The latest Investing Matters Podcast episode featuring financial educator and author Jared Dillian has been released. Listen here.
Because there has not yet been an RNS regarding FCA acceptance re: Sandbox, then for me the news will only be good whenever the RNS lands. GST were supposed to know by the revised date of 31st May.
I appreciate there's only been one day of trading since then - 1st June. But because bad news hasn't landed, the optimist in me is expecting the game changing RNS next week.
GLA GSTers
So my take, for what it may be worth, is that this acquisition was planned well before the unexpected delay from the FCA. GST were hopeful of the acceptance before now which would have put todays placing price considerably higher than 1p. Because of this delay, however, GST may have been somewhat forced into this lower price placing so as to not renege or delay raising funds for this announced acquisition.
Despite this, the SP has held/done ok today. It all bodes well to taking this company to new highs once we have FCA acceptance and then acquiring the necessaries for business development.
Apart minor fluctuations, the SP should now move northwards.
GLA all GSTers
During the month of April, Argo mined 144 Bitcoin or Bitcoin Equivalents (together, "BTC"), or 4.8 BTC per day. This is a decrease of 8% compared to the 5.2 BTC per day produced in March 2023. The decrease in BTC production is primarily driven by an 8% sequential increase in the average network difficulty during the month of April.
As of 30 April 2023, the Company held 83 Bitcoin or Bitcoin Equivalents.
The Company's total hashrate capacity continues to be 2.5 EH/s. In Q3 2023, the Company expects to begin installation of 2,870 BlockMiner machines from ePIC Blockchain Technologies at its Quebec facilities. This represents an incremental 0.3 EH/s of hashrate capacity and will increase the Company's total hashrate capacity to 2.8 EH/s.
Based on daily foreign exchange rates and cryptocurrency prices during the month, mining revenue in April amounted to $4.17 million [GBP3.35 million], an increase of 3% over the prior month (March 2023: $4.05 million [GBP3.28 million]).
“Following the build of Helios and the strategic transaction with Galaxy, we have streamlined our operations to maximize efficiency and increase our hashrate while maintaining our mining capacity thanks to our Hosting Agreement. On the basis of these foundations, we continue to work diligently on the next stage of Argo's growth and development, with the goal of delivering long-term value to our shareholders."
Argo maintained ownership of its entire fleet of mining machines, and Galaxy is now hosting the fleet of approximately 23,619 Bitmain S19J Pro machines at Helios under a two-year hosting agreement
-- Under the hosting agreement, Argo has access to the electricity price that Galaxy obtains through its power purchase agreement, and Argo pays an incremental hosting fee based on its actual electricity usage
Board and Senior Management Changes
Subsequent to 31 December 2022:
-- on 30 January 2023, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director Alex Appleton resigned from his positions to pursue other opportunities. After a formal recruitment process led by an executive search firm, the Board appointed Jim MacCallum as Chief Financial Officer effective 5 April 2023
-- on 8 February 2023, Sarah Gow resigned as non-executive director of the Company for health reasons; and
-- on 9 February 2023, Chief Executive Officer and Interim Chairman Peter Wall resigned from his positions to pursue other opportunities. Matthew Shaw became Chairman of the Board, and the Board appointed Chief Operating Officer Seif El-Bakly, CFA, to serve as Interim CEO. The Group will provide an update on the CEO recruitment process in due course
Q1 2023 Update (Preliminary and Unaudited)
-- Total number of Bitcoin or Bitcoin Equivalent ("BTC") mined during Q1 2023 was 49 1, or 5.5 BTC per day. This is a 5% increase in daily BTC compared to the same period in 2021, and it is a 8% decrease in BTC production compared to the prior quarter. The decrease compared to Q4 2022 is primarily due to an increase in the network difficulty
-- Generated revenues of approximately GBP9 million ($11 million) with a mining margin in the range of 45% to 50%; mining margin increased from approximately 35% in Q4 2022 due to higher Bitcoin price and lower electricity prices in Texas
-- Average direct cost per Bitcoin mined was approximately GBP10,000 ($12,000)
-- Average all-in costs (power costs and hosting fees) at Helios was approximately $0.05 to $0.055 per kilowatt-hour
Outlook for 2023
Renewed Focus on Quebec
-- Going forward, in the near term, Argo will be focusing on improving oper ational efficiency at its Quebec facilities by optimizing its mining fleet and utilizing excess capacity at these sites
-- Both data centers have access to 99% renewable electricity generated from hydropower at competitive prices
Deployment of ePIC BlockMiners
-- The Group is expecting the delivery of 2,870 units of ePIC "BlockMiner" machines beginning in early Q3 2023
-- These new BlockMiner machines, representing an incremental 3 00 PH/s of hashrate capacity, will be deployed at the Group's Quebec facilities
Commenting on the results, Seif El-Bakly, Argo Blockchain Interim CEO, said, "Having navigated challenging market conditions in both the crypto sector and the global economy in the second half of 2022, Argo has emerged stronger and in a much more solid financial position
Operating highlights
-- Increased hashrate capacity by 55% from 1.6 EH/s at the end of 2021 to 2.5 EH/s at the end of 2022
-- Energized the Helios facility in Dickens County, Texas and commenced mining operations on 5 May 2022
-- Executed an agreement with ePIC Blockchain Technologies ("ePIC"), as amended, to purchase BlockMiner machines for use with Intel's Blockscale ASIC chip (2,870 machines expected to be deployed in Q3 2023)
-- Completed a swap agreement with Core Scientific ( "Core") for S19J Pro machines representing approximately 970 PH/s, which ended the Group's hosting agreement with Core in place of self-mining operations at Helios
-- Released the Group's 2021 Sustainability Report and maintained climate positive status by producing no Scope 1 emissions and offsetting all Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions through renewable energy credits and verifiable emissions reductions
Financial highlights
-- Total number of Bitcoin or Bitcoin Equivalent ("BTC") mined during 2022 was 2,15 6, a 5% increase compared to the BTC mined in 2021, despite an increase in global hashrate and network difficulty
-- Revenues of GBP4 7.4 million ($58.6 million), a decrease of 36% from 2021, driven primarily by a significant decrease in Bitcoin price and an increase in the global hashrate and associated network difficulty level
-- Adjusted EBITDA of GBP1.0 million ($1.2 million), down from Adjusted EBITDA of GBP55.0 million ($74.2 million) in 2021
-- Mining margin of 54%, down from 84% in 2021. Similar to revenue, this decrease was largely attributable to the decrease in Bitcoin price and an increase in network difficulty, as well as significantly higher than expected power costs in Texas
-- Net loss of GBP194.2 million ($240.2 million), driven primarily by the change in fair value of digital assets, impairment of assets, and losses associated with our divestitures
-- Total number of BTC held at 31 December 2022 was 141, of which 116 were Bitcoin Equivalents
Sale of Helios & Hosting Agreement with Galaxy
-- On 29 December 2022, the Group completed a series of agreements with Galaxy Digital Holdings Ltd. (TSX: GLXY) ("Galaxy")
-- As part of the agreements, Argo sold its Helios facility to Galaxy for GBP5 3 million ($65 million), Argo refinanced existing equipment financing loans with a new asset-backed loan from Galaxy for an amount of GBP28 million ($35 million), and Galaxy agreed to host Argo's mining machines at Helios ("the Transactions")
-- The Transactions improved the Group's balance sheet and liquidity by reducing total indebtedness by GBP3 3 million ($41 million) and improving its cash position. As of 31 December 2022, after accounting for the Transactions, the Group's total debt was approximately GBP63 million ($76 million), and debt, net of cash, was GBP46 million ($56 million)
-- Argo maintained ownership of its entire fleet of mining machines, and Galaxy is now hosting the fleet of approximately 23,619 Bitmain S19J Pro mac
27 April 2023
Kodal Minerals plc
("Kodal Minerals", "Kodal" or the "Company")
Bougouni Lithium Project Funding Package - Extension of Long Stop Date to 31 May 2023
Kodal Minerals, the mineral exploration and development company focused on lithium and gold assets in West Africa, announces that the Company, KMUK (as defined below), Hainan Mining Co. Limited ("Hainan") and Hainan's wholly owned UK-incorporated subsidiary Xinmao Investment Co. Limited ("Xinmao") have agreed to an extension of the deadline for the completion of the funding package announced on 19 January 2023 to 31 May 2023 (originally 30 April 2023).
The extension will provide additional time for certain conditions precedent to be satisfied, including the transfer of the Bougouni Project to a new Mali mining company owned by Kodal's recently incorporated UK subsidiary, Kodal Mining UK Limited ("KMUK"). This restructuring is in progress although is not expected to complete by 30 April 2023, the original deadline, and accordingly, the parties have agreed to extend the completion deadline for the funding package to 31 May 2023.
All parties remain fully committed to the completion of the funding transaction as soon as possible and, as announced by the Company on 13 April 2023, Hainan and Xinmao have received all necessary approvals from the Chinese Government authorities to allow it to complete its funding and investment, including "Overseas Project Investment Filing Certificates" from the Hainan Province National Development and Reform Commission ("NDRC") and Company Overseas Investment Certificate from the Department of Commerce of Hainan Province.
Further updates on the progress of completion of the funding of the Bougouni Lithium Project will be provided in due course.
Good post Crocqman. I didn’t think, as with many, that the SP would be where it is as we approach the end of April - especially given the “successful sidetrack”.
The wait goes on, but we’re in this together.