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Tagged with: SLR

May 2008 - Silver Lake Res

Silver Lake Resources Limited (SLR) –Building up to >70,000ozpa Gold Production by the end of 2009

  • Silver Lake Resources (SLR) has four project areas in WA, being Mount Monger (which includes Daisy-Milano : a high grade underground mine that has started production at an expected ~35,000ozpa), Murchison (being Comet, Tuckabianna & Moyagee), Rothsay (a small copper-gold mine) and the grass roots Copper Lakes.
  • SLR has a target of producing at 150,000ozpa within 3 years (2011), which could be achievable, based on possibly 50,000ozpa to 70,000ozpa from Mount Monger and a mining operation at Comet/Tuckabianna (although Mount Monger could be capable of achieving 100,000ozpa in its own right).
  • SLR appears to have significant upside potential with both of its current main project areas of Mount Monger’s Daisy-Milano, and Comet/Tuckabianna apparently capable of exceeding expectations in production and grade. Also on a market cap comparison basis to its peers, SLR appears to be well undervalued and capable of achieving a market cap > A$120m.
  • SLR poured their first gold bar on 30 April 2008, at their own 300,000tpa Lakewood plant near Kalgoorlie as part of an initial expected treatment rate of 75,000tpa at 15g/t (35,000oz to 40,000ozpa) from the Daisy-Milano lode. The remainder of the mill capacity is expected to be fed from possible open cuts followed by underground mining one of the >10 other lodes that have shallow workings.
  • At Comet and Tuckabianna, SLR are evaluating re-opening the mines as underground operations, which was considered prior to their closure in 1997, but not undertaken due to the weakening gold price and other distractions. SLR has started a PFS on its Murchison assets (Comet, Tuckabianna and Moyagee) which it expects to complete in the December Quarter 2008.
  • SLR are also evaluating the old Rothsay copper-gold mine that closed in 1991, after limited underground operation, and their Copper Lakes prospect.

Sep 2008 - DnD - SLR, NGF, IGO

Silver Lake (SLR), Norton Goldfields (NGF) & Independence (IGO)

  • Post Diggers last year we wrote “This Comment started out based on the visits we (ERA) took during the Diggers n Dealers Aug 2007 Conference. However, it has been extended following the recent decimation in share prices due to trading on money that did not exist, and requests for our nickel & gold favourites”. That comment applies just as easily for 2008 too, except that this time around the “money that did not exist” has mainly been in different forms of sophisticated shorting.
  • It is often commented that the market likes a story and hates reality, that’s why the old model of the share price rising when a company starts production has gone out of the window. Now companies rise before production and fall when they go into production as reality hits, unless they are still in “story” mode. Our current Australian based and operated favourites are all appear to be debt free, generating cash with cash in the bank, and significant upside potential being for nickel : Panoramic (PAN @ $1.45); in gold : Silver Lake (SLR @ $0.16) and in other (iron ore) : Territory (TTY @ $0.52). – And all of them have PERs in the 2 to 4 x area. (PAN : 194m x $1.45 = $281m, less $130m cash = $151m/$73m = 2.1 x; SLR : 153m x $0.16 = $24m less ~$3m = $21m/$12m = 1.8 x; TTY : 265m x $0.52 = $138m less $1m (check financials when reported) = $137m/$45m = 3.0 x) Our (ERA) current favourites are :
  • Panoramic : Recent August 2008 report, and stacks of upside both at Lanfranchi (due to Deacon) and at Kimberley Nickel due to Savannah. PAN recently reported some more of those thick high grade (double current grade) intersections, indicating further upside potential. Our report had a life of 10 to 15 years at ~15,000tpa - 20,000tpaNi (whereas it could be 15 to 20 years at up to 25,000tpa [which more resembles a portfolio stock]). The NPAT is about $70m per year at prices of A$9.47/lb Ni (US$9/lb and an 0.95US$ exchange rate, currently the nickel price at US$8.3/lb and a 0.81US$ exchange rate equates to 10.25A$/lbNi)
  • Silver Lake : We accept that the share price has fallen to as low as 15c, but how many gold mines are debt-free, treat at ~14g/t (July 2008), encounter 10m @ 6kg/t (6,000g/t in a development drive), have a development face averaging 57g/t, have the capability to double their mill size and could exceed our forecasts of 70,000ozpa by possibly up to 50% more in their first year, potentially generating profits of $1m to $2m per month.
  • Territory : Yes we accept that it lost heaps ~$50m or more last year investing in Monarch etc etc. But at Diggers it was selling its lump at ~A$110/t, fines at A$90/t, say A$100/t on a 50/50 basis. Costs are A$70/t falling to A$60/t (and targeted to go lower), say a margin of A$35/t, which at 2mtpa = $70m less tax = ~$50m NPAT less exploration etc = $40m (and revenues may be US$/t and not A$/t, so the figures could be higher).
  • At Diggers, we also visited Norton Goldfields (NGF) and Independence (IGOs) operations, viz :
  • Norton Goldfields : Being overlooked because of the Paddington history by Pancon. We were surprised by the upside potential seen on the visit (ahead of Diggers) with the old Padd I & II pits to be used as tailings storage (20 years at ~3.5mtpa).
  • Independence Group : Remains a favourite, despite its share price collapse to under A$3/share. Long-Victor and Tropicana could continue as low cost operations until the “cows come home”.

May 2009 - Silver Lake Res

Silver Lake Resources Limited (SLR) –Taking the next step to producing >70,000ozpa

  • Silver Lake Resources (SLR) has achieved its production target of 50,000ozpa at its Daisy-Milano operation at Mount Monger in WA, currently producing a steady ~1,000oz per week with the occasional 1,500oz week. With the Christmas Flats open-cut expected to start in July 2009 and the probable expansion with an additional 300,000tpa mill at its Lakewood plant, SLR’s gold production appears to be moving into the next phase, taking production beyond 70,000ozpa.
  • SLR still appears to be on-track to achieve its 2011 production target of 150,000ozpa, possibly by 70,000ozpa to 100,000ozpa (or so) from Mount Monger & 50,000ozpa from its Murchison Project at Moyagee/Comet/Tuckabianna. Currently SLR is examining its milling opportunities at Murchison, ranging from toll-treating to having its own initially 500,000tpa to 600,000tpa mill (doubling to 1.2mtpa later).
  • Due to SLR’s current total cash costs of ~A$600/oz to A$700/oz, Silver Lake is generating significant cashflow at current gold prices >A$1,000/oz of ~A$1m to A$2m per month (its best week so far was selling 1,550oz at A$1,550/oz). This is increasingly enabling SLR to build up a war-chest capable of financing a mill expansion at Lakewood, start its Murchison operation & remain debt & hedge-free.
  • In fact in the June Qtr of 2009, SLR may have recouped its ~A$13m acquisition cost of Daisy-Milano from Perilya and the acquisition of the Lakewood plant, just over a year since first production in April 2008 (which itself was only ~6 months from the acquisition from Perilya & subsequent listing of SLR in November 2007).
  • The Daisy-Milano orebody is shaping up to be a dream orebody, with ~400m on strike of almost continuous gold mineralisation. The recent delineation of Daisy-Milano on strike at the 8 Level infers a significant increase in resources, and visible nuggetty gold is becoming common with grades in oz/t or even kg/t.

Aug 2009 - DnD - SLR

Buy Silver Lake Resources (SLR)

  • There were a number of available mine site visits before, during and after this years’ Diggers (which was apparently the highest attended so far). Many people remarked that they were surprised by the number of local and large international fund managers at this years’ Diggers. The mood was certainly more upbeat, possibly due to the higher share and commodity prices compared to last years’ approaching cliff to fall from.
  • We were part of a group that visited Silver Lake’s Daisy Milano during the conference (during most of Tuesday – the 2nd day). This review is based on that visit and SLR’s presentation at Diggers.
  • Silver Lake (SLR) - Buy at A$0.645
  • Silver Lake continues to move from strength to strength as SLR’s understanding of the Daisy Milano orebody and goldfield continues to evolve. The SLR trip consisted of an open-cut followed

Aug 2009 - DnD - NGF, SLR

Spec Buy NGF ; Buy SLR

  • There were a number of available mine site visits before, during and after this years’ Diggers (which was apparently the highest attended so far). Many people remarked that they were surprised by the number of local & large international fund managers at this years’ Diggers, possibly because the performance by the major gold stocks (apart from Anglogold) has been so poor. The mood was certainly more upbeat, possibly due to the higher share and commodity prices compared to last years’ approaching cliff edge.
  • We were part of groups that visited Norton Goldfields’ Paddington before the conference, Silver Lake’s Daisy Milano during the conference (during most of Tuesday – the 2nd day) and Catalpa’s Edna May afterwards. Catalpa is our next report and is hence not included in this review. You do wonder though whether the group members on the visits do realise what they are seeing on a visit, especially in the case of Silver Lake’s further new additional mineralisation underground at Daisy Milano.
  • We did not attend all the sessions, and there were many rumours and comments, and some of the perceptions have already affected share prices as in the case of Magma Metals (MMB) and Troy (TRY). The following is based on general comments that we encountered and perceptions that we made :
  • Who appears to be doing well : Silver Lake (SLR) stands out, followed by Avoca (AVO). Most of the nickel plays seemed upbeat as in Panoramic (PAN), Mincor (MCR) restarting Miitel and Western Areas (WSA), with Independence (IGO)’s lower guidance of 8kt to 8,4ktNi for 09/10 possibly recovering back towards 9ktNi as Moran was currently expected to be developed from JQ2010, and of course IGO has its 30% of Tropicana.
  • Pan Aust (PNA) referred to a possible new drill-ready discovery called Ban Phonxai about 20km from Phu Kham (PK’s grades were expected to increase due to the infill drilling) and the 33% expansion of PK was to be made at the end of 2010 for commissioning in JH2012, with the feasibility study on its ~A$130m >100kozpaAu/>700kozpaAg Ban Houayxai gold project due in MQ2010, ideally producing in DH2011. Terry at OZ Minerals (OZL) thought that a deficiency gap was approaching in copper and most projects needed US$2.50/lb to justify approval. Terry rated OZL’s current strategy as probably 1 copper, 2 gold, were recommencing underground studies at Prominent Hill, were keen on junior JVs and was undertaking a 100-day strategic review, with more details to come.

Jul 2011 - Silver Lake Res

Silver Lake Resources Limited (SLR) – Unravelling the Secrets behind the Formation of the Gold Mineralisation at SLR's Mount Monger as Production heads towards ~250,000ozpa by 2014.

Oct 2013 - Silver Lake Res

Silver Lake Resources Limited (SLR) – Targeting Gold Production of >200,000ozpa in a lower gold price environment