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Argonaut Gold Inc T.AR

Alternate Symbol(s):  T.AR.DB.U | ARNGF

Argonaut Gold Inc. is a gold producer with a portfolio of operations in North America. The Company’s operating mines include Florida Canyon, Magino, La Colorada and San Agustin. The Florida Canyon Gold Mine area is situated in northwestern Nevada within the Basin and Range physiographic province. The Magino mine property is a past producing underground gold mine located 40 kilometers (km) northeast of Wawa, Ontario, approximately 14 kilometers southeast of the town of Dubreuilville. The property consists of seven patented mining claims, four leased mining claims and 69 unpatented mining claims totaling 2,204.495 hectares. The past producing La Colorada gold-silver mine property is located approximately 40 km southeast of Hermosillo, Sonora State, Mexico. The San Agustin property consists of four mineral claims totaling 1,065 ha and is located in the northern San Lucas de Ocampo Mining District.


TSX:AR - Post by User

Comment by Sclarda2on Mar 27, 2024 9:33pm
135 Views
Post# 35957034

RE:RE:Life..

RE:RE:Life..
Lifexprt wrote: Hey Argo, thanks for chiming in but I will hold at least until the deal closes. Firstly because my investment is now tied to Alamos shares and will track their price at a 54 to 1 ratio. Secondly I am not discounting a competitive bid from another major resulting in a sweetened offer from Alamos. Thirdly in my opinion without considering mexican assets, Florida Canyon is worth far more than $60 million, which is the valuation of spinco. Personally would have preferred to see this through under Argonaut but in reality Alamos paid $516 million US for Magino alone when you include debt and buying out hedges. $60 million for a producing mine (70k oz) in Nevada is not the going rate with gold above $2,200. 



You might want to look at this years guidance. Florida Canyon is expected to produce aprox. 65k ounces with an AISC cost average of around $2400. per ounce. If you take out the capex of aprox. $30 million or aprox  $450 per ounce out it still leaves. AISC of aprox. $1950. That is a slim profit margin.

Magino on the other hand will have an AISC of aprox.  $1725 on aprox 120k of production. Take out the aprox. $60 million in Capex for the year and AISC drops by aprox.  $500 per ounce to aprox. bringing AISC down to aprox.  $1225. When they get Magino up to 250k  production for relatively little money AISC  should be near $1000 per ounce.  When that happens Alamos will be making aprox,  $300 million US on their Magino purchase with huge resources good for 20 plus years with a lot more to be found and Florida Canyone will be limping along with aprox.  $17.5 miion US per year in profits with a much smaller resource base and much lower grade. 

So if Magino is worth according to you  $US 516 and we add this years Capex plus expansion costs of lets say aprox. $180 million  US we are up to aprox.  $700 million US cost of Magino for aprox. $300 million US in profits per year.  In comparison Floriday Canyon with aprox.  6%  of Maginos profits would be valued on an equal basis at aprox. $42 million US or aprox. $55 million Cdn. 

In conclusion Alamos didnt want the garbage of Mexico or Florida Canyon. They new the prize was Magino. And being right next to them they will also save a bundle uon synergies making their $700 million US investment in Magino return them at least $350 Million  US per year in profits for a  nice 50% return while Long suffering AR shareholders get the shaft.

Alamos are vultures for sure. With a $7.5 billion market cap. they could have offered 50 cents for each AR share costing them like another 2% dillution to their shares. They saw how desperate AR was and took full advantage. Hopefully a bit of karma comes to them one day.

On the other hand other major gold miners can do the numbers i have a lot better than me and i am sure that a 250k low cost producer in a safe jurisdiction with a brand new mine and huge relatively rich resources  may be of interest to them. 

What would be a fair price for a mine that when expanded should produce aprox.  $300 million US or aprox.  $390 million Cdn. per year in profits?  Lets assume a $1 billion purchase price by a major or around $1 per AR share.  This years Capex should be taken care of by this years Magino profits. So lets add another $100 million for expansion.  That would bring the total  cost to a purchaser  or aprox. $1.1 billion Cdn.  For a mine that will produce aprox.  $390 million Cdn. for the next 20 plus years likely a lot more.  That still equals an aprox. 35% return if they buy each AR share for $1

No guarantees but i would not be surprised if other mid tier or major gold miners are burning the midnight oil working on another offer because projects like this with a brand new large mill and huge resources in a safe country for pennies on the dollar dont come along everyday. 

Heres to hoping for a bidding war. 

Good luck to all.

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