I've compiled some valuable historical information on the Nymagee Copper Mine.
The information contained herein is primarily sourced from YTC Resources.
The Nymagee Copper Mine last operated in 1918, processing 422,000 tonnes at 5.8% cu;
In 1974 Cyprus Mining Corporation completed a resource estimate at the Nymagee Mine, based on a database of 50 drill holes (both surface and underground) and 472 underground channel samples completed on 30m spaced levels;
The resources reported are as follows:
Copper Lodes: 821,000t @ 2.3% Cu (values for Pb, Zn, Ag & Au not measured)
Lead-Zinc Lodes: 363,000t @ 0.5% Cu, 3.0% Pb, 7.0% Zn (Ag & Au not measured);
Ownership of the mine has changed at least four times since 1974;
YTC purchased an 80% interest in the Nymagee Copper Mine in Joint Venture with the Allegiance Parties (MMG and Ausmindex Pty Ltd);
On 22 November 2010, YTC increased it's ownership to 90% by meeting expenditure requirements as prescribed in the JV Agreement;
YTC currently has two drill rigs operating at full capacity at Nymagee, with results being report regularly - each fortnight for the past 6 weeks; and
The most recent results from the last 3 announcements include:
20m @ 3.9% Cu, 0.20g/t Au and 22g/t Ag from 452m, including 14m @ 5.1% Cu, 0.27g/t Au and 22 g/t Ag from 458m, including 6m @ 7.8% Cu, 0.6g/t Au and 41 g/t Ag from 465m as massive sulphide
9.0m @ 3.1% Cu and 19g/t Ag from 436m
19m @ 1.0% Cu from 361m, including 3m @ 3.5% Cu from 368m
5.5m @ 2.7% Cu and 21.2 g/t Ag from 392m
2.0m @ 0.3% Cu, 1.7% Pb and 6.6% Zn Ag from 426m
252m @ 0.25% Cu from 176m
11m @ 3.7% Cu and 15.7g/t Ag from 401m, including 5m @ 6.1% Cu and 27g/t Ag from 401m
15m @ 1.6% Cu and 7.2g/t Ag from 346m, including 6m @ 2.7% Cu and 9.2g/t Ag from 355m
These results, in my view will contribute substantially to a full JORC compliant resource inventory for Nymagee, expected to be released in the first quarter of calendar 2011.
The Nymagee Copper Mine project is icing on the cake for YTC. The company owns the Hera Project, which Nymagee is intended to form part of, once resource definition and final DFS works are completed in the current months.
To look at the economics of the stand alone Hera operation (not taking Nymagee into account) please visit here.
If the resource at Nymagee is increased by only a fraction from the 1974 estimate, it's Enterprise Value per pound relative to its Cu peers will be in the lowest quartile, and that ascribes zero value to Hera, which was acquired for $70 million only two years ago by its former owner.
Not bad for a company valued at $78 million, with $15 million in the bank (7.7 cents cash backing per share) and zero debt.
So much more to say, but we'll have to wait for another day.
All the best.
YTC Price at posting:
40.5¢ Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held