Sally Malay Mining Limited (SMY) –Increasing After-tax Profits to >A$60mpa

• With nickel averaging ~US$28,300/t in SQ06 (US$12.87/lb or 40% higher than JQ06 in A$/t terms at A$37,400/t), and copper ~US$7,640 (US$3.46/lb), SMY may have had a spectacular quarter, easily the best so far. Even providing for hedging, in SQ06 SMY may have exceeded last years’ NPAT of ~A$16m. Significant after tax profits are being generated at these nickel prices, if nickel averages US$20,700/t in 2008 (in line with its forward price), SMY’s after tax profit could then be >A$110m.
• Sally Malay recently gave a production forecast lasting 10 years based mainly on its namesake mine of Sally Malay which according to our modelling is the main profit driver behind the company. However, the forecast does not take into account the lower orebody or extensions on strike along the boundary of the intrusion, that could extend SMY’s life well beyond 10 years.
• Sally Malay expects to use the spare capacity in its mill to treat ore from Copernicus (in JV with Thundelarra) and from Panton (in JV with Platinum Australia). However, the additional profits from these two satellites are relatively small compared to Sally Malay using our current price profiles, grade and cost estimates, and have been excluded from our total modelling.
• Lanfranchi’s current estimated life at ~10,000tpa nickel production is about 5 years. However, it has the potential to be significantly longer since there appears to be little difference between the mineralised lava channels at Lanfranchi and the lava channels at Kambalda and Widgiemooltha that have been found by the other small nickel sulphide producers to extend on strike for many kilometres.
• Production at both of SMY’s WA nickel mines, being the 100% owned Kimberley Nickel Mines (KNM) and 75% owned Lanfranchi Nickel Mines (LNM) has settled down and blossomed, and could achieve an attributable ~13,500tNi in the year to June 2007 and ~18,000tNi attributable in 2008 according to our (ERA) estimates.