Maibwe venture remains stuck in BOD pipeline
The abrupt and controversial liquidation of BCL two years ago has not only affected those who benefited directly from it—a lot who did dealings with the moribund copper-nickel ore smelter like Botswana Diamonds (BOD) which got in an indirect partnership with the mine are apparently frustrated by an unfinished business of an exploration venture.
The BCL liquidation remains a stumbling block on Botswana Stock Exchange and London Stock Exchange listed BOD because it stands on the company’s exploration prospects on lucrative Maibwe Joint Venture which comes with ten licenses.
Maibwe is situated in the Gope area in the central region of Botswana.
The Maibwe Joint Venture is currently owned by BCL or BCL Investments which holds a lion’s share of 51 percent, Future Minerals holds 20 percent and BOD subsidiary Siseko has a stake of 29 percent. Siseko is 51 percent owned by BOD.
BOD is worried that it cannot get hold of its exploration project sooner that it promised its investors because the company that owns a major stake at Maibwe, BCL Limited or BCL Investments has been liquidated subsequently putting any business that could be done by Maibwe on a freezer.
Initially BCL had wanted to sell its 51 stake in Maibwe Joint Venture following its liquidation in 2016. BOD shown huge interest to buy the shares and team up with its subsidiary Siseko to get a huge chunk from Maibwe but the talks were halted as the BCL liquidator Nigel Dixon-Warren decided to play hard ball in order to get a better deal according to him.
In an interview with BusinessPost, Dixon-Warren also put clarity on the misconception that BOD has direct shares on Maibwe saying, “I do not know of any agreement between BOD and BCL on Maibwe.” The international media and other news websites had suggested in their reports that BOD directly owns Maibwe and has prospects to drill it as its own venture, but Dixon-Warren has not seen a legal bond between Maibwe and BOD. He told this publication that he is going to start by dealing with other shareholders first like Siseko, the BOD subsidiary.
“I am very careful about our Maibwe shares. I am still assessing the value of the shares and I have engaged experts to help me review our Maibwe shares, then I can take a consideration and see when it is fit to sell the shares,” said Dixon-Warren.
BOD is still adamant in getting BCL shares because it cannot do any drilling Maibwe according to BOD managing director John Campbell.
The BOD managing director told Mining Weekly last year that they are planning on buying out BCL because the project is currently in “suspended animation” due to high interest results recorded previously on Maibwe at the time the liquidated BCL was drilling the project. This year during a mining conference held in Botswana Campbell also concluded that, “we have put in an offer to the liquidator of BCL and we hope to get a response in the next few months.”
In a recent interview with BusinessPost Campbell also confirmed that BOD has no relationship with BCL or is a shareholder in the Maibwe Joint Venture. “BOD is a shareholder in Siseko, which is a shareholder in the Maibwe Joint Venture. I have been proposed as an alternative director to the Maibwe Jenture Venture by Siseko and a member of the technical committee. In my latter role, I have assisted the liquidator in drafting a prospectus on the Joint Venture which the liquidator is currently finalizing. BOD has no direct relationship with BCL or the liquidator aside from the roles I have already outlined,” said Campbell.
BOD DISCOVERS DIAMONDS ON THE RUINS OF ANGLO BOER WAR
BOD’s latest exploration update released this week says the company has recently found the potential of the Free State to host further commercial kimberlites. It further states that the discovery comes after extensive research which was done in various archives into the history of diamond mining in South Africa.
“This research found that in addition to the well documented iconic operations at Jagersfontein, Koffiefontein and Kimberley, a number of smaller diamond mines existed both to the east of Bloemfontein and extending west to Kimberley,” said the BOD website. What was more interesting about this latest discovery is that it was found around Frees State after a century old of lack of record keeping and documentation on diamonds following the Anglo Boer war of 1899-1902.
According to BOD, there was once a law that barred an exploration intention or information and documentation regarding any diamond discovery in the aftermath of the Anglo Boer war. BOD said this month their team of researchers took a field trip to the Free State and perused into the area which was affected by extensive document loss and destruction consequent to the Anglo Boer war of 1899-1902.
“In spite of this much is still available and there remains considerable anecdotal evidence from the time. It was clearly noted that the industry as a whole was active up until the early 1880's, but that "a wave of financial collapse and depression swept over South Africa…." such that …"even old established diggings like Jagersfontein, Dutoitspan and Bultfontein were partially abandoned and younger [smaller] mines were totally deserted",” said BOD when quoting the researcher’s report on the Free State project.
The BOD exploring specialist also found evidence that there were previous attempts to re-open these “smaller” mines in the early 1900's, but these were frustrated by bureaucratic intervention due to conflicting laws in the lead up to the accession by the Free State Colony into the Union of South Africa. According to BOD, the result was that permission to restart the mines was not granted, these mines have never been reopened, and their history lost with land ownership changes over time.
BOD accounts their latest exploration to their hi-tech ability of using aerial imagery and ground trothing to complete “the jigsaw” which has enabled the company to focus its attention on areas within its Koppiesfontein, Poortjie, Swartrandsdam and Tafelbergsdam properties where historic workings and abandoned equipment are clearly evident.
“Available archived diamond certificates in respect of limited exploration activities around Tafelsbergsdam issued in 1898 disclosed recovery of 111 carats of diamonds valued at approximate £93 each which is estimated by the Company to be in excess of US$300/ct in today’s money,” said BOD. The BOD believes it has done its homework on the research and exploration, with the help of high technology, it is ready for exploration.
BOD Chairman John Teeling, said: “The Free State story is a fascinating one. Starting from document archives from well over a hundred years ago where some of these kimberlites were diamond producers to modern exploration using whole rock geochemistry, kimberlite mineral chemistry through to detailed ground geophysics. The next step is clearly drilling to determine the kimberlites current commerciality. I look forward to providing further updates regarding the drilling programme in due course.”
Business
LLR transforms from Company to Group reporting
Botswana Stock Exchange listed diversified real estate company, Letlole La Rona Limited (“LLR” or “the Company” or “the Group”), posted its first set of group financial statements which comprise the Company and Group consolidated accounts, which show strong financial performance for the six months ended 31 December 2023, with improvements across all key metrics.
The Company commenced the financial year with the appointment of a Deputy Chairperson, Mr Mooketsi Maphane, in order to bolster its governance and enhance leadership continuity through the development of a Board and Executive Management Succession Plan.
At operational level, LLR increased its shareholding in Railpark Mall from 32.79% to 57.79% and proudly took over the management of this prime asset.
The CEO of LLR, Ms Kamogelo Mowaneng commented “During the period under review, our portfolio continued to perform strongly, with improvements across all key metrics as a result of our ongoing focus on portfolio growth and optimisation.
“We are pleased to report a successful first half of the 2024 financial year, where we managed to not only grow the portfolio through strategic acquisitions and value accretive refurbishments but also recycled capital through the disposal of Moedi House as well as the ongoing sale of section titles at Red Square Apartments. The acquisition of an additional 25% stake in JTTM Properties significantly uplifted the value of our investment portfolio to P2.0 billion at a Group level. Our investment portfolio was further differentiated by the quality of our tenant base, as demonstrated by above market occupancy levels of 99.15% and strong collections of above 100% for the period”.
The growth in contractual revenue of 9% from the prior year’s P48.0 million to the current year P52.2 million, increased income from Railpark Mall, coupled with high collection rates, has enabled the company to declare a distribution of 9.11 thebe per linked unit, which is in line with the prior year.
In line with its strategic pillars of ‘Streamlined and Expanded Botswana Portfolio’ as well as ‘Quality African Assets’, the Group continuously monitors the performance of its investments to ensure that they meet the targeted returns.
“The Group continues to explore yield accretive opportunities for balance sheet growth and funding options that can be deployed to finance that growth” further commented the CEO of LLR Ms Kamogelo Mowaneng.
Ms Mowaneng further thanked the Group’s stakeholders for their continued support and stated that they look forward to unlocking further value in the Group.
Business
Botswana’s Electricity Generation Dips 26.4%
The Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) has reported a significant decrease in electricity generation for the fourth quarter of 2023, with output plummeting by 26.4%. This decline is primarily attributed to operational difficulties at the Morupule B power plant, as per the latest Botswana Index of Electricity Generation (IEG) released recently.
Local electricity production saw a drastic reduction, falling from 889,535 MWH in the third quarter of 2023 to 654,312 MWH in the period under review. This substantial decrease is largely due to the operational challenges at the Morupule B power plant. Consequently, the need for imported electricity surged by 35.6% (136,243 MWH) from 382,426 MWH in the third quarter to 518,669 MWH in the fourth quarter. This increase was necessitated by the need to compensate for the shortfall in locally generated electricity.
Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (ZESCO) was the principal supplier of imported electricity, accounting for 43.1% of total electricity imports during the fourth quarter of 2023. Eskom followed with 21.8%, while the remaining 12.1, 10.3, 8.6, and 4.2% were sourced from Electricidade de Mozambique (EDM), Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), Nampower, and Cross-border electricity markets, respectively. Cross-border electricity markets involve the supply of electricity to towns and villages along the border from neighboring countries such as Namibia and Zambia.
Distributed electricity exhibited a decrease of 7.8% (98,980 MWH), dropping from 1,271,961 MWH in the third quarter of 2023 to 1,172,981 MWH in the review quarter.
Electricity generated locally contributed 55.8% to the electricity distributed during the fourth quarter of 2023, a decrease from the 74.5% contribution in the same quarter of the previous year. This signifies a decrease of 18.7 percentage points. The quarter-on-quarter comparison shows that the contribution of locally generated electricity to the distributed electricity fell by 14.2 percentage points, from 69.9% in the third quarter of 2023 to 55.8% in the fourth quarter. The Morupule A and B power stations accounted for 90.4% of the electricity generated during the fourth quarter of 2023, while Matshelagabedi and Orapa emergency power plants contributed the remaining 5.9 and 3.7% respectively.
The year-on-year analysis reveals some improvement in local electricity generation. The year-on-year perspective shows that the amount of distributed electricity increased by 8.2% (88,781 MWH), from 1,084,200 MWH in the fourth quarter of 2022 to 1,172,981 MWH in the current quarter. The trend of the Index of Electricity Generation from the first quarter of 2013 to the fourth quarter of 2023 indicates an improvement in local electricity generation, despite fluctuations.
The year-on-year analysis also reveals a downward trend in the physical volume of imported electricity. The trend in the physical volume of imported electricity from the first quarter of 2013 to the fourth quarter of 2023 shows a downward trend, indicating the country’s continued effort to generate adequate electricity to meet domestic demand, has led to the decreased reliance on electricity imports.
In response to the need to increase local generation and reduce power imports, the government has initiated a new National Energy Policy. This policy is aimed at guiding the management and development of Botswana’s energy sector and encouraging investment in new and renewable energy. In the policy document, Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security Lefoko Moagi stated that the policy aims to transform Botswana from being a net energy importer to a self-sufficient nation with surplus energy for export into the region. Moagi expressed confidence that Botswana has the potential to achieve self-sufficiency in electric power supply, given the country’s readily available energy resources such as coal and renewable sources.
Business
MMG acquires Khoemacau in a transaction valued at P23Bn
MMG Limited, the Hong Kong-based mining company specializing in base metals, has successfully concluded the acquisition of Khoemacau Copper Mine, a state-of-the-art, world-class copper asset nestled in the northwest of Botswana.
On Monday, MMG announced that the acquisition of Khoemacau Mine in Botswana was finalized on 22nd March 2024. “This acquisition enriches the company’s portfolio with a top-tier, transformative growth project and signifies a monumental milestone in the Company’s journey,” MMG communicated in an official statement published on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
Upon completion of the acquisition, MMG remitted to the Sellers an Aggregate Consideration of approximately US$1,734,657,000 (over P23 billion), a sum subject to potential adjustments post-Completion.
In addition to the Aggregate Consideration, MMG, in accordance with the Agreement, advanced an aggregate amount of approximately US$348,580,000 (over P4.5 billion) as the Aggregate Debt Settlement Amount, to settle certain debt balances of the Target Group (Cuprous Capital/Khoemacau).
On November 21, 2023, Khoemacau announced that the shareholders of its parent company [Cuprous Capital] had agreed to sell 100% of their interests to MMG Limited.
MMG is a global resources company that mines, explores, and develops copper and other base metals projects on four continents. The company is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, and has a significant shareholder, China Minmetals Corporation, which is China’s largest metals and minerals group owned by the Government of the People’s Republic of China.
On December 22, 2023, Khoemacau Copper Mining (Pty) Ltd received the approval from the Minister of Minerals and Energy of Botswana regarding the transfer of a controlling interest in the Project Licenses and Prospecting Licenses associated with the Khoemacau Copper Mine, a result of the Acquisition.
The Botswana Competition & Consumer Authority (CCA) on January 29, 2024, notified the market that it had given its approval for the takeover of Khoemacau Copper Mining by MMG Limited.
On January 29, 2024, the CCA issued a merger decision to the market, stating that after conducting all necessary assessments, it was ready to proceed.
The Competition Authority affirmed that the structure of the relevant market would not significantly change upon implementation of the proposed merger as the proposed transaction is not likely to result in a substantial lessening of competition, nor endanger the continuity of service in the market of mining of copper and silver ores and the production, and sale or supply of copper concentrate in Botswana.
Furthermore, the CCA stated that the proposed merger would not have any negative impact on public interest matters in Botswana as per the provisions of section 52(2) of the Competition Act 2018.
Earlier this month, Minister of Minerals & Energy, Lefoko Maxwell Moagi, informed parliament that his Ministry was endorsing the Khoemacau acquisition by MMG Limited. He noted that not only was the company acquiring the existing operation but also committing to an expansion program that would cost over $700 million to double production, create more jobs for Batswana, and increase taxes and royalties paid to the Government.