Metals Finance Limited has been formed for the specific purpose of providing a unique combination of finance and technical skills for the development of small to medium scale metal recovery projects around the globe. The company's primary targets are those opportunities which, even during an upturn in world metal markets, may be too small, complex or unusual to easily attract the funding and high level technical input required to ensure their successful development.
Metals Finance does not assume the classical resource risks inherent to mineral exploration and mine development. It rather focuses its activities on metal-bearing resources and materials which have already been identified and fully outlined/measured. Metals Finance is not a mining or exploration company, rather it provides financial and production services to mining and metals companies.
The company is currently pursuing a number of projects around the world. It is also seeking to expand its portfolio of development opportunities in areas such as:
- Medium sized, proven, high-grade primary resources
- Start up projects requiring demonstration of new technologies
- Mine waste dumps and tailings
- Smelter and solid industrial wastes
- Industrial waste materials and streams
There are many high-grade, small to medium sized metal recovery opportunities available for evaluation and, if selected, for development through Metals Finance Limited. They are widely varied in location and commodity, but are characteristically owned/controlled by parties who lack the funding, technical capability or business structure required for their development.
We particularly seek associations where the opportunity has a high potential for viability but, without Metals Finance Limited, is unlikely to proceed to profitable development.
Access to development funding, application of key leading edge, metals recovery technologies and a highly skilled network of technical experts are all underlying factors in Metals Finance Limited's business strategy.
One of the inherent advantages that Metals Finance Limited possesses is the capability to rapidly assess available projects. This is aided by the fact that the projects targeted are, from a resource point of view, late stage or already developed. The facts are generally known, and technical and financial assessment simply requires testing to determine an appropriate treatment methodology. Metals Finance follows a strict, sequential model in project development:
- Establishment of a suitable process flow sheet
- Preliminary financial modeling and risk assessment
- Site testing of the proposed flow sheet
- Decision to proceed with plant design and engineering
- Determination of minimum scale for positive return
- Design and engineering of treatment facility including permitting
- Determination of capital and operating costs
- Establishment of personnel requirements and availability
- Generation and independent review of project plan
- Project development
Metals Finance Limited, through its range of contacts, has access to a network of individuals around the world who are highly experienced in the field of project establishment.
There have been some major recent developments in metal processing technology, which have resulted in:
- Increased efficiency in process application
- Modular construction of unit processes
- Reduction in unit capital and operating cost
As a consequence the potential economies of scale in metal recovery have changed. Whereas conventional recovery processes have, in their traditional application, required large scale projects to achieve viability, it is now possible to develop relatively small resources in the phased and rigidly controlled Metals Finance fashion.
Metals Finance Limited employs proven metals recovery technologies, that can be implemented quickly and in a modular fashion, in order to allow confirmation of project economics without protracted feasibility study. In many cases the first phase of the project is in essence the 'bankable feasibility study'. In order to execute this model, a thorough working knowledge of the capabilities of the technologies to be used is necessary. This is a key competence of the team and technical network established by Metals Finance Limited.
