Mineral Resources in Asian
Asian Mineral Resources Limited announced today that it has filed its interim second quarter financial statements and MD&A for the six months ended June 30, 2007. The MD&A contains disclosure regarding the status of the Company’s Ban Phuc Project, including recently completed revised capital and operating cost estimates and a revised economic analysis based on these estimates. The revised total estimated capital cost of the project is now US$62.1 million including a US$5.1 million contingency cost.
Average processing costs have been estimated at US$15.99 per tonne and total life of mine underground mining operating costs have been estimated at US$51.8 million, of which US$10.3 plus a US$1 million contingency has been included in the revised capital cost estimate.
The revised base case financial model, based on assumptions including metal prices of Ni US$/t30,000, Cu US$/t4,400 and Co US$/t16.15, results in after tax and minority interest Net Present Value (at 10%) of US$172 million and an Internal Rate of Return of 130%. The application of sensitivity analyses shows that the project is robust enough to sustain a positive return at a nickel and copper price combination of US$12,100/t and US$1,100/t respectively. Under the metal prices assumed in the base case financial model, the payback from commencement of production is nine months.
The MD&A disclosure incorporates information contained in a Technical Report compiled by Sandercock & Associates Pty Ltd. which will be filed on SEDAR shortly.
