Stornoway (SWY.TO) Reports Arrival of Winter Road at Renard Project Site
MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - Feb 14, 2013) - Stornoway Diamond Corporation (SWY.TO) is pleased to report that the Québec Ministère des Transports ("MTQ") has successfully completed the construction of a winter road to the Renard Diamond Project site, two weeks ahead of schedule. The winter road is expected to be open for approximately 6 weeks, and will be used by Stornoway to mobilize heavy equipment required for the construction of the all-season Renard Mine Road. With today''s news, the Renard project has become accessible for vehicles for the first time since its discovery in 2001.
The MTQ winter road has been constructed under a Framework Agreement executed on November 15th 2012 by Stornoway, the MTQ, the Québec Ministère des Ressources Naturelles, and the Québec Ministère des Finances et de l''Économie ("MFE"). Under the terms of this agreement, a 240km long all-season road linking Renard to the Québec highway network is currently being constructed in four segments, A to D. Progress is well established on segments A and B, which are being completed by the MTQ as a 70km/hr two-lane gravel highway. Stornoway will complete the remaining 97km covered by segments C and D as a 50km/hr single lane mining road under the terms of a Financing Agreement executed on December 6th 2012 between Stornoway and the MFE. The timely arrival of the MTQ winter road will allow Stornoway to commence construction of the Renard Mine Road in April, as previously planned. First all-season road access to Renard is scheduled for the 4th quarter of this year.
About the Renard Diamond Project
The Renard Diamond Project is located approximately 250 km north of the Cree community of Mistissini and 350 km north of Chibougamau in the James Bay region of north-central Québec. In November 2011, Stornoway released the results of a Feasibility Study at Renard, followed by an Optimization Study in January 2013, which highlighted the potential of the project to become a significant producer of high value rough diamonds over a long mine life. NI 43-101 compliant Probable Mineral Reserves stand at 17.9 million carats, with a further 17.5 million carats classified as Inferred Mineral Resources, and 23.5 to 48.5 million carats classified as non-resource exploration upside. All kimberlites remain open at depth. Pre-production capital cost stands at an estimated C$752 million, with a life of mine operating cost of C$57.63/tonne giving a 67% operating margin over an initial 11 year mine life. Readers are referred to the technical report dated December 29, 2011 in respect of the November 2011 Feasibility Study for the Renard Diamond Project, and the press release dated 28th January 2013 in respect to the January 2013 Optimization Study, for further details and assumptions relating to the project.
