Ecora Resources PLC Announces Q2 2023 Trading Update
ACCESS Newswire · Ecora Resources PLC

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Ecora Resources PLC ("Ecora", the "Group" or the "Company") Q2 2023 Trading Update

LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / July 26, 2023 / Ecora Resources PLC (LSE:ECOR)(TSX:ECOR) issues the following trading update for the period 1 April to 30 June 2023.

This update is ahead of the release of the full Group audited half year results on 5 September 2023.

Highlights:

  • Portfolio contribution in Q2 2023 of $14.7 million, in-line with expectations for a lower figure relative to Q1 2023 ($29.6 million), primarily as a function of lower royalty income from Kestrel as operations moved outside Ecora's private royalty area.

  • $44.3 million portfolio contribution for H1 2023 compared to $92.8 million portfolio contribution in H1 2022, mainly driven by lower Kestrel sales volumes subject to the Group's royalty and commodity prices trading down from close to record levels in the prior year.

  • Q2 saleable production volumes within Ecora' s Kestrel royalty areas of 0.5mt (Q1 2023: 0.9mt). Our latest estimate is that the majority of production within the Group's royalty land previously expected during Q4 2023 will be delayed until Q1 2024.

  • Attributable deliveries under the Voisey's Bay cobalt stream totalled 42 tonnes during the period (three 20 tonne deliveries of which 70% is attributable to the Group), realising an average sales price of approximately $16/lb.

  • Vale recently stated that Voisey's Bay continues to be impacted by the ongoing transition period between the depletion of the Ovoid mine and ramp-up to full production of the Voisey's Bay underground project. Consequently guidance from Vale is that Ecora will receive four to five deliveries of cobalt under the Voisey's Bay stream in H2 2023, bringing the total number of deliveries anticipated for the year to 10 - 11, compared to previous expectations of between 13 - 15.

  • Commodity prices underpinning Ecora's royalty portfolio softened during the period, although broadly remain at historically strong levels. The alloy grade cobalt price, which reflects the majority of the cobalt product produced at the Voisey's Bay mine, recovered to approximately $19/lb in July from a low of approximately $14/lb in May.

  • In May 2023 BHP completed the acquisition of OZ Minerals. The construction of the West Musgrave project over which Ecora has a 2% NSR entitlement has continued with the first production target remaining late 2025.

  • Brazilian Nickel raised $30 million during the quarter to fund the continued development of the Piauí nickel cobalt project and continues to evaluate construction financing alternatives. The small scale PNP 1000 starter plant completed 12 months of operations during the quarter.

  • Net debt at 30 June was $43 million, providing balance sheet flexibility to pursue further growth.