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Quarterly Activities Report for the Period ended 30 September 2024
Ora Gold Limited (ASX:OAU) (“Ora” or the “Company”), a Western Australian gold explorer, is pleased to provide shareholders and investors with an exploration and operations overview to accompany the Appendix 5B for the quarter ending 30 September 2024 (“Quarter”, “Reporting Period”).
Highlights
Drilling and Estimation
- Infill and extensional drilling around the SEZ lode area is expected to yield positive results.
- New additional assays to be incorporated into an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) allowing for the reporting of a maiden Ore Reserve later this calendar year.
- Ora anticipates that the drilling undertaken recently at Crown Prince will expand the 240,000-ounce MRE through extensions to the SEZ lode and additional lodes, thus will increase the potential mining inventory.
Pre-development Activities
- Several key pre-development activities were completed during the quarter which will underpin environmental and statutory approval documents for the development of the Crown Prince Project including:
- Soils and Landform Assessment
- Flora and Fauna Survey and Assessment
- Waste Rock Characterisation
- Waste Rock Landform Stability Assessment
- Hydrological and Hydrogeological Assessment including aquifer testing
- Geotechnical Modelling for pit wall angle design
- Ongoing Stakeholder Consultation
- Early in the quarter the Company undertook sterilisation drilling (98 x slim RC holes) in areas designated for infrastructure and waste rock landforms. Mine site layout design and project scope has been well advanced.
Westgold Strategic Alliance
- Ora Gold and Westgold Resources are working towards finalizing an Ore Purchase Agreement for the 240,000-ounce Crown Prince deposit, which has a grade of 4.1g/t Au and is located approximately 33km from Westgold's Bluebird Mill, with a processing capacity of 1.6-1.8Mtpa.
- Westgold's involvement brings operational expertise and possible access to infrastructure and processing facilities, helping to reduce risks and expedite timelines.
Corporate
- Ora finished the September quarter with $3.4 million cash and is well funded to pursue its technical programs for completion of Crown Prince mining proposal submissions which are expected to be made in November 2024.
During the Quarter, the Company continued to advance the Crown Prince Project (M51/886) part of Ora’s broader Garden Gully tenure package (Figure 1).
To progress Crown Prince towards production the Company is undertaking the technical work streams required to submit a Mining Proposal, Mine Closure Plan, MON2 (PMP), Works Approval and Clearing Permits to the relevant Government departments (DEMIRS and DWER). Data has been collected to facilitate key submission documents for Crown Prince including major studies: Flora and fauna surveys, aquifer testing and modelling, geotechnical and rock properties testing, waste rock characterisation, soil characteristics and sampling.
Ora has also recently completed resource infill drilling which aims to convert resources inside the future conceptual open pit into from “inferred” to “indicated” JORC categories. The latter category underpinning any future ore reserve and production forecast.
Commenting on key outcomes for the Quarter, Ora CEO, Alex Passmore said:
“We are very pleased to report on an active quarter of positive achievements at the Company’s Garden Gully Gold Project.
Crown Prince Mine planning progressed significantly. Site visits and stakeholder consultation were undertaken, technical work streams were well progressed all in preparation for the Crown Prince Mining Proposal submission. We are targeting first production by June 2025. The finalization of the open pit design and ore reserves will follow the next Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) which is due in November. Results from infill drilling have seen the timeline on the MRE pushed out from September from November however we are confident these results will add value.
We anticipate a steady flow of news over the coming months, as results from recent infill and extensional drilling at the SEZ lode are reported. The updated Crown Prince MRE, targeted for release in the coming weeks and in any event by the end of November. The Crown Prince MRE currently totals 240,000 ounces at 4.1g/t Au.
The Westgold Strategic Alliance, entered into in May, has facilitated the rapid development of the Crown Prince Prospect and continues to leverage Westgold’s experience and resources in the region.
The recent increase in the gold price further enhances the economic potential of our projects, highlighting the importance of accelerating Crown Prince’s development to capitalise on favourable market conditions. The coming three months will be pivotal, as we aim to finalize many of the technical work streams for Crown Prince's development, and we look forward to updating the market on our outlook for production as these elements come together.”
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Ora 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.
Notification of cessation of securities - MKR
EB Tucker: Gold Will Do Great, but This is How to Make Money in 2025
EB Tucker of the Tucker Letter shares his thoughts on where he will (and won't) be focusing in 2025.
While he thinks gold will do well, he's not optimistic that mining stocks will outperform the underlying commodities. Instead, he believes energy is the trend to follow as artificial intelligence continues to gain traction.
"The first of the year is the best time for you as a person to stop doing things that don't work," Tucker said.
Watch the interview above for more of his views on gold and how to invest this year.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.
Boundiali Project Maiden Resource delivers 1.6 Moz (amended)
Top 5 Most-popular Gold News Stories of 2024
As the year closes, we're taking a look back at our most popular gold news articles of 2024.
The gold mining industry in 2024 has been marked by turbulence and transformation, reflecting the sector's resilience amid environmental challenges, regulatory shifts and fluctuating market conditions. The year has underscored the complexities of sustainable mining and its implications for communities and investors alike.
The value of gold rose significantly in 2024, with the gold price setting a long series of new all-time highs throughout the year.
As the year closes, we have revisited our most popular gold news stories from 2024, including updates on what has happened since the news broke.
1. Victoria Gold Placed into Receivership After Heap Leach Pad Failure at Eagle Gold Mine
Victoria Gold's collapse into receivership following a heap leach pad failure at its Eagle mine in Yukon marked one of the gold sector's most consequential stories of 2024, and our coverage of the August receivership order was our most popular gold news piece of the year.
The environmental fallout from the June incident has been severe, with cyanide contamination detected in local waterways and reports of fish deaths.
The Na-Cho Nyäk Dun First Nation, whose traditional territory hosts the mine, criticized Victoria Gold's cleanup efforts, demanding a halt to all mining activities in the region. The Yukon government also took legal steps to assert control over environmental mitigation, citing the company’s noncompliance with directives.
This culminated in an Ontario court approving receivership in August, with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) becoming the receiver and manager of Victoria Gold's assets. The firm is now overseeing cleanup operations.
On December 9, Ontario Superior Court Judge Barbara Conway approved a US$55 million increase to the receivership budget, bringing the total to US$105 million to fund environmental mitigation through March.
Additionally, PwC has been granted expanded authority to sell non-core assets and appoint technical advisors, further solidifying its role in managing the aftermath of this environmental disaster.
2. Goldman Sachs Bullish on Commodities, Shares 2024 Price Calls for Gold and Copper
In late March, we reported on Goldman Sachs' (NYSE:GS) outlook on commodities in 2024, in which it cited strong structural and cyclical demand as the main drivers of an anticipated positive market.
The US investment bank projected raw materials would deliver a 15 percent return by year’s end, with particular optimism for gold and copper.
Analysts forecast gold prices to reach US$2,300 per ounce and copper to surpass US$10,000 per metric ton by the end of the year, supported by expected interest rate cuts in the US and Europe. Gold and copper, already performing strongly in Q1, went on to break through those targets in April and May respectively.
Goldman Sachs reiterated its bullish position in September, increasing its price target for gold to US$2,700 per ounce by early 2025. This optimism stemmed from central bank demand and anticipated US Federal Reserve rate cuts.
Gold peaked at US$2,788 per ounce on October 30, one day after the analyst firm predicted that the precious metal would reach US$3,000 per ounce by the end of 2025.
However, gold has experienced volatility in the time since, pulling back on factors such as the November 5 US election, and the US Fed's December 18 announcement of slowed rate cuts for 2025.
The spot gold price fell by over 2 percent to US$2,585 per ounce following the Fed announcement as the market buzzed with concerns about inflation and tighter monetary policy under the new Trump administration.
3. Metals Focus: Gold Price to Average US$2,250 in 2024, Setting New Record
In the firm’s annual Gold Focus report, released in June, independent consultancy Metals Focus forecast an average gold price of US$2,250 per ounce in 2024, which would be a new record average price for the precious metal.
The report highlights key drivers for gold's performance, including looming US debt issues, a contentious election season and uncertainty over China’s economic recovery.
Central bank demand, led by Turkey, China and India, remained robust, contributing to gold's momentum. Geopolitical risks, particularly in the Middle East, also bolstered investor sentiment.
As we know now, gold experienced a historic run in 2024. Gold prices hit a 39 new all-time highs in dollar terms during the year, marking the most record highs in 45 years. Its latest occurred on October 30, when the metal closed at US$2,788.54 per ounce.
Ultimately, the average gold price in 2024 came in well above Metals Focus' bullish forecast. As of December 30, 2024's average closing price for spot gold is US$2,388.09, up by 26.5 percent over 2023's average of US$1,943.
4. Gold from Canada's Biggest Heist Reportedly Smuggled to India, Dubai
On July 8, 2024, we updated readers on the latest development on the theft of 400 kilograms of gold stolen from Toronto's Pearson International Airport in April 2023.
At that time, Canadian police revealed they believed a significant portion of the gold had been smuggled to India and Dubai. Peel Region police identified these destinations as primary markets for illicit gold, where it can be melted down and re-enter the global supply chain.
The gold, valued at over C$20 million at the time of the theft, was part of a shipment from Zurich, Switzerland, destined for a Canadian refinery.
The heist has since been dubbed Canada’s largest gold theft and the sixth largest in the world.
Nine arrests had already been made in connection with the theft, with suspects facing more than 19 charges. The police said that the suspects reportedly used a 5 metric ton truck and rudimentary smelting equipment to transport and process the stolen gold.
While not much has come out since, Air Canada (TSX:AC,OTCQX:ACDVF) and secure transit company Brink's (NYSE:BCO) are embroiled in a lawsuit over who is at fault and who should cover the cost of the lost gold.
5. NYSE Resolves Glitch That Showed 99 Percent Drops for Barrick Gold, Other Stocks
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) addressed a technical issue on June 3 that caused misleading price displays for around 50 companies listed on the exchange, including Barrick Gold (TSX:ABX,NYSE:GOLD) and Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A).
The problem stemmed from a malfunction in the exchange's limit up limit down (LULD) bands, which are designed to curb extreme market volatility by preventing trades outside predefined price ranges.
As a result, some stocks temporarily appeared to experience nearly 100 percent losses during morning trading. NYSE resolved the glitch and the companies were back to trading normally after a brief pause of about 30 minutes.
While it was resolved quickly, there has been fallout from the event, which saw stock traders placing buy orders at the rock-bottom prices during the trade pause that filled at the stock's usual price or higher when trading resumed.
For example, Reuters reported that Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is down US$48 million after it covered losses for its clients who placed orders for Berkshire Hathaway's class A shares at US$185 that filled at prices of up to US$741,971, more than US$100,000 higher than its pre-glitch price. The exchange denied Interactive's request to bust the trades that were completed at "anomalously" high prices.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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