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Sep 2003 - Abelle Limited

Abelle Limited (ABX) – Innovation, Logic and First PNG Production possibly by 2005

  • Abelle’s PNG assets essentially consist of two regional, volcanic mega-complexes about 70km apart, and three significant mineralised systems, being Hamata- Hidden Valley (HHV), the Wafi Gold Complex (Wafi) and the Golpu Porphyry Copper-Gold Complex (also at Wafi). HHV is the most advanced, and is targeted to commence gold production during 2005, after about 12 months’ construction.
  • The 5% NPV for Abelle at current gold prices is almost A$2.80/share. However, it must be emphasised that this is only one of a number of possible scenarios, and there is significant potential for this valuation to be exceeded, simply through attaining slightly higher grades, or including Golpu, or success from any of the other promising adjacent prospects amongst the complexes of HHV and Wafi.
  • The scale of the complexes is huge, Wafi has a newly recognised >6g/t high grade Link Zone with potentially greater than 3.9moz, plus an existing ~4moz gold resource, and a number of gold orebodies within an inner radius of about 500m. Golpu has a delineated >90mt at 2.1% (cu-equivalent) copper-gold porphyry that extends beyond a depth of 1km from surface, & HHV consists of Hamata providing 350,000oz in early cashflow, followed by Hidden Valley / Kaveroi’s resource of >2moz gold and >37moz silver, amongst an overall resource base of ~4moz.
  • The 3 projects have a market stigma attached to them for their previous failure to be developed, but Abelle has made major innovative conceptual differences to previous feasibility studies, that dramatically improve their economics. Abelle has also re-interpreted Wafi as near horizontal mineralisation (and is verifying it through drilling), instead of the near vertical previous interpretations.
  • ABX is moving fast to bring HHV into production, scheduling completion of the feasibility study by the end of October 2003. Our site visit in August 2003 was part of a team examining where to construct the conveyor, access roads, plant etc.
  • Written by: Keith Goode
  • Tuesday, 09 September 2003