RE: Newmont/Newcrest7 Mar 2023 20:44
As I understand it if the 70% owner does not want to mine the GGP have the right of last refusal, and most JV agreements also have clauses about changes in ownership, which could allow the same.
In that situation if it exists, GGP could buy back the 70%, then Telfer is a liability without the ore from Havieron, the capital being/planned would stop immediately. Then the end of mine costs will be substantial, so at that point Telfer had negative value.
Just some thoughts, and I would expect good negotiators would present it this way to anyone divesting themselves of Telfer, if they own or can own 100% of Havieron.
If Havieron is(and I think it is) a very special find (and I think that Newcrest think so and that is why we have a decline getting to ore real soon in mining terms), then it must be able to stand on its own without Telfer, but better together, including financing its own processing plant.
If this statement is incorrect then all these drill rigs in the Patterson, may as well pack up and go home as no discover will be able to fund the required infrastructure to develop a working mine if Havieron cannot.
I think the best option for me a LTH of GGP will be that the original JV goes the distance to becoming a mine reusing the nearly redundant Telfer facilities.
In the current/surmised situation of GGP getting 100% of Havieron and then looking at Telfer
I see three separate parts to Telfer
The mine, a real liability, depending on the end of mine plan, but not cheap, unless due to its age the rules are different, but I think the WA government will of sorted that by now.
The processing Plant that does have value to any of the discoveries that get to the stage of being mines. I am not sure but I think the only one at advanced stage of development is Havieron, so who without ore 'on the hope' is going to take it on.
Telfer 'village' will have to be reinstated if it becomes redundant but this does have value but because of the size and facilities, again only to a business with a good number of men deployed nearby.