Mining’s old guard needs strong medicine
A new report details subpar investor returns in the mining industry over the last decade, particularly big cap diversified companies which have not adapted to new realities.
Shares in Galantas Gold (TSX, LON:GAL) plummeted in London on Tuesday after it announced it had temporarily suspended blasting operations at its Irish gold mine as insufficient supervision has not allowed the company to expand operations as planned.
All blasting in North Ireland must be overseen by police, but the lack of needed supervision has resulted in a financial burden, which had proved a “significant drain” on the company’s financial resources, Galantas said.
The Canadian junior has been working with authorities to increase blasting availability to normal levels for an underground mine
As a result, the gold miner has started consultations to reduce employee numbers at its Omagh mine.
The firm, which kicked off the mine’s expansion in 2017 after the open-pit site was exhausted, is currently seeking strategic alternatives. Those include reviewing its licenses and operations, as well as considering a joint venture or other options with third parties for alternative financing structures.
“The company expects it will have to raise funds within the next 6 months and will update the market in due course,” Galantas Gold said.
The Canada-headquartered junior plans to continue with some operations at Omagh, which is Northern Ireland’s only producing gold mine.
Shares in the company closed on Tuesday 47% lower, at 1.92 pence in London. They have fallen 30.5% so far this year and are still almost 20% less than what they were trading at three years ago, at 9.75 pence each.
Northern Ireland holds the world’s seventh richest resource of gold, but political violence kept most investors away for decades.
