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Manuka Resources Limited
Overview
Manuka Resources Limited (ASX:MKR) is an ASX-listed mining company focused on gold and silver-gold projects in the Cobar Basin, one of Australia’s most prolific producers of base and precious metals. The company has 100 percent ownership of two fully permitted precious metals projects in the Cobar Basin - the Mt Boppy gold mine and Wonawinta silver project. In addition, MKR owns the Taranaki VTM iron sands project in New Zealand.
The company revealed a phased strategy focused on delivering maximum value to its shareholders. The first phase focuses on bringing back the Mt Boppy gold mine into production, and has released an optimised production plan for the mine restart. The second phase will involve restarting mining and production at the Wonawinta silver mine, while the third phase will see the development of the Taranaki vanadium titano-magnetite (VTM) project.
The Mt Boppy gold mine was historically one of the richest in NSW, Australia and produced ~500,000oz gold at an average grade of 15 grams per ton (g/t) gold. Accordingly, the company is very excited about its exploration potential.
The current focus is on establishing a processing plant at Mt Boppy and recommence on-site gold production from Q1 2025. The ore from the Mt Boppy mine was previously being processed at the 850,000 to 1 million tpa processing plant at Wonawinta, located nearly 150 kilometres south-west of Mt Boppy. This is about to change as MKR has determined that it could save significantly on transportation costs as well as production efficiencies by building an on-site processing plant at Mt Boppy, which will materially enhance the project economics.
MKR estimates the total cost of building the processing plant to be between AU$10 million and AU$15 million. Compared to this, the annual cost of hauling ore from Mt Boppy to Wonawinta is AU$6 million to AU$7 million (nearly 50 percent of the total capex). MKR anticipates Mt Boppy to deliver total EBITDA of >AU$90 million and cash flow of >AU$80 million over a five-year mine life. It is important to note that the current market capitalization of MKR is just AU$55.1 million, much lower than the anticipated five-year EBITDA and cash flow.
The initial five-year mine plan is largely focused on the screening and processing of gold-bearing waste material above ground on the Mt Boppy mine site. The company has been processing these wastes from June 2023 to December 2023 at its Wonawinta plant and now wants to optimize the process.
The cash flows from the Mt Boppy mine will be used to fund the restart of the Wonawinta silver mine, which is currently under care and maintenance. Wonawinta contains total resources of 38.8 million tons (Mt) at 42 g/t silver for 52.4 million ounces (Moz). Within this, there is a higher-grade component of 4.5 Mt at 97 g/t silver for 14 Moz. Manuka Resources is targeting a mineral resource update for Wonawinta in Q2 2024. The Wonawinta silver project will be the largest primary silver producer in Australia and expected to be back in silver production within 12 months.
The gold and silver market appears to be in an upward trend, with prices for both precious metals hitting their all-time high in 2024, which bodes very positively for MKR.
Company Highlights
- Manuka Resources is an ASX-listed mining company focused on exploring and developing gold and silver assets in the Cobar Basin in New South Wales, Australia.
- The company’s two principal assets – the Mt Boppy Gold Mine and the Wonawinta Silver Mine – are both located in the prolific Cobar Basin. In addition, MKR holds a 100 percent interest in the Taranaki VTM iron sands project, located in New Zealand.
- The primary focus is on bringing the fully permitted Mt Boppy mine back into production by Q1 2025. The company will establish an on-site processing plant at Mt Boppy and in turn free up the Wonawinta processing plant for silver production from the Wonawinta silver mine, which was being used to process Mt Boppy ore.
- The results of the recently completed sonic drill program coupled with an updated mineral resources estimate at Mt Boppy (100 percent increase in indicated gold ounces) improve confidence in the recommencement of gold dore production at Mt Boppy.
- A dedicated processing facility at Mt Boppy will improve the project economics and also allow for an additional revenue stream by freeing up the Wonawinta processing plant to process ore from the Wonawinta silver mine (placed on care and maintenance in February 2024).
- The cash flows from the Mt Boppy mine will be used to fund the planned restart of the Wonawinta silver mine.
- Elevated gold and silver prices should substantially benefit Manuka Resources, resulting in improved profitability and cash flows as it brings both its gold and silver projects into production.
Key Projects
Mt Boppy Gold Project
The Mt Boppy gold project comprises three mining leases, four gold leases and one exploration license, spanning an area of more than 210 sq km in the prolific Cobar Basin in New South Wales, Australia. The project was acquired by Manuka in 2019 and has a current mineral resource of 4.3 Mt at 1.19 g/t gold. This includes a combination of oxidized and transitional/fresh mineralization in the ground, as well as mineralized rock dumps and tailings.
Historically, Manuka Resources has processed its stockpiles and gold mineralized waste products through its Wonawinta processing plant. However, inefficiencies associated with trucking and processing ore at the distant Wonawinta plant has led the company to revise its strategy. It is now looking to construct a processing plant at Mt Boppy so that ore from the mine can be processed on-site. Mt Boppy has excellent infrastructure including a 48-person mine camp and is fully permitted for the proposed processing plant and on-site production.
As a precursor to the commencement of on-site production, Manuka Resources undertook a sonic drilling program at Mt Boppy to improve confidence in the mineral resource base. A 26-borehole, 506-meter sonic drilling evaluation program over the Mt Boppy rock dumps and dry tailings was completed in December 2023. The program led to a 100 percent increase in indicated resources compared to the previous estimate.
The updated mineral resource comprises 4.28 Mt at 1.19 g/t gold for 163 koz of contained gold, of which 82 percent is in the measured and indicated categories. A further high-grade subset of the resource (including open pit, rock dumps and tailings) comprising 1.8 Mt at 1.74 g/t containing 102 koz gold has been identified as a basis for future mine planning.
Following the results of the sonic drill program, MKR determined to establish a 200,000 tpa processing plant at Mt Boppy. The company estimates a five-year mine life and a total gold dore production of >48,000 oz over the initial mine life. The mine plan is fairly low in capex requirements with a total planned capital cost of AU$10 million to AU$15 million. Notably, the annual cost of ore haulage from Mt Boppy to Wonawinta plant is AU$6 million to AU$7 million. Thus, the on-site plant will offer significant cost savings and improve the project economics.
Manuka Resources anticipates Mt Boppy to deliver total EBITDA of >AU$90 million and cash flow of >AU$80 million over a five-year mine life.
Wonawinta Silver Mine Project
The Wonawinta silver mine project comprises one mining lease and seven exploration licenses spanning a total area of 920 sq. km. The Wonawinta project hosts a resource of 38.8 Mt @ 42.0 g/t silver, equating to 52.4 Moz contained silver. Within this there is a higher-grade component of 4.5 Mt at 97 g/t silver for 14 Moz silver.
The Wonawinta plant
The Wonawinta project is fully permitted with all the necessary infrastructure, including an 850,000 to 1 million tpa processing plant. The plant has been used for processing ore from Mt Boppy. The Wonawinta silver mine is currently under care and maintenance. The company is considering the possibility of resuming operations at Wonawinta, leveraging the improved silver price environment. Manuka is targeting a mineral resource update for Wonawinta by October 2024 and production in 2025.
Taranaki VTM Project
The Taranaki VTM project is located within New Zealand's exclusive economic zone, approximately 22 to 36 kilometres offshore, outside the 12 nautical mile boundary from the coastline. The project boasts a JORC resource of 3.2 billion tons at 10.17 percent iron oxide, 1.03 percent titanium dioxide and 0.05 percent vanadium oxide. It holds a mining license allowing initial extraction of 50 million tons annually, resulting in 5 million tons of VTM concentrate per year for 20 years (concentrate grade of 56 to 57 percent iron, 8.5 percent titanium dioxide and 0.5 percent vanadium pentoxide). At this extraction rate, the JORC resource provides approximately 60 years of potential mining inventory.
The project is anticipated to sit in the lowest quartile of the iron ore production cost curve. The next step for Manuka is to complete a bankable feasibility study on the project.
Management Team
Dennis Karp – Executive Chairman
Dennis Karp is a former commodities trader with nearly four decades of corporate experience. He started his career in 1983 and worked in HSBC until 1997 before moving to Tennant, one of Australia’s largest physical commodities trading companies with operations in Asia and Europe. He was a principal shareholder of Tennant Metals until 2010 and a managing director until December 2014. He founded ResCap in December 2014. Since then, he has participated in diverse resource projects and investment opportunities across base metals and bulk commodities. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Cape Town.
Alan Eggers – Executive Director
Alan Eggers has over 40 years of experience in the mining sector. He is a geologist and was the founder of Summit Resources, which became an ASX top 200 company and was acquired by Paladin Energy in 2007 for AU$1.2 billion. Throughout his career, he has held director positions at numerous companies. He holds a Bachelor of Science, Honours, and Master of Science degrees from Victoria University of Wellington. He is recognized as a fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists and holds memberships in AusIMM and the Australian Institute of Geoscientists.
Anthony McPaul – Non-executive Director
Anthony McPaul possesses over 40 years of expertise in mining and mineral processing. He has overseen a diverse array of operational projects, spanning from base to precious metals, in both surface and underground mining operations. He has directly managed all facets of production and scheduling. He served in senior leadership roles at various companies, including CRA, Denehurst, MIM and, more recently, Newcrest. McPaul is currently the chairman of the NSW Minerals Council Board and Executive Committee, and he is also a member of the newly established Mineral Industry Advisory Council.
John Seton – Non-executive Director
John Seton is a lawyer with extensive experience in the mineral resources sector. He has served as director in several ASX and NZX listed companies. He holds a Bachelor of Laws from Victoria University, Wellington, and a Master of Law (Honours) from the University of Auckland and is a chartered fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Directors.
Haydn Lynch – Chief Operating Officer
Haydn Lynch has over 25 years of experience in M&A, capital markets and private equity. He has been involved in executing several domestic and cross-border transactions in various sectors including metals and mining, and industrials. He has held leadership roles in global investment banks, including Bankers Trust Australia, Investec Bank, RBC Capital Markets and Southern Cross Equities. He has undergraduate degrees in mechanical engineering and economics from the University of Queensland and a Master in Commerce from the University of New South Wales.
Rod Griffith – Mining and Technical Consultant
Rod Griffith has over 30 years of experience in the mining industry, both in Australia and internationally, working in senior management roles, including as chief operating officer and general manager. He has significant Central Western NSW experience with KBL Mining, Silver City Minerals, Girilambone Copper and Cobalt Blue, across a number of commodity groups and mining styles. He earned a Bachelor of Civil Engineering and Surveying from the University of Newcastle, along with a postgraduate diploma in mining engineering from the University of Ballarat.
Phil Bentley – Chief Geologist
Phil Bentley has over 40 years of experience in the mining industry across New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia, holding senior geological roles as well as senior management and director positions. He has worked as a Chief Geologist at Randgold Resources and Randgold & Exploration, Global Head of Exploration at Trafigura Mining Services, and Principal Geologist Africa at CSA Global South Africa. He is a Qualified person under NI 43-101 (Canadia) and JORC (Australia) and is a Fellow of the South African Geological Society. He holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Geology at Victoria University of Wellington. He also has a Masters of Science in Economic Geology at Victoria University of Wellington and a Master’s of Science in Mineral Exploration from Rhodes University, Grahamstown South Africa.
Phillips Find Mining Update
HIGHLIGHTS
- Joint Venture (JV) Agreement in place with mining specialists BML Ventures Pty Limited (BML) to develop and mine two open pits at Phillips Find 1
- All management, technical, operational and maintenance roles to be undertaken by BML with oversight by the Company
- Low financial risk JV structure with BML to fund all project costs, with net cashflow after the asset recovery and repayment of costs to be split 50/50 between Horizon and BML
- Mobilisation and site establishment completed, inclusive of camp, offices, communications and workshop established with all required fixed and mobile equipment on site
- Site fully manned up on both day and night shift
- Mine plan involves cutbacks to two existing open pits, Newhaven and Newminster
- Mining well advanced, with over 160,000 BCMs (Bank Cubic Metres) of pre-strip waste mined to date with first ore due to be exposed in December 2024.
- Existing 200kt Toll Milling Agreement executed with FMR Investments Pty Ltd (FMR) in May 2024 to be utilised for Phillips Find JV ore 3
- First ore from Phillips Find on track to be treated at FMR’s Greenfields mill from February 2025 to June 2025 4
Commenting on the mining progress, Managing Director and CEO Mr Grant Haywood said: 2
“We are very pleased to see the progress made at our Phillips Find project with great progress made on the mining to date. We look forward to commencing the grade control program early in December and the first mining of ore occurring in December 2024.
With first gold production from our Boorara gold project expected in the current quarter, the progress at Phillips Find leaves us well positioned to make strong cashflows in this high gold price environment.”
Overview
Horizon Minerals Limited (ASX: HRZ) (“Horizon” or the “Company”) is pleased to provide an update on the development of the Phillips Find Gold Project. The 100% owned Phillips Find project is located 45km north-west of Coolgardie in the heart of the Western Australian Goldfields (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Horizon’s project locations, regional geology and surrounding infrastructure
Next Steps 1
Mining at Newhaven is well advanced with pre-strip of the Newminster pit to commence shortly creating two working areas for the mining fleet. Due to the nature of the cutbacks of two existing open pits, mining is predominantly in waste whilst progressing deeper to access the ore. Grade control drilling is planned to commence in early December 2024. Ore stockpiles will be developed over the coming months, with processing of ore on track to occur through February to June 2025.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Horizon 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.
More Wide, High-Grade Intercepts at Kamperman
HIGHLIGHTS
- Assay results received for the final 11 holes (1,254 metres) of a 31-hole (3,834 metre) reverse circulation (RC) drill program at the Kamperman Deposit, part of Astral’s 100%-owned Feysville Gold Project near Kalgoorlie. Best results include:
- 33 metres at 3.75g/t Au from 58 metres including 3 metres at 14.8g/t Au from 75 metres in hole FRC387;
- 10 metres at 1.63g/t Au from 131 metres and 22 metres at 5.21g/t Au from 149 metres including 2 metres at 30.9g/t Au from 164 metres and 2 metres at 12.2g/t Au from 168 metres in hole FRC389;
- 22 metres at 4.44g/t Au from 105 metres including 2 metres at 25.9g/t Au from 121 metres in hole FRC388;
- 6 metres at 12.8g/t Au from 76 metres including 1 metre at 63.4g/t Au from 77 metres in hole FRC385;
- 12 metres at 1.19g/t Au from 18 metres and 24 metres at 1.29g/t Au from 80 metres in hole FRC381;
- 13 metres at 1.14g/t Au from 24 metres in hole FRC384; and
- 20 metres at 0.79g/t Au from 30 metres in hole FRC382.
- RC holes FRC387, FRC388 and FRC389 represent a very successful in-fill test of the deposit, with the three holes averaging 112 gram-metres1.
- RC hole FRC385 targeted high-grade gold mineralisation associated with a zone of silicification intersected in three previous holes. FRC385 targeted a potential high-grade zone oriented in a north-west – south-west orientation and successfully intersected 6 metres at 12.8g/t Au including a 1 metre interval of 63.4g/t Au, confirming geological interpretations.
- Results of the 31-hole RC program were not included in the maiden Kamperman Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) announced on 1 November 2024 of 2Mt at 1.3g/t Au for 83.8koz of contained gold6. The results demonstrate the opportunity for continued MRE growth at Kamperman.
- The RC rig relocated to the Mandilla Gold Project to complete the in-fill program at the Iris Deposit. The RC drill rig is currently completing the final hole of this program and then will commence a 16-hole drill program at Eos testing the extent of fresh rock gold mineralisation adjacent to the Eos palaeochannel deposit.
- Also at Mandilla, a diamond drill (DD) rig has commenced a four-hole/1,600 metre drill program ahead of an update to the Theia MRE, which is expected to be reported in the March Quarter, 2025.
- The first hole of this DD program has already been completed with a significant number of visible gold occurrences observed during the logging process. (Refer to Cautionary Note below).
Figure 1 – Map illustrating the location of the Mandilla and Feysville Gold Projects.
Astral Resources’ Managing Director Marc Ducler said: “Following the recent release of the maiden Kamperman MRE, it is highly encouraging to now be reporting further high-grade in-fill results and a successful drill test of a previously identified high-grade zone. These results highlight the potential for MRE upside at Kamperman.
“The in-fill drill line (FRC387, FRC388 and FRC389) testing the high-grade southern zone at Kamperman returned excellent results including 33 metres at 3.75g/t Au, 22 metres at 4.44g/t Au and 22 metres at 5.21g/t Au. These three in-fill holes averaged a gold accumulation of 112 gram-metres through this high-grade southern zone. This is clearly a very successful in-fill test and bodes well for the potential to upgrade the MRE in this area.
“A potential high-grade gold zone was also tested with hole FRC385, returning a spectacular intercept of 6 metres at 12.8g/t Au from 76 metres including 1 metre at 63.4g/t Au from 77 metres.
“Previous drilling in the vicinity has seen this characteristically silicified zone intersected in three holes with assay results of 3.7 metres at 12.2g/t Au, 5 metres at 3.11g/t Au and 10 metres at 5.04g/t Au including 1 metre at 28.5g/t Au inFRC350.
“This further successful test of an interpreted high-grade shoot adds confidence as to the continuity of this zone and our ability to interpret controls and presents as further upside to the current Kamperman MRE.
“The RC rig is now progressing with the in-fill and extensional programs at Iris and Eos respectively and, once complete, will be returned to Kamperman to complete a 15-hole (2,110 metre) in-fill program.
“Diamond drilling of four in-fill holes at Theia is progressing well. The first hole of this program has already been completed with, pleasingly, a significant number of occurrences of visible gold observed during the logging process.
Plans are underway to secure a second diamond drill rig. This has the potential to increase the rate of progress of both the current four-hole in-fill program at Theia and the geotechnical program required to inform the open pit parameters for the Hestia and Eos open pits in the Mandilla PFS.”
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Astral 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.
Drilling Commenced at Ferke Gold Project, Cote d’Ivoire
HIGHLIGHTS
- Over 10,000m of drilling planned for December quarter to follow-up previous drilling successes at the Odienné and Ferké gold projects, Côte d’Ivoire
- Ferké project auger drilling has commenced, with a 5,000m campaign covering +9km segment of gold anomalism, targeting extensions to high-grade gold mineralisation confirmed in previous drilling
- Odienné project air core drilling planned to commence over coming weeks to assess priority targets generated in previous quarter’s auger results
- Both projects fully funded for follow-up diamond and RC drilling as part of staged exploration campaigns planned to continue through the 2024/25 field season
Auger drilling has already commenced at the Ferké gold project, with three drill rigs mobilised to cover 9km of reconnaissance drilling along the highly prospective structural corridor hosting the Ouarigue South prospect. This program is designed to delineate extensional targets to open gold mineralisation confirmed in previous drilling that returned:
- 47m @ 3.72g/t gold from surface
- 77.6m @ 2.33 g/t gold from 45.9m
- 91.1m @ 2.02 g/t gold from surface
- 45.3m @ 3.16g/t gold from 45.9m
Concurrently, field work has commenced at the Odienné project, ahead of a planned 5,000m air core campaign that will assess priority targets delineated from the previous quarter’s auger drill results (refer to ASX release dated 20 August 2024). The drilling will be focussed on target delineation within more than 16km of anomalous gold trends located in the same high-strain corridor that hosts Predictive Discovery’s 5.4Moz Au Bankan deposit, as well as the recent discovery by Awalé Resources/Newmont joint venture, which is located on a contiguous land holding.
Many Peaks’ Executive Chairman, Travis Schwertfeger commented:
“Following the end of the West African wet season, we are pleased to have commenced Many Peaks’ 2024/2025 exploration program at our high-grade Cote d’Ivoire projects. Plans for the coming months include our maiden drilling at Ferké, where three auger rigs will drill 5,000m to identify extensional targets of historic holes that include 45.3m @ 3.16g/t and 39.7m @ 3.54g/t gold. We will also drill 5,000m of air core holes at Odienné, following up on extensive gold anomalism identified from drilling we conducted here in the previous season. We look forward to updating investors on our findings as we systematically assess the potential of these highly prospective projects.”
Ferké Gold Project
The Ferké Gold Project (Ferké) comprises 300km2 in a single granted exploration permit in northern Côte d’Ivoire currently undergoing a renewal process and remaining permitted for exploration activity. Ferké is situated on the eastern margin of the Daloa greenstone belt at the intersection of major regional scale shear zones (Figures 1 & 3). The project area has seen substantial previous exploration activity confirming gold mineralisation but with limited follow-up work. Previous work includes high resolution geophysics, soil sampling, trenching, and RC and Diamond drilling (refer to ASX release dated 26 March 2024).
Planned Work
Many Peaks’ initial field programme at Ferké is a 5,000m auger drilling campaign focused on extending the auger coverage at Ferké along an additional 9km of strike extent in the >16km long corridor of soil anomalism referred to as the Leraba trend. The auger campaign is estimated to be completed in 3 to 4 weeks’ time with 400m to 600m spaced lines of sampling and planned 25m spacing between samples. Results are anticipated to refine targeting for follow-up drilling within the extensive gold anomalism which measures over 2km in width in most places (Figure 1).
Figure 1 | Ferké Project proposed auger drilling locations with locations of previously drilling auger, RC and diamond core drilling on regional scale geology.
The planned auger drilling at Ferké is focused on expanding the footprint of gold mineralisation confirmed in previous drilling success. An initial 18 diamond holes drilled into a limited segment of the extensive gold corridor confirmed gold mineralisation at Ferké that remains open in all directions. Results from previous drilling include 45.3m @ 3.16g/t gold from 45.9m drill depth in hole FNDC001 and 39.7m @ 3.54g/t gold from 51.4m in drill hole FNCD008 (refer to ASX announcement dated 26 March 2024).
The current programme is designed to define extensional targets within in the predominantly undrilled north-south trending segment of gold in soil anomalism of the Leraba trend. This may justify expansion of planned follow-up RC and diamond drilling work over the coming field season, and complement drill ready targets already defined on open mineralisation at the Ouarigue South prospect.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Many Peaks 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.
Manuka Resources Limited Investor Kit
- Corporate info
- Insights
- Growth strategies
- Upcoming projects