Gran Colombia Gold Corporation - (GCM)

[Tommy]

$TPRFF - GCM.V - Gran Colombia Gold announces third quarter 2012 results with production of 26,912 ounces of gold

http://www.grancolombiagold.com/investors/press-Releases/press-releases-details/2012/Gran-Colombia-Gold-announces-third-quarter-2012-results-with-production-of-26912-ounces-of-gold1131911/default.aspx

... "Segovia Operations Update

In the third quarter of 2012, production at the Segovia Operations totalled 21,114 ounces of gold with an average daily processing rate of 891 tpd, compared to 20,610 ounces of gold with an average daily processing rate of 591 tpd in the second quarter of 2012.

The Company is in the final stages of upgrading the Maria Dama plant to achieve a maximum capacity of 1,500 tpd by early 2013. In September 2012, the Company reached its objective of processing 1,000 tpd, double the historical processing rate at Maria Dama. The new ball mill came on-line in mid-May and the second phase of the plant upgrade got underway in the third quarter with the installation of six new flotation cells, the first four of which are now in operation and the remaining two should be completed in the fourth quarter. Four new cyanidation tanks are also now in operation. While these new flotation cells were being installed, the Company limited mill throughput to approximately 800 to 900 tpd to maintain mill recovery rates between 80% and 85% and then in September, utilizing approximately 2,600 tonnes of material from low-grade stockpiles, increased throughput to an average of 1,066 tpd for the month, including several days where the plant was stress tested with throughput in excess of 1,300 tpd. Processing rates have been maintained at 1,000 tpd in October.

Historically, grades at Segovia, one of the top ten producing mines by grade in the world(1), have averaged in the range of 12 to 14 g/t. However, in the third quarter of 2012, grades averaged approximately 9.5 g/t due to the temporary depletion of higher grade zones in the levels currently being mined at Providencia and El Silencio and, to a lesser extent, the processing of some lower grade stockpiles. At Providencia, where mining activity is being conducted on Level 11, capital development is in process to open up access to higher grade areas on Level 12 that will commence mining in the fourth quarter. Similarly, at El Silencio, the mine contractor is currently working between Levels 18 and 24, where the extra high grade sections (ie greater than 50 g/t) are now depleted and material ranges between 10 and 40 g/t. De-watering activity by the mine contractor, currently down to Level 27, continues but the pumping process is being slowed by depth, taking approximately 45 days to pump each level. As the mine contractor is able to start accessing Levels 24 to 29 over the next few months, grades from El Silencio's gold production will also improve through the inclusion of the extra high grade material." ...