Increase in global uranium price to boost Letlhakane Uranium Mine
Business
As the world moves steadily away from fossil fuels for electrical power production and adopts clean nuclear as the best alternative, we will see the demand for large uranium deposits with significant upside in production such as the A-Cap Resources owned Letlhakane uranium project become an extremely important component of the nuclear builds.
Australian mining company, A-Cap Resources is excited about the large increase of new, better and upgraded uranium resource estimates from its continuing prospecting work at Letlhakane in the Central District, following the completion of a prospecting technical study completed during this year, the company CEO, Paul Thompson said in a statement.
A-Cap Resources is becoming well positioned in this important global demand. The company is reportedly now in a strong position to capitalize on a predicted increase in uranium price going forward as well as completing trial pits and pilot plant work as part of a bankable feasibility study to be completed in the first quarter of 2017. Construction of the mine is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2018.
An important catalyst aiding the expected increase in the uranium price increase is threefold, says A-Cap board chairman, Angang Shen. First, Japan is restoring nuclear reactors after the 2011 accident at Fukushima. Japan alone has an annual usage of 20 million pounds of uranium in its 54 nuclear reactors. Secondly, 66 new nuclear reactors are under construction worldwide, with 50% in Asia. Each reactor will use around 400 000 lbs of uranium per year.
Third, is the anticipated Chinese nuclear build offshore where China has also become the world leader in nuclear plant design and construction and is currently constructing or engaged in nuclear reactor supply contracts in South Africa, Kenya and the UK, with more expected later.
China accounts for two-thirds of all reactors under construction, while South Korea, Taiwan, Pakistan, India and Japan are building new ones. Vietnam, North Korea, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Thailand are all planning new ones.
It appears environmental concerns about uranium and its dangers involves a lot of misinformation because by comparison, coal burning is a 1800 technology that produces a lot of air pollution per kilogram of thermal coal for just 30 mega joules of energy when burnt . Yet you get 500 gigajoules of energy per kilo of uranium, which is over 10 000 more efficacious as a fuel and can be moved in tomorrow if the political will exist, says former A-Cap Resources CEO Andrew Tanks.
According to Shen, the Letlhakane uranium deposit is shallow, soft and amenable to inexpensive open pit mining using a mix of conventional and surface miners. Detailed studies have been completed to understand the effect of utilizing surface miners on the resource and understand the costs and productivity.
Extensive metallurgical test work has demonstrated excellent recoveries from acid leaching and supports a low cost heap leach processing route using solvent extraction to recover uranium. A drilling programme was completed in September 2014 focusing on shallow high-grade zones earmarked for early mining in the project life.
This drilling was designed to test the continuity and mine scale variability of mineralization in three main project areas: Kraken, Gorgon and Serule West, and to provide data for further resource modeling and mine planning. This drilling yielded excellent results and confirmed the presence and continuity of high grade mineralization within these areas.
Further metallurgical test work was completed to optimize the process design and provide geotechnical; geochemical and hydrological data for studies on heaps and waste products. Column leach tests of 2 and 4 meters were conducted at ANSTO labs in NSW, providing the basis for the Projects recoveries and processing costs.
On the other hand, the coal resources on our Bolau and Mea coal tenements add an extra dimension to A-Cap activities in Botswana. A maiden resource was announced at Bolau of sufficient tonnage to support a thermal power venture.
Discussions with third parties are currently underway to decide on the best way to progress these projects. The resource upgrade was completed using localized uniform conditioning (LUC) which takes into account mining and upgrade control selectively.
The drilling programme targeted the early optimized shekels which typically represent the earliest production potential and had highlighted some of the better uranium grade, which would be exploited early in the potential production.
The result of the drilling programme is said, increased confidence in these early production areas within Letlhakane, namely, Kraken, Gorgon South and Serule West. The total areas concerned covers 14 km long and 11 km wide and is divided into the aforementioned main prospecting areas.
The outcomes of the technical study that was disclosed to the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) on the 12th September 2015, utilized the findings of the 2012 mineral technical resource assessment and findings to determine the results.
“Following the assessment and review, the 2013 resource estimate was found to be unsuitable for mining optimization studies”. In comparison, new prospecting assessment method LUC revealed “a notable grade increase over prior resource estimations due to the incorporation of mining selectivity and the assessment of recoverable grade.
“This is a positive outcome for the economics of the Project and will be used as the basis of future mine schedules, optimizations and financial modeling”, says Thompson. The resources contain more tones and more grades in recoverable proportion.
This year has been one of the most unpredictable in the resource sector in recent memory, where not one or two commodities have dropped in value but almost all have severely declined, says Shen. Most of the company’s important work has been completed at the Letlhakane Unranium Project. An incredible amount of technical work has been completed on the project which has culminated in the submission to the government of Botswana of a mining license application in August 2015.
The company’s planned activities for the 2016 financial year will focus on planning, appraisals and the development of the Letlhakane Uranium Project. A-Cap has successfully secured the funding necessary to complete the feasibility work required for a Mining License Application for the Letlhakane Uranium Project through the financial support of its shareholders.
Following the completion of the feasibility work, the Mining License application was submitted to the Botswana Department of Mines in August 2015, consistent with the Company’s strategy of preparing the project for early development and production so that we can take full advantage of an expected recovery in the uranium market and the forecast increase in the price of uranium.
“We have been successful in securing the funding necessary to complete the feasibility work required for a mining license application for our Letlhakane Uranium Project”. The current price of uranium has been flat, but A-Cap fully expects the Uranium market to turn.
With Japan restarting their nuclear program, commencing with the Sendai No. 1 Reactor, coupled with an additional 66 new nuclear. A-Cap has positioned itself to have the project ready to take advantage of a forecast supply shortage and a rising uranium price.
The technical study required for the Mining License application comprehensively incorporated all of the work completed to date, providing a strong framework for the development of the project, based on shallow open pit mining and heap leach processing to produce up to 3.75 million pounds of U3O8 per annum over an 18 year plus mine life.
The results of the study indicate encouraging project economics in a rising uranium market and highlight a number of distinct advantages with competitive CAPEX and OPEX cost estimates.
The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) was completed and submitted to the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) in May 2015 in line with the Botswana Government requirements. All major infrastructures is in place with the project located adjacent to a main highway, railway line, national power grid with water supply already identified and permitted, and enabling capital costs to be kept to a minimum.
Shen says the Letlhakane Uranium Project is one of the world’s largest undeveloped Uranium Deposits. The Project lies adjacent to Botswana’s main North-South infrastructure corridor that includes a sealed all-weather highway, railway line and the national power grid, all of which make significant contributions to keeping the capital cost of future developments low.
In August 2015, A-Cap submitted the Mining License application for PL 45/2004 (Letlhakane) to the Botswana Department of Mines. The application was based on the results of a technical study and financial modeling.
The technical study was based on shallow open pit mining and heap leach processing to produce up to 3.75 million pounds of uranium per annum over a mine life of 18 years, incorporating the most up to date metallurgical results and process route, optimized mineral resources, mining, capital and operating costs developed by feasibility specialists in Australia and internationally.
The technical study confirms that the Project has the right mix of a good resource, low capital and operating costs and is well positioned to be taken into early production, reaping the benefits of projected shortfalls in supply in the uranium market and forecast rising uranium prices.
The outcomes of the technical study released to the market in September 2015 highlighted the following: Positive economics based on forecast uranium average contract price Initial construction CAPEX of US$351 million Initial working capital of US$40 million, Pre-tax NPV of US$383 million at a discount rate of 8% and IRR of 29% Operating costs of US$35/lb U3O8 over first 5 years, approximately $40/lb U3O8.
The Technical Study results and production targets reflected in this annual report are preliminary in nature as conclusions are drawn partly from indicated mineral resources and partly from inferred mineral resources. The Technical Study is based on lower level technical and economic assessments and is insufficient to support estimation of ore reserves or to provide assurance of an economic development case at this stage, or to provide certainty that the conclusions of the Technical Study will be realized.
There is a low level of geological confidence associated with inferred mineral resources and there is no certainty that further exploration work will result in the determination of indicated mineral resources or that the production target itself will be realized.
Business
Botswana’s household spending to reach P62.4Bn
The UK based research entity, Fitch Solutions Group recent forecasts indicate that household spending in Botswana could increase, following the recent decline in inflation.
In the recent statement Bank of Botswana Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) noted that headline inflation decreased significantly from 4.6 percent in June to 1.5 percent in July 2023, breaching the lower bound of the Bank’s medium-term objective range of 3 – 6 percent and added that the fall in inflation was mainly due to the dissipating impact of the earlier increase in domestic fuel prices in the corresponding period in 2022. “Furthermore, inflation fell on account of the downward adjustment in domestic fuel prices effected on June 21, 2023. Inflation is forecast at 1.2 percent for August 2023 and the MPC projects that inflation will remain below the lower bound of the objective range temporarily and revert to within the objective range from the first quarter of 2024 into the medium term.”
In the recent forecasts Fitch Solutions Group noted that easing food and transport costs are expected to support strong demand for goods and services over the second half of 2023 and 2024 and boost consumer spending. “Our outlook for consumer spending in Botswana over 2023 is positive, with downward food and transport price pressures supporting easing inflation over H223 and presenting tailwinds to spending. Over 2024, we believe the Bank of Botswana will begin its rate cutting cycle due to inflation returning to a downward trajectory over Q423 and Q124, driving spending over the year.”
According to the entity household spending is expected to grow by 5.1 percent. “We forecast real total household spending (2010 prices) will grow by 5.1% y-o-y over 2023, an acceleration from 4.8% y-o-y growth in 2022. This will take real total spending up to BWP62.4bn. We project the positive growth trajectory to continue over 2024, with consumer spending growing by 4.4% y-o y.”
Researchers from the entity indicated that inflation in Botswana has begun easing due to declining food and non-alcoholic drinks, as well as transport price pressures. “In June 2023 inflation slowed to 4.6% y-o-y in June 2023, down from 12.7% y-o-y in June 2022. We believe the lagged impact of central bank monetary policy will feed through to downward inflationary pressures over the remainder of H223 and into Q124, presenting tailwinds to spending. Our Country Risk team forecasts inflation to average 6.3% y-o-y over 2023, before ending the period at 4.2% y-o-y. Over 2024, inflation will average 4.1% y-o-y, returning to the central bank’s target rate of 3-6%.”
The researchers stated that 2023/24 national budget shows that around BWP15.0bn (USD1.15bn) will be allocated towards strengthening human capital and skills development in the country, while BWP10.3bn (USD792.3mn) will be allocated for health. “This decreases the need for consumers to pay for these services out of their wages. The effects that increasing level of investment by the government into skills development and improving the health of citizens on the disposable income outlook is threefold. Firstly, the investment decreases the need for consumers to pay for these services out of their wages, and thus boosts the level of disposable income. Secondly, citizens enter the workforce with a higher level of skills and can thus command a higher wage/salary, and thirdly, with improving levels of health and access to health services, workers are able to return to work quicker and overall this improves their wage prospects and the general productivity of the labour force. These factors will provide a boost to the longer-term employment outlook in Botswana.”
Fitch Solutions Group meanwhile noted that unemployment, high interest rates and income inequality is a key risk to the consumer outlook during the second half of 2023 and 2024. “High unemployment, elevated interest rates and persistent income inequality will, however, present downside risks to demand, limiting spending growth.”
The research entity noted that the level of unemployment in Botswana remains high, at 23.8% of the labour force in 2023 and added that this is slightly below the 24.1% average in 2022. “However, despite decreasing from a peak of 24.9% and 24.7% in 2020 and 2021 respectively, unemployment has not returned to the pre-pandemic level of 22.6% in 2019. Weak investments in agriculture and manufacturing will keep employment limited with low economic diversification and high-income inequality exacerbating the risk of social stability.”
Business
Troubled Minergy terminates mining contractor in turnaround strategy
Minergy Limited, the Botswana Stock Exchange listed mining company operating Masama Coal Mine in Medie near Lentsweletau, has decided to part ways with mining contractor Jarcon, the company announced on Tuesday.
In a circular to the market Minergy revealed that it has issued a notice to terminate its mining contract with Jarcon Opencast Mining Botswana (Pty) Ltd. In the notice, Minergy Coal will terminate the mining contract in 30 days.
The company, financial backed by state owned Mineral Development Corporation (MDC) and Botswana Development Corporation (BDC), said termination of the mining contract is “in line with the strategic intent of the Board of Directors and the financiers of Minergy, to stabilise operations and bring the business to sustainable profitability”.
During this transition period, arrangements have been made to ensure business continuity and minimal disruption in coal supply to clients, by inter alia using stock holdings available.
The market was further informed that the process of appointing a new mining contractor is at an advanced stage and a final decision will be communicated in due course.
Minergy operates a privately developed coal mine in Medie near Lentsweletau, the company has been facing financial challenges recently leading to operational slow down early this year due to unsettled debt to mining contactor. MDCB later came to the rescue, bailing out the company to ensure business continuity.
According to letters to employees dated 25 August 2023, seen by this publication, Jarcon, Masama’ s mining contractor has warned its employees of possible job cuts as Minergy financial challenges persists, citing reduction in demand for coal and fall in prices for the product.
Last week Minergy announced that Chief Technical Officer at Mineral Development Company Botswana Mr Matthews Bagopi has been seconded to Minergy Coal as interim lead following the resignation of Minergy Chief Executive Officer Mr. Morné du Plessis.
Minergy said du Plessis tendered his resignation to pursue other interests. Mr. du Plessis will however remain available and dedicated to Minergy during his notice period ending 30 November 2023.
Bagopi is tasked with ensuring augmented management capacity at the mine and ensure business continuity.
An alumnus of Camborne School of Mines, Mr. Bagopi is described as a seasoned mining professional with over 30 years of experience in the industry in various mining commodities, starting his career at graduate level and ascending to executive management.
Mr Bagopi has been instrumental and at the leading edge of developing coal markets for Botswana coal at Morupule Coal Mine in the region as well as internationally.
He brings forth a well-established network of strategic partnerships and collaborations in the industry, ranging from operations, technical, commercial and business development, projects development, having paved the path for the development of MCM corporate strategy, before joining the MDCB as Chief Technical Officer, overseeing technical aspects of MDCB’s mining investment.
Masama has capacity to produce 1.5 million tonnes of coal per year and is the smaller of two coal mines currently in operation in Botswana, the other being the state-owned Morupule Coal Mine, with 4.2 million tonne capacity.
Minergy’s latest annual report shows that as of June 2022, the company owed the mining contractor 79 million pula after a debt restructuring exercise. It also owed BDC 125 million pula and MDCB some 295 million pula.
Strong demand, mostly from Europe due to the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, drove Minergy’s exports up 53% in the half-year to Dec.31, boosting its earnings and helping it to reduce debt.
However, weakening coal prices and logistical challenges it faces when hauling coal from landlocked Botswana to export markets have impacted Minergy’s earnings.
Business
How Value-Based Care Can Revitalise HealthCare
Dr. Malebogo Kebabonye, Bomaid Chief Clinical Services Officer
The healthcare system is a crucial and yet fragile one, in any scenario we look at it within. The reality we face is an overburdened healthcare system, taking an even greater toll since the COVID-19 pandemic. The pressure gaps and issues we face are now clearer than ever before to see, and the time to act is now. At the same time, as we look at this healthcare crisis, we recognise it is not for Botswana alone to experience, not to solve – this is a global phenomenon we are seeing in many markets. But how are we solving for it? And is the onus on healthcare providers alone?
The concept of value-based healthcare is fast becoming a go-to, and with good reason. However, it is not new. Indeed, it has been around for some time and has been a primary focus for work delivered by, for example, the World Economic Forum (WEF) and even the World Health Organisation (WHO). Value-based care ties the amount health care providers earn for their services to the results they deliver for their patients and aims at promoting quality of care over the quantity of services. There is less focus on frequency of healthcare interventions or doctor visits, and rather, priority is placed on the quality of care and the progress experienced for the customer or patient. Ultimately, this approach improves overall health and wellbeing of the population and has proven effective in such markets as Kenya, the US, the UK, and in the public sector of Botswana.
According to the World Economic Forum, “The widely accepted definition of value in healthcare is the health outcomes that matter to patients relative to the resources or costs required to deliver those outcomes. Value-based healthcare is an approach that aligns industry stakeholders (payers, providers, pharma/MedTech and policymakers) around a shared objective of improving patient health outcomes, providing autonomy and accountability to providers to pursue the best way to deliver healthcare for the money spent. The transition from volume-based to value-based healthcare will inevitably lead to more healthy societies while optimising resources
As Bomaid, we have adopted the Value Based Care approach locally, it is in line with one of our key strategic pillars of improving holistic wellness which is patient centred and anchored in Primary Health Care. It helps better manage healthcare costs which are ultimately borne by customers through annual subscription increases and other out of pocket expenses, recognising that medical providers alone are not the only agents of change in this space – medical aid providers are crucial to supporting the wider ecosystem growth and betterment.
Patient centered care or personalised care, on the other hand, focuses on the individual’s particular healthcare needs. The goal of patient-centered healthcare is to empower patients to become active participants in management of their care. Core to the principles of patient centred care is personalisation and individual accountability towards one’s own health. Value-based healthcare focuses on maximising patient healthcare outcomes and harnessing resources to better deliver on this while reducing inequity in health outcomes and promoting high impact interventions. This is, ultimately, what Bomaid strives to do in working towards delivering, first things first, health, happiness and holistic wellbeing.
So how do we deliver on a value-based healthcare sustainably and meaningfully?
It begins with mindset, yes. But this is swiftly followed by many tangible factors too: the right systems; the right infrastructure; the right resources; The right regulatory environment. It means putting holistic patient wellbeing and health first, as well as removing inefficiencies that would otherwise result in cost burdens on patients, as well as unimproved health outcomes – always being ill, never seeing real recovery.
The WEF further notes, “This high-cost burden can, in part, be the consequence of inefficiencies in the healthcare system, such as fragmented and uncoordinated care delivery, poor data governance, workforce shortages and underinvestment in preventive care. The OECD estimates that up to 20% of healthcare spending across its member countries is unnecessary or ineffective. Accordingly, spending more doesn’t always lead to improved patient outcomes. So, addressing these inefficiencies would help reduce costs and make healthcare more equitable and accessible.”
As we strive for healthier, happier people across the nation, how do we help leverage value-based care to ensure better healthcare outcomes are the only acceptable result, and that we help ensure quality and relevant, appropriate healthcare is equitable, accessible, and inclusive?
It is not for us to suggest our approach is by any means a silver bullet, but it is one worth exploring, because the global results speak for themselves. Now, how do we collectively mobilise in recognition of the fact that some discomfort for the industry now means progress for our patients and customers? This, after all, remains our priority.
Aligned to the Botswana Government through the Ministry of Health strategic agenda for Primary Health Care Revitalisation, the time is now to refocus the Private Health Care system towards a value based care to create sustainability and resilience in our health sector as a country.
Dr. Kebabonye ( Bomaid Chief Clinical Services Officer) is a public health specialist who joined Bomaid in 2023 as Chief Clinical Services Officer. In this role, she is mandated to develop and implement clinical strategies and policies which support the business in providing healthcare solutions, finding access to affordable leading-edge healthcare and innovations. This works to help enable healthier, happier lives through proactive and preventative products to attract younger healthier clients, whilst still providing reactive rehabilitation healthcare solutions.