Member Info for extrader

Hi all, Feel free to correct me where I'm wrong . AFAIAA, there are 3 x potash projects on the go in C-B. (1) The Mengo potash project (hat tip : tomshare) which appears to have China Inc backing; more hard info welcome. (2) The African Potash project (Lac Dinga potash) which looks like a pile of poo : AFPO share has been suspended 18 months, having fallen from 2-4p in 2014 to 0.06p, it's looking to reinvent itself as a blockchain company BLCC in a forthcoming IPO. Blockchain will be apparently used to sell fertiliser, somehow..... (3) The Kore potash project (awaitng IPO end March, should be worth a read) Has Sintokoula (97%), Kola (100%) and Dougou (100%) deposits/concessions. Exec BoD financial types, NEDs a good technical mix. Their planned marine terminal appears to be 80-90 KM separate from PN, 2 mtpa, north of Mandingo Keyes.Key shareholders are Oman sovereign wealth fund (17%), SQM Chile fertiliser co (17%) and Harlequin Investments (13%), latter is the vehicle of the Howarth Howards, a former Lord Mayor of London, FWIW. Plus (tomshare any info ? ) 9.8% Dingyi Investment Limited - " Finance and wine trading", no less. Technip/Vinci are supposedly doing a DFS , for Q3 2018 and Rothschild are named as Financial advisors. Maybe Lazards (advisors to C-B Govt.) can cut a debt - for -equity (or viceversa) deal with Rothschilds over a good bottle or two...? Mission statement for Kore belongs in Private Eye's Pseud's Corner : "The Kore Potash logo depicts our purpose; the production of potash. K2O is the formula for potassium oxide. �Kore� (phonetically) is representative of the core of rock extracted by the core drilling process that is an essential part of our exploration and resource work. In Greek mythology, Kore is the daughter of Zeus and the personification of vegetation, associated with spring as well as the fertility of vegetation. �From the ground up�� our slogan references the mining process of extracting the ore as well as the benefit that crops derive from the application of potassium." (1) and (3) look plausible. (1) Mengo may be competing with ZIOP for wharf space at PN. (3) Kore is making its own export terminal arrangements. Where's the electricity - and the money - coming from , for (1), (3) and us ? Most lenders, whether private or state, have Country Risk limits (for obvious reasons).....and " When it's gone, it's gone"... Time for a new scramble for Africa ? And - subject to its IPO document - should ZIOC holders hedge their bets with Kore ? ATB

Hi tomshare, Well , your Mandarin is certain to be more useful at getting the Chinese perspective here than my FCO/SOAS Arabic ! And not just for the language, but for the cultural and other insights. I agree that the 2-3 years ' complication' chimes with ZIOP's intentions. And yes, answering myself, the new partner is definitely better connected : "East China Engineering Science and Technology Co., Ltd. (ECEC) is an international engineering company owned by China Central Government and a joint-stock enterprise", so some kind of para-statal ? I don't know how MinorMiner would quantify a 'racing cert', that was odds-on (10/1 ? 20/1 ?). But if China Inc is indeed getting behind the infrastructure (rail/power/port) in a co-ordinated way, then maybe I should revisit my own odds : from 6/4 to 2/1 on ? ATB .

Hi again tomshare, I've now scrolled back to your info for GTA5. The text I read is about the C-B Govt. addressing IMF concerns re basic administrational skills eg ..." Marketing : The preparation and organization of forums for the promotion of special economic zones; Research : Surveys of the special economic zones of Oyo-Ollombo, Ouesso and Brazzaville; Competence : Capacity building of ministry staff; Admin : Technical assistance and training of the staff of the planning, promotion and development agency of special economic zones. Two immersion seminars are recommended for ministry staff during the first half of 2018, according to experts from the World Bank...." All good stuff, to be sure, but fairly preliminary, I would suggest. ATB

Hi tomshare, Thanks for engaging. I speak a number of languages , but not Chinese (career mistake !) and have never tried to translate an article from Chinese. Google translate of the start of http://www.p5w.net/kuaixun/201802/t20180226_2083107.htm appears to begin unpromisingly with the words ...' difficult to start within 2-3 years'... Can you provide an English text of the whole article , to see what the rest of it actually says ? And, if you can, where/how do you get stuff translated ? I'm always happy to learn new things. The second link and content is the recycled stuff from the Evergreen Holdings days. Maybe the new promoter ECESTC has better 'connections.' ? TIA and ATB

Hi MM, .."When it comes to one of the world's largest potash deposits, conveniently located just across the flats from Pointe Noire new port, it is odds-on that it will be developed. ...." By some-one. At some point. In a rational world. Of course, EXACTLY the same can be said of ZIOP. Granted, it's not as conveniently located, but it's probably more commercially attractive. And the Chinese domestic political priority has moved on from feeding its people to not suffocating them. So,it seems we're agreed then : ZIOP is more 'odds on' than the potash project. Good to end the week on a note of harmony and concord. Have a good one !

Hi DEBS1, Lifted from another board (advfn) : ..."Quick take : Current market cap � 32m @ 1.12 = Euro 35.84m Net cash Euro 26.9m + (unpaid) award 20.5m + (2018) addn'l award 3.1m + stock 3.9m. Total : Euro 54.4m Award accruing interest @ Euro 180K p.m. = Euro 2.1m p.a. Asset writedowns (inventory) to fair value. No future in solar, will try to offload residual German business. Reminder (to market ?) that it has a full listing.... Strategy review concludes either cash back and/or possible buy into new business. Unlikely to see quick conclusion, but looks OK to me. NAI, DYOR etc etc..." Defendant in court case has run out of options, other than 'tweaking' the value of wafers PVCS is supposed to deliver. Whatever modest %age they might hope to save by the time they get PVCS agreement has to be set against the interest bill that they're currently accruing @ Euro 540 K per quarter. I would hope this will concentrate the defendant's mind ! ATB

Hi Zac1426, ..."I�m off bet your a blast at parties..." I am actually, by common consent, but that's neither here nor there on a bulletin board that's about ZIOC. Toodle pip !

Hi Zac1426, You must be having a brain fart ! It was YOU that brought in environmental issues, by deciding (on zero information) that I was a Prius person. I'd plump for a conventional R8, unfortunately the AV and E references were a recognition of the likely TIME scale for full ZIOC payout. And to make things even more challenging, having already said that ZIOC was one of 3 miners I hold, I'll go further and say that my second biggest investment sector is hydrocarbons. As to the mining industry, I'd argue that - since it's going to take place anyway - better that it be done by a (Western) MNC - the best of a bad bunch - where there's at least a measure of transparency and accountability and lip-service to community, than either by a less adverse-publicity sensitive part of China Inc or by semi-slave labour using picks and shovels in (typically) failed states where there is no regard for environment, health and safety, revenue for the State etc etc. I've concluded that few things in life are totally black or white, most are along the spectrum, some greyer than others. Hitler was a vegetarian and Gandhi was a racist and a wife-beater. Most things are more complicated than they seem. ATB

Hi Zac1426, The Prius ? Recognised by the cognoscenti, even in sunny California, as 'the pious' ? No way ! If you're looking at environmental friendliness on a 'global ' basis - from source components, through usage and end-of - life disposal - your best buy would probably be a well-tuned 1960's LandRover diesel . Why ? Because you get to amortise its initial environmental impact over 50 or more years...and when it comes to end-of-life, most of it can be recycled. The 'pious' on the other hand.... AT

Hi again, MM et al, Answering one of my own queries (port capacity), I see the flwg as at nov 2015 : http://www.adiac-congo.com/content/potasse-les-travaux-de-lusine-de-sechage-et-de-compactage-avancent-normalement-41399 It says the plan is for potash to go to the port at the SEZ; (Un projet qui, � terme va favoriser le d�veloppement de la Zone �conomique sp�ciale de Pointe-Noire.) The terminal (s), according to the then-Minister, cover potash AND IRON ORE � demain, la potasse et le fer seront achemin�s ici avant leur exportation �. Port capacity will be 46 m tpa, mostly minerals : 40 m IRON ORE, 3 m potash, 3 m others. ( Pour satisfaire les besoins des entreprises d�exploitation des minerais, la capacit� totale du trafic est envisag�e � 46 millions de tonnes, soit 40 millions de tonnes de fer, trois millions de tonnes de potasse, et trois millions en poste multifonctions.) Calls for bulk freighters 300, 000 tons capacity ( navires ayant une capacit� maximum de 300 000 tonnes, compte tenu de la distance de la ligne de navigation vers les pays importateurs.) So the 'vision' is coherent and consistent.....AND , on a volume (presumably therefore revenue basis ?) iron ore should have priority. OTOH, the potash mine is now owned by Evergreen Holdings Group, a Chinese private company, the latest reference on google is to a default on a bond payment in May 2016. So the potash project sponsors may now be a busted flush and not in a position to add much impetus or add much value. Which might , repeat might, leave the field clearer for other project sponsors. So, on balance, a Good Thing..... ATB

C'mon guys ! A C50's low balling it and a Veyron may be high-balling it......FWLIW, I think you're both wrong and am looking forward to an AV version of the Audi R8 (E)..... MM : that's a hint as to expectations/hopes and timeframe, btw. ATB

Hi MM, Yes, I looked briefly at the potash angle a while back. It's a bit disingenuous of you - and doesn't in itself appear to help ZIOC's case - to link to an article that ALSO includes : ..."MagIndustries signed a 25-year potash investment agreement (PIA) with the ROC government for the development of Mengo potash mine in December 2008. Pre-construction works of the project commenced in March 2013, and the ground-breaking ceremony was conducted on 17 July 2013. First production was scheduled for 2018, but the development has become uncertain with the company having defaulted in filing its audited annual financial statements for the 2014 fiscal, resulting in its securities to be delisted from the Toronto Stock Exchange. MagIndustries is also facing allegations of bribing officials in the Congo for businesses related to its subsidiaries, which resulted in a number of resignations at board and senior management level....." Things may have moved on since then (2014 ? 2015 ?), but the above was no cause for concern according to the journalist : "No announcement has been made on the status of the project, however, that suggests any delays in completion or otherwise as a result of the events. ". So that's all right, then. Ground-breaking was announced in 2013, with target COMPLETION in 2018. Back on planet Earth, C-B is currently (March 2018) 'fast-tracking' project management bids for contract award for PN expansion to handle mineral exports. They obviously think this means POTASH, we'd obviously like to think this means IRON ORE. Maybe it's both. You coyly invite board readers, again, to 'join the dots'.......The Tories once ran a notorious campaign with the tag-line : "Are you thinking what we're thinking...? Some times, less is more. Still holding, long and strong, before you ask/insinuate, btw ;-> ATB

Hi shaun86, It's an invitation for 'expressions of interest' for a consultancy and project management role re 'urgent works at the autonomous port of Pointe Noire'. Deadline for submission 5th March 2018. Up to 6 successful applicants will then be invited to tender (no timeframe specified) for the follow-on Request for Proposal, for project management and execution. HTH

Hi guys, China (all of it, despite its size) is 8 hours ahead of us, Oz is variously 8, 9.30 or 10 hours ahead of us. Afternoon buying in the UK is supposedly associated with the US opening. Since most US brokers have a London presence or connections, it's more likely that some UK buyers wait until US opening to get a 'read' of the market there, esp. for US - driven news. HTH and ATB

Hi MM, Unlike you, I've previously disclosed my (exclusively long) position ; stated that I've never spread-bet short; and the rough %age that ZIOC represents in my SIPP. There's a bit of a clue there ! My investment style is LTBH and I probably trade less than a dozen times a year and then mainly around the edges. ZIOC is one of only 3 miners in my roughly 20 share holdings, the other two are a gold/silver miner and a copper/zinc/lead miner. As I said, I think the ZIOC story is a good one, at some point I hope to see that realised, when the II's and MNC's move in and we see some SERIOUS volume. You come up with some really good stuff, but I don't think that you or others (esp. the mindless cut and paste merchants) are doing the average PI a service by also breathlessly hyping every ministerial jolly , tweet and (often incomplete or misleading) press release as a promise of imminent riches. Sometimes, less is more. Have a good evening yourself, I know I shall. ATB

Hi Degsy, "...Extrader. Sounds like you�ve lost the plot now...." Nah, the 'plot' keeps getting better : it's obvious that ENI's power plant (excitement yesterday a.m.) is for the 'Zanaga mine', whoop ! whoop !, whilst the Chinalco power plant (excitement yesterday p.m.) is for Point Noire, either inside or outside the SEZ.(further excitement today). Maybe Chinalco is talking about ONE power plant inside ...and ANOTHER outside.. ? Whoop ! Whoop ! Guys, the story is good enough without embroidery. The share price, meanwhile, has risen to the dizzy heights of 50% where it was 4 months ago.... Patience, grasshoppers...or as the Arabs say ' as-sabr jameel' : 'Patience is a beautiful thing'. ATB

Hi Minor Miner, ..." Perhaps Zanaga ore is smelted to make steel within the Congo..." ? Well, no smelting capacity at present, AFAIAA. Maybe we should ask the Chinese to fast-track a smelter, to have in place before ZIOP's infrastructure work starts ? Apart from the transportation savings, the Chinese could be exporting some of their pollution, as the West has historically done ...? Sounds like a win-win to me ! ATB

Hi MM, SGR phase 1 took 3 1/2 years to build out 300 miles at a cost of USD 4 Bn (90 %) Chinese Exim. To get from Nairobi to Pointe Noire as the crow / NI flies is another 2,500 miles - and of course involves going through failed state DRC. Simple maths suggests this project alone would absorb the unused commitments of President-for-life Xi's USD 60 BN Africa spend. I'd rather it was spent on things closer to home ie infrastructure within C-B. Certainly there is a lot of encouraging 'mood music', including the ministerial 'jolly' that you reference. Who do you think will sign first - ENI or Chinalco ? I'm not clear from your posts which you believe more likely. ATB

Hi MM, ..."$2.2bn has been earmarked for the new Pointe Noire."... This is news, to me at least. Source , pls ? TIA

Hi MM et al, Thanks for the various links... and as it happens I don't need to use google for help in translation. I think we're approaching this from 2 x directions, you and I : illusion vs. reality. The various links incl latest (Mar 2018), do indeed refer to a power plant. The reference in Mar 2018 is to a 'feasibility study' following an 'exchange of views' in Aug 2017 for a 150 MW upgrade to the CONGO power plant. The CONGO power plant came on stream between 3/2010 and 11/2010, when 2 x 150 MW turbines were commissioned. There was conceptually provision BACK THEN for a third turbine x 150 MW. To get your juices flowing, there was also back then talk of an eventual capacity of 900MW......wow ! Capacity does not always translate to output and - in the body of one of your links - we were told about actual output of the existing 300 MW plant : average 30 MW in 2010 (fair enough, teething troubles etc), rising to 132 MW by 2014 and a whopping 165 MW (or just over 50% of nameplate capacity) by 2015. Maybe they've tweaked things to get more now, it'd be interesting to find out .But you can bet that energy demand (a proxy for GDP growth) will have risen in the last 8 years. Upsum : they've been talking about the 150 MW capacity increase you're referencing since 2010...and 8 years later they're talking about a 'feasibility study' for the SAME project. With this background, perhaps you'll now understand why I maintain that the reference to 'the Zanaga mine' is nothing to get excited about, the journalist is rehashing 'old news'. This rate of progress may change if the Chinese get involved, though the Italians are no slouches as mechanical and electrical engineers. Let's hope so. Project promoters and others, including some on this board , are clearly motivated to 'sell the sizzle, not the sausage'. For the avoidance of doubt, I think the ZIOP sausage is potentially quite tasty - which is why I am invested here and (barring adverse news) expect to remain. I (unlike some here, apparently) welcome the opportunity to improve my understanding of the risks to my investment by looking at and maybe learning from differing points of view. No-one has a monopoly on wisdom.Playing the man, rather than the ball, has always seemed to me a measure of the weakness of the counterargument or the motivation of the 'player'. ATB