RGN Vol 7 Iss 2

RESOURCE Volume 7, Issue 2

GLOBAL NETWORK

Mining, renewable energy and oil & gas worldwide

POWERING A LOW CARBON WORLD THE MINED MATERIALS NEEDED FOR THE GLOBAL ENERGY TRANSITION

RESOURCEGLOBALNETWORK.COM

EDITORIAL

COVID-19 offers glimpse into a decarbonised world, now mining must help deliver it.

A

t the time of writing this note, the devastating scale and impact of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic is only just being comprehended by healthcare systems, governments and citizens around the world.

Jacob Ambrose Willson Editor

Executive Team Editor Jacob Ambrose Willson Content Director (APAC and Americas) David Hunter Creative Director Hugo Currie ICT Director Stuart Clark Managing Director Simon Curran Contributors James Jeary (CRU Group) Trevor Keel (World Gold Council) RGN is published by Anderson Murray Media: a diverse media and information services company focused on creating and distributing engaging content to business leaders across the globe. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy the publisher and editor cannot be held responsible for any inaccurate information supplied and/or published. Copyright: The copyright for all material published in this magazine is strictly reserved.

The flu-like virus is believed to have originated in late 2019 in the city of Wuhan – a key economic centre and transportation hub in central China, and it has since spread around the globe with 802,748 confirmed cases, 39,016 deaths and 172,319 recoveries as of March 31st.

While travel restrictions across Hubei Province are only now being lifted and businesses in Wuhan starting to reopen after two months of lockdown to contain the spread of the virus, other regions and countries outside the epicentre are only just entering periods of mass lockdown.

It goes without saying that to effectively fight this unprecedented threat to humanity, we must closely follow medical guidelines, support healthcare systems and wait for scientists to deliver a vaccine. However, the implications of the coronavirus outbreak on the global economy in 2020 are nonetheless concerning.

The world’s top economists are united in predicting a global recession this year despite considerable support from central banks and governments.

Schroder Economics Group predicts a 3.1% contraction as the global economy heads for its worst year for activity since the 1930s.

However, one outcome from the collapse in economic activity around the world has been the recovery of

ecosystems from the effects of sustained human activity and environmental contamination. The canals of Venice have cleared and nature is returning to the famed waterways, while air pollution in New York has fallen by nearly 50%.

An unexpected decline in carbon dioxide emissions this year has offered a glimpse into a low carbon future that must be delivered in the coming decades to prevent permanent ecological catastrophe.

In supplying a plethora of metals and minerals to multiple industries with green credentials, the mining industry is set to play a vital role in the decarbonisation of the global economy. This issue of RGN provides an in-depth analysis of the materials required to deliver low carbon outcomes in two key sectors: Electricity and transport.

The long-read feature is complimented by a selection of company spotlights in the lithium and uranium mining spheres.

The likes of Mali Lithium and Sayona Mining will supply lithium chemicals to the voracious EV market, while uranium development companies Vimy Resources and Eclipse Minerals are laying the foundations for the decarbonisation of electricity grids around the world.

Finally, this issue includes an article written by World Gold Council consultant Trevor Keel on the underemphasised role of gold in the fight against coronavirus.

Trevor explains how tiny gold particles are being used in medical diagnostic tools that are been drastically assembled for frontline testing of the virus.

Jacob Ambrose Willson jacob@resourceglobalnetwork.com

Anderson Murray Media Fulham Green, 69-79 Fulham High Street, Main Reception, Bedford House, London SW6 3JW | Tel. +44 (0)207 148 5630

a r

CONTENTS

NEWS 6 Global resources news Our selection of mining, oil & gas and renewable energy stories from the last year

MINING FOR THE FUTURE

10

COVER STORY 10

Mining for the future

How the mining industry will play a central role in the fight against climate catastrophe

COLUMNS 28 James Jeary (CRU Group) CRU Group analyst James Jeary considers the likelihood of an impending ‘lithium cliff’

VIMY RESOURCES

42

34 Trevor Keel (World Gold Council) World Gold Council consultant considers how gold could play a crucial role in the fight against coronavirus

MINING 42 Vimy Resources Mining a cleaner tomorrow

ECLIPSE M E TA L S

56

56 Eclipse Metals Advancing a smorgasbord of uranium tenements in Australia’s Northern Territory

68 Sayona Mining A central role in the development of QuÊbec as a lithium hub for the battery markets 80 Mali Lithium Owner of the world’s largest uncommitted hard rock lithium reserve 94 Superior Gold Strong fundamentals in place for this Western Australian gold producer

S AYO N A MINING

68

EVENTS 108 Events Our pick of the top mining, oil & gas and renewable energy events happening around the world in the months to come

MALI LITHIUM

80 SUPERIOR GOLD

94

NEWS

OIL PRICES PLUMMET BY 26% AS OPEC DEAL COLLAPSES Oil had its worst day of trading in 29 years on March 9th after Saudi Arabia slashed its official selling prices and made plans to ramp up crude output, in response to Russia’s refusal to back an OPEC-led supply cut extension last week.

The collapse of a longstanding agreement between OPEC and its oil producing allies (known as OPEC+) sent the global oil market into disarray, with Brent crude prices down 26% to US$33.46 per barrel – its lowest point since February 2016.

Meanwhile, West Texas Intermediate crude shrank by 28% to $29.80 a barrel to record its biggest decline on record, surpassing a 33% fall in January 1991 triggered by the start of the first Gulf War.

Saudi Arabia’s plans to boost its crude output above 10 million barrels per day (bpd) in April resemble a sharp U-turn from its pledge last week to contribute to an additional 1.5 million bpd supply cut with OPEC. However, after Russia refused to commit to the supply cuts the prospect of an oil pricing war between the world’s two largest producers will exacerbate the ongoing effect of the coronavirus outbreak on the oil market. Prices had already dropped by 20% this year prior to the collapse of the OPEC deal.

6

NEWS

Mining, oil & gas and renewable energy news from around the world ANGLO AMERICAN SECURES SOLAR POWER DEAL FOR BRAZILIAN IRON ORE MINES Anglo American has signed a 15-year contract worth US$190 million with Atlas Renewable Energy that will see the latter supply solar energy to the former’s iron ore mining operations in Brazil.

The Latin American renewable energy company will supply electricity to the mining giant’s operations through the Atlas Casablanca photovoltaic solar plant, located in the State of Minas Gerais.

The Atlas Casablanca solar plant has an installed capacity of 330MW with more than 800,000 modules and is expected to supply about 9TWh during the life of the contract with Anglo commencing in 2022.

By 2022, Anglo aims to power its Brazilian operations entirely by renewable energy as part of the Anglo American Sustainable Mining Plan, which has among its goals to reduce its CO2 emissions by 30% by 2030.

“With this agreement and the contract for the construction of a wind power plant in Bahia signed in December, we will now be sourcing 90% of our energy from renewable sources, leading to a 40% reduction in CO2 emissions associated saidLARGEST Anglo’s OWNERwith OF our THEactivities,” WORLD’S Brazil CEO Wilfred Bruijn.

UNCOMMITTED HARD ROCK LITHIUM

RESERVE

The agreement between Anglo and Atlas resembles the largest ever solar energy purchase and sale contract in Brazil.

7

NEWS

METALS AND MINING MODERATELY EXPOSED TO COVID-19 OUTBREAK: MOODY’S REPORT The global metals and mining sector will be ‘moderately exposed’ to the effects of the ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak, according to a recent global sectors report by Moody’s.

The US-based financial services company cautioned that the global spread of coronavirus will significantly slow economic growth, impacting sectors with varying severity based on each’s level of exposure.

“A large number of sectors will be moderately exposed globally, often because of the secondary effects of the outbreak and in some cases trade in global commodities,” Moody’s wrote. “This applies in particular to the Oil

& Gas and Metals & Mining sectors, which will suffer as a result of the fall in commodity prices.”

However, analysts at Moody’s believe many producers have become more robust since the last commodity prices slump of 2015-16, which ravaged smaller, less-diversified mining companies. Now, more global, higher-rated companies are better able to withstand a market downturn, according to Moody’s.

The firm cut its GDP growth forecast for the advanced G-20 economies to 1.0% in 2020, down from 1.7% in 2019, and revised its forecast for the emerging G-20 to 3.8% in 2020, down from 4.2% in 2019, including a substantive slowdown in China.

8

NEWS

Mining, oil & gas and renewable energy news from around the world MINING MAJORS BHP AND RIO TINTO ANNOUNCE PLEDGES TO FIGHT CORONAVIRUS As mining operations around the world are being suspended or wound down, companies including BHP and Rio Tinto have made pledges to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

On March 29, BHP launched an US$8 million plan to help mitigate the spread of coronavirus in Chile, where the world’s biggest miner operates the Escondida and Pampa Norte copper mines.

This follows the company’s decision to exclude contractors from its Chilean operations for 15 days, as the number of confirmed cases in the South American country reaches 2,139, including seven deaths.

BHP said the plan involves an early detection programme that includes 150.000 rapid tests able to provide results in 24 hours, 10 units for sampling and mobile tents and permanent units, among other measures.

Meanwhile, Rio Tinto has pledged a further $25 million to support global grassroots community coronavirus preparedness and recovery, taking its total contributions to around $60 million in 2020.

“COVID-19 is a human tragedy and we all have to play our part as the pandemic spreads,” said OWNER OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST chief executive J-S Jacques. “Rio Tinto’s first UNCOMMITTED HARD ROCK LITHIUM priority remains the health and safety of all of RESERVE our employees and communities.”

Despite pressure to significantly reduce or suspend its operations, Rio is continuing to run most of its assets around the world.

9

MINING FOR

M AT E R I A L S N E E D E D F O R

How the mining industry will play a central

Written by Jacob 10

COVER STORY | MINING FOR THE FUTURE

THE FUTURE

A LOW C ARBON WORLD

l role in the fight against climate catastrophe

b Ambrose Willson 11

According to a UN Environment study published in 2019, extractive industries are responsible for half of the world’s carbon emissions, with the extraction and processing of metals and other minerals responsible for 26% of these environmentally degrading emissions1. While this finding does not sit favourably with the heightening anti-climate change zeitgeist of our current times, it does belie the critical importance of mined materials in our modern world. The plethora of metals and minerals pulled from the ground have myriad applications in construction, transport, healthcare consumer technology and many more vital industries.

12

COVER STORY | MINING FOR THE FUTURE

in Melbourne last year and

stationary energy storage

outside the Prospectors &

facilities at mine sites.

Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) conference in

To give prominent recent

Toronto in March.

examples, Australian mining giant BHP last year traded its

The coal mining industry has

existing coal contracts across

been the primary recipient of

its Chilean copper operations

these vitriolic protests, but with

for renewable energy supply

coal plant economics rapidly

deals, while Anglo American

deteriorating and investor

signed a US$190 million solar

interest in freefall, this once

energy contract in March with

ubiquitous form of energy

Atlas Renewable energy for its

seems to be running out of

iron ore operations in Brazil.

steam. Meanwhile, a recent Carbon Tracker Initiative report

These are just two instances

found that building new wind

of many similar progressive

and solar plants will soon be

moves across the mining

cheaper than existing coal-fired

sector and they all command

power stations in every major

column inches in their own

global market2.

right, but this particular editorial will focus on the

This economic argument,

cluster of mined materials

allied with the growing ESG-

that are going to be required

focused investment culture of

in large quantities to deliver

the present day, is compelling

lower carbon outcomes in

Nonetheless, a bubbling

mining companies of all shapes

two massive global sectors:

crescendo of anti-mining

and sizes to do their bit for the

Transport and electricity.

rhetoric has recently

environment, with those at

manifested itself in ugly

the vanguard implementing

protests on the fringes of the

a wide range of operational

Cleaning up the power industry

International Mining and

changes, including the adoption

The transition towards a

Resources Conference (IMARC)

of renewable energy and

cleaner, greener global

13

14

COVER STORY | MINING FOR THE FUTURE

electricity sector has

greenhouse gas emissions has

accelerated at a rapid pace

provided the impetus for the

during the last decade,

creation of evolving national

driven primarily by greater

and regional renewable energy

investment in solar and wind

targets around the world since

projects, with technological

the Paris Agreement.

advances drastically pushing down the costs associated with

For example, the European

developing these operations.

Union (EU) is targeting at least a 32% share for renewable

Global renewable energy

energy in the bloc’s total

capacity has quadrupled in

electricity mix by 2030, along

the last 10 years, according to

with at least a 40% cut in

figures released by the UN last

greenhouse gas emissions

year, increasing from 414GW in

(from 1990 levels) and a

2010 to approximately 1,650GW 32.5% improvement in energy today3. Unsurprisingly, this

efficiency.

makes renewables that fastest growing area of the global

So far, the results have been

energy industry.

encouraging with recent data indicating that renewable

The watershed moment for

energy now accounts for a

the renewable energy sector

third of global power capacity

arrived in 2015 when 189 UN

following the addition of

nations agreed to limit the

171GW in 2018, although the

increase in global average

International Renewable

temperature to well below 2 °C

Energy Agency (IRENA)

above pre-industrial levels in

warned in January that the

the Paris climate accord.

share of renewable energy in power needs to more than

The ratification in

double by 2030 to advance the

international policy of this

global energy transformation4.

agreement to reduce global

15

Transforming transport

during the last two decades

But since around 2010,

major changes have begun to

technological and commercial

The global transport sector

gather pace in the automobile

developments, along with

– primarily comprised of

industry.

generous government

road, rail, air and marine

16

incentives, have pushed hybrid

transportation - accounted

While electric-powered

and fully electric vehicles (EVs)

for over 24% of global carbon

vehicles have existed in

to the forefront of the global

emissions in 2016, according

various rudimentary forms

automobile industry, based

to International Energy

for nearly 200 years, they have

on the premise that they are

Agency (IEA) data5.

largely played second fiddle to

an environmentally cleaner

the fossil fuel burning internal

alternative to gas guzzling ICE

Of the total global transport

combustion engine (ICE)

vehicles.

emissions, 72% come from

vehicle throughout this era

road vehicles, therefore

of expanding consumer car

While the presence of fossil

making the automobile sector

ownership around the world.

fuels in the global electricity

one of the largest contributors

sector means that EVs cannot

to global warming6. However,

yet be deemed zero carbon

COVER STORY | MINING FOR THE FUTURE

emitting devices, almost

significantly higher quantities

usage is that at the heart of

all major car makers have

to build electric-powered

every EV is an electric motor

followed the lead of Tesla in

vehicles7.

built predominantly with

manufacturing various electric

copper, steel and permanent

models with rapidly improving

Dr copper

specifications encompassing

One of those vital metals in

shorter battery charging cycles

EV production is copper. In

and longer driving ranges.

a comparison study, the UBS

As such, copper demand from

Evidence Lab found that

the EV market is expected

With EVs set to make up more

there is 80% more copper

to increase by 1.7 million

than half of global passenger

in a Chevrolet Bolt (EV), in

tonnes by 2027. To put this in

car sales by 2040 and

comparison to a similar-sized

perspective, this figure is just

completely dominate the bus

Volkswagen Golf (ICE)8.

shy of China’s entire copper

market, auto manufacturers

magnets comprised of rare earth elements (REEs).

production in 2017. China

are scrambling to secure

The primary reason for this

is the world’s third largest

supply of the metals needed in

massive increase in copper

producer of copper9.

17

Another recent report from Wood Mackenzie found that more than 250% of additional copper is required for the 20 million EV charging points that will be installed worldwide by 2030 to support the burgeoning sector10.

Meanwhile, as a highly efficient conductor of electricity, copper demand from the renewable energy sector is rising exponentially.

Increases in solar and wind energy capacity up to 2027 will raise copper demand by 813,000 tonnes annually, according to a Navigant Research study. This resembles an increase of 56% on copper demand seen in 201811.

These predictions make for uncomfortable reading in the global mining industry, which is struggling to keep up with copper demand in the shortterm. In January, Chilean state copper commission Cochilco forecasted that the global copper market would move into deficit in 2020, and this

18

COVER STORY | MINING FOR THE FUTURE

was before major producers announced supply cuts to stem the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic12.

In addition, new large scale copper discoveries have become less frequent around the world over the last decade, which is putting more pressure on the longer-term supply and demand dynamics of the nascent EV industry.

The renewable energy and EV sectors urgently require more discoveries and investments akin to Anglo American’s US$5.3 billion Quellaveco project in Peru. The mine will produce 330,000 tonnes of copper per year for the first five years of the project, although its life could extend to nearly 100 years.

“In the burgeoning EV market, auto manufacturers will require a steep increase in the production of copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, REEs and many other materials to support growing demand for EVs”

19

Battery metals

lithium production set to triple

Despite this massive demand

within five years13.

for copper, by far the most important component of an EV

In the ever-evolving lithium

is the lithium-ion battery. Each

market the supply and demand

Tesla battery weighs about

situation requires regular

540 kg – 25% of the total mass

monitoring, as do the same

of the car – and is comprised

dynamics in two other battery

of a range of battery metals

metals vital to the EV industry

including lithium, nickel,

– nickel and cobalt.

cobalt, graphite, and more.

Nickel is a key element in In the lithium market, prices

lithium-ion batteries because

tumbled in 2019 due to

the metal is required to

oversupply stemming from

stabilise battery cathodes,

an influx of spodumene

enabling longer battery life

concentrate from new hard

and less susceptibility to fires.

rock lithium projects around

EV makers are increasingly

the world (particularly

adopting higher nickel cathode

in Western Australia),

chemistries in their batteries,

augmenting supply from the

creating a strong pricing

traditional brine operations

environment.

concentrated in South America.

20

Nickel usage in batteries is

In the short term, nickel

expected to grow from 70,000

production is expected to

However, with increased EV

tonnes in 2017 to 240,000

fall significantly this year, as

production set to push demand

tonnes by 2023, and in a recent

major producer Indonesia’s

for lithium chemicals up to

note the Bank of America

nickel ore export ban comes

700,000 metric tonnes by 2025

stated that the projected 13.6

into effect. Some of this

according to BloombergNEF,

million EVs sold in 2025 would

production loss will be offset

there are some fears that

result in the need for 690,000

by growth in Philippines and

the market could flip into

tonnes of new nickel supply

stable production in other

undersupply, even with

within that time frame14.

countries, however long-term

COVER STORY | MINING FOR THE FUTURE

HARD ROCK LITHIUM LEPIDOLITE ORE

supply worries need to be

to meet demand. The findings

which has been plagued with

remedied by investment in

suggest that cobalt demand

environmental and child

new capacity15.

could reach 430,000 tonnes in

labour concerns in recent

the next decade, which is 1.6

years.

It’s a similar story in the

times today’s capacity.

cobalt market, which is also

With cobalt supply in the

used as a cathode material in

Additional challenges in the

DRC set to be disrupted in

lithium-ion batteries. Recent

cobalt market include the

2020 due to the COVID-19

research from MIT suggests

fact that 60% of global supply

outbreak and with only

there’s not enough ability to

comes from the Democratic

limited new supply to come

mine and process the material

Republic of the Congo (DRC),

online in the coming years,

21

EV battery manufacturers are

according to the Mercenary

increasingly looking to reduce

Geologist Mickey Fulp, alarm

The nuclear proposition

their reliance on cobalt. For

bells rung across the tech

The rapid development of

example, General Motors

sector when China threatened

renewable energy capacity

recently unveiled a new

an embargo on its REE

over the last decade has

battery system that will cut

supply17.

provided one part of the

cobalt usage by 70%16.

solution to the prospect of Even though Chinese

a decarbonised future in

restrictions never materialised

the global electricity sector,

last year, REE consumers

however renewables should

Another collection of

used the opportunity to

not and cannot be championed

important metals in the global

ramp up discussions about

as a silver bullet for the anti-

transition towards a clean-tech

building and strengthening

climate change movement.

economy are REEs. These 17

supply chains outside of

chemical elements – many

China. While production from

The intermittent nature

of which have magnetising

new operations is growing

and low energy density of

properties - are used in EV

in countries like the US,

renewables means that other

motors, along with solar

Myanmar and Australia, the

baseload sources must be

panels, wind turbines and

vast majority of downstream

included in a holistic and low

many other technologies.

processing capacity remains

carbon energy mix. As such,

concentrated in China. This

the nuclear power sector

The most discussed and in-

is where the challenge lies for

is experiencing a revival in

demand REEs are neodymium

the sector going forward.

interest around the world.

together as NdPr), and they

And with the neodymium rare

The nuclear industry was

hit the headlines last year

earth magnets market alone

plunged into a deep freeze

during the escalating trade war

predicted to grow at a CAGR

by the Fukushima disaster

between the US and China.

of 8.5% from 2019 to 2025, the

of 2011, which compelled

race is on amongst producers

shellshocked countries such as

Historically, China has

to accommodate increased

Japan and Germany to suspend

produced up to 98% of the

REE uptake in the EV and

their entire nuclear operations

world’s rare earths and

renewable energy sectors.

indefinitely.

Rare earth elements

and praseodymium (known

although this has come down to around 60% in recent years

22

COVER STORY | MINING FOR THE FUTURE

However, in recent years some

the role of nuclear in a low

“The currently depressed

of the frenzied reactions to

carbon electricity mix, and

uranium market has caused

the disaster have softened and

this is reflected in the number

not only a sharp decrease

been replaced by a broader

of reactors currently under

in uranium exploration

understanding of nuclear

construction. 423 reactors

activities…but also the

energy as a dispatchable and

are to be built or are in

curtailment of uranium

efficient source of electricity

construction in established

production at existing mines,”

with low carbon emissions.

markets like the US and

said the WNA in its latest

Canada, as well as new players

nuclear fuel report22.

Nuclear plants are powered

such as China, Saudi Arabia

by pellets of uranium which

and India20.

are inserted into fuel rods and

However, there are hopes of a gradual rebalancing in the

used in a nuclear reactor to

These new investments will

market and these were raised

create steam to drive turbines

provide annual growth of 2%

in March when uranium giant

and generate electricity. This

in the nuclear power sector up

Cameco shuttered its large

process emits zero carbon

to 2040 according to the World

scale Cigar Lake mine in

emissions and makes nuclear

Nuclear Association (WNA),

Canada for at least a month

one of the cleanest sources of

with an additional 247 million

in response to the COVID-19

energy in the world.

pounds (Mlbs) of uranium

outbreak, giving prices a short-

needed annually to power the

term boost.

In addition, the high energy density of uranium - a single

reactors21.

With the world’s largest

uranium pellet has the same

Uranium

energy as 1,000 kg of coal –

While the WNA described

Mlbs per annum McArthur

and the significantly smaller

known world resources

River operation – in care

uranium mine – Cameco’s 18

geographic footprint of nuclear of uranium as ‘more than

and maintenance since mid-

power plants compared to that

adequate’ to satisfy reactor

2018 and the world’s biggest

of solar and wind farms have

requirements to 2040 and

uranium producing country

further garnished the nuclear

beyond, the market is

– Kazakhstan – also shuttering

sector’s reputation19.

oversupplied and low prices

supply, some observers expect

are preventing companies

a structural shortage to take

Many governments around

from converting these

hold in the next few years.

the world have woken up to

resources into production.

23

A potential supply deficit in

environment, the extraction

sector for key metals and

the mid-term uranium market

of resources will continue to

minerals which are set to

provides a promising price

produce carbon emissions for

receive rapidly increasing

outlook, with sustained higher

the foreseeable future.

demand from the power and

uranium prices providing a

transport sectors over the next

boon to mining companies

However, this should not mean

with shovel ready projects. The

that the anti-climate change

unlocking of these uranium

movement should sharpen

In the burgeoning EV market,

resources will play a vital

its tools, point them at the

auto manufacturers will

role in the global transition

mining industry and call for

require a steep increase in the

to cleaner energy supply

a blanket ban on the activity,

production of copper, lithium,

throughout the 2020s and

given the aforementioned

nickel, cobalt, REEs and many

beyond.

plethora of mined materials

other materials to support

that are absolutely essential

growing demand for EVs, but

in the delivery of a low carbon

there are supply concerns for

future.

almost all of these metals in

Concluding thoughts The introduction to this article

24

decade and beyond.

the short to mid-term.

highlighted the significant

Instead, there should be

carbon footprint of the global

a concerted effort from

Some of these metals,

mining industry. Although

governments, institutional

particularly copper and REEs,

the sector is collectively

lenders and retail investors

will also be needed in greater

making solid progress towards

towards supporting

supply by the renewable

reducing its impact on the

exploration across the mining

energy industry, as the

world transitions towards a decarbonised electricity mix predominantly comprised of solar, wind and uraniumfuelled nuclear energy sources.

Increasing global capacity of renewable energy and nuclear power will not only reduce carbon emissions by cutting the need for fossil fuels in electricity production, but also improve the credentials of EVs as a low carbon mode of transport, as the electricity powering the vehicles will be inherently cleaner.

To conclude, the move towards decarbonisation in the electricity and transport sectors is absolutely essential if the world wishes to divert from total climate catastrophe in the coming decades, and the extraction of several indemand metals and minerals via mining is going to play a vital and enduring role in the low carbon transition.

.................................................................................................................................................................................

COVER STORY | MINING FOR THE FUTURE

S O U R C ES 1.

2.

3.

4.

https://www.theguardian.com/ environment/2019/mar/12/ resource-extraction-carbonemissions-biodiversity-loss https://carbontracker.org/ coal-developers-risk-600-billionas-renewables-outcompeteworldwide/ https://www.envirotech-online. com/news/business-news/44/ breaking-news/how-much-hasrenewable-energy-capacitygrown-in-the-2010s/50582 https://www.irena.org/ newsroom/pressreleases/2019/ Apr/Renewable-Energy-NowAccounts-for-a-Third-of-GlobalPower-Capacity http://resourceglobalnetwork. com/2020/01/13/renewableenergy-capacity-must-doubleto-achieve-climate-safety-irena/

5.

https://webstore.iea.org/co2emissions-from-fuel-combustion2018-highlights

6.

https://www.ipcc.ch/site/ assets/uploads/2018/02/ipcc_ wg3_ar5_chapter8.pdf

7.

https://about.bnef.com/blog/ electric-transport-revolution-setspread-rapidly-light-mediumcommercial-vehicle-market/

8.

https://www.visualcapitalist. com/how-much-copper-is-in-anelectric-vehicle/

9.

Ibid.

10. https://www.woodmac.com/ news/opinion/copper-poweringup-the-electric-vehicle/

in-2020-price-up-to-285-per-lb. html 13. https://about.bnef.com/blog/willthe-real-lithium-demand-pleasestand-up-challenging-the-1mt-by2025-orthodoxy/ 14. https://www.benchmarkminerals. com/membership/nickel-theoften-forgotten-battery-metal/ 15. https://www.wired.co.uk/article/ cobalt-battery-evs-shortage 16. https://www.theverge. com/2020/3/4/21164513/gmev-platform-architecture-batteryultium-tesla 17. https://investingnews.com/daily/ resource-investing/critical-metalsinvesting/rare-earth-investing/ rare-earth-outlook/ 18. https://skyline-gazette. com/2020/03/24/neodymiumrare-earth-magnets-market-2020global-industry-analysis-segmentstop-key-players-drivers-andtrends-to-2025/ 19. https://www.vimyresources. com.au/index.php/component/ edocman/riu-explorersconference-february-2020/ viewdocument/330?Itemid=121 – Slide 10 20. Ibid – Slide 13 21. https://www.world-nuclear.org/ information-library/current-andfuture-generation/world-energyneeds-and-nuclear-power.aspx 22. https://world-nuclear-news.org/ Articles/Nuclear-fuel-report-seesupward-trend

11. https://copperalliance.org/ wp-content/uploads/2019/04/ fact-sheet-renewables-tosignificantly-increase-copperdemand-by-2027.pdf 12. https://www.metalbulletin. com/Article/3916524/Cochilcoforecasts-global-copper-deficit-

25

Building a Multi-Asset Mid-Tier West African Gold Producer

TSX: TGZ OTCQX: TGCDF

Lithium Supply reaction requir

CRU Group analyst James Jeary considers the likelihood of an impen

28

COMMENT | JAMES JEARY (CRU GROUP)

red to prevent looming deficit

nding ‘lithium cliff’

29

Over the past three months, a combination of higher demand expectations and further supply cutbacks has resulted in the possibility of the global lithium market entering a sustained deficit in several years’ time.

However, the reality is more nuanced. There remains ample new supply in the pipeline in the form of underused capacity, closed mines and brownfield expansions which will be accelerated as a result of an expected deficit.

We expect that rising demand and an uptick in prices will stimulate the gradual return of this supply, reducing the likelihood of deficit.

While we need price growth to stimulate new supply, we do not expect a price shock akin to what was seen in 20162018.

Production cutbacks continue as miners dash for cover The downturn in the lithium market over the last 12 months has stimulated a wide range supply cutback measures, with most of these being in Australia. We have summarised these cutbacks in figure 1.

The ‘Lithium Cliff’ is looming… or is it?

If one were to take a snapshot of current supply plans and expected demand it would appear that the lithium market is about to swing into

FIGURE 1 (DATA : CRU)

a sustained deficit from 2022

future, taking only existing

onwards, ushering in the

operating or committed

‘lithium cliff’ which has long

supply, then one could

been theorised by perpetual

construct a scenario where the

market bulls. (figure 2)

market appears to be on the cusp of an extreme shortage.

However, this is not our base case view and CRU urges

A more nuanced method of

caution when considering a

analysis is required as supply

supply-demand balance in

will be more reactive and new

isolation. If one extends the

sources of supply will enter the

supply-demand balance for any

market. One must look at the

commodity far enough into the

30

COMMENT | JAMES JEARY (CRU GROUP)

supply pipeline as a whole, not just confirmed or operating projects. The extreme deficits shown in the chart above, do not account for ‘probable’ lithium projects – and even in a high demand scenario (1 million tonnes by 2025), there is enough supply pipeline to keep the market relatively well-supplied (assuming that a good portion of this supply comes online in a timely fashion).

This supply will not be stimulated until there is enough demand and price support to merit it. CRU’s current base case for the next five years can be seen in figure 3.

FIGURE 2 (SOURCE CRU)

James Jeary (CRU Group) James Jeary is an Analyst within the Base Metals team at CRU Group, based in London.

He is responsible for supplyside developments at the mine and refinery stage of the lithium market and is the Editor of CRU’s molybdenum market analysis.

James graduated from the Royal School of Mines, Imperial College London, with an MSci in Geology in 2016. During his time at university, James visited a host of mines and projects to examine exploration, mining and processing techniques, and completed an internship as a Minerals Processing Researcher at the University of Cape Town.CRU’s latest Lithium Market Outlook was published during the week commencing March 30th.

Please contact james.jeary@ crugroup.com for more information.

aj

31

“A more nuanced method of analysis is required as supply will be more reactive and new sources of supply will enter the market. One must look at the supply pipeline as a whole, not just confirmed or operating projects”

FIGURE 3 (DATA : CRU)

We are not on the cusp of another 2017-2018 price run

we estimate that over two

This distinction is extremely

thirds of all new supply came

important when discussing

from the development of

price expectations. The 2015-

greenfield projects, as shown

2019 greenfield expansion in

in figure 4.

the lithium sector naturally required a very heavy price

CRU believes that prices will

By contrast, CRU expects that

stimulus to bring on new

need to increase in the mid-

just 16% of new supply over

supply, with contract prices

term in order to stimulate new

the next five years will come

temporarily reaching 75% over

supply. At first glance, this

from greenfield projects, with

the marginal cost producer at

situation might appear to be

much of the remaining 84%

times – and spot prices at one

similar to the price run and

coming from better capacity

point being an estimated 300%

supply response that we saw

utilisation at existing projects.

premium to costs.

in 2017-2019. Some industry

This is illustrated in figure 5.

participants expect that prices

By comparison, the supply

are likely to creep back up to 2017-2018 levels as the ‘new normal’ (~$14/kg LCE in 2018, $real 2018).

However, again CRU urges caution. Today’s lithium market has changed radically compared to even a few years ago. Between 2015 and 2019, FIGURE 4 (DATA : CRU)

32

COMMENT | JAMES JEARY (CRU GROUP)

FIGURE 5 (DATA : CRU)

response we will see in the

sector, could cause temporary

coming years will not require

price spikes as miners race

as strong a price increase due

to produce enough supply

to the nature of where that

for the impending e-mobility

supply is coming from – and

transition over the coming

much of the additional supply

decade.

could even come online at today’s prices, once the

But in commodities, high

demand is there for it.

demand growth does not necessarily mean high prices.

There is no doubt that

Prices will be volatile in the

lithium’s strong demand

future, but we believe that it

growth profile means that the

is unlikely they will remain at

battery metal has a bumpy

2016-2018 levels for a sustained

road ahead. Mismatches in

period.

“Today’s lithium market has changed radically compared to even a few years ago. Between 2015 and 2019, we estimate that over two thirds of all new supply came from the development of greenfield projects”

supply and demand, as well as bottlenecks in the refinery

33

Gold’s hidden role in diagnosing

World Gold Council consultant Trevor Keel considers how gold could 34

COMMENT | TREVOR KEEL (WGC)

g disease; COVID-19

d play a crucial role in the fight against coronavirus 35

Gold and COVID-19 have found themselves in the same sentence regularly over the last few weeks; the recent outbreak of the virus and subsequent elevation of the situation to a pandemic status by the World Health Organization (WHO) has rocked the global economy. My colleagues at the World Gold Council have blogged about a range of impacts of COVID-19 on gold this month, from the US Federal Reserve’s recent rate cut to the ongoing gold-backed ETF inflows.

However, there is another aspect to gold’s role in our society which tends to receive much less attention: it is a critical component in many diagnostic test kits.

36

Having worked in the healthcare sector for several years prior to joining the mining and metals industry, I have always enjoyed discussing the subtle (and often unknown) links between the two. I consider medical diagnostics to be one of the most important of these links; to cut a long story short, tiny spherical particles of gold have been used as ‘indicators’ in lateral flow assays (LFAs) for over 40 years. You may not recognise the terminology, but ‘LFA’ technology is in everyday use

MALARIA LFAS IN USE IN TANZANIA . LF WHICH PROVIDE A RELIABLE YES/NO D UTES. TESTS CAN BE USED IN ANY SETT CIALIST EQUIPMENT OR ADMINISTRATI DOWN THE TEST STRIP WITH THE PATIE DROP OF BLOOD) AND, IF MALARIA IS P CHANGING THE COLOUR TO A DEEP PU COLOUR CHANGE WOULD NOT OCCUR, IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE VISUALLY.

all over the world in staggering numbers.

LFAs are simple diagnostic tools, which provide a reliable

To contextualise this statement,

yes/no determination within

the WHO estimate that 412

15-20 minutes. Tests can be

million malaria LFAs were

used in any setting, and do not

sold in 2018, with over 250

require specialist equipment

million of these purchased and

or administration. The gold

distributed by National Malaria

particles travel down the test

Programmes worldwide.1 Tests

strip with the patient sample

are produced for dozens of life-

(in this case, a single drop

threatening illnesses, meaning

of blood) and, if malaria is

that the total annual number

present, collect on the test

of LFAs is likely to comfortably

line changing the colour to a

exceed half a billion. And the

deep purple. Without the gold,

vast majority of these contain a

this colour change would not

tiny quantity of gold.2

occur, making the outcome

COMMENT | TREVOR KEEL (WGC)

and cost. Almost all of them require samples to be taken and sent off to a centralised laboratory for analysis which can be slow and expensive, especially during times of crisis.

Fortunately, diagnostics firms have responded resolutely to this pandemic. At the time of writing, the Foundation for

FAS ARE SIMPLE DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS, DETERMINATION WITHIN 15-20 MINTING, AND DO NOT REQUIRE SPEON. THE GOLD PARTICLES TRAVEL ENT SAMPLE (IN THIS CASE, A SINGLE PRESENT, COLLECT ON THE TEST LINE URPLE. WITHOUT THE GOLD, THIS , MAKING THE OUTCOME OF THE TEST

Innovative New Diagnostics’ (FIND) COVID-19 database details almost 200 diagnostics which are either commercially available or in development, and they have also announced

of the test impossible to

two evaluation programmes

determine visually.

which will help ensure data on the performance of

But what has all of this got

the key tests are available

to do with COVID-19? Well,

to healthcare authorities

given the nature of the current

worldwide.3

pandemic, quick and accurate diagnosis is absolutely critical

The majority of these tests are

to help understand, track and

lab-based (so-called molecular

tackle the outbreak. There

diagnostics), but increasing

is already a huge range of

numbers of first-generation

diagnostic tools available

biomarker LFAs are being

to governments around the

registered and evaluated,

world, but these can be limited

many of which are gold-

by two key parameters: speed

based. One of the first

Trevor Keel (World Gold Council) Trevor has over 15 years of experience in the development, commercialisation and analysis of new technologies across a range of sectors. As an independent consultant he has worked with various organisations, focusing primarily on both the role and demand for metals and new materials in technical applications. He is currently a senior consultant to both the gold and silver industries, and prior to this he led the World Gold Council’s technology sector. Trevor began his career as a chemist and project manager at the pharmaceutical group GlaxoSmithKline, and holds a PhD in nanotechnology and degree in chemistry.

aj

37

companies to do so was US-

This LFA was utilised in

Companies are also now

based BioMedomics, whose

China at the beginning of the

developing LFAs which can

COVID-19 rapid test identifies

outbreak and has now received

identify the virus directly.

the presence of biomarkers

CE-mark certification for use

For example, leading UK

from the body’s immune

in Europe.4 Biomedics’ LFA

diagnostics firm Mologic

response to COVID-19 instead

is under evaluation by the US

recently announced receipt

of looking for the virus itself,

Food and Drug Administration

of a large grant from the

and can help determine if a

(FDA) in the USA5 and the

UK government to develop

person has been infected with

company is reportedly in

a COVID-19 LFA.7 Larger

COVID-19 even after the virus

the process of supplying the

companies like Mologic have

is no longer present.

Kuwaiti government with

strong partnerships and supply

400,000 kits for immediate

chains already in place, so the

deployment.6

38

COMMENT | TREVOR KEEL (WGC)

authorities worldwide appear

FOOTNOTES:

to be accelerating the route

1 WHO World Malaria Report

to market for new COVID-19 diagnostics. The FDA, for example, has recently published guidelines to this effect.8 The financial sector has always regarded gold as a safe and stable store of value, particularly during times of stress. Similarly, gold has been the material of choice in the LFA diagnostics space for 40 years because of its unique physical properties, and gold particles are likely to be at the heart of many of the new COVID-19 LFAs we see certified for use around the development, manufacture

world in the coming weeks and

and delivery of new LFA

months. These diagnostics will

diagnostics can be achieved

help to complement lab-based

quickly.

testing, and further equip healthcare professionals and

The availability of such

scientists to understand and

diagnostic kits is determined

track the pandemic across a

on a country-by-country

broad range of settings.

basis, and the speed to market generally depends on that

2019. https://www.who.int/ publications-detail/worldmalaria-report-2019 2 LFAs utilise gold in nanoparticulate form, meaning every test contains a minute quantity of metal.

Demand for gold in the sector is effectively immaterial with respect to supply and demand in the wider gold market.

3 FIND, accessed 13 Mar 2020. www.finddx.org/ covid-19/ 4 Biomedomics Press Release, accessed 8 Mar 2020. www.biomedomics.com/ biomedomics-receives-ce-ivdcertification-for-its-new-covid19-igm-igg-rapid-test-for-novelcoronavirus/ 5 NCBC news article, accessed 16 Mar 2020. www.ncbiotech. org/news/biomedomicsseeks-fda-ok-covid-19-rapiddiagnostic 6 Kuwait News Agency report, accessed 16 Mar 2020. www. kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails. aspx?id=2879288&language=en 7 Mologic Press Release, accessed 6 Mar 2020. www. mologic.co.uk/mologicawarded-c-1-million-by-ukgovernment-to-develop-rapiddiagnostic-test-for-covid-19/ 8 FDA COVID-19 update, accessed 16 Mar 2020. www. fda.gov/news-events/pressannouncements/coronaviruscovid-19-update-fda-providesmore-regulatory-relief-duringoutbreak-continues-help

country’s specific regulatory requirements. However,

39

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VIM

RESOU

Mining a clean

42

MINING | VIMY RESOURCES

MY

URCES

ner tomorrow

43

Vimy Resources’ vision statement is ‘mining a cleaner tomorrow’.

It is a clever double entendre referring not only to nuclear power as the cleanest source of reliable energy, but the way in which the ASX-listed company intends to mine; with low residual impact and realtime rehabilitation.

Nuclear energy is emerging as one of the few low carbonemitting, 24/7 power sources that can help achieve the IPCC’s goal of a 1.5C limit on global warming.

While renewables have grown significantly along with energy storage technology, their intermittency and low energy density means that other baseload sources must be included in a holistic energy mix.

44

MINING | VIMY RESOURCES

Vimy CEO and managing

Uranium fuels nuclear power

Young is a geologist and was

director Mike Young has

plants where controlled fission

born and educated in Canada

noticed a fundamental

of uranium produces heat

where he worked on several

change in public perception

that generates the steam to

uranium projects in Northern

towards nuclear energy. The

drive turbines and generate

Saskatchewan before moving

Fukushima accident influenced

electricity on a large scale.

to Western Australia in the late

opinion for many years, but

Put simply, uranium mining is

1980s. He gravitated towards

as climate change began

vitally important to the world’s

resource geology and 3D

to dominate headlines, the

decarbonising mission.

modelling when it was in its

positives of nuclear came into

infancy and, as a result, was

the ascendancy. And many

Introducing Vimy

countries provide hard data on

Vimy owns the largest

mining projects through his

the efficiency, safety and low

advanced, but undeveloped,

work as a resource consultant.

cost of nuclear; France and

uranium project in Australia.

Canada are two clear examples.

Australia holds the largest

Since then he has built a solid

known uranium resources

reputation in the WA mining

“I like to use electric vehicles

in the world and is the third

community, growing an iron

(EVs) as an example to really

largest producer globally,

ore company (BC Iron Limited)

understand how clean nuclear

behind only Kazakhstan and

from its initial listing to first

power is. Despite the hype,

Canada.

iron ore on ship within four

involved with many successful

years. During those years he

EVs are not emission-free and are only as clean as the power

The company is advancing

met Cheryl Edwardes - now

source used to charge them.

projects in Western Australia

Vimy’s chairman - a former

(WA) and the Northern

WA state politician and ex-

“In Queensland, where

Territory and has a globally

Environment Minister, who

electricity is powered by coal, a

experienced management

shares his passion for the

Tesla 3 will emit 17,500g of CO2

team and board of project

potential of uranium to reduce

per 100 km but in Ontario, a

developers and mine operators.

greenhouse emissions.

Tesla 3 only emits 880g per 100

Their experience and industry

km, 5% of Queensland’s Tesla,

contacts put Vimy at a strong

Alongside Young at the helm

because the grid is powered by

advantage in the obscure and

of the company is chief

nuclear and hydro.”

complex uranium market.

nuclear officer Julian Tapp, an economist who not only

45

manages the dark art of approvals, but has become expert in the uranium market Julian is the chair of the supply working group of the World Nuclear Association.

The executive team also includes CFO Marcel Hilmer, a strategic thinker and former CEO of a uranium junior, and GM of geology Xavier Moreau, thought to be one of Australia’s best uranium geologists.

Uniquely for a WA junior, Vimy also employs a USbased uranium sales and marketing expert in Scott Hyman. Scott has both buy and sell side experience as he worked for both a supplier, Cameco Corporation, and a utility, Dominion Energy, for almost thirty years and knows the industry and its players in the US very well.

Vimy concentrates its sales efforts on the US utilities as they make up 30% of the global market.

The team believes deeply that Vimy is best placed to

46

MINING | VIMY RESOURCES

capitalise on the ‘perfect storm’ of a looming supply shortage and a growing demand for nuclear power, due in part to the erstwhile climate emergency.

“Looking at uranium production around the world at today’s spot price, very few producers can make money at the current spot price. Not even companies with the lowest cost mines in the world, such as Cameco at McArthur River in Canada, can make money and so that mine is shut until sustainably higher pricing is achieved.

“Cameco has shut down an 18 million pounds (Mlbs) per year operation because the low prices aren’t sustainable, and Kazakhstan has curtailed expansion and is scaling back as well. Cameco will not destroy an asset like McArthur River by mining and selling it at low to zero profit. Why would you?

47

“But more importantly for long term investors, exploration has slowed to a trickle and as a result there are few projects that are close to production.

The signs of a growing and systemic shortage going forward have become more obvious to many, and Vimy’s activities during the past five years have been predicated on taking advantage of this.”

That shortage is being exacerbated by growing uranium demand, particularly in non-OECD countries across Asia and the Middle East, whose governments are seeking ways of providing cheap, low

already in operation. The

production. Uranium supply

emission power that can feed

new power plants will require

contracts are generally written

into national grids 24/7, unlike

an additional 250 Mlbs of

up to three years in advance,

wind and solar power which

uranium every year, in a

so utilities are sharpening

are subject to weather patterns

current market of 170 Mlbs.

their pencils now.

Considering the diverging

When supply becomes

There are currently 493

supply and demand factors,

tight, utilities’ sensitivity to

nuclear reactors in advanced

Vimy expects a structural

cost becomes secondary to

planning stages or under

uranium shortage to take hold

security of supply and so the

construction around the

even before it could be in

next twelve months could

and seasons.

world, adding to the 442

48

MINING | VIMY RESOURCES

The company has been very transparent about its path to production. Financing will be ‘contract-led’ whereby Vimy will need to secure longterm contracts in the US$50s to obtain debt funding. As a result, Vimy seeks to establish long term relationships and contracts with US utilities.

“Our long-term plan has always been to write those contracts through 2020 then roll into financing and final investment decision (FID) in early 2021. Therefore, Scott Hyman’s job is critical and so he is constantly in front of the utilities, not only providing them with updates on our

see a significant increase in

Mulga Rock

uranium contracting activity

Vimy’s Mulga Rock project

putting upward pressure on

in WA is Australia’s largest,

contract pricing.

advanced undeveloped

“As a result of that intel, we

uranium project and has

are confident that the uranium

“We’re already seeing the

gained State and Federal

market is on the rebound and

US utilities ramping up their

primary environmental

we will be hosting the grand

contracting activities at a

approvals, completed a

opening of the Mulga Rock

time of slowing supply. It’s

definitive feasibility study

Project in the not too distant

the perfect storm,” Young

(DFS), and is progressing

future. So, it’s contracts in

proclaims.

secondary approvals.

2020, FID in early 2021 and

project, but gaining valuable intelligence on the US market.

then it’s a two-year build for

49

VIM Y R ES O U R CES AT A G L A N C E

the project, so we’d be in

“Mining will be very simple

production late early 2023 just

at Mulga Rock,” Young says.

as the shortage is really taking

“We will use an efficient and

hold.”

cost-effective strip-mining process, where pits are

STOCK TICKER ASX:VMY

MARKET CAPITALISATION US$9.1 million (as of March 30, 2020)

aj

“I like to use EVs as an example to really understand how clean nuclear power is. In Queensland, where electricity is powered by coal, a Tesla 3 will emit 17,500g of CO2 per 100 km but in Ontario, a Tesla 3 only emits 880g per 100 km, 5% of Queensland’s Tesla, because the grid is powered by nuclear and hydro” Mike Young, Vimy Resources CEO and managing director

The Mulga Rock DFS was

backfilled with tailings or

published in January 2018 and

overburden as we go. This

outlines a strategic, long-life

results in very low residual

project with annual uranium

impact to the environment – a

production of 3.5 Mlbs over

mining method that reaffirms

a 15-year life of mine. It also

the ‘cleaner’ in Vimy’s vision

showed a 25% IRR and NPV of

statement.

AUS$530 million on a AUS$490 million capital cost, with the

Alligator River

project reliant on a uranium

Vimy’s ambitions also extend

contract price of US$55-60 per

beyond Mulga Rock after

lb.

acquiring the Alligator River Project in March 2018

A peer review of the DFS in

from Cameco Australia. The

late 2019 found the study to be

project comprises the largest

world class with no design or

granted tenement package in

engineering flaws identified.

the Alligator River Uranium

“The reviewers confirmed

Province of the Northern

that the Mulga Rock DFS is an

Territory – a region which has

outstanding study,” says Young. striking geological similarities with the Athabasca Basin in “Now that almost two years have elapsed, we wanted to revisit the cost input data to

“The Athabasca is the premier

ensure that the capital and

location for uranium deposits

operating costs are up to

in the world because they are

date. We are also investigating

big and they are high grade.

opportunities to reduce capex

Some of the biggest deposits

and opex.

50

Canada.

MINING | VIMY RESOURCES

in the world are located there

Despite these geological

three decades. Cameco’s

such as McArthur River and

similarities, the two uranium

drilling barely scratched the

Cigar Lake.

provinces have received

surface and that’s why we’re so

contrasting levels of

excited about the targets that

“As a geologist, the Alligator

exploration activity over the

have been thrown up by our

River Project really excites

last thirty years. While intense

fieldwork in the area.”

me. The similarities in the

exploration in the Athabasca

geology of the two regions are

Basin has led to a string of

One of Vimy’s targets in the

profound. Both provinces have

massive discoveries, Australia’s

Alligator River tenements

sandstone units lying above

regressive Three-Mines Policy

is the Angularli resource,

the mineralised formations as

(1984-1996) resulted in little

which yielded a positive

well as all the same structural

to no exploration in Alligator

scoping study late in 2018.

and alteration elements.

River.

The inferred mineral resource

Athabasca is where the large

was estimated at 0.91 million

deposits are found and our

“You’ve got this geological

tonnes (Mt), at 1.3% uranium

work so far indicates that will

province that’s really

oxide for 26 Mlbs of uranium.

be the same at Alligator River.”

prospective and hasn’t been explored for uranium for

51

EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW MIKE YOUNG, CEO AND MANAGING DIRECTOR

Young is a geologist and was born and educated in Canada where he worked on several uranium pr before moving to Western Australia in the late 1980s. He gravitated towards resource geology and 3 fancy and was involved with many successful mining projects through his work as a resource consu Since then he has built a solid reputation in the WA mining community, growing iron ore company ing to first iron ore on ship within four years. During those years he met Cheryl Edwardes - now Vim politician and ex-Environment Minister, who shares his passion for the potential of uranium to red

52

MINING | VIMY RESOURCES

“We’ve also drilled some holes

while the Mulga Rock Project

at the Such Wow deposit and

has fifteen years of mine

seen some exciting results

life, Alligator River has the

from that campaign. And late

potential to provide uranium

in last year’s field season,

products far into the future,”

we announced some really

Young explains.

exciting geochemical results from Southern Flank, our

To conclude, Young and Vimy

Jabiluka look-alike.

have high confidence in the improving fundamentals of

“US utilities look at long-

the uranium and nuclear

term reliability of supply and

power industries even after

rojects in Northern Saskatchewan 3D modelling when it was in its inultant. y BC Iron Limited from its initial listmy’s chairman - a former WA state duce greenhouse emissions.

the first three months of 2020 have been dominated by

very few new developments

uncertainty in global markets

that are as advanced as Mulga

due to the outbreak of the

Rock. Certainly, the consensus

COVID-19 pandemic.

view is that the uranium price will rise in the early 2020s

While the virus will certainly

and that’s about the time that

make conditions more

Mulga Rock will come into

challenging in the short term,

development.

uranium demand is inelastic, predictable and is being driven

“On top of all of the

by global decarbonising trends

fundamental uranium

and reactor builds in non-

economics, the COVID-19

OECD countries like Russia,

pandemic is resulting in mine

China, India and Saudi Arabia.

closures which will accelerate the shortage and highlight the

“We’re seeing a curtailment

importance of diversification

of large mines and there are

of supply.”

53

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ECLIPSE

Advancing a sm

56

MINING | ECLIPSE METALS

E METALS

morgasbord of uranium/gold tenements in Australia’s Northern Territory

57

Eclipse Metals listed on the ASX at the beginning of 2011 with a smorgasbord of highly prospective uranium tenements in the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia. Just a few months later, however, the Fukushima disaster in Japan destroyed confidence in the nuclear energy industry and severely dented global uranium demand in the short to mid-term. In response to this, Eclipse focused on packages of alternative commodities across the NT and Queensland, including manganese, vanadium and precious metals like gold, platinum and palladium.

But, in recent years the rapidly expanding global anti-climate change movement has led to an increased understanding of the role of nuclear energy in a low carbon world and with it the return of palatable investor attitudes towards uranium exploration. As such, Eclipse reignited its interest in the uranium tenements in the NT and

58

has made substantial progress in unlocking these for exploration access since 2018.

MINING | ECLIPSE METALS

A geologist’s heaven

In the Alligator Rivers region,

mineral resource projects in

Eclipse entered into a joint

the region has been securing

Eclipse’s current and primary

venture (JV) with Rio Tinto in

legal exploration agreements

focus is with several uranium,

2016 - a deal that gave the major

with first the Traditional

gold and palladium tenements

access to Eclipse’s uranium

Owners of the region and

in the West Arnhem Land

tenements within an area it

second the Northern Land

region of the NT, East of

had christened the Liverpool

Council (NLC).

Darwin. These prospects are

Project.

Rivers Uranium Province

However, during the ensuing

(ARUP), an area which Eclipse

two-year period Rio Tinto

Working with the Traditional Owners

director Carl Popal describes as

failed to secure project

Over the course of 2019

‘a geologist’s heaven’.

development consent from

Eclipse worked closely with

the local Traditional Owners

the Traditional Owners of

“West Arnhem is a well sought-

in West Arnhem Land. Eclipse

the region and was delighted

after area in the exploration

decided not to renew the

to announce the conclusion

mining world. 96% of past

agreement with Rio Tinto in

of negotiations on a long-

uranium production and 95%

late 2018, instead choosing to

awaited Aboriginal Land

of known uranium resources in

pursue the development rights

Right Agreement for its Devil’s

the NT comes from the ARUP.

independently.

Elbow prospect.

“Most of our neighbours are

West Arnhem Land resembles

In December 2019, consent

big players such as Cameco and

an interesting hotchpotch

was granted by the Traditional

Rio Tinto. They and others have

of natural wonders, large

Owners and ratified by the

delineated some big uranium

scale mineral deposits and

NLC Executive Council. The

deposits like Ranger, which is

ancient indigenous cultures,

subsequent agreement allows

the biggest uranium mine in

of which around 12,000 of the

the company to explore and

the Southern Hemisphere and

total population of 16,000 are

mine within the prospect for

Nabarlek - the world class, high

aboriginal peoples.

its entire lifetime.

mine. But having said that,

Therefore, one of the biggest

In this news release Popal said:

it’s still a very pristine area to

challenges faced by mining

“This bilateral agreement is

explore.”

companies wanting to develop

certainly a great achievement

located within the Alligator

grade uranium and copper

59

60

MINING | ECLIPSE METALS

for the company. The terms

on the Ranger geological fault

of the agreement are quite

line between the Alligator

viable in the current market

River and Goomedeer river.

In search of the big monster

develop the Devil’s Elbow’s full

Devil’s Elbow was first

“Both Uranerz and Cameco

potential, and perhaps turning

discovered by Uranerz

could see there was something

it into a world-class mining

Australia back in the late 1970s

there [at Devil’s Elbow] and

project.”

and early 80s and subsequently

delineated the target zone but

further explored by uranium

they were limited to access the

The Devil’s Elbow prospect

giant Cameco between 2002

ground for drilling. We were

is situated near the shear

and 2008. Samples from

fortunate to pick it up from

zone on the Northern side of

shallow trenching yielded

one of the local prospectors

MacArthur Basin encroaching

high-grade uranium of up to

who was very close to the

on the Pine Creek Oregon and

5.8%, plus precious metals

Traditional Owners.

economy, allowing us to

gold and 28.02 g/t palladium.

assays including up to 31.8 g/t

61

62

MINING | ECLIPSE METALS

“We’d been told that Cameco were challenged by the Traditional Owners and they were limited to access the ground to the South of Ranger Fault line,” Popal explains. The Ranger fault line is a 60 km line with five exploration licences to the North, but none to the South as Cameco were previously limited to land access to explore the targeted areas.

Since early 2013 Eclipse has conducted extensive and detailed historical data review over the Devil’s Elbow area and its surrounding tenements, and based on these results

“West Arnhem is a well sought-after area in the exploration mining world. Most of our neighbours are big players such as Cameco and Rio Tinto.

They and others have delineated some big uranium deposits in the past”

63

the company has delineated

“Those anomalies were never

project - another Ranger or

several new drill targets to

explored because Cameco

Nabarlek could be in that

the South of the Ranger Fault,

were not able to access that

area. A conceptual target was

which warrant significant

area. But, when we had the

delineated by Cameco but

follow-up exploration activity.

JV with Rio Tinto, we sat

never drill tested.”

down with their geologist and These anomalous structural

geophysicist and discussed this

zones to the South of the

particular area.

Rubbing shoulders with giants

displayed in red, yellow and

“Cameco and Rio Tinto both

The world class Ranger

green patches of a regional

believe that somewhere

Uranium Mine is located

radiometrics map displayed on

within that area there is

within the Kakadu National

page 60.

potential for a monster of a

Park, approximately 65

Devil’s Elbow tenement are

64

MINING | ECLIPSE METALS

km from the Devil’s Elbow

for uranium, but also for gold

in February 2020. The

Prospect, and is operated by a

and palladium across the

extensive data reveals several

subsidiary of Rio Tinto, while

tenement area.

untested targets which will

the Nabarlek Uranium Mine is

be incorporated into Eclipse’s

around 41 km from Eclipse’s

“One of the challenges in that

existing data and mapping

tenement.

area is the fact that it’s under

over the course of this year.

the sea and the tides go up Nabarlek was a very successful

and down throughout the day,

Elsewhere, the company

project with close to US$1

so it’s a tough place to work

has a project further South

billion of value extracted from

during the wet season. There

in central NT called the

the ground between the years

are also massive crocodiles

Ngalia Basin, which is highly

of 1972-79 before the uranium

[not alligators as the name

prospective for uranium and

ore was stockpiled for milling

suggests! - ed] in the area. The

palladium mineralisation.

and processed in the early 80s.

window of opportunity is from

Eclipse will work on the Ngalia

about May-December.

Basin and the Devil’s Elbow

“The Nabarlek and Ranger

prospect in 2020, albeit with

deposits are in fairly close

“We hope to pick up on

a predominant focus on the

proximity to Devil’s Elbow

Cameco’s geophysical results

project in West Arnhem Land.

along the same geological

and expand on the anomalies

system. Nabarlek in particular

towards the South. Subsequent

was a very rich deposit at

to that, also there are some

surface, and there is potential

clear target areas which we can

that in Devil’s Elbow we could

go out and drill. The important

have something similar in

thing for us is to expand on

size.”

the geophysical mapping to

ECL IPSE METALS

AT A G L A N C E

delineate further targets.”

Now that Eclipse has secured a lifetime agreement to explore

In addition, Eclipse recently

and mine at the Devil’s Elbow

received some additional

prospect, the company aims

geophysical data on the Devil’s

to execute a work programme

Elbow prospect that was

in 2020 which will include

classified information until

detailed exploration not just

it was released by Cameco

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S AY O N A

A central role in the development of QuĂŠbec

68

MINING | SAYONA MINING

MINING

c as a lithium hub for the battery markets

69

Sayona Mining is a small cap lithium and battery minerals explorer with a 100%-owned subsidiary called Sayona Québec, based out of Montreal in Canada. The ASXlisted company aims to play a leading role in Québec’s emerging lithium industry through its bid for the North American Lithium (NAL) mine, which it aims to restore to profitable operations through the expertise of its world-class bidding team. Combining NAL with its emerging Authier lithium project could provide a substantial boost to the province’s lithium output, with the potential to help deliver a complete value chain through to downstream processing.

70

MINING | SAYONA MINING

The NAL bid

“Our bid support team has

Sayona intends to boost its

already been there and done

lithium portfolio in Québec

that in terms of producing

through the potential

high quality lithium to a world

acquisition of NAL, a company

market, including companies

with a producing lithium mine

such as Altura Mining,

and concentrator located just

which has a producing mine

25 km (as the crow flies) from

in Western Australia, with

Sayona’s flagship Authier

further operational expertise

project.

provided by Primero.

At this short distance, Sayona

“We also have recruited

would be able to blend its

NAL’s former mine manager,

product from Authier with

together with engineers BBA

the spodumene produced

and Hatch and financial

at NAL’s deposit, should the

expertise from Jett Capital

former be successful in its bid

Advisors and PwC.”

for the latter. There is also the possibility to produce battery

Sayona submitted the bid

grade lithium carbonate at

before the stated deadline

NAL’s existing facilities, with

of 2pm (Montreal time) on

necessary investment.

February 21, after which Lynch said he was confident

Sayona’s managing director,

of achieving a successful

Brett Lynch believes a

turnaround at NAL that

significant turnaround is

supports Québec’s lithium

required at NAL to get the mine

strategy.

running at nameplate capacity that Sayona can deliver this

Authier project upgraded

after the company appointed a

Prior to this, some positive

world class team to support its

news concerning the

NAL bid.

company’s other projects

once again, but he is confident

71

72

MINING | SAYONA MINING

has also boosted confidence

With an estimated mining

amongst the Sayona team.

life of some 14 years, Authier could generate up to 176

On November 11, Sayona

valuable new jobs for the

announced a revised definitive

benefit of the local community,

feasibility study (DFS) for the

including First Nations and

Authier project which pointed

other stakeholders.

to its potential as a sustainable and profitable new lithium

Sayona has also been

mine.

progressing a revised environmental impact

In an improvement on the

statement (EIS) alongside

previous DFS completed in

the DFS, considering ways

September 2018, the revised

in which the mine can be

DFS showed an estimated

redesigned to limit its impact

net present value of C$216

on the local environment.

million, up from the $184 million estimated previously.

The additional review of

The study showed a pre-tax

the EIS is a mandatory

internal rate of return of 33.9%

requirement of the rigorous

and estimated capital payback

BAPE (bureau d’audiences

within 2.7 years, based on

publiques en environnement)

annual average spodumene

process stipulated by the

production of 114,116 tonnes

Québec Government, which

(6% Li2O).

obliges new mine developers to conduct wide-reaching

The hard rock Authier project

community engagement

is located around 45 km from

before being granted

the city of Val d’Or in Québec

permission to mine.

- a well-established mining district.

“The project and its impacts are put out openly and transparently in structured,

73

BRETT LYNCH, MANAGING DIRECTOR

formal public meetings

On January 22, Sayona

New deposit

chaired by the government.

announced the lodgement

Also in Québec, Sayona is

We’ve been working with

of its new EIS with Québec’s

increasingly excited by the

several stakeholder groups,

Ministry of the Environment

potential of a new lithium

including the local First

and the Fight against Climate

deposit at its Viau-Dallaire

Nations group and some of

Change. Following further

prospect, located within its

the environmental groups in

public hearings and review,

Tansim project some 82 km

order to fully understand how

the company ultimately

Southwest of Authier.

the project will affect the local

expects project approval under

area.”

the BAPE in late 2020.

On November 19, Sayona announced an exploration

74

MINING | SAYONA MINING

comprising an estimated

Québec’s lithium strategy

five million to 25 million

Recognising the role of

tonnes at an estimated grade

lithium as the key ingredient

of 1.2 to 1.3% Li2O. The

in modern technology, from

mineralisation is open in all

portable consumer technology

directions.

to renewable energy storage

target for Viau-Dallaire,

and electric vehicles, the “The exploration target has

Québec Government has

demonstrated the potential

set out a clear strategy to

for Viau‐Dallaire to become

capitalise on its voluminous

another key part of our

spodumene reserves by

strategy to develop a lithium

establishing a world-leading

hub, supporting Québec’s

lithium hub for the growing

ambitions to generate a

battery markets.

complete lithium value chain,” Lynch said.

“I don’t think there is any government in the world

The exploration target has demonstrated the potential for Viau‐ Dallaire to become another key part of our strategy to develop a lithium hub, supporting Québec’s ambitions to generate a complete lithium value chain” – Brett Lynch, managing director Sayona Mining

“Sayona could potentially

that has a clearer vision and

feed spodumene ore from

mandate on developing its

Authier and Viau‐Dallaire

lithium resources to become

into NAL’s concentrator to

a world leader in battery

generate the necessary quality

production than Québec,”

product for lithium‐ion battery

Lynch declares.

manufacturing.”

“That beacon on the hill starts More drilling is under

with the Premier of Québec

consideration for the prospect,

and goes down through the

which ultimately could

ministries.”

become another key part of Sayona’s lithium portfolio in

Lynch is referring to a

Québec.

declaration made in August

by Québec’s Premier François

75

“When you look at Québec, there isn’t anywhere more ideally situated to service the future North American demand for battery manufacturing” Legault that lithium is a ‘jewel’ that the province has yet to exploit. The Premier also envisaged a downstream processing industry and the possibility of 100% Québec lithium-ion battery production.

It goes without saying that Québec is a resource-rich region with a skilful mining base and all the necessary infrastructure to support new lithium mines, including access to clean and green hydro-electric power.

However, the challenge

76

for Québec in the lithium

processing facilities, so that

production. This is a task that

sector will centre on

it can establish itself as a

Québec is perfectly prepared

developing a full value chain,

world-leading jurisdiction

for, according to Lynch.

including downstream

for lithium-ion battery

MINING | SAYONA MINING

“It’s going to be very difficult for anyone else to ship lithium around the world to compete in that North American market,” he claims.

For Sayona and Québec, 2020 is suddenly looking like a milestone year as the electric vehicle revolution drives increased demand for lithiumion batteries.

“Sayona is in the right place at the right time. We’re very confident of moving forward in 2020 as we help Québec become a leading player in this key industry for the 21st century,” Lynch concludes.

SAYONA M IN I N G AT A G L A N C E

“When you look at Québec,

demand for battery

there isn’t anywhere more

manufacturing. It’s got all the

ideally situated to service

logistical support and is low

the future North American

geopolitical risk.

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77

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80

MINING | MALI LITHIUM

MALI LITHIUM OWNER OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST UNCOMMITTED HARD ROCK LITHIUM RESERVE

81

Despite its name suggesting a focus on just one commodity, Mali Lithium is pursuing a dual strategy in lithium and gold within Mali in West Africa. The ASX-listed firm originally owned gold assets under the name Birimian Gold, but in 2016 – when the lithium boom was just beginning to ramp up – Mali Lithium discovered outcropping lithium pegmatites in the Bougouni region of Southern Mali.

The company soon established the Goulamina Lithium Project and has spent the last two and a half years focusing on the prospective area, completing a pre-feasibility study (PFS) in mid-2018. A year later, the company accordingly changed its name to Mali Lithium. That being said, Mali Lithium maintains several exciting gold tenements in Mali, which is Africa’s third largest gold producer.

82

MINING | MALI LITHIUM

Prior to joining Mali Lithium, Evans was COO of Altura Mining and helped build its Pilgangoora Mine in Western Australia alongside Marc Rowley, who now also works for Mali Lithium as project director. Mali Lithium’s process manager Walter Madel is another team member that has joined in the last 18 months with history in WA’s lithium sector.

Pre-feasibility study Mali Lithium’s 100%-owned Goulamina project comprises of a land holding of 100 km in the region of Bougouni, approximately 150 km by road from Mali’s capital, Bamako.

After RC and diamond drilling identified several spodumenebearing pegmatites, the company published a PFS for “The senior management team

the project in July 2018.

has had a reasonable turnover

The PFS revealed Goulamina

in the last couple of years,” says

to be the world’s largest

managing director Chris Evans.

uncommitted hard rock lithium

“In fact, we now have a team

reserve, with 31.2 million

of specialists who have had

tonnes (Mt) of ore in reserve at

significant previous experience

a grade of 1.56% lithium oxide.

“Having a full mining permit is the most significant milestone we’ve had to date on the project. With the right funding and partner in place we could start building our mine tomorrow” Chris Evans, Mali Lithium managing director

in the lithium market.”

83

Other metrics included a 16year life of mine (LoM) with 362,000 tonnes per annum average production at 6% spodumene concentrate.

The LoM annual average EBITDA was estimated at US$128 million per annum against an AISC of US$319 per tonne of concentrate, although Mali Lithium has been working on ways to optimise the project’s financial and operational metrics ahead of a definitive feasibility study (DFS) due out in May 2020.

“We already have a fantastic resource and reserve and I believe we can further optimise them to create more certainty. We have some of our JORC resource in the indicated and inferred category, and we want to drag some of that into the measured.”

Mali Lithium is also planning

84

to make infrastructural

savings made in these areas

international engineering

optimisations in the critical

will reduce the company’s

and project delivery group

areas of power, water and the

operational costs in the DFS,

Lycopodium.

nearby road networks. Any

which will be delivered by

MINING | MALI LITHIUM

months after Mali Lithium was awarded an environmental permit. This quick turnaround reflects the relative ease of doing business in Mali’s mining sector.

“Working with the Malian government has been an absolute pleasure because they have a very clear mining code that is very easy to understand and has short permitting times. We received our environmental permit four months after submitting it and later received our mining permit soon after submission” A long-established gold industry in Mali means that the Ministry of Mines is staffed with mining professionals who operate at a high standard.

This puts the country in strong stead as the mining sector looks to diversify away from gold and into next-gen metals like lithium.

Final project approval

- and thus final approval from the Malian government

Notably, Mali Lithium is set

The Goulamina project

in August last year, just three

to be at the vanguard of Mali’s

obtained a full mining permit

expanding mining industry, as the Goulamina project is the

85

first major development to be

of intent with CRIMM, a

signed the letter of intent to

granted a full permit outside

division of China Minmetals

investigate EPC construction

of the gold sphere in recent

Corporation, relating to the

of our project, but on the back

times, according to Evans.

potential EPC construction of

of that they want to look at

the Goulamina project. State-

offtake and potential funding

“Having a full mining permit is

owned China Minmetals is the

options.”

probably the most significant

largest Chinese-owned mining

milestone we’ve had to date

company and has a long

China Minmetals has spent

on the project. Now we are

history of expertise in lithium

the last 12 months reviewing

fully permitted, with the right

processing and product

and analysing the PFS and

funding and partner in place

marketing.

conducting specialist testwork

we could start building our mine tomorrow.”

Chinese partners

86

on the Goulamina ore at “China Minmetals expressed

its laboratory in Changsha,

interest in our project at

Hunan province.

that point because of its size

Back in December 2018,

and China’s need for lithium

In the last quarter of 2019,

Mali Lithium signed a letter

projects in the future. They

Mali Lithium announced

MINING | MALI LITHIUM

positive results from its recent

which is quite remarkable

metallurgical testwork in

and shows that our product

cooperation with CRIMM,

is amenable to battery grade

in that the Goulamina ore

chemical conversion. It also

had achieved its target of

showed our product is low in

6% spodumene concentrate

key deleterious elements iron

grade, along with an improved

and mica.�

lithium recovery rate of 87%.

MALI LITHIUM REPRESENTIVES AT 2020 MINING INDABA

M A L I L ITHIU M AT A G L A N C E

Mali Lithium has since In addition, Mali Lithium

commenced a scoping study

has previously had a small

with global engineering firm

sample of its 6% concentrate

Hatch for the downstream

converted into lithium

processing of its spodumene

carbonate for the downstream

concentrate from Goulamina.

battery market.

The standalone study will assess the prospect of

“We made 99.9% concentrate

producing intermediary

on a one-off unoptimised run,

products lithium sulphate and

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ab j

87

lithium oxide ahead of final

two highly prospective gold-

conversion to battery grade

producing tenements in the

lithium chemicals. The study

Massigui area of Southern

should be completed by May.

Mali. Barrick mined the tenements during 2018-19 and

More recently, Mali Lithium

subsequently paid AUS$4.5

signed a deal with Chinese

million in royalties to Mali

civil contractor CHICO for

Lithium until June last year.

early contractor involvement (ECI) at the Goulamina project.

“It was fantastic having those

The agreement, signed in

royalties come in last year.

October last year, will see

Now we want to create some

CHICO price the project’s

more value out of those gold

operational and capital costs to

tenements and we have since

compare against the DFS.

done lots of drilling near the Viper and N’tiola tenements

“CHICO is an experienced

and therefore also near

contractor who is currently

Barrick’s Morila mine.”

constructing and operating

EXECUTIVE OVERV C H R I S E VA N S , M A

in a number of West African

One specific area of interest

countries. The mutual benefit

for Mali Lithium within the

that this relationship will bring

Massigui project is the Koting

to each of our organisations

deposit. London-listed Capital

will be significant,” said Evans

Drilling were deployed to

metres @ 11.1 g/t gold from

following the announcement.

conduct 12 RC drill holes for

100 metres, 12 metres @ 8.92

a total of 1,600 metres at the

g/t gold from 63 metres and

deposit in October 2019.

one metre @ 13.80 g/t gold

The gold portfolio

Prior to joining Mali Lithium, E Marc Rowley, who now also wo member that has joined in the

from 140 metres.

Turning to the other half of

The subsequent assay

the portfolio, Mali Lithium

results were deemed highly

Evans also reveals that the

had in place a joint venture

encouraging, with significant

company is currently having

with Barrick Gold covering

intersections including four

ongoing discussions with Barrick about a continuing

88

MINING | MALI LITHIUM

VIEW NAGING DIRECTOR

Evans was COO of Altura Mining and helped build its Pilgangoora Mine in Western Australia alongside orks for Mali Lithium as project director. Mali Lithium’s process manager Walter Madel is another team e last 18 months with history in WA’s lithium sector. arrangement with the Morila

its exploration activities at

rock lithium project in the

mine and processing facility.

its gold tenements, along

world, and we will soon have

with resource drilling at the

completed our DFS.

Pole position in the lithium race

Goulamina project.

“We also have a team

After Mali Lithium raised

“We think we are going to be

with major experience in

AUS$4.23 million in a

extremely well-positioned

developing lithium projects

renounceable rights issue in

over the next 12 months

and on the flip side, we have

October 2019, the company

in terms of our flagship

some gold tenements that can

is well-cashed up to continue

Goulamina project. We are

potentially create value for

the largest uncommitted hard

shareholders.”

89

IT’S IN OUR DNA TO WORK HARDER Few mining contractors know Africa like we do. For 25 years, we’ve had the mining fleet, people, safety record and know-how to mine productively anywhere in Africa.

GET TO KNOW US AT AMSGH.COM

BRINGING MORE TO MINING

“It was a pleasure working with the RGN team. The entire process - from the initial interview to the layout and finished piece - was seamless and professional. ” Orlee Wertheim Head of Business Development, Global Mining, Toronto Stock Exchange TSX Venture Exchange

SUPERIOR GOLD

Strong fundamentals in place for this Western Australian gold produ

94

MINING | SUPERIOR GOLD

ucer

95

Superior Gold is a Canadian gold producer that owns the Plutonic Gold operations, comprised of the Plutonic underground mine, central mill and the Hermes open pit projects, in the tier one jurisdiction of Western Australia (WA). The Plutonic mine has been in continuous production since 1990 and has produced over 5.5 million ounces of gold during this time, making it one of WA’s largest historic gold producing mines. TSXVlisted Superior aims to produce 80-90,000 ounces of gold in 2020, which would provide the base for the company to ultimately deliver its stated goal of producing 100,000 ounces per annum through the addition of satellite open pit operations.

96

MINING | SUPERIOR GOLD

Superior made the difficult

Going underground

decision to sacrifice short-

The five-year plan outlines

term results at the Plutonic

a number of ways in which

operations in order to ensure

Superior will optimise the

its long-term success, posting

Plutonic underground mine

a revised annual production

in order to achieve average

target of 80-85,000 ounces

production from underground

following weaker production in

alone of 70-85,000 ounces per

the third quarter.

annum up to 2024.

The company recovered in

Superior will increase

Q4 to meet its revised annual

efficiencies by focusing on

guidance with 83,035 ounces

four mining fronts instead

of gold produced over the 12

of eight under the previous

months ending December 2019,

mode of operation. In order

although by then the focus had

to achieve this, Superior will

shifted to a freshly devised five-

boost development rates from

year plan for the underground

600 metres per month to more

life of mine (LOM) starting in

than 800 metres per month.

In the second half of 2019,

2020.

Other parameters outlined “We identified some issues

in the five-year plan include

in the middle of last year but

a stope grade of 3.5-4.5

if you look at our quarterly

grams per tonne, all-in

performance, we’ve gradually

sustaining costs averaging

been working towards

less than US$1,100 per ounce,

overcoming those challenges

and a commitment to spend

and setting ourselves on a path

US$6.5 million per year on

to the profitability that we saw

exploration at Plutonic.

back in 2017,” says Superior’s president and CEO Chris

“The five-year plan is all about

Bradbrook.

ensuring that the development

97

in front of us will enable us to maximise grade and enhance flexibility. The ultimate cost reduction is always achieved by maximising grade, because our underground mining costs remain pretty constant, so a reduction in unit cost per ounce is all about improving the grade.”

The total underground resource is substantially larger than the quantity of mineralisation included in the LOM, and the expectation is that the ultimate mine life is longer than the five years covered by the LOM.

Corporate reshuffle The company’s five-year plan is a result of detailed analysis and work completed since Superior appointed Keith Boyle as chief operating officer (COO) in April last year. Boyle’s appointment was enacted

by Superior in 2019 after determining that the company needed an extra layer of operational expertise and oversight.

98

MINING | SUPERIOR GOLD

“We are in a tier one jurisdiction and we have got one of the biggest gold systems in WA, which is Australia’s biggest gold producing district. We also have infrastructure that allows us the expand rapidly and at low capital” Chris Bradbrook, Superior Gold president and CEO “Keith brings an extra level of operational skill that allows us to focus and keep on track. As part of our new focus, we also added a new general manager last September, Alan Breen. He has got excellent international experience but it was Keith who became the catalyst for the upgrade of the entire operations team.”

While bringing in new corporate direction last year, the company has maintained its focus on keeping general and administrative (G&A) costs down. In fact, G&A costs per ounce have remained among the lowest among its peer group since Superior went public in February 2017.

99

“Everything has a per ounce cost, including management and that has been a mantra of ours since I started the company,” Bradbrook proclaims. “That’s what we wanted to do, so that culture is very much ingrained in Superior.”

The open pit opportunity Alongside the new plan for the underground mine at Plutonic, Superior expects to be able to add ounces to its production through the addition of several open pit deposits. The company started commercial gold production from the Hermes open pit in March 2018 but suspended operations in May 2019 ahead of its new five-year plan.

Superior is currently working on the optimisation of its open pit resources, including the Hermes deposit, which will CHRIS BRADBROOK, PRESIDENT AND CEO

100

MINING | SUPERIOR GOLD

potentially be combined with the Hermes South project to create a single operation. A resource update for the open pits is expected towards the end of the first quarter or the beginning of the second quarter.

“It’s not just the Hermes pit, there are a number of pits which will be included once we finalise the resource update. We expect to put out a revised plan for the open pits soon which will look at adding around 20-30,000 ounces per annum from open pit resources. Considering our 70-85,000 ounces underground target in the LOM, you can see that those combined could get us over 100,000 ounces sustainably.”

Currently, it is anticipated that production from the Plutonic East/Perch pit could commence during the second half of 2020, once final mining permits have been received. Other near-term open pit resources include

101

It’s about thinking big and making sure that wherever we drill, we find mineralisation. We think this is a large system and there is a good possibility of finding additional resources. We will be targeting the favourable mafic volcanic host rock and the key structural settings.”

the Salmon and Workshop

Superior’s chief is keen for

deposits.

the company to look for other

Further resource growth

Plutonic-type targets in the area.

Superior is also chasing near

“It’s about thinking big and

surface and underground

making sure that wherever we

reserve and resource

drill, we find mineralisation.

growth this year and is in

“We think this is a large system

the process of creating a

and there is a good possibility

five-year exploration plan to

of finding additional

run alongside the five-year

resources. We will be targeting

underground mining plan.

the favourable mafic volcanic host rock and the key

Most of the easy-to-reach near

structural settings.”

surface resources at Plutonic

10 2

have already been identified

Meanwhile, underground

according to Bradbrook, but

resource expansion has been

MINING | SUPERIOR GOLD

a key focus for Superior

limited exploration and

results as pleasing and said

since it took over the

development to date.

Superior will continue to

Plutonic operations, and this

release drill results in some of

commitment to underground

In December 2019, the

the other key areas of the LOM

exploration has been

company announced positive

plan, including Timor, Indian

underlined in the company’s

results from this area which

and Baltic, in the near future.

five-year mining plan.

illustrated the potential to extend the LOM plan to well

Filling the mills

Back in October, COO Keith

beyond five years. Highlights

Superior is also undertaking

Boyle revealed that Superior’s

of the drill results included: 1)

a calculation of a new global

immediate underground focus

26.0 g Au/t over 5.55 metres; 2)

resource for the Plutonic

would be on establishing four

210.0 g Au/t over 0.60 metres;

mine, the results of which will

key mining fronts, which

and 3) 13.2 g Au/t over 6.7

ultimately be incorporated into

would make the area between

metres.

a longer-term plan. Crucially

the Indian and Baltic zones an

for the company, it has access

area of significant interest, as

Following the announcement,

to a second mill within the

it is a zone which has received

Bradbrook described these

Plutonic premises, which

103

1 04

MINING | SUPERIOR GOLD

will allow it to easily ramp

company, Bradbrook appears

up should extra resources be

enthusiastic about Superior’s

discovered.

future.

The second mill has a capacity

“We are in a tier one

of 1.2 million tonnes per

jurisdiction and we have got

annum and is currently on

one of the biggest gold systems

care and maintenance but

in WA, which is Australia’s

can be brought back online

biggest gold producing district.

with minimal capex spend,

We also have infrastructure

according to the company.

that allows us the expand

Bradbrook believes the

rapidly and at low capital. I

possession of an additional

think we are extremely well

mill is a key differential for

placed in the current gold

Superior in the gold space.

market.”

“The gold price is very impressive right now. If we are in a prolonged period of high gold prices, you want to be able to deliver the maximum amount of gold into that.

Most other companies don’t

SUPE RIOR G OLD AT A G L A N C E

have the capacity to do that, whereas we do. We can add more ounces into a strong gold market very quickly and with minimal capex.”

STOCK TICKER Considering the strong fundamentals – such as a high gold price and operating in a strong mining jurisdiction

TSXV:SGI

MARKET CAPITALISATION US$30 million (as of March 24, 2020)

j

– underpinning the

105

EVENTS International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) + EXPO Where global mining leaders connect with technology, finance and the future October 27-29, 2020, Melbourne, Australia IMARC is set to return to Melbourne at the end of October for its seventh year, having quickly grown to become the largest international annual mining event in Australia. Powered

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Africa Oil Week Fuelling the future of African energy 02-06 November, 2020 Cape Town, South Africa Brought to you by the Hyve Group – the company behind the Investing in African Mining Indaba - Africa Oil Week is still going ahead as planned in November despite the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on large scale gatherings and business conferences. The 2020 event will deliver a range of new offerings for attendees,

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Mining, oil & gas and renewable energy events from around the world

Mines and Money London The number one global event portfolio for mining investment returns to London December 01-03, London, UK Mines and Money London is one of the most popular events in the mining calendar, and the 2020 event is likely to be even more eagerly anticipated as other international conferences in the Mines and Money series face cancellation due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

As it stands, Mines and Money will return to the UK capital for its 18th year and aims to

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RE-Source 2020 European platform for corporate renewable energy sourcing December 09-11, Amsterdam, Netherlands RE-Source claims to be the world’s largest gathering of renewable energy buyers and suppliers – and it will return to Amsterdam at the end of the year. In 2019, there were over 900 registered participants, many of which took part in peer-to-peer workshops and business-to-business matchmaking meetings. The event also provided speakers

and support from the highest political levels in the EU. This year, RE-Source has pledged further B2B matchmaking activities, deep dive breakout sessions and extended meetings to include more diverse buyer and supplier groups. The last two RE-Source events sold out in advance, so be sure to have it in your calendar.

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