RE: Panama27 Mar 2022 14:10
Bamps - re your post on pre-production ore extraction, I posted this last October
"My feeling is that it's about the definition of 'first ore'. I don't know enough about mining regs, particularly in Oz, but I suspect they cannot 'mine' ore until licensed to do so by the authorities. Perhaps others can clarify. I think there will be a process - NCM make the formal decision to mine, apply for a permit to mine and no doubt other bits of paper from the authorities (eg environmental). Only then can they officially begin commercial mining operations.
However, Havieron is already unusual in that work on the decline has begun well in advance of the official decision to mine (still in the 'exploratory phase and therefore not included in Capex costs) and I expect that once they reach the ore body, they will begin to extract ore. They can classify this as still 'exploratory' and necessary for testing the systems and checking compatibility with the Telfer equipment. Is there a limit to how much they can extract for this purpose? Perhaps they cannot sell the product until licensed? But it is very likely that there will be gold produced before the official first ore."
Nobody had any comment on it then, interested if anyone thinks my assumptions are valid.