bod statement29 Sep 2018 10:36
Markedly, another realisation that is impacting seriously is that the days of drill, find, dig and produce within 3 to 5 years are long gone. Increased regulation and ESIA (Environmental & Social Impact Assessment) processes for exploring for, proving-up, exploitation permitting, then financing & constructing a producing mine can take well in excess of ten years and on average in many of the common mining jurisdictions at least 15 years. During that period some or all of the following will probably have occurred, government changes that alter the rules of engagement, demand for the metals/minerals change, and/or operating currency changes markedly against the US dollar market price.
This is significantly and inherently positive for Alexander as both existing and past closed operations look to 'squeeze the stone' for more via innovative processing of residues and waste (historically low grade sub-economic) materials. The Company's technologies are ideally situated to make the squeezing possible with relatively low capital expenditure, low operating expenditure and environmentally neutral impacts. We are aggressively pursuing such opportunities.
An exciting separate opportunity being discussed is to test the potential amenability of Alexander's suite of technologies for DSR's other project, the HIAB copper project in Namibia.
The significant R&D JV project to investigate the potential recovery of vanadium from amenable ores has progressed. John Webster Innovations Proprietary Limited ("JWI") has undertaken initial test work focused on Multicom Resources' Saint Elmo vanadium project in North Queensland, Australia, and we are awaiting the results