www.bassmetals.com.au/aurora/assets/user_content/...010%20FINAL-1.pdf Conclusion Review of the available documentation, visits to a number of BSM assets & discussions with BSM staff have shown BSM to be a successful mine operator & production company. Work completed by the Company in the last few years regarding the development & production from the Que River deposit through the use of the Que River Mining Alliance and sale of ore to the nearby Roseberry mill demonstrates this clearly, as it has provided the Company with a solid basis to move forward and proceed with its own milling & production from the Fossey ore deposit. The Company, its Alliance partners & site contractors have evidenced an intimate knowledge of the relevant ore deposits, geology, metallurgy, mining ability & technical capabilities of the Hellyer mill. Ongoing development work appears to be on schedule for a January 2011 milling start, with ramp up beginning shortly. The financial imperative for this project is compelling & it is impressive for BSM to have obtained & refurbished the Hellyer mill for such a low capital outlay. The current mine plan involves the staged production from the Fossey mine, Hellyer & Que River mines, with the additional processing of ore from the Hellyer tailings, resulting in a 4-5 year mine life based on current resources. VCL has undertaken a top level review of this mine plan, detailed in the model provided (pages 18 & 19), which demonstrates the viability & value of the proposed mine plan, with a NPV of A$ 104M (5% discount) & showing capital repayment within the first year. However, what this model does not take into consideration or show is the additional value retained by the Company, in terms of its hard assets like the Hellyer Mill & concentration facility, its exploration targets, or its potential for the recovery of gold from its gold bearing resources. With this in mind, it is important to note that in addition to the pipeline of poly-metallic ore deposits currently in the BSM portfolio, there are a number of very promising exploration targets currently being pursued, most notably the Fossey East & Switchback discoveries. Further assessment of the viability of operating a gold recovery circuit at the Hellyer mill will also provide further added value & opportunity to the Company. |