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Cogitore Resources Inc. updates
Estrades Project feasibility study
Cogitore Resources Inc. (the "Company") (WOO:TSX-V)
announces that engineering firm GENIVAR has delivered preliminary
results of a feasibility study on the company's 100% owned Estrades
Mining Lease in northwestern Quebec. The study consists of an exhaustive
evaluation of all costs involved with rehabilitating the former
producing Estrades mine, mining ore zones to a depth of 415 metres,
trucking the ore to a custom mill, producing and smelting three
base metal concentrates, and including costs of reclamation work
at the end of mining operations. The full feasibility report will
be filed on SEDAR in due course.
Following a positive scoping study completed in 2006
by Met-Chem Canada Inc., the Company completed some critical in-fill
drilling and then commissioned a NI43-101 compliant independent
resource calculation, which was delivered by Scott-Wilson RPA in
late 2006. Given the encouraging results of the resource calculations,
and in light of then prevailing zinc prices and also of existing
underground and surface infrastructure, the Company commissioned
GENIVAR to undertake a full feasibility study on the Estrades project.
The preliminary financial and sensitivity analysis prepared by
GENIVAR shows that the project has interesting economic potential
but is extremely sensitive to the exchange rate and to metal prices,
particularly to the price of zinc. To a lesser but still significant
extent, the project is also sensitive to zinc concentrate treatment
charges, to gold prices and to the price of diesel fuel for onsite
power generation and long haul trucking.
After reviewing the results, the Board and management
of the Company recognized that, although the deposit could become
a very valuable asset in the future, it is marginal at today's
zinc price and thus concluded that it was not in the best interests
of Company shareholders to move ahead with the project at this
time. Given the detailed engineering work done by GENIVAR and issuance
of a government Certificate of Authorization, the Company is, however,
in a good position to resume the study and the project could move
ahead quickly if warranted. The Company will continue monitoring
zinc prices and the availability of nearby custom milling facilities.
Mr. Mark Goodman, Executive Chairman of the Board
states "since engaging GENIVAR to undertake this study the price
of zinc has declined over 50% from $US2.00 to $US0.90, the Canadian
dollar has traded up to $US1.09 and the cost of diesel fuel has
approximately doubled. While the feasibility study showed positive
rates of return under certain circumstances, the Board deemed the
timing of placing this zinc deposit into production as unfavourable
and consequently has deferred the decision to move ahead until
zinc market conditions improve."
In the mean time, the Company will focus its efforts
in the area on exploring for additional deposits of the Estrades-type,
namely volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits with high precious
metal contents. In that respect, the adjoining Caribou Property
was acquired in 2007 and promising coincident targets were identified
this past winter (see press release of May 28, 2008).
Dr. Gérald Riverin, Cogitore's President and
CEO notes that "independent of market conditions, the discovery
of another massive sulphide lens enriched in base and precious
metals would have a dramatic positive impact on the risk profile
of returning the Estrades mine to production.
"A combination of two or more deposits sufficient
to justify a relatively short hydro line and/or central mill would
dramatically improve the economic threshold for the district."
Work is carried out by the personnel of Cogitore
Resources Inc., under the supervision of Gérald Riverin,
PhD, P.Geo. He is a qualified person (as defined by National Instrument
43-101) and has more than 30 years of experience in VMS exploration.
The Company has developed a strategic focus on base
metal exploration in prospective areas that also feature infrastructure
favourable for mining development. Accordingly, it will focus its
work in the Abitibi Belt of Quebec and Ontario, and in the Central
Belt of Newfoundland.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors:
Gérald Riverin, President & CEO
Telephone: 819-764-6666
Louis Morin, Director, Investor Relations
Telephone: 514-591-3988
The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does
not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
release.
SEDAR: 00020132E. CNW 30-MAY-08 ©2008 Cogitore Resources Inc. |