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Mining Bulletin

The full story: In-depth news and analysis

KIRKLAND LAKE BEATS COVID CHALLENGES WITH RECORD FY OUTPUT AND EARNINGS

Acquisition of the Detour Lake gold mine in Ontario has helped Canadian miner Kirkland Lake Gold to achieve record production, earnings and cash-flows amid the challenges of global pandemic.

FAST-ACTING RESERVES PROGRAM OPENS A DOOR TO RENEWED GROWTH FOR ANGLOGOLD

AngloGold Ashanti has established a ‘clear and credible path’ to extended, high-return growth with the identification of 6Moz in new ore reserves after the first 12 months of a multi-year investment program.

CHILEAN GIANT SQM GO-AHEAD ON INITIAL FUNDING FOR WA LITHIUM MINE-TO-REFINERY PROJECT

West Australian conglomerate Wesfarmers and Chile’s Sociedad Quimica y Minera have given their deferred final investment approval for ambitious vertically integrated lithium hydroxide development.

MALARTIC PARTNERS APPROVE THE START OF A NEW ODYSSEY FOR ICONIC CANADIAN GOLD MINE

The decades-long history of the Canadian Malartic gold mine begins its transition to a new era of underground operations with the go-ahead by JV partners Yamana Gold and Agnico Eagle Mines for the start of construction of the Odyssey mine.

ORION SEES BASE METALS MINING HOUSE OPPORTUNITY IN $18M S AFRICAN OPTION

Orion Minerals has outlined ambitions to restore the historic glory days of South Africa’s Okiep Copper Complex after signing a $16M option agreement that will transform it into a significant base metals mining house.

HERITAGE LEGISLATION CHANGES TO POSE UNKNOWN CHALLENGES FOR RIO TINTO IRON ORE

The fallout of its destruction of priceless heritage assets in Western Australia continues for Rio Tinto as it waits to see the potential impact of yet-to-be-revealed new state legislation on its mining, development and community relations.

PHILIPPINES GOVERNMENT TALKS RAISE HOPES OF REVIVING OCEANAGOLD’S SUSPENDED DIDIPIO MINE

International miner OceanaGold warns the timeline for a revival of its Didipio gold and copper mine in the Philippines remains uncertain despite a breakthrough in talks with government agencies on the renewal of its formal approval.

NEWCREST $146M EARLY WORKS APPROVAL EYES 3-YEAR PATH TO HAVIERON COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION

Newcrest Mining is advance on a potential 3-year path to commercial production at its 60%-owned Havieron gold-copper project in Western Australia’s highly prospective Paterson province after approving $A146M funding for early exploration works.

ALBEMARLE LEADS PUSH FOR US MINERALS SUPPLY SECURITY WITH $50M SILVER PEAK EXPANSION

Global specialty chemicals company Albemarle will take a lead in the US drive for security of supply of critical minerals with its planned $50M investment to double production from its Silver Peak lithium project in Nevada.

MALLEE BULL PROJECT DEAL LOCKS IN PEEL MINING’S COBAR BASIN CONSOLIDATION STRATEGY

Peel Mining expands the asset base supporting its hub & spoke strategy for the Cobar Basin in western NSW after gaining state government approval to restore 100% control of the high-grade Mallee Bull underground copper resource.

CRITICAL MINERALS SUPPLY CONCERNS BOOST INTEREST IN LEPIDICO’S PHASE 1 PROJECT

Australian-based Lepidico sees heightened interest from potential offtake and financing partners in its vertically integrated lithium mining and processing project as expectations grow of supply constraints in 2021.

AUSTRALIAN GOVT FLAGS BIG FALLS IN JUNE 2021 YEAR COAL PRODUCTION/EXPORTS

A new Australian Govt report has warned of big falls in thermal/metallurgical coal revenue in the current June 2021 year, with China showing no signs of easing current unloading delays at its ports

ELEMENT 25 IDENTIFIES EARLY EXPANSION PLANS FOR BUTCHERBIRD MANGANESE PROJECT

Australian technology metals specialist Element 25 could move within months to double or treble production at its under-construction Butcherbird manganese project in WA’s Pilbara region.

$490M DEVELOPMENT PROJECT ACQUISITION SET TO DOUBLE NICKEL MINES’ NPI PRODUCTION

Australian-based nickel pig iron producer Nickel Mines aims to double the capacity of its Indonesian assets and strengthen its relationship with leading global stainless steel maker Tsingshan through its planned $490M acquisition of the Angel development project.

MAJOR PM’S GREENLAND DEAL TARGETS GROWING WORLD VEHICLE DEMAND FOR PALLADIUM

Canadian junior explorer Major Precious Metals takes 100% control of one of the largest palladium resources outside South Africa and Russia with its $13M acquisition of the Skaergaard project in Greenland from Platina Resources.

KINGSTON SEES BRIGHT NEW FUTURE FOR PNG’S REMOTE MISIMA ISLAND GOLD MINE

Kingston Resources plans to move on to a definitive feasibility study in the June 2021 quarter at its Misima gold project in PNG after its PFS confirmed its potential of a large-scale, long-life and low-cost operation delivering 130,000ozpa over 17 years at AISC of $A1,159/oz.

K92 MINING Q3 20 PROFIT HALVED TO $US 9.4M, ALL COMMODITIES DOWN

Lower production of all its commodities has seen PNG-focused K92 Mining’s Q3 20 profit plunge to $9.4M from $17M

ENDEAVOUR BID FOR TERANGA TO SECURE WEST AFRICAN GOLD DOMINANCE

Acquisitive Endeavour Mining has followed up its recent $691M takeover of SEMAFO with a friendly bid for Teranga Gold

NTM GOLD TAKEOVER PLAN TO DRIVE DACIAN REGIONAL CONSOLIDATION STRATEGY

West Australian gold miner Dacian Gold aims to extend the life of its Mt Morgans gold operations through the regional consolidation move to merge with explorer NTM Gold.

SEMAFO TAKEOVER FIRES ENDEAVOUR Q3 20 PROFIT JUMP

Gold production, profit up and heading higher as SEMAFO acquisition lifts Q3 20 profit to $59M from Q2 20’s $37M loss
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WESTERN AREAS: H1 21 TURNAROUND TO $12M LOSS, FY 21 NICKEL EXPECTATIONS CUT

 

Perth, Feb 23

Problems at its 2 nickel mines at Forrestainia, Western Australia, has seen Western Areas slump to an after tax net loss of $A12M for the Dec 2020 half (H1 21) from H1 20’s $24.7M profit and cut its FY 21 nickel conc expectations 6% on the previous estimate to 16,000t to 17,000t, but at cash costs also down 6% to $3.75/Ib to $4.25/Ib.
H1 21 nickel-in-conc production from its Flying Fox and Spotted Quoll mines fell to 7,291t from 10,658t, with sales sliding to 7,400t from 9,000t as a result of lower average grades mined, caused by operational issues. However M/D Dan Lougher says Forrestania’s performance is already showing improvement early in H2 21.
H1 21 revenue fell to $122.7M from $156.2M, EBITDA plunged to $24.03M from $69.7M and cashflow from operations plummeted to $27.47M from $74.9M, while cash costs rose to $4.56/lb ($US 3.29/lb) from $3.07/lb ($2.11/lb) and the nickel price declined to $US7.09/lb from $7.29/lb.
The company finished H1 21 with cash at bank of $98m and no debt.

Western Areas Ltd

Exchange Code: 
ASX:WSA
Website: 
http://www.westernareas.com.au

Perth-based nickel producer with low-cost production from high-grade nickel orebodies at Forrestania in Western Australia plus exploration projects in WA, Canada and Finland

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