RNS Number : 8968F
Ormonde Mining PLC
27 September 2024
 

27 September 2024                                                                                                                        

 

Ormonde Mining plc

("Ormonde" or the "Company")

 

Interim Results for the Six Months Ended 30 June 2024

 

Ormonde Mining plc (AQSE: ORM), a natural resources company with investment exposure to outstanding gold and battery metal exploration assets in Newfoundland and Scotland, announces its unaudited interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2024.

 

Highlights (year to date):

 

·    Significant developments at 36.3%-owned TRU Precious Metals ("TRU")

TRU entered into a definitive option agreement in July 2024 with Eldorado Gold Corporation (TSX:ELD, NYSE: EGO) ("Eldorado") granting Eldorado the exclusive option to earn an 80% ownership interest in the Golden Rose project through a multi-year C$7 million work programme and C$8.25 million in cash payments to TRU

Appointment of Steve Nicol, Ormonde director, as CEO of TRU in August 2024

High value M&A activity of neighboring project to TRU's Golden Rose project with Calibre Mining (TSE: CXB) C$345 million acquisition of Marathon Gold in January 2024

TRU published plans in April 2024 for copper-focused exploration programme at Golden Rose (commenced July 2024)

 

·    Continued progress at Rodburn Project in Aberdeenshire, Scotland owned by Peak Nickel Limited ("PNL") in which Ormonde holds a 19.2% equity interest with indications of significant size emerging

Results and outcomes of 2023 drilling programme (18 holes for 2,600 metres) were published on Peak Nickel's website in February 2024, with PNL describing Rodburn as the "UK's highest-grade nickel-copper-cobalt project"

2024 drilling programme commenced in August 2024, with PNL aiming to drill a minimum of a further 1,000 metres and up to 6,000 metres

Neighbouring project attracted significant investment in June 2024 from Central Asia Metals (AIM: CAML), illustrating the potential for nickel sulphide deposits in the area

·    Appointed Steve Nicol as Non-Executive Director in August 2024 - experienced mining executive with over 35 years' experience, including in operations management, mine evaluation and development roles, who also sits on the boards of Ormonde's investee companies TRU and PNL

Key Financials

·    Group loss for the six month period of €578K, of which €189K relates to TRU's non-controlled portion  of the loss (H1 2023 : Loss of €454K)*

·    Group net assets as at 30 June 2024 of €5.06million (31 December 2023: €5.45 million), including group cash and cash equivalents of €1.54 million (31 December 2023: €2.3 million)*

*By virtue of Ormonde controlling the operating activities of TRU since September 2023, under IFRS accounting standards and Ormonde's accounting policies, the Company has consolidated within these Financial Statements the results of TRU along with the relevant portion of TRU's assets and liabilities as at 30 June 2024.

 

The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement.

 

 

Enquiries:

 

Ormonde Mining plc

Brian Timmons, Chairman / Brendan McMorrow, CEO

Tel: +353 1 8014184

 

Vigo Consulting (Investor Relations)

Ben Simons / Fiona Hetherington

Tel: 44 (0)20 7390 0230

 

Peterhouse Capital (Aquis Corporate Adviser)

Tel: +44 (0)20 7469 0930

 

About Ormonde Mining

 

Ormonde is a natural resource company which provides its shareholders with exposure to quality and diverse assets across a range of strategic minerals. Ormonde's portfolio includes an initial 36.3% interest in TRU Precious Metals (TSXV: TRU), which is exploring for gold and copper in the highly prospective Central Newfoundland Gold Belt in Canada, and a 19.2% interest in Peak Nickel Limited, giving Ormonde targeted exposure to a high-grade battery metals project in the UK.

 

TRU is exploring for gold and copper in the highly prospective Central Newfoundland Gold Belt on its 100%-owned Golden Rose project, a regional-scale 264.25 km2 land package including 45 km of strike length along the deposit-bearing Cape Ray - Valentine Lake Shear Zone, directly between Calibre Mining's Valentine Gold Project and AuMEGA Metals' Cape Ray Gold Project. The Golden Rose Project is currently optioned-out to TSX-listed Eldorado Gold Corporation.

 

Peak Nickel's Rodburn Project in Aberdeenshire is in a tier one jurisdiction with indications of significant size. 

 

Ormonde's shares are quoted on the Aquis Stock Exchange Growth Market under the symbol AQSE: ORM.

 

For more information, visit the Company's website at www.ormondemining.com

 

Follow us on social media:

 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ormonde-mining-plc/

 

X: https://x.com/OrmondeMining

 

Subscribe to our email alert service to be notified whenever Ormonde releases news:

 

https://ormondemining.com/news/regulatory-news/#1469694747033-931e13b7-bd9d

 

 



 

Operational Review

 

Introduction

 

Ormonde offers investors exposure to outstanding gold and battery metal exploration assets, significantly undervalued in the Board's view, without being exposed to significant capital expenditure demands.

 
Ormonde's portfolio currently includes two strategic investments: an initial 36.3% in TRU Precious Metals (TSXV: TRU) ("TRU") (increasing to up to 46% if Ormonde's 3-year warrants are exercised), which is exploring for gold and copper in the highly prospective Central Newfoundland Gold Belt in Canada; and a 19.2% interest in Peak Nickel Limited ("PNL"), a private UK company advancing a high-grade battery metals project in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

 

TRU Precious Metals

 

TRU is exploring the Golden Rose project ("Golden Rose"), a large and highly prospective early-stage gold and copper prospect in Newfoundland, comprising a 297.5km2 land package, including 45km of strike length along the deposit-bearing Cape Ray-Valentine Lake Shear Zone.  

 

The Golden Rose project is directly flanked by Calibre Mining's Valentine Gold Project (acquired in January 2024 for C$345 million) to the northeast and AuMEGA Metals' Cape Ray Project to the southwest. Calibre Mining's Valentine Mine hosts resources of 5 million ounces of gold (measured, indicated and inferred). The Valentine Mine is currently under construction and is expected to be operational in Q2 2025, at which point it will be the largest gold mine in Atlantic Canada. Its owner has subsequently staked claims over new tenements also adjacent to Golden Rose. AuMEGA Metals' Cape Ray Project contains 0.6 million ounces of indicated and inferred gold resources.

The most significant developments with TRU occurred shortly after the period-end when, in July 2024, TRU entered into a definitive option agreement with the US$3.5 billion market cap company Eldorado Gold Corporation (TSX:ELD, NYSE: EGO) ("Eldorado") granting Eldorado the exclusive option to earn an 80% ownership interest in the Golden Rose project through a multi-year C$7 million work programme and C$8.25 million in cash payments to TRU. This was by any measure a huge endorsement of the potential for the project by a well-capitalised and experienced mid-tier producer which could yield considerable value for TRU, and Ormonde as its controlling shareholder, in the years ahead.

TRU has been designated as the operator of Golden Rose and remains the beneficial owner of any non-gold/copper discoveries. To that end, Ormonde was very pleased to note in August 2024, that TRU had appointed Steve Nicol as its CEO to drive its operations. Steve has an impressive mining career with over 35 years' experience, has brought a complex mine into commercial production and has advised Ormonde for many years in a technical capacity. Steve sits on the Boards of both TRU and PNL, in addition to becoming a non-executive director of Ormonde in August 2024.

In April 2024, TRU outlined its intention to carry out a copper-focused exploration programme this summer to assess the critical minerals potential associated with the deposit-bearing Cape Ray-Lake Valentine Shear Zone. The programme commenced in July 2024.

 

Peak Nickel Investment

 

PNL's Rodburn Project is an early-stage, nickel, copper, cobalt resource with indications of significant size in an emerging nickel sulphide district in Aberdeenshire, Scotland - a Tier 1 jurisdiction. It has a historical (non-compliant) resource of 3 million tonnes at 0.52% nickel and 0.27% copper which Ormonde's technical team believes there is very good potential to enlarge.

 

Having drilled some 2,600 metres in 2023, results and outcomes were published on PNL's website in February 2024, with PNL describing Rodburn as the "UK's highest-grade nickel-copper-cobalt project."

 

In June 2024, a neighbouring project held by Aberdeen Minerals which is only 50km east of Rodburn attracted a £3 million investment from Central Asia Metals (AIM: CAML), illustrating confidence in the potential for nickel sulphide deposits in the area. Aberdeen Minerals is exploring for nickel mineralisation in similar geological settings to that of PNL.

 

PNL commenced its 2024 drill programme in August 2024, aiming to drill a minimum of a further 1,000 metres.

 

Rodburn is exploring for nickel sulphide resources - which represent cleaner and less energy intensive sources of Class 1 (battery grade) nickel. Finding clean new nickel sources is critical for the global energy transition.

 

Spanish Gold Assets

 

Ormonde continues to hold two investigation permits prospective for gold located in the Zamora province in western Spain via a subsidiary. In light of the existing high gold price, Ormonde is currently evaluating these licences with a view to realising value from these interests. Discussions regarding the renewal of these investigation permits from the relevant Spanish mines department are continuing to progress.

 

On 3 October 2022, Ormonde completed the sale of its La Zarza assets in Spain for €2.3 million. To date, €1.3 million has been received with two further instalments of €500,000 each due on the second and third anniversaries of the completion date.

 

Financial Review

 

The Company reports a total comprehensive loss for the six months ended 30 June 2024 of €578,000 (H1 2023: loss of €454,000), with the increase reflecting the inclusion of TRU's non-controlling portion of the loss which amounted to €189,000.

 

Group net assets as at 30 June 2024 were €5.06 million (31 December 2023: €5.45 million), including Group cash and cash equivalents of €1.54 million (31 December 2023: €2.3 million).

 

Brian Timmons

Chairman

 



 

Ormonde Mining plc

Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income

Six months ended 30 June 2024

 

 

 

unaudited

unaudited

audited

 

6 Months ended

6 Months ended

Year ended


30-Jun-24

30-Jun-23

31-Dec-23


€000s

€000s

€000s

 

 

 

 

Turnover

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Administration expenses

(616)

(536)

(1,287)

 

______

______

______

Loss on ordinary activities

(616)

(536)

(1,287)

 

 

 

 

Finance costs

(2)

(2)

(3)

Other income/gains

58

84

1,627

 

______

______

______

Profit/Loss before tax for the period

(560)

(454)

337

 

 

 

 

Taxation on profit/(loss)

-

-

-

 

______

______

______

Profit (Loss) for the period after tax

(560)

(454)

337

 

 

 

 

Other comprehensive income

 

 

 

Other comprehensive income: Foreign exchange

(18)

-

21

 

______

______

______

Total comprehensive income (loss) for the period

(578)

(454)

358

 

 

 

 

Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to

 

 

 

Owners of the parent company

(389)

(454)

551

Non controlling interest

(189)

-

(193)

 

______

______

______

 

 

 

 

Earnings per share




from continuing operations




Basic & diluted (loss) per share (in cent)

(0.08)

(0.10)

0.12

Total earnings per share




Basic & diluted gain (loss) per share (in cent)

(0.08)

(0.10)

0.12

 

                                                                                                                                               



Ormonde Mining plc

Consolidated Statement of Financial Position

As at 30 June 2024

 

 

 

 

unaudited

unaudited

audited



30-Jun-24

30-Jun-23

31-Dec-23


Note

€000s

€000s

€000s

Assets

 




 

 




Non-current assets

 




Intangible assets


6,319

157

6,206

Trade and other receivables

5

414

784

399

Financial assets

4

1,233

656

1,172

 

 

_______

_______

_______

Total Non-Current Assets


7,966

1,597

7,777






Current assets

 




Trade and other receivables

5

597

540

663

Cash and cash equivalents


1,542

2,524

2,311



_______

_______

_______

Total current assets

 

2,139

3,064

2,974



_______

_______

_______

Total assets

 

10,105

4,661

10,751



_______

_______

_______

Equity & liabilities

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

Equity

 

 

 

 

Issued share capital

6

4,725

4,725

4,725

Share premium account

6

29,932

29,932

29,932

Share based payment reserve


281

281

281

Capital conversion reserve fund


29

29

29

Capital redemption reserve fund


7

7

7

Foreign currency translation reserve


3

0

21

Retained losses


(29,919)

(30,532)

(29,549)



_______

_______

_______

Equity attributable to the owners of the Company

 

5,058

4,442

5,446

 

 




Non controlled interests

7

4,844

0

5,034



_______

_______

_______

Total Equity

 

9,902

4,442

10,480






Current liabilities

 




Trade & other payables


203

219

271



_______

_______

_______

Total liabilities


203

219

271

 

 

_______

_______

_______

Total Equity & Liabilities

 

10,105

4,661

10,751



_______

_______

_______

 

 



Ormonde Mining plc

Consolidated Statement of Cashflows

Six months ended 30 June 2024

 

 

unaudited

unaudited

audited

 

6 Months ended

6 Months ended

Year ended


30-Jun-24

30-Jun-23

31-Dec-23


€000s

€000s

€000s

 

 

 

 

Cashflows from operating activities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Profit (Loss) for period before taxation

(560)

(454)

337


________

________

________


(560)

(454)

337

Adjustments for non cash items:




Foreign exchange gain/(loss) on translation

(18)

-

21

Negative goodwill

-

-

(886)

Fair value increase in investments

-

-

(585)

Fair value increase in receivables

(58)

(84)

(156)


________

________

________

 

(636)

(538)

(1,269)

Movement in Working Capital




Movement in receivables

109

74

89

Movement in liabilities

(68)

80

64


________

________

________

Net Cash used in operations

(595)

(384)

(1,116)

 

 

 

 

Investing activities

 

 

 

Expenditure on intangible assets

(113)

-

(143)

Expenditure on financial assets

(61)

(656)

(587)

Purchase of investments in subsidiaries

-

-

(2,053)

Cash acquired on purchase of TRU

-

-

2,146

Proceeds from disposal of assets held for resale

-

-

500


________

________

________

Net cash (used in) investing activities

(175)

(656)

(137)

 

 

 

 

Net (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

(769)

(1,040)

(1,253)

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

2,311

3,564

3,564

 

________

________

________

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

1,542

2,524

2,311


________

________

________

 


Ormonde Mining plc

Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity

Six months ended 30 June 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

Share based payment reserve

 

Foreign Currency translation reserve

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Share Capital

Share Premium

Other Reserves

Retained Losses

Total

Non Controlled Interests

Total Equity

 

€000s

€000s

€000s

€000s

€000s

€000s

€000s

€000s

€000s

 







 


 

At 1 January 2023

4,725

29,932

281

36

0

(30,078)

4,896

0

4,896

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loss for the period

-

-

-

-

-

(454)

(454)

-

(454)

 

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

Total comprehensive income for the period

0

0

0

0

0

(454)

(454)

0

(454)


______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

At 30 June 2023

4,725

29,932

281

36

0

(30,532)

4,442

0

4,442

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Profit for the period

-

-

-

-

-

983

983

(193)

790

Foreign exchange adjustments

-

-

-

-

21

-

21

-

21


______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

Total comprehensive income for the period

0

0

0

0

21

983

1,004

(193)

811








 


 

Acquisition of subsidiary

-

-

-

-

-

-

0

5,227

5,227


______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

At 31 December 2023

4,725

29,932

281

36

21

(29,549)

5,446

5,034

10,480

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loss for the period

-

-

-

-

-

(370)

(370)

(190)

(560)

Foreign exchange adjustments

-

-

-

-

(18)

-

(18)

-

(18)


______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

Total comprehensive income for the period

0

0

0

0

(18)

(370)

(388)

(190)

(578)

 

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

At 30 June 2024

4,725

29,932

281

36

3

(29,919)

5,058

4,844

9,902


______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

 



 


Notes to the Interim Consolidated Financial Statements

 

 

 

1.      Accounting policies and basis of preparation

 

Ormonde Mining plc is a company incorporated and domiciled in the Republic of Ireland. The Interim Consolidated Financial Statements for the six months ended 30 June 2024 comprise the Company and its subsidiaries (together referred to as the "Group"), and have not been audited or reviewed by the Company's auditors.

 

The Interim Consolidated Financial Statements do not include all of the information required for full annual financial statements and should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements of the Group as at and for the year ended 31 December 2023, which are available on the Company's website at https://ormondemining.com/. The audit opinion on the statutory financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2023 was unqualified.

 

The financial information in this report has been prepared using accounting policies consistent with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") as adopted by the European Union. IFRS is subject to amendment and interpretation by the International Accounting Standards Board ("IASB") and the IFRS Interpretations Committee and there is an ongoing process of review and endorsement by the European Commission. These policies are consistent with those to be adopted in the Group's consolidated financial statements for the year ending 31 December 2024. The accounting policies applied by the Group in the Interim Consolidated Financial Statements are the same as those applied by the Group in the consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2023.

 

The Directors have prepared the Interim Consolidated Financial Statements on the going concern basis which assumes that the Group and Company will have sufficient resources to continue in operation for the foreseeable future, being a period of not less than 12 months from the date of signing of these statements. The Directors have prepared cashflow forecasts for the twelve-month period to September 2025 and on that basis consider it appropriate to prepare the Interim Consolidated Financial Statements on the going concern basis. These statements do not include any adjustments that would result from the going concern basis of preparation not being adopted.

 

The unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements were approved by the Board of Directors on 26 September 2024.


 

 

2.      Segmental analysis

 

An analysis by geographical segments is presented below. The Group has geographical segments in Ireland, Canada, UK and Spain.

 

The segment results for the period ended 30 June 2024 are as follows:

 

 


Ireland

Canada

UK

Spain

Total

Total loss before tax for 6 months to 30 June 2024

€000s

€000s

€000s

€000s

€000s







Segment profit (loss) for period

(314)

(278)

0

32

(560)


______

______

______

______

______


(314)

(278)

0

32

(560)


______

______

______

______

______







Total profit before tax for year to 31 December 2023

€000s

€000s

€000s

€000s

€000s







Segment profit (loss) for period

(916)

585

585

83

337


______

______

______

______

______


(916)

585

585

83

337


______

______

______

______

______

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total loss before tax for 6 months to 30 June 2023

€000s

€000s

€000s

€000s

€000s







Segment (loss) for period

(431)

0

0

(23)

(454)


______

______

______

______

______


(431)

0

0

(23)

(454)


______

______

______

______

______

 

 

 

3.      Basic earnings per share

 

The basic and weighted average number of ordinary shares used in the calculation of basic earnings per share are as follows:

 

 

30-Jun-24

30-Jun-23

31-Dec-23


€000s

€000s

€000s





Profit/(Loss) for the period attributable to equity holders of the parent:







Profit (Loss) for period

(389)

(454)

551


______

______

______

Total Profit (Loss) for period

(389)

(454)

551





Weighted average number of ordinary shares




for the purpose of basic earnings per share

472,507,482

472,507,482

472,507,482


 

 

 


______

______

______

Basic loss per ordinary shares (in cent) Total

(0.08)

(0.10)

0.12


______

______

______

 

 

Diluted earnings per share

 

For the six months to 30 June 2024, the share options are anti-dilutive and therefore diluted earnings per share is the same as the basic earnings per share.

 

For the six months to 30 June 2023 and the year ended 31 December 2023 the basic and diluted earnings per share are the same.

 

 

4.      Investments in subsidiaries, business combinations and financial assets

 

Subsidiaries are fully consolidated from the date that control commences until the date that control ceases. Accounting policies of subsidiaries have been changed where necessary to ensure consistency with the policies adopted by the Group. In 2023 Ormonde acquired a 36.2% interest in TRU Precious Metals Corp (TRU). The Directors agreed that Ormonde has met the IFRS 10 control criteria with the Board of Directors control of TRU and has the right to appoint/remove TRU's key management personnel and decide on exploration plans and operational strategy by a simple majority of Board votes. As a result, Ormonde has consolidated TRU since acquisition in September 2023. The measurement basis chosen for Non Controlling Interests is the proportionate share of identifiable net assets.

 

The Group has a 19.2% investment in Peak Nickel Ltd which is deemed to be an investment under IFRS and is shown at cost plus a fair value adjustment.  Peak Nickel Limited is UK based company advancing exploration on a potentially significant battery metals project. The Directors having regard to the volatility of these type of investments (and this is the case given the early stage of this project and the type of market whereby metal prices can fluctuate quite widely and have a direct impact on fund raising) and to fluctuations in share prices for this nature of investment, have deemed fair value at 31 December 2023 of the Peak Nickel equity interest to be the amount, GB£1.02 million, (€1,172,000) generating a gain in 2023, recognised through the income statement, of €585,400. There was a further investment of GB£50,000 in early 2024.

 

5.      Trade and other receivables

 

Trade receivables include the amount of €500,000 (current) and €414,000 (non-current) (total of €914,000) representing the fair value of the €1 million deferred consideration receivable at 30 June 2024 following the disposal in September 2022 of certain land and data assets associated with the La Zarza project.

 

 

6.            Share capital

 

 

30-Jun-24

30-Jun-23

31-Dec-23


€000s

€000s

€000s





Authorised Equity




950,000,000 ordinary shares of €0.01 each

9,500

9,500

9,500


______

______

______


9,500

9,500

9,500


______

______

______


 

 

 

Issued Capital




Share Capital

4,725

4,725

4,725

Share Premium

29,932

29,932

29,932


______

______

______


34,657

34,657

34,657


______

______

______





Issued Capital comprises




472,507,482 ordinary shares of €0.01 each

4,725

4,725

4,725


______

______

______


4,725

4,725

4,725


______

______

______

 

7.            Non Controlled Interests

 

The non controlled interest of €4,844,000 represents the 63.7% of TRU Precious Metals Corp net assets which the company does not control at year end and comprises mainly of intangible assets (€3,922,000), receivables/prepayments (€48,000), cash balance (€939,000) and trade payables (€74,000).

8.            Dividends

 

No dividends were paid or proposed in respect of the six months ended 30 June 2024.

 

 

 

9.            Post balance sheet events

 

In July 2024, TRU entered into a definitive option agreement with Eldorado Gold Corporation ("Eldorado") granting Eldorado the exclusive option to earn an 80% ownership interest in the Golden Rose project through a multi-year CAN$7 million work programme and a CAN$8.25 million cash payment to TRU. See the Operational Review at the start of this Report for fuller details.

 

 

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