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High Purity Alumina (HPA) at greater than 99.99% (4N) purity has been produced from the metallurgical processing of lake clays from Impact Minerals Limited’s (ASX:IPT) Lake Hope Project, located 500 km east of Perth in Western Australia (Figure 1). Impact can earn an 80% interest in Playa One Pty Limited, which owns the Lake Hope project, by completing a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) on the project which is in progress (ASX Release March 21st 2023 and November 9th 2023).
- Better than 99.99% (4N+) High Purity Alumina (Al2O3) produced from Lake Hope mud via the proprietary and patented Playa One Sulphate Process.
- The Sulphate Process underpins the recent Scoping Study, which demonstrated an NPV8 of A$1.3 billion for the project and an estimated operating cost to produce 4N HPA up to 50% lower than anyone else globally at less than US$4,000 per tonne.
- Production of larger quantities of HPA can now commence using the now-optimized Sulphate Process to demonstrate consistent quality to potential customers.
- Preliminary discussions with potential customers indicate very strong demand for 4N HPA.
- Other possible process routes to produce HPA from Lake Hope may be possible, with initial results due shortly.
- The Pre-Feasibility is on schedule to be completed in late 2024.
Impact Minerals Limited’s Managing Director, Dr Mike Jones, said, “The production of 4N HPA is a major milestone and exciting result for Impact and its shareholders as we have now shown that we can produce this high-value product, which commands prices of US$20,000 per tonne or more, from the mud in the top two metres of Lake Hope. It underpins the results of the Scoping Study, which showed an NPV8 of A$1.3 billion for the project and, at less than US$4,000 per tonne, possibly the lowest cost of production of HPA globally by a significant margin of up to 50%.
We have also optimized the Playa One Sulphate Process and have already started batch production of HPA to demonstrate consistent quality to our potential customers. We have discovered from our marketing that there is very strong demand for this high-value product, so we will continue progressing the Pre-Feasibility Study as quickly as possible. In addition, we recently uncovered two other possible process routes to produce HPA from these remarkable clays, which may offer yet further reductions in operating cost and capital expenditure if our initial test work is positive, and we are looking forward to getting those results soon,” Dr Jones said.
The 4N HPA was produced via a proprietary and patented metallurgical process called the ‘Sulphate Process’ which is owned by Playa One. The replication and optimization of this process for Lake Hope has been the key focus of Impact’s Pre-Feasibility Study to date, and therefore, these new results are a key milestone in the development of the project (ASX Releases March 21st 2023 and October 18th 2023).
The clays at Lake Hope occur in the top two metres of two small salt lakes on E63/2086 in a deposit containing about 880,000 tonnes of alumina (Al2O3) in various minerals. The deposit comprises Indicated (88%) and Inferred Resources (12%) of 3.5 million tonnes at an average grade of 25.1% alumina (see the Resource Estimate below and ASX Release 19th June 2023).
The lake clays contain a unique combination of naturally extremely fine-grained minerals, which delivers significant cost advantages to the mining and processing of the ore to produce HPA. The clays are free- digging and require no crushing, screening or other on-site preparation, and it is envisaged that the clay will be trucked offsite to a pre-permitted industrial site, most likely either in Kalgoorlie or Perth (Figure 1 and ASX Release March 21st 2023 and November 9th 2023).
Figure 1. Location of the Lake Hope Project.
The Playa One Sulphate Process is straightforward and comprises five stages based around very modest amounts of sulphuric acid (Figure 2): Stage 1 Wash circuit, Stage 2 Sulphuric acid leach and roast circuit, Stage 3 Intermediate alumina salt production, Stage 4 purification by conventional hydrochloric acid gas sparging and Stage 5 calcining to produce HPA. Results from the optimization of the first three Stages of the Process were reported to the ASX on October 18th 2023.
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This article includes content from Impact Minerals, 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.
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Impact Minerals Limited
Investor Insight
With a mining lease application underway and a scoping study that shows excellent economics, Impact Minerals’ game-changing, advanced Lake Hope high-purity alumina project makes for a compelling investment case.
Overview
Impact Minerals (ASX:IPT) is an exploration and development mining company focused on discovering and developing new resource projects within Australia. Lake Hope, a transformational acquisition by the company and its current flagship asset, is a high-purity alumina (HPA) project in Impact’s home territory of Western Australia, a tier-one jurisdiction.
This advanced-stage project allows the company to fast-track the asset toward development, firmly establishing the company on the road to production and increasing shareholder value.
HPA is a high-value product with various uses in several industries that are key to the transition to a low-carbon world. It is mainly used in LED lighting, micro-LED screens, and ceramic-coated separators in lithium-ion batteries. Both these markets are forecast to grow dramatically over the next decade, and a looming supply shortage is predicted for 2026.
HPA is also necessary for producing synthetic sapphire and scratch-resistant glass. With these ever-widening applications for HPA, demand for this resource is expected to grow from US$3.18 billion to US$12.21 billion by 2030 with a compounded annual growth rate of about 20 percent.
Lake Hope is the company’s current focus as it moves towards production, and where a very shallow, high-grade resource of HPA precursor material has been identified in the top two meters of a dry salt lake. The deposit has unique physical and chemical properties that will allow for inexpensive digging and mining, with transportation to a processing facility off-site in an established industrial area. This will accelerate the approvals processes required to get into production.
With a mining lease application pending, Impact aims to bring Lake Hope, which contains almost 1 million tons of potential HPA, into production when the forecast average price for 4N HPA (99.99 percent Al2O3) and related products is about US$20,000 per ton. The ‘4N’ designation indicates the purity grade, making it suitable for high-tech end uses.
Outstanding economics from the latest scoping study released by the company shows Lake Hope’s potential to be the lowest-cost producer of HPA globally by up to 50 percent.
Lake Hope has a maiden mineral resource estimate (MRE) of 3.5 million tons at 25.1 percent alumina (Al2O3) for a contained 880,000 tons of alumina. The company also received heritage clearances for the entire Lake Hope deposit further de-risking the project and providing another critical component in the company’s application for a mining lease.
Impact completed a bulk sampling and test pits program at the Lake Hope project in December 2023, and later reached a key milestone by producing HPA greater than 99.99 percent (4N) purity from the metallurgical processing of lake clays acquired from Lake Hope.
In February 2024, a new proprietary metallurgical process for producing HPA from the lake clays was identified. Impact produced 99.99 percent (4N) Al2O3 from a low-temperature leach (LTL) process. The LTL process may lower the capital and operating costs to produce HPA compared to the sulphate process which underpinned the recent scoping study. The LTL process will be included in the ongoing pre-feasibility study in parallel with the sulphate process at marginal extra cost to determine the best processing route to HPA. The PFS is due to be completed in late 2024.
A comparison of the LTL process and the sulphate process
The company is well funded to finance the pre-feasibility study at the Lake Hope High Purity Alumina project and exploration activities at the Arkun battery minerals project.
Impact Minerals has been awarded a $2.87 million grant for the commercialisation of its innovative process to produce High Purity Alumina (HPA) from the Lake Hope deposit. The grant is under the Federal Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) program which fosters short-term, industry-led research collaborations. The grant is part of an estimated $6.4 million research and development project to be completed within three years and designed to provide Impact with the relevant information required to complete a definitive feasibility. A key component of the grant funding will be to construct a pilot plant, which is a key goal for 2025, and this will provide consistent material for off-take and qualification trials.
Impact Minerals was also one of the inaugural cohort of seven companies selected to be part of the prestigious BHP Xplor program. BHP Xplor, an accelerator program introduced by BHP in August 2022, is designed to help provide participants with the opportunity to accelerate their growth and the potential to establish a long-term partnership with BHP and its global network of partners.
The BHP Xplor funding was used to identify new target areas for copper and other energy metals around the Broken Hill area in New South Wales, eastern Australia, where Impact has been quietly adding to its ground position for several years.
Additionally, the company is exploring its large Arkun battery metals project, also in Western Australia which covers nearly 2,900 square kilometres. Three new exploration licence applications were submitted recently immediately north of the Arkun project along trend from the recently discovered REE soil geochemistry anomalies at Hyperion, Swordfish and Horseshoe, and the Caligula copper anomaly. These anomalies require drill testing which will occur in 2024 and is an exciting development in the emerging mineral province of southwest WA.
A strong management team with over 50 years of combined industry experience leads the company. With a mining and exploration geology degree, Dr. Mike Jones, managing director, launched a long career consulting and leading mining organizations. Peter Unsworth, the non-executive chairman, has more than 35 years of experience in multiple financial sectors, such as securities industries and wealth management. Paul Ingram, a non-executive director, has led several mining companies since 2003. Impact Minerals has the experience and expertise to lead the company to success.
Company Highlights
- Impact Minerals is an exploration and development mining company focused on rapidly moving its flagship Lake Hope high-purity alumina (HPA) project toward production.
- The Lake Hope project has a high-grade maiden mineral resource estimate (MRE) of 3.5 million tonnes at 25.1 percent alumina (Al2O3), for a contained 880,000 tonnes of alumina that can be converted to HPA.
- HPA is used throughout multiple industries, and the overall HPA market is projected to grow by a CAGR of 18.4 percent by 2030.
- A pre-feasibility study is currently in progress and scheduled to be completed by Q4 2024. A mining lease application for the Lake Hope High Purity Alumina (HPA) was recently lodged with the aim of being granted by 2026.
- The company’s project portfolio also includes assets with high-grade mineral deposits of a range of base, critical and precious metals.
- Impact Mineral’s 2,000-square-mile Arkun nickel-copper-PGE project in Western Australia has produced encouraging assays that motivate further exploration. Maiden drill programmes are planned for early 2025.
- The company is also exploring its Broken Hill copper project in New South Wales following a major grant under the auspices of the BHP Xplor program in 2023..
- A strong management team leads the company with experience in geology, mining and corporate finance.
Key Projects
Lake Hope HPA Project
Impact Minerals’ Lake Hope HPA project is in Western Australia, a tier-one mining jurisdiction. HPA is a crucial component in many new and emerging technologies, creating ongoing demand for high-grade sources. The Lake Hope project is the company’s flagship as it moves toward production.
Project Highlights:
- Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate: A maiden mineral resource of 3.5 million tonnes at 25.1 percent alumina (Al2O3) for a contained 880,000 tonnes of alumina has been defined at the Lake Hope HPA Project. About 88 percent of the resource, or 775,000 tonnes of alumina, is in the higher confidence indicated resource category.
- Amenable to Open-pit Mining: The Lake Hope project is a unique HPA asset amenable to shallow, open-pit mining. The deposit is soft and shallow, allowing for cheap digging and minimal infrastructure requirements. This type of deposit also lowers the environmental footprint of the operation.
- Fast-tracked to Production: A mining lease application is currently underway. Once granted, the company will begin working towards a pre-feasibility study and mini pilot plant. Impact Minerals plans to reach a complete pilot plant by 2026.
- Impressive Results of the 2023 Scoping Study: Outstanding economics show Lake Hope to potentially be the lowest-cost producer of High Purity Alumina (HPA) globally by up to 50 percent. Key outcomes from the scoping study include:
- Annual production of 10,000 tpa of 4N HPA with an initial 25-year mine life
- Annual EBITDA of A$174 million.
- 2 years construction period with 5,000 tonnes of production during the first year, 8,000 tonnes in the second year and 10,000 tonnes of production thereafter.
- US$934 million post-tax NPV8 at an IRR of 55 percent.
- Mining Lease Application: Amining lease application was lodged in mid-2024 over the West Lake resource while a miscellaneous licence application (L63/99) was lodged to cover mine infrastructure and haulage road.
The scoping study was underpinned by a sulphuric acid process allowing the company to achieve a new milestone by producing HPA with purity of more than than 99.99 percent (4N) from the metallurgical processing of lake clays acquired from Lake Hope. The company further identified a new proprietary metallurgical process for producing HPA from the lake clays. Known as the low-temperature leach (LTL) process, this also produced 99.99 percent (4N) Al2O3 and has the potential to lower even further the capital and operating costs to produce HPA compared to the sulphate process. The LTL process will be included in the ongoing pre-feasibility study along with the sulphate process to determine the best processing route to HPA. The PFS is due to be completed in late 2024.
Broken Hill Copper Project
The Broken Hill project has a significant land position of 815 square kilometers and hosts multiple targets with the potential for high-grade copper. Broken Hill is located in New South Wales, Australia, an area known for its prolific silver-lead-zinc mining operations and the giant Broken Hill deposit.
Project Highlights:
- Participant in the BHP Xplor Program: Impact was selected for the BHP Xplor program in 2023 based on its Broken Hill project. The program is designed to allow participants to accelerate growth and establish a long-term partnership with BHP.
- Potential for Additional Minerals and Deposits: As well as copper, the project has significant exploration potential for magmatic nickel-copper-PGE sulphides, and at the time the host rocks were formed, Broken Hill was located close to the world-class nickel-copper-PGE deposit of Jinchuan and the significant Lengquisheng deposit. The project area also has the potential to contain zinc-lead-silver deposits, providing even more value.
Arkun Nickel-Copper-Gold-Lithium-REE Project
The Arkun project is a 2,900-square-kilometer nickel, copper and gold project located in the emerging Ni-Cu-PGE province near the world-class Julimar Ni-Cu-PGE deposit and surrounded by Anglo American Corporation, which secured its ground holding shortly after Impact secured its asset. Anglo-American is one of the world’s top ten mining companies, and their presence in the region brings confidence in the project’s potential.
Project Highlights:
- Additional Exploration Underway: Impact plans follow-up work programs, including drilling, at its priority targets.
- Significant Targets Identified: Recent soil sampling identified two new prospects:
- Hyperion prospect - Located in the northwestern part of the project area returned with rare earth element anomalism of up to 5,880 ppm (0.59 percent) total rare earth oxide (TREO+Y) and neodymium and praseodymium (Nd+Pr) of up to 21 percent.
- Caligula prospect - Initially identified on the roadside, the Caligula prospect is a large and significant target for porphyry copper mineralisation.
- Three New Exploration Licences: Impact applied for three new exploration licences expanding Arkun project along trend from the recently discovered REE soil geochemistry anomalies at Hyperion, Swordfish and Horseshoe as well as the Caligula copper anomaly.
Management Team
Peter Unsworth - Non-executive Chairman
Peter Unsworth, formerly a chartered accountant, has over 35 years of experience in the corporate finance, investment and securities industries and a wealth of management experience with public and private companies. A former executive director with a leading Western Australian stockbroking company, Unsworth has been a director of several public exploration and mining companies. He recently completed a long time serving as chairman of the Western Australian Government-owned Gold Corporation (operator of The Perth Mint). Unsworth is the founding chairman of Impact Minerals.
Dr. Mike Jones - Managing Director
Dr. Mike Jones is the founding managing director of Impact Minerals Limited, which was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in November 2006. Reporting to the board of directors, he is responsible for the company's performance as it moves towards production at its Lake Hope High Purity Alumina Project and also for implementing strategies to explore and maximize the value of the company's other extensive tenement holdings.
Since listing, he has helped raise more than $60 million to help fund the exploration of Impact’s projects and managed the company through significant adverse events, including the global financial crisis and the Fukushima nuclear disaster, which affected Impact’s considerable investment in the uranium sector, a five-year global downturn in the mining sector and more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic.
Paul Ingram - Non-executive Director
Paul Ingram is a geologist with extensive experience managing major mineral exploration programs for several publicly listed companies and has been involved in the mining sector for over thirty years. He has designed and implemented innovative techniques for exploration in remote areas and has managed projects in countries throughout Australia and East Asia. Ingram has been a director of the following listed companies in the past three years: Polo Resources from January 2008 to January 2011; A-Cap Resources since June 2009; Consolidated Global Investments since September 2006; Caledon Resources from February 2003 to March 2008; and Australian Pacific Coal since March 2011.
Dr Frank Bierlein - Non-executive Director
Dr. Frank Bierlein is a geologist with 30 years of experience as a consultant, researcher, lecturer and industry professional. Bierlein has held exploration and generative geology management positions with QMSD Mining, Qatar Mining, Afmeco Australia and Areva NC, and consulted for, among others, Newmont Gold, Resolute Mining, Goldfields International, Freeport McMoRan, and the International Atomic Energy Agency. He is currently a non-executive director of PNX Metals. He was previously a non-executive director of Gold Australia NL and chaired the advisory board of a Luxembourg-based private equity fund between 2014 and 2021.
Joint Venture Secured over Advanced Gold Project in Western Australia’s World Class Gold Mining District
Highlights
- Cazaly signs binding term sheet with Brightstar Resources to earn up to 80% of the Goongarrie Gold Project located in the Kalgoorlie-Menzies district in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia
- The Project covers 12km strike of the Bardoc Tectonic Zone-Boulder Lefroy Shear Zone (BTZ), host to multiple world class gold deposits
- Several high priority gold drill targets with growth potential
- Gold mineralisation at the Hastings prospect extends for over 1km, and is open along strike and at depth. Anomalous intercepts include 38m @ 3.1g/t gold1
- Cazaly to spend up to $3M on exploration to earn staged equity up to 80% of the Goongarrie Project
Cazaly’s Managing Director, Tara French comments:
“The Goongarrie gold project presents Cazaly with an outstanding opportunity to explore for new gold resources in a multi-million-ounce gold district. The sizeable land package has multiple gold targets
and is largely untested at depth. We are very much looking forward to generating new gold targets and drill testing the existing prospects. With the gold price breaking A$4,600 oz for the first time, and with a positive pricing outlook, it’s the perfect time for Cazaly to get back into gold. We are pleased to have entered into the agreement for nil cash or scrip consideration with all funding going ‘into the ground’. We look forward to advancing this project and to working closely with our new partners at Brightstar to maximise value for shareholders.”
Goongarrie Gold Project
Goongarrie is located in the northeastern goldfields, 90km north of Kalgoorlie, and is easily accessible via the Goldfields Highway that runs along the western boundary of the project area. The Project consists of 70km2 of greenstone sequence within the Kalgoorlie Terrain.
Figure 1. Regional location - Goongarrie Gold Project.
Importantly the Project covers twelve kilometers of the Bardoc Tectonic Zone (BTZ), which is the northern extension of the Boulder-Lefroy Shear Zone (BLSZ) to the south, one of the richest gold mineralised structures in the Yilgarn Craton. Subsequent exploration activities have identified two additional subparallel N-S structures that also have the potential to host significant gold deposits.
Material Terms of Joint Venture Agreement
The terms of the earn-in joint venture agreement for the Goongarrie Project, subject to Cazaly completing due diligence, are:
- Cazaly to expend an initial $1m on exploration to earn a 25% interest;
- Expend further funds of $1m to earn a 51% interest;
- Expend further funds of $1m to earn to an 80% interest.
Tenements included in the Goongarrie Project are listed in Table 1.
Project History
The Goongarrie Project was acquired by Kingwest Resources Ltd (KWR) in 2019. In May 2023 KWR merged with Brightstar Resources Limited whose focus has now shifted away from the Goongarrie project following their recent merger with Alto Metals Ltd (ASX: AME)i.
Prior to KWR acquiring the Project, very little exploration activity had been completed across the project as work was focused at Menzies and Kalgoorlie. Historic work included soil sampling, trenching, auger drilling, shallow aircore drilling, and limited RC drilling. This work targeted oxide gold mineralisation at surface associated with the Bardoc Tectonic Zone-Boulder Lefroy Shear Zone (BTZ). Two gold deposits along the BTZ were initially mined in the late 1980s at Jennys Reward, and Goongarrie Lady which was recently re-commissioned by a private group. There is potential for the discovery of new gold deposits undercover along the 12km strike length of the BTZ and along largely untested parallel mineralised structures that run N-S through the length of the project.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Cazaly Resources, 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.
Earn-In with Cazaly Resources over Non-Core Goongarrie Project Streamlines Portfolio
HIGHLIGHTS
- Brightstar has signed a binding Term Sheet with Cazaly Resources Limited under which Cazaly is granted an option to elect to earn up to an 80% interest in the Goongarrie Gold Project by sole funding exploration expenditure of up to $3 million, as follows:
- Upon exercising the option, Cazaly to spend $1 million on expenditure over an initial 12-month period to earn a 25% interest;
- Cazaly to spend an additional $1 million on expenditure over a further 18-month period to earn an additional 26% interest (aggregate 51% interest); and
- Cazaly to spend an additional $1 million on expenditure over a further 18-month period to earn an additional 29% interest (aggregate 80% interest)
- Upon Cazaly earning an interest in the Goongarrie Gold Project, Brightstar and Cazaly shall form a Joint Venture
- The earn-in allows Brightstar to prioritise operational and development activities, with Definitive Feasibility Study workstreams advancing and current mining operations at Second Fortune complemented by start-up works at the Fish underground project
- Brightstar’s exploration strategy remains focused on improving and growing existing mineral resources at projects with granted mining leases and near-term commercialisation pathways, such as the Sandstone, Menzies and broader Laverton project areas
Brightstar’s Managing Director, Alex Rovira, commented:
“With our focus on development and mining operations across the broader Eastern Goldfields and Murchison regions, we are delighted to have attracted a quality partner in Cazaly to explore the Lake Goongarrie area in greater detail, while retaining exposure and upside to exploration success with the joint venture.
Our focus in the general Menzies area is on the Lady Shenton System where we are defining a large open pit mining complex as part of our DFS, whilst we continue to explore and assess other deposits such as Yunndaga and the Link Zone for future mining opportunities to increase our operational footprint in the Menzies area.”
Figure 1 – Menzies & Lake Goongarrie tenure
Under the Term Sheet, Cazaly is granted an option, exercisable within 90 days, to elect to earn up to an 80% interest in the Goongarrie Gold Project shown in Figure 1 (which is a combination of wholly owned tenements and tenements where Brightstar holds gold rights). The exercise of the option by Cazaly is subject to satisfaction of certain conditions precedent, including due diligence on the Goongarrie Gold Project by Cazaly, the tenements being in good standing and certain deeds of assignment being entered into with parties that have rights in respect of the Goongarrie Gold Project.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Brightstar Resources, 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.
Heliostar Metals
Investor Insight
Heliostar Metals has a clear, execution-focused strategy. They are on track to go from no gold production in 2023 to 150,000 ounces of annual gold production in just a couple of years. As one of the fastest-growing gold producers in the industry, Heliostar presents a compelling investment opportunity for investors looking to capitalize on a continued gold bull market.
Overview
Heliostar Metals (TSXV:HSTR,OTCQX:HSTXF,FRA:RGG1) is an emerging mid-tier gold producer focused on unlocking high-grade gold production in Mexico’s premier mining regions.
The company rapidly expanded its asset base by acquiring a diverse portfolio of producing and development-stage assets. This positions it for long-term, scalable production growth.
The company holds two operating mines (San Agustin and La Colorada), two advanced development projects (Ana Paula and Cerro del Gallo), and two additional growth assets (San Antonio and Unga in Alaska). Unlike most of its peers, Heliostar is uniquely positioned to fund growth through internal cash flow while continuing to expand its resource base.
The company prioritizes capital discipline and low-cost acquisitions, significantly expanding its asset base while maintaining a lean financial structure. Unlike many juniors reliant on heavy dilution, Heliostar leverages internal cash flow from its producing assets to drive project development.
Heliostar Metals is strategically positioned to scale its gold production to 150,000 ounces per year in the near term by leveraging its producing mines and development assets. San Agustin and La Colorada provide immediate cash flow and serve as the foundation for production growth. At La Colorada, a permitted expansion plan allows for low-cost increases in output, while the advancement of Ana Paula Phase 1 will significantly enhance production capacity.
Looking ahead, the company has a long-term vision of achieving 500,000 ounces of gold production annually by 2030. This growth will be driven by the development of Cerro del Gallo and San Antonio, both positioned as next-generation mines. Additionally, Ana Paula Phase 2 is expected to scale production beyond 100,000 ounces per year, further solidifying Heliostar’s production base. The company will also pursue strategic mergers and acquisitions to supplement organic growth and expand its project pipeline.
Heliostar’s focus is on minimizing shareholder dilution (and maximizing shareholder value) by funding growth through internal cash flow. The company is reinvesting revenue from operating mines into exploration and development, ensuring efficient capital allocation to high-impact assets. This self-sustaining approach is further strengthened by a strong institutional investor base, which holds 53 percent of the company’s shares, providing confidence in Heliostar’s growth trajectory.
Company Highlights
- Heliostar Metals is rapidly advancing from a junior explorer to a mid-tier gold producer, targeting 150,000 oz per year in the near term and 500,000 oz annually by 2030.
- Heliostar has rapidly expanded its portfolio with key acquisitions, now controlling two producing mines and four advanced-stage growth assets in Mexico. Added 3.5 million measured and indicated gold ounces for just US$15 million, reinforcing a capital-efficient growth model.
- The company prioritizes capital discipline and low-cost acquisitions to expand its asset base and maintain a lean financial structure. Unlike many juniors who dilute shareholders to grow, Heliostar leveraged gold production cash flows to drive project development.
- Its flagship project, Ana Paula, is one of Mexico’s highest-grade undeveloped gold projects. The Heliostar team took on the permitted open pit design and revised it to an underground operation. The current mine plan has potential to produce more than 100,000 gold ounces per year.
- In 2024, Heliostar acquired the La Colorada and San Agustin gold projects. Production at these two mines provide immediate cash flow. That funds Heliostar’s exploration and development without significant dilution.
- CEO Charles Funk leads a seasoned team of mine builders and exploration experts with a track record of developing world-class deposits.
- The company also features a favorable shareholder registry: 53 percent institutional investors, 42 percent high-net-worth and retail investors, and 5 percent held by the board and management.
Key Projects
Ana Paula (Flagship Development Project)
Ana Paula Project NI 43-101 Technical Report Mineral Resource Estimate Update effective November 27, 2023.
The Ana Paula project is Heliostar’s flagship high-grade underground gold deposit, located in the Guerrero Gold Belt, Mexico. With 710,920 oz measured and indicated gold (6.6 g/t) and 447,500 oz inferred gold (4.24 g/t), the project has significant exploration upside. Originally envisioned as an open-pit operation, Heliostar has transitioned Ana Paula into an underground mining project to improve economics and reduce environmental impact. The company is currently conducting a feasibility study, expected to be completed in late 2025, with a construction decision to follow.
Phase 1 production is projected at 50,000 oz per year, scaling to more than 100,000 oz in Phase 2. Exploration is ongoing to expand the high-grade panel, with exceptional drill results, including 125.9 meters @ 4.02 g/t gold (23.6 meters @ 12.5 g/t gold). Ana Paula is a high-impact, high-grade asset that will form the backbone of Heliostar’s production growth.
La Colorada Mine
Located in Sonora, Mexico, La Colorada is one of Heliostar’s cash-flow-generating assets, currently in production with a 2025 guidance of 17,000 to 23,300 oz gold. The mine features a permitted expansion plan, including the Creston Pit Cutback, which contains 220,000 oz probable reserves, and the Veta Madre Pit, which holds an additional 163,000 oz probable reserves (awaiting permitting).
Heliostar is actively drilling below the existing pits, targeting high-grade underground extensions. The company is also evaluating low-grade stockpiles and optimizing heap leach recovery to enhance profitability. By Q1 2025, La Colorada’s expansion will be restarted, leading to a significant increase in gold output.
San Agustin Mine
San Agustin is a low-cost, open-pit heap leach gold mine located in Durango, Mexico, producing between 14,650 to 14,950 oz gold in 2024. The mine offers significant upside through heap leach reprocessing, with a plan to recover 20 Mt of non-agglomerated, run-of-mine material.
The Corner Permit Cutback contains an additional 86,000 oz gold and 4.5 Moz silver, requiring approval before mining. Additionally, San Agustin has sulfide mineralization potential at depth, which remains underexplored. The mine continues to be a consistent cash flow generator, supporting Heliostar’s development pipeline.
Cerro del Gallo Project
Cerro del Gallo is a large-scale, low-cost development asset located in Guanajuato, Mexico. With 2.86 Moz measured and indicated gold and 1 Moz inferred gold, the project represents a long-term growth opportunity for Heliostar.
The company is currently advancing permitting efforts to unlock the heap leach processing potential, which could significantly contribute to its mid-term production goals. Cerro del Gallo is expected to become a core asset as Heliostar scales toward the longer-term 500,000 oz per year production goal.
Pro Forma Total Gold Resources
San Antonio Project
located in Baja California Sur, Mexico, San Antonio is an open-pit gold development project with a 1.74 Moz measured and indicated gold resource. The project is currently awaiting environmental permitting, after which Heliostar will assess development timelines. San Antonio’s favorable metallurgy and location make it a strategic asset with potential for future near-term production.
Unga Project
The Unga project in Alaska is a high-grade gold exploration asset, with an inferred resource of 384,000 oz gold (13.8 g/t). While not a primary focus, the project remains a long-term high-grade growth opportunity.
Management Team
Charles Funk – President & CEO
Charles Funk brings over 18 years of experience in business development and exploration. Before joining Heliostar, he held senior roles at Newcrest Mining and OZ Minerals, two of the world's most prominent mining companies. Funk led the Panuco discovery for Vizsla Silver in 2020, demonstrating his strong expertise in identifying and advancing high-potential gold and silver deposits. Under his leadership, Heliostar has pursued transformational acquisitions that have rapidly expanded the company’s asset base while maintaining capital efficiency.
Gregg Bush – Chief Operating Officer
A highly regarded mine builder, Gregg Bush has a strong track record in mine development, project integration, and operations management. He previously served as COO of Capstone Mining for nine years and as SVP of Mexico for Equinox Gold. With deep experience in Latin American mining operations, Bush plays a pivotal role in advancing Heliostar’s production assets, optimizing operations and ensuring efficient project execution.
Sam Anderson – VP Projects
Sam Anderson brings 20 years of experience in mine geology and project management, including 17 years at Newmont, where he served as mine geology superintendent and senior manager of exploration business development. He played a significant role in the development of Newmont’s Merian Mine in Suriname, from resource stage to steady-state operation. His expertise in mineral resource expansion and project evaluation is crucial to advancing Ana Paula and Cerro del Gallo toward production.
Mike Gingles – VP of Corporate Development
With over 35 years of corporate and entrepreneurial experience in the mining industry, Mike Gingles has been a key player in major mining deals. He led the Pueblo Viejo and Turquoise Ridge transactions for Placer Dome, two of the largest gold assets in North America. His expertise in strategic partnerships, corporate finance, and project acquisitions has positioned Heliostar for transformational growth.
Hernan Dorado – VP Sustainability & Special Projects
As a fifth-generation miner, Hernan Dorado has more than 20 years of experience in the mining sector, including a founding role at Guanajuato Silver, where he served as COO. He has extensive experience in Mexican mining operations, permitting and sustainability practices, ensuring that Heliostar’s projects meet the highest environmental and social responsibility standards.
Vitalina Lyssoun – Chief Financial Officer
Vitalina Lyssoun is a chartered professional accountant (CPA, CA) with over 16 years of financial expertise with a focus on the resource sector. She has strengths in Canadian and US public company reporting, regulatory and tax compliance, and internal controls. She is fluent in Spanish and has experience in operations based in Mexico, Central America and West Africa. Most recently, Lyssoun built and led the corporate accounting team at Gatos Silver, including through their recent merger with First Majestic Silver.
Impact Minerals Limited Investor Kit
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