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MINING | Prospect Resources
PROSPECT RESOURCES
Glittering prospects for this miner in the African lithium space
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MINING | Prospect Resources
In late 2018, ASX-listed Prospect Resources (Prospect) published a definitive feasibility study (DFS) for its Arcadia Lithium Project in Zimbabwe, a vital step for the company as it works towards near term production from one of the most significant lithium projects in the world. The DFS confirmed technical and financial viability of the 2.4 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) plant throughput development and forecasted an average annual production of 212,000 tpa of 6% spodumene concentrates, 216,000 tpa of petalite concentrates and 188,000 lbspa of tantalum over a 12-year mine life. While these production figures convincingly indicate the true potential of the project, the strong economics outlined in the DFS have been most pleasing to Prospect’s managing director Sam Hosack. “The DFS indicated a robust business model capable of supporting quite a lot of potential turbulence in the market,” says Hosack. “When you are busy building a DFS you set out to anticipate the business environment variability to ensure the business robustness is factored in.
Zimb
babwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa at Arcadia’s groundbreaking ceremony
Resource Global Network “In a sense you want the project to remain competitive in the most trying circumstances and in this case, it has been very rewarding to know that the Arcadia project is in the lowest capex quartile. That has been a major win for us.� Capital costs for developing the project are estimated at US$165 million, with operating costs coming in at $285 per tonne for a conventional open pit mining scenario at a LOM strip ratio of 3:1. Meanwhile, average annual EBITDA has been forecasted at $106 million, contributing to life of mine revenue of $2.93 billion, excluding tantalum credits. Having been granted a mining lease by the Zimbabwean government in August 2018, and with transport infrastructure already in place at the site which is located just 38 km from capital city Harare, Prospect is fantastically positioned to deliver shareholder returns as it moves from developer to operator at Arcadia.
Returning shareholder value While the Prospect directors and management have known of the potential value held within the Arcadia project for some time, this belief was corroborated by the Hunter Capital Advisors report, which identified Arcadia as a Tier 1 asset in the global lithium space. This validation through independent research has been very comforting to Prospect.
MINING | Prospect Resources
The report went on to say: “The Arcadia
for any informed investor. We’ve taken a
project keeps standing out as a large
conservative position and have still delivered
tonnage, relatively high grade project
a very robust DFS.”
amenable to open pit mining with a modest capital expenditure required to produce
Furthermore, Hunter Capital’s risk adjusted
lithium concentrates.”
valuation concluded that as it delivers on its strategy, Prospect should experience
“I think it [the external report] serves as
a significant value uplift, towards a price
additional validation of the work performed,
target of AUS$0.14, resulting in a market
and potential identified in the DFS.” says
capitalisation of $304 million. Prospect’s
Hosack. “Projects like this are on a journey
market cap at the time of writing was $45
and what we need to do is communicate
million.
successfully to all of our stakeholders that this project can stand up and stand out.
“Returning shareholder value is our purpose, there is no disputing that. However, the
“It is one thing to have an internal belief, and
journey to delivering shareholder value
there is certainly no lack of internal belief,
requires some sophistication. In essence, we
but we are also very confident that what we
feel that full shareholder value comes when
have displayed in the DFS shows impartiality
we as a business expose ourselves to the
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upside of the lithium/EV cycle whilst being
The spectacle was a clear demonstration of
well underpinned by demand from the more
the high levels of cooperation between the
stable glass and ceramics market.
public and the private sector in Zimbabwe, as the nation looks to attract investment
“I think our shareholders will get successful
and instigate an economic revival after years
returns as we deliver on our ambitions and
of neglect under former President Robert
the lithium/EV story realises its full potential.”
Mugabe.
Zimbabwe is open for business
“We perceive Zimbabweans as being prepared and ready to make the difficult
The end of 2018 also brought another key
steps forward to recover from the economic
milestone for Prospect when the official
stagnation of the last 15 years,” says Hosack.
groundbreaking ceremony took place for the
“That’s not going to happen just off the back
Arcadia project in December. The ceremony
of government ambition. It will require lots
was opened by the President of Zimbabwe
of fresh investment in conjunction with
Emmerson Mnangagwa and attended by
government economic framework.
various ministers, Australian and Chinese ambassadors and key stakeholders.
“I think we have timed our entry well. We’ve successfully convinced the government of
MINING | Prospect Resources
the value of this project and managed to
The RRI was conceived by President
gain vital social and stakeholder support that
Mnangagwa in an effort to loosen the
provides us the social licence to operate.
statutory and regulatory burden than newcomers like Prospect are faced with in
“The key message from the groundbreaking
Zimbabwe. The initiative is essentially an
was that we have laid the foundations in
open forum where the investor presents a
the appropriate fashion and have been
timeline of work from which the President’s
recognised as a committed investor in
office can provide direct support to.
Zimbabwe by the government.” This system allows for transparent dialogue The government also reaffirmed its
between both parties and for Prospect it
commitment to comprehensive reforms to
provides a direct line to the President’s office.
enhance Zimbabwe’s competitiveness and to
“The fact that the President is prepared
attract foreign investors. One example of a
to apply himself and his office through
recent reform Prospect has taken advantage
the initiative shows the government’s
of is the Rapid Results Initiative (RRI).
commitment to expeditiously dealing with our applications and that of our peers.”
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A mining sector with high potential
Nonetheless, new evidence suggests that the tide may be beginning to turn. The 2018
Though the investment drive under President Mining Business Confidence Index (MBCI) Mnangagwa is in full swing, the challenge
found that executives and investors were
of turning around Zimbabwe’s economy is
bullish about the prospects of the mining
substantial, and the mining sector is likely
sector, as shown by the overall MBCI of +21.9,
to play a major role in any recovery, with
compared to -6.6 in 2017.
around 800 mines currently in operation. Prospect is a clear example of an investor However, these mines have only performed
with a renewed sense of confidence
at around 10% of their US$18 billion per
in Zimbabwe’s mining sector, which is
annum potential since 2009, delivering
evidenced by the firm’s strong commitment
just $2 million in annual revenue as the
to developing exclusively in-country.
national economy faltered and the mining sector became bogged down in legislative
“We currently employ over 100 people in-
bottlenecks.
country, though we do have an executive
MINING | Prospect Resources
office in Perth,” Hosack reveals. “Then, during
400 people from direct employment and
the construction phase of the project, there
obviously you can multiply this to establish
is likely to be in the order of 1,000 different
indirect employment too.”
skills demanded. Hosack is also acutely aware of Prospect’s “As the project goes through its cycle, tasks
social responsibility in Zimbabwe, particularly
become more complex but we are comforted
with regards to community training
knowing that Zimbabwean skills can meet
programmes in key fields such as agriculture
our needs. Our final headcount during
and health. “By far the biggest impact we can
the operational phase will be around 300-
have is up-skilling the community that are
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likely to be employed by us, ensuring they are
Versatile offtake options
healthy and fit for the rigors of the role, while
Zimbabwe is already the world’s fifth largest
developing skills that lead to sustainable
lithium producer and Minister of Mines
prosperity.
Winston Chitando recently stated his belief that the country has the potential to account
“We want to invest heavily into programmes
for 20% of global demand when all known
targeting these outcomes and see these as
lithium resources are being exploited.
preceding the project. So far we have been meticulous in our planning.”
With this in mind, Prospect is determined to be a frontrunner in Zimbabwe’s lithium
MINING | Prospect Resources
Resource Global Network space, particularly as the EV story gains pace. However, the company is not just targeting the lithium battery chemicals space. “The competitive advantage that we want to leverage off is the suitability of our product across multiple markets, including ceramics which absorbs around 30% of global lithium production.� This type of arrangement would allow Prospect to take advantage of established and robust markets such as ceramics and glazing, while also exposing itself to the more exciting and contemporary battery minerals sector, as confirmed by its offtake agreement with Chinese battery metals expert Sinomine. With a strong DFS under its belt, Prospect will plough forward with engineering, design and construction work in 2019, ahead of a commissioning date in 2020 for its Arcadia project. If the company keeps to this timeline, Prospect will become the largest lithium producer in Africa. Watch this space.
ASX:PSC
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Published by Anderson Murray Media Ltd
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