MIO the next Champion Iron?

Investors fearing they've missed the boat on Iron Ore – there may be one more ferry left to catch.In 2021 Macarthur Minerals will be the one to watch(ASX:MIO)Highlights:Since 2007 Macarthur Minerals has invested over C $100m in its Flagship Lake Giles Iron Projects. This investment has produced a + 30 mt hematite resource, approved Mining leases for all projects and EPA approvals for Lake GilesThe commodity and industry downturn from 2014 saw Global Iron Ore development capital from 5 year average prior to 2014 of US $27.38 billion to a post 2014, 5 year average of US$4.88 billion a collapse of -83%. During this period the Lake Giles project was placed on hold.If these goals can be achieved and based on the pre-production market capitalisation growth of a similar iron ore producer Champion Iron, then the undervalued West Australian iron ore junior is looking at a big 2021.Macarthur is on a trajectory similarly to what Champion Iron was prior to the completion of the Champion Iron Feasibility Study on their Bloom Lake project in mid-2017.
The international up-and-comer Macarthur Minerals has revealed it is targeting 2021 to complete the Feasibility Study on its West Australian Lake Giles project. The Company is focused on completing the final piece of its route to market contract to support the export of product from Lake Giles out of the Port of Esperance. The Company appointed EAS Advisors in NY to develop and deliver the Company’s funding strategy and 2021 will see the circulation of key Bond offering terms for the financing for the magnetite, due to commence development in 2022-23. These solutions include an early commercial production opportunity at Lake Giles to begin producing hematite to capitalise on the current historically high iron ore price. Currently, Iron Ore is tracking to follow 2020’s strong lead, as China continues to put its recovery on the back of the resource. China this week revealed it had reached its highest ever GDP number in 2020 with UBS Economics forecasting GDP growth in China at 8.2% in 2021. UBS Economics go on to support this forecast with export growth forecasts on 11-12 % during this period. The Junior Iron Ore producer has drawn comparisons to one of 2019 and 2020’s breakout stories – that of Canadian Ore Producer Champion Iron. But what is of most note with Macarthur is how similar it looks to Champion Iron’s early stages of pre-development.
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Both are located in historic mining jurisdictions – Macarthur operates in the Yilgarn region of Western Australia (just west of Kalgoorlie), while Champion Iron operates in Quebec, the home of Canada’s mining industry. Macarthur is valued very similarly to what Champion Iron was prior to the completion of the Champion Iron Feasibility Study on their Bloom Lake project in mid-2017. Key milestone market cap accretive events were based on financing, port and rail access, Quebec Government endorsement of the project, with the major event being first production of ore to ship.Following that milestone, Champion Iron restarted the Bloom Lake mine, recorded solid production figures, appointed good management and the rest is history. Macarthur is primed and are ready to follow a similar trajectory. They have a similar project, are a similar size and have an equally focused and competent management structure. For investors fearing they have missed the boat on Iron Ore – there may be one more ferry left to catch.