The Secret Masterplan of ASX’s Most Loved Miner?
Today’s show covered it all, from a deep dive into WA gold to what it takes to turn a company into an institutional-grade powerhouse.
From the Genesis deal to snap up Focus Minerals’ Laverton project, to the growth plans, we picked it apart.
Plus, what’s brewing at Sunrise Dam, Regis Resources, and Magnetic Resources?
And where does a potential Genesis-Vault merger fit into the picture?
……………
TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) Introduction
(00:41) Unpacking Genesis' Deal
(03:50) “4Moz” – Should we be Sceptical?
(08:41) An Unsubstantiated Rumour
(13:54) When will Magnetic get bought?
(17:08) Is Sunrise Dam for sale?
(21:39) Will the tie-up with Vault happen next?
(25:35) What's next for Regis?
(26:59) Focus Minerals – Undervalued?
(29:48) The Art of Genesis' Institutional Appeal
……………
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PARTNERS
Thank you to the mining services businesses that make this content possible:
Mineral Mining Services – Your preferred mining contractor - 1300 546 117
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K-Drill – Safe, reliable, and productive surface RC drilling | Ryan O'Sullivan: ryan@k-drill.com.au +61 427 783 190
KCA Site Services – Workforce and equipment solutions for mining and civil projects | admin@kcasiteservices.com.au 1300 143 947
Black Diamond Drilling Services – Drilling consumables supplier for the mining industry support@bddrill.com.au +61 450 944 489
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FOLLOW & CONNECT
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DISCLAIMER
All information in this podcast is for education and entertainment purposes only and is of general nature only. Please ensure you read our full disclaimer.
00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:03,720
JD, there's an M and a master
plan underway in the big tier
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00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:06,840
gold space in WA and we've got
some theories out there.
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00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:09,840
But what kicked off our interest
is yesterday's deal that Genesis
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00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:13,760
is spending $250 million buying
the Laverton project from Focus
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00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:15,160
Minerals.
And we think there's more than
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00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:16,880
meets the eye to their plan
here.
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00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:20,400
It has implications for Genesis,
Focus, Regis, Volt, Magnetic and
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00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:23,040
even Anglo Gold Ashanti.
So if you're interested in the M
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00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:26,880
and A landscape across the WA
gold companies, which you should
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00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:29,440
because kind of matters a fair
bit in the market at the moment,
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00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:32,080
stay tuned.
Spoiler I think Genesis is going
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00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:34,960
to do another deal soon too.
Absolutely, stay tuned.
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00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:37,920
We learned a heap in the lead up
to this episode didn't we mate?
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Talking, talking with people.
Why don't we RIP into it with
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00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:44,200
the deal?
So, so Genesis have come out,
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00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:46,840
they've bought Focuses,
Labourton project, we've talked
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00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:49,120
about the fact that this has
been for sale for a while now.
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What are they paid mate?
250 bucks.
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00:00:52,480 --> 00:00:56,960
So a lousy deal for for Genesis,
just $250 million going to be
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00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:00,840
paid in cash, funded from their
cash reserves, obviously company
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net cash and the deal should be
wrapped up next month.
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00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:07,480
Pretty pretty straightforward.
Obviously buying this from Focus
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Minerals, a much smaller
business.
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Now the payback isn't exactly
straight.
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We're going to get into all of
this when we talk about the
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master plan that we think is at
hand with Genesis.
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But given the meal was already
full and a fair bit of work
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needs to be done on these
tenements and on these resources
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that they're buying, it's not
exactly clear when they're going
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to see a return on this.
But it's all going to come
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together in the in this broader
strategy.
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So but.
But the the mill is full in like
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00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:39,040
quotation marks.
However, like a lot of
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commentaries being out there in
the market that Genesis could
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use with some higher grade feed
to go to that Laverton mill,
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that Laverton mill of course
Mount Morgan's former Dacian
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mill.
Yeah, it could, it could, it
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could use some high grade.
Are they going to get high grade
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00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:53,720
here that the headline is 4
million ounces in this project,
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00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:54,920
but is it really 4 million
ounces?
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Well, I mean it runs at 1.7g per
ton, but I don't know how many
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asterisks you want to put next
to this.
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A fair bit of work needs to be
done on this.
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The, the work that has been done
to date was done quite a while
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ago now.
And these, a lot of these work,
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the old pits, you know, work has
been done in and around the
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area, but there's a reason
they're not being mined right
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now.
The the reason why they've
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00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:20,680
obviously come in and scooped
this up is they're sort of
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consolidation of the Laverton
area.
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So we're talking roughly 30
kilometers, but we're talking
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from a bunch of pits and a bit
underground as well.
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Now that Laverton Mill has just
been flicked back on in, in
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classic Genesis fashion, you'd
say it was flicked on early,
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ahead of schedule, all these
things.
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Genesis know what they're doing
on on that front and it came in
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with this fantastic headline.
Forms temporary class is
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permanent.
How good's that?
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Love that.
So to your point on the the
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grade that they're processing .9
grams per ton right now, that is
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00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:57,320
obviously a lot of stockpiles
being traded, low grade
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stockpiles that have been
traded.
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But as long suspected, they're
now sort of acknowledging that
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the Tower Hill dirt, for people
wondering which one that is,
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that that's the sort of deposit
that has the the rail track
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rider over the top of it in the
heart of almost in the heart of
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00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:14,400
Leonora is not actually going to
be sent 100 kilometers away to
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the Laverson Mill.
They can process that where it
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00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:18,960
makes sense in the mill that's
right next door.
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And they can have this focus,
minerals, dirt, go into the
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Laverton mill once they've
proven it all up.
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Which could still be a, you
know, a while away.
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This is 4 million oz resources
is a is a chunky headline and
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00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:33,040
it's worth of interrogation and
a face value.
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You think 2050 million for 4
million oz.
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So I don't know how many 4
million oz projects there are
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out there to buy, but it's kind
of doesn't seem like too much to
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pay.
And then you kind of look into
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the detail a bit more and
there's of course those
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asterisks like you talked about.
100% mate, 4 million oz can come
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in many different shapes and
sizes, but the question everyone
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really wants answered is what
what is the quality?
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What are the the hairs on this
resource?
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And if you're not answering or
asking that question, you tend
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to have a strong opinion on on
that one.
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And I think if you look on the
first page of Genesis
87
00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:07,000
announcement under their
priorities, you get a you get a
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00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:10,160
good indication of what Genesis
think now just read it out
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quickly infill and extensional
drilling to de risk and rebuild
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00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:17,160
resource, rebuild the resource.
Those words kind of stand out to
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00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:19,120
me.
So clearly it needs a bit more
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00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:24,320
work, but 99% of the resources
and the reserves sit on granted
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00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:28,360
mining leases, which we know in
this day and age is not not the
94
00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:31,040
quickest thing to attain.
So it's got that gone for it at
95
00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:33,080
least.
Yeah, definitely this this view
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out there that Chinese own
development projects are are
97
00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:39,320
pretty substantially overstated.
You know, there's, there's a,
98
00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:42,040
there's a view that kind of
every intercept is called an
99
00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:44,720
ounce or interpreted as an ounce
that there are these kind of,
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00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:47,720
you know, big crazy block models
when you sift through it kind of
101
00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:50,600
falls apart in your hands.
So that's a perception out
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there.
And and I think in the case of
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00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:55,760
of Focus's Laverton project, the
headlines 4 million oz mineral
104
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resource, theoretically a
resource oz needs to have a
105
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reasonable prospect of economic
extraction, right?
106
00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:02,920
That's.
That's the, that's the code.
107
00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:06,960
There's certainly not 4 million
ounces to have a reasonable
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00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:08,920
prospect of economic extraction
here.
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00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:11,800
How many are there that that
there's a bit to play out here.
110
00:05:12,280 --> 00:05:14,760
I think I think there were
probably many people in the
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00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:17,600
industry who tried to get access
to Focus's data for for many
112
00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:19,920
years and for a long time it was
just impossible to actually do a
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00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:22,600
deal with Focus that kind of
land banking it there was a
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00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:24,480
bunch of debt in the cap
structure from Shandong.
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00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:26,280
You couldn't get anything done.
They wanted more than book value
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00:05:26,280 --> 00:05:27,400
if they were going to explore
anything.
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00:05:27,840 --> 00:05:29,840
Now we're in this gold market.
A few other things have
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00:05:29,840 --> 00:05:33,520
happened, which we'll get to and
and finally people got access to
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a data room.
Look at the data and they might
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00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:38,120
have had high hopes on what they
could have actually uncovered
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00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:41,680
because there's always a bit
more access you get in into when
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00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:43,960
the information when you get,
you know, the the data room
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00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:45,800
versus the public data and.
Absolutely.
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And and focus as well is now
focused part in the pan on
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Coolgardi family as well.
And you mentioned the the
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00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:54,120
massive amount of debt.
So the timing was right for
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00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:57,000
something to kind of happen.
Yeah, the and the, the point is
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that the, the data on labor
didn't maybe didn't quite meet
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00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:03,000
expectations of what they could
could have been for sure, which
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probably just, you know,
underlined the, the perception
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of, of buying, you know,
projects in the hands of, of, of
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Chinese parties.
But they've got a deal done,
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mate.
They've got a deal done and and
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you know, I think if you look at
what part of the resource would
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00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:20,440
have been of, of hot interest
to, to Genesis, it's probably
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00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:22,400
my, my view, the stuff east of
Sunrise Dam.
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I'm talking it's like Barnacode,
Carradale, Bertville, if you
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00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:27,320
look at the map, which will pull
up here of all the different
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00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:31,640
resources that that fit into it.
So focus this is resource on on
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00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:35,120
those areas, sort of you marked
it to be 1.5 million ounces in
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00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:37,200
that area.
It's also where most of the
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00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:39,560
reserves are too.
The catch is that that some of
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00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:42,480
these are estimated under the
job 2004, which indicates the,
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00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:45,400
you know, the rigor in some of
that estimation might not quite
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00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:47,840
be up to scratch.
All of this to say, I I wouldn't
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00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:52,440
be surprised if all of this sort
of ground sits on Genesis books
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00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:55,840
for two to three years before
they update their own resource
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00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:59,200
on it and and do it in, in their
way kind of re estimating
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00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:00,680
things.
I'm sure they'll put plenty,
150
00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:02,200
plenty more holes into it in
that process.
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00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:05,360
Mate, all all this talk about
resources that need a bit of
152
00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:07,400
work, there's a there's a
certain company that comes to
153
00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:11,320
mind, me Kedrill.
Kedrill, you are looking for the
154
00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:13,640
goods.
You want to prove up the goods.
155
00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:16,800
If you want to be mine ready.
Kedrill is who you want to call
156
00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:17,080
mate.
Mate.
157
00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:19,800
What do you reckon is a good
daily target for a diamond
158
00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:22,360
driller?
300 meters.
159
00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:25,800
A day, a day, a day, mate.
Meters.
160
00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:27,920
Try kilometers.
That is what Rhino does.
161
00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:29,480
Diamond holes in the golden
fields, dirt.
162
00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:31,520
It's like knife through soft
butter to him and the team.
163
00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:36,960
It's not just that either mate.
Sample quality is top notch.
164
00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:42,240
If you want clean recoveries and
you want tight QA QC done, K
165
00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:43,760
Drew is the team you need to
call.
166
00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:45,800
You want those assays to come
back and you want to know that
167
00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:48,040
you can trust them.
K Drew is who you want to call.
168
00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:49,680
Right.
Whether yeah, exploration work
169
00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:52,720
or a mid tier locking in a
longer term program, K Drew's
170
00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:54,760
got the gear and the people to
handle it.
171
00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:57,280
Quick turnarounds and a team
that actually knows what they're
172
00:07:57,280 --> 00:07:59,680
doing, they can actually work
with the geology again.
173
00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:03,080
K Drew, you want to upgrade that
jock 2004 to something credible.
174
00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:05,360
You need Rana to punch a few
infield halls.
175
00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:07,040
Get in touch with Kay Drill.
Thank you, Kay Drill.
176
00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:08,160
Genesis Call.
Kay, Drew.
177
00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:11,800
So what was one of the the the
reasons do you think that focus
178
00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:15,040
might have been willing to part
ways with with the Labour term?
179
00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:17,560
Was there a perception that them
actually getting approvals to to
180
00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:21,160
develop this was in doubt?
Yeah, Approvals is a is an
181
00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:23,800
interesting one and it's
probably probably the right time
182
00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:27,240
to plug in a completely
unsubstantiated rumour that we'd
183
00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:29,160
heard.
You can, you can see, and I'll
184
00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:32,559
flash up the map here that to
the northeast of Laverton, and
185
00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:35,520
this is right in amongst the
tenements there is the Jindalee
186
00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:38,679
operational radar network.
And I had no idea what this was.
187
00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:41,280
I saw it pop up yesterday when I
was just looking around in the
188
00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:44,200
area.
It's a over the horizon radar
189
00:08:44,280 --> 00:08:47,840
which the military uses and
essentially it enables them to,
190
00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:51,360
you know, quote UN quote, see
thousands of kilometres away.
191
00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:53,000
So there's a few of these across
the country.
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00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:55,520
They're pretty important
militarily and it just throws up
193
00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:59,320
the question, would Focus, if
they wanted to progress these or
194
00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:02,440
other projects in the area have
been able to get the approvals
195
00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:06,240
given the strong Chinese
ownership of Focus.
196
00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:08,880
So again, we don't know the
answer to that one, but I
197
00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:11,040
thought it was an interesting
little rabbit hole to go down.
198
00:09:11,680 --> 00:09:14,480
As a result, focus might not
just be focused entirely on on
199
00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:15,960
on coolgati.
That's it.
200
00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:18,520
Now you've you've been piercing
away.
201
00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:21,880
Genesis has brought a growth
strategy here and I've been
202
00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:23,480
theorizing about the M and A
strategy.
203
00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:25,960
I think the two are related, but
let's kick off with what what
204
00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:28,040
you're piercing together.
Reading the tea leaves about
205
00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:29,160
what Genesis is pulling
together.
206
00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:32,880
Yeah, 100%.
They're clearly in an investment
207
00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:36,120
phase and not looking to to
harvest cash at the moment like
208
00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:39,120
some of the other goldies we've
seen in this sort of pretty rich
209
00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:42,600
gold price environment.
So I think the the logical next
210
00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:46,240
step is just meal expansion.
They've clearly got heaps and
211
00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:48,240
heaps and heaps of tons.
They've got all the tons.
212
00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:51,240
They they call it sort of long
or in their wording in a lot of
213
00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:53,800
their presentations, mind you,
they were saying that before
214
00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:57,760
this deal, so.
Is everyone not like long or in
215
00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:00,040
this gold price environment you
just re cut your reserves lower,
216
00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:02,200
cut off grade and all of a
sudden Oh yeah, you know what I
217
00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:04,400
mean Like everyone makes more
money by putting more tons
218
00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:06,120
through the mill in this gold
price.
219
00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:08,000
Surely everyone's long or at the
moment.
220
00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:09,960
Sure, I mean.
Good time for the UPC, yeah?
221
00:10:10,880 --> 00:10:13,720
In any case, you're longer after
spending $250 million and, and
222
00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:17,480
pulling in another 73 million
tons of dirt, right?
223
00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:21,560
And I mean, Genesis have clearly
signaled to this meal expansion.
224
00:10:21,560 --> 00:10:24,920
So studies ongoing at Leonora in
the priorities.
225
00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:27,000
It was another one of the
relatively high up points there
226
00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:29,920
that they're going to be doing
the work that they need to do at
227
00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:31,400
Laverton.
Obviously, kind of to your
228
00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:34,200
point, it needs to be the, the
right grade that goes through
229
00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:35,120
it.
You know, just do it for the,
230
00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:38,400
for the sake of doing it.
And interestingly, they, they
231
00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,920
said they're going to refurb the
the Barnicot meal, which is sort
232
00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:45,640
of coming into the fold in
amongst all these, in amongst
233
00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:49,080
the focused acquisition.
That's 1.5 million tonnes per
234
00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:52,320
annum capacity.
Who knows how much capital that
235
00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:53,880
needs to get it?
You know, I didn't even know
236
00:10:53,880 --> 00:10:56,040
there was a meal there.
Like I did not know that focuses
237
00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:58,840
labor had a had a meal on it so.
Didn't know to digging in the
238
00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:00,320
weeds.
Either, but must be pretty.
239
00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:04,280
You can't imagine it's in.
It'd be a bit dated, yeah, I'd
240
00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:07,720
say for sure.
So 350 million tonnes in
241
00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:11,040
resources now if you're if
you're generous and you include
242
00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:13,600
barnacoat, which is clearly a
little while off, that's
243
00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:17,560
6,000,000 tons of processing
capacity that they've got when
244
00:11:17,560 --> 00:11:20,000
they're sort of running the
meals that they've got currently
245
00:11:20,680 --> 00:11:23,720
at over nameplate, which they've
been doing for for a couple of
246
00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:26,640
quarters now.
That's more than a lifetime of
247
00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:28,840
all.
So cash harvesting still a
248
00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:31,360
little while away investments
going to be going into the
249
00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:33,720
ground and that has been your
benefits.
250
00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:36,440
You know that that pulls down
and you can spread that fixed
251
00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:39,720
cost base of the more oz.
Once you do that and you know
252
00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:43,840
there's a reason why Daisy and
ran into trouble with with their
253
00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:47,840
sort of Laverton mill there, a
new owner and a high gold price
254
00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:49,160
doesn't just fix that
immediately.
255
00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:51,360
You need to try and pull down
the the cost base and do the
256
00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:53,200
things you can.
High gold price makes a big
257
00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:54,400
difference.
It helps.
258
00:11:54,560 --> 00:11:57,160
It certainly helps.
But I think, I think expanding
259
00:11:57,160 --> 00:12:00,240
that is is all a part of it and
creating this blue chip company
260
00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:03,720
that that Genesis is on track to
be, it's lower and lower costs
261
00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:06,400
and you need to invest the
capital to get yourself there.
262
00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:08,600
Yeah, I'm not sure there'll ever
be a company that's in cash
263
00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:11,080
harvesting mode.
I don't think that's like the MO
264
00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:13,600
of Genesis.
I think they, they, they backed
265
00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:18,000
themselves to grow via
acquisitions at the right price
266
00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:19,560
and yada, yada.
And yeah, I've got, I've got
267
00:12:19,560 --> 00:12:20,640
pretty capital internally.
I've.
268
00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:22,920
Got pretty strong views that I
was going to sort of wrap up on,
269
00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:24,560
on that.
Yeah, 100% there, there is a
270
00:12:24,560 --> 00:12:28,840
playbook that this company has
run for the last 3 1/2 years
271
00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:31,560
and.
Prior to Genesis Saracen, same
272
00:12:31,560 --> 00:12:33,520
playbook, yeah.
Yeah, exactly.
273
00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:36,120
And yeah, just just look at what
happened with Northern Star,
274
00:12:36,560 --> 00:12:39,520
maybe rinse and repeat Is isn't
too far from what we're seeing
275
00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:40,840
right here.
Yeah.
276
00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:43,040
So let's talk about the the M
and a pace.
277
00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:46,880
This is clearly a, you know, a
cornerstone piece of their
278
00:12:46,880 --> 00:12:47,760
growth strategy.
Yeah.
279
00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:49,880
I'm gonna, I'm gonna speak a
little bit about my pretty
280
00:12:49,880 --> 00:12:53,120
unfounded theory of what I think
Genesis could really be up to
281
00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:55,320
here.
And as far as I can tell, no one
282
00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:59,360
is talking about this mate.
We've spoken in the past about
283
00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:02,320
the tremendously public sale
process that Magnetic Resources
284
00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:05,000
has been embarking on.
I mean, the number of parties in
285
00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:07,400
the data room was the headline
part of George Saccolius's
286
00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:08,960
speech that diggers 10 months
ago.
287
00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:11,400
But still no deal from all those
parties in the data room.
288
00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:13,680
That doesn't stop him from
telling the press how many
289
00:13:13,680 --> 00:13:15,280
people are in that data room,
mate, because there was an
290
00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:18,040
article in the West two weeks
ago suggesting there are 7
291
00:13:18,040 --> 00:13:20,520
active parties still sifting
through details in the data room
292
00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:23,920
of of Magnetic Resource.
So what's really going on here?
293
00:13:23,920 --> 00:13:25,920
Right?
Well, post the Diggers
294
00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:28,720
excitement last year, Magnetic
kind of came back to earth.
295
00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:32,000
Share price fell off from like
$1.60 all the way down to, you
296
00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:35,640
know, just just above $1.10.
Kind of kind of shows you how
297
00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:38,520
how rough a strategy just buying
on the expectation that a deal
298
00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:40,640
gets done.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
299
00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:45,080
However, it's been on a bit of
tear since coming back to Earth.
300
00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:50,640
It's it's now all time highs
reaching $500 million market cap
301
00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:54,040
$1.78 share price today.
Now what, what is magnetic?
302
00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:56,360
What have they got?
Lady Julie N 4 is the shiny
303
00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:59,000
discovery that has been a game
changer for for magnetic.
304
00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:02,120
This discovery is not without
its own question Marks and and
305
00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:07,920
one of the question marks over
magnetics project is the ability
306
00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:12,040
to actually mine the deposit
because you're awfully close to
307
00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:14,800
magnetics tenement boundary.
And I'll just flash up here.
308
00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:17,880
Here's a plan view from
magnetics scoping study.
309
00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:21,480
Can you see the, the, the pit
labeled LNJ 4 at the top?
310
00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:24,480
It's pretty damn close to that
boundary, right JD?
311
00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:27,680
One of the problems being the
ability to mine the deposit is a
312
00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:30,480
pretty big problem.
That's a big maybe you can mine
313
00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:32,160
some of it, but you know, in
order to actually like get the,
314
00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:33,920
you know, the full, yeah, full
value.
315
00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:35,920
Break it.
Break it down in in detail, man.
316
00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:38,480
If if you look at look at that
plan, most people in mining,
317
00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:40,720
they'll have a few observations
about, you know, the real open
318
00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:44,080
pit constraints of mining.
LNJ 4, you should typically
319
00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:47,840
calculate an abandonment zone by
getting an angle from pose to
320
00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:49,840
the fresh oxide contact in the
pit.
321
00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:52,320
Run that out.
Then you factor in a buffer zone
322
00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:56,600
which is typically 50 + 50
meters to to mind the ore body.
323
00:14:57,200 --> 00:15:00,400
If you do that for magnetics
project here, you quickly find
324
00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:01,680
yourself beyond the northern
boundary.
325
00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:06,840
Now guess who has the tenement
to the north of magnetics
326
00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:07,920
boundary there?
Focus.
327
00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:10,800
Focus Genesis.
Genesis there.
328
00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:14,120
Yeah.
Well, so over the last year or
329
00:15:14,120 --> 00:15:17,000
so that Magnetic has had its
data room open to every Tom,
330
00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:18,800
Dick and Harry in the gold
mining industry.
331
00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:21,840
What do you think everyone has
probably gone and tried to do?
332
00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:25,400
They've probably all realized
the boundary mining constraint I
333
00:15:25,400 --> 00:15:27,480
just pointed out and they've
probably gotten in touch with
334
00:15:27,480 --> 00:15:30,040
Focus to see if they would, you
know, carve out a slither of
335
00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:33,120
that tenement to enable, you
know, proper mining scenario
336
00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:36,760
with with sufficient abandonment
zone for the for the pit walls
337
00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:40,000
and everything that's required.
And Focus has probably been
338
00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:43,200
pretty commercial and said Nah,
no, that Focus has probably
339
00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:46,600
realized that that Slither would
could very well be a substantial
340
00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:49,440
part of the potential value of
their Labourton gold project
341
00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:50,400
you.
Would have learnt from your
342
00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:52,080
banking days mate that that is
leverage.
343
00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:55,040
It's leverage.
So after 6 odd months, it seems
344
00:15:55,040 --> 00:15:58,680
to me Focus decided to instead
run a sale process themselves
345
00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:00,200
over the entire Labourton
project.
346
00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:04,120
You know, everything, all four,
all 4 million oz that are there
347
00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:07,240
and now that's sold to Genesis.
And all of this poses the
348
00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:12,480
question if you always needed
Focus or in particular that kind
349
00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:16,760
of tenement of Focus in order to
mine magnetics LNJ 4.
350
00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:20,720
Well, now Genesis has focus.
Are they therefore coming from
351
00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:23,160
magnetic?
And that's something I do think
352
00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:27,080
we really need to consider here.
And magnetic is absolutely not
353
00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:29,720
cheap on you.
It's market cap is $500 million.
354
00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:32,880
It is, it is expensive, but
Genesis are in pole position.
355
00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:35,800
And when they're in pole
position because you can't
356
00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:38,600
really maximize the value of
that without Genesis now.
357
00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:41,240
Well, they probably don't feel
the pressure, the time pressure
358
00:16:41,280 --> 00:16:42,600
either.
They can they can take their
359
00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:44,720
time.
No one else can really mine it
360
00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:46,400
without them.
So there's no there's no like
361
00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:49,760
impending, you know, Oh, they're
going to bid bag now imminently
362
00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:52,560
because they have leverage.
Like who else is?
363
00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:55,000
Who else is going to buy
magnetic when when Genesis is
364
00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:56,240
the one with the leverage?
Yeah.
365
00:16:56,240 --> 00:16:59,240
And they have that sort of block
of shareholders at Magnetic that
366
00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:02,400
they need to to win over and
they'll be going through that
367
00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:05,359
process now.
I would imagine if we if we look
368
00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:08,040
around the area there, maybe
we'll pull up the map again.
369
00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:11,800
Sunrise Dam jumps out at you.
It's an interesting discussion
370
00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:14,560
point.
Sunrise Dam, obviously owned and
371
00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:18,400
operated by Anglo Gold Ashanti.
Now, we we reported word on the
372
00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:22,960
decline in our daily newsletter,
the Director Special last week
373
00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:26,240
that Anglo Gold may have been
fielding sneaky bids for Sunrise
374
00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:28,880
Dam.
By the way, JD, all of our
375
00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:32,000
listeners, the money miners.
If you aren't subscribed to the
376
00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:34,120
Director special, pause the
podcast right now.
377
00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:37,720
Go to moneyofmine.com, put in
your e-mail, then click the
378
00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:39,360
confirmation e-mail that comes
into your inbox.
379
00:17:39,360 --> 00:17:42,320
Then press play on the podcast
again, because there's real
380
00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:45,360
alpha in our newsletter.
The the Metals Acquisition Corp
381
00:17:45,360 --> 00:17:48,440
or Mac Copper, you know, trading
whole deal today.
382
00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:51,720
I don't know if it's out by by
them by the time this podcast
383
00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:55,400
goes out, but you know the we,
we, we first reported that
384
00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:57,760
rumour twice in the directors
special over the last few
385
00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:01,240
months, first on March 21st,
then again on the 1st of April a
386
00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:03,040
month ago.
Now, two months later, mate,
387
00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:05,120
Mack is in a trading halt.
And you can read the exact same
388
00:18:05,120 --> 00:18:07,760
rumour that we talked about that
it's Harmony gold buying Mack in
389
00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:10,280
street talk today.
So if you want the inside word
390
00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:12,280
on the decline every morning
before it's in the newspaper
391
00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:15,280
headlines or months before
director special at
392
00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:17,520
moneyofmine.com.
Shameless promotion mate.
393
00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:21,000
And after that, let's let's
focus on on Sunrise dam mate.
394
00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:23,560
So we reported Anglo was
fielding sticky bids for that in
395
00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:27,760
the director special last week
and we didn't name Genesis then,
396
00:18:28,120 --> 00:18:32,040
but we're pretty sure it was
Genesis that submitted a bid for
397
00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:33,600
Sunrise Dam we'll.
Name them now.
398
00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:36,440
There's, there's no public
information about Anglo selling
399
00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:39,680
Sunrise Dam for what it's worth.
But look at how Anglo
400
00:18:39,680 --> 00:18:41,800
categorizes its portfolio,
right.
401
00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:44,440
It splits its assets into what
it calls Tier 1 and Tier 2.
402
00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:49,480
Slide seven of their, you know,
investor deck, you can see the 2
403
00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:52,680
Australian projects there.
Tropicana clearly labeled A tier
404
00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:56,120
one asset, Sunrise Dam clearly
labeled A Tier 2 asset.
405
00:18:56,120 --> 00:18:59,200
So it wouldn't surprise me if
Anglo Gold thought about
406
00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:02,840
capitalizing on, you know, the
gold environment that we're
407
00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:06,120
we're in and sold Sunrise Dam
and the good times to, you know,
408
00:19:06,120 --> 00:19:08,320
quote UN quote, improve the
quality of its portfolio.
409
00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:10,520
I could see them doing a
playbook like that.
410
00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:14,080
It'd be refreshing to see a
major sort of rationalized
411
00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:17,280
assets in the portfolio, not at
the the lows of the market like
412
00:19:17,280 --> 00:19:19,240
sure like we saw ten years ago,
but now we saw.
413
00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:21,200
Newmont.
Newmont sold all their Tier 2
414
00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:23,440
stuff after them exactly with
new Crest.
415
00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:25,600
A whole heap of assets that
they, yeah, you know, didn't
416
00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:27,600
pass pass master for them being
sold.
417
00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:31,800
It's, yeah, all part of this
evolution in the major mine is
418
00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:35,160
becoming better stewards of
capital, which, yeah, in time
419
00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:36,680
they get rewarded by
institutions.
420
00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:39,240
And at one point in time, a Tier
2 asset could have been a tier
421
00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:41,800
one asset, you know, so at a
certain point in my life, you
422
00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:43,960
know, you, it makes sense to, to
sell it off.
423
00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:47,520
And absolutely.
Now if, if, if Sunrise Dam was
424
00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:50,440
up for grabs, I think it would
be incredibly competitive.
425
00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:54,160
Personally, I can the consensus
around Sunrise Dam is that there
426
00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:57,720
is a lot more gold and you know,
the asset will keep on giving
427
00:19:57,720 --> 00:19:59,800
maybe maybe even a bit like,
well, you know, kind of.
428
00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:01,560
There's lots of depth
extensions.
429
00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:03,360
There's, there's plenty of gold
there.
430
00:20:03,360 --> 00:20:06,160
So, so you can imagine why
Genesis would have an interest
431
00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:08,600
in that case.
But let's wait and see if
432
00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:11,640
Sunrise Dam is actually gettable
and whether or not Genesis are
433
00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:13,440
the ones to emerge with the
chocolates too.
434
00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:17,360
But you could pretty clearly
picture a scenario where
435
00:20:17,360 --> 00:20:21,680
Sunrise, Dam, magnetic and, and
focus could all come together
436
00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:25,680
and, and, and all of a sudden,
you know, if Genesis managed to
437
00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:27,960
get, get all of that stuff
together, there's a, there's a
438
00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:30,160
pretty interesting, you know,
Leverton hub that they've
439
00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:33,080
managed to consolidate.
Yeah, they want to consolidate
440
00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:35,800
the area makes makes perfect
sense at the right price.
441
00:20:36,360 --> 00:20:38,520
Jodie Sunrise, Damn.
And well, yeah, they're both
442
00:20:38,520 --> 00:20:41,840
underground mines now.
Underground mines need ground
443
00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:45,080
support time for our Sandvik
ground support minute of the
444
00:20:45,080 --> 00:20:47,480
week from Derek Kurt.
What is the variability in
445
00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:50,480
manufacturing across all of all
the globe effectively?
446
00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:51,840
Yeah.
I think you've seen obviously
447
00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:55,440
you know, when you say the DSI
business globally or the Sandvik
448
00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:57,480
ground support division, you
know, we've got 20 plus
449
00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:01,200
manufacturing locations around
the world and people go, oh, why
450
00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:02,680
so many, why don't you
consolidate?
451
00:21:02,680 --> 00:21:05,920
And the reality is most of our
product is steel.
452
00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:10,480
So in terms of quantity, we're
shipping like or selling 500,000
453
00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:13,840
tons of steel, you know, a year
to customers.
454
00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:16,440
And so to move that logistically
would be a nightmare.
455
00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:19,840
So it's very much a regionally
focused manufacturing because of
456
00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:22,000
the sheer volumes of material we
have to deal with.
457
00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:25,360
And part of that strategy is
being close to our customers for
458
00:21:25,360 --> 00:21:29,720
that responsiveness as well.
So, you know, logistically and
459
00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:32,120
from a service perspective, it
makes sense to make product
460
00:21:32,280 --> 00:21:34,880
where your customers are.
Thanks Derek, Kurt and Sandvik,
461
00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:37,640
Ground Support.
OK mate, let's let's bring
462
00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:39,440
another party into the fold
here.
463
00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:43,160
Genesis have pretty long been
rumored to to do a a deal, a
464
00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:48,160
merger with Vault, formerly Red
and Silverlake came into all of
465
00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:49,320
that.
What do you think this means for
466
00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:52,560
them?
Oh mate, I I feel like our
467
00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:55,240
podcast will never officially be
over until those two companies
468
00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:57,240
merge.
So here's the the the battle for
469
00:21:57,240 --> 00:22:00,920
Leonora was the beginning of it.
And wasn't it interesting to see
470
00:22:00,920 --> 00:22:05,240
Vault reveal an announcement of
their own yesterday, the same
471
00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:07,840
day Genesis announces that
they've bought focuses
472
00:22:07,840 --> 00:22:09,680
Labourton.
And in a nutshell, that
473
00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:12,480
announcement from Vault, it
basically said that they're
474
00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:16,960
going to they're expanding the
mill 50% to to to be capable of
475
00:22:17,120 --> 00:22:20,840
of 7.5 million tons per annum
throughput, while they also re
476
00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:24,200
cut their own reserves.
And the grade of those reserves
477
00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:29,240
has fallen some 33%, allowing a
33% increase in the in the
478
00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:32,800
number of of Oz in the reserve.
You know, the old kind of cut
479
00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:34,920
off grade dynamic supply there.
It's kind of remarkable.
480
00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:38,760
You you, you rate it and the cut
off grade for the reserves is
481
00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:42,600
now a 0 point 0.23g per ton open
pit cut off grade for is it?
482
00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:45,120
That's that's the the gold price
environment where we're in it.
483
00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:47,280
It kind of allows allows a cut
off grade like that.
484
00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:51,720
Yeah, the the head grade now,
well the reserve grade rather
485
00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:55,160
really jumps out at you just
over .6g per ton.
486
00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:56,960
Yeah, that and that's the,
that's the, I think that's the
487
00:22:56,960 --> 00:22:58,880
important number.
And I'll flash up a, a
488
00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:00,640
reconciliation kind of
waterfall.
489
00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:03,200
You can see of the not the
reserves, but the mineral
490
00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:05,960
resource and you can get a
picture of, of, of how you know,
491
00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:08,240
things have changed from their
their last, last resource.
492
00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:12,080
And as it relates to getting a
deal done with Genesis, if you
493
00:23:12,080 --> 00:23:14,680
just think about what like you
know, Volt or Red 5, whatever
494
00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:19,360
was doing historically and that
was stockpiling or 0.9g per ton
495
00:23:19,360 --> 00:23:22,480
from from mining, but we're
producing from the mill at 0.6
496
00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:25,480
to 0.7g per ton.
And it just didn't compute
497
00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:29,200
right.
And I think, I think Genesis
498
00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:32,920
would have no doubt been like
pretty hesitant or reluctant to
499
00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:36,520
to do a deal and consolidate
when the market expectations
500
00:23:36,520 --> 00:23:40,200
about what the reserve actually
was here from a grade
501
00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:41,480
perspective was pretty
overcooked.
502
00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:44,960
So I interpret the disclosure on
Monday as a necessary part of a
503
00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:48,440
bridging a a bit of spread to
enable a consolidation to happen
504
00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:50,080
there.
You can kind of think of the,
505
00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:53,240
you know, the mind plan
disclosure that came out of
506
00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:56,640
Remelius a few days before the
the deal.
507
00:23:56,840 --> 00:23:59,160
The deal was Spartan, right?
There was a necessary disclosure
508
00:23:59,360 --> 00:24:01,600
to bridge a bit of spread.
I'm not saying there's actually
509
00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:05,440
a, an imminent deal to be had
between Vault and Genesis.
510
00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:09,200
I'm just saying that this this
grade reserve issue might have
511
00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:12,720
been a a point of contention in
discussions and the disclosure
512
00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:16,200
is, is is necessary in order to
actually see, you know, the
513
00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:18,480
future consolidation here.
All part of that process.
514
00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:21,880
Yeah.
So is it enough to fully bridge
515
00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:23,680
it and get a deal done?
I don't know.
516
00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:26,560
I don't know.
So Vault's going to expand their
517
00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:27,440
meal.
They're going to get better
518
00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:31,760
economies of of scale to support
lower mining costs that make low
519
00:24:31,760 --> 00:24:36,160
grade mining better.
But even with that, a look at
520
00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:41,360
stage five of the mine plan, the
the king of the hills and you
521
00:24:41,360 --> 00:24:44,120
can see it in this chart here
really well that the strip ratio
522
00:24:44,120 --> 00:24:47,160
is in that stage 5.
Granted, stage 5 doesn't kick in
523
00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:50,920
till 2032, but the strip ratio
there's like nearly 6 to 1.
524
00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:53,240
And I wonder if that part of the
mine plan where you get lower
525
00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:56,040
grade high strip ratio.
I wonder if that would have
526
00:24:56,040 --> 00:24:59,880
stacked up if that didn't
increase the gold price used in
527
00:24:59,880 --> 00:25:04,880
the reserves from 2900 bucks an
ounce obviously to to 3750 bucks
528
00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:07,640
an ounce.
I'm I'm I'm convinced that
529
00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:11,920
eventually these two companies
do merge, but that doesn't mean
530
00:25:11,920 --> 00:25:15,040
that either company is a buy or
sell right now because there's
531
00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:17,920
plenty that can play out
beforehand that influences know
532
00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:20,400
what the ultimate merger ratio
could be.
533
00:25:21,320 --> 00:25:23,200
Yeah, the the gold price
assumptions is a really
534
00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:25,960
interesting point as well
because the gold prices shut up
535
00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:30,680
so, so quickly, right?
That 3700 might seem pretty far
536
00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:34,760
away from where we are, but time
wise we were there not that long
537
00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:38,960
ago to pull in one more company
into the fold now mate, Regis,
538
00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:43,360
we spoke about Regis just a week
or two ago with regards to their
539
00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:47,440
reported interest in Ravenswood,
which we suspected had had
540
00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:50,520
ceased and that sort of
eventuated now in in the press.
541
00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:57,320
There are $3.7 billion company,
370 ish million in cash now we
542
00:25:57,320 --> 00:25:59,400
put forward in that episode.
So you can go back and listen to
543
00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:00,880
it.
Why we think they're hungry to
544
00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:04,920
do a deal now there's one less
asset potentially on on that
545
00:26:04,920 --> 00:26:07,520
list that they've got.
Yeah, I and I think we spoke
546
00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:09,680
about the fact that I wouldn't
be surprised to see them have
547
00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:12,440
interest in, in in focuses
labour.
548
00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:14,080
Obviously that that hasn't
eventuated.
549
00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:17,320
Genesis has picked it up.
I do think Regis is up to
550
00:26:17,320 --> 00:26:19,680
something and I can't quite
pinpoint what it is.
551
00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:24,400
I think, I think they're pretty
damn motivated right now and
552
00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:28,720
yeah, like they're making a lot
of cash right now, but that cash
553
00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:31,760
generation dynamic is not going
to last forever for them.
554
00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:34,320
The nature of the, the mining
methods are revolving and
555
00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:36,640
changing it and, and druked and
and druked and the
556
00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:37,840
mineralization gets weaker
depth.
557
00:26:37,840 --> 00:26:41,440
There's still question marks
about, you know, the the long
558
00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:44,800
term economics of the
underground model there this
559
00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:45,960
gold price.
I'll still make money, but it's
560
00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:47,480
like, how much are they going to
make?
561
00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:50,600
This script is valued really
well and I'm I'm sure the
562
00:26:50,600 --> 00:26:52,840
Bellevue opportunity is is front
of mind for them.
563
00:26:53,520 --> 00:26:55,120
I can't quite figure out what
they're up to though, because I
564
00:26:55,120 --> 00:26:56,400
wouldn't be surprised if there's
something else.
565
00:26:56,400 --> 00:26:59,800
Too one more company to to pull
into the fold here focus the
566
00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:02,800
seller of the assets.
They closed up a pretty lousy
567
00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:05,960
90%.
They had a ripping day and
568
00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:09,720
they're a, they're a funny
company majority kind of Chinese
569
00:27:09,760 --> 00:27:12,520
ownership at one point they
tripled, almost tripled
570
00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:15,400
Yesterday they pulled off a
little bit from that, but
571
00:27:15,920 --> 00:27:19,440
they're now gonna pull back
their focus on to their Coolgati
572
00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:21,560
operations.
Plenty of gold down there.
573
00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:26,480
So market cap of 110 million
yeah, enterprise value of
574
00:27:26,760 --> 00:27:29,480
26,000,000 so.
The the big hindrance in their
575
00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:31,680
capital structure has for the
longest time being that
576
00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:34,520
$186,000,000 in debt to
Shandong.
577
00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:36,080
Shandong is their largest
shareholder.
578
00:27:36,080 --> 00:27:38,840
I think they own like 62 ish
percent of the company.
579
00:27:38,840 --> 00:27:43,040
Yeah, there's there's issues
with Shandong kind of increasing
580
00:27:43,040 --> 00:27:45,720
its equity ownership because
because of Ferb and all that
581
00:27:45,720 --> 00:27:47,720
sort of stuff.
So the way that focus has
582
00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:51,720
effectively just been continuing
to fund it's negative cash flow
583
00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:55,320
for, for for several years now
is with this increase in kind of
584
00:27:55,720 --> 00:27:59,080
debt to to Shandong, very
interestingly now they're going
585
00:27:59,080 --> 00:28:01,120
to be net cash.
Yeah, a funny company.
586
00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:03,440
A very funny company.
It's it's always beat like, you
587
00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:06,200
know, there is no world where
I'm going to buy shares in focus
588
00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:09,760
because it's just a it's just
too hard a a proposition to ever
589
00:28:09,760 --> 00:28:11,440
kind of, you know, come to terms
with then you've got.
590
00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:15,280
I'll try and tempt you mate.
OK, so never mind that they
591
00:28:15,280 --> 00:28:20,720
trade less than $100,000 worth
on a, on a good day, might be a
592
00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:22,480
problem for a, for a big swinger
like yourself.
593
00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:26,920
But recently they've been
running the mill at about 1.5
594
00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:29,680
million tons per annum run rate.
A lot of that is third party or
595
00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:31,800
that they're trading, so they're
just taking a fee for that.
596
00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:35,000
But development at Bonnie Vale,
this is their underground
597
00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:37,960
development is churning away and
pretty soon they should be
598
00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:39,800
producing from the gold down
there.
599
00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:43,480
So they've got Barminco down
there doing the mining services.
600
00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:50,120
Now this has an all reserve of
180,000 ounces at 6g per tonne.
601
00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:53,080
So cracking grade down there.
And then they've got a couple
602
00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:57,680
open pits which have been
feeding into the mill for give
603
00:28:57,720 --> 00:29:01,400
call it a year or so now.
So only four ish years in mine
604
00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:02,800
life.
They're going to do some
605
00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:05,760
exploration work and try and
prove that all out.
606
00:29:05,880 --> 00:29:09,720
But you know, they've, they've
got much better capacity to, to
607
00:29:09,720 --> 00:29:12,040
do that, to prove it all out, to
do the work they need to do
608
00:29:12,400 --> 00:29:15,520
being better capitalized, they
should make pretty comfortable
609
00:29:15,520 --> 00:29:19,320
cash EV of 26,000,000 just
wouldn't bank on any of it
610
00:29:19,320 --> 00:29:22,000
coming back to you as as a
shareholder.
611
00:29:22,440 --> 00:29:25,560
You know what, like it closed up
90% and I feel like it was
612
00:29:25,560 --> 00:29:27,840
actually just an absolute no
brainer in the lead up.
613
00:29:27,840 --> 00:29:30,440
Everyone knew this for sale.
Everyone knew the ballpark kind
614
00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:33,360
of price was probably going to
be between 200 and $300 million
615
00:29:33,360 --> 00:29:34,840
that it went for.
You could pretty easily work out
616
00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:37,840
that this company goes to net
cash and and then the share
617
00:29:37,840 --> 00:29:40,320
price up 90%.
It was sort of that was a layup,
618
00:29:40,320 --> 00:29:43,160
but still couldn't, you couldn't
convince me to buy shares in
619
00:29:43,160 --> 00:29:46,680
Focus.
All right, mate, we'll move on
620
00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:49,560
to the the final kind of talking
point, something I find really
621
00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:53,080
interesting with with Genesis
again.
622
00:29:53,080 --> 00:29:57,120
So it's, it's the art of
institutional appeal, which I
623
00:29:57,120 --> 00:29:59,840
think there are a few better in
the space at than Genesis.
624
00:29:59,840 --> 00:30:02,480
And I'll just lay out a few kind
of facts as I kind of see them.
625
00:30:02,480 --> 00:30:06,440
So to have strong institutional
appeal and to get your stock
626
00:30:06,440 --> 00:30:08,920
price up ultimately you need to
check a few boxes, right?
627
00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:12,160
So you need operational
performance, that is table
628
00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:16,480
stakes you need to meet and then
beat, upgrade your guidance
629
00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:19,480
consistently.
And you also need to do things
630
00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:22,400
like bring stuff on earlier than
planned in quotation marks.
631
00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:25,040
Like I mentioned before, you
know, you need to understand
632
00:30:25,040 --> 00:30:28,640
what you your goals are and you
need to hit them reliably.
633
00:30:28,960 --> 00:30:31,560
You need to have balance sheet
sheet strength.
634
00:30:31,560 --> 00:30:33,880
So that's .2.
These guys are net cash.
635
00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:37,200
That's one O 1 sort of stuff.
You know management needs to
636
00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:40,600
have a proven track record.
Check, check, check, check,
637
00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:42,040
check.
Aligned with shareholders,
638
00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:44,360
aligned with.
Shareholders as well, they
639
00:30:44,360 --> 00:30:47,880
easily hit that one.
Capital discipline is the fourth
640
00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:50,880
point I've got here.
Now this one takes time to to be
641
00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:53,480
able to actually observe.
It's something you observe in
642
00:30:53,520 --> 00:30:56,160
retrospect.
But the gold price to date helps
643
00:30:56,160 --> 00:30:57,960
them phenomenally.
And they try and talk to this by
644
00:30:58,280 --> 00:31:00,760
that chart that they use and
they say this is when we bought
645
00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:02,840
this price.
You know, this gold project
646
00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:05,280
counter cyclical investment,
yada, yada, yada.
647
00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:08,560
You know in, in all fairness,
like the gold prices ripped, you
648
00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:11,520
can kind of make that argument
easily now, but that needs to
649
00:31:11,520 --> 00:31:14,200
play out over a number of years
to be fully proven out.
650
00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:17,280
And all these sort of tailwinds
help.
651
00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:20,640
So the gold price jumping up,
them having done those deals
652
00:31:20,640 --> 00:31:23,800
that they did a couple years ago
allows them to now use revolving
653
00:31:23,800 --> 00:31:25,760
facilities as opposed to project
finance.
654
00:31:26,040 --> 00:31:28,840
You get a lower cost of capital.
So there are tailwinds on
655
00:31:28,960 --> 00:31:32,640
tailwinds on that front too.
Then you need a growth story.
656
00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:36,360
We've literally spent the whole
episode talking about Genesis's
657
00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:38,600
growth story.
There's a few, there's a few in
658
00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:40,040
the portfolio we haven't even
touched on.
659
00:31:40,040 --> 00:31:42,680
I mean, of course, like Yahoo
has been a a long great story
660
00:31:42,680 --> 00:31:44,720
meal expansions we haven't even
talked about like the, you know,
661
00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:47,680
Bardock and all that sort of
stuff that they've they've got
662
00:31:47,680 --> 00:31:49,840
that could cut, you know, a.
100% they're talking about, you
663
00:31:49,840 --> 00:31:52,640
know, ad hub drilling more
potentially going underground,
664
00:31:52,640 --> 00:31:55,200
all that sort of stuff.
Another point I've got is that
665
00:31:55,520 --> 00:31:57,880
you need liquidity in your stock
and you need to be included in
666
00:31:57,880 --> 00:31:59,920
indexes.
So if we go back three years,
667
00:31:59,920 --> 00:32:03,440
they're in the all odds we look
today, they're in the ASX 200,
668
00:32:03,840 --> 00:32:07,040
they're in the MSCI small cap
index, they're in the GDX,
669
00:32:07,040 --> 00:32:10,280
they're in the GDXJ, they're
closing in on the ASX 100.
670
00:32:10,280 --> 00:32:13,240
So they've knocked that one out
the park in in pretty short
671
00:32:13,240 --> 00:32:15,080
order.
And the last point I've sort of
672
00:32:15,080 --> 00:32:17,280
got is your marketing side of
the business.
673
00:32:17,280 --> 00:32:20,880
You need sales side coverage.
You don't want to surprise
674
00:32:20,880 --> 00:32:22,960
investors with news.
You sort of signal to these
675
00:32:22,960 --> 00:32:25,800
things, you don't want to get on
the wrong side of proxy
676
00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:27,480
advisors, all that sort of
stuff.
677
00:32:27,920 --> 00:32:30,760
You've got the the growth story
wrapped into it that you can
678
00:32:30,760 --> 00:32:34,920
market that is Aspire 400, which
Genesis regularly talk about.
679
00:32:35,040 --> 00:32:39,320
You're totally right though,
they are elated at at anchoring
680
00:32:39,320 --> 00:32:43,800
expectations like a point that
they know is achievable and
681
00:32:43,800 --> 00:32:46,280
always kind of over delivering
to the upside.
682
00:32:46,720 --> 00:32:48,040
And it was the same with
Saracen.
683
00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:52,120
It's yeah, it's one thing to to
anchor expectations lower and
684
00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:54,680
over deliver, but then it's
another thing to consistently
685
00:32:54,840 --> 00:32:57,480
deliver still, you know, just by
the fact that it's a lot of
686
00:32:57,600 --> 00:32:59,160
unknown unknowns that you come
across in mining.
687
00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:01,760
Yeah, I do.
I mean, these guys know what
688
00:33:01,760 --> 00:33:04,320
institutional investors want.
I think that's one of the
689
00:33:04,320 --> 00:33:05,920
easiest ways to to kind of
capture it.
690
00:33:05,920 --> 00:33:08,960
But all that leads me to the
final talking point, mate.
691
00:33:09,680 --> 00:33:13,240
You think Riley's going to going
to step back in in the near
692
00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:16,280
term?
So there was a lot of talk about
693
00:33:16,280 --> 00:33:20,520
new execs coming on, a lot of
putting other people within the
694
00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:23,800
business, whether that be sort
of magnet, Matt Nixon front and
695
00:33:23,800 --> 00:33:25,200
center.
And you know, you could you
696
00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:27,400
could argue that's just great
leadership praising, praising
697
00:33:27,400 --> 00:33:30,120
your people in public.
There's always a comment to that
698
00:33:30,120 --> 00:33:33,480
effect in the statement.
It could also be a bit of both
699
00:33:33,600 --> 00:33:37,640
Riley slowly stepping back
whilst just being a good leader
700
00:33:37,640 --> 00:33:38,920
as well.
But I think it's an interesting
701
00:33:38,920 --> 00:33:41,920
point worth discussing.
Yeah, I interpret it as a bit of
702
00:33:41,920 --> 00:33:44,560
a bit of foreshadowing, but I
don't know if that's the right
703
00:33:44,560 --> 00:33:47,640
take away.
I just, it was a big, it was a
704
00:33:47,640 --> 00:33:49,880
big public pump up of the tires
of Matt Nixon.
705
00:33:49,880 --> 00:33:53,560
I think there's like a a view in
the market that Matt, Matt Nixon
706
00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:57,040
is, is somewhat paying.
You know, he's, he's, he's the
707
00:33:57,040 --> 00:34:00,400
future leader of this business.
When there's a management
708
00:34:00,400 --> 00:34:02,560
premium associated with with
Rael, right?
709
00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:05,720
Like what what happens when Rael
goes well, you kind of you need
710
00:34:05,720 --> 00:34:07,800
that period of succession, all
that sort of stuff.
711
00:34:08,120 --> 00:34:10,639
Who was the Ned?
The he's not an executive
712
00:34:10,639 --> 00:34:12,800
director that that came in on on
a good wicket.
713
00:34:13,320 --> 00:34:14,880
Duncan.
Coots, Duncan Coots.
714
00:34:14,880 --> 00:34:16,639
Yeah, it wasn't.
I found, I found that
715
00:34:16,639 --> 00:34:19,440
interesting too.
Like, I do want all of those
716
00:34:19,440 --> 00:34:21,960
sorts of things.
It's like, yeah, I do think
717
00:34:21,960 --> 00:34:25,000
there was there's there's a
something's going on in relation
718
00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:28,600
to, in relation to, you know,
talent, bringing talent through
719
00:34:28,600 --> 00:34:30,880
succession planning, all that,
all that kind of stuff at this
720
00:34:30,880 --> 00:34:34,320
business and as you need to do
in order to have a sustain
721
00:34:34,320 --> 00:34:36,000
management premium.
And I think we're on the same
722
00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:38,960
page in in talking about him
stepping to A to a chair role as
723
00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:40,520
not just going to leave the
business.
724
00:34:40,520 --> 00:34:44,440
Like, yeah, in my mind, that's
that's how I say kind of Jake
725
00:34:44,440 --> 00:34:46,679
client type Mark, Mark Clark as
well.
726
00:34:46,679 --> 00:34:49,960
You go into the the chair role.
Yeah, Do still involved do it
727
00:34:49,960 --> 00:34:53,280
that way, Yeah, yeah.
And then you're sort of whether
728
00:34:53,280 --> 00:34:56,360
that's exec and then sort of in
time, who knows if we're wrong
729
00:34:56,360 --> 00:34:58,120
brow.
Please come on the podcast we'd
730
00:34:58,800 --> 00:35:01,960
yeah, your.
Presents would be welcome.
731
00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:04,560
You'd help us otherwise, yeah.
Yeah, All right, mate.
732
00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:05,960
I think that's a good spot to
leave it.
733
00:35:05,960 --> 00:35:09,920
A lot going on in WA gold and a
lot going on at Genesis and a
734
00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:11,000
whole bunch of those other
players.
735
00:35:11,440 --> 00:35:13,360
There's activity, there is
activity.
736
00:35:13,440 --> 00:35:16,480
There's a lot of activity, Yeah,
gets the.
737
00:35:16,640 --> 00:35:18,480
Gets you thinking, doesn't it?
Let's thank our partners though
738
00:35:18,480 --> 00:35:20,360
mate, I've enjoyed.
Let's RIP it mate.
739
00:35:20,520 --> 00:35:23,040
Mineral mining services,
grounded Sandy ground support,
740
00:35:23,040 --> 00:35:26,400
CR insurance, K drill, KC A side
services, black diamond drilling
741
00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:28,320
services and cross boundary
energy.
742
00:35:28,520 --> 00:35:29,440
Hoodoo hoodoo.