5/4/11
Malcolm Gissen: A gold company that we have invested in for about three years is Avion Gold. Initially, we invested at roughly $0.10 about three years ago [as part of a private placement]. Avion has since become a gold producer in West Africa and is now trading at around $1.65. . .We bought more in the open market and got stock in warrants. In fact, we're exercising the warrants now because they expire in a couple of weeks. The warrants were at $0.65; so, we've had a very big gain. Avion's production was about 51,000 ounces (Koz.) in 2009 and around 87 Koz. in 2010. This year, it anticipates producing about 100 Koz. With gold at $1,500/oz., that's $150M in cash flow. Avion has very good grade in its mines in Mali. The company's doing further exploration and getting very good results. In addition, it has and is exploring properties in Burkina Faso, also in West Africa. The results look promising and the company expects to complete an NI 43-101-compliant resource estimate during the second quarter of this year.
TGR: Avion owns 80% of the Segala, Tabakoto and Dioulafoundou gold deposits in Mali. Those are currently open-pit operations, but Avion is going to head underground at some point, correct?
MG: That's correct. And we believe, with the grade it's getting and the exploration results, Avion should be expanding its resource. The 43-101 will be important because it will provide verification for what the company's doing. Many larger gold companies wait for junior miners to produce a 43-101 report before they start getting interested in the junior, in terms of a possible acquisition.
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