Update On Aguila Norte Plant Construction

 

TORONTO, ON - Duran Ventures Inc. reported on the construction of its 80% owned 100-tonne-per-day Aguila Norte mineral processing plant located in Northern Peru. The Company expects to finish construction of the plant by the end of March 2016. The commissioning phase would then start in early April with processing of third party mineral to commence shortly thereafter.

The civil works were completed in late 2015 to provide the base for the primary crushers and for the 6' X 6' ball mill. The primary and conical mineral crushers as well as the ball mill were delivered to site in mid-January and established on their respective concrete foundations.

The construction of the concrete foundations for the flotation cells, reactant tanks and secondary crushing circuit was completed in February. The remaining equipment - including the flotation cells - is built and purchased and is expected to be delivered to site shortly.

The surface rights agreement with the Peruvian government has been expanded and now includes the area where a long-term tailings storage will be located. The civil works for the tailings dam started in mid-February and is expected to be completed by the end of March. The initial capacity of the tailings area will be one year but will be expanded in the third quarter, 2016 to a capacity of an additional 5 years. Due to its favorable topography, the area can sustain increases to its tailings holding capacity to +20 years.

Duran is also pleased to announce that mineral purchases have commenced. The Company is currently reviewing additional sources of mineral with the objective of stockpiling a sufficient inventory of mineral to be processed once the plant commissioning phase is complete. The Company is very careful on the type of mineral being purchased. In order to process mineral, both proper documentation and metallurgical work are required from mineral suppliers. Currently, the Company is conducting detailed metallurgical work on several prospective mineral sources and working with small miners to improve metallurgical and logistical efficiencies in return for profit sharing agreements.

The Company will provide further updates as the plant construction approaches its final stages.