Banro Files NI 43-101 Technical Report for Twangiza Relating to Previously Announced 59% Increase in Twangiza Mineral Reserves and Twangiza Mine Life Extension to 14 Years

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Jul 29, 2015) - Banro Corporation ("Banro" or the "Company") (NYSE MKT:BAA)(BAA.TO) announces that it has filed on SEDAR a National Instrument 43-101 technical report in respect of the Company's Twangiza gold mine, which follows the Mineral Reserve update for Twangiza announced by the Company in its June 8, 2015 press release. This report, which was prepared by SRK Consulting (UK) Limited ("SRK"), is dated July 29, 2015 and entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report, Mineral Resource and Reserve Update, December 31 2014, Twangiza Gold Mine, Democratic Republic of the Congo" (the "Technical Report").

Highlights

  • As previously reported in Banro's June 8, 2015 press release, as at December 31, 2014, Twangiza Proven and Probable Reserves increased 59% to 1.64 million ounces ("Moz") of gold (22.38Mt @ 2.28g/t Au) with the inclusion of non-oxide materials in the reserve pit shell which are now considered to be economically treatable with the existing plant.

  • Total gold production of 1,246,311 ounces over 14 years, with an average annual production of 108,733 ounces of gold over the first 5 years.

  • Average total cash operating costs over the current life of mine of US$699/ounce, with total cost per ounce over the current life of mine of US$888/ounce.

  • Post-tax net present value ("NPV") of US$285 million based on a 5% discount rate and a gold price of US$1,200 per ounce.

''The reserve growth at Twangiza has been achieved through the proven ability of the current plant in late 2014 to economically process a blend of non-oxide materials existing within the reserve pit shell. These processing capabilities have been further built upon in the first half of 2015. These ongoing achievements have extended the mine life of the current installed operations to 14 years, and provide a continuously strengthening foundation for future optimization and the possible future expansion of the existing Twangiza operations," commented Banro CEO and President, John Clarke.

Twangiza Mine Overview

The Twangiza mine, which is 100% wholly-owned by Banro, is located in the South Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ("DRC"), some 35 kilometres west of the Burundi Border and 45 kilometres to the south-southwest of Bukavu, the provincial capital. The Twangiza property consists of six exploitation permits totalling 1,156 square kilometres which are wholly-owned by Twangiza Mining SA, a DRC subsidiary of Banro. The Twangiza project poured its first gold in October 2011. The mine commenced with a refurbished plant designed primarily to process oxide material at 1.3Mtpa. Since commissioning, the plant has been improved and expanded to 1.7Mtpa and has been shown to be able to process a blend of oxide material with harder non-oxide material comprising partially weathered transitional rock containing residual sulphides and fresh rock containing sulphides.