Pan African Resources Plc - Completion of Feasibility Study on Soweto Cluster Tailings Storage Facilities
Pan African Resources PLC
(Incorporated and registered in England
and Wales under the Companies Act 1985
with registered number 3937466 on 25 Pan African Resources Funding Company February 2000 ) Limited
Share code on LSE: PAF Incorporated in the Republic of South
Africa with limited liability
Share code on JSE: PAN
Registration number: 2012/021237/06
ISIN: GB0004300496
Alpha code: PARI
ADR ticker code: PAFRY
(“Pan African Resources” or the “Company”
or the “Group”)
COMPLETION OF FEASIBILITY STUDY ON
Pan African is pleased to advise shareholders and noteholders that the Company has completed a feasibility study (the “study”) to process the Group’s Soweto TSFs, which were acquired by the Group in 2021 as part of the
As part of the study, two strategic options were evaluated, namely:
-- A 1 Million tonne per month (Mtpm) standalone carbon in leach (CIL)
plant, for which a definitive feasibility study (DFS) was completed; and
-- A 600,000 tonnes per month (tpm) expansion circuit to be added to the
existing MTR operation, for which the study was completed to a
prefeasibility study (PFS) level.
The integrated 600ktpm Soweto Tailings Retreatment (STR) circuit at MTR was identified as the preferred option due to a significantly lower upfront capital requirement, a shorter construction period, reduced permitting obligations and superior financial returns. This option will also benefit from synergies with the existing MTR plant and operational infrastructure. The DFS for this option is expected to be completed by
Separately, the Company continues to optimise operations at MTR, with the expansion of its production capacity from ~50koz/yr to ~60koz/yr to be completed in the next month.
PREFERRED OPTION PFS HIGHLIGHTS
-- Addition of a 600ktpm module at MTR, to be partly integrated into the
existing operation, with standalone feed from the Soweto TSFs
-- Anticipated construction period of approximately 24 months
-- Capital cost of ~US$160 million (approximately ZAR2.8 billion (at an
average exchange rate of US$/ZAR:17.50)), which includes remining and
overland pumping infrastructure and expanded TSFs
-- Expected annual gold production of 30-35koz for approximately 15 years
at an all-in-sustaining-cost (AISC) of between US$1,000 /oz and
US$1,200 /oz
-- Utilising a gold price of US$2800 /oz the project returns:
o A post-tax net present value (NPV)13.3 of US$ 129.7 million
(ZAR2,270m )
o A real ungeared internal rate of return (IRR) of 29.4%
o Payback in 3 years post-commissioning
-- Utilising a gold price of US$3500 /oz the project returns:
o A post-tax NPV13.3 of US$ 235.4 million (ZAR4,120m )
o A real ungeared IRR of 40.2%
o Payback in 2 years post-commissioning
Subject to the DFS and final board approval, the STR circuit would fast track the remining of the Soweto Assets and also environmental rehabilitation programmes, positively impacting our local communities in the area.”
ENVIRONMENTAL AND PERMITTING
The Environmental Impact Assessment and Water Use Licence processes are progressing in accordance with the project schedule, with approvals expected by
GROUP DEGEARING PROFILE AND ANTICIPATED PROJECT FUNDING
Given the prevailing high gold prices, the Group is now on track to be fully de-geared from a net debt perspective by
The Group’s robust financial position and cashflow generation profile provides strategic flexibility in terms of funding the STR circuit, and proposals have already been received from financial institutions in this regard.
ESG/SOCIAL IMPACT
The MTR operation commenced with concurrent rehabilitation programmes during its construction phase and has achieved significant milestones to date, with the successful re-establishment of wetlands and improved air and water quality. This has positively impacted local communities in the area as well as the Mogale region. The construction of the STR circuit will bring forward the original Soweto Cluster TSFs remining schedule.
Independent engineering studies on the Soweto TSFs have confirmed the stability of the facilities, with no identified failure risks that would endanger surrounding communities. The Company maintains the clearing of silted drainage channels around affected TSFs to confine the overflow of excess rainwater to dedicated evaporation ponds, eradicating the run-off that previously affected natural water systems. Pan African has also commenced with the application of a newly developed binding agent that has reduced the amount of airborne particulate matter during windy conditions, which will measurably improve the air quality in the area.
COMPETENT PERSON
The competent person for
The information contained in this announcement is the responsibility of the Company’s board of directors and has not been reviewed or reported on by the Group’s external auditors.
For further information on Pan African, please visit the Company's website at
___________________________________________________________________________ |Corporate information | |___________________________________________________________________________| |Corporate Office | | | | | |The Firs Building |Registered Office | | | | |2nd Floor, Office 204 |107 Cheapside, 2nd Floor | | | | |Corner Cradock and Biermann Avenues |London, EC2V 6DN | | | | |Rosebank, Johannesburg |United Kingdom | | | | |South Africa |Office: + 44 (0)20 3869 0706 | | | | |Office: + 27 (0)11 243 2900 |jane.kirton@corpserv.co.uk | | | | |info@paf.co.za | | |______________________________________|____________________________________| |Chief Executive Officer |Financial Director and debt officer | | | | |Cobus Loots |Marileen Kok | | | | |Office: + 27 (0)11 243 2900 |Office: + 27 (0)11 243 2900 | |______________________________________|____________________________________| |Head: Investor Relations | | | | | |Hethen Hira |Website: www.panafricanresources.com| |Tel: + 27 (0)11 243 2900 | | |E-mail: hhira@paf.co.za | | |______________________________________|____________________________________| |Company Secretary |Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker | | | | |Jane Kirton |Ross Allister/Georgia Langoulant | | | | |St James's Corporate Services Limited |Peel Hunt LLP | | | | |Office: + 44 (0)20 3869 0706 |Office: +44 (0)20 7418 8900 | |______________________________________|____________________________________| |JSE Sponsor & JSE Debt Sponsor |Joint Broker | | | | |Ciska Kloppers |Thomas Rider/Nick Macann | | | | |Questco Corporate Advisory Proprietary|BMO Capital Markets Limited | |Limited | | | |Office: +44 (0)20 7236 1010 | |Office: + 27 (0) 63 482 3802 | | |______________________________________|____________________________________| | |Joint Broker | | | | | |Matthew Armitt/Jennifer Lee | | | | | |Joh. Berenberg, Gossler & Co KG | | |(Berenberg) | | | | | |Office: +44 (0)20 3207 7800 | |______________________________________|____________________________________|