Pilot Mountain10 Oct 2023 16:43
Prior to the release of the Podcast I put together the following;-
In general, the construction of a mine is a costly and time-consuming endeavor, often requiring investments in the range of hundreds of millions of dollars and taking around 7 to 8 years to complete. GMET's primary proposal is to expedite the mining process at Pilot Mountain, a project in which they hold 100% ownership. This urgency stems from the limited availability of Tungsten resources in the U.S.
To facilitate this, GMET has initiated the money request grant application process. As mentioned in the June 29th RNS (Regulatory News Service) comments, GMET has commenced applications for select grant programs identified by the company's management team, in collaboration with Mrs. Turkmani, using available funding opportunities.
It's worth noting that some of the grants are applied for through an unsolicited application process, which means GMET cannot disclose the specific grants applied for or predict the timing of potential awards. Nevertheless, securing non-dilutive financial support for the Pilot Mountain project remains a top priority for the company, and they are diligently pursuing these opportunities to maximize their chances of success.
Research suggests the estimated overall construction costs for the mine are in the range of several $100 million. Additionally, the fast-track grant processing is expected to take a minimum of ^ 6 months to a maximum of 9 months.
While the specific U.S. authorities GMET has approached and the types of grants they are seeking are not yet disclosed, it's essential to understand that building a mine with financial support from the U.S. government would significantly reduce the construction timeline, ranging from a minimum of 30 months to a maximum of 42 months. The accessibility of transportation routes, power, and water resources at Pilot Mountain provides a substantial advantage in terms of both time and cost savings.
These grants cover various stages of mine construction, including feasibility studies, engineering design work, and the development of pilot or demonstration facilities, among other activities. GMET's submission is likely in progress for the feasibility study since this input is critical for grant consideration.
Considering the USA's foreign grants related to "Crisis Minerals," there may be a need for GMET to raise a portion of the required funds if the estimated construction costs hold true. However, any such fundraising would likely be a relatively small amount and would only be pursued after successful grant applications have been announced. This strategic approach aims to generate increased interest in the company's various prospects, including the promising developments in copper, which is another exciting aspect of GMET's business due to the continuous stream of positive news in this sector.
It is expected grant applications to aid the development of Lithium and Copper will be applied for as appropriate.