UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
FORM 6-K
Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
CIK # 878518
As at January 11, 2007
TASEKO MINES LIMITED
800 West Pender Street, Suite 1020
Vancouver , British Columbia
Canada V6C 2V6
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports
under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F...X.... Form 40-F.........
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper
as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): ____
Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of
a Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to security
holders.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper
as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): ____
Indicate by check mark whether by furnishing the information contained in
this Form, the registrant is also thereby furnishing the information to the
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934.
Yes ..... No .....
If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the
registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82- ________
Signatures
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant
has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized.
By: /s/ Jeffrey R. Mason
Director and Chief Financial Officer
Date: January 11, 2007
Print the name and title of the signing officer under his signature.
------
1020 - 800 W Pender St.
Vancouver BC
Canada V6C 2V6
Tel 604 684 - 6365
Fax 604 684 - 8092
Toll Free 1 800 667 - 2114
www.tasekomines.com
480 MILLION TONNES OF MINERAL RESERVES AT
TASEKO'S PROSPERITY GOLD-COPPER PROJECT
January 11, 2007,
Vancouver, BC
- Taseko Mines Limited ("Taseko" or the "Company") (TSX: TKO;
AMEX: TGB) announces the positive results of a pre-feasibility level study
of its 100% owned Prosperity gold-copper project (the "Prosperity Project"),
indicating that the property hosts proven and probable reserves of 480 million
tonnes grading 0.43 grams Au/tonne and 0.22% Cu at a C$4.00 net smelter return
per tonne (NSR/t) cut-off.
The Prosperity Project is located 125 km southwest of the City of Williams
Lake in the Cariboo-Chilcotin region of British Columbia, Canada.
The pre-feasibility study was done using long term metal prices of US$1.50/lb
for copper, US$500/oz for gold, and an exchange rate of US$0.80/C$1.00.
Project
Highlights
- Located near existing infrastructure in south-central
British Columbia
- Pre-tax net present value of C$300 million at 7.5% discount
rate
- Pre-tax internal rate of return of 14% with a 6 year payback
- 19 year mine life at a milling rate of 70,000 tonnes per day
- Life of mine strip ratio of 0.8:1
- Total pre-production capital cost of C$756 million
- Operating cost of C$5.78 per tonne milled over the life
of mine
- Mine site production costs net of gold credits of
US$0.48/lb Cu
The mineral reserves estimated from the study:
Prosperity Mineral Reserves at C$4.00 NSR/t Cut-off |
|||||
Category |
Tonnes (millions) |
Gold (gpt) |
Copper (%) |
Recoverable |
|
Gold Ounces (millions) |
Copper Pounds (billions) |
||||
Proven |
280 |
0.47 |
0.25 |
2.9 |
1.3 |
Probable |
200 |
0.36 |
0.18 |
1.6 |
0.7 |
Total |
480 |
0.43 |
0.22 |
4.5 |
2.0 |
The reserve
estimate takes into consideration all geologic, mining, milling, and economic
factors, and is stated according to Canadian standards (NI43-101). (Under
US standards no reserve declaration is possible until a full feasibility study
is completed and financing and permits are acquired.)
Russell Hallbauer, President and CEO of Taseko, said "These results are
a key step towards demonstrating the viability of our Prosperity project.
While there is still more work required to complete the feasibility study,
there is significant opportunity held within this asset and we are confident
that the economics will be further improved at the full feasibility study
level. These additional copper and gold reserves, when combined with the 1.5
billion pounds of copper in the Gibraltar reserves1, further strengthen
Taseko's position for growth."
Pre-Production and Mine Plan
The pre-feasibility
level study incorporates activities during a pre-production period of two
years which include construction of the electricity transmission line; upgrading
and extension of current road access and mine site clearing; site infrastructure,
processing, and tailings starter dam construction; removal and storage of
overburden; and pre-production waste development.
The mine plan utilizes a large-scale conventional truck shovel open pit mining
and milling operation. Following a one year pre-strip period, total material
moved over years 1 through 16 averages 145,000 tonnes/day at a strip ratio
of 1.1:1. A declining net smelter return cut-off is applied to the mill feed
which defers lower grade ore for later processing. The lower grade ore is
recovered from stockpile for the final 3 years of the mine plan. The life
of mine strip ratio including processing of lower grade ore is 0.8:1.
Processing and Infrastructure
The Prosperity
processing plant has been designed with a nominal capacity of 70,000 tonnes
per day. The plant consists of a single 12-meter diameter semi-autogenous
grinding (SAG) mill, three 7.3-meter diameter ball mills, followed by processing
steps that include bulk rougher flotation, regrinding, cleaner flotation,
thickening and filtering to produce a copper-gold concentrate.
Expected metallurgical recovery is 88% for copper and 69% for gold, with annual
production averaging 100 million pounds copper and 235,000 ounces gold over
the 19 year mine life.
The copper-gold
concentrate would be hauled with highway trucks to an expanded load-out facility
at McLeese Lake for rail transport to various points of sale, but mostly through
the Port of Vancouver for shipment to smelters/refineries around the world.
Power would be supplied via a new 124 km long, 230 kV transmission line from
Dog Creek on the BC Hydro Grid. Infrastructure would also include the upgrade
of sections of the existing road to the site, an on-site camp, equipment maintenance
shop, administration office, concentrate storage building, warehouse, and
explosives facilities.
Based on this study, the project would employ up to 485 permanent hourly and
staff personnel. In addition, approximately 70 contractor personnel would
be employed in areas including catering, concentrate haulage, explosives delivery,
and bussing.
Mineral
Resources
The Proven and Probable Reserves above are included in the following Measured
and Indicated Mineral Resources. The Mineral Resources are as outlined by
drilling to date, and estimated at a 0.14% Cu cut-off.
Prosperity Mineral Resources at 0.14% Copper Cut-off |
|||
Category |
Tonnes (millions) |
Gold (gpt) |
Copper (%) |
Measured |
547.1 |
0.46 |
0.27 |
Indicated |
463.4 |
0.34 |
0.21 |
Total |
1,010.5 |
0.41 |
0.24 |
Supporting
Work
The Mineral Reserves are based on an update of the 2000 Kilborn SNC Lavalin
feasibility study incorporating a 2006 SNC Lavalin Mill redesign and costing
study.
Geology and mineral resources were reviewed and updated for the study by G.H.
Giroux, MASc., P.Eng.
Mineral reserves, mine planning and design aspects were developed by John
Nilsson, M.Sc., P.Eng., in conjunction with staff at the Gibraltar Mine.
2000 mill
process and plant design work was done in accordance with criteria provided
by Melis Engineering Ltd. and done by Kilborn SNC Lavalin (now called SNC
Lavalin) under the supervision of Ross Banner, P.Eng. Greg McCunn, P.Eng.,
supervised the 2006 mill redesign work of SNC Lavalin.
Metallurgical testwork, completed in the early 1990's, was conducted by
Lakefield Research Limited (now called SGS Lakefield) under the supervision
of Melis Engineering Ltd. This work was reviewed by SGS Lakefield, SNC Lavalin,
and Taseko for the purposes of this study.
Tailings, water supply and geotechnical studies were conducted by Knight Piesold Ltd., under the supervision of Ken Brouwer, P.Eng.
The resource
and reserve estimation was reviewed by Scott Jones, P.Eng., General Manager
of Project Development for
Taseko and a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101. Mr Jones has
verified the methods used to determine grade and tonnage in the geological
model, reviewed the long range mine plan, and directed the updated economic
evaluation. The NI 43-101 technical report documenting these results will
be filed on www.sedar.com within 45 days.
All of the above are independent of the Company except for Mr McCunn and Mr
Jones.
Current Work
An updated, detailed feasibility study is being performed by Hatch Associates,
incorporating the 2000 SNC Lavalin feasibility study, 2006 SNC Lavalin Mill
redesign, and a re-optimized pit plan was commissioned by Taseko in October
2006. Work is currently in progress with completion anticipated in May 2007.
An environmental assessment under the Canadian and British Columbia Environmental
Assessment Acts is in progress. Multidisciplinary work teams have gathered
new data and are validating previous work in the area where the project will
be developed. Submission of the Environmental Impact Assessment is scheduled
for April 30, 2007.
For further details on Taseko Mines Limited, please visit the Company's
website at www.tasekomines.com or contact Investor Services at (604) 684-6365
or within North America at 1-800-667-2114.
Russell Hallbauer
President and CEO
------------
1 Recoverable copper in Gibraltar's
proven and probable reserves of 256.4 million tonnes grading 0.318% copper
and 0.010% molybdenum, as at October 1, 2006 as estimated at a 0.20% copper
cut-off and 87% copper recovery.
No regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained
in this news release.
Cautionary and Forward Looking Information
Comments
All information
contained in this press release relating to the contents of the pre-feasibility
study, including but not limited to statements of the Prosperity Project's
potential and information such as capital and operating costs, production
summary, and financial analysis, are "forward looking statements"
within the definition of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. The information relating to the possible construction of mine
and plant facilities also constitutes such "forward looking statements."
The pre-feasibility study was prepared to broadly quantify the Prosperity
Project's capital and operating cost parameters and to provide guidance
on the type and scale of future project engineering and development work that
will be needed to ultimately define the project's likelihood of a positive
feasibility determination and optimal production rate. It was not prepared
to be used as a valuation of the Prosperity Project nor should it be considered
to be a final feasibility study on which a commercial production decision
could be made. The capital and operating cost estimates which were used have
been developed only to an approximate order of magnitude based on generally
understood capital cost to production level relationships, and although they
are based on engineering studies, these are preliminary so the ultimate costs
may vary widely from the amounts set out in the pre-feasibility study. This
could materially adversely impact the projected economics of the Prosperity
Project. As is normal at this stage of a project, data in some areas was incomplete
and estimates were developed based solely on the expertise of the Company's
employees and consultants. At this level of engineering, the criteria, methods
and estimates are preliminary and result in a high level of subjective judgment
being employed. There can be no assurance that the potential results contained
in the pre-feasibility study will be realized.
The following are the principal risk factors and uncertainties which, in management's
opinion, are likely to most directly affect the conclusions of the pre-feasibility
study and the ultimate feasibility of the Prosperity Project. The mineralized
material at the Prosperity Project is currently classified as a measured and
indicated resource, and a portion of it qualifies under Canadian mining disclosure
standards as a proven and probable reserve, but readers are cautioned that
no part of the Prosperity Project's mineralization is considered to be
a reserve under US mining standards. For US mining standards, a full feasibility
study would be required, which would require more detailed studies. Additionally
all necessary mining permits would be required in order to classify the project's
mineralized material as an economically exploitable reserve. There can be
no assurance that this mineralized material will become classifiable as a
reserve and there is no assurance as to the amount, if any, that might ultimately
qualify as a reserve or what the grade of such reserve amounts would be. Final
feasibility work has not been completed to confirm the mine design, mining
methods and processing methods assumed in the pre-feasibility study. Final
feasibility could determine that the assumed mine design, mining methods and
processing methods are not correct. Construction and operation of the mine
and processing facilities depend on securing environmental and other permits
on a timely basis. No operating permits have been applied for and there can
be no assurance that required permits can be secured or secured on a timely
basis. Data is not complete and cost estimates have been developed, in part,
based on the expertise of the individuals participating in the preparation
of the pre-feasibility study and on costs at projects believed to be comparable,
and not based on firm price quotes. Costs, including design, procurement,
construction and on-going operating costs and metal recoveries could be materially
different from those contained in the pre-feasibility study. There can be
no assurance that mining can be conducted at the rates and grades assumed
in the pre-feasibility study. There can be no assurance that these infrastructure
facilities can be developed on a timely and cost-effective basis. Energy risks
include the potential for significant increases in the cost of fuel and electricity.
The pre-feasibility study assumes specified, long-term and relatively stable
prices levels for gold and copper. The prices of these metals are historically
volatile, and the Company has no control of or influence on the prices, which
are determined in international markets. There can be no assurance that the
prices of gold and copper will continue at current levels or that they will
not decline below the prices assumed in the pre-feasibility study. Prices
for gold and copper have been below the price ranges assumed in pre-feasibility
study at times during the past ten years, and for extended periods of time.
The project will require major financing, probably a combination of debt and
equity financing. Interest rates are at historically low levels. There can
be no assurance that debt and/or equity financing will be available on acceptable
terms. A significant increase in costs of capital could materially adversely
affect the value and feasibility of constructing the project. Other general risks
include those ordinary to very large construction projects, including
the general uncertainties inherent in engineering and construction cost, the
need to comply with generally increasing environmental obligations, and accommodation
of aboriginal, and other local community concerns as well as Canadian provincial
and federal environmental standards for such projects. The economics of the
Prosperity Project are sensitive to the US Dollar and Canadian dollar exchange
rate and this rate has been subject to large fluctuations in the last several
years.
Cautionary Note Concerning Estimates of Measured and Indicated Resources
This news release also uses the terms "measured resources" and "indicated
resources". Taseko advises U.S. investors that although these terms are
recognized and required by Canadian regulations (under National Instrument
43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects), the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission does not recognize them. U.S. investors are cautioned
not to assume that any part or all of the mineral deposits in these categories
will ever be converted into reserves.