Matamec Announces Results of Positive Feasibility Study for Kipawa JV Heavy Rare Earth Project

MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Sep 4, 2013) - Matamec Explorations Inc. ("Matamec" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:MAT)(MHREF) is pleased to announce the positive results of the Feasibility Study ("FS") for the Kipawa Joint Venture ("JV") Heavy Rare Earth Elements Project ("HREE") ("the Project"). The FS was prepared by Roche Ltd. and GENIVAR Inc. and supported by SGS Geostat and Golder Associates Ltd. FS results show that the Project is technically and economically feasible. An analyst's conference call will be held today at 10:00 a.m. ET. All numbers are reported in Canadian dollars unless otherwise stated.

The goal of the Kipawa JV is to supply Toyota Tsusho Corp. ("TTC") with heavy rare earths such as dysprosium which is indispensable for hybrid and electric vehicles. The JV partners are presently in discussions and evaluating next steps to advance the project.

KIPAWA HREE PROJECT - FS FINANCIAL MODEL HIGHLIGHTS

Net Present Value (NPV10%) (Pre-Tax)

$260 million

Internal Rate of Return (IRR) (Pre-Tax)

21.6%

Revenue

$2.55 billion

EBITDA

$1.37 billion

CAPEX (initial)

$374 million

OPEX (annual)

$78.5 million

Payback Period (Pre-Tax)

3.9 years

Life of Mine (LOM)

15.2 years

Concentrate Production (annual avg.)

3,653 tonnes

  • The Company is committed to bringing the IRR above 25% by continuing to reduce the required CAPEX and OPEX, while optimizing the overall recovery rate.

"Matamec has achieved a major milestone today in its 16-year history as the feasibility study shows that the Kipawa project is technically and economically feasible," said Andre Gauthier, President and CEO of Matamec. "The Company has strategically developed a solid business plan which includes a moderate CAPEX and a manageable scale of annual tonnage while ensuring the required environmental standards are met. With the completion of the feasibility study results, we will continue to work with the citizens of the Temiscamingue area to present the economic benefits this project will create for the region. Matamec is committed to building a sustainable organization with a particular focus on green energy applications."

ECONOMIC SUMMARY OF 2012 PEA VERSUS 2013 FEASIBILITY STUDY RESULTS

Metric

PEA Quantity March 2012

FS Quantity August 2013

Unit

Total Mine Revenue

2.822

2.548

$ billion

EBITDA

1.68

1.37

$ billion

Pre-production Capital Expenditures (initial)

315.8

374.4

$ million

Sustaining Capital Expenditures (incl. rehab.)

38.2

37.7

$ million

Additional Working Capital Requirement

9.9

11.2

$ million

Mine Rehabilitation Costs

7.5

23.1

$ million

Total Operating Costs

1.142

1.181

$ billion

Total Before-tax Cash Flow

1.335

960

$ million

Total Basket Price after discount

42.08

50.12

$ /kg

HREO* Basket Price - concentrate

-

39.79

$ /kg

LREO** Basket Price - concentrate

-

10.33

$ /kg

Economics (Pre-Tax)

IRR

36.9

21.6

%

NPV @ (PEA 5%) (FS 6%)

811

450

$ million

NPV @ 8%

606

344

$ million

NPV @ 10%

500

260

$ million

NPV @ 12%

-

191

$ million

Payback Period

2.4

3.88

years

Economics (After-Tax)

IRR

-

16.8

%

NPV @ (PEA 5%) (FS 6%)

-

257

$ million

NPV @ 8%

-

185

$ million

NPV @ 10%

-

128

$ million

NPV @ 12%

-

81

$ million

Payback Period

-

4.12

years

Mining

Mineral reserves

19.00

19.77

millions of tonnes

Production rate (ore)

4,110

3,650

tonnes per day

Life of Mine

12.9

15.2

years

Total CAPEX (based on 3,653 tpa)

86.50

102.57

$ /kg (+18%)

Total OPEX (based on 3,653 tpa)

24.44

21.53

$ /kg (-13%)

Total Operating Costs

24.44

21.53

$ /kg

General and Administration

8.84

11.6

$ million per year

Mining

16.61

18.1

$ million per year

Process

58.35

48.7

$ million per year

Total Recovery Rate***

81

70

%

Heavy average

-

74

%

Light average

-

65

%

*HREO - Heavy Rare Earth Oxide (Sm, Eu, Gd, Er, Tb, Dy, Ho, Yb, Tm, Lu and Y).

**LREO - Light Rare Earth Oxide (Ce, La, Nd and Pr).

***Samples used for PEA represent only the Western part of the deposit whereas FS samples represent the whole deposit.


KIPAWA JV FEASIBILITY STUDY RESULTS HIGHLIGHTS

Environmental and Permitting Process
A complete environmental baseline study will be finalized by fall 2013; Environmental and Social Impact Assessment is subjected to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, which will be available Q1 2014. The project notice to begin the Federal environmental permitting process was submitted before the end of Q1 2013 and the official application for the Certificate of Authorization to the Provincial "Ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement, de la Faune et des Parcs" (MDDEFP) is planned to be submitted by winter 2014.

Social Acceptability
Since 2009, Matamec has been committed to engaging the Temiscamingue communities to include and take into consideration their concerns in the development of the Project.

Mineral Resource Estimates
Total measured and indicated resource now stands at 23.857 million tonnes at 0.407% Total Rare Earth Oxide (TREO) representing 88% of total resource.

Mineral Reserve
Mine - total projected ore tonnage is 19.8 million tonnes with a TREO diluted grade of 0.4105%.

Mining
Projected to produce an avg. 1.33 million tonnes of ore per year (3,650 tonnes per day) and avg. stripping ratio of 0.94 with 15.2 years mine life (excluding pre-production period).

Metallurgical Plant Site
The final products of the process plant will be a chloride concentrate of HREE and a concentrate of LREO. FS results show a lower recovery compared to the PEA study, but it also shows that the process is working for the entire ore body, and highlights where the process has to be optimized in order to improve the recovery. From the previous results, a new Master Composite of ore is ready for further piloting planned for fall 2013 to improve the process.

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT - PLANNED NEXT STEPS

Milestone

Timeline

Second Pilot Plant

Fall 2013

Environmental and Social Impact Study

Q1 2014

Environmental Process - Federal and Provincial

Now to Q1 2015

Development of off-take agreement

2014

Financing CAPEX Process

2014

Detailed Engineering

2014 to mid-2015

Construction of Mine

Q1 2015 to Q4 2016

Start-up of Mining Operation

Q4 2016

Mr. Gauthier commented, "The Company will work with government authorities to ensure that all required areas are covered to receive environmental permits. We have assembled a highly qualified team who are focused on identifying every risk possible to ensure the environment is given the utmost respect and protected for future generations. The Company will continue its outreach efforts with the community which we have been developing over the past four years to create greater comprehension and visibility for the project. We welcome and value the concerns of the citizens of the Temiscamingue region and look forward to working together in building a sustainable plan."