Print article
IAMGOLD Corporation ("IAMGOLD" or "the Company") announces the Company's 2007 year end mineral reserves and resources. Results are summarized in Table 1.
TABLE 1: Consolidated Mineral Reserves and Resources
As at December 31, 2007
-----------------------------------------------
Ounces
Contained
(000)
-----------------------------------------------
Total Proven Reserves 3,226
-----------------------------------------------
Total Probable Reserves 4,748
-----------------------------------------------
Total Reserves 7,975
-----------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------
Total Measured Resources 7,624
-----------------------------------------------
Total Indicated Resources 15,045
-----------------------------------------------
Total Measured & Indicated Resources 22,669
-----------------------------------------------
Total Inferred Resources 7,087
-----------------------------------------------
At the end of 2007, total proven and probable reserves total 8.0 million ounces, relative to the 9.7 million ounces stated at the end of 2006. The slight decline, when considered net of production, is primarily a result of a combined net decrease in attributable reserves of 0.5 million ounces at Sadiola and Tarkwa. Rosebel reserves decreased, net of production depletion, by 109,900 ounces which was mostly offset by gains from the Company's remaining mines. However, this decline can largely be attributed to the inclusion of a royalty which was previously treated as a corporate charge and not included in the calculation of reserves.
Measured and Indicated Resources increased by 5% over 2006 to 22.7 million ounces, at the end of 2007. The increase is a result of the conversion of inferred resources to measured and indicated resources and an increase in the gold price assumption. The effect of the gold price increase was partially offset by general increases in cost assumptions at all mines, as well as pit design changes at Sadiola and Mupane. The measured and indicated resources were also impacted by production depletion and the lack of resource replacement at a number of the mature or short life mines such as Doyon, Mouska and Sleeping Giant.
At Rosebel, the measured and indicated resource base increased by 38% despite the loss of reserves. A further contribution to the change in the total resource base at Rosebel is the adoption of a more conservative evaluation approach relating to inferred resources. The Company has elected to apply more stringent economic constraints when calculating all resource determinations.
Proven and probable reserves of niobium were 101,600 tonnes of niobium oxide, a decrease compared to the end of 2006, mainly due to the 10,500 tonnes of production during the year. The 2007 measured and indicated resource base at Niobec is 117,000 tonnes of niobium oxide compared to 131,000 tonnes at year end 2006. The measured and indicated resource decrease is related to production depletion and a change in the understanding of pillar recovery. A technical study on the possible use of paste backfill at Niobec, to be completed during 2008, is expected to have a positive impact on the mining recovery of all resources (measured, indicated and inferred) and therefore on future reserves. – Press Release