A look at zinc stocks

VANCOUVER , March 28, 2017 /CNW/ - Zinc prices reached a 5 year high in February. Just as analysts forecasted, the zinc concentrate market is unravelling and we would not be surprised to see further smelter cutbacks this year.
After a terrific run, zinc equities have pulled back slightly as investors take profits creating a buying opportunity.
Smart resource investors are already placing bets ahead of this pinch point but stocks with exposure to a rise in zinc prices are limited.
The first way to play the sector would be to look at large producers. No surprise that commodity giants Glencore and Teck (5 bagger in last year) rank in the top 10 zinc producers worldwide.
Earlier this month Glencore tightened their grip further down the food chain by taking a 25% stake in the only zinc focused producer on the TSX, Trevali Mining. In exchange Trevali will take control of two zinc mines in Africa and move one step closer to becoming a mid-tier zinc producer. Trevali is a 4 bagger in the last year.
Next on investors radar are zinc development stocks (companies with a resource).
Development companies offer fantastic risk/reward in bull markets as they benefit from the commodity price move, and news catalysts as they move their projects forward, and offer takeover potential.
As the zinc bull market continues, investors will be looking for companies with large proven deposits (increased leverage) in good political jurisdictions.

	Column 1	Column 2	Column 3	Column 4	Column 5
0	Company	Project	Resource (zinc lbs)	EV (per lb)	Location
1	Darnley Bay	Pine Point	5.8 billion	$0.006669	Northwest Territories
2	Canada Zinc Metals	Akie	5.7 billion	$0.008302	British Columbia
3	Zazu	Lik South	4.2 billion (*50% interest)	$0.007867	Alaska
4	Canadian Zinc	Prairie Creek	3.5 billion	$0.041298	Northwest Territories
5	InZinc	West Desert	2.4 billion	$0.007360	Western Utah
6	Tinka	Ayawilca	2.4 billion	$0.042131	Peru

*Resources all published reserve/resource categories
*Pine Point resource is historical and not 43-101 compliant
When doing due diligence you also want to check key metrics such as current cash position and upcoming catalysts. Joseph Gallucci , Managing Director Investment Banking at Eight Capital "A majority of zinc development plays will not be in production to catch the cycle, either due to permitting or funding obstacles (or both)."

	Column 1	Column 2	Column 3
0	Company	Cash	Project stage
1	Darnley Bay	~$10,000,000	PEA in progress
2	Tinka Resources	~$10,000,000	Resource drilling
3	Canadian Zinc	~$9,800,000	PFS complete
4	Canada Zinc Metals	~$7,000,000	Resource drilling
5	InZinc	<$500,000	PEA complete
6	Zazu	<$100,000	PFS done

Cash position is critical for investors as it will allow the company to fund additional work that may create shareholder value before the dilution of another financing.
Tinka Resources - Tinka has been a popular zinc stock after an excellent step out drill hole last month from a 10,000 metre drill program that commenced in February.  At the Ayawilca project in Peru the company is targeting resource growth in 2017 from the drill bit. A new resource estimate is expected later in the year and possibly a PEA.
InZinc - InZinc's share price is up close to 50% to start the year, on leverage to the zinc price and a new model about the West Desert Project. InZinc will need to complete a financing and then start drill testing this new thesis.
Canada Zinc Metals - Canada Zinc Metals plans to take full advantage of a potential move in the zinc price this year. The busiest work season in a couple years is planned with 7500 metres of drilling at Akie starting in June as well as the possibility of a PEA in Q4.
Darnley Bay - Darnley Bay is the newcomer to the zinc development group but may be the first to production after acquiring the past producing Pine Point Project. The most profitable zinc-lead mine in Canadian history producing 64 million tonnes of 7% zinc and 3.1% lead from 52 deposits. Past production is a huge advantage with proven mining methods to rely on which should also be a benefit when it comes to permitting. If everything goes well, management is looking to restart production in 2019. A major catalyst will be the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) which is expected in April.
Zinc development stocks look ready to go in 2017 and this pullback presents a fantastic buying opportunity in what is likely to be a hot sector moving forward.
SOURCE Equity.Guru