Aura Minerals Announces the Results of the Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Era Dorada Project

Core Viewpoint - Aura Minerals Inc. has filed a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) for its wholly owned Era Dorada Project, indicating strong economic potential for the underground mining operation with significant projected returns [1][4]. Group 1: Project Overview - The Era Dorada Project, previously known as the Cerro Blanco Project, is located in Jutiapa, Guatemala, approximately 160 km from Guatemala City and near the El Salvador border [2][5]. - The project covers an area of 15.25 km and is situated entirely within the municipality of Asunción Mita, which has a population of about 18,500 [5][7]. - The project is accessible year-round via the Pan-American Highway and features a tropical dry forest climate with elevations between 450–560 meters above sea level [6]. Group 2: Economic Assessment Highlights - The PEA estimates a capital expenditure (Capex) of approximately US$264 million, with an after-tax net present value (NPV) of US$485 million and an unleveraged after-tax internal rate of return (IRR) of 24% based on a gold price of US$2,410 per ounce [4][6]. - The project anticipates total production of approximately 1.4 million ounces of gold over a 17-year life of mine, with an average production of 91,000 ounces in the first four years [6][8]. Group 3: Mineral Resource Estimates - The indicated mineral resources for the Era Dorada Project are estimated at 1.9 million ounces of gold, based on 6.35 million tonnes at a grade of 9.31 grams per tonne [6][19]. - The resource estimate includes a measured and indicated category of 6,349 kt at an average grade of 9.31 g/t for gold and 31.54 g/t for silver, containing 1,901 koz of gold and 6,439 koz of silver [19][21]. Group 4: Historical Context and Development - The Era Dorada Project was initially identified by Mar-West in 1998 and has undergone extensive exploration and development since its acquisition by Goldcorp in 2006 [9][12]. - Bluestone Resources acquired the project in 2017 and has since drilled approximately 267 holes for a total of 45,725 meters [10][12].