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TITANIUM SANDS LIMITED — AGM Information 2008
Nov 25, 2008
65956_rns_2008-11-25_aced65c6-90e3-48ed-a7f8-8aeada9d902b.pdf
AGM Information
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26 November 2008
Company Announcements Office Australian Stock Exchange Limited Exchange Plaza Sherwood Court PERTH WA 6000
Dear Sir / Madam
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Please find attached the Chairman’s address and a presentation by the Managing Director, Dr Iain Scott, both of which will be delivered to shareholders at today’s annual general meeting.
The meeting is being held at 2.00 pm at the Celtic Club, 48 Ord Street, West Perth.
Yours faithfully WINDIMURRA VANADIUM LIMITED
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MATTHEW LILLY Company Secretary
Windimurra Vanadium Ltd ABN 65 009 131 533 MidWest Vanadium Pty Ltd ABN 65 113 874 712 Level 4, 76 Kings Park Road, West Perth, Western Australia 6005 Tel: +61 8 9423 1900 Fax: +61 8 9423 1999
WINDIMURRA VANADIUM LIMITED ABN 65 009 131 533
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CHAIRMAN’S ADDRESS
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
26 NOVEMBER 2008 AT 2.00PM PERTH TIME
Chairman’s Address
The past 12 months have been a challenging period, but one of significant development for Windimurra Vanadium.
Against the backdrop of a global financial crisis, the Windimurra project has progressed to the goal of commencing production in the first quarter of 2009. Production is anticipated to grow to seven per cent of world vanadium production once the mine is in full production. This will position Windimurra Vanadium as a world-class mine.
We have delivered a number of major milestones in the past year.
Mining commenced in November following approval of a mining proposal by the Department of Industry and Resources.
Construction and operational readiness is well advanced with the majority of service and supply contracts in place. Power and gas are expected to be commissioned during December, and crushing will commence early in 2009.
The project has experienced some construction delays but we remain confident to commence commissioning in the first quarter of 2009 and progressively ramp-up ferrovanadium production in the second quarter of 2009.
Our in-fill drilling program has continued to better define mineral resources at depth. Drilling identified a much deeper measured and indicated resource base for the central deposit area, resulting in an increase in the Mineral Resource from 149mt to 176mt at 0.46% V2O5. This has also translated to a deeper reserve, from the original 80m to a 150m depth viable pit design, increasing total reserves in this area by 44%.
The project has a mine life of 20 years, with significant potential for further expansion of resources.
There is a funding requirement for working capital during the production ramp-up in 2009. The Company is engaged in ongoing discussions with a number of parties regarding debt and equity options to meet this requirement.
There are currently 350 on-site construction personnel. In the lead-up to production, the Company has appointed most senior operational roles, with personnel actively engaged in operational readiness planning. From March 2009, it is anticipated that 200 people will be employed by Windimurra either directly or through our contractors.
Further depth has been added to the Windimurra Board with the appointment of Phillip Laskaris and Nicholas Morland, adding to an experienced and well-rounded Board.
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Chairman’s Address
Market outlook
Although steel demand in developed countries has been impacted by recent events, demand for steel and vanadium from developing countries, including China, is forecast to continue to show strong growth, particularly over the medium term. Recently-announced steel production cuts by mills that also produce vanadium from slag is expected to moderate vanadium supply. Supply has also been impacted in the key South African market by power supply shortages.
Windimurra has sold all of its production to Hong Kong’s Noble Group. This off-take agreement includes a floor price guarantee of which the Noble Group has agreed to pay the higher of market price or the cost of production. This is expected to provide support during production ramp-up before Windimurra reaches its full production volume and provides assurance for shareholders in current market circumstances.
Although US$ vanadium prices have reduced in line with the reduction in iron ore and steel prices, this reduction has been offset by the concurrent, significant weakening of the Australian dollar.
On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank our shareholders for taking the time to attend today’s AGM. I would also like to record my appreciation of the ongoing support the Board has received from all of our shareholders, without whom the project would not be where it is today.
We look forward to standing here next year and reporting on Windimurra’s success as a world-class producer of vanadium.
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AGM Presentation - November 2008
This presentation should not be relied upon as a representation of any matter that a potential investor or their adviser should consider in evaluating the Company. Potential investors must make their own independent assessment and investigation of the matter contained herein and should not rely on any statement or the adequacy or accuracy of the information provided. The Company and its related bodies corporate or any of its directors, agents, officers or employees do not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to or endorsement of the Company, the accuracy or completeness of any information, statements or representations contained in the presentation, and they do not accept any liability whatsoever (including in negligence) for any information, representation or statement made in or omitted from this presentation.
This document contains certain forward looking statements which involve known and unknown risks, delays and uncertainties not under the Company’s control which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from the results, performance or expectations implied by these forward looking statements. The Company
Introduction
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Project Overview
Windimurra Key Points
Attractive industry
dynamics
High quality Reserve base
Expansion potential
Will be a low cost
producer of vanadium
Off-take marketing
Agreement with Noble
Advanced construction
Reduced operating risk
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Project Execution
Development Time Line
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Beneficiation
starts
Vanadium
Gas & Power
Mining available processing starts
commenced
Production
Crushing ramp-up
1 [st ] Blast
commissioning
Aug 08 Sep 08 Oct 08 Nov 08 Dec 08 Q1 09 Q2 09
Commissioning Production ramp-up
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Overall project - 90% complete at end October
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Windimurra Vanadium
Overall Progress Curve
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
Plan
30% Actual
F'cast
20%
10%
0%
Jun-07 Jul-07 Aug-07 Sep-07 Oct-07 Nov-07 Dec-07 Jan-08 Feb-08 Mar-08 Apr-08 May-08 Jun-08 Jul-08 Aug-08 Sep-08 Oct-08 Nov-08 Dec-08 Jan-09 Feb-09 Mar-09 Apr-09
Plan 0% 1% 1% 10% 15% 20% 25% 28% 32% 40% 51% 62% 70% 76% 85% 92% 97% 98% 99% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Actual 0% 1% 1% 10% 12% 15% 19% 21% 26% 32% 43% 53% 61% 71% 79% 85% 88%
F'cast 88% 92% 95% 97% 99% 100% 100%
Jun-07 Jul-07 Aug-07 Sep-07 Oct-07 Nov-07 Dec-07 Jan-08 Feb-08 Mar-08 Apr-08 May-08 Jun-08 Jul-08 Aug-08 Sep-08 Oct-08 Nov-08 Dec-08 Jan-09 Feb-09 Mar-09 Apr-09
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Note: Progress calculation based on earned manhour expenditure for engineering
Remaining contracts to manage
Vanadium Refinery
Spent and Committed funds
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Structural & Mechanical
Electrical & instrumental
100%
Other
80%
Tailings Dam construction
60%
Significant cost pressures
40%
Schedule slippage
20%
Claims (steel price) Spent & Committed
Spent
0%
Oct Nov Dec- Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec-
07 08
Value (%)
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$7M contingency within $67M
Date
Vanadium refinery completion is on the critical path due to… Delayed regulatory approval of mining proposal Late delivery of equipment packages
Removal of SMP contractor
Recovery initiatives
Employed GR Engineering Services to drive construction activity With MRL, optimise utilisation of construction labour Agreed construction strategy with electrical contractor Ramp up construction workforce and accommodation
Cash conservation measures
Reduction in non essential project personnel
Renegotiation of commercial terms with key suppliers
Mining Catering Beneficiation
Working Capital
Seeking to implement a capital raising in early 2009 Information Memorandum prepared Discussions initiated with major shareholders
Project Overview
176 million tonnes of Resource @ 0.46% V2 O5
20 year mine life Significant expansion potential Low risk mining Ore blended to achieve average oxidised:fresh ratio of 20:80 First blast 3 November 2008
First Blast November 2008
Production using conventional methods and technology
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Operating Costs
50% of costs fixed under contract
Key Operating Cost Breakdown
Fixed rate Contract Beneficiation – 10 year contract signed
Fixed rate Soda Ash – 5 year plus 5 year contract signed Fixed rate Gas – 3 year plus 3 year contract signed Equipment leases - Camp, power station and mining fleet
Consumption rates and labour numbers based on previous
Noble owns 10% of project and 2.4% of WVL – interests are aligned
Noble a global commodity leader
Investment grade credit rating World’s largest non-producing supplier of iron ore Strong relationships with Chinese steel mills 100% of production sold on take and pay basis for life of mine Cash cost of production guaranteed during first 7 years Noble assumes customer credit risk Payment to Windimurra on delivery FOB Fremantle
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Vanadium Industry Overview
Attractive Industry Dynamics
Global Steel Demand (FeV)
Aerospace Production (V2 O5 )
87% of vanadium (FeV) is used in high performance steels
Gas and oil pipelines, pressure vessels
Structures (bridges, buildings)
Shipbuilding and heavy machinery Transport and automotive
Vanadium represents between 0.05% and 0.15% of alloy steels
10% of vanadium (high purity pentoxide - V2 O5 ) is used in titanium alloys
Titanium alloys contain 4 - 6% vanadium
Titanium alloy required for new generation aircraft
Airframes, components and engines
Strong demand for new
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Current Vanadium Supply
Primary Production 29%
Magnetite ore processed for extracting vanadium
Co-production 56%
Vanadiferrous magnetite ore processed for iron-making, with slag containing vanadium produced as a by-product of steelmaking
Secondary Production 15%
Recover vanadium from vanadiferrous wastes such as fly ash, oil residues or spent catalysts
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Secondary
Production
15% Primary Production
29%
Co-Production
56%
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20000
18000
16000
14000
12000
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
'000 tonnes V contained
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China Sth Africa Russia USA Austria Australia
Sources: CRU Strategies, Windimurra internal
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FeV Producer Relative Cost Curve
2.50
2.00
1.50
1.00
0.50
0.00
0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000 40,000 45,000 50,000 55,000 60,000
tonnes of Vanadium contained
Windimurra Vanadium - well positioned on the global cost curve
Windimurra (Aus) 5,500t
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Price weakness offset by exchange rate
Conclusion
Summary
Attractive industry dynamics
High quality, strategically located Reserve base capable of significant expansion
Will be a low cost producer of vanadium
Off-take marketing agreement
Advanced construction and reduced operating risk
Contacts
Dr Iain Scott Managing Director
Ph: +61 8 9423 1900 Fax: +61 8 9423 1999 E-Mail: [email protected]
Garry Korte Finance Director
Ph: +61 8 9423 1910 Fax: +61 8 9423 1999
E-Mail: [email protected]