Nov. 11, 2024

Liontown tweak the dials to save cash

We start today with Liontown, who’ve shared some new numbers on Kathleen Valley to help them fight another day, before jumping to some concerning news out of Mali, with Resolute’s CEO and two employees being detained over a tax dispute.

Lastly, we delve into Hastings, who’re in a bit of a financial predicament...

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(0:00:00)Introduction

(0:01:01)Liontown scale back

(0:32:40)Resolute CEO detained in Mali

(0:51:15)Are Hastings truly stuffed?

1
00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,400
Righto Buddy Warders special
news announcement JD is back in

2
00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:05,600
the flesh.
Great to see you sunshine.

3
00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:06,720
Great to see you boys too.
Oh.

4
00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:09,360
Mate, we've got a bit happening
today.

5
00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:13,680
What do we got the Lyontown pre
updated mine plan to order

6
00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:15,800
things out.
It's not the updated mine plan.

7
00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:17,920
Bit more colour though.
Bit more colour of what's

8
00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:19,920
happening in the future.
JD.

9
00:00:20,240 --> 00:00:24,440
Oh there's oh God, some the
resolute story with what's going

10
00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:26,400
on in Mali.
We'll go over a bit of that.

11
00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:29,760
Oh, it's frigging horrible.
Yeah, I've gone down couple of

12
00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:30,960
interesting sort of rabbit holes
there.

13
00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:33,560
But we'll talk about everything
going on with with Resolute and

14
00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:36,480
their their boss and a couple of
employees being detained.

15
00:00:36,480 --> 00:00:38,960
And Trev, you've got one bit
closer to home as well.

16
00:00:39,480 --> 00:00:42,480
That's it, mate.
There's a bit of a kerfuffle

17
00:00:42,480 --> 00:00:46,200
going on at a, at a company.
Yeah, just it's right up my neck

18
00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:48,880
of the woods, this kind of argy
bargy.

19
00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:50,400
I call it behind the scenes argy
bargy.

20
00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:54,120
But I'm pretty, Yeah, I've got a
pretty grim outlook on the state

21
00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:55,520
of this company and I'm keen to
explore it.

22
00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:57,160
It's called Hastings.
And the commodity?

23
00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:00,600
Commodity, I mean like commodity
can't save them in this case.

24
00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:05,480
Oh yeah, before we get into 2025
is fast approaching mining

25
00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:09,000
services companies that want to
sell shit and get better and

26
00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:12,120
want us to bloody tell everyone
our goods are honey.

27
00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:13,760
Don't.
Don't leave it too late to want

28
00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:17,600
to be a partner.
Give us a buzz before 2025.

29
00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:19,000
We're shortlisting.
Don't.

30
00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:22,040
Be a stranger.
I leave, I take the favourites.

31
00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:25,680
That's it.
I would love nothing more to be

32
00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:28,920
your best friend.
Info out moneyofmine.com.

33
00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:31,240
That's all he needs tonight.
All right, Maddie.

34
00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:34,320
Line Town, As I said today, I
love it when there's something

35
00:01:34,320 --> 00:01:36,880
to do with, I don't know, Line
Town or any other Australian

36
00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:40,040
underground mining operation.
Or uranium.

37
00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:43,520
It's all uranium I feel, I feel
needed.

38
00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:46,000
It's a line town.
They've come out with I guess

39
00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:50,880
costs for the remainder of FY25,
Bit of a plan going forward

40
00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:55,840
about pretty much till the end
of 20-30 FY 2, FY 30.

41
00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:59,520
So it isn't the the updated life
of mine or updated mine plan

42
00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:02,680
that they've been talking about.
It's the I guess the first step

43
00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:03,680
towards it.
So were.

44
00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:07,400
We expecting this.
We're expecting the updated mine

45
00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:10,680
plan, but I think that's coming
out end of, yeah, I'd say

46
00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:13,080
another month or so.
Yeah, I think, I think by the

47
00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:16,640
end of the quarter they were
talking about the dated mine

48
00:02:16,640 --> 00:02:20,040
plan like which will be the real
specifics.

49
00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:22,800
Yeah.
But this is a bit of a a bit of

50
00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:26,280
an executive summary, you'd say.
He's caught me off guard, yeah.

51
00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:28,360
Yeah, I don't, I don't think
we're expecting this.

52
00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:30,320
Yeah, I think it was all just
supposed to come out with the

53
00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:33,560
the mine plan, I think, but the
whether that's sort of probably

54
00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:35,880
going to be a lot more detail
put into that.

55
00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:37,520
But everyone was still waiting
for the.

56
00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:38,520
Costs.
Yeah.

57
00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:41,120
Investors.
Investors wanted the costs,

58
00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:41,840
yeah.
Exactly.

59
00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:46,200
So the the cost, the infamous
cost so expecting operating

60
00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:48,320
costs for the remainder of this
financial year.

61
00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:52,240
Aussie 775 to 855 per dry
metric.

62
00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:54,400
Tarness that's.
FoB right?

63
00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:56,920
So it's before before shipping,
before royalties, you can leave.

64
00:02:56,920 --> 00:03:01,400
Yeah, yeah, that and I think so
all in sustaining which also, so

65
00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:03,280
they, they've said that all in
sustaining costs, they're

66
00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:06,360
actually reporting as part of
the gold standards effectively

67
00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:07,800
which you don't see with
lithium.

68
00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:11,120
So they've said all in
sustaining costs 1170 to 1290.

69
00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:14,640
So that's on on top of the
operating costs you've got I

70
00:03:14,640 --> 00:03:19,640
think royalties, lease payments,
shipping, all that sort of stuff

71
00:03:19,640 --> 00:03:23,160
and the sustaining capital and
sustaining capital as well and

72
00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:26,960
not growth capital.
So if you look at if you compare

73
00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:29,080
the operating cost to say
Pilgrim Minerals, Pilgrim

74
00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:33,040
Minerals, which larger scale
open pit already been gone for a

75
00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:34,960
while.
So they're at 606 bucks a tonne

76
00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:39,160
for the last quarter.
So that's just where and

77
00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:42,280
remember this isn't long town
fully ramped up, not stopping

78
00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:44,640
yet, but they are open pit
mining.

79
00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:50,040
So if you look at the the
current Platts spot price for SC

80
00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:54,920
six that we've seen, so that's
converted to Aussie 1160A tonne

81
00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:59,240
and they lined down did recently
do that spot price sale for a

82
00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:01,840
bit over 1200 bucks a tonne,
which was a bit above spot.

83
00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:04,960
The spot price you see on Platts
and fast markets.

84
00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:08,320
So effectively the all in
society cost they've got for the

85
00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:11,880
remainder of the financial year
is effectively a bit above the

86
00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:15,120
sale price.
Then at another, you know, 46

87
00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:19,000
mil of growth capital and and
then the corporate costs of lots

88
00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:22,360
of outlawed another 46 to go out
the door.

89
00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:26,520
So you don't really need to harp
on much anymore about the fact

90
00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:28,280
of where the pricing environment
is.

91
00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:32,560
So but there apply a bit from
the call this morning right at

92
00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:36,320
the end which this question was
asked directly about the cash

93
00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:38,360
burn coming up.
So hold on to that.

94
00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:42,360
Hold on for that one.
So remember they got two 62163

95
00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:44,520
mil of cash in the bank at the
end of the last quarter.

96
00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:47,400
They got that 661 million of
debt.

97
00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:49,800
We'll talk about that as well at
the end.

98
00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:53,640
So yeah, because that that 300
mil Ford facility, Ford facility

99
00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:56,600
isn't reputable until five years
after the commencement of the

100
00:04:56,600 --> 00:05:00,800
off tax.
So they say 2029, the US 250

101
00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:04,480
convertible from LG that's also
payable in 2029.

102
00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:08,120
They will have to capitalise
that the interest for the first

103
00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:11,080
two years can be capitalised or
can be paid in shares.

104
00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:15,800
And then I think after that
there's a they have to pay cash

105
00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:18,960
and then they're whilst
maintaining a minimum cash thing

106
00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:21,360
and they can capitalise or issue
shares.

107
00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:25,080
So the better interest will
start kicking in, possibly after

108
00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:27,120
two years from now.
And there's still, there's still

109
00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:29,600
capital to come out the door.
There was they provided CapEx

110
00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:33,400
guidance for the remaining kind
of half year to come out in the

111
00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:36,960
second half of FY25 including
sustaining and growth is 97 to

112
00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:39,040
113.
That guide in the footnotes, you

113
00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:43,040
can see there's payments in
relation to the PACE plan, which

114
00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:47,040
is still to come out as well.
It's not not included in there,

115
00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:49,160
but it's already been real.
I think it was 65,000,000 too.

116
00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:50,160
So yeah.
Yeah.

117
00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:53,440
And I think they've got, but
then they're obviously I think

118
00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:56,320
they said by the end of the
year, end of this year they'll

119
00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:59,880
be up to about 100,000 tonne of
spot being shipped.

120
00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:02,760
But then so there'll obviously
be a bit of revenue coming in

121
00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:06,000
the door next year.
So you won't you wouldn't get it

122
00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:08,920
on the spot.
So on the spot.

123
00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:15,320
That's funny, right?
So for full year F-25, if you

124
00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:18,280
add it all up, so they're
guiding the 2.3 million tonne at

125
00:06:18,280 --> 00:06:22,040
1.2% head grade.
So it's going to be 260 to 295

126
00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:26,000
thousand tonnes of SC 6.
So they haven't given colour yet

127
00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:30,200
on whether they're going to be
producing a 5.2 product 5.3 or a

128
00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:32,960
5.6 or anything.
I think that's still coming up

129
00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:35,160
in the updated mine plan.
They're probably still figuring

130
00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:40,680
out the balance between the
SPOD, yeah, the concentrate

131
00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:43,440
grade and the recovery and
everything like that.

132
00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:47,360
As you know, if to get the high
spod spod con grade, you're

133
00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:50,680
probably going to sacrifice
recovery to get you might be

134
00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:53,480
able to push the push more
tonnes through the plant, get a

135
00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:58,120
lower spod con grade, but
effectively get more lithium

136
00:06:58,120 --> 00:06:59,840
units.
So I also think they're still

137
00:06:59,840 --> 00:07:02,880
doing a lot of balancing to
figure out bloody and we'll go

138
00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:06,560
into God, there's a fuck, Jesus
Christ, it's a bloody bugger

139
00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:10,120
being a metallurgist.
It's frigging hard work, even on

140
00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:12,040
paper.
Imagine saying the real thing.

141
00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:15,800
So now you can see a big
reduction in development metres

142
00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:17,680
for the next six years.
So they said they're going to

143
00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:20,520
reduce about by about 38,000
metres.

144
00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:23,040
So that's about 6300 metres per
year.

145
00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:26,320
And it, because if you look at
the DFS had it had it had about

146
00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:30,120
15,000 metres per year of total
lateral development, they're

147
00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:32,840
pretty much wiped off about well
by that number.

148
00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:38,440
It's 42% of lateral development
or above 40% of what they're

149
00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:41,920
going to mine.
So they're effectively shit can

150
00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:48,040
in that NW flanks area until
post FY31 or if there's a

151
00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:50,240
significant pricing environment
change.

152
00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:54,440
So look at say seven and a half
1000 bucks a metre, that's

153
00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:58,240
saving possibly 50 bucks $50
million per annum in mine

154
00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:02,000
development just by doing that.
So I guess where the

155
00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:05,720
developments being cut you, you
can say that Northwest Flats, I

156
00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:08,000
think I said flanks before
Northwest flats.

157
00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:12,240
So I think that's where that's
where that how they put the six

158
00:08:12,240 --> 00:08:16,840
portals in.
You had twin decline plus return

159
00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:20,600
air for Mount Man and another
set for the northwest flat.

160
00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:24,000
So they're effectively I would
assume only using three of them

161
00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:27,440
and the others are sitting there
ready to go should they choose

162
00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:30,320
to go develop that area.
I think that had already sort of

163
00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:34,640
been put on hold.
Not sure, but now and you can

164
00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:37,039
see up the I'll show you bring
up the picture of the the

165
00:08:37,039 --> 00:08:39,840
schematic.
They're up on the sort of four

166
00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:41,440
of the top levels.
You can see they're going to

167
00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:44,960
start leaving rib pillars in
four of the in those levels

168
00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:48,960
instead of mining all the
lithium and pace filling they're

169
00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:51,280
just gonna do.
You know what you do without a

170
00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:53,920
place plate?
Mine the state, leave a, you

171
00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:56,960
know, the big 4-5 metre pillar
and then start the next start.

172
00:08:57,280 --> 00:09:01,680
So it's the the thing with that
and this is where where they

173
00:09:01,680 --> 00:09:05,640
talk about sterilising and
everything you sort of do if you

174
00:09:05,680 --> 00:09:09,120
are doing that, you're they call
it sterilising the ore.

175
00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:11,880
If you can't get it later on,
you could just go fill the whole

176
00:09:11,880 --> 00:09:15,200
thing up with pace fill and then
develop back into it later on in

177
00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:17,040
the life.
But when you've got that much

178
00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:21,840
ore and that big of an ore body,
you're not really it's friggin

179
00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:26,240
1015 year later problem.
It's not like it's not doesn't

180
00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:28,720
affect it now.
It's not like you're losing or

181
00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:31,120
out of this year.
So it's.

182
00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:34,920
You just see it as a strategic
way to minimise cost in the.

183
00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:36,440
Next.
Oh yeah and it's like the only

184
00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:41,440
the not pace filling is it does
2 main things.

185
00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:44,360
It's like besides leaving those
pillars there, it increases your

186
00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:46,360
production rate and lowers the
cost.

187
00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:49,440
It's a it's as simple as that
because you you don't have to

188
00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:52,560
shock Crete pace walls.
So you don't even I wouldn't

189
00:09:52,560 --> 00:09:54,800
unless there's shock Crete and
all development stuff.

190
00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:57,760
Like you don't need a shock
Crete rig spraying bloody cement

191
00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:00,280
to block it all in.
You don't have to bring a jumbo

192
00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:02,840
back in to develop back through
the pace to get the pace feel.

193
00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:05,640
You don't have to put the ray
tick in that area like it and

194
00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:07,760
it's quick as any.
You pretty much bog the stop

195
00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:11,480
out, come back bloody, leave
your pillar and start drilling

196
00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:13,280
the next one.
It's just so much quicker.

197
00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:14,280
But you can't.
It can't do it.

198
00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:15,840
Forever.
It's sort of shortens the life.

199
00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:17,160
Oh, yeah.
But when you're looking at how

200
00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:18,960
much frigging lithium they got,
it's bloody.

201
00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:21,760
As you said, it's like in terms
of you're shorten the life, but

202
00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:25,920
it might be 15 years instead of
16 or 17 years.

203
00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:29,600
So it's like, it's not, it's a,
it's a lighter, lighter problem.

204
00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:34,600
So it has no effect on right now
other than increasing the rates

205
00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:37,840
and lowering the cost.
So it's a when you got when you

206
00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:41,000
got an old body that big, you'd
be mad not to in this pricing

207
00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:43,120
environment.
But it looks like once I do get

208
00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:46,520
down to the high grade areas and
in the coming years, because

209
00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:50,200
that that schematical board UPS
about a 5-6 year plan, that's

210
00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:52,560
when they'll start pace filling.
So it just looks like they're

211
00:10:52,560 --> 00:10:55,360
delaying that and we'll get more
colour on it when the mine plan

212
00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:58,720
comes out about which years are
targeting which area.

213
00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:00,960
That was just a bit of a a bit
of an overview.

214
00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:04,640
And the other thing about if
they go into this and I'll bring

215
00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:08,680
up some high level Excel
drawings that I've done, which

216
00:11:08,680 --> 00:11:12,040
is Jesus Christ, talk about the
mining Picasso right here.

217
00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:13,520
How you did this in excel?
Ohh.

218
00:11:13,680 --> 00:11:17,880
I just rectangles and shit.
Bloody beautiful, isn't it?

219
00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:21,560
So if you if you are pace
filling and this is like when

220
00:11:21,560 --> 00:11:24,520
you got a big bulk ore body,
when they say the first picture

221
00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:27,480
I'll bring up is when you
transverse mine it So you you

222
00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:31,560
come in from, you know, the
transverse perpendicular to the

223
00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:35,080
ore body and then you take out
you'll take out every second

224
00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:36,400
stop.
You'll pace fill it.

225
00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:38,840
Once that one's pace filled,
you'll come in between and take

226
00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:41,200
out the other one.
But when you're leaving red

227
00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:44,880
pillars like they're going to
you, you can just effectively

228
00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:48,320
mine it like a a bit of a
goldmine, come in the guts, go

229
00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:53,720
left and right and then retreat
back to the centre.

230
00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:57,160
So if you look at, if you
compare those two pitches, look

231
00:11:57,160 --> 00:11:59,800
at how much less development
goes in.

232
00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:01,880
So those rectangles are the
development drives.

233
00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:04,800
You can see how much less
development you have to do.

234
00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:08,440
You can you can still pay, you
can still go longitudinally and

235
00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:11,280
pace fill and it just means you
probably have to wait a bit

236
00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:13,240
longer because you haven't got
as many mining fronts.

237
00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:17,680
So there's I, I would anticipate
there is a lot less development

238
00:12:17,680 --> 00:12:20,320
going into mine those with a red
pillar strategy.

239
00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:24,440
Now that's another area they'll
do a lot less, lot less jumbo

240
00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:26,120
development and you get to the
oil quicker.

241
00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:29,760
So you can whether you get
productivity improvements from

242
00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:33,400
pace fill by having multiple
mining fronts going

243
00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:36,160
transversely, the fact that you
got less development means you

244
00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:39,200
start stopping quicker anyway in
those areas because you just get

245
00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:40,080
there quicker.
Yeah.

246
00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:44,040
So it's it's a bit of a, it's
win win just yeah.

247
00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:49,960
So I suppose if you look at the
development metres, but it's

248
00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:52,680
like 6 1/2 thousand metres a
year because I think it's about

249
00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:57,480
so rough numbers, 10 split sets
per metre or something for a big

250
00:12:57,480 --> 00:13:00,440
drive and I'll forget it.
I've been fucking put one in for

251
00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:04,080
ages. 6 1/2 maybe that's like
for for 6 1/2 thousand metres

252
00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:08,200
that's like 65,000 Sandvik split
sets and plates and maybe, I

253
00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:11,320
don't know, 6 1/2 thousand
sheets of Sandvik mesh that is

254
00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:14,840
now on the market ready to be
put to a new home in an

255
00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:17,560
underground mall.
Derek's herds herds phone and be

256
00:13:17,560 --> 00:13:19,800
like a book build today in a
broker shop.

257
00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:22,360
Everyone would be ringing up
trying to get access to all this

258
00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:24,960
but I don't know why because he
could have gave it to him

259
00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:26,560
anyway.
Like, because it's not like

260
00:13:26,560 --> 00:13:29,480
they're frigging like got a
finite amount, they'll just

261
00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:32,080
start making more so.
They've got factories all across

262
00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:34,560
Australia and distribution.
Warehouses everywhere.

263
00:13:34,560 --> 00:13:35,920
Yeah, they'll just give it to
you anyway.

264
00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:38,640
Go see the show, Derek.
Heard it's like a a day

265
00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:40,640
delivery.
Here in Australia, it'll find.

266
00:13:40,680 --> 00:13:43,080
Somebody can just swoop in on
this one.

267
00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:44,920
Someone's crisis, somebody
else's opportunity.

268
00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:46,400
Hey, I'll.
Guarantee that it's already

269
00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:50,920
found a home already.
Good on them now. 3,000,000

270
00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:53,600
tonne per annum was the number
we were thinking of before for

271
00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:55,440
the run rate, not the number
anymore.

272
00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:56,960
No, it's.
Not much different.

273
00:13:56,960 --> 00:14:01,120
It's 2.8 tonne so they're
scheduled to hit that by the end

274
00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:06,320
of FY20 7 and so that'll say in
producing 530,000 tonnes SA

275
00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:11,000
equivalent, SA six equivalent.
So which if you because there's

276
00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:13,040
been that many bloody movements
in this.

277
00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:17,320
If you actually go back to the
the 2021 DFS, it's not that much

278
00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:18,880
different.
They're actually running at two

279
00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:21,920
and a half million tonne up
until the end of 2028.

280
00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:25,920
But then come, you know, 2023
with all the mania and all the

281
00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:29,160
interest and thinking right
where ramping this up and

282
00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:32,800
everything you can see from a
Prezzo here though went from 2

283
00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:35,600
1/2 to 3,000,000 tonne and and
everything so.

284
00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:38,040
Yeah, the key career is they've
got those commitments to meet

285
00:14:38,040 --> 00:14:38,880
now, right?
Yeah.

286
00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:43,600
But they said on the call that
this plan, yeah, meets all the

287
00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:44,960
commitments.
It's built around those

288
00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:47,760
commitments, right?
There are, there are assumptions

289
00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:50,760
as well there and that's the,
the recovery will improve over

290
00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:53,160
time, yeah.
So, yeah, and, and I think it's

291
00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:56,760
part of that LG facility, like
one of the conditions is in the

292
00:14:56,760 --> 00:15:00,320
six months up until the end of
27, they have to be mining above

293
00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:03,560
2,000,000 tonne per annum.
So they're locked into a minimum

294
00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:08,120
of 2,000,000 tonne to not breach
that covenant.

295
00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:09,520
That's one of the covenants on
it.

296
00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:11,960
I think it's some probably
should have write that down

297
00:15:11,960 --> 00:15:13,360
since it was.
Yeah, I read that.

298
00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:15,600
I thought, I thought I read it
in such a way that they have to

299
00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:17,880
at least reach a minimum of
2,000,000 tonnes per annum

300
00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:21,800
mining rate.
Yeah, in any, in any like

301
00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:25,640
annualised monthly mining.
Mining rates.

302
00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:28,600
Yeah, in any month.
Yeah, it was, yeah.

303
00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:31,920
Look, it was for the six months
leading up to this to a date.

304
00:15:31,920 --> 00:15:34,720
I think it's like before that
date they have to be out of

305
00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:38,560
2,000,000 tonne per hour, right,
which they're guiding to 2.3

306
00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:41,240
already.
So for this financial year so

307
00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:43,160
that that won't be a problem.
Mining's not an issue.

308
00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:46,040
Yeah.
So stopping or they've said to

309
00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:53,680
commence Q4 FY25 so bloody you
know April next year they're so

310
00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:57,360
I don't know if that's been
probably delayed and it's it's

311
00:15:57,360 --> 00:16:00,720
understandable if it has because
if they are targeting high grade

312
00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:03,600
areas and being more selective,
it means you're not just

313
00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:07,360
developing into the closest
bidder or as your decline goes

314
00:16:07,360 --> 00:16:10,520
past it's going to take you
longer to get to those selective

315
00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:12,840
areas.
So that's evidently going to

316
00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:15,800
push out that possibly that
first stopping if they're

317
00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:18,200
targeting high grade first.
So it just takes them longer to

318
00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:20,520
get there so.
Everything's a trade off.

319
00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:21,640
Right.
Oh, there's so many.

320
00:16:21,680 --> 00:16:26,440
Speaking of trade offs, JD
lithium processing, holy snap

321
00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:28,320
and duck shit.
There's some trade offs in here.

322
00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:31,960
So recovery is always the
biggest ticket item for a

323
00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:33,960
lithium plant that everyone
looks at.

324
00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:37,440
So now remember this plant has
only been gone for three to four

325
00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:39,240
months.
So and it's a whole of all

326
00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:42,960
flotation.
So no DMS you would say the more

327
00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:47,120
complex processing solution you
would have for lithium.

328
00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:52,000
So the fact that they're they're
at 52% for October after three

329
00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:55,320
or four months considering what
Pilbara and that are in the 60s

330
00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:59,120
and what down pretty well I
reckon for that time.

331
00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:02,440
Think of what Pilbara took 18 to
24 months or so to get their

332
00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:06,200
flight circuit fine tune.
So I'd say, I think it's like

333
00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:09,359
probably in line or exceeded
expectations in the short

334
00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:11,319
period.
So it says.

335
00:17:11,319 --> 00:17:14,119
Like can they reach the DFS
target recovery?

336
00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:17,440
Hope life of mine was 78. 78 I
don't think that's an even

337
00:17:17,599 --> 00:17:19,480
applicable anymore.
You think you think just

338
00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:20,640
expectations should be lower
now?

339
00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:21,920
I think.
I think the market's

340
00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:25,280
expectations of like, you know,
78 was the number that just

341
00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:28,680
everyone chucked in a DFS then.
But I think with so much more

342
00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:33,240
lithium processing physicals out
since that point, I think

343
00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:36,200
everyone's adjusted what the
practical recovery is.

344
00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:38,480
Like, fuck, I'm sure they could.
I'm sure they would if they

345
00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:41,160
could, yeah, keep everything
balanced.

346
00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:44,440
But I just don't think the
market even expects 78% now

347
00:17:44,440 --> 00:17:49,840
unless it's a like a freaking
yeah, just a really optimal

348
00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:52,360
mineral mineralogy to achieve
that.

349
00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:54,680
I think.
I think if they get in the 70s,

350
00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:57,360
they'd be like, fucking go you.
Yeah.

351
00:17:57,360 --> 00:17:59,760
Like if the market will be like
that is a positive.

352
00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:02,320
Pressure.
So this 52% Lithia recovery, we

353
00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:07,160
were confused because it was 52%
Lithia recovery and then the

354
00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:09,480
flotation recovery peaked at
81%.

355
00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:12,880
Yeah, yeah.
So and I think because everyone

356
00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:16,600
thought well how's the Lithia
recovery 52%, but the monthly

357
00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:20,800
average flight recovery was 68%
when it is all flotation.

358
00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:25,360
Yeah, so well sit back and enjoy
boys.

359
00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:31,200
All my own ideas obviously there
before it goes into the flight

360
00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:33,520
circuit.
There are lithium losses in the

361
00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:37,080
circuit before it goes into
flotation, even though flotation

362
00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:39,920
is the main mechanism to recover
the lithium.

363
00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:44,000
So there you lose some in the in
the magnetic separation circuit.

364
00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:47,120
So that removes all the iron
bearing minerals cause iron is.

365
00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:48,800
Bad for covering.
Iron is.

366
00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:52,680
What would you compare iron to?
Iron is like getting a rock in

367
00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:54,840
your shoe.
Like your shoes fucked.

368
00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:57,680
Like no point.
No point wearing it like it's.

369
00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:00,760
That's what iron is not allowed
in batteries effectively.

370
00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:05,000
Yeah, unless it's a lithium iron
sulphate 1, but in the in the

371
00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:08,520
lithium component.
So in, so when they're removing

372
00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:10,560
some of the iron bearing
minerals, there's some lithium

373
00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:15,120
contained in that.
But in in Lontown's case and

374
00:19:15,120 --> 00:19:20,720
probably most of them, it's the
day slimming of the slurry that

375
00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:22,840
occurs before it goes into the
flotation.

376
00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:26,040
That's where the biggest loss of
lithium is, so.

377
00:19:26,800 --> 00:19:29,280
Is a D slime do that.
Will D slime.

378
00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:32,200
So when they say slime, they're
talking about the really, really

379
00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:34,560
fine particles.
So after it goes through the

380
00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:37,800
grinding circuit, like your ball
mill and that anything, I think

381
00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:42,680
it's about 20 to 30 Micron or
below is considered your slimes

382
00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:44,480
like you really, really fine
shit.

383
00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:48,760
So if you if you leave that shit
in there, it doesn't it, it

384
00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:51,920
floats about as good as fat
bastard, you know, pull without

385
00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:55,040
an inflatable lounge below him.
Like it just doesn't float.

386
00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:59,800
Even he probably popped that
thing so effectively.

387
00:20:00,120 --> 00:20:02,520
So you have to do slime it.
You have to get rid of that fine

388
00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:03,960
shit before you Chuck it in the
float.

389
00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:07,320
So obviously those really,
really fine particles will have

390
00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:09,760
some lithium in it.
So you lose, you're losing

391
00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:11,920
lithium for for your from your
overall.

392
00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:15,200
All plant recovery before it
gets into the flotation circuit.

393
00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:18,720
But then that's where this this
whole thing is like the balance

394
00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:21,520
that they will be still trying
to optimise.

395
00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:26,600
Because let's say you grind the
living piss out of it, you're

396
00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:29,880
going to get better flotation
recovery because it's it's

397
00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:32,000
grinded finer.
So you're going to it's going to

398
00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:35,160
float better.
Like generally in a, they say in

399
00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:37,840
a gold plant, like if you grind
it more, it's going to the

400
00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:43,040
cyanides going to attach to the
bloody gold easier put it into

401
00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:45,080
solution easier be the same with
lithium.

402
00:20:45,080 --> 00:20:48,600
So but by grinding the piss out
of it to increase your flotation

403
00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:51,880
recovery, you're increasing the
amount of slime because you're

404
00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:55,240
getting you're grounded grinded
it more so you got more fine

405
00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:57,560
material.
So you got more lithium being

406
00:20:57,560 --> 00:21:01,160
removed in the de sliming
process which lowers your

407
00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:05,000
overall plant recovery.
As well as energy being a big

408
00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:06,880
cost, yeah.
Yeah, exactly.

409
00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:10,720
Yeah, So and then, but then if
you don't grind it enough, so

410
00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:15,040
you've got much less slimes, it
might be too coarse to get an

411
00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:18,560
optimal flotation recovery
because it's coarser.

412
00:21:18,920 --> 00:21:20,680
So it's, it's finding it's
about.

413
00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:23,920
So they they said they've hit
80%.

414
00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:26,600
What'd they say?
81%.

415
00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:29,040
Peaked at 81% flotation
recovery.

416
00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:34,760
So I think the numbers of found
if, if you're getting around 80%

417
00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:39,840
flotation recovery, you'd take
off about 15 to 18% for your

418
00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:43,280
losses in the magnetic
separation and the day slimming.

419
00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:48,840
So 80% float would give you
about 60 to 65% Lithia recovery,

420
00:21:49,120 --> 00:21:51,880
overall plant recovery, whatever
recovery.

421
00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:57,640
So their, I think their goal is
so to get up to that sort of 90%

422
00:21:57,960 --> 00:22:02,880
flotation recovery with the
minimal amount of slime and

423
00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:07,280
hopefully that would see him
start getting towards that 70%

424
00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:10,240
overall plant recovery.
So that that is the difference.

425
00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:14,920
So because as you said the
21/20/21 DFS was aiming for 78%,

426
00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:19,240
which I don't think but if they
can get it, they can get it.

427
00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:22,280
But that might be also a
function of the spot, the

428
00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:25,440
concentrate grade they sell.
So if they they go for opt for

429
00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:30,600
more of a 5.2% S spot con grade,
that might give them the

430
00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:35,240
opportunity to get up to 78%.
But the trade off is the salable

431
00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:38,160
price of that spot con.
As well as the fact that in

432
00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:42,160
these first six years, call it
they're high grading it in a

433
00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:45,240
sense they might be having
versus the DFS higher average

434
00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:49,840
head grade in the first six
years might have some role on

435
00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:51,640
recovery.
Well, but I think it was weird

436
00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:54,880
they they did say because I
think when they say I think open

437
00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:58,760
pit mining thesis in feed
thesis, I think it's FY20 6.

438
00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:02,000
But they said they're aiming for
one point 2% this year and

439
00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:08,200
gradually ramping up to 1.5% by
FY30 so that it's not AI.

440
00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:10,920
Don't think they're going
straight to like 1 1/2 percent.

441
00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:15,280
OK, It's like I think it's like
1.21 point 3 and 26 one point.

442
00:23:15,400 --> 00:23:17,600
I think it's gradually sort of
lifting up.

443
00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:23,680
So now, now that another comment
as well about and you can see

444
00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:27,800
this is probably around the cost
optimization side when I

445
00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:30,560
mentioned about trialling new
reagents in the plan.

446
00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:35,280
So and you'd think like, yeah,
your first first perception

447
00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:37,480
might be, oh, why aren't the
reagents working?

448
00:23:37,480 --> 00:23:39,040
Or is it something wrong with
the plan?

449
00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:42,800
Is it not fucking working like
but of you wouldn't believe and

450
00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:44,600
I didn't believe this one.
I heard it either.

451
00:23:44,600 --> 00:23:49,520
Reagents are actually around 25%
of the processing cost, which is

452
00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:52,000
fucking phenomenal.
Yeah, not sure sure if that

453
00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:56,240
includes power or what's put in
the it's reagents are very, very

454
00:23:56,240 --> 00:23:57,520
costly.
It's amazing.

455
00:23:57,600 --> 00:24:01,000
Yeah, so and I think previously
when lithium was just the

456
00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:04,720
greatest thing in the world and
bloody everyone's bidding at you

457
00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:07,360
and just giving you money for
nothing, you're like, what would

458
00:24:07,360 --> 00:24:09,680
you do?
You if there's because reagents

459
00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:14,360
are very, you can get real good
reagents, real shit ones for

460
00:24:14,360 --> 00:24:18,600
different prices that so you can
pay shit loads for a reagent and

461
00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:22,320
guarantee the best recovery,
which is what I assume Lontown

462
00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:25,000
would have done when they did
all the testing, but obviously

463
00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:27,680
cost you more.
So now it's like, well, the

464
00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:31,640
pricing environments changed so
they can either trial different

465
00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:34,600
amounts of reagents.
So I'd allow the cost by using

466
00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:38,240
less or trial different types of
reagents that might be a bit

467
00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:41,040
cheaper to see, right.
Can we still maintain the

468
00:24:41,040 --> 00:24:44,480
recoveries that we want while
saving a bit of cash on the

469
00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:48,560
actual reagents in the plant?
So that'll be something there.

470
00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:52,200
So fine tune that with every
all, every other 65 things of

471
00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:55,840
fine tune and to do so if you
can get in the all just to put

472
00:24:55,840 --> 00:24:58,760
one number on a quarterly report
to keep us bastards happy.

473
00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:01,520
And it's to keep the mining
operations.

474
00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:05,440
It's.
The theme is is is cutting cost

475
00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:08,840
to try and last the cycle.
So yeah, save every buck you

476
00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:10,720
can.
Oh, and I think and you know, I

477
00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:14,440
mentioned to be out like and
under understand why when you're

478
00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:17,800
in construction and ramp up
locking because there was talks

479
00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:21,920
about like, you know, the people
on site and like reducing the J

480
00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:26,840
and I and obviously the the
amount of people you're paying.

481
00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:30,360
But you think, right, and this
is what every ship mining

482
00:25:30,360 --> 00:25:31,960
company should do.
It's like, yeah, you might

483
00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:35,040
overman during construction,
like because you got a, you need

484
00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:37,560
obviously a shit load of boots
on ground to try and guarantee

485
00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:41,480
delivery of the project in the
most optimal, safest fashion.

486
00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:44,360
But when you get to the point
where you know your CapEx spend

487
00:25:44,360 --> 00:25:46,560
and your construction's dying
off and you're getting into more

488
00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:49,600
of a steady state, you don't
need the same amount of people.

489
00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:52,240
Like, yeah, a lot of those
people are there for the perp.

490
00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:54,640
A good chunk of the people, not
all of them are there for the

491
00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:57,280
purpose to get that project
going.

492
00:25:57,760 --> 00:25:59,720
And you don't need all those
people once you get in to

493
00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:01,400
approach a bit of a steady
state.

494
00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:05,400
So hence why I've probably seen,
I think I saw the articles.

495
00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:09,080
I don't know how many people
they've made redundant, but it's

496
00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:11,440
probably something more to come
to because that's, you know,

497
00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:13,440
why.
Just cost a lot, buddy.

498
00:26:13,480 --> 00:26:14,880
Unless you're in Zimbabwe,
buddy.

499
00:26:15,320 --> 00:26:16,760
Yeah, what's happening in
Zimbabwe?

500
00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:20,840
I said like you know Bakita
which is a lithium there, which

501
00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:23,160
is ramping up.
So their costs are lowering 20%

502
00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:26,400
quarter on quarter for the last
few quarters and wages there are

503
00:26:26,400 --> 00:26:30,600
like literally $300.00 USD per
month.

504
00:26:31,120 --> 00:26:34,120
Jesus crossed.
Yeah, I'm not working there.

505
00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:37,040
Yeah, no.
We did see a Zimbabwe and

506
00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:38,680
lithium mine shut down though,
yeah.

507
00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:40,000
It was, yeah.
Arcadia.

508
00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:44,600
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Not, not all mines in locations

509
00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:46,640
are the same, but we'll use
general terms to talk about it.

510
00:26:46,640 --> 00:26:48,800
But yeah.
US Aussies want to get paid too

511
00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:49,400
much.
It was.

512
00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:52,960
It was 300 bucks for 300 bucks
to borrow an all drive when I

513
00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:55,120
was on the Leafs.
Bloody.

514
00:26:56,840 --> 00:26:58,240
There you go.
Back in the die.

515
00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:01,720
I'll, I'll finish it, snip it.
I'll finish off.

516
00:27:01,720 --> 00:27:04,840
I'll play this question from the
conference call and we'll follow

517
00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:09,160
with a bit of a discussion this
from Baron Joey's Glenn Lawcock

518
00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:12,400
to Big Tony O about the
potential cash burn coming up,

519
00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:15,760
Take it away.
Oh, Tony, good morning.

520
00:27:16,840 --> 00:27:21,480
We haven't had a lot of time to
digest all this, but I just want

521
00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:23,240
to try and understand the cash
flow.

522
00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:26,800
Your guidance for the second
half, if I look at it probably

523
00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:29,120
suggest you're going to burn
about $50 million.

524
00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:32,880
Then if I think about this
quarter, we're in giving you

525
00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:36,000
65,000,000 of CapEx as well.
You've disclosed in the

526
00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:39,240
footnotes and it probably going
to be an even higher, you know

527
00:27:39,560 --> 00:27:42,240
it'll burn more than you will
from an operating cash flow

528
00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:43,600
perspective.
So it looks like you're going to

529
00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:48,680
burn through 150 to $200 million
between now and the end of the

530
00:27:48,680 --> 00:27:53,160
financial year and you've got
263,000,000 on the balance

531
00:27:53,160 --> 00:27:54,440
sheet.
I mean, how comfortable are you

532
00:27:54,640 --> 00:27:57,840
with the balance sheet given
that outlook if, if, if current

533
00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:03,000
prices hold?
Well, a couple of things, Lynn.

534
00:28:03,120 --> 00:28:07,040
I think you're right.
We've given guidance that, let's

535
00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:12,480
take the 263 that we outlined at
the end of the September

536
00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:17,040
quarter, We've got about
65,000,000 of further tail into

537
00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:20,360
the CapEx, which we've disclosed
today.

538
00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:26,320
The operating costs, I think you
can use what we've given you as

539
00:28:26,320 --> 00:28:31,320
guidance for FY25 second half as
a good driver of what they're

540
00:28:31,320 --> 00:28:34,840
likely to be for the next few
months.

541
00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:41,000
And and then on the other flip
side, we've got revenue coming

542
00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:45,280
in.
So we've for the 1st, for these

543
00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:50,080
first six months, we're going to
have about 100,000 tonnes of

544
00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:52,520
spot.
You mean sales over 100,000

545
00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:57,760
tonnes of spot, you mean sales.
So I think from the modelling

546
00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:01,240
we've done, we've done modelling
at various price scenarios,

547
00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:06,200
we're good.
OK.

548
00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:09,480
But I mean basically spot
pricing against your all in

549
00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:12,480
sustaining costs to mean spot
prices are at the very bottom

550
00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:14,960
end of your all in sustaining
costs.

551
00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:17,080
But that excludes your growth
capital you're spending in the

552
00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:19,720
second half.
So you will burn cash in the

553
00:29:19,720 --> 00:29:22,960
second half, but when do you
expect to be cash flow positive

554
00:29:22,960 --> 00:29:26,320
then on an all in basis?
Well.

555
00:29:27,080 --> 00:29:31,160
That depends, that depends on
your on your price outlook.

556
00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:38,640
As I said, we've we've done a
series of scenarios both

557
00:29:39,880 --> 00:29:45,120
consensus would Mac our own
price forecast.

558
00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:50,640
We've extended today's spot
price for a period of time.

559
00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:53,120
So you know, we've looked at
this.

560
00:29:53,560 --> 00:29:55,720
That's such a telling response
there.

561
00:29:55,720 --> 00:29:56,880
It's.
Like that last bit.

562
00:29:57,080 --> 00:29:58,400
Totally.
It's like when do you expect to

563
00:29:58,400 --> 00:30:00,960
be cash flow positive?
That depends on your price out.

564
00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:04,320
Glynn was trying to get in the
point at current lithium prices,

565
00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:06,000
yeah, but at that point.
Yeah.

566
00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:09,000
Well, you did say they've, I
suppose they've extended that on

567
00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:12,160
the model, the current current
price, the current price staying

568
00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:13,560
this way.
For a period.

569
00:30:13,560 --> 00:30:18,080
For a period, we don't know how
long that that period it is, but

570
00:30:18,680 --> 00:30:24,720
I think it just comes back to
that point like yes, they're

571
00:30:24,720 --> 00:30:28,440
they're distressed at the moment
because of the price, but you do

572
00:30:28,440 --> 00:30:30,560
not want to be raising money
more distressed.

573
00:30:31,320 --> 00:30:35,040
Yes.
And it's, it's there will come a

574
00:30:35,040 --> 00:30:38,560
point where and whether it's
going to whether this

575
00:30:38,560 --> 00:30:42,160
announcement today is the admin
information that they're

576
00:30:42,160 --> 00:30:43,520
releasing.
Claims.

577
00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:47,960
In the lead up to A to a rise
which would make a lot of sense

578
00:30:47,960 --> 00:30:52,160
in the coming days.
And as we as we said would not

579
00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:56,400
be, I'd be, I'm not a
shareholder, but I'd be, I'd

580
00:30:56,400 --> 00:31:01,600
find it a lot more comfortable
that that 660 million debt isn't

581
00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:04,360
as large with this pricing
environment.

582
00:31:04,360 --> 00:31:06,640
What do you think?
Yeah, yeah, I.

583
00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:09,840
Agree.
Like you, there's a real chance

584
00:31:09,840 --> 00:31:11,440
that lithium prices are lower
for longer.

585
00:31:11,480 --> 00:31:16,280
And yeah, you don't want to, you
don't want to play the waiting

586
00:31:16,280 --> 00:31:18,760
game.
And then sort of what, June next

587
00:31:18,760 --> 00:31:21,600
year, you've just, you've burnt
through all your cash.

588
00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:25,120
You're you're super low on cash
and the market's not dumb.

589
00:31:25,120 --> 00:31:27,040
It'll price in the fact that you
can't raise.

590
00:31:27,040 --> 00:31:29,720
And guess what, your share price
will be $0.20, not, not where it

591
00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:31,360
is today.
And if you want to raise 200

592
00:31:31,360 --> 00:31:33,720
million bucks at $0.20, it's a
lot more dilution than it is

593
00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:36,920
doing it.
Well, it's tomorrow as an site

594
00:31:36,920 --> 00:31:38,800
to I think it's up 2% today.
Yeah.

595
00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:41,160
There hasn't been a negative
reaction to this.

596
00:31:41,160 --> 00:31:45,280
And like whether, you know,
they've effectively, well,

597
00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:47,480
they're taking a bit of taking a
bit of lithium out of the

598
00:31:47,480 --> 00:31:50,880
market, not much, but they've
obviously reducing their Co and

599
00:31:50,880 --> 00:31:53,480
that's probably something that
everyone was looking for.

600
00:31:53,480 --> 00:31:57,880
It's like, are you going to like
use a, you're marketed as a very

601
00:31:57,880 --> 00:32:01,400
like come across as a very
sophisticated company, but you

602
00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:02,960
know, the pricing environments
change.

603
00:32:02,960 --> 00:32:03,720
Yeah.
You're going to sort of

604
00:32:03,720 --> 00:32:07,400
unsophisticated yourself on the
cost and expenditure front,

605
00:32:07,400 --> 00:32:08,560
which it looks like they're
doing.

606
00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:11,000
So I don't know.
I'll be watching out for the in

607
00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:14,360
the coming week to see if there
is a bit of a book bill going

608
00:32:14,360 --> 00:32:16,120
on.
God, you'd be mad not to.

609
00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:19,240
Yeah, well, you wouldn't be mad
not to, but what would I?

610
00:32:19,240 --> 00:32:20,840
Know you'd be taking a big risk
not to.

611
00:32:21,360 --> 00:32:23,160
It's the the way to summarise
it.

612
00:32:23,640 --> 00:32:26,480
Yeah, but what do we know?
Who cares?

613
00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:30,040
As I said, if anyone doesn't
like it start your own podcast.

614
00:32:30,360 --> 00:32:33,400
Until we get competition we will
not be judged compared.

615
00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:36,120
No one to compare us to.
That's good, Maddie.

616
00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:37,120
That was really interesting.
Oh.

617
00:32:37,880 --> 00:32:39,880
Bloody hell, I love it.
Go underground.

618
00:32:41,120 --> 00:32:43,000
Bit of a different one now,
resolute.

619
00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:47,120
We're going to West Africa with
some pretty concerning stuff.

620
00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:50,840
So for those that haven't caught
what has happened, Resolute

621
00:32:50,840 --> 00:32:54,320
Mining W African gold miner with
a couple operations, their CEO

622
00:32:54,320 --> 00:32:58,880
and a couple other employees
have been detained in Mali by

623
00:32:58,880 --> 00:33:02,240
Mali's military government.
So first and foremost, thoughts

624
00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:05,800
go out to families of those
detained and everyone at the

625
00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:08,520
company must be pretty
distressing at the moment, so we

626
00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:12,640
hope they all come home safely.
Yeah, a bit shocking, yeah.

627
00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:15,040
The the company came out with an
update.

628
00:33:15,120 --> 00:33:17,600
So this happened on the back of
events on Friday.

629
00:33:17,600 --> 00:33:19,280
The company came out with an
update this morning to the

630
00:33:19,280 --> 00:33:22,680
market there, of course, London
listed as well as ASX listed.

631
00:33:23,160 --> 00:33:27,160
The stock has subsequently come
off some 30 odd percent.

632
00:33:27,160 --> 00:33:32,920
I think started the day off 25%.
So this is to do with their

633
00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:37,480
Sayama goldmine in Mali.
There are other mine that they

634
00:33:37,480 --> 00:33:40,920
operate is isn't in in Mali, but
this is a chunky gold mine.

635
00:33:40,920 --> 00:33:47,040
210,000 oz was the FY24 target
and expansion work was underway.

636
00:33:47,040 --> 00:33:51,040
So it was to get bigger and
resolute has been a real turn

637
00:33:51,040 --> 00:33:56,320
around story that had a a very
sort of tough 2020 to 2022

638
00:33:56,560 --> 00:33:57,840
period.
And then they've been on the

639
00:33:57,840 --> 00:34:00,280
March onwards and outwards since
then.

640
00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:05,480
Stocks gone from the, the kind
of low teens in on the ACEX to

641
00:34:05,480 --> 00:34:09,040
over $0.80 now and it's dropped
back to a bit below 50.

642
00:34:09,040 --> 00:34:11,960
As you know, the the balance
sheet got cleaned up, the

643
00:34:11,960 --> 00:34:15,080
operational outlook improved and
they started to actually really

644
00:34:15,080 --> 00:34:17,719
make money.
That did involve IN2022A big a

645
00:34:18,800 --> 00:34:22,280
big yeah cap raise and
restructuring of the of the

646
00:34:22,280 --> 00:34:24,520
balance sheet.
But yeah, it's what, 13 cents?

647
00:34:24,520 --> 00:34:27,719
I did that up, yes.
Restructure, yes.

648
00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:30,280
So it's bloody. 6-7 X since
then?

649
00:34:30,320 --> 00:34:31,800
Yeah, until today.
Exactly.

650
00:34:31,800 --> 00:34:34,600
A good, good two years ago.
So there were actually some

651
00:34:34,679 --> 00:34:38,719
murmurs at the quarterly, which
was a couple weeks ago now from

652
00:34:38,719 --> 00:34:42,000
the company that they'd been put
under a bit more pressure from

653
00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:45,239
the countries that now it's both
Senegal and Mali.

654
00:34:45,239 --> 00:34:48,440
Obviously this wasn't expected,
but word on the street is that

655
00:34:48,440 --> 00:34:51,560
the government of Mali have come
out and they want 250 million

656
00:34:52,040 --> 00:34:54,880
Aussie dollars.
As sort of was reported in the

657
00:34:54,880 --> 00:34:58,280
Australian newspaper, Terry
Houlihan, the CEO and two other

658
00:34:58,720 --> 00:35:02,200
execs were arrested at their
hotel in Bamako, the capital.

659
00:35:02,680 --> 00:35:05,600
So they had gone and they were
discussing tax related matters

660
00:35:05,720 --> 00:35:08,760
with the anti corruption and
financial crime unit in the

661
00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:11,440
country.
They were there talking about a

662
00:35:11,440 --> 00:35:14,960
whole bunch of different issues.
There was this sort of in

663
00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:19,480
quotation marks tax audit that
was going to take place at the

664
00:35:20,360 --> 00:35:23,600
country wanted to do over the
the company.

665
00:35:24,080 --> 00:35:27,160
And there were some other sort
of claims that were made against

666
00:35:27,160 --> 00:35:30,240
the company, which Resolute
maintained were completely

667
00:35:30,240 --> 00:35:33,040
unsubstantiated.
They said they'd played by the

668
00:35:33,040 --> 00:35:36,400
book, paid their taxes, paid
their royalties, paid dividends,

669
00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:39,760
given the joint venture
structure that the mine is held

670
00:35:39,760 --> 00:35:41,920
in with the company and the
government.

671
00:35:42,440 --> 00:35:46,720
So they're saying none of this
is founded in kind of reality.

672
00:35:47,720 --> 00:35:51,160
Is the context here that they,
but they, the government

673
00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:54,400
introduced a new kind of regime
for, for, for new mines, which

674
00:35:54,400 --> 00:35:57,280
you can see kind of yeah, that's
it applied to some developers.

675
00:35:57,280 --> 00:36:00,960
But but is is there, is there an
extension of that that is

676
00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:03,480
desired from the government to
an existing mine that might not?

677
00:36:04,280 --> 00:36:07,440
So that that's exactly what I
was going to sort of build to.

678
00:36:07,440 --> 00:36:09,720
And yet you're dead right.
There is a new mining code that

679
00:36:09,720 --> 00:36:12,200
was developed in 2023 in, in
Mali.

680
00:36:12,600 --> 00:36:16,520
Now if the the ruling was that a
lot of the older mines,

681
00:36:16,520 --> 00:36:19,280
everything in operation was
going to be grandfathered and

682
00:36:19,280 --> 00:36:23,120
this would apply to all the new
exploration projects and and so

683
00:36:23,120 --> 00:36:26,880
on.
Did did the military junta gain

684
00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:30,160
control before that new mining
code or the mining code was

685
00:36:30,920 --> 00:36:31,360
before?
Yeah.

686
00:36:31,360 --> 00:36:33,920
So the new mining code was the
result of the military taking

687
00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:36,000
over the country.
Yeah, yeah, exactly.

688
00:36:36,000 --> 00:36:38,160
So it's worth talking a bit more
about Mali.

689
00:36:38,160 --> 00:36:41,360
We'll we'll flash up a map now
and kind of give a a fairly

690
00:36:41,360 --> 00:36:44,960
rough overview of where you can
and can't really operate.

691
00:36:45,080 --> 00:36:48,640
To start with.
Mali is a big country and it is

692
00:36:48,880 --> 00:36:51,800
sort of region by region.
But if you want to simplify it,

693
00:36:52,320 --> 00:36:55,440
the North East of the country is
dangerous.

694
00:36:55,440 --> 00:36:58,480
The southwest of the country is
where you'd choose to operate if

695
00:36:58,480 --> 00:37:01,400
you were operating in Mali.
That's not to say that

696
00:37:01,400 --> 00:37:05,360
everything in the cell.
Well, it's, it's not that the

697
00:37:05,360 --> 00:37:08,560
mine has been taken off them or
overthrown by a terrorist

698
00:37:08,560 --> 00:37:12,080
organisation.
It's that it's a tax related

699
00:37:12,080 --> 00:37:16,520
type of challenge.
Now Russia's presence has built

700
00:37:16,520 --> 00:37:19,480
and I'll talk some more about
this as well.

701
00:37:19,720 --> 00:37:22,120
So to, to go through the other
operations, and I think this is

702
00:37:22,240 --> 00:37:24,200
pretty relevant to get a feel
for the country.

703
00:37:24,200 --> 00:37:29,440
You've got Barrick who have the
Lulo Guncoto operation that's a

704
00:37:29,440 --> 00:37:33,000
sort of complex, they're right
on the border with Senegal,

705
00:37:33,280 --> 00:37:36,240
produces 550,000 oz per annum.
So it's a big, big mine.

706
00:37:36,240 --> 00:37:39,480
And that makes Barrick the
biggest taxpayer in the country.

707
00:37:39,480 --> 00:37:43,000
Gold is the biggest export of,
you know, any commodity or

708
00:37:43,000 --> 00:37:45,800
anything that the country of
Mali produces.

709
00:37:46,160 --> 00:37:49,520
So the money that they earn
through royalties and, and taxes

710
00:37:49,520 --> 00:37:54,160
from gold is very important.
So they paid US $380 million in

711
00:37:54,160 --> 00:37:57,360
taxes, royalties and dividends
to the government, which

712
00:37:57,360 --> 00:38:02,240
actually led to a bit of
controversy as a few sort of NGO

713
00:38:02,240 --> 00:38:06,680
type reports that were put out
accusing Barrick of funding a a

714
00:38:06,680 --> 00:38:09,440
military junta.
You know, it's like, I mean.

715
00:38:10,000 --> 00:38:11,600
I wouldn't buy it if I didn't
have to.

716
00:38:11,920 --> 00:38:13,840
Yeah.
And they they're kind of in in

717
00:38:13,840 --> 00:38:15,080
the country before this
happened.

718
00:38:15,080 --> 00:38:16,880
So it's a you're in a rock and a
very hard place.

719
00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:21,120
But yeah, this government
doesn't exactly have the most

720
00:38:21,120 --> 00:38:23,640
upstanding human rights track
record.

721
00:38:23,880 --> 00:38:25,800
Yeah.
Barrick to have been at odds

722
00:38:25,800 --> 00:38:28,680
very recently with Mali.
So they saw four of their

723
00:38:28,680 --> 00:38:31,360
employees detained in late
September.

724
00:38:31,920 --> 00:38:34,880
Obviously, this all relates to
to money, but very similar,

725
00:38:34,880 --> 00:38:38,120
although it wasn't the the CEO
of the company, this was

726
00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:41,200
eventually quote unquote
resolved.

727
00:38:41,200 --> 00:38:44,960
They ultimately said they would
pay US $81 million to the

728
00:38:44,960 --> 00:38:47,760
country, although Mali just
recently came out and said

729
00:38:47,880 --> 00:38:50,240
Barrick didn't honour this
agreement.

730
00:38:50,240 --> 00:38:52,640
And again, it ties in with the
new mining code, which I'll

731
00:38:52,640 --> 00:38:55,320
touch on in in a moment.
Interesting.

732
00:38:55,320 --> 00:38:57,000
What about the other players in
the region?

733
00:38:57,160 --> 00:38:59,160
Yeah.
So you've got B2 gold obviously

734
00:38:59,160 --> 00:39:04,440
known known entity in in Africa
with Fecola Big mine 590,000 oz

735
00:39:04,440 --> 00:39:07,640
last year at US 1200, all in
sustaining cost.

736
00:39:07,960 --> 00:39:12,160
Allied Gold Sadiola 200,000 oz
similar sort of all in

737
00:39:12,160 --> 00:39:15,640
sustaining cost of Fecola
Hummingbird there a London

738
00:39:15,640 --> 00:39:20,040
listed group they play in West
Africa got the Yanfolila

739
00:39:20,760 --> 00:39:24,800
operation in Mali specifically.
There's another one I have to

740
00:39:25,440 --> 00:39:28,640
mention not owned by a company
but supposedly owned by the the

741
00:39:28,640 --> 00:39:30,880
government.
Now there was a a wacky wacky

742
00:39:30,880 --> 00:39:33,560
history with this one.
So the mine is called Code Coda

743
00:39:33,560 --> 00:39:37,800
Run, and there was a Bloomberg
article I read from 2017 talking

744
00:39:37,800 --> 00:39:42,080
about how Airbus, the plane
maker, had taken a stake in

745
00:39:42,080 --> 00:39:43,840
this.
It had sort of been looped

746
00:39:43,840 --> 00:39:46,520
through Switzerland and the
British Virgin Islands, I think

747
00:39:46,520 --> 00:39:49,000
in a few other tax havens.
It's really interesting.

748
00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:54,680
It's got this sort of connector,
if you like, in Malia, Malian

749
00:39:54,760 --> 00:39:59,800
businessman who was involved,
who then floated 2525% interest

750
00:39:59,800 --> 00:40:02,280
on the German Stock Exchange of
this.

751
00:40:02,680 --> 00:40:06,800
There was a big ceremony opening
in 2012 of this mine.

752
00:40:07,480 --> 00:40:09,880
Even though the mine wasn't even
operation and they just got the

753
00:40:09,880 --> 00:40:13,640
gold from people who'd been
panning gold nearby and this was

754
00:40:13,640 --> 00:40:16,720
the official opening supposedly.
I chucked that one in the

755
00:40:16,720 --> 00:40:19,040
director special tomorrow.
It's a it's a good read.

756
00:40:19,440 --> 00:40:22,200
Yeah, if they're, well, if
Airbus invested in it, they

757
00:40:22,200 --> 00:40:24,040
must.
Their production output must be

758
00:40:24,040 --> 00:40:26,240
what, a three 80,000 oz per
year?

759
00:40:27,120 --> 00:40:29,720
Very, very good.
Supposedly one of the biggest

760
00:40:29,720 --> 00:40:32,880
operations there, though
obviously numbers are hard to

761
00:40:32,880 --> 00:40:35,240
come by.
But the article did say Airbus's

762
00:40:36,040 --> 00:40:38,800
investment was written down to 0
or close to it.

763
00:40:39,000 --> 00:40:42,400
You've got Gulamina and Marilla,
don't think we need to flesh

764
00:40:42,400 --> 00:40:43,720
over the history of those ones
again.

765
00:40:43,720 --> 00:40:46,560
And interestingly, Endeavour,
they've got a development

766
00:40:46,560 --> 00:40:50,040
project there and they were
meant to run with Scotiabank, a

767
00:40:50,160 --> 00:40:53,400
site tour quite soon.
So we'll see what happens on

768
00:40:53,400 --> 00:40:55,080
that front.
Yeah, bloody hell.

769
00:40:55,080 --> 00:40:59,440
So that, and when you're talking
about that map, I think was

770
00:40:59,440 --> 00:41:02,160
notoriously like the the
northern part, the southern,

771
00:41:02,160 --> 00:41:06,240
more southern parts of Mali
would consider on a like a

772
00:41:06,240 --> 00:41:09,720
government and a terrorist side,
probably safer areas.

773
00:41:09,720 --> 00:41:13,680
But like Siami, like the bot,
like the far South, which is, is

774
00:41:13,680 --> 00:41:17,200
that sort of surprised people
out there that this has sort of

775
00:41:17,200 --> 00:41:20,360
come in under pressure.
But all it's more the government

776
00:41:20,600 --> 00:41:22,440
operates as the government for
the whole country.

777
00:41:22,520 --> 00:41:23,800
Yeah.
It's more the government

778
00:41:23,800 --> 00:41:25,400
operates as the kind of
government, so.

779
00:41:25,400 --> 00:41:28,960
So for most of those operations
I mentioned the, the classic

780
00:41:28,960 --> 00:41:31,720
structure was with the old
mining code, 80% owned by the

781
00:41:31,720 --> 00:41:35,480
company, 20% owned by Mali, the
country.

782
00:41:36,040 --> 00:41:40,800
But Mali and Russia have been
coming closer and closer.

783
00:41:40,800 --> 00:41:43,200
And that you, you kind of have
to discuss this because it's

784
00:41:43,200 --> 00:41:46,440
it's highly sort of relevant.
There was a deal last year that

785
00:41:46,440 --> 00:41:49,560
was in between Russia to build a
gold refinery in Bamako, the

786
00:41:49,560 --> 00:41:51,680
capital.
The interim president who's the

787
00:41:51,680 --> 00:41:55,160
leader of the military junta,
Asimi Gota, he actually went to

788
00:41:55,160 --> 00:41:56,960
Saint Petersburg.
There's a photo of him shaking

789
00:41:56,960 --> 00:42:00,720
hands with Vladimir Putin.
The crux of the relationship

790
00:42:00,720 --> 00:42:03,640
between Russia and many W
African countries, this isn't

791
00:42:03,640 --> 00:42:09,960
just Mali involved, is that they
sort of say we will support your

792
00:42:10,320 --> 00:42:14,480
regime militarily if you need,
and in return you'll give U.S.

793
00:42:14,520 --> 00:42:17,040
military rights.
And this is applicable in the

794
00:42:17,120 --> 00:42:22,840
Central African Republic, in
Nigeria, in Mali, in Akina, in a

795
00:42:22,840 --> 00:42:26,040
number of countries.
And, you know, that's that's

796
00:42:26,040 --> 00:42:29,840
loosely how it kind of operates.
And this formally happened

797
00:42:29,840 --> 00:42:32,600
through the Wagner Group, who I
think most people will be

798
00:42:32,600 --> 00:42:35,440
somewhat familiar with.
But then, of course, there was

799
00:42:35,440 --> 00:42:38,840
the the kind of uprising of the
Wagner Group trying to sort of

800
00:42:38,840 --> 00:42:42,400
supposedly March on Putin in
Russia itself.

801
00:42:42,760 --> 00:42:46,520
And then mysteriously the leader
of the Wagner Group, his plane

802
00:42:46,520 --> 00:42:48,680
gets, you know, just falls out
of the sky.

803
00:42:48,800 --> 00:42:51,600
He's gone.
So the Russian government has

804
00:42:51,600 --> 00:42:54,520
essentially taken over the work
that the Wagner Group was doing

805
00:42:54,520 --> 00:42:59,160
that these mercenaries were
doing throughout West Africa and

806
00:42:59,160 --> 00:43:02,080
taken up that, you know,
relationship with the military

807
00:43:02,080 --> 00:43:05,040
juntas there and how they kind
of get compensated.

808
00:43:05,520 --> 00:43:08,320
An example we saw earlier this
year is that the government will

809
00:43:08,320 --> 00:43:11,840
kind of in quotation marks, give
a mine, in this case an

810
00:43:11,840 --> 00:43:17,200
artisanal mine into Hakka was
given to what was the Wagner

811
00:43:17,200 --> 00:43:21,640
Group, which is now kind of the
Russian defence department type

812
00:43:21,640 --> 00:43:23,680
of thing.
So they get this mine, which,

813
00:43:23,760 --> 00:43:26,800
you know, in that case was a
mine, an artisanal mine that had

814
00:43:26,800 --> 00:43:29,760
been fought over by civilians by
terrorist groups, by government

815
00:43:29,760 --> 00:43:32,440
forces for for a long time.
That was the biggest artisanal

816
00:43:32,440 --> 00:43:36,200
mine in the country.
So that's kind of how they want

817
00:43:36,200 --> 00:43:38,920
to get compensated.
And there's articles out there

818
00:43:38,920 --> 00:43:41,360
throwing up that barracks mine
could be next.

819
00:43:41,640 --> 00:43:44,520
I think that would be a quite,
quite a stretch to go from an

820
00:43:44,520 --> 00:43:47,280
artisanal mine to take a mine
off of barrack.

821
00:43:47,280 --> 00:43:50,920
I don't think that's quite going
to happen just yet, but that

822
00:43:51,040 --> 00:43:54,720
that is a gist of the
relationship between Russia and

823
00:43:54,720 --> 00:43:57,360
these these governments.
What used to be the role that

824
00:43:57,360 --> 00:43:59,640
the French did, they've now fled
or been booted out of the

825
00:43:59,640 --> 00:44:02,160
country.
Yeah, exactly.

826
00:44:02,440 --> 00:44:06,640
So the new mining code, super
important 2023.

827
00:44:07,440 --> 00:44:11,040
The the summary of it is that
Mali's on a very bad trend,

828
00:44:11,440 --> 00:44:14,680
unstable fiscally, which doesn't
attract any sort of investment

829
00:44:14,680 --> 00:44:17,320
with the hided threat of
terrorism.

830
00:44:17,600 --> 00:44:21,400
But the the gist of it is that
the government interest has

831
00:44:21,520 --> 00:44:26,680
jacked up from 20% to 30% plus a
5% interest that has to be

832
00:44:26,680 --> 00:44:29,600
transferred to local Malian
investors.

833
00:44:29,800 --> 00:44:32,120
There were some tax exemptions
in the first few years after the

834
00:44:32,120 --> 00:44:33,440
miners built that have been
wiped.

835
00:44:34,120 --> 00:44:37,280
And the big one was that like
you asked before Trav, a lot of

836
00:44:37,320 --> 00:44:39,440
these companies thought that
they would get grandfathered.

837
00:44:39,840 --> 00:44:43,440
That was supposedly the ruling
given the actions we've seen in

838
00:44:43,440 --> 00:44:46,080
recent times, you know, that is
still the ruling on paper, but

839
00:44:46,080 --> 00:44:48,560
you start getting the feeling
that, hey, that might not be

840
00:44:48,560 --> 00:44:50,680
what's actually happening in in
reality.

841
00:44:50,680 --> 00:44:54,120
And they might be having to, you
know, make if you catch up

842
00:44:54,120 --> 00:44:57,920
payments to to make the new
reality that we're now in.

843
00:44:58,280 --> 00:45:02,440
So what before you get into I
guess what, how this like you

844
00:45:02,440 --> 00:45:04,800
know, the chart and how much
it's going down.

845
00:45:05,440 --> 00:45:08,920
But what do they want?
Are they are they literally

846
00:45:08,920 --> 00:45:10,800
going to have to pay?
Because I saw there was what the

847
00:45:10,800 --> 00:45:14,120
Australian article said, might
have to cough up 250 million or

848
00:45:14,120 --> 00:45:17,560
something to the government and
to get they're, they're not

849
00:45:17,560 --> 00:45:20,120
going to, they're being detained
for money.

850
00:45:20,320 --> 00:45:21,840
Yeah, effectively they want
money.

851
00:45:21,840 --> 00:45:24,120
This is a, you know, this isn't
a tax audit.

852
00:45:24,120 --> 00:45:26,640
This is, this is a, a shakedown
like that.

853
00:45:26,640 --> 00:45:29,480
That's simply what it is.
It's a, it's a horrible sort of

854
00:45:30,040 --> 00:45:32,080
strategy.
And they did it a month or so

855
00:45:32,080 --> 00:45:34,120
ago.
They just detain people and

856
00:45:34,120 --> 00:45:37,560
they, they want to get paid and
it, it scares off a lot of sort

857
00:45:37,560 --> 00:45:39,600
of investors.
Like you said, 250 million bucks

858
00:45:39,600 --> 00:45:42,920
is what they want.
We'd sort of heard on the on the

859
00:45:42,920 --> 00:45:45,480
Grapevine that that's at the,
the higher end and maybe they

860
00:45:45,480 --> 00:45:48,040
just sort of settle somewhere in
between.

861
00:45:48,480 --> 00:45:51,560
Maybe it's a cash payment, maybe
it's gold over a period of time,

862
00:45:51,560 --> 00:45:54,760
maybe it's a slight change.
Exactly.

863
00:45:54,880 --> 00:45:57,120
It could take many different
forms and how that's kind of

864
00:45:57,960 --> 00:46:01,840
paid, but I think the from a
market perspective, a lot of the

865
00:46:02,080 --> 00:46:04,080
people will be asking is it, is
it a kind of buy the dip

866
00:46:04,080 --> 00:46:08,200
opportunity like we've spoken
with W African in West African

867
00:46:08,200 --> 00:46:12,960
resources that is in the past
and my sort of our default as

868
00:46:12,960 --> 00:46:16,520
we've spoken about it in the
past has been by the dip.

869
00:46:16,600 --> 00:46:19,000
That's the sort of default
stance when something like this

870
00:46:19,000 --> 00:46:21,360
happens.
Obviously, every situation has

871
00:46:21,360 --> 00:46:26,280
its unique little quirks to it.
I think it could take a while to

872
00:46:26,280 --> 00:46:28,520
recover from something like
this.

873
00:46:28,520 --> 00:46:31,440
I do expect there to be an
orderly outcome here.

874
00:46:31,440 --> 00:46:34,440
And let's hope that that happens
and everyone is, you know, gets

875
00:46:34,440 --> 00:46:36,800
home safe.
But you got to remember everyone

876
00:46:36,800 --> 00:46:40,400
is incentivized for the mind to
be operating and just be

877
00:46:40,400 --> 00:46:43,040
humming.
Then the government is earning

878
00:46:43,040 --> 00:46:46,320
royalties, earning taxes, the
company is making money.

879
00:46:46,560 --> 00:46:49,600
So that is the incentive for all
parties involved.

880
00:46:49,600 --> 00:46:52,560
And maybe there is a slight
readjustment of of the goal

881
00:46:52,560 --> 00:46:56,360
posts, maybe there is a payment.
But what what are you exactly

882
00:46:56,360 --> 00:46:58,520
going to do if you're if you're
resolute, you got.

883
00:46:58,800 --> 00:47:01,680
More kahunas than me mate.
Because of what?

884
00:47:01,680 --> 00:47:03,440
There's effectively been What
about four?

885
00:47:03,480 --> 00:47:04,760
Not an investment
recommendation.

886
00:47:05,160 --> 00:47:07,760
There's been.
About what 400 odd million wiped

887
00:47:07,760 --> 00:47:10,600
off the market cap today I
think, yeah, they're, they're

888
00:47:10,600 --> 00:47:13,360
one, they're 1 billion when we
checked and that was down 30%.

889
00:47:13,720 --> 00:47:15,960
So it must have been 1.4 ish
before this.

890
00:47:15,960 --> 00:47:18,560
Yeah, yeah.
And, you know, I'm, I'm not

891
00:47:18,560 --> 00:47:21,520
exactly saying that the stock
price is going to jump back up,

892
00:47:22,040 --> 00:47:26,000
but I, I'm not thinking that the
government is going to yank the

893
00:47:26,000 --> 00:47:30,040
mine off them and, and run away.
And it be a sort of, you know, a

894
00:47:30,040 --> 00:47:32,960
0 on this one for, for them.
Like it's, you know, a tough

895
00:47:32,960 --> 00:47:34,840
situation.
You got to have a super, super

896
00:47:34,840 --> 00:47:38,320
high risk tolerance to, to
stomach any, any of this sort of

897
00:47:38,320 --> 00:47:40,720
stuff.
But even when the mine, you

898
00:47:40,720 --> 00:47:44,400
know, say things go back to
normal, the, the, the economics

899
00:47:44,400 --> 00:47:46,560
of the mine could be very
different if they're playing

900
00:47:46,560 --> 00:47:49,520
with different rules, you know,
and maybe a, a wiping off just

901
00:47:49,520 --> 00:47:52,800
sort of is appropriate given
that it's a less profitable

902
00:47:52,800 --> 00:47:53,520
operation.
I.

903
00:47:53,600 --> 00:47:56,320
Think the other part too in the
in the in the way you have to

904
00:47:56,320 --> 00:48:00,480
value this company now is you
have to apply bigger a bigger

905
00:48:00,560 --> 00:48:04,000
discount on the like the
geographical kind of component

906
00:48:04,000 --> 00:48:06,680
of this now about. 20%.
Like whatever, yeah, whatever

907
00:48:06,680 --> 00:48:08,240
you want to, you know?
MPV 20.

908
00:48:09,600 --> 00:48:12,160
We're talking about a country
that isn't is comfortable to to

909
00:48:12,160 --> 00:48:15,440
literally just like take Aceo of
this mining company out of his

910
00:48:15,440 --> 00:48:17,960
hotel room and to detain him and
God knows what kind of stand.

911
00:48:17,960 --> 00:48:19,920
It's like there's deplorable
kind of things and.

912
00:48:20,280 --> 00:48:22,320
But there's no, there's no
status over there, is there?

913
00:48:22,440 --> 00:48:25,840
Doesn't matter if you're ACEO
like you get traded.

914
00:48:26,120 --> 00:48:29,600
Like this, it's phenomenal and
it's and like investors want,

915
00:48:29,600 --> 00:48:32,320
they want, they want just like
stability.

916
00:48:32,360 --> 00:48:35,080
Now, if you, if you could say
give me $100 million once, what

917
00:48:35,080 --> 00:48:36,840
stops you from, you know,
putting the knife to someone

918
00:48:36,840 --> 00:48:39,520
said and saying give me $100
million again and then give me

919
00:48:39,800 --> 00:48:42,920
an extra percentage of the mine.
The risk, the risking, the

920
00:48:42,920 --> 00:48:46,400
risking of this, this operation
is now, you know, a fair bit

921
00:48:46,400 --> 00:48:48,680
higher than it was, you know, a
month ago, unfortunately.

922
00:48:48,680 --> 00:48:51,240
So it's not as simple as, as you
know, deduct the payment from

923
00:48:51,240 --> 00:48:54,160
the market cap and happy days A.
100% these things happen in in

924
00:48:54,160 --> 00:48:56,160
cycles as well.
I think Tanzania is an

925
00:48:56,160 --> 00:48:58,960
interesting example.
They had the big tax kerfuffle

926
00:48:58,960 --> 00:49:03,040
in the late twenty 10s.
Can't go there for five plus

927
00:49:03,040 --> 00:49:05,040
years uninvestable and now
slowly.

928
00:49:05,040 --> 00:49:06,720
Illustration and all that sort
of stuff, yeah.

929
00:49:07,200 --> 00:49:11,480
And slowly it, it, it comes back
into the, the mind of investors.

930
00:49:11,480 --> 00:49:13,360
And I think, hey, they've
learned from that.

931
00:49:13,360 --> 00:49:16,800
It might not be what it be what
it is, but that downward trend

932
00:49:16,800 --> 00:49:18,720
can, can take a long time to
play at.

933
00:49:18,720 --> 00:49:21,520
And, you know, I think that the
Russian influence grows here,

934
00:49:21,520 --> 00:49:24,240
which is also not an attractive
proposition.

935
00:49:24,800 --> 00:49:29,040
If anyone kind of involved from
a Western perspective and you

936
00:49:29,040 --> 00:49:31,640
know, retail investors, they're
just going to be put off.

937
00:49:31,640 --> 00:49:33,880
Like why take a punt on this
when?

938
00:49:33,880 --> 00:49:36,120
There's all this other thing,
there's a cynical like what I

939
00:49:36,120 --> 00:49:38,400
think about it too is like, what
are they asking for more money

940
00:49:38,400 --> 00:49:39,280
for?
What are they going to use the

941
00:49:39,280 --> 00:49:41,240
money to do?
They're going to buy more, more

942
00:49:41,240 --> 00:49:43,840
guns with the money.
Does that create more more

943
00:49:43,840 --> 00:49:46,240
stability or instability in the
country too like?

944
00:49:46,320 --> 00:49:48,480
And the the quantum's
interesting.

945
00:49:48,560 --> 00:49:51,360
If they've asked, they've got
Barrack to pay them, which is

946
00:49:51,360 --> 00:49:52,920
Barrack is obviously a huge
company.

947
00:49:53,840 --> 00:49:56,680
So if they shut this mine off,
it's not the end of Barrack.

948
00:49:57,080 --> 00:49:59,680
But they've asked for what US
81,000,000.

949
00:49:59,680 --> 00:50:03,840
So it's that 120 bucks Aussie
they're asking resolute if this

950
00:50:03,840 --> 00:50:08,440
figure is correct for double
that 250 because you know, if

951
00:50:08,440 --> 00:50:11,680
this mine shuts down for
resolute, that ruins resolute.

952
00:50:12,000 --> 00:50:14,800
So they've resolute have got so
much more pressure on them to

953
00:50:14,840 --> 00:50:18,440
sort this out than a barrack
would and whether that's being

954
00:50:19,160 --> 00:50:23,800
used against them as a like
they're a multi asset company,

955
00:50:23,800 --> 00:50:27,280
but this is a big part of it.
It's yeah.

956
00:50:27,280 --> 00:50:30,280
So we'll we'll wait and see.
Yeah, it's a, it's a tough one.

957
00:50:30,280 --> 00:50:33,760
And you know, so many inserts
already would have been put off

958
00:50:33,760 --> 00:50:37,600
by by Molly as a jurisdiction.
And I am curious about the

959
00:50:37,600 --> 00:50:41,160
investors that that have been OK
with, with Molly, whether this

960
00:50:41,160 --> 00:50:44,120
you know scratches it off for a
few more of them.

961
00:50:44,160 --> 00:50:46,400
It becomes even more
uninvestable.

962
00:50:46,400 --> 00:50:51,160
Then it's becomes a very, very
tough investment proposition if

963
00:50:51,160 --> 00:50:54,200
you're, if you're the likes of
Resolute or any of these other

964
00:50:54,680 --> 00:50:56,800
miners.
That's why that's why so many of

965
00:50:56,800 --> 00:51:00,440
the the miners out there go on
that diversified model of having

966
00:51:00,440 --> 00:51:05,080
operations in multiple countries
seems to be the the smarter way

967
00:51:05,080 --> 00:51:07,080
to go about things.
But that takes time as well.

968
00:51:07,280 --> 00:51:10,920
Yeah, yeah, right there.
As we said, thoughts of a

969
00:51:11,040 --> 00:51:14,800
peaceful resolution for this,
though.

970
00:51:15,000 --> 00:51:16,320
Definitely.
Right, Trav.

971
00:51:16,320 --> 00:51:18,680
Now another masterpiece is
coming up from Trav.

972
00:51:18,680 --> 00:51:22,960
Trav's masterpiece is always,
they always come third because

973
00:51:23,680 --> 00:51:25,960
it's captivating.
And you, you don't, you can't

974
00:51:25,960 --> 00:51:27,800
follow it.
That's how I've determined it.

975
00:51:28,160 --> 00:51:29,800
You can only follow it with
sponsors.

976
00:51:30,960 --> 00:51:35,360
Now this is regarding, as you
said, for Hastings, the some

977
00:51:35,360 --> 00:51:38,320
potential issues around the
seniority of the debt.

978
00:51:38,800 --> 00:51:45,000
Now I'm not sure if debt
seniority insurance from CRE

979
00:51:45,000 --> 00:51:47,920
would be a possibility because
this is a funky 1.

980
00:51:48,280 --> 00:51:51,520
I don't know if this is even out
of their realm of expertise.

981
00:51:52,440 --> 00:51:55,720
As good as CRE insurance and
they are the best, they will

982
00:51:55,880 --> 00:51:58,560
like insure you against a litany
of of issues.

983
00:51:59,360 --> 00:52:01,600
I'll I'll say it here even
though I can't say Hastings.

984
00:52:01,680 --> 00:52:06,280
Really mining, construction
experts, I don't know, maybe

985
00:52:06,280 --> 00:52:09,520
financial insurance might be up.
So when you're ringing up, you

986
00:52:09,520 --> 00:52:13,400
are ringing them up about their
expertise in Carl Metalliferous

987
00:52:13,400 --> 00:52:17,600
mining, even African insurance,
especially experts in Africa,

988
00:52:17,800 --> 00:52:21,200
see if they do financial debt
insurance wouldn't put it past

989
00:52:21,200 --> 00:52:23,480
them.
So Mr Ricard Didier, what is

990
00:52:23,480 --> 00:52:26,320
actually this is coming out a
couple of weeks ago, but there's

991
00:52:26,320 --> 00:52:30,440
a bit going on in a couple of
stakeholders involved in this.

992
00:52:30,760 --> 00:52:33,840
There are, I think it's, I think
there's a bit behind the scenes

993
00:52:33,840 --> 00:52:36,520
and my personal read of the
situation is it's pretty dire

994
00:52:36,520 --> 00:52:39,720
for shareholders.
But and you know, before I give

995
00:52:39,720 --> 00:52:42,440
you the rundown on the drama,
just remind, remind you guys in

996
00:52:42,440 --> 00:52:45,840
the money miners that look
Hastings is, is in a very bad

997
00:52:45,840 --> 00:52:49,280
financing predicament.
They are like whatever 30% of

998
00:52:49,280 --> 00:52:52,760
the way through construction of
the Yanja banner project and but

999
00:52:52,760 --> 00:52:55,240
they need another $300 million
to finish the job.

1000
00:52:55,480 --> 00:52:58,400
The trouble they're cornered
with their ability, ability to

1001
00:52:58,400 --> 00:53:00,640
actually fund the rest of that
CapEx there.

1002
00:53:00,800 --> 00:53:03,240
Is it still going?
Is it still being constructed?

1003
00:53:03,240 --> 00:53:05,240
They've they've tape it.
I got no money, right.

1004
00:53:05,440 --> 00:53:08,200
So everything's being tapered
off like, for all intents and

1005
00:53:08,200 --> 00:53:09,840
purposes, still building it.
But you know, yeah.

1006
00:53:10,760 --> 00:53:12,800
And the trouble is like, yeah,
like, like, they have to pay

1007
00:53:12,800 --> 00:53:16,080
Wyloo 100 and $50 million next
year.

1008
00:53:16,080 --> 00:53:18,560
There's a, you know, an
obligation to repay the money

1009
00:53:18,640 --> 00:53:20,320
that has been lent to them by
Wyalu.

1010
00:53:20,960 --> 00:53:23,120
And the market cap is a mere $50
million.

1011
00:53:23,120 --> 00:53:25,520
So good luck relying on the
equity markets to help you raise

1012
00:53:25,520 --> 00:53:28,600
$150 million.
You need to repay Wyalu plus the

1013
00:53:28,600 --> 00:53:30,720
$300 million to finish the
project.

1014
00:53:31,360 --> 00:53:32,280
Yeah.
OK.

1015
00:53:32,280 --> 00:53:37,200
So in terms of OK, so that was
already existed, What's the new

1016
00:53:37,200 --> 00:53:39,640
drama?
Well, you know when, you know

1017
00:53:39,640 --> 00:53:41,600
when you'd like come into the
office and you're looking at,

1018
00:53:42,200 --> 00:53:45,920
you're looking at the, the AFR
and it's like story posted 5:00

1019
00:53:45,920 --> 00:53:48,720
AM on a Monday.
You kind of, I always kind of

1020
00:53:48,720 --> 00:53:50,400
know something must have been
happening over the weekend when

1021
00:53:50,400 --> 00:53:51,960
that happened.
So when I read Pete Kerr's

1022
00:53:52,440 --> 00:53:57,760
article this morning, he, he, he
takes aim at, at a $5,000,000

1023
00:53:57,760 --> 00:54:00,840
secured debt facility that has,
has been, has made its way into

1024
00:54:00,840 --> 00:54:04,960
Hastings capital structure very
recently from an entity that is

1025
00:54:05,160 --> 00:54:09,520
34.4% owned by Hastings
Executive Chairman Charles Liu

1026
00:54:09,760 --> 00:54:13,040
himself.
The argue bargie here is, is

1027
00:54:13,040 --> 00:54:17,000
about the, that little bit of
new debt being an explicit

1028
00:54:17,280 --> 00:54:21,760
breach potentially of the
existing debt facility in place

1029
00:54:21,880 --> 00:54:25,880
with Wyalu.
And if it's a breach, well then

1030
00:54:25,880 --> 00:54:28,160
Wyalu could potentially issue
Hastings with a notice of

1031
00:54:28,160 --> 00:54:30,320
default.
And if they've been issued with

1032
00:54:30,320 --> 00:54:34,920
a notice of default, Wyalu can
actually demand early repayment

1033
00:54:34,920 --> 00:54:36,160
of their money.
They don't have to wait till

1034
00:54:36,560 --> 00:54:38,800
next year, they could ask for it
ASAP.

1035
00:54:39,160 --> 00:54:42,280
And that's where things get
pretty ugly, because Hastings

1036
00:54:42,280 --> 00:54:46,080
clearly does not have the money
to repay them or capability to

1037
00:54:46,080 --> 00:54:48,280
get the money to repay them.
OK.

1038
00:54:48,320 --> 00:54:51,680
So is it is it a breach of the
Wylo turns or is it not?

1039
00:54:52,640 --> 00:54:55,360
Hastings today explicitly put
out their own announcement

1040
00:54:55,400 --> 00:54:57,920
saying that these project notes,
which is the $5 billion debt

1041
00:54:57,920 --> 00:55:02,600
facility, yeah, for the purposes
of funding project costs

1042
00:55:02,600 --> 00:55:05,120
associated with the stage
development of Yanja Banner and

1043
00:55:05,120 --> 00:55:08,760
they reckon they are not a
contravention of the Wilu notes.

1044
00:55:08,840 --> 00:55:12,520
As you can see now when I first
saw the debt actually pop up a

1045
00:55:12,520 --> 00:55:16,760
couple weeks ago, I, I assume
Wilu must have consented to it

1046
00:55:16,760 --> 00:55:19,440
in all honesty, because I
remember going into the weeds in

1047
00:55:19,440 --> 00:55:22,640
the detail of the terms of, of
the, the connect with Wilu like

1048
00:55:22,640 --> 00:55:24,280
six months ago when we did an
episode.

1049
00:55:24,720 --> 00:55:28,200
And my memory was that Wilu had
effectively had the right to

1050
00:55:28,200 --> 00:55:32,160
veto any new debt that wasn't
kind of project finance debt.

1051
00:55:32,240 --> 00:55:35,440
So I dug back into the, the
notice of meeting from September

1052
00:55:35,440 --> 00:55:38,920
2022 and I scrolled back through
the terms of that facility when

1053
00:55:38,920 --> 00:55:41,920
it kind of got put forward for
shareholders to, to vote on it.

1054
00:55:42,120 --> 00:55:44,000
And there's a negative pledge
clause there.

1055
00:55:44,600 --> 00:55:46,400
And I'll just read out the
section that I've highlighted

1056
00:55:46,400 --> 00:55:47,880
and you can make your own mind
up.

1057
00:55:47,960 --> 00:55:51,480
Maddie, JD, it says Hastings
will be subject to a negative

1058
00:55:51,520 --> 00:55:55,800
pledge on the granting of
security interests other than in

1059
00:55:55,800 --> 00:55:58,880
the case of Hastings only in
connection with project finance

1060
00:55:58,880 --> 00:56:03,520
obligations or working capital
financing agreements and without

1061
00:56:03,520 --> 00:56:05,080
prior.
So you basically need prior

1062
00:56:05,080 --> 00:56:09,560
consent of Wyalu and or subject
customary exceptions to be

1063
00:56:09,560 --> 00:56:11,160
agreed during the documentation
phase.

1064
00:56:12,800 --> 00:56:16,600
So when I, when I like read that
negative pledge to me it reads

1065
00:56:16,600 --> 00:56:20,040
like while you need to OK any
secured debt, unless it was in

1066
00:56:20,040 --> 00:56:22,640
connection with project finance
obligations or working capital

1067
00:56:22,640 --> 00:56:24,680
financing arrangements.
And those two clear exceptions

1068
00:56:24,680 --> 00:56:27,000
are capitalised terms, which
means, you know, they actually

1069
00:56:27,000 --> 00:56:28,920
relate to a definition somewhere
in that document.

1070
00:56:29,600 --> 00:56:32,120
But we only have an abridged
version of the agreement.

1071
00:56:32,120 --> 00:56:34,160
So we can't find out what the
definitions are.

1072
00:56:34,160 --> 00:56:38,760
But I'm I'm very sceptical that
a secured debt facility of

1073
00:56:38,760 --> 00:56:42,920
$5,000,000 to a related party of
the exec chairman could be be

1074
00:56:43,120 --> 00:56:46,920
considered project finance.
Like how is $5,000,000 deficit?

1075
00:56:46,920 --> 00:56:50,280
Project for 100.
Yeah, it doesn't pays salaries

1076
00:56:50,280 --> 00:56:51,720
for what?
However long?

1077
00:56:51,720 --> 00:56:52,920
Like it's not.
You're actually not building a

1078
00:56:52,920 --> 00:56:55,440
project with 5,000,000 bucks.
So what?

1079
00:56:55,440 --> 00:56:58,320
What did you find out about that
$5,000,000 facility?

1080
00:57:00,000 --> 00:57:03,280
It's so this is secured debt to
Equator Capital, which is the

1081
00:57:03,280 --> 00:57:07,680
vehicle that, yeah, obviously
that is, you know, 34% owned by

1082
00:57:07,680 --> 00:57:10,480
Charles Liu, but it's been used
by Charles Liu in the past for

1083
00:57:10,480 --> 00:57:13,640
investments into into Hastings
for various purposes.

1084
00:57:14,280 --> 00:57:18,040
As part of the debt, Equator
would also get one option for

1085
00:57:18,040 --> 00:57:22,680
every $3 of loan notes.
And get this if shareholders

1086
00:57:22,680 --> 00:57:25,160
don't approve the grant of the
options at the upcoming AGM,

1087
00:57:25,160 --> 00:57:29,040
then the board may choose to pay
the value to Ecuador in cash

1088
00:57:29,040 --> 00:57:33,640
instead of getting the options.
So that's sign they get one 1.6

1089
00:57:33,640 --> 00:57:35,440
million bucks worth of options,
is that right?

1090
00:57:35,760 --> 00:57:37,960
They they do a Black Shores
calculation of the value of the

1091
00:57:37,960 --> 00:57:40,960
options based on the exercise
price and term and all that sort

1092
00:57:40,960 --> 00:57:42,800
of stuff.
But yeah, but you know how much

1093
00:57:42,800 --> 00:57:44,760
that option is really worth?
If shareholders don't vote for

1094
00:57:44,760 --> 00:57:48,720
it, then it's like, heads I win,
tails I win, too, like.

1095
00:57:49,000 --> 00:57:50,960
Yeah.
And it's a strategy you'll see

1096
00:57:50,960 --> 00:57:53,040
elsewhere in the same notice of
meeting Resolution 3.

1097
00:57:53,040 --> 00:57:56,240
This is for performance rights
and shares to Mr Charles Liu.

1098
00:57:56,240 --> 00:57:59,160
If shareholders don't approve
it, directors may instead give

1099
00:57:59,160 --> 00:58:03,640
Charles Blu a cash bonus.
I don't have to tell you what I

1100
00:58:03,640 --> 00:58:06,400
think of resolutions like that.
I'm sure you can read my mind

1101
00:58:06,400 --> 00:58:08,080
here.
And and.

1102
00:58:08,800 --> 00:58:11,480
For pretty good at it.
After months.

1103
00:58:11,480 --> 00:58:15,640
Or so in operation with you.
For an exec chairman who has

1104
00:58:15,720 --> 00:58:19,280
for, you know, over a decade put
equity into the company, you've

1105
00:58:19,280 --> 00:58:22,320
got to ask the question why all
of a sudden are you keen to

1106
00:58:22,320 --> 00:58:24,520
ensure it's secured debt?
Right.

1107
00:58:25,080 --> 00:58:28,120
And if you can't tell, I don't
think it passes the pub test.

1108
00:58:28,160 --> 00:58:33,960
If WAILU have issued a notice of
default, courts will determine

1109
00:58:33,960 --> 00:58:37,240
the validity of that.
And you know, keep in mind that

1110
00:58:37,440 --> 00:58:40,200
it says in the AFR article that
they actually asked Hastings if

1111
00:58:40,200 --> 00:58:42,840
they'd been issued with this
notice of default and they

1112
00:58:42,840 --> 00:58:44,920
didn't respond to that.
The announcement today, they

1113
00:58:45,200 --> 00:58:46,760
didn't include whether or not
they'd been issued with the

1114
00:58:46,760 --> 00:58:49,400
notice of default.
So like, go figure.

1115
00:58:49,400 --> 00:58:51,120
Why would you not respond to
that question?

1116
00:58:51,120 --> 00:58:52,640
Have they or have they not been
issued with the notice of

1117
00:58:52,640 --> 00:58:56,600
default?
And if if they have right then

1118
00:58:56,600 --> 00:58:58,680
and they don't, they just
disagree with the fact that

1119
00:58:58,680 --> 00:59:00,680
they've breached it or not, then
courts are going to determine

1120
00:59:01,200 --> 00:59:02,400
whether or not it is valid or
not.

1121
00:59:02,720 --> 00:59:05,320
And if Hastings are in default
or have been, you know, then

1122
00:59:06,920 --> 00:59:08,960
what the actual why are they
still trading?

1123
00:59:09,080 --> 00:59:11,600
Like, just makes no sense.
So yeah, you don't have to be a

1124
00:59:11,600 --> 00:59:13,560
genius to know how this ends for
Hastings.

1125
00:59:13,560 --> 00:59:17,920
So, OK, so to be clear, we don't
know if while we have issued a

1126
00:59:18,720 --> 00:59:20,520
default notice yet, we don't
know.

1127
00:59:20,680 --> 00:59:22,240
We don't know.
We know that Hastings have

1128
00:59:22,240 --> 00:59:23,640
chosen not to respond to that
question.

1129
00:59:23,640 --> 00:59:24,600
To media, Yeah.
Yep.

1130
00:59:24,600 --> 00:59:26,920
Right.
So let's OK, let's say that if

1131
00:59:26,920 --> 00:59:29,120
Wyalu do issue a notice of
default.

1132
00:59:29,120 --> 00:59:31,840
Or if they have.
Yeah, if they have and it gets

1133
00:59:31,840 --> 00:59:35,000
taken to court.
Proven to be valid, yeah.

1134
00:59:35,000 --> 00:59:38,240
Which would, I assume be a
lengthy process.

1135
00:59:38,240 --> 00:59:39,680
I don't think so.
I think that's the record.

1136
00:59:39,760 --> 00:59:42,240
Nah, I don't think so.
Yeah.

1137
00:59:42,240 --> 00:59:44,440
OK, I'll give it a year.
No way less.

1138
00:59:44,440 --> 00:59:46,960
No way less, yeah.
You reckon it'll be a quick one?

1139
00:59:46,960 --> 00:59:48,760
Yeah, this should be like sorted
in a month.

1140
00:59:49,080 --> 00:59:50,920
All right.
So OK, so if that's the case and

1141
00:59:50,920 --> 00:59:54,880
it rules in favour of Wilu that
it is a breach, what happens

1142
00:59:54,880 --> 00:59:56,960
then?
Does Wilu now have security over

1143
00:59:56,960 --> 01:00:00,240
the assets?
Wilu can demand repayment

1144
01:00:01,000 --> 01:00:02,840
immediately.
Hastings doesn't have it.

1145
01:00:03,120 --> 01:00:06,080
The money Hastings insolve.
Yeah.

1146
01:00:06,280 --> 01:00:10,200
And then Wilu then what Wilu
have I guess all the on site

1147
01:00:10,200 --> 01:00:12,480
infrastructure in the neo shares
as.

1148
01:00:12,480 --> 01:00:15,400
Well, it goes through the, you
know, the insolvency process,

1149
01:00:15,400 --> 01:00:17,400
which.
Value all.

1150
01:00:17,400 --> 01:00:22,760
Of it, the value so Wilu should
get is 150 million title.

1151
01:00:22,960 --> 01:00:25,760
The value of the neo shares is
like 75 million.

1152
01:00:26,080 --> 01:00:29,600
The rest is whatever like you
know, how much of the project do

1153
01:00:29,600 --> 01:00:30,840
they get?
You know, there's a whole bunch

1154
01:00:30,840 --> 01:00:34,720
of stuff that other creditors
that don't have to, you know,

1155
01:00:35,200 --> 01:00:36,760
will be part of the process as
well.

1156
01:00:36,760 --> 01:00:39,360
But regardless, like
shareholders aren't,

1157
01:00:40,200 --> 01:00:43,000
shareholders aren't going to be
left with.

1158
01:00:44,080 --> 01:00:46,400
Yeah, I won't say nothing, but
yeah.

1159
01:00:46,440 --> 01:00:49,160
Sense on the dollar.
I wouldn't be happy as a

1160
01:00:49,160 --> 01:00:51,560
shareholder.
So so but so definitely even

1161
01:00:51,800 --> 01:00:55,680
even it looks like even why Lou
as the senior lender will be out

1162
01:00:55,680 --> 01:00:58,800
of pocket.
I think it depends how much you

1163
01:00:58,800 --> 01:01:01,120
value the projects are today.
Yeah.

1164
01:01:01,240 --> 01:01:03,000
And like how much that project
can they get?

1165
01:01:03,440 --> 01:01:06,640
You know, they, they for all,
you know, in all reality, they

1166
01:01:06,640 --> 01:01:09,200
might end up with the, the
shares and, and the entire

1167
01:01:09,200 --> 01:01:12,120
project, right.
And in that case, don't know, it

1168
01:01:12,120 --> 01:01:14,760
all depends on like what the
project's worth.

1169
01:01:14,760 --> 01:01:17,880
Can they can they are they just
going to treat the project as a

1170
01:01:17,880 --> 01:01:20,600
bit of a call option and wait it
out for for a better, better

1171
01:01:20,600 --> 01:01:23,720
environment?
Don't know, don't know.

1172
01:01:24,440 --> 01:01:27,600
Right, as we said, depends on
your price outlook for rare

1173
01:01:27,600 --> 01:01:29,600
earths.
Yeah, yeah.

1174
01:01:29,840 --> 01:01:32,440
Tends to be the way for a lot of
the companies we talk about.

1175
01:01:32,600 --> 01:01:34,560
Yeah, at least the.
The project's pretty advanced,

1176
01:01:34,560 --> 01:01:36,080
Manny.
It's 30% constructed.

1177
01:01:37,600 --> 01:01:40,600
Don't worry about the 300 bucks
you got to Chuck into an extra.

1178
01:01:40,960 --> 01:01:42,840
Yeah, yeah, right.
Far out.

1179
01:01:42,840 --> 01:01:45,200
Oh, keep an eye on that.
Bloody hell.

1180
01:01:46,640 --> 01:01:48,680
Yeah.
Got the partners to think oh.

1181
01:01:49,680 --> 01:01:50,240
Don't.
Don't we?

1182
01:01:51,080 --> 01:01:53,600
Hey, doesn't matter if you have
any negative stuff in the

1183
01:01:53,600 --> 01:01:55,760
episode.
Yeah, it's always positive at

1184
01:01:55,760 --> 01:01:57,840
the end with the partners.
JD That's it.

1185
01:01:58,120 --> 01:02:01,480
Our great friends at Mineral
Mining Services, Grounded, Cross

1186
01:02:01,480 --> 01:02:05,240
Boundary Energy, Sambic, Grant
Sports, CRE Insurance, K Drill,

1187
01:02:05,480 --> 01:02:09,120
Dash, SAT and Booteru Money
Miners.

1188
01:02:09,680 --> 01:02:13,720
Booteru.
Information contained in this

1189
01:02:13,720 --> 01:02:16,480
episode of Money of Mine is of
general nature only and does not

1190
01:02:16,480 --> 01:02:19,120
take into account the
objectives, financial situation

1191
01:02:19,160 --> 01:02:21,200
or needs of any particular
person.

1192
01:02:21,480 --> 01:02:24,520
Before making any investment
decision, you should consult

1193
01:02:24,520 --> 01:02:27,600
with your financial advisor and
consider how appropriate the

1194
01:02:27,600 --> 01:02:31,280
advice is to your objectives,
financial situation and needs.