THOR MINING PLC
QUARTERLY ACTIVITIES REPORT
PERIOD ENDING DECEMBER 2014
Dated: 29 January 2015
The Directors of Thor Mining PLC ("Thor" or the "Company") (AIM, ASX: THR) the Australian tungsten and gold explorer and developer, today lodge the following December 2014 quarterly report. It is has also been released today with the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) as required by the listing rules of ASX.
Highlights |
Outlook for March Quarter 2015 |
TUNGSTEN & MOLYBDENUM Molyhil NT · Revised feasibility study completed demonstrating robust economics |
· Continue off-take discussions for balance of concentrate production · Negotiations to secure project finance |
Pilot Mountain, Nevada USA · Project acquisition completed · Exploration upside evaluation |
· Develop plans for initial exploration phase |
GOLD Spring Hill NT · No work during the quarter · Gold price now over A$1,600/oz |
· Continue to evaluate potential for profitable production |
Dundas WA · No work during the quarter |
· Aircore drilling program contingent upon
available funds |
Commenting, Mr Mick Billing, Executive Chairman of Thor Mining, said:
"Thor is poised to add significant shareholder value, following recent progress. The updated Molyhil feasibility study has delivered very robust results, and it is hoped that discussions with potential financiers will result in project finance in the near term. In addition, the evaluation of the Pilot Mountain Tungsten Project acquisition suggests potential for a tungsten mining & processing operation with considerable life. Finally, the improvement in the gold price to over A$1,600/ounce at the time of writing has added considerable value to the 400,000 ounce gold resource at Spring Hill."
MOLYHIL TUNGSTEN-MOLYBDENUM PROJECT (NT) (100% THOR)
Upgraded Feasibility Study
Subsequent to the end of the December quarter, Thor announced an updated feasibility study for Molyhil with robust outcomes
Table1. Molyhil Key Features
Project NPV post tax & Royalties |
A$67 million |
|
|
Project IRR after tax & royalties |
44% |
All Equity Case |
|
Project Capex |
A$70 million |
All Equity Case |
|
Life of Mine C1 Cash Cost |
US$112/mtu |
|
|
Life of Mine EBITDA |
A$201 million |
|
|
Payback from 1st production |
18 months |
|
|
Project Life |
6 years |
|
|
Average feed grade |
0.31% WO₃ |
0.41% WO₃ after ore sorting |
|
0.12% Mo |
0.12% Mo after ore sorting |
Operating throughput · Crushing & Sorting · Milling/Flotation etc |
500,000 tpa 400,000 tpa |
After ore sorting |
Annual Production Average |
130,000 mtu * |
* 1mtu = 10Kg of contained WO₃ |
Table 2: Molyhil Open Cut Ore Reserve Statement - Compliant with JORC 2012 (Announced 29 July 2014)
Classification |
Reserve |
WO3 |
Mo |
|
'000 Tonnes |
Grade % |
Contained metal (t) |
Grade % |
Contained metal (t) |
Probable |
3,000 |
0.31 |
9,200 |
0.12 |
3,600 |
Total |
3,000 |
0.31 |
9,200 |
0.12 |
3,600 |
Notes:
· Thor Mining PLC holds 100% equity interest in this reserve
· Estimates have been rounded to reflect accuracy
· All estimates are on a dry tonne basis
· The reserve estimate extends to a maximum depth below surface of 150 metres
Mining
Mining is planned using conventional open cut mining methods; contract drill & blast, followed by owner operated excavation and haulage.
An average pit slope of 48˚ currently provides for a waste to ore ratio of 5.2:1. There may be an opportunity to improve this ratio during operations and via targeted geo-technical drilling.
The resource estimate extends below the level of the open cut ore reserve used in this study, providing potential to extend the project life either by deepening the open pit, or via underground mining methods depending upon subsequent costs and metal prices.
Processing
Mineral processing involves:
· Two stage crushing to -55mm
· X-Ray (XRT) ore sorting at two sizes:
o 55mm to +25mm,
o 25mm to +10mm
· Tertiary crushing
· Two stage grinding using a rod mill followed by a ball mill
· Three stage flotation circuit:
o Molybdenum flotation
o Sulphide flotation
o Scheelite flotation
· Concentrate dressing
The revised process flowsheet involves replacing the previous scheelite gravity recovery method with flotation which has achieved substantial improvements in economic recovery and also in reducing levels of some deleterious elements in final concentrate compared with the original circuit. The scheelite concentrate dressing process which follows the flotation step has been tested but is not yet optimised. It is expected that this optimisation process will be completed during the detailed design phase.
PILOT MOUNTAIN TUNGSTEN PROJECT - NEVADA USA (100% Thor)
During the quarter Thor completed the acquisition of the Pilot Mountain tungsten project in the United States from Black Fire Minerals Limited, now Animoca Brands Limited (ASX: "AB1") for consideration of 418,750,000 ordinary shares in Thor. These shares are subject to a 12 month escrow period.
Following the acquisition, Thor holds 100% equity interest in:
· An Indicated and Inferred Resource of 6.8 million tonnes @ 0.31% WO3, plus attractive copper and silver credits.
· Exploration targets¹ of 11.0 to 23.0 million tonnes @ 0.30 - 0.50% WO3 within very close proximity
¹ Exploration Targets are conceptual in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define a Mineral Resource under the 2012 JORC Code and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the determination of a Mineral Resource
The Desert Scheelite Indicated + Inferred Resource comprises a 2012 JORC Compliant 6.8 million tonnes @ 0.31% WO3, 0.17% Copper, and 22.8g/t (grams/tonne) Silver, announced on 10 June 2014.
Table 3: Desert Scheelite Resource Estimate - Compliant with JORC 2012(Announced 10 June 2014)
Desert Scheelite |
Resource |
WO3 |
Ag |
Cu |
Tonnes |
Grade % |
Contained metal (t) |
Grade g/t |
Contained metal (t) |
Grade % |
Contained metal (t) |
Indicated |
6,090,000 |
0.31 |
18,900 |
24.2 |
150 |
0.16 |
10,000 |
Inferred |
700,000 |
0.30 |
2,100 |
9.1 |
10 |
0.24 |
2,000 |
Total |
6,790,000 |
0.31 |
21,000 |
22.8 |
160 |
0.17 |
12,000 |
Note: Thor Mining PLC holds 100% equity interest in this resource
Table 4: Pilot Mountain Exploration Target summary (Announced on 1 December 2014)
|
Tonnage (Mt) |
% WO3 |
Comment |
Tier 1 Targets |
7.5 - 13.5 |
0.3 - 0.5 |
Based on historic drill intersections |
Tier 2 Targets |
3.5 - 9.1 |
0.3 - 0.5 |
Based on favourable geology and proximity to known mineralisation. |
Total Exploration Target* |
11.0 - 23.0 |
0.3 - 0.5 |
Combined Tier 1 & 2 |
SPRING HILL GOLD PROJECT - NT (THOR has earned rights to 80% equity)
The Spring Hill gold project is located on pastoral leasehold land approximately 150 km south east of Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory. The location is served by all-weather access and is in close proximity to the sealed arterial Stuart Highway, north-south rail, gas pipeline and trunk powerlines.
A full background on the project is available on the Thor Mining website.
Directors continue to evaluate all opportunities for this project. However, prioritising expenditure on other projects has prevented progress on additional exploration activities at Spring Hill.
Recent movements in the gold price, however, have added significant value to this project.
Project Equity
Thor holds a 51% equity interest in the Spring Hill Gold project and has the right to complete the 80% acquisition at any time, subject to NT Government consent, through the issue to Western Desert Resources Limited (WDR) of 5 million shares plus shares to the value of A$500,000.
DUNDAS PROJECT - WA (60% THOR)
The Dundas gold project is located approximately 100 kilometres east-south-east of Norseman in Western Australia. The tenements are in close proximity to the sealed arterial Eyre Highway, providing all-weather access to the project area. Within the tenements, access is provided by bulldozed tracks. It is also approximately 250 kilometres south of the major regional mining centre of Kalgoorlie.
A full background on the project is available on the Thor Mining website.
Targets for drilling at Dundas have been identified. However prioritising expenditure on other projects has prevented progress of exploration activities.
CORPORATE AND FINANCE
During the quarter, Thor completed a share placement to raise, in aggregate, A$112,500 (approximately UK£61,000) before expenses from sophisticated Australian investors.
Competent Persons Report
The information in this report that relates to exploration results is based on information compiled by Richard Bradey, who holds a BSc in applied geology and an MSc in natural resource management and who is a Member of The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr Bradey is an employee of Thor Mining PLC. He has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2004 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. Richard Bradey consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.
Enquiries:
Mick Billing |
+61 (8) 7324 1935 |
Thor Mining PLC |
Executive Chairman |
Ray Ridge |
+61 (8) 7324 1935 |
Thor Mining PLC |
CFO/Company Secretary |
Colin Aaronson/ Richard Tonthat |
+44 (0) 207 383 5100 |
Grant Thornton UK LLP |
Nominated Adviser |
Andrew Monk/ Bhavesh Patel |
+44 (0)20 3005 5000 |
VSA Capital Limited |
Broker |
Alex Walters |
+44 (0) 7771 713608 +44 (0) 207 839 9260 |
Cadogan PR |
Financial PR |
