explosive
- 31 Dec 2005 13:39
Ballarat Goldfields is an Australian gold explorer and developer, with a strong
portfolio of projects primarily focused on the highly prospective Ballarat gold
province in Victoria.
Situated in one of the most famous historical gold mining regions of Australia,
Ballarat produced over 12 million ounces before it's premature closure, around
the time of the first world war.
In 2004, for the first time following discovery in the 1850's, the leases over
the entire Ballarat field were consolidated under the sole ownership of BGF.
This has resulted in the company constructing a comprehensive geological model
of the entire field, demonstrating what many had suspected, that Ballarat had
massive unexplored prospectivity.
BGF completed a pre-feasibility study in 2004 which proposed an initial
underground mine at Ballarat East, with twin access declines servicing the
haulage and ventilation. The mine, based on BGF's geological model, has a life of 21 years, and would achieve an average production rate of approximately
200,000 ounces of gold per annum.
Website For Own Research
http://www.ballarat-goldfields.com.au
Top 20 Ordinary Shareholders Hold 69.66% of Issued Capital: 5th July 2006
Diggers & Dealers - Investor Presentation ASX and Media Release: 9th August 2006
Ballarat-Goldfields Annual Report2006
Ballarat East Revised Development Strategy ASX and Media Release: 7th September 2006



explosive
- 17 Sep 2006 01:53
- 137 of 167
Off to Antwerp in a few hours, back in a week.
Andy
- 17 Sep 2006 11:59
- 138 of 167
explosive,
"I have to wonder whats drawn you to this stock?"
I have only just seen this question which you asked a few posts back, so apologies for not answering sooner.
I guess the first thing that attracted me to BGF was the historical link, and that the mine is actually under the town!
But the main reasons I am watching BGF is that the company ticks quite a few important boxes for me;
I currently prefer near to production small mining stocks.
I have a preference for gold and zinc, as I believe the price of both has much further to rise, particularly AU, if some of the doom and gloom re the US $ comes to pass.
I prefer low cost producers,
I perefer the country to be politically stable, and am currently avoiding FSU, (although I am excepting AVM in Tajikistan, but even that is currently only on the watchlist).
I want companies that have potential to expand the resource.
Naturally, the delay in production startup by a year is disappointing, even though there is a good reason being spun out to cover it.
I had read previously that they had some problems in the mine itself, so this at least partially confirms those rumours I guess.
BGF remains on the watchlist, and I feel it will stay there until such time as production startup approaches, and I am happy I resisted the temptation to chase the price when it rose earlier this year.
steveo
- 17 Sep 2006 21:00
- 139 of 167
watch and come back in a year I'd say.
Andy
- 18 Sep 2006 08:28
- 140 of 167
steveo,
I agree.
Andy
- 18 Sep 2006 11:25
- 141 of 167
RNS - 2,500,000 shares issued at 4.72 Australian cents! (around 2.25p)
Ballarat Goldfields N.L.
18 September 2006
BALLARAT GOLDFIELDS NL
Rule 2.7, 3.10.3, 3.10.4, 3.10.5
Appendix 3B
New issue announcement,
application for quotation of additional securities
and agreement
Information or documents not available now must be given to ASX as soon as
available. Information and documents given to ASX become ASX's property and may
be made public.
Introduced 1/7/96. Origin: Appendix 5. Amended 1/7/98, 1/9/99, 1/7/2000, 30/9/
2001, 11/3/2002, 1/1/2003.
Name of entity
BALLARAT GOLDFIELDS NL
ABN
50 006 245 441
We (the entity) give ASX the following information.
Part 1 - All issues
You must complete the relevant sections (attach sheets if there is not enough
space).
1 +Class of +securities issued or to be issued Fully Paid Ordinary
Shares
------------------------
------------------------
2 Number of +securities issued or to be issued (if 2,500,000
known) or maximum number which may be issued ------------------------
------------------------
3 Principal terms of the +securities (eg, if Fully Paid Ordinary
options, exercise price and expiry date; if Shares
partly paid +securities, the amount outstanding ------------------------
and due dates for payment; if +convertible
securities, the conversion price and dates for
conversion)
------------------------
4 Do the +securities rank Yes
equally in all respects from
the date of allotment with an
existing +class of quoted
+securities?
If the additional
securities do not rank
equally, please state:
the date from which they
do
the extent to which they
participate for the next
dividend, (in the case of a
trust, distribution) or
interest payment
the extent to which they
do not rank equally, other ------------------------
than in relation to the next
dividend, distribution or
interest payment
------------------------
5 Issue price or consideration 4.72 cents
------------------------
------------------
This puts a little bit of extra cash in the coffers, I suppose, but it's annoying ofr a PI to see this going through at such a low price.
robertalexander
- 23 Sep 2006 08:34
- 142 of 167
whats happened to the SP. i bailed out at 11p with a big loss, glad i did.
Alex
steveo
- 23 Sep 2006 18:34
- 143 of 167
same here, would like to get it back one day, but that day is a way off yet!!
explosive
- 26 Sep 2006 21:18
- 144 of 167
I'll sit tight on my holding I think, confident these will turn around nearer to production too. May even buy further stock with the lows. Should have been out when I was 30% up, oh well this is trading.
Andy
- 30 Sep 2006 13:31
- 145 of 167
I picked this up on another BB, and it doesn't read too well IMO!
http://www.minesite.com/storyFull5.php?storySeq=3808
Minews Story Date: September 21, 2006
Ballarat Goldfields Finds Major Fault In Its Plans
By Rob Davies
One of the worst things that can happen to a mine geologist is to discover something totally unexpected. And when that thing radically changes everything you thought you knew about the deposit you know that the next conversation with the mine manager is going to be tricky. Such must have been the feeling of the chief geologist of AIM and ASX listed Ballarat Goldfields when he discovered the existence of the Blue Whale Fault. Apparently this is the largest fault ever discovered in the field and is described as having a significant impact on the gold mineralisation of Ballarat East.
A seasoned observer might interpret that as saying that it completely changes everything the geologists thought they knew. In any event it has had a dramatic effect on the mine. Production will not now start until 2008 and the mine plan is being drastically revised and will cost an additional A$92million to implement. To try and ameliorate all this bad news the company did say that the resource has been increased by 27 per cent to 1.4 million ounces and that when production does start it will be 25 per cent more than it promised before. It is important to remember that this is a resource and not a reserve. The nuggety and erratic nature of gold distribution in the quartz veins means that the normal standards applied to generate an ore reserve cannot be used in this location.
Moreover, it only tells part of the story because the company has discovered it actually had less gold in the upper levels as a consequence of earlier mining being more extensive than first thought. That means the addition of new resources must be substantial to compensate for the losses and increase the overall figure. A table to reconcile the changes to resources would considerably help analysis of all these changes. In any event details about precisely where and how much ore there is hasnt stopped the company building a mill and sinking shafts and declines to access the gold it thinks is there, or was before the fault moved it many millions of years ago. The corporate video still refers to the mill starting at the end of 2005 so the scale of the setback and changes is large in anyones language.
Despite these problems the market still thinks the company is worth 100million, albeit that is less than half the value it was at the peak. But for that you get a mill worth A$30million in the books and A$26million of cash. Unfortunately, you still get pretty much the same management team. True, Colin Smith is no longer Chairman. He has been farewelled into retirement, a creative use of the English language that almost matches the companys geological expertise. He is replaced by Alastair Maitland who moves up from non-executive director, but the rest of the technical team is intact.
A schoolboy error this team has made is to underestimate the amount of gold removed by previous miners in times past. This is a factor that many miners have experienced when opening up old workings. By going deeper the miners will avoid these voids, and expect to encounter higher grades, but the cost and delay of the extra work will have a big impact on the valuation of the mine. How much of that is priced in to the shares is probably still a matter of debate. The company didnt return calls to elaborate on these issues.
steveo
- 01 Oct 2006 20:06
- 146 of 167
very grim reading, not going to be much support for these now.
Andy
- 02 Oct 2006 09:02
- 147 of 167
steveo,
I agree, they could fall a tad more yet IMO.
I will wait until closer to production, as I feel they will fall further.
maddoctor
- 02 Oct 2006 10:31
- 148 of 167
followed this for some time as a fan of Aus but this is looking like the typical description of a small miner " a hole in the ground into which money disappears"
Andy
- 02 Oct 2006 11:03
- 149 of 167
maddoctor,
LOL!
RNS out today!
Ballarat Goldfields arranges 100 mln aud debt facility
AFX
LONDON (AFX) - Ballarat Goldfields NL said it has a non binding term sheet in place for the provision of a 100 mln aud delayed-draw financing facility which, when combined with current cash, will provide the required 120 million aud funding to implement the improved development plan for Ballarat East.
The debt facility is being arranged by RFC Corporate Finance Ltd and is subject to a number of conditions, including third party due diligence, final credit approval and legal documentation.
Ballarat said the new development plan for Ballarat East provides greater certainty to production and cash flows by bringing capital development forward.
newsdesk@afxnews.com
rw
COPYRIGHT
Copyright AFX News Limited 2005. All rights reserved.
maddoctor
- 02 Oct 2006 11:24
- 150 of 167
Hi Andy . may come good one day.
explosive
- 02 Oct 2006 18:02
- 151 of 167
Well we all read it differently I suppose, the article doesn't mention higher grades found within the fault or the increase in company reserves. Oh and Andy you posted only half of the RNS, the rests below.
As stated previously, the new development plan for Ballarat East provides
greater certainty to production and cash flows albeit by bringing capital
development forward. Highlights of the improved development plan (more detail is
provided in previous announcements) include:
* greater certainty to achieve higher production rates of around 250,000
ounces of gold per annum (previously 200,000 ounces per annum) with
increased flexibility to deliver a consistent production tonnage to the
process plant;
* concurrent access to the substantially higher grade gold mineralisation
at depth, in the southern and northern areas, by re-locating a proposed
ventilation shaft to the southern end of the mine and equipping it for
haulage;
* cash operating costs falling below A$300/oz when in full production;
* conservative rates of development for underground access and shaft
construction given the successful completion of the North Prince Extended
ventilation shaft in 2005 and on-going development experience;
* by-passing potential upper level ore sources, above the base of the
historical workings, which are proving to be difficult to access and
unreliable for consistent large scale production. These areas may provide
a supplemental ore source at modest production rates once full scale
production has commenced; and,
* the ability to carry out resource definition drilling well ahead of
production.
BGF is committed to the improved development plan for Ballarat East and will
provide further details on the debt facility once it is finalised.
explosive
- 09 Oct 2006 22:51
- 152 of 167
At todays prices in '09 we'll be producing 250,000 ozs gold p/y at a cost of under $300 per oz. Cost of production p/y $75m, price of gold today $576.2 per oz. At todays prices turnover would be $144m, less cost of production profit would be $69m p/y. Just a thought!!
explosive
- 13 Oct 2006 23:25
- 153 of 167
smiler o
- 14 Oct 2006 10:12
- 154 of 167
explosive, I already hold whats your thoughts ?? back up to 10p i see
smiler o
- 16 Oct 2006 10:55
- 155 of 167
BALLARAT'S chances of being revived as a major goldfield have received a boost, with project owner Ballarat Goldfields (BGF) placed in a trading halt pending the outcome of "merger" talks with an unnamed suitor.
Favoured speculation among brokers was that the world's biggest gold producer, Barrick, could be about to make a 30-a-share takeover bid, valuing the company at $360 million.
Other tips for potential suitors included St Barbara and South Africa's Gold Fields.
Fellow Victorian gold producer Perseverance was ruled out because it has its hands full with its takeover of Stawell goldminer Leviathan. CSM was also ruled out because of its focus on expanding its nickel business.
The takeover talks follow the collapse of BGF's share price after its revelation in early August that it needed to raise $100 million to develop a bigger and better redevelopment of the old goldfield, one based on bypassing old workings altogether.
RFC Corporate has been working on raising the required $100 million.
steveo
- 17 Oct 2006 21:17
- 156 of 167
re post 146 got that wrong then!! ;o(