Macmin's corporate objective is to focus the company on silver mining and exploration. This objective was substantially progressed during the quarter with the commencement of Ore Reserve definition drilling at the Texas Silver Project; the sale, (subject to shareholder and regulatory approval), of Macmin's gold and gold/copper assets in Papua New Guinea (PNG), to TSX (Toronto venture exchange) listed company, New Guinea Gold Corporation (NGG); and the company will effectively sell down its interest in unlisted public company, TasEx Resources Ltd (TasEx) by the issuance of a prospectus in the near future.
To further emphasise the focus on silver, Directors will seek shareholder approval, at a General Meeting to be held in early September, to change the company's name to Macmin Silver Ltd.
Macmin, in the Board's opinion, is highly leveraged to future increases in the silver price. Shareholders should be aware that Macmin's share price is very sensitive to changes in the silver price. Increases in silver price not only increase the value of Macmin's silver reserves but would also increase the quantity of silver in reserves and resources by allowing lower mining cut off grades.
1.1 TEXAS SILVER MINES PTY LTD
As foreshadowed in the previous quarterly report, a major drilling program commenced at Twin Hills during the quarter to expand the reserve base around the periphery of the proposed Phase 1 open pit. A total of 94 holes were drilled to maximum depths of 60m for a total of 5173m of percussion drilling.
This program is ongoing and is expected to continue throughout the remainder of 2002. A second rig (reverse circulation) recently commenced drilling at Twin Hills and a third, diamond core rig, is expected on site in September.
Updated, Measured/Indicated Resource and Ore Reserve figures, will not be calculated until October 2002, to allow as much drill information as possible to be incorporated in the new figures.
The program during the current quarter defined mineralisation within the previously announced Inferred Resource boundary, but also, as shown on the enclosed cross section, located a new zone of silver mineralisation adjacent to the eastern wall of the original proposed Phase 1 pit. Drill intercepts on section line 4175N include 6m @ 297g/t Ag and 34m a 121g/t Ag. This is an exciting new discovery which, in addition to increasing the in-pit Resource, should allow cost savings in mining, as it will permit a wider pit and reduce the stripping ratio. It may also allow the pit to be deepened, to access mineralisation not previously included in the Ore Reserves. During August and September, drill testing of other prospects outside the limits of the Twin Hills mining lease will commence (including diamond core drilling at Mt Gunyan).
For further details refer to the colour copy or section 4175N at www.macmin.com.au and to Section 2.1 of this report.
1.2 NEW GUINEA GOLD CORPORATION
On 13th June 2002, Macmin announced that as part of its ongoing strategy to become a silver focused mining and exploration company, it had reached an agreement to sell its wholly owned subsidiary, Macmin (PNG) Limited, to Toronto Venture Exchange listed company, New Guinea Gold Corporation (NGG). NGG is currently owned 58% by Macmin Ltd, has approximately 20M shares on issue and is better positioned than Macmin, market wise, to raise finance for development and exploration of the Papua New Guinea projects.
Macmin (PNG) Ltd holds title to seven exploration leases and one mining lease in Papua New Guinea.
Consideration for the sale will consist of additional shares in NGG, plus royalty arrangements in respect of any future production from the Papua New Guinea properties. At the conclusion of the sale and before additional finance is raised, Macmin will own approximately 66% of NGG.
The sale is subject to due diligence, regulatory and shareholder approval, and is expected to be completed in early September. Further details are given in section 2.2 of this report.
1.3 TASEX RESOURCES LTD
Macmin's 45% owned subsidiary, TasEx Resources Ltd (TasEx), on 27th July 2002, closed the offer of securities contained in the Prospectus dated 14 September 2001 and Supplementary Prospectus dated 13th December 2001. TasEx intends to issue a new, updated prospectus in the near future, in line with its objective of achieving ASX listing during 2002.
Macmin, as part of its ongoing strategy to become a silver focused mining and exploration company, has previously stated that it intends (subject to regulatory and commercial review) to distribute its 10,000,000 shares in TasEx to Macmin shareholders by some form of in species distribution. The precise timing and manner of distribution is still subject to review.
TasEx recently completed a small drilling program at its Lisle Project in NE Tasmania. At Potoroo, drilling defined an open ended structural zone containing high-grade gold in narrow quartz veins within a wider envelope of anomalous gold in granitic rocks. Grades such as 2m at 4g/t Au and 16g/t Ag were encountered (see also section 2.3 of this report). The results are encouraging as chip samples from individual veins assayed up to 86.0g/t Au (the highest assay to date on the license) and it is speculated there may be stacked veins or wider high-grade occurrences within the structural zone.
At Enterprise four of five holes were abandoned due to technical drill problems and the drill holes did not provide a test of the prospect.
Further drilling at both prospects is planned for later in 2002.
1.4 CORPORATE
On July 4th 2002 Macmin made a placement into New Guinea Gold Corporation (NGG) of CAD$110,000. Macmin will be issued with 862,745 units of NGG at CAD$0.1275/unit. Each unit will consist of one share and one warrant, the warrants being exercisable for a period of one year at a price of CAD$0.20. These funds will be used by NGG to proceed the acquisition of Macmin PNG Ltd by NGG, for initial exploration funding in PNG and for working capital.
Macmin has retained Marcel R Ewald in Switzerland to provide investor relations and marketing advice to the company for Europe. Mr Ewald has arranged listings for Macmin on both the Berlin and Frankfurt Stock Exchanges, and for articles on Macmin to be published in German financial publications. These listings have been very successful with 30 million shares being traded on those exchanges between April 2nd and June 28th 2002. An investor road show in Europe is planned for early October 2002.
MMN Price at posting:
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