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Antilles Gold Limited (“Antilles Gold” or the “Company”) (ASX: AAU, OTCQB: ANTMF) advises that the Company has entered into an Agreement with Patras Capital Pte Ltd to provide up to three A$1.0 million Convertible Loan Notes to Antilles Gold Limited over the next three months.
The provision of the second and third Loan Note will be at the Company’s option, and may require shareholder approval with respect to placement capacity.
The aim is to raise funds to maintain the momentum of the near-term development of the Nueva Sabana gold-copper mine in Cuba while waiting on the outcome of the Groups’ arbitration of approximately A$45 million of claims against the Dominican Republic Government resulting from a project that was completed in 2019.
The Tribunal undertaking the arbitration has advised that the Award will be issued by the end of March 2024. It is anticipated that if the Award is favourable for the Company, and does not need to be enforced, the second and third Notes would not be issued.
The basic terms of each Loan Note are as follows;
Antilles Gold has sufficient placement capacity under Listing Rule 7.1 for the first Loan Note.
The 50:50 joint venture in Cuba expects to commence construction of the site works and a short access road from the central highway in April 2024, and the mine and associated infrastructure in July 2024.
The Chairman of Antilles Gold, Mr Brian Johnson, said that “the dilution of shareholders with recurring capital raises was extremely disappointing but unavoidable when the Company had no existing operations producing a cashflow.
In his opinion, irrespective of the dilution, and the current low market capitalisation, the value of the Company’s projects in Cuba is increasing significantly with continuing expenditure.
Antilles Gold is assisting the Cuban joint venture company, Minera La Victoria, in negotiations that have commenced with three potential Investors showing interest in buying into the company, and supporting its progressive growth. Successful negotiations with any Investor, would minimise additional raises by Antilles Gold in the foreseeable future.
Recent meetings with the Company’s Cuban partner, GeoMinera, have indicated it will be possible for the existing Joint Venture Agreement to be amended to permit majority foreign ownership in order to accommodate additional shareholders.
Drafting of amendments to the Agreement, and the joint venture company’s Articles is proceeding.”
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This article includes content from Antilles Gold, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
AAU:AU
Results of Updated Scoping Study for Nueva Sabana Mine, Cuba
Antilles Gold Limited (“Antilles Gold” or the “Company”) (ASX: AAU, OTCQB: ANTMF) is pleased to advise the results of the Updated Scoping Study for the first stage of the proposed Nueva Sabana gold-copper mine in Cuba. The Study has been prepared by the 50% owned Cuban joint venture company, Minera La Victoria SA (“MLV”), which is undertaking the project.
- The Updated Scoping Study is based on a pit limited to 100m depth which, at a mining rate of 500,000tpa of ore, will result in an initial mine life of 4.8 years.
- With additional exploration, and a greater mining depth, the project life and NPV could be increased.
- Metallurgical testwork set out in ATTACHMENT C indicates the mine will initially produce a gold concentrate grading ~57.5g/t Au for around 18 months, followed by a blended copper-gold concentrate with an average grade of ~28.3% Cu, and ~29.8g/t Au.
- Payables for these concentrates have been received from a major international commodity trader that the joint venture is negotiating with to establish an offtake agreement.
- The off-take agreement is expected to include a provision for advanced payments for concentrates to assist in the funding of construction costs.
- The 752ha concession covering the Nueva Sabana oxide deposit also hosts the El Pilar, Gaspar, and Camilo porphyry copper intrusives, and numerous shallow gold targets identified by artisanal mining.
- The Nueva Sabana deposit has a small gold cap, an underlying copper-gold zone, and a deeper sulphide copper zone with mineralisation open at depth at 150m which could potentially transition into the El Pilar porphyry copper deposit offset to the south.
HIGHLIGHTS OF FINANCIAL ANALYSIS FOR STAGE ONE OF THE NUEVA SABANA MINE: 
- Estimated Operating Profit of ~US$60M from the first 22 months of concentrate production will comfortably permit repayment of the ~US$28.5M project debt before the end of this period.
- MLV intends to drill the copper mineralisation that continues below the stage one mining depth of 100m with the aim of deepening the Nueva Sabana mine and extending its life.
- The Revised MRE for Nueva Sabana which is incorporated as ATTACHMENT A in the Study, established approximately 25M lb of 0.75% copper in Inferred Resources within the 50m below the initial mine depth, which is a positive indication of the potential to extend its life.
- MLV also intends to drill identified oxide gold-copper targets overlying the nearby Gaspar and Camilo porphyry copper deposits to potentially increase resources.
- Subject to the results of additional drilling, consideration will be given to doubling the mining rate in the copper domain to 1.0Mtpa of ore to increase annual profitability and cash flow.
- It is possible that the Nueva Sabana mine could be significantly expanded and extended in the future to mine the three porphyry copper deposits located within the mining concession.
Antilles Gold Chairman, Mr Brian Johnson, commented: “The first stage of Nueva Sabana, while relatively small, has an excellent IRR and will deliver significant free cash within a short timeframe.
MLV’s priority at this time is to finalise current negotiations on a concentrate off-take agreement for the project, and to arrange financing for the mine construction.
Antilles Gold’s share of the estimated NPV8 for the first stage of Nueva Sabana is ~A$70M at current metal prices of US$2,600 per oz Au, and US$9,300/t Cu, and an exchange rate of A$1.00 = US$0.66, which is significantly higher than the Company’s current market capitalisation of A$7.5M.
The opportunity to unlock further value for Antilles Gold will occur with the proposed development of the joint venture’s flagship project, the La Demajagua gold-silver-antimony mine, where the Company’s share of NPV8 reported to ASX on 30 March 2023 was ~A$150M, prior to the joint venture’s decision to expand the project to produce gold doré from the mine’s gold arsenopyrite concentrate, and to increase antimony production.
Before the end of 2024, Antilles Gold will contribute the final US$0.4M of the US$15.0M earn-in for its 50% shareholding in the joint venture company, Minera La Victoria (“MLV”), after which the Company’s cash burn will be substantially reduced.”
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Antilles Gold (ASX:AAU), licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
