Boab Metals Limited

US$30 Million Prepayment Term Sheet and Offtake Agreement Executed with a Global Commodities Trader

Boab Metals Limited (ASX: BML) (“Boab” or “Company”) is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, Sorby Hills Pty Ltd (“SHPL”), has executed a binding offtake agreement (the “Offtake Agreement”) with Trafigura Asia Trading Pte. Ltd. (“Trafigura”) for lead-silver concentrate produced from the Company’s flagship Sorby Hills Lead-Silver-Zinc Project, located in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia (“Sorby Hills” or “the Project”).


In conjunction with the Offtake Agreement, the Company, SHPL and Trafigura have executed a binding term sheet (the “Prepayment Term Sheet”) for a US$30 million prepayment facility (the “Prepayment Facility”) which is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions precedent.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PREPAYMENT AND OFFTAKE TRANSACTIONS

Prepayment Term Sheet

  • US$30 million Prepayment Facility from Trafigura to be applied towards the construction and development of the Project.
  • Interest Rate of SOFR1 + 5% per annum.
  • 5-year Term from first drawdown with an 18-month interest only period.
  • To be repaid via equal monthly instalments over 42 months following the 18-month interest only period.
  • Financial Close and drawdown of the Prepayment Facility are subject to, amongst other things, the execution of definitive agreements, the finalisation of due diligence to Trafigura’s satisfaction and the Project being fully funded.

Offtake Agreement

  • If Financial Close on the Prepayment Facility is achieved, the offtake will be for 75% of lead-silver concentrate produced at Sorby Hills, (minimum 531,000 tonnes, ~7 years based on the FEED Study production schedule).
  • If Financial Close on the Prepayment Facility is not achieved, the offtake will be for 25% (or greater, at SHPL’s discretion) of lead-silver concentrate produced at Sorby Hills (minimum 177,000 tonnes) provided that if Boab exercises its option to terminate the Prepayment Term Sheet or obtains alternative financing for development and construction of the Project, the offtake will be for 50% (or greater, at SHPL’s discretion) of lead-silver concentrate produced at Sorby Hills (minimum 354,000 tonnes).

Boab Managing Director and CEO, Simon Noon, stated:

“We are delighted to have secured support in the form of binding offtake and project financing from a party of Trafigura’s calibre. Throughout what has been a highly competitive offtake tender process, Trafigura has demonstrated a willingness to work constructively with the Company to deliver a result that is in the best interests of the Project.

The binding Offtake Agreement and Prepayment Term Sheet with Trafigura represents a cornerstone of our targeted financing plan for Sorby Hills. We now look forward to further progressing discussions with other prospective senior lenders with a view toward reaching a final investment decision on the Project.”

“The opportunity to secure high-quality concentrate from the Sorby Hills project is an exciting prospect for our lead trading book. We look forward to seeing Boab’s management team bring this project into production,” Trafigura’s Global Head of Zinc and Lead has stated.

Background Information

Sorby Hills is located 50km from the regional centre of Kununurra in the East Kimberley of Western Australia and has access to existing sealed roads to transport the concentrate 150km from the site to the facilities at Wyndham Port.

The Project comprises a Mineral Resource of 47.3Mt containing 1.5Mt Pb at 3.1% and 53Moz Sliver at 35g/t (Table 1). The current Sorby Hills mine plan comprises 18.3Mt at 3.4% Pb and 39g/t Ag of which ~83% is classified as an Ore Reserve (Table 2).

On 6 June 2024, Boab released the results of a Front-End Engineering & Design Study (“FEED Study”) on the Project showing strong pre-tax economics including C1 operating costs of US$0.36/lb payable Pb (incl. a net Silver credit of US$0.37/lb payable Pb), NPV8 of A$411M, IRR of 37%, A$778M free cash flow, and an average annualised EBITDA of A$126M. Pre-production capital costs were estimated to be A$264M.

With operating costs covered by revenue generated by a historically non-volatile lead price, the Project free cash flow is exposed to movements in the price of silver.

Sorby Hills is being developed via a joint venture between SHPL (75%) and Yuguang (Australia) Pty Ltd (“Yuguang”, 25%). On 23 September 2024, Boab announced that it had executed an agreement with Yuguang to acquire their interest in the Project subject to reaching a final investment decision on the Project (“JV Acquisition Agreement”).

On 25 October 2024, the Company indicated that it was proactively assessing multiple opportunities to materially reduce the upfront capital expenditure for Sorby Hills (“Capital Cost Reduction Initiatives”). The identification of available second-hand process plants has been one such initiative and the potential purchase of the available DeGrussa plant has been deemed the most technically suitable option for Sorby Hills. Over the coming quarter, Boab will work closely with preferred EPC Contractor GR Engineering Service (“GRES”) to undertake a thorough review of the DeGrussa process plant and assess the technical and economic benefit of its potential incorporation into the Sorby Hills Project.

The Offtake Agreement and Prepayment Term Sheet executed with Trafigura represents another key milestone towards a final investment decision on Sorby Hills and a cornerstone of Boab’s financing solution for the Project. The result follows a very competitive process in which multiple parties including other global traders and smelters expressed strong interest in the Sorby Hills concentrate.


Click here for the full ASX Release

This article includes content from Boab Metals Limited, 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.

The Conversation (0)
Boab Metals Limited

Boab Metals Limited

Advancing toward near-term lead and silver production in Western Australia

Advancing toward near-term lead and silver production in Western Australia Keep Reading...
Panther Metals

Obonga Project: Wishbone VMS Update

Panther Metals Plc (LSE: PALM), the exploration company focused on mineral projects in Canada, is pleased to provide an update for the Obonga Project's Wishbone Prospect which is an emerging and highly prospective base metal volcanogenic massive sulphide ("VMS") system in Ontario,... Keep Reading...
Critical Mineral Resources

Agadir Melloul Mining Licence

Critical Mineral Resources is pleased to announce that a Mining Licence has been awarded for Agadir Melloul, marking an important step forward as the Company accelerates development towards production.The Mining License is 14.6km 2 and covers Zone 1 North and Zone 2, which remain the focus of... Keep Reading...
Aterian Plc

EIA Approval for Agdz Cu-Ag Project and Funding

Aterian plc (AIM: ATN), the Africa-focused critical metals exploration company, is pleased to announce the approval of it's recently commissioned Environmental Impact Assessment (''EIA'') for the 100%-owned Agdz Mining Licence, part of the Agdz ("Cu-Ag") Project ("Agdz" or the "Project") in the... Keep Reading...
Clem Chambers, gold bars.

Clem Chambers: I Sold My Gold and Silver, What I'm Buying Next

Clem Chambers, CEO of aNewFN.com, explains why he sold his gold and silver, and where he's looking next, mentioning the copper and oil sectors. He also speaks about the importance of staying positive as an investor: "The media negativity is the most wealth-crushing thing you can fall for. So be... Keep Reading...
Silver bars in front of newspaper showing high price performance.

What Was the Highest Price for Silver?

Like its sister metal gold, silver has been attracting renewed attention as a safe-haven asset. Although silver continues to exhibit its hallmark volatility, a silver bull market is well underway. Experts are optimistic about the future, and as the silver price's momentum continues in 2026,... Keep Reading...
Stefan Gleason, gold and silver bars.

Stefan Gleason: Silver Wakeup in the West — What's Happening, What's Next

Stefan Gleason, CEO of Money Metals, breaks down recent silver and gold dynamics, discussing trends in the US retail market, as well as backups at refineries. While the situation has begun to normalize, he sees potential for further disruptions in the future. Don't forget to follow us... Keep Reading...

Interactive Chart

Latest Press Releases

Related News