Orla Mining Provides Update on Pit Wall Event at Camino Rojo
Action plan in place to resume in-pit access, annual guidance updated
Summary Detail
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Pit wall event:
Camino Rojo experienced an uncontrolled material movement on the north wall onJuly 23 rd resulting in no injuries or equipment damage. - Assessment: A geotechnical assessment, supported by third party consultants, has been ongoing which has informed an action plan and safe restart of mining.
- North wall stabilization: A 50–80 metre pushback of the north wall is planned, with a redesigned slope and continuous monitoring to ensure safe operating conditions. Approximately 9.0 Mt of predominantly oxidized material (1:0.9 strip ratio, 0.74 g/t au) is expected to be removed and then crushed and stacked on the heap leach from the north wall.
- No material was lost or sterilized in the pit wall event but rather the update to 2025 guidance is attributed to a deferral of production at Camino Rojo due to grade and recovery mix.
"While the north wall event at Camino Rojo was a temporary setback, it has reinforced the importance of our pit wall monitoring, technical planning, risk management, and operational discipline. The team onsite acted quickly before the event to ensure safety. Following the event, our broader team, supported by expert consultants, rapidly implemented a comprehensive action plan that prioritizes safety, reinforces slope stability, and allows for continued operations in
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Pit Wall Event Context
As reported on
Geotechnical Assessment
Orla, with support from external consultants, has been conducting a comprehensive geotechnical assessment of the pit wall event to determine its root cause, to assess the stability of the surrounding area, and to establish an action plan. Findings have informed the action plan and updates to standard operating procedures within the pit to ensure safety. The material movement was bounded by two faults acting as release features from increased pore pressure due to rainfall and the steepness of the interwall angle.
Action Plan and Open Pit Mining Restart
The current action plan includes mining from surface downwards to push-back and stabilize of the entire north wall to re-establish safe working conditions on the north side of the pit. The north wall will be re-established at a lower overall slope at single 10 metre benches based on a design that reduces the risk of over toppling. Continuous monitoring of the north wall will be undertaken with the slope stability radar, already in place, by the operational team and supported by external experts. Additionally, Trigger Action Response Plans (TARPs) will be strengthened to provide additional safety measures while the work is being completed.
The material removed from the north wall section of the pit is predominantly oxidized, with an ore-to-waste strip ratio of 1:0.9 and an anticipated average gold grade of 0.74 g/t. This ore material will be crushed and stacked on the heap leach over the coming months. The current expectation is to push back approximately 50–80 metres from the edge of the existing pit wall, which is anticipated to result in the removal of approximately 9.0 million tonnes which will be crushed and stacked on the heap leach.
Guidance Update
Since the pit wall event on
Consolidated |
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Initial Guidance |
Revised Guidance |
Gold Production |
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110 - 120 |
95 - 105 |
Musselwhite |
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170 - 180 |
170 - 180 |
Total Gold Production |
Koz |
280 - 300 |
265 - 285 |
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Total Cash Cost1 (net of by-product) |
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Musselwhite - April to December |
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Total Cash Cost (Net of by-product)1 |
$/oz sold |
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AISC1 – Consolidated |
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Musselwhite - April to December |
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AISC1 |
$/oz sold |
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1
Cash cost and AISC include 9 months of production and costs from Musselwhite, and full year from |
About
Orla's corporate strategy is to acquire, develop, and operate mineral properties where the Company's expertise can substantially increase stakeholder value. The Company has three material projects, consisting of two operating mines and one development project, all 100% owned by the Company: (1)
Qualified Persons Statement
The scientific and technical information in this news release was reviewed and approved by Mr.
NON-GAAP MEASURES
We have included herein certain performance measures ("non-GAAP measures") which are not specified, defined, or determined under generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). These non-GAAP measures are common performance measures in the gold mining industry, but because they do not have any mandated standardized definitions, they may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. Accordingly, we use such measures to provide additional information, and you should not consider them in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with GAAP.
CASH COST AND ALL-IN SUSTAINING COST
Cash cost per ounce is calculated by dividing the sum of operating costs and royalty costs, net of by-product silver credits, by ounces of gold sold. All-in Sustaining Cost is intended to reflect all the expenditures that are required to produce an ounce of gold from operations. While there is no standardized meaning of the measure across the industry, the Company's definition conforms to the all-in sustaining cost definition as set out by the
Forward-looking Statements
This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation and within the meaning of Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the United States Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, or in releases made by the
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