Aldershot Resources (TSX:V ALZ.H, Forum) is a Vancouver-based miner who just welcomed previous CEO Jeremy Caddy, back into the fold as the company’s new CEO. Like many mining juniors, Aldershot felt the bite of the commodity pricing slump, but the company is being remade under the guidance of Caddy to take advantage of the recent gold rally that began back in January. It was for this reason that Stockhouse writers sat with Caddy to get a peek under the hood of Aldershot and what lies in store for investors.
So Jeremy, for the uninitiated, would you briefly describe Aldershot Resources?
Aldershot Resources is a gold miner, explorer and developer focusing on the prolific and storied Abitibi Greenstone Belt with its flagship Haultain Gold Project which is located west of the Gowganda Silver Camp and east of the Juby Gold Project on the Ridout Fault Zone.
What drew you out of retirement to take the helm at Aldershot?
I met with the other Vancouver director, Ian Adam, in the street and he asked me to come to the AGM. This was before Christmas. When I get there, the CEO had arrived yet and there were only four people in the room. One was the scrutinizer from Computershare, the lawyer, then Ian and myself. We made a quorum. It turned out that the main shareholder, which is an Australian company called Royal Resources, hadn’t bothered to vote on anything. I thought that was very peculiar and not right. I called my buddies in Australia as we share a CFO, Frank DeMarte, with Royal Resources. I told him the Royal people show less than no interest in Aldershot. Then I suggested that I re-take the wheel and see what I could do with the company. Royal Resources had about 13 million of the approximately 32 million shares available at that time. We are finalizing a transaction where I am buying out Royal and Aldershot’s debt to them.
What previous experiences and skills are you bringing to the party that will help propel Aldershot forward?
I’m a forty-year veteran of the mining and mineral sector, and have been the CEO of Aldershot once already. I have a good knowledge of public markets, and have a long and successful track record for raising capital. I know gold and well-used to developing gold projects, but I would have to say being a serial entrepreneur is probably the main skill; being able to recognize an opportunity and work out how to best take advantage of that opportunity.
You personally visited the company’s flagship Haultain Gold Project this month. What was your impression of Haultain?
The main road runs within one kilometre of Haultain, making the project easily accessible. The property is located just east of Gowganda, a small community of about 20,000, which is perfect for housing drillers and geologists. This following video really encapsulates my thoughts on Haultain.
What other projects in Aldershot’s portfolio should investors be aware of?
If I told you, then I would have to kill you. Perhaps the best thing to say here at the moment is that Aldershot is examining the possibilities and as soon as something reaches material stage, we will publicly and formally inform the community.
What can investors expect over the next year?
Obviously, we plan to close our recently announced private placement in the next three or four weeks. We’re doing six million ordinary units, consisting of a share and a two-year warrant. We’re also doing flow-through of 13 million at three cents. That will all bring slightly more than $500,000. Gross proceeds will go straight into drilling and surface exploration efforts at Haultain.
We are also updating the 2011 43-101 at Haultain to accurately reflect the current opportunity at the project. I think shareholders will agree when they see it, but I am sure that the results of our work this year will be decidedly impressive.
Of course, we need to get off the NEX and back on the Venture. I’ve paid the fees to get us on the Venture, all we need to do now is update the 43-101 and complete our financing.
How are the books?
With this next financing we will be able to easily push through to the end of the year while achieving all of our near-term exploration goals at Haultain. As it is we have an incredibly low burn rate, so I see no problem in achieving this.
What would you say to investors who might be considering Aldershot as an addition to their portfolio?
I met with an analyst at a mid-tier brokerage and he was impressed by Haultain. He did say it was a little early stage however he would monitor the project as it develops. It is not easy to get the attention of mining analysts and it says a lot about the prospects for Haultin that an analyst showed good interest in the project. With the improved Gold and Silver prices, companies that release good assays as part of a development exploration program are seeing their share prices rewarded.
With Transition Metals as the program operator, given their knowledge of the property and the work they have done on it to date, we are confident this year’s exploration program will return good results. I’m already 100% behind Aldershot and excited by the possibilities, but I think the fact we were able to generate so much interest with an institutional investor confirms there is something tangible to Haultain’s prospectivity. I think investors would be wise to keep us on their watch lists.
Where do you see Aldershot in the next five years?
As I said, if everything goes the way we think it will, there’s a strong probability we will have been bought out by not even a major, but a mid-tier gold producer. That is our exit strategy at present.
FULL DISCLOSURE: Aldershot Resources is a Stockhouse Publishing client.