MC Mining Limited

Previously Coal of Africa Limited (Incorporated and registered in Australia) Registration number ABN 008 905 388 ISIN AU000000MCM9

JSE share code: MCZ

ASX/AIM code: MCM

29 July 2022

ACTIVITIES REPORT FOR THE QUARTER ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

FOR

MC MINING LIMITED ("MC Mining" or the "Company")

AND ITS SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

HIGHLIGHTS

Operations

  • Health and safety remain a top priority and no lost-time injuries (LTIs) were recorded during the quarter (FY2022 Q3: three LTIs);
  • Measures previously implemented to restrict the spread of the COVID-19 virus at the various group workplaces remain in place pending formal confirmation of the relaxation of requirements by the relevant regulatory authorities. During the quarter, one employee (FY2022 Q3: one employee) at the high grade Uitkomst metallurgical and thermal coal mine (Uitkomst Colliery or Uitkomst) contracted the virus;
  • Run-of-mine(ROM) coal production at Uitkomst was 7% lower than the June 2021 quarter at 119,005 tonnes (t) (FY2021 Q4: 127,927t);
  • 22,169t (FY2021 Q4: 0t) of coal were at the Durban port at the end of June 2022 for exporting in July/August 2022 on the terms of the Coal Sales & Marketing Agreement (Marketing Agreement) with Overlooked (Proprietary) Limited (Overlooked), announced by the Company on 28 July 2022;
  • The Company recorded 34,126t of coal sales during the quarter (FY2021 Q4: 90,858t), comprising
    28,360t (FY2021 Q4: 84,834t) of high grade metallurgical and thermal coal and 5,766t (FY2021 Q4: 6,024t) of lower grade middlings coal;
  • Revenue per tonne decreased to $80/t (FY2021 Q4: $85/t) with high quality coal stockpiled for sales into the forecasted higher pricing API4 market, achievable through the Marketing

Agreement in the September quarter (product stockpiles at site: FY2022 Q4: 15,534t vs. FY2021

Q4: 4,553t);

  • The Integrated Water Use Licence (IWUL) applications were granted by the Department of Water & Sanitation (DWS) for the Uitkomst Colliery and nearby Wykom siding were granted in April 2022;
  • Completion of the Makhado hard coking coal project (Makhado Project or Makhado) Bankable Feasibility Study (BFS) 'base case' scenario confirming the project's robust economic fundamentals, a key input in the due diligence process for potential funders; and
  • Limited activities undertaken at the Company's Vele semi-soft coking and thermal coal colliery (Vele Colliery or Vele) and Greater Soutpansberg Projects (GSP), which remains on care and maintenance.

Corporate

  • Appointment of Mr Nhlanhla Nene as Non-Executive Director and Chairman of MC Mining;
  • Appointment of Mr Godfrey Gomwe as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Company and resignation of Sam Randazzo as director and interim CEO;
  • Appointment of Mr Matthews Senosi of Senosi Group Investment Holdings Pty Ltd (SGIH) (the
    Company's 19.9% shareholder) as a Non-Executive Director of the Company;
  • Issue of 38,363,909 new ordinary shares in the capital of the Company (Ordinary Shares) to SGIH under the terms of the Convertible Advance and Subscription Agreement (the Agreement), raising ZAR46 million and resulting in SGIH owning 19.9% of the Company;
  • Completion of an independent fair and reasonableness report by BDO Corporate Finance (WA) Pty Ltd in terms of the Agreement for the issue of an additional 33,333,333 new Ordinary Shares to SGIH, subject to shareholder approval, for ZAR40 million (approximately $2.4 million);
  • Securing of a R60 million (approximately $3.5 million) Standby Loan Facility (the Facility) from Dendocept (Pty) Ltd (Dendocept), a 1.5% shareholder in MC Mining; and
  • Available cash and facilities at quarter-end of $3.1 million ($3.0 million at 31 March 2022) and restricted cash of $0.03 million.

Events subsequent to the end of the quarter

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  • MC Mining shareholders voted against the issue of the 33,333,333 new Ordinary Shares to SGIH and the Company will repay the R20 million ($1.2 million) already advanced by SGIH prior to the shareholder meeting, during August 2022; and
  • Marketing Agreement entered into with Overlooked, expiring on 31 December 2022, facilitates the export of at least 20,000t of API4 coal from Uitkomst on a monthly basis, allowing the Company to take advantage of international coal prices.

COMMENTARY

MC Mining's flagship Makhado Project's favourable economics were confirmed in the BFS completed by Minxcon (Pty) Ltd (Minxcon) during the quarter. The development of Makhado is expected to deliver positive returns for shareholders and could position the Company as South Africa's preeminent hard coking coal (HCC) producer. The BFS confirms the project's robust economics and is a key milestone in the funding process. The Company is progressing several alternative strategies to raise the required funding with a target date to conclude the requisite financing during Q3 CY2022

The BFS is based on the project plan with the lowest capital cost options and results in Makhado's ROM coal being transported to the Vele Colliery for processing for the entire life of mine. The project has an estimated capital cost (including contingencies) of R625 million (approximately $41.7 million), a peak funding requirement of R727 million (approximately $48.5 million), and is expected to create an estimated 650 permanent employment positions (including contractors) when at steady state production. The BFS confirmed that Makhado has a short expected construction period of 12 months, positioning the project to take advantage of the short-term forecasted higher global coal prices.

Uitkomst Colliery - Utrecht Coalfields (70% owned)

No LTIs were recorded during the quarter (FY2022 Q3: one LTI).

The invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and subsequent sanctions against Russia exacerbated the global energy shortage leading to international thermal coal prices attaining record highs. The increase in coal prices were not accepted by the South African domestic coal market. As a result of ongoing

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major maintenance and the high coal prices, Uitkomst did not receive any orders during the quarter from its largest customer.

The Company continued its assessment of alternative coal marketing strategies for Uitkomst during the quarter, including the trial production of a higher quality, low ash coal for the smaller but more stable international pulverized coal injection (PCI) market. However, the continued demand for API4 coal indicated that this is currently the most lucrative market for Uitkomst's coal and the colliery concluded the Marketing Agreement in July 2022, with this route to market secured until December 2022. As a result, the colliery will sell the majority of its coal at higher international coal prices rather than floating and fixed price domestic prices.

The Uitkomst Colliery generated 119,005t of ROM coal during the quarter, a decline of 7% (Q4 FY2021: 127,929t) resulting from challenging geological conditions experienced. Sales of high-grade peas and duff of 28,360t (Q4 FY2021: 84,834t) with sales volumes in the comparative Q4 FY2021 were augmented by the sale of coal carried over from the preceding quarter. Uitkomst had 22,169t (Q4 FY2021: 0t) of API4 quality coal at the Durban port at the end of the quarter, and a further 15,534t (FY2021 Q4: 4,553t) of at the colliery, compared to 8,373t at the beginning of the quarter. In addition, the colliery also sold 5,766t of high ash middlings coal during the quarter (FY2021 Q4: 6,024t).

The average API4 prices for the three months to 30 June 2022 were $315/t compared to $105/t in Q4 FY2021. Uitkomst's sales include lower value middlings coal as well as sales under fixed price arrangements and the volumes of these sales were reduced in July 2022 when the offtakes were renegotiated. The stockpiling of high grade export coal adversely affected the composition of Uitkomst's sales mix resulting in revenue per tonne being marginally higher than the comparative period in South African rand terms (R1,238/t vs. R1,201/t). However, exchange rate movements resulted in average revenue per tonne decreasing in US dollar terms ($80/t vs. $85/t in Q4 FY2021). The 67% decline in sales of premium quality ROM coal products as well as increased maintenance, particularly underground mining equipment, resulted in production costs per saleable tonne being higher than the comparative period (FY2022 Q4: $108/t vs. FY2021 Q4: $57/t) and the decision to stockpile coal for sale on international markets.

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Quarter to

Quarter to

end-Jun

end-Jun

2022

2021

%

Production volues

Uitkomst ROM (t)

119,005

127,927

(7%)

Inventory volumes

High quality duff and peas at site (t)

15,534

4,553

241%

High quality duff and peas at port (t)

22,169

-

100%

37,703

4,553

728%

Sales tonnages

High quality duff and peas (t)

28,360

84,834

(67%)

Middlings sales (t)

5,766

6,024

(4%)

34,126

90,858

(62%)

Quarter financial metrics

Revenue/t ($)

80

85

(6%)

Revenue/t (ZAR)

1,238

1,201

3%

Production cost/saleable tonnes ($)^

108

57

91%

^ costs are all South African Rand based

Makhado Hard Coking Coal Project - Soutpansberg Coalfield (67% owned)

The favourable economics of MC Mining's flagship Makhado Project were confirmed in the BFS completed by Minxcon. The development of Makhado is expected to deliver positive returns for shareholders and could position the Company as South Africa's pre-eminent HCC producer. The Company subsequently mandated Minxcon to expand the BFS to include alternative development plans to enhance value. These include, amongst others, the moving of the Vele coal processing plant (CPP) to Makhado or the construction of a new CPP at Makhado, and this additional work on the BFS is ongoing. A further announcement is expected to be made in the coming weeks.

Vele Semi-Soft Coking and Thermal Coal Colliery - Limpopo (Tuli) Coalfield (100% owned)

The Vele Colliery remained on care and maintenance during the quarter and recorded no LTIs during the period (FY2022 Q3: two LTIs). The base case assessed in the Makhado BFS assumes the Vele processing plant will be refurbished and recommissioned as part of the development of the Makhado

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MC Mining Limited published this content on 29 July 2022 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 29 July 2022 09:24:08 UTC.