Denarius sees quick restart for former Lundin nickel-copper mine in Spain

Denarius Metals (CBOE: DMET; US-OTC: DNRSF) has released a prefeasibility study that supports the reopening of its 50%-owned Aguablanca nickel-copper mine in Spain.

Last operated by Lundin Mining (TSX: LUN) until its closure in 2016, Aguablanca is located in the town of Monesterio, 88 km southwest from Denarius’s 50%-owned Lomero copper-zinc project. Denarius acquired the Aguablanca stake last year from its now joint venture partner RNR Shareholder group for about US$27 million.

“The (prefeasiblity) confirms our decision late last year to invest in the Aguablanca project, one of the only deposits in Spain able to produce nickel and copper,” said Denarius chair and CEO Serafino Iacono in a release. “By the end of this year, we will have restarted the processing plant, which has been maintained in good condition, and completed the preparation for underground contract mining to deliver the first production of nickel-copper concentrates in early 2025.”

The study gives the underground mine six years of life with an investment of US$36.2 million. The net present value with a 5% discount is US$83.1 million with an after-tax internal rate of return of 213% with payback occurring by the end of 2025. The pit is to be dewatered and mining begin from underground. Denarius plans to use half of the mill’s capacity for Aguablanca, and half to treat ore from Lomero.

At long-term nickel and copper prices of US$7.30 per lb. and US$3.50 per lb., respectively, total life of mine undiscounted after-tax project cash flow from mining operations amounts to US$105.7 million.

“This is a relatively small, underground, low capital-intensive project with a robust economic profile,” Red Cloud Securities mining analyst Taylor Combaluzier wrote in a note to clients. “We believe the (prefeasibility study) demonstrates that Aguablanca could be restarted with only modest capex, while returning a compelling after-tax NPV and IRR. We believe Denarius is well on its way to becoming a near-term (nickel-copper) producer, with production expected from Zancudo in H2/24 and from Aguablanca in early 2025.”

According to the study, Aguablanca could produce a total of 43.2 million lb. nickel and 34.6 million lb. copper plus gold, platinum, and palladium. All-inclusive sustaining costs per lb. of nickel are forecast at US$4.04.

Denarius reports that it has several potential customers in Europe willing to take the concentrates from the mine. It owns its stake in Aguablanca through its Spanish subsidiary, Alto Minerals.

When mining ended, there remained measured and indicated resources of 6.4 million tonnes grading 0.63% nickel and 0.56% copper. There was also an indicated resource of 242,000 tonnes at 0.52% nickel and 0.42% copper.

The company holds other assets in Spain as well as its Zancudo gold-silver-lead-zinc project in Colombia.