Investor Insight
With focused and strategic exploration plans for both its Lucero and Clover projects and the successful sale of its Maverick Springs asset, Element79 has demonstrated a commitment to increasing shareholder value and a compelling case for investors.
Overview
Element79 Gold (CSE:ELEM,OTCQB:ELMGF,FSE 7YS0) is an exploration and development mining company with several exciting opportunities for strategic growth. First, is the potential for near-term production through its Lucero project in Peru. The Lucero mine is one of the highest-grade underground mines in Peru’s history and is on the fast track for resource development and production. Additionally, Element79 owns the Clover project in Nevada, creating further opportunities for long-term resource development. Third, and the most exciting business opportunity for the company yet, is the immediate-term resource development and production of the Lucero tailings. This has been facilitated recently by Element79’s agreement, through a letter of intent, with S.M.R.L. PALAZA 16 to purchase and process approximately 1.3 million tons of tailings from previous mines within the current Lucero mine area.
A globally experienced management team with a proven track record of success in developing operational mines leads Element79 Gold toward fully executing these strategic business opportunities.
Lucero is a past-producing, high-grade gold mine ready to reach production quickly. The mine operated between 1989 to 2005. Historic reports between 1998 and 2004 indicate that the mine produced approximately 18,800 ounces of gold and 435,000 ounces of silver per year at a head grade of19 grams per ton (g/t) gold equivalent. An NI 43-101 report prepared by a third party indicates grades up to 116.8 g/t gold equivalent. In addition to the potential of generating cash flow in the near term, the 10,805-hectare Lucero project also has high upside potential for further greenfield exploration.
Peru is considered a relatively stable mining jurisdiction, especially for smaller-scale operations. As mining is an essential aspect of the country’s GDP, Peru has developed a favorable regulatory regime for its mining industry. Element79 Gold is poised to benefit from the pro- mining jurisdiction as it moves the Lucero asset toward production.
Element79 Gold has engaged a Peruvian technical mining service provider, Ore Discovery LLC, to work in conjunction with Element79’s operations team. The 2023 site work included above-ground and underground mapping, sampling, trenching, drill site targeting on both better-known and unexplored vein systems, for exploration and de-risked resource development on the path toward ore extraction and near-term cash flow generation.
Assays from the underground sampling include results of up to 98 g/t gold and 2,034 g/t silver. Moreover, assays from March 2023 yielded 21-ore grade and high yield up to 11.7 ounces per ton gold and 247 ounces per ton silver, further validating the potential for a significant high- grade future operation.
In June 2023, Element79 further strengthened its portfolio in Peru with the acquisition of the 1,200-hectare Lucero del Sur 28, located strategically just east of the high-grade Lucero gold- silver project. Lucero del Sur 28 is a coveted area covering the Roxana vein, a vein dominated by white to hyaline quartz and altered rock clasts, with lesser amounts of limonite patinas, hematite, pyrite and jarosite.
In September 2024, Element79 signed a letter of intent with S.M.R.L. PALAZA 16 to purchase and process approximately 1.3 million tons of tailings currently controlled by Palaza at the Lucero Mine. This agreement marks the launch of a tailings reprocessing venture for Element79 and represents a significant economic opportunity for the company.
Element79’s secondary asset, the 100 percent owned Clover project, is located in the historic Midas mining district and comprises 169 unpatented claims over 3,063 acres in Elko County, Nevada. A well-known gold and silver producer since the early 1900s, the Midas district has yielded more than 2 million ounces of gold between 1998 and 2013.
The company also previously held the Maverick Springs project in Nevada. Acquired by Element79 in December 2021 for an adjusted cost of C$3.34 million, the project was sold to Sun Silver Resources (ASX:SS1) in May 2024 for C$4.4 million cash and 3.5 million shares of SS1 priced at 0.20 AUD.
A powerhouse management team leads Element79 Gold with a track record of experience and success. Kim Kirkland, COO and former VP global exploration, has held executive and lead operations-focused engineering roles with some of the world’s largest mining companies, including Barrick Gold, Rio Tinto Group, MMG, Amec Foster Wheeler PLC and McEwen Mining. Kirkland has served as project lead with extensive South American experience, who can proficiently lead exploration programs and mining operations through milling, extraction/concentration and optimization/beneficiation.
Antonio Maragakis, former COO and director, now advisor, has held director-level positions at miners with multi-billion dollar portfolios, including Barrick Gold Corporation and Koch Industries. He has also built a leading global mining engineering consultancy, Mine Plus Group, as well as a private mining fund focused on near-term production development projects, MFD Holdings SA.
Shane Williams, strategic advisor, brings a history of significant value creation in early-stage and operating companies and currently heads West Red Lake Gold (TSXV:WRLG) as president and CEO. Combined, Element79 Gold has the right experts to fully realize its assets’ potential.
Company Highlights
Element79 Gold Corp is an exploration and development mining company with a high- grade gold and silver flagship project with near-term resource development and cash flow potential.The company’s Lucero project in Peru has historical high-grade results and provides opportunities for both near-term revenue and future greenfield exploration.Lucero has historically produced 18,800 ounces of gold and 435,000 ounces of silver per year at 19 grams per ton gold equivalent.Peru is considered a safe jurisdiction for mining operations due to a pro-mining government that recognizes the industry’s economic contributions.Element79 Gold also owns the Clover project, a notable exploration asset in the Midas Mining District, Battle Mountain, Nevada, USA.A powerhouse management team leads the company toward fully developing its asset portfolio.
Key Projects
Lucero Gold Project
The 10,813-hectare project in southern Peru presents near-term cash flow potential as it moves toward production. Lucero operated as a high-grade gold mine between 1989 and 2005 and remains partially unexplored. As a result, the asset is in a unique position to start generating revenue while also providing future growth opportunities with additional exploration.
Project Highlights
Encouraging Historic Results: Reports from 1998 to 2004 indicate production averaging roughly 18,800 ounces of gold and 435,000 ounces of silver per year, with grades of 14.0 g/t gold and 373 g/t silver. Additionally, the asset contains recoveries at the ore processing facility averaging 94.5 percent for gold and 85.5 percent for silver for near-term cash flow.Unique Geology: Lucero hosts 74 recognized epithermal veins, 14 of which have been partially exploited. The project is a low-sulphidation epithermal gold-silver deposit hosted within tertiary volcanics in the Central Andes Cordillera of southern Peru. The project also hosts unexplored high-sulphidation style mineralization, which has returned surface samples up to 33.6 g/t gold.Promising Resource Estimate: A third-party NI 43-101 report indicates grades up to116.8 g/t gold equivalent, or 78.7 g/t gold and 2,856 g/t silver. Element79 Gold is moving towards production to capitalize on these resources.Strategic Partnership: Element79 signed a letter of intent with Palaza for the exclusive purchase and processing of about 1.3 million tons of tailings at Lucero, representing a significant economic opportunity.
Clover Gold Property
The Clover Property is located in the historic Midas mining district in Nevada, which has been producing gold and silver since the early 1900s, It is 16 kilometers west of Hecla Mining Company’s Midas Mine, the largest known gold-silver epithermal deposit along the Northern Nevada Rift. Mineralization at the property is classified as low-sulphidation, vein-hosted, epithermal gold mineralization similar to that found at the Midas deposit as it is found within a similar geologic setting. Gold and silver mineralization at the Midas Mine is hosted in several northwest-striking veins. Between 1998 and 2013, the main veins produced over 2 million ounces of gold.
A $6.7-million program is planned for the Clover Property focused on data compilation, construction of geologic and resource models, and a 10,000-meter drilling program followed by a mineral resource estimate and NI 43-101 compliant preliminary economic assessment.
Project Highlights
Consists of 169 unpatented claims encompassing 3,063 acres.Located in the historic Midas Mining District, which has been producing gold and silver since the early 1900s, along the northeast trending Getchell Trend that bridges the northwestern ends of the Carlin and Battle Mountain Trends and contains Nevada Gold’s active Turquoise Ridge Mine, the third largest gold mine in the US with 537,000 ounces of gold production reported in 2020.Drilling by previous operators intersected mineralized and veined breccias and shear zones with significant intercepts including 9.7 meters grading 25.3 g/t gold, 7.6 meters of7.9 g/t gold and 3 meters of 10 g/t gold.Work to date by Element79 found that the property has ubiquitous expressions of precious metals and pathfinder elements in rock chip, soil geochemistry and drill hole intercepts consistent with the Midas, Hollister and other classical epithermal systems.
Management Team
James C. Tworek – Chief Executive Officer and Director
James Tworek has held director, senior management, analytical and operations roles in both public and private companies. A quick study and entrepreneurial to the bone, his 25-year career started in banking in 1998 and has since garnered a wealth of experience across diverse industries between commercial banking, mining, project finance, mezzanine debt, oil and gas, clean water/envirotech and hemp/legal cannabis industries. He has investing experience in real estate, private equity, private mining, startup generation, tech and agricultural ventures. A team leader driven by results, Tworek has built his career on successfully executing development and corporate growth targets, exceeding sales objectives, and being mindful of ensuring open communication, honesty and integrity with investors and stakeholders.
Tammy Gillis – Chief Financial Officer
Tammy Gillis is a CPA, CMA with over 20 years of experience in the public markets bringing a comprehensive background in finance, reporting and regulatory requirements for manufacturing, bio-technology, technology and junior exploration industries. Gillis has been part of teams that have completed several financings, grant applications and acquisition transactions. Ms. Gillis started her career working at a corporate and securities law firm. Gillis previously served as corporate accountant for an international manufacturing company that had revenue in excess of
$120 million and as chief financial officer for a technology company with patented cathode materials used in lithium-ion batteries that successfully built a pilot plant with the assistance of over $4 million in government grants. Ms. Gillis has served as an officer for several TSXV and CSE-listed issuers.
Kim Kirkland – Chief Operating Officer, QP
Kim Kirkland’s track record spans senior executive and lead engineering roles at some of the world’s largest mining companies. Key highlights of Kirkland’s work history include:
Barrick Gold Corporation – Involved during the early growth and innovation years at the Goldstrike Complex, including the development and maintenance of the open-pit mineral reserve model for the Betze-Post Mine Rio Tinto Group – La Granja Copper Project in northern Peru, held a senior management position at the Benga MineMMG Ltd. – regional manager at the Las Bambas Copper Mine in PeruAmec Foster Wheeler Plc – Marcobre SAC’s Mina Justa Mine ProjectMcEwen Mining – Responsible for the restructuring of the El Gallo Silver Project (later renamed to Fenix) in Sinaloa, Mexico, as the director of project development.
Neil Pettigrew – QP, Director
Neil Pettigrew is a professional geologist in good standing, registered in Ontario, with over 20 years of experience in the mineral exploration industry. He received his Honors B.Sc. from the University of New Brunswick and his M.Sc. from the University of Ottawa. Pettigrew has been employed as a senior precambrian geoscientist with the Ontario Geological Survey and has worked for several junior and major companies in gold and Cu-Ni-PGE exploration. He has held officer and director positions at several TSX and TSXV-listed junior companies and currently sits as vice-president of exploration and director of GT Resources (formerly, Palladium One Mining)
Zara Kanji – Director
Zara Kanji is a founder of Zara Kanji & Associates (established in 2004). Kanji is experienced in financial reporting compliance for junior listed resource companies, personal and corporate taxation, general accounting, financial reporting and value-added operational consulting services for individuals, and private and public companies. Prior to starting her accounting practice, Kanji served as a controller for a marketing company, as an accountant in public practice for a CA firm, a CGA firm and as an analyst for a pension fund. In addition to providing accounting and financial compliance services to private and public entities, Kanji has served as director and officer for several listed issuers.
Warren Levy – Director
Warren Levy brings more than 23 years of experience developing major and private companies in resource development across the Americas. He has achieved significant milestones and successes centered around community engagement, sustainable development of infrastructure, energy and natural resource development. Levy is the current CEO of Frontier Advisory, an advisory firm providing energy policy advocacy, sustainability, market entry, capital raising and technical support to responsible natural resource and social development around Latin America. He is also former CEO of Jaguar E&P, as well as former CEO of Pentanova Petroleum.
Antonios (Tony) Maragakis – Strategic Advisor
Antonios Maragakis completed his PhD at the University of Delft, MSc at the University of Bath, his B.Sc and B.A. at the University of Nevada, and executive training at the London Business School. He brings with him more than 15 years of experience leading some of the largest mining megaprojects in the last decade. Maragakis holds a distinguished resume, including management and director-level positions overseeing multibillion-dollar project portfolios internationally at organizations, such as:
Barrick Gold (NYSE Listed), where he led project controls in North America across a portfolio of more than 70 projects worth over $2.3 billion.Skeena Resources (TSX Listed), where he worked closely with executive leadership to develop the Eskay Creek Project and corporate processes and management systems.Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE Listed), where he helped develop the $3-billion Indonesian Copper Smelter Project which includes a two-million-ton/annum smelter and precious metal recovery plant.Eldorado Gold (TSX, NYSE Listed), where he was project director for the over $1-billion Skouries Project, as well as led the operational turnaround of the Kassandra Mines.Koch Industries (the largest privately held company in the US), at its subsidiary, Koch Ag. & Energy Solutions, where he helped execute the Enid Expansion Megaproject, at the time the largest capital project ever undertaken by the entire Koch Industries conglomerate.Mochica Resources and Calipuy Resources (private Peruvian gold mines) where he oversaw the development of various project portfolios.
Shane Williams – Strategic Advisor
Shane Williams carries a history of significant value creation in both early-stage and operating companies, which includes senior executive and management roles overseeing and delivering world-class, multibillion-dollar projects at highly prominent companies, including: chief operation officer at Skeena Resources (NYSE Listed), Eskay Creek Project; former senior vice-president at Eldorado Gold (NYSE Listed), $2-billion global project portfolio; former general manager of expansion projects at Rio Tinto (NYSE Listed), $2.5-billion CAPEX; and former vice-president of projects at Kaunis Iron AB, $800-million flagship Kaunisvarra Iron Ore Project.
Kevin Arias – Strategic Advisor
With over two decades of experience across industries such as mining, energy and corporate finance, Kevin Arias brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the company. His strong background in business development, investor relations, securities and corporate communications, combined with a proven track record in raising over C$100 million since 2008, positions him as a valuable addition to the Element79 team.