Silver Mines Ltd.
Overview
Silver Mines Ltd. is a junior silver development company headquartered in Sydney, Australia, operating primarily in Australia. The company's portfolio consists of 1 development project, in addition to several early-stage exploration prospects. Key assets include Bowdens Silver. The organization's business model is centered on exploration and development, utilizing advanced technical methodologies to define and advance its mineral assets. A key operational characteristic is the integration of a conventional milling circuit with differential flotation to produce multiple concentrates, indicating a capacity for complex polymetallic processing. The company actively engages in research and development programs in collaboration with academic institutions and industry consultants to enhance geological mapping and targeting. This includes the application of proprietary technologies such as predictive geochemistry machine-learning algorithms and 2D seismic reflection surveys to model subsurface structures and identify prospective zones. This technology-driven approach aims to improve exploration efficiency and de-risk development. The operational framework is designed to support a transition from exploration to production, with a focus on optimizing all aspects of potential development, including mine design and metallurgical processes, to improve economic viability and operational performance.
Strategy
Strategic focus centers on transitioning the flagship asset from pre-development into a full-scale mining operation. A core component of this strategy is an ongoing optimization program for the existing feasibility study, which examines all facets of the development including mine design, metallurgy, and process design to enhance economic viability and reduce environmental impact. The enterprise aims to expand its resource base through continued exploration drilling designed to test for extensions to the known mineral system and to infill under-sampled areas. Capital allocation priorities include funding pre-development works, ongoing exploration, and maintaining financial discipline to maximize shareholder value. The company also pursues regional exploration across its tenement holdings to identify and advance new targets. A key objective is to position the organization as a world-class mining operation by systematically meeting development milestones and advancing its portfolio of exploration projects.
Management
Executive leadership is headed by a Managing Director with over 25 years of experience in mining, business development, and finance, including senior operational roles with WMC Resources and financial positions at Citigroup, UBS, and Canaccord. The board of directors consists of 4 members, 3 of whom are considered independent, including the Non-Executive Chairman. Due to its size, the full board performs the functions of the audit, nomination, and remuneration committees, with specific items addressed as distinct agenda items during board meetings. The company secretary is directly accountable to the board through the chairman on all matters related to the proper functioning of the board. Governance processes include annual performance evaluations of the board, its committees, and individual directors, as well as periodic reviews of senior executive performance. The framework is designed to align director and executive objectives with shareholder interests through a combination of fixed remuneration and long-term incentives.
Sustainability
The organization demonstrates its commitment to environmental, social, and governance principles through several specific initiatives. It has adopted the Digbee ESG disclosure platform, achieving an inaugural overall rating of BBB, which provides a framework for transparent reporting and continuous improvement. A key social achievement is the completion of a Native Title Agreement with the Warrabinga-Wiradjuri people, reflecting a dedication to respecting Indigenous rights and fostering inclusive development. The company's environmental policy emphasizes a commitment to a progressive rehabilitation plan, with restoration activities planned throughout the life of the mine. Community engagement is a cornerstone of its approach, focusing on providing local employment opportunities and supporting local businesses. The governance framework is supported by a formal Code of Conduct, a Whistleblower Policy, and an Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy to ensure ethical business practices.
Structure
The corporate structure consists of the parent entity and several wholly owned subsidiaries, including Bowdens Silver Pty Ltd, which manages legal and development aspects of the primary asset, and Tuena Resources Pty Ltd, which holds other exploration projects. Another subsidiary, Bowdens Agriculture Pty Ltd, manages agricultural operations. A substantial shareholder is HSBC CUSTODY NOMINEES (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, holding a 13.70% interest as of September 2024. Subsequent to the 2024 financial year, the company entered into a binding agreement for A$30.2 million in funding through convertible debentures with a specialized investment group that includes Bromma Asset Management Inc., led by Harry Lundin and Rick Rule, and MMCAP International Inc. SPC. This financing is secured by a general security interest over the assets of the company and its subsidiaries, which act as guarantors. The debentures have a 48-month maturity and are convertible into ordinary shares at a pre-determined price.
Source
Silver Mines Limited - Annual Report - 2024
- Project should be interpreted as a single, group or complex of mines, deposits or other mineral assets. Name of the project should be identical to the official company naming convention.
- The ranges of values provided are indicative and should not be regarded as exact figures.
- Figures for exploration and development projects are based on available data and are indicative only; actual values may vary substantially.
- Royalties frequently apply to specific mineralized areas that may not coincide exactly with the boundaries of the overall project. As a result, even if a mine is currently in operation, the portion subject to the royalty may not be included in extraction activities until future years.
- Commodities are listed from most dominant to least dominant. Only selected commodities are shown.
- Table might not include all projects that are currently owned by the company. Displayed data are snapshots of the company's projects in time and might not be up to date.
- Exploration projects are partially represented in the table. Only projects with mineralization or strategic importance are shown.
- Companies might own processing facilities that are not included in the table. Those facilities play important role especially for companies operating in uranium, nickel and lithium sectors.
- Chart is always based on the company's primary listing.
- Presented values are denominated in currency of the country where the company is headquartered. Values like market capitalization might differ from the values visible in other parts of the page, where the currency is always USD.
- koz au: Thousand ounces of gold (production volume)
- moz au: Million ounces of gold (resource base or production volume)
- g/t: Grams per tonne (grade of gold or silver in ore)
- usd/oz au: US dollars per ounce of gold (cost metric)
- moz ag: Million ounces of silver (resource base or production volume)
- g/t ag: Grams per tonne of silver in ore (grade)
- usd/oz ag: US dollars per ounce of silver (cost metric)
- kt cu: Thousand tonnes of copper (production volume)
- mt ore: Million tonnes of ore (resource base for copper)
- %: Percent copper or uranium in ore (grade)
- usd/lb cu: US dollars per pound of copper (cost metric)
- mlb U3O8: Million pounds of uranium oxide (U3O8) (production or resource base)
- % eU3O8: Percent equivalent uranium oxide in ore (grade)
- usd/lb u3o8: US dollars per pound of uranium oxide (cost metric)
- Open Pit: Surface mining method using large excavated terraces to extract ore
- Underground: Subsurface mining through shafts, tunnels, and chambers
- ISR (In-Situ Recovery): Solution mining method using chemical leaching without excavation
- Exploration: Early-stage project searching for and defining mineral deposits
- Development: Mine under construction or preparation for production
- Operating: Active mine currently extracting and processing ore
- Expansion: Mine temporarily suspended or with limited production, in progress to increase production in the future
- Reclamation: Mine permanently closed or no longer producing, but the site is being rehabilitated
- P&P (Proven and Probable Reserves): Highest confidence mineral resources with detailed mine plans, it's a subset of M&I
- M&I (Measured and Indicated Resources): Well-defined resources with good geological confidence
- Inf (Inferred Resources): Estimated resources with limited geological confidence
- Scoping Study: High-level assessment to determine if a project warrants further investigation
- PEA (Preliminary Economic Assessment): Initial economic evaluation of a mineral project
- Pre-Feasibility (Preliminary Feasibility Study): Intermediate-level technical and economic assessment
- Feasibility (Definitive Feasibility Study): Comprehensive technical and economic evaluation for investment decisions
- BFS (Bankable Feasibility Study): Detailed study meeting lender requirements for project financing
- NPV (Net Present Value): Discounted value of future cash flows minus initial investment
- IRR (Internal Rate of Return): Discount rate that makes NPV equal to zero
- Payback Period: Time required to recover initial capital investment from project cash flows
- AISC (All-In Sustaining Cost): Total cost per ounce including sustaining capital and corporate costs
- Royalty: Payment to landowner/government based on percentage of production value or revenue
- Stream: Agreement to purchase future production at predetermined price, often below market rate
- NSR (Net Smelter Return): Royalty based on net revenue after smelting and refining costs
- GRR (Gross Revenue Royalty): Royalty based on total gross revenue before any deductions
- NPI (Net Profits Interest): Royalty based on net profits after operating costs and capital recovery