Ann: Breakthrough Gravity Results at Storm Copper, page-68

BHP replied to my question I sent them on May 21 about them leaving! Make of it what you will.

Can you please advise why BHP Billiton terminated the option deal over Aston Bay's Storm copper project back in 2017?

Thank you for your email.

BHP and its partner, Aston Bay Minerals, completed extensive fieldwork during 2016 (including ~2,000 m of drilling), building on historical work completed from 1995-2016 (including ~14,000 m of drilling). While mineralisation was identified, the results were very sporadically distributed, with little to no continuity between mineralised horizons. Modelling of best-case outcomes still fell well short of a resource of the size and grade sought by BHP, especially given isolated, high-cost operating environment that the Storm copper project presents.

Kind regards

BHP Investor Relations