intrigue and excitement

Dear @itsunderground @travmoneyofmine - luvn ya work, now top of my youtoob playlists.

You've been 'dining out' on the SLR/SBM/GMD shenanigans and I have loved every minute so far, watching with interest on how it plays out.

Reason for tagging you and in relation to the above, is that there is, if i may be so bold as to claim it, another tripartite gold takeover battle being fought, with as just as much - or more - twists, turns and obfuscations. This plot currently playing out involves a scion of Australian mining royalty Catalyst Metals' (ASX:CYL) MD James Champion de Crespigny (who have an active shareholder in Gina Reinhart), versus a Canadian battler (Superior Gold, - see ceo.ca website and hotcopper for a litany of confused, confident and disgruntled holders https://ceo.ca/sgi) who are operating potentially rich WA goldfields at an ongoing loss - and are currently in breach of TSXV reporting through nondisclosure of financial statements amid the wrangling - combine that with an Australian company called Vango mining who have promised but never delivered a cohesive cost-effective resource or mining plan in a so-called prolific gold belt that Catalyst are seeking to consolidate. Not to mention the ongoing legal battles with a fourth-party in Zuleika gold. It's a lot to get across but in terms of the devil in the details and thwarted plans etc i'm sure it would make for a good episode and would certainly appreciate the acumen and insight that you lads would likely bring to what is becoming an increasingly acrimonious debate, especially here on hotcopper haha.

Posting here below some extra background info that I have previously posted in another thread, really hope you see some worth in covering this, it's reaching a crescendo of uncertainty now!!


Catalyst will merge with Vango Mining (ASX:VAN) in a 5 for 115 off-market takeover valued at $66 million.The offer has a 70% minimum acceptance condition but has been backed by Vango’s board and most of its shareholders, with 73% of shareholders already noting their intention to accept the bid.That includes 19.99% from major shareholders and directors Hunter Guo and Carol Zhang, who have entered into binding pre-bid acceptance agreements with Catalyst, while Collins Street Value Fund, holder of ~$9m in convertible notes in Vango would roll them over into Catalyst should it mop up 100% of the target.Vango boasts 1Moz at 3.3g/t in the Marymia-Plutonic Belt over 40km of strike.

But Catalyst, led by MD James Champion de Crespigny — son of former Normandy Mining boss and gold royalty Robert Champion de Crespigny — has also announced it is in commercial discussions with Toronto-listed Superior Gold to acquire the adjacent Plutonic Gold Mine.That operation, formerly owned by Barrick and Northern Star (ASX:NST) boasts a 6Moz resource, 600,000oz reserve, 3Mtpa carbon in leach processing plant and was slated to produce 62,000-65,000oz in 2022.

So given his father's illustrious heritage in the gold mining space, I assume some of that knowledge and experience won't have fallen too far from the tree - maybe even a bit of due diligence is done around the family dinner table? (link to article from 2002 https://www.theage.com.au/business/founder-bids-farewell-to-riches-of-normandy-20020220-gdtzk0.html).

(2002) Robert James Champion de Crespigny has walked out the Normandy Mining boardroom for the last time.

Pocketing about $160 million in cash and scrip from the Newmont takeover offer, de Crespigny yesterday resigned from the board and ceased to be chief executive.

"Special thanks are extended to Mr Robert Champion de Crespigny for his outstanding efforts over many years in the creation, development and running of Normandy," was how his send-off read.

For de Crespigny, it was the end of a 17-year exercise that saw Normandy - a near $5 billion company - emerge out of a tiny $3million outfIt known as Amad.

Educated at Melbourne Grammar and Melbourne University, where he researched the FInancing of companies such as Bougainville, MIM and Poseidon, de Crespigny, 51, graduated as an accountant.

But he did not hang around the Perth offIces of KMG Hungerfords for too long. Preferring instead to run his own business, he got control of the listed Amad and changed its name to Normandy after the French province of his ancestors.

Amid much behind-the-handwhispering that he was the front man on these shores for the late Harry Oppenheimer and co at the mighty South African mining house Anglo American-De Beers, de Crespigny went on to mount takeovers of companies - Poseidon was one of them - and assets that made Normandy the biggest gold producer in Australia and put it among the top fIve in the world.