Investor Insight
With several significant gold and copper discoveries in recent years, Awalé Resources has built a compelling value proposition that allows investors exposure to West Africa’s rich mineral resource.
Overview
Awalé Resources (TSX:ARIC) is a mineral exploration company focused on high-quality gold and copper-gold deposits. The company’s Odienné project is located in Côte d’lvoire (Ivory Coast) in West Africa, close to the borders of Guinea and Mali.
Côte d’lvoire has earned a reputation as an attractive investment destination for mining, based on several factors. First, its stable regulatory framework mirrors French civil law, and the government has reduced bureaucracy and established transparency. Second, the region has excellent infrastructure comprising road networks, ports, airports, and electricity networks. Third, the country’s attractive geological profile is rich in several minerals including gold, copper,
manganese, bauxite and
iron. West Africa is widely regarded as a promising gold-producing region with 300 Moz of gold resources. Fourth, its socio-economic environment reflects its diverse economy with a substantial labor force. Lastly, the country offers several tax incentives to attract foreign investors.
Why Awalé Resources is a brand new opportunity
The Odienné project offers Awalé Resources a major foothold in this promising gold province. The project area spans 2,462 sq km over seven permits and is home to several gold and copper-gold discoveries.
The project has seen four significant discoveries, including three in 2023 (Empire, Charger, and Sceptre East) and one in early 2024 (BBM). Empire returned high-grade gold intercepts, while Charger and Sceptre East returned iron oxide copper gold (IOCG) style mineralization.
The BBM target, discovered in January 2024, is a new gold-copper discovery with significant scope for rapid expansion. In addition to the new discovery, further significant results with visible gold have been returned from the first two scout holes at the Lando Target, which lies 10 kilometres northwest of BBM.
Another important feature of the company’s bright prospects is its relationship with Newmont, the world’s leading gold company. Newmont increased its stake in Awalé to 15.48 percent in December 2023 following a private placement of nearly C$1 million. This investment will enable Awalé to accelerate the exploration of its wholly owned permits and signals a vote of confidence in the significant potential of Awalé.
Newmont holds a joint venture agreement on two of the seven permits at the Odienné project and is funding 100 percent of the exploration on the JV permits. Newmont has the option to earn up to a 75 percent interest in the Odienné project by funding US$15 million in exploration expenditures and defining a gold resource of 2 million ounces.
Under the initial phase, Newmont invested US$5 million in exploration expenditure which will allow it to earn 51 percent interest in the Odienné project. With successful Phase 1 results, including positive drill results and four discoveries, Newmont has progressed to Phase 2 of the earn-in agreement. This is a significant milestone that underscores the ongoing success and potential of the Odienné gold-copper project through which Newmont could earn a further 14 percent interest (for a total 65 percent interest) by spending $10 million in exploration and defining a minimum 2-million-ounce gold resource.
Awalé underwent a major overhaul in May 2023, appointing a new CEO and board. Under the new management, led by CEO Andrew Chubb, the Awalé team is well positioned to lead the company in its future growth endeavors.
Company Highlights
- Awalé Resources is a mineral exploration company focused on discovering gold and copper-gold deposits in Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast).
- The company’s flagship Odienné project is located in the northwest Denguélé Region of Côte d’Ivoire in West Africa.
- The project spans over 2,462 sq. km in area with seven permits and is in a region that boasts over 300 million ounces (Moz) of gold deposits. The geological setting of the Odienné district is comparable to that of other significant iron oxide copper gold (IOCG) provinces globally, increasing the chances of the Odienné Project becoming the first major IOCG deposit in West Africa.
- The project yielded three significant discoveries in 2023 – Empire, Charger, and Sceptre East. Moreover, in January 2024, the company announced a new discovery in BBM and encouraging results for the Lando target.
- A key positive for the company is its relationship with Newmont, the world’s leading gold mining company. Newmont holds a joint venture agreement on two of the seven permits at the Odienné project and is a significant shareholder, owning 11.2 percent of the company.
- Under the leadership of CEO Andrew Chubb, the company has achieved significant milestones, including four discoveries, and is well positioned on its growth journey.
Key Project
Odienné Project
The Odienné project is the company’s flagship asset. The project spans over 2,462 sq km and comprises seven permits, of which two are under a JV agreement with Newmont. These permits hold great promise for gold and copper-gold deposits.
The project has similar geological characteristics to the Carajas Mineral Province and other IOCG provinces that are major suppliers of gold and copper. It is in West Africa, which boasts over 300 Moz of gold deposits. There are several +10 Moz deposits adjacent to the project’s boundaries. Other adjacent gold resources include Predictive’s deposit in Guinea, and Centamin’s deposit which is roughly 50 kilometres south of the Odienné project.
The project is characterized by several high-potential targets and discoveries. These include: 1) Empire discovery located along the 20-kilometre Empire Gold Corridor; 2) Sceptre East and Main copper-gold targets; 3) Charger, a high-grade gold-copper discovery; 4) Lando, a 4-kilometre-long copper-gold target; 5) and BBM, a 3.5-kilometre-long copper-gold target.
The first discovery was at Empire, a high-potential gold prospect located around 5 kilometres from Sceptre and other copper-gold targets on the 20-kilometre-long Empire structural corridor.
So far, only five kilometres of this trend have been drilled. The key results for this target include - 1) Hole OEDD-2: 27 metres at 3.1 grams per ton (g/t) gold from 43.2 metres, and 2) Hole OEDD-24: 15 metres at 13.1 g/t gold from 69 metres. Beyond this main target, there is potential for discovering large gold deposits along the east-west corridor.
The second discovery was at Charger, where several phases of drilling have been completed. A total of 11 holes were drilled at Charger with Hole OEDD-45 containing three high-grade intervals within a 65-metre-wide zone of mineralization, including 12 metres at 4.9 g/t gold. Some of the key results at Charger include 32 metres @ 3.0 g/t gold, 0.17 percent copper, and 6.6 g/t silver, including 4 metres @ 12.4 g/t gold, 0.7 percent copper, and 30 g/t silver from 78 metres.
The third discovery was at the Sceptre East target that spans around a 1.5-kilometere-long copper-gold-molybdenum-silver anomaly. Sceptre East is part of the large 20 sq km gold/copper/silver/molybdenum bearing mineralized system, called Sceptre. Discovery drilling commenced at Sceptre East in Q4 2022, and the initial phase comprised a total of seven holes totaling 1,092.2 metres. Follow-up drilling in Q2 2023 consisted of nine reverse circulation (RC) and three diamond drill holes for a total of 1,730 metres. The key results in the follow-up program include hole OEDD-43, which returned 358.5 metres at 0.34 percent copper equivalent from 6.5 metres downhole.
Besides these three discoveries, the company announced a new gold-copper discovery in January 2024 at the BBM target. A total of four holes were drilled at BBM, all of which intersected high-grade gold. The key results were:
- Hole OEDD-59: 44 metres at 1.1 g/t gold and 0.2 percent copper
- Hole OEDD-61: 51.9 metres @ 0.5 g/t gold, 0.27 percent copper and 1.5 g/t silver from 25 metres
- Hole OEDD-62: 18.25 metres at 1.8 g/t gold, 0.3 percent copper and 1.4 g/t silver from 156 metres
Furthermore, significant results with visible gold have been returned from the first two scout holes at the Lando Target, which lies 10 kilometres northwest of the new BBM discovery. Initial drilling at Lando is encouraging and warrants further systematic drilling at this target.
Management Team
Andrew Chubb – CEO
Andre Chubb holds a BSc degree from the University of New England, Australia, and is a member of the Australian Institute of Geologists and the Society of Economic Geologists. He is a geologist with more than two decades of experience in exploration and mining in different geographies, including Africa, Europe and Australia. His experience spans different domains including leading large teams, operations and advisory roles. He was involved in leading the Mantra Resources’ Mkuju Project in Tanzania, from exploration through to feasibility and finally to takeover by ARMZ/Uranium One for AU$1.02 billion.
Andrew Smith - VP Exploration
Andrew Smith is an accomplished economic geologist with over 14 years of exploration and mining experience. Smith has proven discovery success in both greenfield and near-mine gold exploration. He has well-developed skills in both technical and management roles for exploration and development projects across West Africa and Canada. More recently, this has included roles as director of exploration geology for Coeur Mining, chief geologist for Awalé Resources, and exploration manager for Randgold Resources in Senegal. Smith has an Honours Degree in Geology and Petroleum Geology from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, is a fellow of the Geological Society of London, and member of the Society of Exploration Geologists.
Ardem Keshishian - VP Corporate Development and Investor Relations
Ardem Keshishian brings over 15 years of progressive experience in corporate development, investor relations, finance, and capital markets, specializing in the mining sector. Most recently, Ardem served as VP of corporate development and investor relations at Moneta Gold, a Canadian gold developer with assets in the Timmins Gold Camp, Ontario, until its merger with Nighthawk Gold. Prior to Moneta Gold, he held roles at Royal Road Minerals, Pollitt & Co., Haywood Securities, and Van Berkom & Associates. He is a CFA charter holder and holds a Bachelor of Science from Concordia University and a Master of Business Administration from the John Molson School of Business.
Stephen Stewart - Chair of the Board of Directors
Stephen Stewart holds a BA degree from Western University in London, Ontario, an MBA from the University of Toronto, and an MSc degree from the University of Florida. He has more than 18 years of senior leadership experience with several Canadian companies, including Orecap, QC Copper & Gold, Mistango River Resources and Baselode Energy. He is also the founder and chairman of the largest mining-focused charitable organization and fund in Canada, the Young Mining Professionals Scholarship Fund.
Anthony Moreau – Director
Anthony Moreau is the CEO and Director of American Eagle Gold and also serves as a Director of QC Copper & Gold, Orecap Invest, and Mistango River Resources. He was formerly with IAMGOLD, where he held various roles in Business Development and Innovation. Anthony is also the leader of the Young Mining Professionals Toronto. He also co-founded the YMP Scholarship Fund, which has raised over $1.25 million since its inception seven years ago. Anthony is a Queen's School of Business graduate and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
Karl Akueson – Director
Karl Akueson is an Ivorian born natural resources entrepreneur who co-founded Awalé Resources following a career in metals and mining investment banking at BMO Capital Markets in London. He recently founded and is the current CEO of Switch Metals, a private exploration company focused on technology metals in Cote d'Ivoire. Karl is based in Abidjan. He is a graduate from Imperial College Royal School of Mines - MSc Metals and Energy Finance, and the University of Manchester - MEng Chemical Engineering.
Charles Beaudry – Director
Charles Beaudry holds a BSc degree in geology from the University of Ottawa and a master's degree in geology from McGill University. He has three decades of experience in business development, exploration, and project management. Previously, he has been associated with IAMGOLD and Noranda-Falconbridge-Xstrata.
John Scott - Principal Geologist
Dr. John Scott is a results-focused exploration geologist, with more than 27 years of experience within teams that have delivered numerous discoveries and significant business growth in both near-mine and greenfield settings internationally. John's career as a seasoned technical lead has spanned North America, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Australasia. Scott specializes in practical mentorship to upskill field teams, target generation, identifying mineralization controls, and developing robust geologic models at deposit, district and country scales. He holds a Bachelor of Science with Honors (First Class) from the University of Adelaide, Australia, as well as a PhD in Structural Geology from the University of Otago, New Zealand. Scott is also a fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists and a member of both the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and the Society for Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits.
Kirmat Noormohamed - Exploration Manager
Kirmat Noormohamed is an exploration geologist with technical and operational skills developed through more than 25 years in company and consulting roles within the mining and exploration industry across multiple countries in Africa. She has extensive experience from greenfield exploration to feasibility studies as part of diverse teams within multinational companies such as Anglo American, AngloGold Ashanti, Falconbridge, Redback Mining, Kinross Gold and Teranga Gold, where she has led and been part of teams discovering over 2.5 million ounces of gold. She holds a BSc from Abilene Christian University in the US, and is currently completing her MBA at University of Illinois.
Sharon Cooper - CFO
Sharon Cooper is qualified as a chartered accountant, with over 10 years of experience in accounting and auditing roles for mining and mining-related companies. Before Awalé, she was associated with Ernst and Young and several junior exploration and mining companies.
Karl Akueson – Local Advisor
Karl Akueson holds an MSc degree in chemical engineering from the University of Manchester and MSc in metals and energy finance from the Royal School of Mines. He is a co-founder of the company and has served as an advisor since listing. He has also worked with BMO Capital Markets in London.
Figure 1: Ford fault structure. Intense iron and clay alteration with pXRF results. Approximately 528,613mE, and 3618522mN (UTM Zone12, NAD83)
Table 1: Ford Prospect In-field pXRF readings from outcrop (coordinates in UTM Zone 12 (NAD83))
Figure 1: Horizon’s project locations, regional geology and surrounding infrastructure