, despite the new filter cloth, and a permanent solution needs to be implemented. The Company continues to undertake remedial actions to correct these problems.
Additionally, on January 28, 2009, an unplanned shutdown of the ball mill occurred due to damage to the clutch disks. The date of restart of the mill will depend on availability and timing of arrival of appropriate spare parts. Gold production at Berezitovy for the month of January is expected to be approximately 5,900 ounces.
Buryatzoloto (Zun-Holba and Irokinda)
The Zun-Holba and Irokinda underground gold mines have reported no material challenges or shortcomings in their operations and continue to operate according to plan.
About High River
High River is a gold company with interests in producing mines, mines under development, and advanced exploration projects in Burkina Faso and Russia.
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This release and subsequent oral statements made by and on behalf of the Company may contain forward-looking statements. Wherever possible, words such as "intends", "expects", "scheduled", "estimates", "anticipates", "believes", and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this release reflect management's current beliefs based upon information currently available to management and based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, High River cannot be certain that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. A number of factors could cause events and achievements to differ materially from the results expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully and prospective investors should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve significant known and unknown risks, assumptions and uncertainties that may cause High River's actual results, event, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although High River has attempted to identify important risks and factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors and risks that cause actions, events or results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release, and High River assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, unless otherwise required by law. | |