gold exploration inicaragua · 2012-04-03 · management & board lawrence dick, director •...
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GOLD EXPLORATION IN NICARAGUA
April 2012
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
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This presentation includes certain "Forward-Looking Statements” as that term is used in applicable securities law. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization and resources, exploration results, and future plans and objectives of Cassius Ventures Ltd. (“Cassius”, or the “Company”), are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "scheduled", "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results “potentially”, "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions that management believes are reasonable at the time they are made. In making the forward-looking statements in this presentation, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, the assumption that: (1) Cassius may not find any minerals in commercially feasible quantities in Nicaragua, (2) the Company’s ability to raise the necessary financing for ongoing operations and to complete any acquisitions or pursue any planned exploration programs, (3) there being no significant disruptions affecting operations, whether due to labour/supply disruptions, damage to equipment or otherwise; (4) permitting, development, expansion and power supply proceeding on a basis consistent with the Company's current expectations; (5) certain price assumptions for gold; (6) prices for availability of natural gas, fuel oil, electricity, parts and equipment and other key supplies remaining consistent with current levels; (7) the accuracy of current mineral resource work and studies on the Company's property; and (8) labour and material costs increasing on a basis consistent with the Company's current expectations. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include such factors, among others, risks related to the ability of the Company to obtain necessary financing and adequate insurance; the economy generally; fluctuations in the currency markets; fluctuations in the spot and forward price of gold or certain other commodities (e.g., diesel fuel and electricity); changes in interest rates; disruption to the credit markets and delays in obtaining financing; the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated expenses; employee relations. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Statements. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise Forward-Looking Statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
CORPORATE OVERVIEW
• In June 2011, completed the acquisition of Fortress de Nicaragua SA (FDN), a
private Nicaraguan company with 16 concessions over 130,000 ha
• Concurrently raised $2.5 million through a non-brokered private placement
• In January 2012, completed the acquisition of Nueva Segovia Mining SA, a
private Nicaraguan Company and owner of the 23,000 ha “El Zúngano”
concession
• SHARE CAPITAL
• Issued shares: 31,448,480*
• Warrants: Approximately 10.3 million at $0.10 – C$0.45
• Expire July 2012 – June 2013
• Options: Approximately 1.4 million
• Fully diluted shares: approx 43 million
3 *April 2012
MANAGEMENT & BOARD
Steven Dean, Chairman and Director
• Extensive experience internationally in mining, including as President of Teck
Cominco Limited (now Teck Resources Ltd). Teck is a major diversified resource
company and is the largest producer of metallurgical coal in North America and the
No. 2 exporter of metallurgical coal in the world to the globe's steel manufacturers
• A founding director of Normandy Poseidon Group, which became Normandy Mining
and was the largest Australian based gold producer until its sale to Newmont Mining,
and founder of PacMin Mining which became a subsidiary of Teck Corporation in
1999
• Chairman and CEO of Oceanic Iron Ore Corp. (TSX-V:FEO) as well as Chairman
and director of Spur Ventures Inc. (TSX-V:SVU), Infinito Gold Ltd. (TSX-V:IG), and of
Dia Bras Exploration Ltd. (TSX-V:DIB). Co-founder and former Chairman of Amerigo
Resources Ltd. (TSX: ARG)
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MANAGEMENT & BOARD
John Thomas, President & CEO
• Professional engineer, holds a B.Sc. and Ph.D. from the University of Manchester, UK.
• Extensive experience in the mineral resource industry, particularly in Latin America, and is
currently a director of Infinito Gold Ltd., Alexandria Minerals and Canada Zinc Metals
Corp.
• Has previously served as Vice President, Development of Rusoro Mining, and Vice
President, Operations of Bolivar Gold Corp. Mr. Thomas also serves on a number of
boards, including Infinito Gold Inc., Alexandria Minerals Corp., and Canada Zinc Metals
Corp.
Eddy Canova, Director of Exploration
• Over 25 years experience in the mineral exploration industry in Canada, Venezuela,
Mexico, and West Africa.
• 4 years experience in mineral production in Venezuela
• Focused in gold mineral exploration, base and precious metals, and iron ore
• Major project involvement includes Gold Reserves Brisas's project, Bolivar Tomi Gold
Mine project, Oceanic Iron Ore’s Ungava Bay project and most properties of Alexandria
Minerals
• BSc. in geology from McGill University
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MANAGEMENT & BOARD
Lawrence Dick, Director
• B.Sc. in geological sciences from U.B.C. in 1973 and a M.Sc. and Ph.D. in economic
geology from Queen's University in 1979
• Spent over 20 years exploring for copper and gold throughout South America and was
credited with major finds at Collahuasi (Chile), Can Can (Chile) and Golden Bear (B.C.)
• Currently Chief Geologist and Manager of the Resource Group for Baron Global Financial
Canada Ltd.
• Serves on a number of boards, including Timmins Gold Corp, Confederation Minerals Ltd.,
Golden Fame Resources Inc., Kariana Resources Inc., and United Silver Corp.
Bob Atkinson, Director
• Over 30 years experience in the investment industry
• Former President and CEO of Loewen Ondaatje McCutcheon & Co Ltd., a Canadian
investment dealer
• Serves as a Director of Quest Capital Corp, a Toronto Stock Exchange listed company,
Tasman Metals Ltd., Spur Ventures Inc., and Hansa Resources Ltd.
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MANAGEMENT & BOARD
Jason Birmingham, Director
• Former Director Business Development for International Zimtu Technologies Inc, and
President of Mindshare Communications Inc.
• Currently a director or officer of several reporting issuers: director of Clean Seed Capital
Group Ltd., Golden Fame Resources Corp., (formerly Canfe Ventures Ltd.) director of Fitch
Street Capital Corp. and director of Datinvest International Ltd
Irfan Shariff, CFO & Corporate Secretary
• Consultant to a number of junior resource companies based in Vancouver, Canada. CFO of
Oceanic Iron Ore Corp. and Spur Ventures Inc.
• 8 years as a corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions advisor at Citigroup in London,
UK (2001-2008)
• Qualified chartered accountant
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FDN PROPERTIES
• 17 concessions, over 160,000 ha
• Nueva Segovia Concession area
covers 60,000 ha over 9 properties
• León Concession area covers
62,000 ha over 4 properties
• Chontales Concession area covers 4
properties over 38,000 ha
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PROXIMITY TO ESTABLISHED MINES AND
MINING DISTRICTS
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CONCESSIONS AND GEOLOGY
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District Nueva
Segovia Leon Chontales
Concession 9 4 4
Area (ha) 60,814 62,000 38,000
Geological
Model
Mesotherml
Quartz veins
Epithermal
System +
Porphyry
Epithermal
system
Adjacent
Properties
Golden
Reign,
Corazon
Gold
B2 Gold
(Limon Mine)
Condor (La
India)
B2 Gold
(La Libertad
Mine)
• Large Concessions on favorable geological settings
• Leon and Chontales in Volcanic – Tertiary, Neuva Segovia in Schists - Paleozoic
• In District areas, adjacent to prospective properties and operating mines
HISTORY
• Work done in the 1950’s by groups supporting the Sandanistas in the Nueva Segovia area established a network of tunnels, but no records of production
• Fortress staked properties over 16 concessions during period 2005 - 2007
• Fortress work included stream sediment sampling, rock sampling and soil sampling over all three concessions areas as well as detailed trenching and prospecting also undertaken in the Nueva Segovia Concession area
• Fortress spent $2.5 million historically – all data available to Cassius • Fortress was committed to securing properties in the best mining areas, with
good infrastructure, taking into account ease of access, power, water and labour supply
• In January 2012, FDN purchased Nueva Segovia Mining S.A. the owner of the 23,800 hectare “El Zúngano” concession, which adjoins the east side of the Nueva Segovia concessions
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• 12 month exploration program across concessions commenced July 2011
• Stream sediment, soil, rock chip, and trench channel sampling on
concessions not previously sampled as well as concessions worked on
historically
• Soil geochemistry surveys on prospective areas
• Trenching on four targets (previously identified by FDN) as well as other
targets identified as part of exploration program
• Reconnaissance core drilling program commenced February, 2012.
Results expected in the coming weeks
• Led by chief geologist Gabriel Segura, previously chief geologist to FDN with
Eddy Canova (P. Geo) as the qualified person
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2011/12 EXPLORATION PROGRAM
NUEVA SEGOVIA CONCESSIONS
13 Golden Reign Concessions (TSX: GRR)
NUEVA SEGOVIA CONCESSIONS – PROGRESS
TO DATE
• Stream sediment, soil, and rock chip sampling conducted from July to December 2011
• Trenching conducted over favourable soil sample anomalies
• Several occurrences of coarse free gold observed with panning
• Final analysis of soil results are being carried out and will be released in April 2012
• 650m of trench work conducted at the Deagueda and MdC anomalies in La Jalepeña and 351m at El Olingo in the Los Angeles concession
• All trenches have been channel sampled with results used to plan drilling program
• Mineralization includes arsenopyrite, pyrite and free gold
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NUEVA SEGOVIA CONCESSIONS – PROGRESS
TO DATE CONTINUED…
• Drill targets have been identified:
• Manto de la Corona – La Jalapeña concession
• Deagueda – La Jalapeña concession
• El Olingo – Los Angeles concession
• La Lampara – Los Angeles concession
• Drill plan completed in November 2011, with reconnaissance drilling started on
February 12th 2012
• Drill program is scheduled to be completed in June 2012
• Based on the results from the drill program, additional drilling will be carried out
to establish a resource base
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RECENTLY ACQUIRED “EL ZÚNGANO” CONCESSION
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• Located adjacent to the Nueva
Segovia concession area, the El
Zúngano concession, further
consolidates holdings in an area
with significant potential in
northern Nicaragua
• 4 areas of gold mineralization
identified
• At Escandalo, channel sampling
yielded results ranging from
1 - 14 g/t
DRILLING AT MDC
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TRENCHING AT MDC
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LEÓN AND CHONTALES CONCESSION AREAS -
OVERVIEW
• Disseminated low sulphidation epithermal systems
• León - four properties located between EL Limon, owned by B2 Gold (in
operation) and La India (closed at present)
• 4 million ounces produced historically at El Limon and La India
• Three properties of León thought to cover a similar structural trend as La India
mine
• Chontales - concessions strategically located between La Libertad and Topacio
gold mining districts, southeast of the La Libertad mine owned by B2 Gold
• Not as advanced as Nueva Segovia, but several occurrences of gold identified
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LEÓN AND CHONTALES – PROGRESS TO DATE
• Stream sediment, soil, and rock chip sampling conducted from July 2011 to
present
• Favourable results from historical and current exploration have been noted from
the following areas so far:
• León – Aserradero – La Leonesa Concession
• León – Santa Barbara – La Leonesa Concession
• León – La Zopilota – La Leonesa Concession
• Gold, Copper, Molybdenum anomaly identified with evidence of a porphyry at
Aserradero
• A potential drill plan for the noted areas are dependent on results from
additional sampling and trenching. Results are expected by the end of April
2012
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LEÓN – PROPERTY MAP
LEÓN CONCESSIONS – GEOCHEMISTRY
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• León – Stream
Sediment, Soils and
grab samples – July
2011
• 689 Stream Sediments
• 1,433 Soil Samples
• 203 Rock Samples
• Favorable results from
historical and current
exploration have been
noted for 5 areas: soil
samples, sediment and
rock
• Followup of Au
anomalies with
mapping, trenching and
potential drilling
LEÓN CONCESSIONS – SOILS-GEOLOGY
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LEÓN CONCESSIONS – SOILS-GEOLOGY
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CHONTALES – PROPERTY MAP
SIMILAR EXPLORATION STAGE COMPARABLES
Company Symbol Market Cap Area
Calibre Mining CXB.V $78 million 86,700 ha
Corazon Gold
Corp. CGW.V $13 million 650 ha
Golden Reign GRR $72 million 8,700 ha
Cassius Ventures CZ.V $5 million 160,000 ha
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*April 2012
NICARAGUA
• Country’s total area is 129,500 square kilometres, population of 6 million
• Democratically governed and stable, pro investment
• Gold mining industry established since colonial times
• Well established mining law, revised in 2006
• B2Gold has two mines in operation (La Libertbad and El Limon), with visible
government support
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CONCLUSIONS
• Extensive land base in some of the best mineral areas of Nicaragua
• Concessions fully paid to July, 2012
• Concessions well-located, suggesting significant potential upside
• Goals for 2012:
• Complete reconnaissance drill program;
• Continued and advance exploration based on sampling and drilling
results to establish a resource base; and
• Identify further potential targets
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