Inspiration Mining
After closely reviewing the past few years of ISM press releases as to the potential for Langmuir, I noticed that ISM has ALWAYS indicated that this was an "Open-Pit" opportunity. That implies that they always knew it was of lower grade NI but were betting on the volume to be there. There are "indicated resources" of 10M tons with "inferred resources" (conceptual in nature) for some 20M to 40M additional tons of similar grade. When I checked the historical NI prices I found that NI never really significantly rose above $4USD/LB until 2004. Given that the mining costs prior to 2004 were not very different than today, it would be evident that NI, at those prices, would not make the "Open-Pit" model economically viable in the Shaw Dome.Thus, there is not history and/or experience pertaining to large scale "Open-Pit" mining in the Shaw Dome. There are those that are venomously insistent that Langmuir is dead, there is no opportunity, and why waste one more cent trying to establish an economical business case to proceed with Langmuir. Micon, however, recommended moving forward and spending some 4 plus million dollars in an attempt to establish that up to 20 to 40 million tones of ore at similar grade exists ("inferred resource, conceptual in nature), and that there may be some pockets of higher grades located deeper. Micon also made the statement that "Open-Pit" most probably was never investigated as historical NI prices would have made it economically not viable. So, in an attempt to illustrate the difference between "Open-Pit" and "Sub-Caving" extraction methods, and their associated revenues, costs, and projected profitability, I constructed a comparison table below. The result was just fascinating. I present each of the "Open-Pit" and "Sub-Caving" for the MICON estimates for Langmuir with NI prices started at $4USD/LB up to $15USD/LB. I show the point (i.e. NI price) at which each of the methods become profitable with projected profits.Given the estimates and NI grade in the Micon Report, Langmuir becomes just starts to become profitable when NI is $5.05USD/LB when utilizing the “Open-Pit” method.Langmuir starts to become profitable using the “Sub-Caving” method when NI is $12.03USD/LB.Obviously, an Economic Viability Study will either prove or disprove what I have presented here.But I also can see the cost differentials between “Open-Pit” and “Sub-Caving”.
NI Prices/LB | $4.00 | $5.00 | $6.00 |
"Indicated Resource" (Mt): | 10,100,000 | 10,100,000 | 10,100,000 |
NI Content (%age) | 0.41% | 0.41% | 0.41% |
Expected Reserves (%age) | 60% | 60% | 60% |
"Indicated Reserves" (Mt): | 6060000 | 6060000 | 6060000 |
Total Cost/Tonne Open Pit: | 25.50 | 25.50 | 25.50 |
Total Cost/Tonne Sub-Caving: | 61.00 | 61.00 | 61.00 |
Open Pit Extraction | 4.50 | 4.50 | 4.50 |
Sub-Caving Extraction | 40.00 | 40.00 | 40.00 |
G&A | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.50 |
Milling | 16.00 | 16.00 | 16.00 |
Environmental | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.50 |
Revenue/Tonne | $20 | $25 | $30 |
Yield NI/Tonne (lbs) | 5.07375 | 5.07375 | 5.07375 |
SGS Metal Recovery (%age) | 75% | 75% | 75% |
Smelter Recovery (%age) | 75% | 75% | 75% |
Production Rates: | |||
Tonnes/Day | 3000 | 3000 | 3000 |
Working Days/Year | 250 | 250 | 250 |
LOM (Years) | 8.08 | 8.08 | 8.08 |
Annual Revenue: | $15,221,250 | $19,026,563 | $22,831,875 |
Annual Open-Pit Costs: | $19,125,000 | $19,125,000 | $19,125,000 |
Annual Open-Pit Gross Profit (No Cap): | $3,903,750 | $98,438 | $3,706,875 |
LOM Open-Pit Profit (No Capital) : | $31,542,300 | $795,375 | $29,951,550 |
Annual Sub-Caving Costs: | $45,750,000 | $45,750,000 | $45,750,000 |
Annual Sub-Caving Gross Profit (No Cap): | $30,528,750 | $26,723,438 | $22,918,125 |
LOM Sub-Caving Profit (No Capital): | $246,672,300 | $215,925,375 | $185,178,450 |
NI Prices/LB | $7.00 | $8.00 | $9.00 |
"Indicated Resource" (Mt): | 10,100,000 | 10,100,000 | 10,100,000 |
NI Content (%age) | 0.41% | 0.41% | 0.41% |
Expected Reserves (%age) | 60% | 60% | 60% |
"Indicated Reserves" (Mt): | 6060000 | 6060000 | 6060000 |
Total Cost/Tonne Open Pit: | 25.50 | 25.50 | 25.50 |
Total Cost/Tonne Sub-Caving: | 61.00 | 61.00 | 61.00 |
Open Pit Extraction | 4.50 | 4.50 | 4.50 |
Sub-Caving Extraction | 40.00 | 40.00 | 40.00 |
G&A | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.50 |
Milling | 16.00 | 16.00 | 16.00 |
Environmental | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.50 |
Revenue/Tonne | $36 | $41 | $46 |
Yield NI/Tonne (lbs) | 5.07375 | 5.07375 | 5.07375 |
SGS Metal Recovery (%age) | 75% | 75% | 75% |
Smelter Recovery (%age) | 75% | 75% | 75% |
Production Rates: | |||
Tonnes/Day | 3000 | 3000 | 3000 |
Working Days/Year | 250 | 250 | 250 |
LOM (Years) | 8.08 | 8.08 | 8.08 |
Annual Revenue: | $26,637,188 | $30,442,500 | $34,247,813 |
Annual Open-Pit Costs: | $19,125,000 | $19,125,000 | $19,125,000 |
Annual Open-Pit Gross Profit (No Cap): | $7,512,188 | $11,317,500 | $15,122,813 |
LOM Open-Pit Profit (No Capital) : | $60,698,475 | $91,445,400 | $122,192,325 |
Annual Sub-Caving Costs: | $45,750,000 | $45,750,000 | $45,750,000 |
Annual Sub-Caving Gross Profit (No Cap): | $19,112,813 | $15,307,500 | $11,502,188 |
LOM Sub-Caving Profit (No Capital): | $154,431,525 | $123,684,600 | $92,937,675 |
NI Prices/LB | $10.00 | $11.00 | $12.00 |
"Indicated Resource" (Mt): | 10,100,000 | 10,100,000 | 10,100,000 |
NI Content (%age) | 0.41% | 0.41% | 0.41% |
Expected Reserves (%age) | 60% | 60% | 60% |
"Indicated Reserves" (Mt): | 6060000 | 6060000 | 6060000 |
Total Cost/Tonne Open Pit: | 25.50 | 25.50 | 25.50 |
Total Cost/Tonne Sub-Caving: | 61.00 | 61.00 | 61.00 |
Open Pit Extraction | 4.50 | 4.50 | 4.50 |
Sub-Caving Extraction | 40.00 | 40.00 | 40.00 |
G&A | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.50 |
Milling | 16.00 | 16.00 | 16.00 |
Environmental | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.50 |
Revenue/Tonne | $51 | $56 | $61 |
Yield NI/Tonne (lbs) | 5.07375 | 5.07375 | 5.07375 |
SGS Metal Recovery (%age) | 75% | 75% | 75% |
Smelter Recovery (%age) | 75% | 75% | 75% |
Production Rates: | |||
Tonnes/Day | 3000 | 3000 | 3000 |
Working Days/Year | 250 | 250 | 250 |
LOM (Years) | 8.08 | 8.08 | 8.08 |
Annual Revenue: | $38,053,125 | $41,858,438 | $45,663,750 |
Annual Open-Pit Costs: | $19,125,000 | $19,125,000 | $19,125,000 |
Annual Open-Pit Gross Profit (No Cap): | $18,928,125 | $22,733,438 | $26,538,750 |
LOM Open-Pit Profit (No Capital) : | $152,939,250 | $183,686,175 | $214,433,100 |
Annual Sub-Caving Costs: | $45,750,000 | $45,750,000 | $45,750,000 |
Annual Sub-Caving Gross Profit (No Cap): | $7,696,875 | $3,891,563 | $86,250 |
LOM Sub-Caving Profit (No Capital): | $62,190,750 | $31,443,825 | $696,900 |
NI Prices/LB | $13.00 | $14.00 | $15.00 |
"Indicated Resource" (Mt): | 10,100,000 | 10,100,000 | 10,100,000 |
NI Content (%age) | 0.41% | 0.41% | 0.41% |
Expected Reserves (%age) | 60% | 60% | 60% |
"Indicated Reserves" (Mt): | 6060000 | 6060000 | 6060000 |
Total Cost/Tonne Open Pit: | 25.50 | 25.50 | 25.50 |
Total Cost/Tonne Sub-Caving: | 61.00 | 61.00 | 61.00 |
Open Pit Extraction | 4.50 | 4.50 | 4.50 |
Sub-Caving Extraction | 40.00 | 40.00 | 40.00 |
G&A | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.50 |
Milling | 16.00 | 16.00 | 16.00 |
Environmental | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.50 |
Revenue/Tonne | $66 | $71 | $76 |
Yield NI/Tonne (lbs) | 5.07375 | 5.07375 | 5.07375 |
SGS Metal Recovery (%age) | 75% | 75% | 75% |
Smelter Recovery (%age) | 75% | 75% | 75% |
Production Rates: | |||
Tonnes/Day | 3000 | 3000 | 3000 |
Working Days/Year | 250 | 250 | 250 |
LOM (Years) | 8.08 | 8.08 | 8.08 |
Annual Revenue: | $49,469,063 | $53,274,375 | $57,079,688 |
Annual Open-Pit Costs: | $19,125,000 | $19,125,000 | $19,125,000 |
Annual Open-Pit Gross Profit (No Cap): | $30,344,063 | $34,149,375 | $37,954,688 |
LOM Open-Pit Profit (No Capital) : | $245,180,025 | $275,926,950 | $306,673,875 |
Annual Sub-Caving Costs: | $45,750,000 | $45,750,000 | $45,750,000 |
Annual Sub-Caving Gross Profit (No Cap): | $3,719,063 | $7,524,375 | $11,329,688 |
LOM Sub-Caving Profit (No Capital): | $30,050,025 | $60,796,950 | $91,543,875 |